Eve

CHAPTER TWELVE

I CAME out of a heavy sleep to find Russell drawing the curtains. I sat up with a groan, aware that my head was aching and my tongue was like a strip of leather.

“Mr. Tennett’s asking to see you, sir,” Russell said, plodding over to stand at the foot of the bed. His fat face was full of foreboding.

Then I remembered Imgram.

“Oh hell,” I said, flopping back on my pillow. “What’s the time?”

“It’s just after ten thirty.” He continued to look accusingly at me.

“Do come off your highhorse, Russell,” I exclaimed. “I suppose you’ve heard what happened at the Writers’ Club?”

“I did, sir,” he said, compressing his lips. “I am very sorry to hear about it.”

“I bet you are,” I said, wishing my head did not ache so violently. I must have got pretty drunk when I had returned to the apartment. I could not even remember going to bed. “The little louse asked for it.”

Russell cleared his throat. “Mr. Tennett’s waiting, sir,” he reminded me.

I groaned. “Very well. Tell him to wait. But I’ve no idea what he can do. I don’t think there’s anything anyone can do.”

When he had gone away, I got up and crawled into the bathroom. A cold shower eased my aching head. After I had shaved, I mixed myself a brandy and soda and by the time I had dressed I felt more myself.

I found Peter in the sitting room.

“Hello,” I said, going to the sideboard and mixing myself another brandy and soda. “I was sleeping. Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

“That’s all right,” he said.

“Drink?”

He shook his head.

I came over and sat down on the settee near him. There was an awkward pause. We looked at each other and then looked away.

“It’s about Imgram of course?” I said.

“Well, yes, it’s about Imgram. I suppose you were tight?”

“Do I have to defend myself?” I demanded, trying to keep calm about the whole thing, but feeling my temper rising.

“Don’t think I’m here to criticize,” he said quickly. “Although I must admit I’m surprised you could have done such a thing. I came to tell you that Gold intends to sue you.”

I stared at him. “Gold intends to sue me?” I repeated. That was something I had not expected to hear.

Peter nodded. “I’m afraid so. You see Imgram’s hurt. He won’t be able to work for some days. The delay’s going to cost the Studio money and Gold’s furious.”

I felt a sudden stab of satisfaction. At least, I had hurt the little louse,” I see,” I said.

“I thought I’d better come round and talk to you,” Peter went on. He was uneasy and embarrassed and I could see by his expression that he found the whole business very distasteful. “R.G. say it’ll cost him a hundred thousand.”

“Quite an expensive punch,” I returned, feeling suddenly cold and scared. “He wasn’t thinking of suing me for that amount, was he?”

“Technically speaking, he couldn’t sue you at all. Imgram would have to do that,” Peter explained. He stared down at his perfectly polished shoes, then added, “R.G.”s seen Imgram.”

“So he’s seen Imgram.” I drank half the brandy and soda. It did not taste so good. “And Imgram’s going to sue me for a hundred thousand dollars? I don’t think he’ll get the money.”

Peter carefully touched off his cigarette ash with his little finger. “Imgram won’t sue you,” he said. “He told Gold he wouldn’t.”

I put my glass down. “What’s the idea?”

“I don’t know,” Peter said frankly. “I think I would have sued you. It was a pretty filthy thing to do, wasn’t it, Clive?”

I waved that aside. “Do you mean he’s turning the other cheek?”

Peter nodded. “Something like that.”

I got to my feet. “Why the greasy little beast!” I exclaimed furiously. “He can’t treat me like that. Let him sue! Do you think I care? Do you think I care what he does?”

“Look here, Clive, you’d better sit down. You’ve done enough harm as it is without adding to it. What’s the matter with you? Do you realize that Carol’s gone to pieces?”

I stood over him. “Now look, Peter, I don’t have to take anything from you. That’s one thing I am sure of. So keep out of this. Keep right out of it.”

“I wish I could,” Peter said, lifting his hands in a despairing gesture. “Do you think I like any of it? You don’t seem to realize how serious this is. You’re up against Gold. Anything that effects Gold affects the Studio. That punch has caused a lot of trouble. I don’t know why you did it. Probably you had every reason for punching Imgram. I don’t know and I don’t want to know. It’s done now and it’s upset our working schedule. To add to our troubles, Carol’s gone haywire. She can’t concentrate and I believe you’re at the bottom of it all.”

