Sandy, Jill said, are you going to let him treat me this way?
Hes trying to help you, Jilly, like we all are.
The hell he is, Jill said. Hes trying to dig up a lot of dirt from my past and make something
out of it.
Like sense, I said.
I wouldnt be surprised if he was really working for one of those shows, she said. She glanced at Hawk.
Geraldo Spenser, Hawk said.
Dont be fooled, I said, by my good looks. Im just a simple gumshoe.
Simple snoop, Jill said. She was warming to her role. Shed decided her motivation and had a real handle on her character. I hired you to protect me, not to snoop around looking for cruddy gossip.
Thats a tautology, I said.
Whaat? Jill said. She cocked her head a little and her eyelashes nearly fluttered. Cute was what she did when she didnt understand something.
All gossip is cruddy, Hawk said.
I dont care, Jill said. I dont want him around; get rid of him. Hawk will protect me.
Nope, Hawk said.
Jills head swiveled toward him and there was real alarm in her face.
No?
I work for him. Hawk nodded toward me. He go, I go.
You work for me, Jill said.
Hawk smiled pleasantly and shook his head. Jill looked back at me and then to Hawk.
You dont mean that, Hawk, she said. She moved her body a little on the couch and waited for Hawk to bark. He didnt.
Jill Sandy said.
You fucking men. Jills face was red. Youre good for one thing. All I deal with is men, I got no one to trust, no one to talk to, no one who gives a shit about me. Tears started down her face. I want them gone, off this set, out of here. Now. Goddamned
Salzman got up and walked around his desk. Jilly, he said and put an arm around her shoulder. Jilly, come on. Well work this out. You work so hard, youre tired. He patted her shoulder. She leaned her head against his hip. Jilly, take a break. Here, Ill get Molly to walk over to your trailer with you. Come on.
He eased Jill to her feet and with an arm around her edged her to the door.
Oh, Sandy, Jill was sniffling. Oh, Sandy, sometimes I feel so alone.
Youre a star, honey. It happens to stars. But Im here for you, all of us are.
Not those two bastards, Jill said.
Sure. Ill straighten that out, Jilly, Salzman said. He sounded like he was talking to an excitable puppy.
They walked to the door. Salzman opened it.
Molly, he said to a woman at the desk in the outer office. Take Jill to her trailer and stay with her. Shes not feeling well.
Sure, Sandy.
Molly put her arm through Jills and squeezed it. Got some coffee over there, Jill? Molly said. Maybe get some cake. Some girl talk? Who needs men.
Jill went with her. As they left, Molly, who was dark-eyed and thin-faced, gave Salzman a look of savage reproach over her shoulder. Salzman shrugged and came back into his office and closed the door. He rubbed his hands over his face. Christ, he said.
He stood that way for a moment, rubbing his face, then he turned and went back behind his desk. He looked at me and Hawk.
How are we going to work this? he said.
Can you stand her? I said to Hawk.
Seen worse, Hawk said.
Jesus, Salzman said. Id like to know where.
I said, So well keep Hawk with her, and Ill try to run this thing down. You can tell her you fired me and prevailed upon my, ah, colleague to stay on.
What are you going to do? Salzman said.
Ive got another name. Ill go see if I can find the name and ask some questions and get other names and go see them and ask them questions and I spread my hands.
Magic, Hawk said.
Whats this gonna cost me? Salzman said.
A round trip to San Diego, I said.
Cant you call? Salzman said.
Yeah, but its not the same. You dont see people, you dont notice peripheral things, people dont see you.
Why should they see you? Salzman said.
Case you big and mean-looking like him, Hawk said, might be able to scare them a little.
Ahhh, Salzman said. Okay, probably cheaper than Jills bar bill, anyway.
Chapter 19
THE slender mirrored face of the John Hancock Building rose fifty stories on the southern edge of Copley Square, reflecting the big brownstone Trinity Church back upon itself. Across the new plaza, snow covered now and crisscrossed with footpaths, opposite the church was the Public Library. There were Christmas lights in the square, and the uniformed doorman at the Copley Plaza stood between the gilded lions and whistled piercingly for a cab. Id always wanted to do that and never been able to. Anyone can whistle, any old time, easy. I pursed my lips and whistled quietly. I put two fingers in my mouth and blew. There was a flatsounding rush of air. So what? I headed for the library with the doormans whistle
soaring across Dartmouth Street. The hell with whistling. I went past the bums lounging in the weak winter sun on the wide steps to the old entrance, and went in the ugly new entrance on Boylston Street.
A half hour among the out-of-town phone directories gave me three Zabriskies in greater San Diego. I copied down addresses and phone numbers, and walked back down Boylston Street toward my office.