The Dingo Dilemma

'Quip was going to base his novel on the career and times of Donald Trump, but then he had a revelation, and switched to Norris Blainey. It's called I, Developer.'

'The Norris Blainey who's aiming to tear down this building and ruin the neighborhood?'

'The very one. The novel's a searing expose of Blainey's dirty dealings and ruthless tactics, but in Quip's novel he's called Morris Rainey.'

'I've got to give it to Quip,' I said. 'Not in a million years will Norris Blainey tumble to the fact it's him.'

'Of course everyone will know it's Blainey,' said Fran with ill-disguised impatience. 'That's the point.'

'And he won't sue for defamation?'

'Blainey's a public figure. Unless Quip makes up outrageous lies that destroy what little reputation the man still has, Blainey can't sue him.'

It sounded a bit dicey to me-I'd got the impression Norris Blainey would be an enemy you'd rather not have-but I said stoutly, 'I'm sure I, Developer will be a rip-snorter of a novel.'

'I know it will be. Quip's a wonderful writer.'

I'd always admired-and envied-Fran's total belief in Quip and his talents. She loved and supported him unreservedly. I was musing on how bonzer it would be if Ariana felt this way about me, when I became aware that Fran had an expression on her face I had never seen before. It threw me for a moment, then I realized it was her version of entreaty.

'Kylie, please don't tell anyone about our money problems.' She paused, then with a struggle, forced out the words, 'I'm begging you.'

'You don't have to beg me. Does Ariana know about this? I'll have to tell her.'

Fran shook her head. 'No one knows.'

'Not even your mother?' Ariana's sister was a successful artist. I found Janette's paintings rather disturbing, but they sold well, so I presumed she was in a position to help out.

'Mom doesn't know. Quip's proud. He doesn't want to ask for charity.'

'He'd rather you sneaked commission on the sly?'

Another new expression crossed Fran's face. Could it be mortification? I thought it was.

'Quip doesn't know anything about the commission,' she said. 'Isabel and Spike agreed to keep it secret.'

I found this new, unsettled Fran disconcerting. I wanted the old, acerbic, warrior-princess Fran back. 'I'd be surprised if you wanted my advice, but I'll give it anyway. Discuss all this with Ariana.'

This got a grudging nod from Fran. She got to her feet. 'Is our little talk over?' she asked, with a flash of her usual caustic self.

'If you agree to no more Spanish furniture.'

She nodded reluctantly. 'OK.'

Lonnie came shooting through the door as Fran was leaving. 'Watch it!' she snarled.

He waited until she'd gone, then said to me. 'The Collie Coalition.'

'What's that?'

'The shadowy group threatening to snatch Darken. They're outraged that a dingo is playing the role that Lassie the collie made famous.'

I grinned. 'The Collie Coalition? What a joke.'

Lonnie wasn't laughing. 'Homeland Security have them pegged as a terrorist group,' he said.

Six

The next morning I was up with the birds, keen to get the Dingo situation sorted out. Ariana had called me last evening while I'd been getting ready for my dinner date with Brucie. Her voice had been subdued, her usual crisp tones blurred with fatigue. 'I'll be in the office tomorrow afternoon,' she said before I could ask any leading questions. 'In the meantime, is there anything I should know about?'

'Nothing that can't wait. Oh, except for one thing.' I'd told her how I needed to get into Bellina Studios to see the elusive Dingo O'Rourke. 'Lonnie says it's possible you might know an ex-cop working in the studio security unit.'

'I can do better than that. The present head of security is Eppie Longworth. She and I worked together in the LAPD and we've kept in touch. I'll call her and get back to you.'

I hadn't expected Ariana to do anything about it until the next day, so I'd been surprised when fifteen minutes later she was on the line again. 'Your name will be on the entry list at the gate. Eppie will be expecting you. She's on duty from eight tomorrow morning.'

'Ariana?'

I'd heard her sigh. 'Don't ask, Kylie. Tomorrow, OK?'

The sigh stung. Feeling defensive, I'd said, 'I'm not trying to be a pest. I'm worried about you.'

'Don't be.'

Fair dinkum, loving someone could be a real downer at times!

Meeting Brucie for dinner was somewhat of an anti-climax, as I was distracted because of my conversation with Ariana, and Brucie, despite his protestations, had been hit hard by jetlag and could barely keep his eyes open. I picked him up at the seriously seedy Gateway to the Stars Inn and took him to a nearby Italian restaurant.

He'd changed since I'd last seen him, but I couldn't immediately put my finger on how. For one thing, I hadn't remembered Brucie as being particularly good-looking; however, a dispassionate assessment of his physical self- dark curly hair; smooth coffee skin like his mother; a lean, taut body-added up to something quite close to handsome.

Handsome or not, as far as I was concerned, Brucie's character had always been the problem, although my mum always said it was a two-way street, with the clash of our personalities fueling the fire.

Over dinner Brucie-I had to fight to call him Bruce-chatted in a desultory way about family news. Astonishingly, we didn't get into an argument, which was a first for us. In the past we'd be at daggers drawn within minutes of running into each other.

He asked me about Dingo O'Rourke, and I told him I was hoping to get onto the Darken Come Home soundstage the next morning. Naturally, Brucie wanted to come too, which caused our first disagreement of the evening.

I finally conceded that if he turned up at Kendall & Creeling tomorrow afternoon he could meet everyone, plus I would undertake to fill him in on my hoped-for face-to-face with Dingo at Bellina Studios.

****

While I was having my breakfast of porridge, toast, and tea, Melodie came bouncing into the kitchen. 'I know I'm early,' she announced to my raised eyebrows. She added virtuously, 'Like, I'm making up time, since I had a can't-miss audition yesterday afternoon.'

'That's ambiguous,' I observed. 'Is it a can't-miss audition because it's important? Or is it a can't-miss audition meaning you've aced it and you can't miss out on the role?'

Melodie frowned at me. 'You can be real puzzling at times, Kylie.' Her face cleared as she went on, 'But since you ask, Larry-my-agent says I'm a sure thing for Olive.'

Abruptly, her expression changed to one of emotional overload and she began to wring her hands. 'Oh, Timmy,' she cried with an excruciating nasal accent, 'is that really you? Strike me lucky! Leaping lizards, it's my fair dinkum baby brother! Whoops-a-daisy! By gum, to think we've been torn asunder all these yonks, with me Down Under and you here, in Texas, and never a cooee between us. And Darken, how chuffed I am that you've been dinky-di faithful to Timmy.'

'Hell's bells, is that a good example of the show's dialogue? Sounds crook to me.'

The frown was back on Melodie's face. 'What do you mean, crook?'

'It's no good. In fact, it's laughably bad.'