‘I don’t know, but he’s been waiting half an hour.’
Lorraine followed Vallance into her office and closed the door. ‘Sorry to keep you waiting.’ She smiled, as she moved round her desk and sat down. ‘Do you mind if I smoke?’ she said, already taking a cigarette out of a pack. Vallance’s hand reached her lighter a moment before hers did, and struck a flame. He stared hypnotically at her with his wide-set, ice-blue eyes, a half smile playing on his slightly feminine lips. There was also something effeminate about his hands: the long fingers were tipped with carefully shaped and buffed nails.
‘Not at all,’ he said, his voice overtly sexual, then clicked off the lighter and put it back on the desk, folding his hands in his lap. He was wearing a navy Armani suit, a pristine shirt in the palest powder pink, and a tie in such a severely ‘tasteful’ muted shade that it must have set him back two hundred dollars at least. His hair was silver-white, and much thinner than she would have expected, especially in Hollywood where most actors used weaves or spider hairpieces to disguise their hair loss. He had a broad face with a slight dimple in the chin, but his profile was superb, as he clearly knew — his nose was perfect, from both right and left sides, and his high cheekbones looked as if they were carved.
It was a wonderful face, but the man behind it was so conscious of his beauty that he seemed constantly to be turning from one side to the other to display his features to their best advantage.
‘So, Mr Vallance, what can I do for you?’
‘It’s rather a delicate subject,’ he said softly, plucking at his trouser crease, and crossing his legs.
‘Best just to come straight out with it, then, isn’t it?’
‘Mm, yes. You, ah, may or may not know that I was a friend of Harry Nathan.’
‘Yes, I am aware of that.’
‘And of Cindy Nathan,’ he said, his manner just a fraction too casual.
‘Yes,’ Lorraine said, smoking. When he flashed her that penetrating look, she met and held it unflinchingly, his eyes slid away. She wondered if he knew that Cindy was dead, but decided she would bide her time before mentioning it.
‘You were retained by Cindy to... investigate Harry’s death, weren’t you?’ he went on.
‘Yes, I was.’
‘And I understand that you received some...’ He coughed slightly. ‘I find this very difficult.’ Lorraine did not help him. She found the ageing man somehow faintly repulsive, but the opportunity to find out what he knew about Harry and Cindy was too good to miss. ‘I understand that you received some videotapes from Cindy.’
‘Some tapes did come into my possession, yes,’ Lorraine said, deciding not to reveal that she no longer had them until he had told her just a little more.
He knew, just as Kendall had known, that she had seen them. ‘I’m afraid that sort of thing is quite common in Hollywood,’ he said. ‘Though those tapes were, of course, recorded without my knowledge.’
Well, that was a lie, Lorraine thought, but decided to let it ride.
‘I’ve been approached about a leading role in what will undoubtedly be one of the most important films made in this decade,’ he continued pompously, and Lorraine permitted herself a sceptical lift of one eyebrow. ‘Very sensitive political material. The director’s name I’m sure you can guess...’ he gave her a meaningful look ‘...and I happen to know that some of our... ah, friendly government agencies would just as soon I didn’t get past first base. Anything negative attaching to an artist’s image, and an offer can be immediately withdrawn, and, of course, they don’t hesitate fabricating material if nothing genuine can be found. For those reasons, Mrs Page, I have to say that I need to recover those tapes.’
Lorraine had heard all this before. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Vallance, those tapes aren’t mine to dispose of.’
‘I want them,’ Vallance said sharply. Lorraine stubbed out her cigarette. ‘Obviously, a man in my position cannot have that kind of—’
‘Pornography,’ she interrupted.
It was delightfuclass="underline" he was flushing under his tan.
‘I am willing to pay you for them,’ he said.
‘Really?’ she said, almost mockingly.
He adjusted his tie. ‘They are not something I am particularly proud of.’
‘I’m not surprised, but it is possible, Mr Vallance, that they may be required as evidence.’
‘Evidence?’ he said nervously. ‘But why? I can’t see why anyone would want them — they’re private, were recorded without even my knowledge. In fact, I could sue.’
Listening to him, Lorraine wondered if he knew about the phone tapes, also recorded without his knowledge, and if he did, had he wanted them badly enough to hire someone to break in and pour acid over them? ‘I am sure you could if they were to be offered for sale,’ she said. ‘I understand there’s quite a black market in pornographic tapes of that kind, especially featuring — or should I say starring? — someone like yourself.’
Vallance stood up, hands clenched at his sides. ‘How much do you want?’
Lorraine turned up her palms innocently. ‘I can’t sell them, Mr Vallance.’
He leaned forward, his face distorted with anger. ‘So what do you intend doing with them, Mrs Page?’
‘As I have said, they might be required as evidence, Mr Vallance, and I cannot simply hand them over to you. They are not my property in any case. They belonged to my client.’
‘Cindy?’ he snapped.
‘Yes, Cindy Nathan,’ she said firmly. Vallance turned away, his hands still clenched. ‘You were involved in what I would describe as quite brutal sexual games — she was young, she was innocent...’
‘Like fuck she was! She’s a tough little whore.’
‘Cindy died last night, Mr Vallance,’ Lorraine said, watching him closely. ‘Suicide, it seems.’
For a moment, Vallance did not react. Then he said, looking straight at her, ‘I’m... sorry to hear that.’ His eyes were curiously shuttered, and Lorraine’s skin crawled. Cindy’s death had not been news to him, whatever he wanted her to believe.
‘You and Cindy had a close friendship, I believe,’ Lorraine said.
‘You could say that.’ He was guarded.
‘Was it your child, by the way?’ Lorraine asked casually. ‘The baby she lost?’
‘No,’ Vallance said curtly. ‘It could have been any number of people’s, but it was not mine — that I can be sure of.’
‘Really? But I have seen you in action, Mr Vallance, so to speak.’
He turned those wide eyes on her and they were beautiful, a wonderful, dazzling blue that flashed like lightning. If only he could have brought that look, or the strength of feeling behind it, to his performances, he might perhaps have reignited his dying career.
‘You didn’t answer me, Mr Vallance. I have seen you in the videos that Harry Nathan made and, as far as I could tell, you...’ She gestured eloquently with her hand. ‘You were very aroused. Oh, of course, I’d forgotten.’ She touched her forehead, feigning surprise at her absent-mindedness. ‘There was the one where you strapped on a—’
He leaned forward, almost spat at her, ‘I want those fucking tapes, you hard-nosed bitch.’
‘They most certainly are fucking tapes.’ Lorraine laughed, and then leaned forward. ‘Perhaps you’d be happier if it really was your own hard prick, and not some plastic strap-on number. You might get a whole new career for yourself. What’s the matter, Mr Vallance, can’t you get a hard-on? Is that the—’
He slapped her across the face. She took the blow and paused a moment before she swung her right fist and caught him full on his perfect nose. He flopped back into the chair, one hand to his face while he fumbled with the other for a handkerchief. She watched him feeling the bridge of his nose gingerly, afraid she’d broken it, staring at the fine trickle of blood on his hand before he put the handkerchief to his face.