The Last Deep Breath

18

He drove back to Judy the casting agent’s place. She was auditioning two actors that Grey recognized from a couple of indie films he’d really enjoyed. They were doing a comedy scene about two guys on the road with a stolen gorilla being hunted by neo-Nazis and a pre-op tranny CIA agent. They played to the little tripod camera, screamed and ran around the little area like the gorilla or the chick with a dick was after them. Grey sat in the corner again thinking, Jesus, what these poor fuckers have to do to make a buck.

They finished up and walked past him without a word, their heads hanging.

Judy bustled up and said, “I’m glad you came back. I wanted to offer you the part of the hit man in Killing Time.”

Grey said, “What? I’m not even an actor.”

“You’re a natural. I’ve interviewed more than a dozen men for that role and you were by far the most authentic and appealing. We want you for it.”

“Who’s we?”

“All of us.” She gestured to the empty room like it was full of people. “I showed the digital video to our director and writer and they loved you as well. You won’t even need to do a call-back.”

Grey took a step away, drew his chin in like he was in a fight with enemies all around. “No, no, that’s not what this is about. Listen, have you ever heard of a manager named John Raymond?”

She waved her hands in the air again, doing the nail thing. “Tell me he’s not repping you!”

“No, he’s not, I’m not an actor, but I need to get in touch with him.”

“Who is representing you?”

“No one. Listen, I-”

“I know just the person. Kendra’s agent. Monty Stobbs. Have you met him yet?”

“I have, but Monty, he’s-”

“I think you two will work magnificently together.”

Nobody in this town ever heard a damn word you said.

“Look, about John Raymond-”

“He’s a bottom feeder. Small time with aspirations. He doesn’t protect his clients; he uses and wastes them.”

“He’s here in L.A.?”

“He has offices here and in New York, from what I recall, but please, if this film means anything to you, don’t bring him on board.”

The film didn’t mean anything to him but he wasn’t getting anywhere this way. “I won’t, I promise. Killing Time is far too important.”

“It is, it truly is!”

“But I need to talk to him. He’s been trying to lure Kendra away from Monty with promises of television work in New York.”

“That bastard will ruin her!”

“I think so too,” Grey agreed. “So I need to see him face to face in order to…dissuade him.”

Grinning, Judy got that look in her eye, the one that said she knew he was capable of great violence and wanted him to stay the course. “I’ll get his address for you.”

She vanished into her small office and Grey stood there wondering where Ellie was right at that second, and if she had any idea at all what he was willing to do to find her.

Judy returned with a Post-it note scribbled with John Raymond’s L.A. address and phone number.

“Nothing for New York?” Grey asked.

“No.” She touched his wrist with a little extra something, rubbed the back of his hand. “I can’t wait to work with you.”

Her wedding ring was a wide band of gold with deep-set diamonds. She backed up toward the wall where he and Kendra had pawed each other. The fire in her eyes filled the rest of her face. A bead of sweat dripped down her cleavage. He smiled and thanked her, thought of her husband, wished the poor fucker well, and walked out.