Chapter 4
The meeting with Jason Thorpe was set up for two weeks later.
I tried to make it sooner than that, but Carla's schedule was so heavy that it just couldn't be done. As it was, the meeting took place on the night Carla was due to take a flight back to the coast at one in the morning-and that was cutting it pretty fine.
I couldn't complain, though. First, Carla had agreed to help me by stringing Jason along. Second, and perhaps more important, if it hadn't been for Carla, I would have starved during those two weeks. Carla came across with a thousand bucks on the same morning that she agreed to help me with my scheme for taking Jason for a ride.
I didn't ask for the money.
But then I didn't refuse it when Carla offered it.
Funny, but once I had made up my mind to play the angles, I had no more false pride about accepting money from Carla. She offered it to me just before I left the hotel suite, and I put up a weak protest at first, but then took her check with thanks. I made it clear to her that it was just a loan, of course-and I meant it, too. I needed some money with which to operate until I had set things up with Jason, and I told Carla that I would repay the money just as soon as I could.
After I had left her, I cashed the check. I kept out enough for my immediate needs and put the rest in a checking account, which I opened in the same bank where I cashed the check. For a moment, I toyed with the idea of starting a savings account with part of the money, but I quickly discarded the idea. With a checking account, the money was always available, and I could write a check whenever the need arose. There'd be time later on for a savings account-after I had began to make money.
There was no question in my mind that I surely was going to make money, and lots of it. I had made up my mind to that.
Nothing was going to stop me.
As I left the bank, I patted my back pocket where my newly-fattened wallet made a comfortable bulge, and I shook my head in wonderment at how quickly things had changed for me. All I had had to do was to make that one decision to stop being such a noble character and start playing the game the way others did.
It was easy after that. Everything seemed to go my way.
Even the meeting with Jason Thorpe went just as I had hoped it would.
I brought Carla over to his apartment on Sutton Place about nine in the evening, and Jason himself greeted us at the door.
He grabbed hold of my hand and pumped it up and down exuberantly. You would have thought we were old buddies who hadn't seen each other for years.
"Phil, my boy!" he said heartily.
"How are you, Jason?" I answered calmly. From the moment he had opened the door, a feeling of renewed confidence had swept over me Jason was so obviously enamored of the sight of Carla that I knew I had him in the palm of my hand.
"I'm fine, Phil," he said. "Just fine."
He was talking to me, but his eyes were on Carla. I smiled to myself. This was going even better than I had expected.
"Carla, this is Jason Thorpe," I said. "Jason, meet Carla Russell."
He dropped my hand and grasped Carla's extended hand in both of his.
"I've been looking forward to this ever since Phil called and set up the appointment, Miss Russell," he gushed.
"Call me Carla, please."
Jason touched his white mustache with his forefinger and smiled and nodded and said, "All right ... Carla." He stepped back from the door and made a sweeping gesture with his arm. "Please come in."
We entered the apartment and, after Jason took our coats, followed him into the living room. It was a big room, high-ceilinged and plushy furnished.
"Sit down, sit down," Jason said cheerfully.
Carla sat down on a small couch, and I deliberately chose a chair facing her, leaving the seat on the couch next to her for Jason.
"Would you care for a drink?" Jason asked.
"Yes, thank you," Carla said, smiling sweetly at him. I knew Carla. She was turning on the charm expertly-not too obviously, of course. Jason's eyes told me that he was caught up in a whirlwind of excitement at the thought of having Carla in his apartment accepting a drink from him. I thought for a quick moment of making some excuse and leaving, but then realized that this would be a little too obvious.
"Scotch?" Jason asked.
Carla nodded. .
"How about you, Phil?" Jason said. "Scotch will be fine, Jason."
He nodded happily and walked to a small bar against the wall and began preparing the drinks. He had his back to us for a moment, and I exchanged a quick look with Carla. She nodded her head briefly, understandingly, and I knew she would carry it through in great style.
Jason turned and faced us as he poured the liquor. I studied his face, which was something I could do without his noticing me because his eyes were fastened on Carla. He was a big, bluff type of man, white-haired and white-mustached, and his heavy sun tan was obviously a combination of a good sun lamp and frequent winter vacations in Florida.
As I had told Carla earlier, Jason's white hair was a contradiction. A close look at him showed that he was in excellent physical condition and that he was still young and energetic enough to enjoy a romp in bed with a willing woman. In fact, according to the gossip I had heard, Jason did enjoy himself in just this manner on many an occasion.
But, most important of all, Jason had the air of wealth about him. It was obvious he had money and that he liked to spend it.
He was going to spend some of that money on me, I promised myself.
Carla and I would see to that.
"Here we are!" Jason said heartily, bringing a tray of drinks with him as he crossed the room. He set the tray down on a small coffee table in front of the couch, handed a glass to Carla, gave me mine, and took his glass in hand and stood erect. He looked, at that moment, just like a British colonel about to propose a toast at the Regi mental Dinner.
