Beverly Hills Dead

10

Rick and Glenna arrived a little late for dinner at the Harris home to find everyone else already there. The Sam Goldwyns, old friends of Eddie’s and Susan’s, were there, along with Rick’s friend, David Niven, who was with a girl they didn’t know. Niven’s wife had died the year before, when she had fallen down the cellar stairs at the home of Tyrone Power while playing a party game, and Rick was glad to see David out and around again.

Vance Calder, who looked perfectly at home in his borrowed tuxedo, was paired with Adele Mannheim, the widowed sister of the late Sol Weinman, Centurion’s founder, who had been Rick’s dinner partner on his first visit to this house. She was a charming woman, now in her sixties, and Vance, Rick was pleased to see, was paying a lot of attention to her.

Everyone waited for Rick and Glenna to finish a drink, and then Suzanne had them called to dinner.

After dinner, the ladies left the gentlemen to their brandy and cigars, both of which, Rick noticed, Vance declined, as did he.

“Sam,” Eddie said to Goldwyn, “what do you think of all this business with the House Un-American Activities Committee?”

Goldwyn shrugged. “I think if they look hard enough they’ll find a few Communists under a few rocks, maybe even some people we know. I don’t know what will come of it, but I don’t think it’s a good thing.”

“Neither do I,” Eddie said.

“You know,” Goldwyn said, “when I read the Constitution it makes me think that these people shouldn’t be asking the questions they’re asking. It’s nobody’s business what a fellow’s politics are in this country. Or am I right?”

“You’re right, Sam,” Eddie said.

“Young man,” Goldwyn said to Vance, “are you an American citizen yet?”

“No, Mr. Goldwyn,” Vance replied. “I haven’t been here long enough to qualify; I hope to become a citizen as soon as I’m elegible.”

“Well, if that’s what you want, let me give you some advice: don’t talk politics with anybody, and don’t sign anything.”

“Sam,” Eddie said, “Vance has just signed a contract with us. I’m glad we got to him before he heard your advice.”

“Yes, well, that’s your misfortune, young man; you should have signed with me.”

Niven spoke up. “You did very well, Vance.”

Everybody laughed.

“There’s a lot of self-appointed policemen of other people’s politics in this town,” Goldwyn said, “and some of them think that people who come from where I do aren’t real Americans. Some of them don’t like my religion, either. I won’t be working with these people no more.”

“That’s sad,” Eddie said.

“I’m not sad!” Goldwyn said. “I’m the happiest fellow, and I’m not going to let these people tell me how to run my business.”

“Good for you, Sam,” Eddie said. “Let’s go join the ladies.” They got up and moved back into the living room.

Rick and Vance were seated next to each other.

“How did you like Adele?” Rick asked.

“She’s lovely. I enjoyed her company.”

“Good. I didn’t want to mention it before, but she’s a large stockholder in Centurion. You know, the first time I came to this house I wore a tuxedo borrowed from wardrobe, and I was seated next to Adele. The other guests were the Goldwyns and the Clark Gables.”

“How did you happen to join Centurion, Rick?” Vance asked.

“It’s too long a story for tonight. Maybe I’ll get a chance to tell you this weekend.”

“I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

“Good. Bring some riding clothes, and I don’t mean tweeds.”

“Wardrobe has already fixed me up,” Vance said.

Rick turned to Niven. “David, we’re flying up to a beautiful place in Wyoming tomorrow. There’s some trout fishing up there. Would you like to come with us? There’s room on the airplane.”

“That sounds wonderful, Rick,” Niven replied, “but I have two invitations this weekend that I can’t get out of. Word has got ’round that I’m socializing again, I guess. I’d love to another time.”

“David and I once went trout fishing in Oregon with Clark Gable and Clete Barrow,” Rick said to Vance.

“And England declared war that weekend,” Niven remembered. “Clete and I were on our way to England in a matter of days.” He leaned a little closer. “And I don’t think Sam has ever forgiven me for walking out on my contract.”

By ten, the party was over, and the guests went their separate ways.

Driving home, with Glenna at the wheel of her new convertible, she said, “I thought Vance did awfully well, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. He paid the proper amount of attention to Adele.”

“What did you gentlemen talk about over dinner?” she asked.

“Politics.”

“Ugh,” she said.