escaped, but if the affair had continued, she would have killed me. I’m paid to tell the truth, and Tracy was never much of an actor.” He gazed thoughtfully at the lengthening ash on his cigar. “Her sister was good – always interesting to watch, but Tracy was just a dewy bloom in the hero’s lapel.”
“Do you think it’s possible she spent some time in Evan MacLeish’s lapel?”
“Could be,” Gabe said, flicking ash into his open palm. “Tracy bloomed for a lot of men.”
I handed him an abandoned plate. “Thanks,” he said, dumping the ashes carefully. “I’d be interested to know what she’s doing now.”
“She’s on a kids’ show here in Canada,” I said. “She plays a character called the Broken Wand Fairy. Some evil wizard snapped her wand, so none of her magic works any more.”
Gabe raised an eyebrow. “Block that metaphor.”
I sipped my drink. “She hasn’t totally lost her touch. Jill mentioned that Evan wanted her here for the wedding.”
“He wanted me here too, and there’s not a lot of magic between us. I’ve known him since he was married to Annie, but it would be a stretch to describe us as ‘close.’ ”
“Still, you must have some idea about what makes him tick.”
Gabe’s mouth twitched with amusement. “Don’t tell me you’re a groupie – trying to get the skinny on the Great Filmmaker.”
“No,” I said. “I just want to know if he’s a good man.”
Gabe’s smile vanished. “I’m not an ethicist, Joanne. I write about movies.”
“Then I’ll ask you a movie question,” I said. “This morning I watched Leap of Faith and Black Spikes and Slow Waves. Do you believe a decent human being could use people who loved him as material?”
“At least they were adults,” Gabe said.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning, I find those movies less problematic than I find Evan’s film about his daughter.”
I felt a chill. “They didn’t mention that one in the New York Times.”
“Not many people know about it.” Gabe stuck the cigar back in his mouth. “He’s been shooting footage of Bryn since she was born. I think the plan is to create the film equivalent of a roman-fleuve.”
“How does Bryn feel about having her life turned into a movie?”
Gabe shrugged. “I don’t imagine that’s an issue for Evan. He sees it as his life’s work. He’s shown me some rough cuts. It’s going to be sensational.”
“And that exonerates him?”
Gabe squinted at me through the screen of smoke. “Do you know who you remind me of, Joanne?”
I shook my head.
“Sam Waterston,” he said.
“Is that line supposed to make me blush and go weak in the knees?”
“You didn’t let me finish. I was going to say you remind me of Sam Waterston in The Great Gatsby.”
“When he played Nick Carraway.”
“Right,” Gabe said approvingly. “The young man who wanted the world to stand at moral attention. You’ve got more than a little of Nick Carraway in you, Joanne, and that line is intended to please you. Moralists raise interesting questions.” He looked at me hard. “Now I have a question for you. Are you romantically entangled?”
I tried to stay cool. “In the process of becoming unentangled,” I said.
“What happened?
“Taylor would say that he just found somebody he liked better.”
“He must be a jerk.”
“Thanks,” I said. There was a catch in my voice that seemed to surprise us both.
Gabe reached out and touched my cheek. “Maybe I can help,” he said.
It was a moment pregnant with possibilities that my son aborted by roaring into the room and slamming on the brakes like a cartoon character. “Sorry,” he said, “but you asked me to remind you to take the meat out at twenty after.”
Gabe shook his head in mock dismay. “First time I’ve made a pass in five years, and it’s intercepted.”
“Come help me rescue dinner,” I said. “Heroes’ journeys are filled with detours.”
When Gabe and I walked into my kitchen, I knew we’d taken a detour that had led us into a danger zone. Tracy had backed Evan into the sideboard. She was pressed against him, her body taut, her hands splayed over his thighs. It was a scene from John Updike: two handsome people, restive with the longings of mid-life, anxious to grab a quickie before old age made carpe diem a joke. But this encounter wasn’t about lust.
As Tracy leaned into Evan, her voice was as hushed as a lover’s but the words dripped venom. “I could fucking kill you,” she said.
Evan placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back gently. “Stand in line,” he said. “No one’s raising the roof beams about this marriage, but it would be easier for you if you accept the fact that it’s inevitable.”
“And it would be easier for everybody if you just backed out.” Tracy rubbed at the places where Evan’s hands had touched her.
“I’m not going to,” Evan said mildly. “Jill and I are both committed to this marriage.”
“Till death do you part,” Tracy said. “You’re one evil son of a bitch, Evan.” As she stomped out of the room, her stiletto heels tapped the hardwood like hammer blows.
“Great exit line,” Gabe said admiringly. He turned to me. “And to show you how seriously I take my duties as best man, I am going to tame the virago. I’m assuming there’ll be a reward.”
“If you can save this dinner party, you can name your price,” I said.
“Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse,” Gabe replied.
After he left, I opened the oven to take out the venison.
“Anything I can do?” Evan asked.
“I’m fine,” I said, putting the pan on the counter.
“No, you’re not,” Evan said. “I saw your face when I got out of that taxi tonight. You’d made up your mind about me before you met me.”
“Jill suggested I watch your movies,” I said. “So I did – at least two of them.”
He sighed. “I can guess which two.” He stepped close, put his hand under my chin, and lifted it so I had to meet his gaze. “I’m not a monster, Joanne. I didn’t kill my wives.”
“You didn’t save them,” I said.
“They were beyond my reach.” Evan’s eyes bored into me. “I thought I was past the point where people could disappoint me, but you disappoint me, Joanne.”
Suddenly, I was furious. “What are you talking about? Why would you have any expectations about me one way or the other?”
“Because you sent Jill the illumination of that text by Philo of Alexandria.”
A flush of shame rose from my neck to my face. Evan’s lips curved in a smile. He had me. “I was looking forward to meeting the woman who believed those were words to live by.” He took a step towards me. “You do remember the words.”
Suddenly, I felt light-headed. I closed my eyes and nodded.
“Say them.” Evan’s tone was commanding.
“ ‘Be kind,’ ” I said mechanically, “ ‘for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.’ ”
“Good,” he said approvingly. “Now why don’t you make some effort to understand the battles I’m fighting.”
CHAPTER
2