"I'd like to propose a toast," Jason said, and I had to put my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing at the accuracy of my thoughts. I got to my feet with a straight face and waited for him to speak.
He lifted his glass, bowed slightly to Carla, and said, "To a beautiful and talented lady."
Carla blushed prettily, and I knew she wasn't putting it on. She was genuinely flattered by his outspoken admiration of her.
Jason and I raised our glasses and drank to Carla and, still blushing, she whispered, "Thank you."
It was a very touching moment-for Carla.
As for myself, I sat down again barely able to conceal a small, sly smile at Jason's elaborate posturing.
Jason cleared his throat noisily and, with an air of forced casualness, sat down next to Carla on the small couch. They were sitting very close together, and I saw Carla's expression change subtly. The spell of Jason's toast had been broken, and she was once again the superb actress ready to play her part in the little skit I had arranged for Jason's benefit-as well as for my own eventual benefit, of course.
"It's a ... a great honor to have you here ... Carla," Jason stammered, and I took a quick swallow of my drink to keep from laughing. Old Jason was about to make a speech!
But he fooled me. There was no speech.
Jason licked his lips and looked at Carla, and it was immediately apparent that he had forgotten what he wanted to say.
Carla bridged the awkwardness with a quick smile and a gentle pat on his hand as she said, "I've been anxious to meet you, Jason-ever since Phil told me about that wonderful idea of yours for a theater out in Queens."
What a woman! I thought. Not only had she flattered him, but she had gotten right to the point.
Jason's eyes glowed with happiness. "You really think it's a good idea?" he asked, like a puppy wagging its tail and waiting for a pat on the head.
"I think it's tremendous," Carla said warmly, and if I hadn't known better, she could have fooled me completely. "Please tell me all about it."
Jason beamed at her and immediately launched into an enthusiastic description of his proposed theater. I listened with only half an ear. My mind was busy, my thoughts racing ahead as I planned the best way of taking advantage of Carla's conquest of Jason. That she had conquered him was obvious. Even as he talked, his eyes roamed from her face to the cleavage between her breasts, which showed at the top of the low-cut dress she was wearing. Carla's magnificent breasts would bulge out any dress, but the dress she was now wearing had been designed to show her off to full advantage. Her breasts were full and high and threatening to burst out of the top of the dress at any moment-and Carla made the most of this. She kept putting her glass down on the coffee table after each small sip, and this necessitated her bending forward each time she set down the glass. And each time she did this, there was an abrupt break in the flow of Jason's speech as he caught his breath in wonderment.
I got quite an eyeful myself, of course, and since I had seen more of Carla's beauty than Jason could imagine, I knew what effect this display was having on his nervous system. Carla's swelling breasts were softening him up for the kill, and that was what I had intended.
But the big question still remained.
Once he was sufficiently softened up, how were we going to spring the trap?
I thought about this a lot as I sipped my drink and watched the two of them, Carla listening intently while Jason kept up a steady flow of talk. It would have to be handled carefully, I knew. Jason was a fool, but not so big a fool that he wouldn't see through my scheme if the idea were presented too bluntly. I kept racking my brain to think of the right approach. Carla saved me the trouble.
Jason finished talking and took a big gulp of his drink, and Carla said, "That's a wonderful idea, Jason! Really wonderful!" A wistful look came into her eyes. "I'd give anything to be able to work in a theater like that. Imagine, modern dressing rooms, perfect acoustics, the most up-to-date facilities! Why, it'd be an actress's dream come true."
Jason's face flushed with sudden excitement. "You really think so?"
"Yes! Yes, of course!" Carla said, her eyes bright.
"You mean you'd consider doing a play in this theater?" Jason asked.
Carla nodded her head emphatically. "I most certainly would, Jason." A thoughtful expression came over her face. "Of course, it would have to be a suitable play."
"Naturally," Jason agreed.
"Well," Carla said brightly, "if you're really serious about building this theater, and if you had a good play, and if it had a strong leading role, and if-" she turned and smiled at me "-if you had someone as competent as Phil here for the director, and if ... well, I guess that's too many 'if's' already, Jason."
He took the bait and rose to the implied challenge in her voice. "It's not impossible, Carla. I already have the land, and if I got started right away, I'm sure I could have the theater built in record time."
Carla sipped at her drink and said nothing. I deliberately avoided looking at her, and she, too, kept her eyes from me.
Jason scratched at his chin. "It might take some time to get a good play for you, but I think I can manage that." He turned and looked at me quizzically. "You'd want Phil for a director?"
"If he's available," Carla said, implying by her tone that my services as a director would be in great demand. "If not, then someone at least as good as Phil."
"I see," Jason said thoughtfully, and there was a bidden gleam of excitement deep in his eyes as he obviously began to think that the whole thing might be possible after all.
"I couldn't make any promises right now," Carla said, playing it just right. "I wouldn't want you to get any false hopes, Jason."
"I understand," Jason said. "But you are interested?"
Carla nodded. "I'm always interested in a good part," she said truthfully.
Jason smiled broadly-and I knew we had him.
