on a collision course, if you ask me.” She paused to
glance in the big oval mirror attached to the dressing
table. “Is she dead?” The question was asked without
much interest.
“No,” Judith said. “But I gather it was a close call.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Ellie responded, yanking at shafts
of her long jet-black hair. “Look at this—why can’t I
do what my stylist does to make this cut look right?
Oh, I’ll be so stoked to get back to Cosmo in L.A. They
should have let me bring him with me.” She gave her
hair a final tug. “Next time, I bet they will.” Her small,
perfect lips curved into a smug little smile.
“Next time?” Judith echoed.
“I mean,” Ellie said, turning away from the mirror,
“next time I have to make a special appearance. You
know—like this premiere.” Suddenly her usual perky
expression disappeared. “Except I don’t know if
know—with Bruno dead.”
The title struck a familiar chord with Judith. “I’ve
heard of that,” she said. “What’s it about?”
“Pioneers,” Ellie replied, picking up a pink cashmere cardigan that matched her pink cashmere shortsleeved sweater and tossing it over her slim shoulders.
“The Old West. You know—action, adventure, sex, big
rocks, bonnets, seagulls, Mormons.”
“Fascinating,” Judith commented, though it sounded
like a bit of a mishmash. “Do you have a big part?”
“Very,” Ellie said, joining Judith at the door. “I not
only play the female lead, but my name should go
above the title.”
“Really?” Judith knew that was good.
“Really,” Ellie said over her shoulder. “Got to scoot.
Vito can be an awful pest. Besides, I really need to talk
to him.”
Judith took the back stairs. Renie was in the kitchen,
studying the contents of the refrigerator.
“What’d you do with all those leftovers?” she asked.
“We put most of them in the freezer,” Judith replied.
“There are still some cheeses and slices of Italian ham.”
“Good,” Renie said, checking the crisper drawers.
“I’m starved. I didn’t eat a serious lunch.” With a gesture of triumph, she held up some smoked Gouda and
a package of prosciutto. “Pass the crackers, coz.”
Judith fetched a box of table wafers from the cupboard. “Where are the husbands?” she asked.
“Eavesdropping in the front parlor,” Renie answered, putting two round slices of Gouda on top of
the ham.
