File M For Murder

SEVEN

I’d never seen Diesel behave this way. He was normally a gentle cat. I called out, “Diesel, it’s okay.” I repeated that as I drew closer.

Laura heard me and glanced down. She reached forward to reassure the cat with her touch. She spoke in a mild tone to the blonde. “Back off, Damitra. You’re upsetting the cat.”

With not-quite-steady hands I set the tray of food and drinks on the table. “Yes, please lower your voice. There’s no need to cause such a ruckus.” I glared at Damitra Vane.

The combination of two humans and one large cat facing her down seemed to shock her into silence. She frowned at the cat, next at me, then her gaze rested on Laura.

“What is all this about?” I directed my question to my daughter.

Laura shot a glance of pure loathing at Damitra Vane. “Diesel and I were sitting here, not bothering anyone, and then Damitra popped up and accosted me.” She held up a hand when Damitra started to speak. “You shut up, or I’ll let Diesel bite off one of your legs.”

“Keep that nasty thing away from me.” The woman cast a terrified look at Diesel and backed up at least two feet.

I started to protest that Diesel would never do such a thing, but Damitra Vane bolted.

Diesel crowded close to me and chirped. I bent to wrap my arms around his head and chest. I murmured, telling him he was a good boy and that everything was okay.

“Diesel, sweetie, I’m sorry to malign you like that.” Laura laughed. “But I figured that would get rid of Damitra. Diesel freaked her out anyway. I told her he was a rare breed of hunting cat from Tibet, and she bought it.”

“If she’s silly enough to believe that, it’s okay by me. She shouldn’t have bothered you.” I distributed plates and drinks and set the tray aside. “What was she going on about?”

Laura unfolded her napkin and spread it over her lap. “Apparently my lawyer visited her Saturday night to warn her to leave me alone. Did you put my lawyer up to it, even after I told you I could handle her?” She had a steely glint in her eye as she dipped her fork into the chicken salad.

“It was a mutual effort.” I picked up my own fork. “Sean and I both thought it was a good idea. Neither of us is keen on some nutcase—your word, I remind you—harassing you over a man you say is only a friend now.”

Laura put her fork down and glared at me. “I am not twelve years old anymore, and you and Sean need to get that through your thick chauvinist heads. I’ve coped pretty dang well in Hollywood for four years now.”

I raised my hands in a gesture of surrender. “Point well taken. Sean and I shouldn’t have acted without talking to you first.” Now it was my turn to glare a little. “But remember, young lady, no matter how old you are and how capable, you’re always going to be my daughter. I reserve the right to be concerned for your well-being.”

Laura regarded me with fond amusement. “You’re incorrigible.” She ate another bite of chicken salad. “This is crazy good.”

“By far the best thing on their menu.” I savored a forkful before I had a sip of tea. Laura may have thought she deflected me from her conversation with Damitra Vane, but she ought to know her father better than that.

“About Ms. Vane.” My tone was mild. “I’m not trying to run your life, but if she plans to hang around town the whole time you’re here, I want to know when she harasses you.”

Laura gazed at me for a moment, and from her expression I could see she was exasperated. Diesel chose that moment to warble at her—no doubt hinting that chicken salad would be more than welcome—and the sudden tension eased. She smiled. “You men. What am I going to do with you?”

“Answer my question, maybe? What was she going on about?”

Laura capitulated. “Honestly, Dad, it was just more of the same. Evidently Sean didn’t frighten Damitra off, because she was haranguing me about Connor. I tried to tell her Connor and I are through, but she won’t listen.”

“If she causes any further trouble, I’ll go to the sheriff’s department. I know someone who could probably get through to her.”

“Azalea’s daughter, you mean?” Laura patted her mouth with her napkin before she picked up her fork for another bite.

“Exactly.” I still hadn’t heard from Kanesha, and now I had another reason to talk to her. “Kanesha is scary even when she’s not trying to be. I’ll bet she can make Ms. Vane back off.” I gave Diesel a small bite of chicken salad. It disappeared quickly. Then a large paw tapped my leg. One bite was never enough.

“It won’t come to that.” Laura glanced over my shoulder, and her sudden change of expression startled me. “Oh, crap. Like I really need this right now.” She grimaced. “Don’t lose your temper, Dad. Let me handle this.”

“Handle what?” I started to turn, but as the person approaching from behind me spoke, I stilled in my seat.

“Laura, why aren’t you answering my calls? Do you know how pissed off I am with you right now?”

Laura suggested what Connor could do with his cell phone and, while not anatomically impossible, it would be painful. I was aghast at my daughter’s crudeness, but part of me couldn’t blame her. Lawton affected people that way.

