The Dingo Dilemma

everybody how she aced her audition for Olive and that she's a sure thing for the part.'

'I'd keep out of dark alleys, if I were you.'

There was silence while we both contemplated Melodie's likely reaction. Hostile was probably the best I could hope for under the circumstances. Completely berko was more likely.

'Bob, I'm a babe in the woods about this acting stuff,' I said, 'and I can hardly ask Melodie's advice.'

'Let's give this some serious thought. OK, first you need an agent or an entertainment lawyer to represent you and negotiate your contract. Since you've already got the job, I'm thinking a lawyer's the way to go. Ask Harriet- she'll recommend someone first-class. And you need to join SAG or AFTRA, whichever has jurisdiction over Darleen Come Home.' He added helpfully, 'That's the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.'

I sighed. 'This acting lark's more complicated than I bargained for.'

'Just wait until you get a taste of Earl Garfield as autocratic director,' said Bob with a wry smile. 'He's been known to make grown men cry.'

****

Harriet was as amused as Bob had been, but she did manage to stifle her giggles long enough to call an entertainment lawyer friend, and set up an appointment for later that afternoon. Swearing her to silence, as I had yet to tell Melodie the bad news, I went looking for Julia Roberts. At times like this Jules was an excellent sounding board. I'd use her to trial a few different ways to introduce the inconvenient fact that I'd inadvertently stolen the part Melodie coveted.

I couldn't locate Jules, and as she had any number of hidey holes where she could be lurking, I gave up the idea of using her as a test audience. I knew I had no excuse to put off the awful moment any longer. My mother's oft- repeated advice echoed in my ears: 'Strike while the iron is hot. She who hesitates is lost. Bite the bullet…'

Mum. Of course she'd be anxious to hear what was going on with Dingo. I persuaded myself I'd give her a quick call and catch her early before things got hectic at The Wombat's Retreat. Then I'd dash Melodie's hopes.

Jack O'Connell, my mum's fiance, answered the phone. 'Jeez, Kylie, you've rung at a bad time. We've got a bloody emergency, no two ways about it.'

He put the phone down before I could ask what sort of emergency it was. After a long delay, Mum came on the line. 'Can't talk, darl. The kitchen staff's just walked off the job. There's no one to cook breakfast, and wouldn't you know it, we've got a full complement of guests. I've got everyone pitching in, including Millie.'

'What upset the kitchen staff?'

'Jack upset them, that's who. Rubbing them up the wrong way, telling them how to do their jobs…'

I could see where this was heading. 'I'll let you go, Mum, and call later, when-'

'I need you here at the Wombat, Kylie. I can't run the place on my own, and Jack's no help, as you can see. So when are you coming home?'

I was saved from answering by a hubbub at the other end of the line. 'Gotta go, love. Jack says they're coming to blows in the kitchen.'

Right. Now I'd speak with Melodie. Before I was out my office door, the phone on my desk rang.

'Is that you, Kylie? The nice young woman I met yesterday?'

'Mrs. Blake?'

'Phyllis, please.' She dropped her voice to a hoarse whisper. 'Something odd. I thought you should know.'

When silence indicated a prompt was needed, I said, 'Know what, Phyllis?'

'This morning I just happened to be getting a bit of air out the front of our building, when these two men turned up. Asking questions about Dingo. Shifty-eyed. Very suspicious.'

'Do you have any idea who they were?'

'Naturally, as a matter of course I asked for ID,' said Phyllis, sounding a little hurt that I hadn't realized this. 'I've watched enough shows on television to know you ask for ID. So I did. 'Show me some ID,' I said.'

'And did they?'

'That panicked them a bit.' Phyllis had a note of satisfaction in her voice. 'Looked at each other, then the one who seemed to be the leader told me that they were just friends of Douglas O'Rourke's. I knew immediately they were up to no good. I said, 'You're no friends of his if you're calling him Douglas. He's Dingo to his friends. So who are you?' And they said not to worry, and left. I thought it best to follow them. You've got to be proactive about crime these days.'

I had a vision of Mrs. Blake in her slippers and housecoat trotting along behind these two slippery-looking blokes. 'Stone the crows, Phyllis, that sounds like a dangerous thing to do.'

'Not at all. I always carry my personal alarm in my pocket. A touch of a finger and an ear-splitting noise gets everyone's attention. I had my hand on it the whole time. One of them looked over his shoulder and saw me, then the two of them rushed to get into a big black limo.'

'You didn't get the number, did you?'

Phyllis sighed. 'Sorry, dearie, no. My eyes aren't as good as they used to be.'

I grabbed a pen. 'Could you describe them to me?'

This took some time, as Phyllis was nothing if not thorough. As I jotted the last detail down, she said, 'At first I thought they might be mafia, you know, like in the movies. But these two weren't good enough for that. And they weren't bill collectors. Bill collectors come straight out with it and don't beat around the bush like these bozos.'

I wasn't quite sure what a bozo was, but it didn't sound flattering. 'Maybe you should call the cops if you see these two blokes again.'

'The cops?' said Phyllis with scorn. 'I can look after myself. Tell you what, if they turn up again, I'll call you.'

I got her to promise to be careful, and said goodbye. Excuses over. I stiffened my upper lip and headed for the front desk.

Melodie had company.

'G'day, Kylie,' said Cousin Brucie. 'You never told me someone as beaut-looking as Melodie worked here. If I'd known, I'd have lobbed in even sooner.' He gave her a big smile. 'I can see it's true what they say about California girls.'

Melodie beamed. To me she said, 'And you never told me your cousin Bruce was so handsome.'

'Must have slipped my mind.'

Looking at them, I had to admit they made an attractive couple. Melodie obviously agreed, because she said, 'I've just been telling Bruce I'd love to show him around some of our night spots.'

'Terrif idea,' I said with enthusiasm. Anything to get Brucie off my hands. I cleared my throat. 'Melodie, I need to talk to you about something, in private.'

Inconveniently, someone chose this moment to call Kendall & Creeling. While Melodie was answering the phone, Brucie said to me, 'Well? What's the good oil? Did you see Dingo?'

'Just for a few minutes.'

'And…?'

'And nothing, Brucie, yet.'

'Bruce,' he said, grimacing. 'Bruce.'

'Oh, sorry. I keep forgetting. Bruce it is.'

I became aware that Melodie was staring at me. She said into the receiver, 'Say it again, Tiff.'

Tiffany apparently said it again, because Melodie's face went dead white and her eyes narrowed to slits. 'You're sure?' she said.

Apparently Tiff was sure. Melodie put down the receiver with exaggerated care, got slowly to her feet, fixing me with a look that threatened severe bodily harm.

'Corblimey,' said Brucie, seeing the California girl he'd just admired transformed into something dangerously feral.

With horror I realized I'd dallied too long. The receptionists' network had beaten me to it. 'Let me explain,' I said to Melodie.