I sat down again. “It looks as if everything’s going to be blamed on to me,” I said bitterly. “What the hell am I going to do?”

“I think you’d better get out of town for a few days,” Peter said. “Can’t you go to Three Point? I don’t want you to run into R.G . . . . not in his present mood. You see Imgram won’t take any action and we’re trying to persuade R.G. to leave you alone. At the moment, Clive, he’s after your blood.”

If that’s the way he’s feeling, I thought, then it looks like curtains for my film script.

“I can’t leave town just now,” I said, after a moment’s thought. “I’ve too much on hand, but I’ll be careful to keep out of his way.”

Peter looked worried. “It’ll probably work out,” he said, getting to his feet. “I’d better be getting over to the Studio. We’re in a frightful mess at the moment and R.G.”s like a bear with a sore head. Be a good chap and lie low for a few days.”

“I will,” I promised. “By the way, Peter, you know I’m working on a story for Gold. Do you think this’ll upset it?”

Peter shrugged. “It may. It depends how long we are held up. If it blows over quickly and the story’s good, then it should be all right. R.G.’s a business man. He’s not likely to pass up a good story. But it has, of course, to be outstanding.”

“Yes.” I walked with him to the door, feeling depressed and worried. I began to realize what a fool I had been to have punched Imgram. It might easily influence my future career.

“Can you do anything about Carol?” Peter asked abruptly.

“I guess not.”

He looked steadily at me and I felt suddenly ashamed.

“She loves you, Clive,” he said quietly. “She’s a great kid and she doesn’t deserve to be treated like this. There was a time when I thought you two were serious about each other. I know it’s not my business, but I hate seeing her go to pieces.”

I didn’t say anything.

He stood hesitating, then said with a little shrug, “Well, I’m sorry. Perhaps she’ll get over it. Good-bye, Clive. Lie low for a while. I’m sure it’ll blow over if you’re careful.”

“Sure,” I said. “And thanks for coming.”

When he had gone I returned to the sitting room and had another drink. I wanted to go to Carol, but, somehow I just could not bring myself to face her. I had hurt her and was sure that if I went to her now, my task would be much harder than if I gave her time to recover. Besides, I had too much on my mind. I was not worried about Imgram, but I was worried about Gold. He could be dangerous if he wanted to be. I sat down and thought about it. Perhaps I should see him and try to explain, but I finally decided that Peter knew best. I would have to make up my mind to keep out of sight until things quieted down.

I looked angrily round the big sitting room, knowing that I could not bear the idea of spending day after day caged in these four walls. I would go mad. It was not as if I could settle down with a book as I did in the old days. Hollywood had made me restless and the thought of being alone, even for a few hours, was intolerable.

I glanced at my watch. It was eleven forty-five. Then I thought of Eve. She would be in bed — probably asleep. I knew what I was going to do. I would call on her and persuade her to have lunch with me. As soon as I had decided to do this, I felt a great surge of relief. Eve would be the solution to my loneliness. As long as I had her I did not care what happened.

I reached Laurel Canyon Drive a few minutes after noon. I pulled up outside Eve’s house, left the car and walked quickly down the path. I knocked and stood waiting.

The door was opened almost immediately and Eve stood there, blinking in the strong sunlight. She stared at me. “Clive!” she said and giggled. “I thought you were the milkman.” She had obviously just got out of bed. Her hair was ruffled and she was without make-up. “What on earth are you doing here at this time?”

I smiled down at her. “Hello, Eve,” I said. “I thought I’d give you a surprise. Can I come in?”

She pulled her dressing gown about her and yawned. “I was just going to take a bath. Oh Clive, you are the limit. You might, at least, have phoned.”

I followed her into her bedroom. The room smelt faintly of perfume and stale perspiration. She went over and jerked open the windows.

“Phew! It stinks in here, doesn’t it?” she said, sitting on the bed and scratching her head. “Oh I’m tired.”

I sat on the bed close to her. “You look as if you’ve had a hectic night,” I said. “What have you been up to?”

“Do I look awful?” she asked, rolling back on the pillow and stretching. “I don’t care. I don’t care about anything this morning.”

“I feel like that too. That’s why I came to see you,” I said, looking down at her white, pinched face. There were smudges under her eyes and the two lines above the bridge of her nose were very pronounced. “Let’s be bored together. Come and have lunch with me.”

