«Oh yeah, wasn't there something you wanted to talk to me about? Let's get that out of the way first. Before we get too plastered.»
«It's kind of a strange story,» I began.
He floated me one of his pleasant smiles. Well-practiced, but still, without malice.
«I like strange stories,» he said.
«Well, here goes. The other day I went to see the movie you have out.»
«
«I saw it four times,» I said.
His eyes widened, as if he were peering into the cosmic void. «I'd be willing to bet there's not a human alive in this galaxy who's sat through that movie four times.»
«Someone I knew was in the film,» I said. «Besides you, I mean.»
Gotanda pressed an index finger into his temple and squinted. «Who?»
«The girl you were sleeping with on the Sunday morning.»
He took a sip of whiskey. «Oh yeah,» he said, nodding. «Kiki.»
«Kiki,» I repeated.
«That was the name I know her by anyway. In the film world, she went by Kiki. No last name, that was it.»
Which is how, finally, I learned
«And can you get in touch with her?» I asked.
«Afraid not.»
«Why not?»
«Let's take it from the top. First of all, Kiki wasn't a professional actress. Actors, famous or not, all belong to some production company. So you get in contact with them through their agents. Most of them live next to their phones, waiting for the call, you know. But not Kiki. She didn't belong to any production group I knew of. She just happened through that one time.»
«Then how did she land that part?»
«I recommended her,» he said dryly. «I asked her if she wanted to be in a picture, and I introduced her to the director.»
«What for?»
He took a sip of whiskey. «The girl had—maybe not talent exactly—she had the makings of ... presence. She had
«Yeah, I did,» I had to agree. «Very real.»
«So I thought the girl would go into movies. She could've cut the ice. But then she disappeared. Vanished. Like smoke, like morning dew.»
«Vanished?»
«Like literally. Maybe a month ago. I'd been telling everyone she was exactly what we needed for this new part, and she was set. All the girl had to do was to show up, and it was hers. I even called her up the day before to remind her. But she never showed. That was the last time we ever
talked.»
He raised a finger to call over the waiter and ordered two
more scotches.
«One question, though it's none of my business,» Gotanda said. «Did you ever sleep with her?»
«Uh-huh.»
«So then, well, if I were to say, supposing I slept with her too, would that bother you?»
«Not especially,» I said.
«Good,» said Gotanda, relieved. «I'm a terrible liar. So I'll come right out with it. We slept together a few times. She was a good kid. A little mixed-up maybe, but really a good person. She should've become an actress. Could've done some good things. Too bad.»
«And you really don't know where to contact her? Or what her real name is?»
«Afraid not. I don't know of any way to find her. Nobody knows. 'Kiki' is all there is to go on.»
«Weren't there any pay slips in the film company accounting department?» I asked. «They've got to put your real name and address on those things. For the tax office and all.»
«Don't you think I checked? Not a clue. She didn't bother to pick up her pay. No money accepted, so no record, nothing.»
«She didn't pick up her pay?»
«Don't ask me why,» said Gotanda, well into his third drink. «The girl's a mystery. Maybe she wanted to keep her name and address a secret. Who knows? But whatever, now we have three things in common. Science lab in junior high. Divorce. And Kiki.»
Presently our steaks and salads arrived. Beautiful steaks. Magazine-perfect medium rare. Gotanda dug in with gusto. His table manners were less than finishing-school polished, but he did have a casual ease that made him an ideal dining companion. Everything he ate looked appetizing. He was charming. He had a grace you don't encounter every day. A woman would be snowed.
«So tell me, where did you meet Kiki?» I asked, cutting into my steak.
«Let's see, where was it?» he thought out loud. «Oh yeah, I called for a girl and she showed up. You know what I mean, there are these numbers you call. Right?»
«Uh-huh.»
«After my divorce, for a while there I would call up and these girls would come and spend the night. No fuss, no muss. I wasn't up for an amateur and if I was sleeping with someone in the industry it'd be splashed all over the magazines. So that's the companionship I had. They weren't cheap, but they kept quiet about it. Absolutely confidential. A guy at the agency gave me an introduction to this club, and all the girls were nice and easy. Professional, but without the attitude. They enjoy themselves too.»
He brought a forkful of steak to his mouth and slowly savored the juiciness.
«Mmm, not bad,» he said.
«Not bad at all,» I seconded. «This is a great place.»
«Great, but you get tired of it six times a month.»
«You come here six times a month?»
«Well, I'm used to the place. I can walk right in and no one bats an eye. The employees don't whisper. They're used to famous people, so they don't stare. No one coming to ask for your autograph when you've got your mouth full. It's hard to relax and eat in other places. Really.»
«Rough life,» I kidded. «Plus you can't slack off on that expense account.»
«You said it! So where were we?»
«Up to the part about call girls.»
«Oh right,» said Gotanda, wiping his mouth with his napkin. «So, one time I call for the usual girl. But she's not available. Instead, they send these two other girls. I get to choose, because I'm such a special customer. Well, one of the girls was Kiki. It was tough to decide, so I slept with both of them.»
«Hmm,» I said.
«That bother you?»
«If I were still in high school, maybe. But not now, no.»
«I never did anything like that in high school, that's for sure,» chuckled Gotanda. «But anyway, I slept with both of them. It was a funny combination. I mean, one girl was absolutely gorgeous. I'm talking stunning. Some expensive work on that body, let me tell you. Every square millimeter of her dripping with money. In my business you run into plenty of beautiful women, and this girl was no slouch. She had a nice personality, intelligent too. And
