Finn glared at Gold. “Is that God’s own truth, Harry?”
“Yeah, yeah, I swear it!” the producer panted. He pulled out a big blue handkerchief and mopped sweat. This time Finn believed him.
Benton was taking the opportunity during Kelly’s “indisposition” to shoot crowd scenes. Finn called over to the set and learned that Tanya was there. He thought she might have had the decency to quit. Then he realized that she knew damn good and well that Finn wasn’t going to tell his father what had occurred, and nothing was going to keep Tanya from getting in front of a camera.
A call to the first A.D. established when the extras were going to be released. There was only one parking area on the Warners lot for extras, day players, and visitors. Finn parked his van down a side street which led to the back lot and waited. Eventually Tanya came walking into the lot. She wove her way through the parked cars to a dilapidated Nova, climbed in, and headed out onto Pass Avenue. Finn was right behind her.
He figured since he knew squat about tailing a car he’d just hug her bumper. Hopefully she knew squat about being tailed and wouldn’t notice. She led them over the hill and at Sunset Boulevard she turned west. They rolled past the entrance to the Bel Aire Heights where Finn’s family lived. He was surprised. This was high dollar country. Not the usual place to hide a kidnapping victim.
Then she turned north up the road to the Beverly Hills Hotel. Finn’s brain was starting to feel like it was spinning inside his skull. She went to the hotel, and parked in the free lot. Finn swept around to the entrance and availed himself of the valet service. He knew the dining room gave a pretty good view of most of the paths so he waited there. A few minutes later Tanya arrived. She headed through the lobby and out the back doors. Finn noted the path, and rushed out to find a busboy and a room service cart.
It required some significant greenbacks, but he was soon outfitted in a white jacket, pushing a cart in front of him. If he hunkered down a bit the long tablecloth hid his centaur body. Finn was worried he would lose her in the maze of paths and bungalows, but he caught a lucky break. He heard her voice over a high wall. “Julie, what the hell are you doing out here?”
“I was bored. I wanted a swim. Like, take a pill,” he heard Julie answer. “Besides, Susan said she’d watch him.”
Susan, Susan, Finn thought trying to place the name. Then he realized that was the plump blonde.
“She’s not on shift now,” came Tanya’s voice, sharp with suspicion.
“God, you are so anal. What difference does it make who guards him?” Julia replied. “And Anne stuck me with two shifts so I was due for a break.”
Is every starlet in Hollywood in on this? Finn thought, and he bit back a chuckle. Given the surroundings he was no longer worried about Stan’s physical well being.
“You are so stupid,” said Tanya. Finn heard the click of her heels retreating across the concrete.
“Well, fuck you too,” Julie shouted.
A moment later Tanya swung around a corner. Finn quickly looked away. She went up to the door of a bungalow and let herself in. Finn rumbled closer with his cart.
As the door was closing he heard Tanya say, “Out! Get your shirt on and get out!” The door shut. Finn started to grin.
A few moments later the fat blonde came flying out the door. One cheek was bright red, and her eyes were watering. Finn waited until she was out of sight, and then rolled up to the door. He knocked.
“Who is it?”
“Room service,” Finn sung out as loudly as he could.
“We didn’t order anything,” came Tanya’s voice.
“Actually I ordered some champagne,” Finn heard Stan say.
“Great, this is already costing us a fortune.” Her voice was getting louder as she approached the door. She threw it open. “We changed our minds. We don’t want…”
Finn knocked her down with the room service cart.
Stan was seated in an armchair with a large basket of fruit close at hand. “Hi, Stan,” Finn said. “I’m here to rescue you.”
“Why thank you, Bradley, but you might want to look out for Miss Tanya,” the elderly make-up artist said mildly.
Finn turned and found himself looking down the barrel of a small pistol. Tanya held it in a very confident and very business-like manner.
“I see you’ve noticed Miss Tanya’s assets,” Stan said. Finn’s errant brain suddenly flashed the memory of the warmth and weight of a pair of breasts cupped in his hands. He shook it off. “I found it a very compelling argument for accompanying her,” Stan continued. “Now that I’ve gotten to know her I realize that she wouldn’t shoot me.” The rigidity in Finn’s back started to slump toward his withers. “But she might shoot you.” The steel rod shot back up the centaur’s back. “I don’t think there’s anything that Miss Tanya won’t do in pursuit of a goal.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” Finn said dryly. Tanya glared at him. Finn then did an elaborate scan of the opulent bungalow. “Hell of a hide-out.”
Tanya’s lips compressed. “Oh, don’t blame Miss Tanya,” Stan said. “She very sensibly had me stashed in a dingy little apartment over in Irvine. But I convinced Anne that I might be more willing to become her personal make-up artist if I were more comfortably situated. Since then Susan keeps taking her clothes off for me…”
“Stan, you’re a dirty old man,” Finn said.
“No, I simply saw no reason to argue. Susan is an unaffected child of nature.”
It sounded like a quote, but Finn couldn’t place it.
“Susan is a moron,” Tanya said. “What did Julie offer you?”
“Just money. Very unimaginative.”
Finn jerked a thumb at Tanya. “And Annie Oakley here just offers to shoot you?”
“No, she’s offered me nothing which inclines me to help her over all the others,” Stan said.
“I don’t want your help. I just want a chance,” Tanya spat out the words.
“And taking out Grace Kelly is going to help you how?” Finn asked.
“When the sun’s up you can’t see the stars. Why look for anything new when she’s there?”
“Tanya, it’s over. You’ve got to let him go,” Finn said.
“No, sooner or later the press will get a look at her, and then it’ll be over.”
“What are you going to do with me?” Finn asked.
“Keep you too. And I think when I tell your dad what went on between us he’ll want to keep me happy and quiet.”
There was a massive throbbing behind Finn’s eyes. A headache made up of equal parts rage and hurt. He fists clenched, but before he could react Stan tsked. “No, no, my dear. Crude threats are not the way to go. Now it’s time for you to ask for something. Let Bradley call his father, and negotiate a speaking role for you.”