She screwed up her face. “No,” she said, “I can’t be bothered.”

“Now, don’t be obstinate,” I said. “We’ll have an early lunch and then you can come back here if you want to. Come on, don’t be a crab.”

She looked up at me and there was hesitation in her eyes. “Oh I don’t know,” she said, a sulky expression darkening her face. “It’s such a bore to get dressed. No, Clive, I don’t think I will.”

I reached down and took her hands, pulling her up so that our bodies were close. “You’re coming,” I said firmly. “I want to see you in your clothes for a change. Now, what will you wear?”

She pulled away from me and slouched over to the wardrobe. “I don’t know,” she said and yawned again. “Ooh I’m tired and I don’t want to go out.”

I opened the wardrobe. Hanging from the centre rail were a half a dozen tailored suits from various patterns.

“Why not wear a dress?” I asked. “Why must you always dress so severely? I’d like to see you in something flimsy and feminine for a change.”

“At least, Clive, let me decide what suits me,” she said, pulling a pin head grey suit off the hanger. “I’ll wear this. All right?”

“Sure, now go ahead and take your bath,” I said, sitting on the bed. “I’ll smoke a cigarette and wait for you.”

“I won’t be long,” she said, closing the cupboard.

While she was upstairs in the bathroom, I wandered around the little room. I opened drawers, glanced inside, then closed them. I moved the glass animals and in doing so I thought about her husband. There was a dark secret atmosphere about the room and I could not help thinking of the many men who came here. Secretive, furtive men who would be ashamed if their friends knew where they had been.

I was worried by these thoughts and I began to feel angry and frustrated. I hated to think that so many men shared Eve with me. The whole atmosphere of the room finally became so unbearable that I went into the passage and called to her to hurry.

“I’m coming,” she said. “Don’t be so impatient!”

At this moment I heard the front door open and Marty came in.

She gave me a quick, surprised look and then she smiled. “Good morning, sir,” she said. “It’s a lovely morning, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” I returned, not looking at her.

I hated seeing her. I hated her servile, knowing expression. I wondered if Eve told her about me. I wondered if these two women discussed the men who came to this little house and whether they sniggered about them. I could not stay in the same room with this woman, suspecting that sometimes she sniggered about me.

“Tell Miss Marlow I’ll be in the car,” I said curtly and let myself out of the house.

Eve joined me in less than half an hour. She was smart and trim, but in the hard sunlight I thought she looked older and a little tired.

I opened the car door and she slid in. We looked at each other.

“Do I look all right?”

I smiled at her. “Wonderful.”

“Don’t lie. Do I really look all right?”

“You could go anywhere, Eve, and with anyone.”

“Do you really mean that?”

“Of course. The trouble with you is you’re ashamed of what you do,” I said, stubbing the self-starter. “That’s one of the reasons for your inferiority complex. You want it both ways, don’t you? Well, so far, it’s all right. You have nothing to worry about.”

She looked searchingly at me, decided that I was telling the truth and sank back against the cushions. “Thank you,” she said, with a little nod. “Where are we going?”

“Nikabob’s,” I said, turning into Sunset and going in the direction of Franklin. “All right?”

“Mmmm, I suppose so.”

“I tried to call you yesterday at two o’clock, but Marty said you were engaged.”

She grimaced, but did not say anything.

“You must work all day and all night,” I said, secretly torturing myself.

“Don’t let’s talk about it,” she said shortly. “I wonder why you men must always talk about it.”

“Sorry . . . I was forgetting it was shop to you.” I drove in silence for a couple of blocks and then said, “You puzzle me, Eve. You’re not really hard, are you?”

She pursed her mouth. “Why do you say that?”

“I think you could easily be hurt.”

“But, I’d never let you know,” she countered quickly.

“You’re an oddity. You’re always on guard against an unkind word. You think everyone is your enemy. I wish you’d relax and accept me as a friend.”

“I don’t want friends,” she returned impatiently. “Anyway, I never trust men. I know too much about them.”

“That’s because you know only the rottenness in men. Won’t you let me be your friend?”

She looked at me indifferently. “No, I won’t and do stop talking such nonsese. You can never mean anything to me. I keep telling you, so why don’t you stop?”