I stood to face him. “I told you last night, leave Laura alone. She’s not interested in you. If you continue to annoy her, you’ll find yourself in jail.”

Diesel hissed again, his ears flattened. He crouched as if he was about to pounce on the playwright, but he relaxed as Laura stroked his head.

Lawton simply shrugged. Then he pulled out a chair and sat. “Relax, Pops, I’m not going to hit anybody. I’d had a little too much to drink last night when I saw you. Take a chill pill and park it.” He waved a hand in my direction, then faced Laura. “What’s up, babydoll?”

“I cannot tell you how much I despise that loathsome nickname. It—and you—have all the charm of a baboon’s rear end.” Laura picked up her tea, and her gaze flicked back and forth between Lawton and the glass. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lawton got a face full of iced tea.

Lawton laughed, to my great surprise. “You’re not going to throw that at me, are you? Remember, Daddy’s watching.”

Laura put her glass down. “Connor, you’re such an oaf. No wonder Dad’s ready to call the police and have them haul you off to jail.”

“Hey, I’m being good.” Lawton grinned. “Shouldn’t good boys be rewarded?”

“Honestly.” Laura folded her arms across her chest and glared at her former boyfriend. “Please go away and let us finish our lunch in peace.”

Lawton pulled a crumpled pack and lighter from his shirt pocket and extracted a cigarette. He lit it and exhaled smoke that drifted in my direction.

“I’ve met pigs with better manners than you, Mr. Lawton. I don’t care to have your foul smoke in my face.” I waved the air to dispel it.

“Sorry.” Lawton raised his hands in mock surrender. He drew on his cigarette again and turned his head away from me to exhale. The smoke still floated toward me. He shrugged and stubbed the butt against the bottom of his worn boot. He pitched the spent cigarette into the grass several feet away. “That better?”

I gave him a grudging nod, deciding that a remark about littering would do no good. Instead I sat and picked up my fork again. I hadn’t quite lost my appetite, but all the joy had gone out of this meal with my daughter. For Laura’s sake I didn’t want to scrap with him. I decided the old saw about holding your friends close and your enemies closer had some merit, at least for the moment.

“Wouldn’t hurt you to keep your mouth shut and your ears open for a couple of weeks.” Laura stabbed so hard at her food I thought she might go right through the plate into the wood of the table. “You could learn a lot from the people in this town about how normal folk behave.”

Diesel meowed as he left me to sit by Laura. She cast the playwright a glance of frustration as she scratched the cat’s head to let him know she was okay.

“You know my work.” The playwright crossed his arms over his chest and returned Laura’s fierce gaze. “I don’t write about normal people. Normal is boring. Nobody goes to the theater to see normal.”

“No, they don’t,” I said. “But that doesn’t mean they don’t expect an artist to behave like a decent human being who treats others with respect outside the theater.”

“Mind if I quote you on that?” Lawton sneered at me. He turned back to Laura. “What do you think of the revised first act?”

Laura’s nostrils flared. “You just e-mailed it to me this morning. I haven’t had time even to open the file. I do have other things to do, like prepare for the classes I’ll be teaching in less than a week.”

Lawton grimaced. “You need to read it soon, because I have to give it to the workshop group in a couple of days.” He brightened. “Tell you what, have dinner with me tonight, and we can read it together. I’ll even cook.”

“You don’t cook that well.” Laura’s deadpan made me want to laugh. “I have other plans for tonight.”

“You’re not dating that fairy who teaches set design, are you?” Lawton glowered.

“It’s none of your business whom I spend my time with, straight or not. Besides, how could you have time for me when the love of your life is in town?” Laura treated him to a sweet smile.

Lawton’s eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open. “Crap. Don’t tell me that loony-tune Damitra is here.” He let out a stream of profanity that would have done the proverbial sailor proud.

I didn’t see any point in a protest at his vulgarity. The man had the hide of five elephants. No, make that five mammoths.

Laura laughed at him. “You’ll be too busy hiding from her to pester me, or anyone else for that matter. You two deserve each other.”

Lawton stood suddenly, sending his chair skidding backwards. “Don’t jerk me around, Laura. Remember who got you the job here.” He stared down at my daughter for a moment. “And who has connections in Hollywood that can either help or destroy your career.” He stalked away.

Laura was so furious she couldn’t speak. I watched her struggle to find the words to respond, but by now Lawton was too far away.

“Don’t pay any attention to him, sweetheart. He’s an arrogant jackass. It’s all big talk.”

“Unfortunately, it’s not. He’s really well connected in LA. One word from him in certain ears, and I might as well leave the business.” Laura banged the table with both fists. “I swear, I’d like to push him in front of a big truck.”