After Midnight

Sure…Yeah, maybe we’ll at least get an option out of it…Right, can’t hurt…Five copies? Geez. I guess they think I get ’em free…Yeah, I know…Today? They can’t get them today. Don’t they know I’m out here in the boonies? Where are they, in L.A.?…Oh. Same difference. Anyway, I don’t care who they are, I’m not driving to Culver City. Not today. It’s about a six-hour drive, and I’ve already got plans.”

He gave me a smile.

I flexed a muscle to make my breast hop, and his eyes got very wide.

“I don’t care,” he said into the phone. “The best I can do is send them overnight express, and I’m not too sure about that…Well, they’re always like that. They want everything yesterday, and then you drop everything to get the books off and you end up never hearing from them again anyway…I know…Well, let me have the address. I’ll get the books to them as soon as I can.”

He couldn’t seem to find a pen or paper on the lamp table.

Leaning forward, I snatched a ballpoint and the TV Guide off the cluttered table in front of me. Then I twisted around and reached them over to him.

“Thanks,” he whispered.

He dropped the TV Guide onto the lamp table and started to write on its back cover.

“Got it,” he said, and read the address back to Harold. Then he listened and nodded and said, “Okay. No problem. And thanks. You never know, maybe this’ll turn into something…Right. Take it easy. Bye.”

He hung up the phone and said, “My agent.”

“Sounds like he had some good news for you.”

He shrugged. “Yeah. Well, sort of. Some bigwig movie producer’s all hot for The Dark Pit. I’m supposed to drop everything and…”

“I heard.”

“It’s no big deal.”

“They want to make a movie out of your book? Sounds like a big deal to me.”

“These things usually don’t go much of anywhere. These movie people…They’ll tell you it’s the greatest book in the history of the world, then they’ll offer you about three hundred dollars for an option.”

“Three hundred? You’re kidding.”

“That’d just be for rights to fool around with the book for six months or something. And then you’d get maybe a hundred thousand if it goes into production.”

“That’s a lot.”

“But you never get it, because nothing ever gets that far.”

“Some stuff must.”

“Yeah. But not much. It’s mostly a big waste of time. I don’t jump through hoops for those guys anymore.”

“I would, if I were you.”

He smiled and said, “You being you, you might.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re not me standing here looking at you right now.”

“I’ll keep,” I told him, and drew my blouse shut to hide my breast. “You shouldn’t pass up a fabulous opportunity like this.”

“I know,” he said, and leered.

“I don’t mean me.”

“I do,” he said.

He held out a hand. I took it, and he pulled me to my feet. I stepped around the end of the coffee table. When I was standing in front of him, he let go of my hand. With both his hands, he slipped my blouse off my shoulders and down my arms. It drifted to the floor behind me.

“What’ll you do about the books?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Maybe call Federal Express.”

“You don’t want to deliver them today?”

“I’ve got better things to do,” he said, and slid his gaze down my body.

Blushing, I said, “I could go with you.”

“It’s an awfully long drive.”

“I don’t mind. I could tell you my story on the way.”

“We’ll see.”

“If I can stay awake.”

“Maybe you can take a nap while I go to the bank. You do still want your money, don’t you?”

“Darn right,” I said.

“And I can’t go get that till after I’ve raped you?”

“Darn right again. So you’d better get to it.”

“Are you sure you feel up to it?”

“You bet.”

“You’re awfully banged up. What happened to you? All these bruises and everything?”

“Rough night.”

“Were you in fights?”

“Sure. Fights, falls, collisions. You name it, it happened. But don’t worry. I’m fine.” Bending down, I raised a foot and started to pull off my shoe.

Murphy put a hand on my shoulder to hold me steady.

“Thanks,” I said. I tossed the shoe toward the couch. It landed on the floor with a thump. “They’ve gotta be artfully arranged,” I explained.

He shook his head. “Of course.”

I shifted to my other leg, pulled off my other shoe, and tossed it across the room. Then I stood up straight and smiled at him.

“Anything else?” he asked.

“Just be a little careful around my stomach.”

“What happened there?”

“Nailed by a tree branch. Walked right into it in the dark. But maybe I’ll tell you all about it in the car. If we ever get there.”

“I guess you want me to get on with it.”

“Good guess, Sherlock.”

“Where do you want me to start?”

“Surprise me.”

With a silly smile on his face, he put his arms around me and drew me forward. His mouth came at mine. I slapped him. The blow sent his glasses flying off his face. He looked startled and hurt.

“None of that kissy stuff,” I said. “Get rough. This has to look good.”

“Why does it have to look good? Nobody’ll ever know it happened.”

“They will if you double-cross me.”

“I’d never…”

“You’re a guy. Guys do stuff like that.”

“Not me.”

“Guys’ll stab you in the back, lie…”

“Not me.”

“But I don’t know that for sure, do I?”

“Guess not,” he admitted. Then he started to unhook the back of my bra.

And I suddenly realized that I still had the miniature cassette tape from Tony’s answering machine hidden inside my panties. If this went much further…

“Rough!” I snapped and shoved him away.