It seemed pretty hopeless to me. Again I felt the dark stirring of frustrated anger against her. If there were only something I could do to move her, to get behind that cold, completely indifferent attitude she hid behind.

“Well, you’re blunt enough,” I said. “At least, I know where I am.”

“I wish I knew what you were up to,” she said, giving me a searching look. “There’s something going on behind all this smoothness. What do you want, Clive?”

“You,” I said simply. “I like you. You intrigue me. I want to feel that I’ve a place in your life. That’s all.”

“Oh, you’re crazy,” she said impatiently. “You must know hundreds of women. Why bother with me?”

Yes . . . why bother with her? Why bother with her when I had Carol? Why waste my time beating against a stone wall when every time I met her it became clearer that she would never accept me? I did not know. But I had to go on, although I knew that unless something unexpected happened we would always be on the same hopeless footing.

“Never mind the other women,” I said, pulling up outside Nikabob’s. “They don’t count. It’s you that matters.”

She made an impatient gesture with her hands. “You must be crazy,” she said. “I’ve told you you mean nothing to me. I can’t keep telling you, can I? You mean absolutely nothing to me and you never will mean anything to me.”

I got out of the car and walked stiffly round to open the door for her. “All right,” I said. “What have you got to worry about? And besides, if you’re so sure about that, why do you come out with me?”

She gave me a quick, hard look. For a moment I thought I had gone too far and that she was going to leave me flat. Then she suddenly giggled.

“Well, I’ve got to live, haven’t I?”

I felt the blood leave my face, but I did not pause nor look at her. We entered Nikabob’s and sat down at a table away from the entrance.

Everything that I suspected and did not wish to admit was in that one damnable sentence. “Well, I’ve got to live, haven’t I?”

After I had given the order I told the waiter to bring me a bottle of Scotch. I wanted a drink badly. We did not speak until the whisky came.

“You’re a cold blooded little thing, aren’t you?” I said, pouring out two large drinks.

“Do you think so?” She looked bored.

It was all going wrong. I would have to make an effort if the lunch was going to be at all successful. It was no use leaving it to her.

“Heard from Jack?” I asked, abruptly changing the subject.

“I hear every week.”

“Is he all right?”

“Mmmm . . . he’s fine.”

“Coming home?”

“Mmmm.”

“How long will he stay?”

“Oh . . . a week . . . ten days, I don’t know.”

“So I shan’t see you?”

She shook her head. There was a blank faraway look in her eyes and I felt she was scarcely listening to what I was saying.

“I would like to meet your husband,” I said deliberately.

She looked at me sharply. “Would you?”

“Why not?”

“You would like him.” Her eyes became animated. “Everyone likes him . . . but, I’m the only one who really knows him. They think he’s such a nice person.” She pretended to sneer, but it did not come off. “It infuriates me sometimes to see the way people flock around him . . . if they only knew how he treated me.” I could see she did not mind how he treated her. Whatever he did would be all right with her. I could see that in every line in her face and in the expression in her eyes.

“Well, do we meet?”

“All right. I’ll speak to him.”

The waiter brought lobster soup. It was very good, but Eve scarcely touched it.

“You’re not eating.”

She lifted her shoulders. “I’m not hungry. After all I’ve only just got up.”

I pushed my plate impatiently away. “Are you sorry you came?”

“No . . . I wouldn’t have come if I hadn’t wanted to.”

“You’ve never learned to say anything complimentary, have you?”

“I don’t need to. You can take me as I am, or leave me.”

“Do you always treat your men like this?”

“Why not?”

“Not very wise, is it?”

“Well, they always come back. Why should I worry?”

She had no need to worry. I knew she was speaking the truth. If her other men were like me, then they always would come back.

I looked at her. The arrogant expression in her eyes made me want to hurt her. “You know best, of course,” I said evenly, “but, after all it’s not as if you’re getting any younger. A time’ll come when they won’t come back.”

Her mouth twisted and she shrugged. “It’s too late to learn new tricks now,” she said. “I’ve never run after any one yet and I don’t intend to start now.”

“You know, Eve,” I went on. “I don’t think you’re happy. This is a pretty ghastly kind of life you lead, isn’t it? Why don’t you give it up?”

“You’re all the same,” she said. “They all say that, but they don’t do anything about it. Besides, what do you think I’d do? Become a drudge around the house? Not me!”

“Is Jack going to keep travelling? Isn’t there a chance that he’d make a home for you?”

She looked past me across the room. Her eyes softened as she brooded. “We had planned to open a road-house.” She lifted her shoulders rather hopelessly. “Oh, I don’t know.”

The waiter brought the second course and then when he had gone away, she said suddenly, “You wouldn’t believe it, but I cried last night.” She looked quickly at me to see if I were going to laugh at her. “You wouldn’t think I’d do that, would you?”

“Why did you?”

“I was lonely . . . I’d had a rotten day.” Her face tightened. “You don’t know how rotten some men can be. You don’t know how lonely this life is. You can’t trust anyone. They’re all after what they can get.”

“Of course, it’s a rotten life,” I said. “No good can possibly come from it. Can’t you earn money in some other way?”

Her face became cold and wooden. “No,” she snapped. “How can I? I’m a fool to grumble, only I just feel low today.” She drew a deep breath and said, “How I hate men!”

“Something’s upset you. What is it?”

“Oh, nothing. Never mind, Clive, I’m not going to talk about it.”

“Someone treated you badly last night.”

“Yes. He tried to gyp me . . .” She snapped her fingers irritably, “I’m not going to talk about it.”

“I hope he didn’t get away with it,” I said curious to know what happened.

Her eyes showed deep anger and spite. “He didn’t and he’ll never be allowed in my house again.” She suddenly pushed her plate away. “We’d better go back.” She had only picked at her food.

I beckoned to the waiter. “Look, Eve,” I said, “Let’s have lunch or dinner together from time to time. It’ll be good for you. I want you to treat me as a friend. Maybe you don’t think you want a friend, but it does give you a chance to unbottle. I’m trying to treat you like a human being. None of your other men treat you like that, do they?”

For a moment she looked a little startled, then she said, “No, I suppose they don’t.”

“Well, will you? Can’t you see that a little time off from all this muck will be good for you?”

She pursed her mouth. “All right,” she said, then she brightened a little. “Thank you, Clive. Yes, I’d like to.”

I felt as if I had won a major battle. “That’s fine,” I said. “I’ll call you next week and we’ll get together.”

I paid the bill and we went back to the car.

As we turned into Laurel Canyon Drive, she said, “I’ve enjoyed this. You’re odd, aren’t you, Clive?”

I laughed. “Am I? Only in comparison with the other men you know. You still think I want something from you. I don’t. You intrigue me. I like having you around.”

We stopped outside her house. I got out and we stood by the car. “You’re coming in?” she said, smiling at me.

I shook my head. “No . . . I won’t today. It’s been nice, Eve. I want you to come again.”

She stood looking at me. The smile was still on her lips, but it had gone from her eyes. “Don’t you want to come in?”

“I want to be your friend,” I said. “I’ll take you out next week, but I don’t want to treat you as other men treat you.”

Her eyes were very cold now, but the smile still persisted. “I see,” she said. “All right. Thank you, Clive, for the lunch.”

This was, for me, a crucial moment. I could see she was disappointed and annoyed that I was not going to pay her for her company. I could clearly read that in her eyes. If I were to continue on the lines I had planned, I would have to reach this point sooner or later. In spite of what she had said as we had entered the restaurant, I was determined to go through with it.

I was not going to be like Harvey Barrow and pay for her company. I would give her a good time; I would listen to her talk about Jack and about her troubles, but I was not going to give her any more money.

“You’ll call me then?” she said.

“I will. Good-bye, Eve, and don’t cry any more.”

She turned from me and walked quickly to the house.

I returned to the car, lit a cigarette and started the engine. Then I drove slowly down the street and, as I turned the corner, I saw a man walking towards me. For a moment I did not recognize him, then I noticed the long arms that seemed to reach almost to his knees. I looked quickly at him as I drove past. It was Harvey Barrow.

I pulled to the curb and stopped. What was Harvey Barrow doing in this district? I knew, of course, but I refused to admit that he was going to see Eve.

I slid out of the car and ran back. Turning the corner I could see him walk purposely down Laurel Canyon Drive. He slowed down outside Eve’s house and stood hesitating at the gate.

I wanted to shout at him. I wanted to break into a run, reach him and slam my fist into his ugly, brutal face. But, instead, I just stood there, watching. He pushed open the gate and walked quickly down the short path to the house.