I leaned back in my chair and relaxed and drank slowly and let my mind roam free. Jason and Carla kept on talking, but it was mostly small talk now, and I wasn't at all interested. I refilled my glass a couple of times, and it was as though I wasn't even there with them Jason ignored me completely, and Carla, playing her part to the hilt, paid attention only to him.
The first step had gone just as I hoped it would. Carla had won Jason over completely and, without really committing herself in any way, had led him to believe that she would appear in a play with me as her director. From now on it was up to me. I had Jason where I wanted him, and if I played my cards right, there was no limit now to how far I could go.
For the first time in a long while I felt really confident about the future. I had a definite goal now, and I was well on my way-and all it had taken was that one decision to play the game the way others did, to work the angles as much as I could.
Carla broke my train of thought by glancing at her watch and exclaiming, "Oh, I didn't realize it was this late."
"You have to go now?" Jason asked, disappointment written all over his face.
"Yes, I'm afraid I must. I have a plane to catch later, and I want to finish packing."
Jason got to his feet with obvious reluctance. "Well, at least let me take you back to your hotel."
"You don't have to do that, Jason," Carla said.
"Nonsense! I'll call down to the garage and have my chauffeur bring the car around."
Carla glanced at me, and I gave her a quick nod, which Jason couldn't see because he had his back to me at the moment. I knew Carla had assumed I'd take her back to the hotel in a taxi, but since she had to leave shortly after that both of us knew that I wouldn't stay long. As a matter-of-fact, I wouldn't even have gone up to her room with her. I would have said good-bye to her in the taxi, and it would have been a farewell without a kiss, too. The few times that Carla and I had to appear in public together-such as when I had picked her up at the hotel to bring her to Jason's-it was always done with me already in the cab when I had it stop for her. I'd sit back and keep my face in the shadows, making sure that not too many people saw me. As far as the pub Be was concerned, I was an unknown man who could be a press agent or an aide or anybody else unimportant, just someone sent to pick up the glamorous Miss Russell and escort her to where she was going. I preferred it that way, of course, and so now it made no difference to me that Jason wanted to take her back to the hotel himself.
Carla knew all this, naturally, and she correctly interpreted my nod of approval. She smiled at Jason and said, "Well, if you're sure it won't be too much trouble...."
Jason waved his hand at her to show her that it was no trouble at all and picked up the phone and called down to the garage.
Ten minutes later we were out on the street in front of the building. Jason's car was waiting at the curb and, as the doorman opened the rear door of the car, Jason turned to me. "Can I drop you somewhere, Phil?" he asked pointedly.
I shook my head, smiling. "No, thanks. I feel like walking a little before I hit the sack tonight."
Jason grunted. "I'll be in touch with you," he said, and he took Carla's arm and led her to the car.
Before she got in, Carla turned to me and smiled and said, "Good night, Phil. See you on my next trip."
""Night," I answered. "I'll probably give you a call in a few days."
She nodded once and then got into the car.
I watched them drive away and then turned and walked around the corner and hailed a cab. Regardless of what I had told Jason, I was in no mood for walking-not when I could now afford a taxi.
Back at my apartment, I relaxed and turned on the television and mixed myself a drink. The Scotch I had wasn't as good as Jason's, but I drank it cheerfully, knowing that it wouldn't be long now before I'd be able to afford whatever I wanted to drink.
An hour passed in front of the television set. I drank slowly and easily and didn't really pay attention to what was on TV. My mind was too busy running over what had happened and making plans for the future.
The phone rang, and I knew it was Carla even before I picked it up.
"Well, Phil," Carla said after I had answered, "this has been quite a night."
"How'd it go with Jason?" I asked.
"He's a hard man to fight off, Phil."
"He made a pass at you?"
"Pass, hell! He had his hand up my dress."
"In the car?"
"No. He behaved himself in the car. It was in my room."
"You let him come up to your room, Carla?"
There was a moment's pause, then she said, "I had no choice. Phil. He said he only wanted to come up for a few minutes, that he wanted to talk to me some more about the theater, and that we could talk while I packed." She gave a brief chuckle. "Can you imagine me falling for a line like that?"
"Tell me about it," I said, lighting a cigarette.
"Well, old Jason went to work the moment I closed the door of the room. He-he had me down on the bed in less than a minute."
"He attacked you?" I said, my voice rising.
"Well, not really, Phil. The old buzzard's one of the smoothest operators IVe ever seen. Before I knew it, he had his arms about me and was kissing me." She giggled. "His mustache is real soft."
"Never mind that!" I snapped. "What did he do to you?"
"Jealous, Phil?" There was a teasing note in her voice.
"What did he do, Carla?" I repeated in a flat voice.
"Well, he didn't get to do what he wanted to do, if that's what you mean, Phil?" She giggled again. "But for a while there I thought he'd have my panties off before I could stop him."
"Go on," I said, puffing furiously on my cigarette.
"There's not much more to tell. He managed to get me down on the bed and get his hand up my dress but that's as far as he got. He kept trying to talk me into staying over for one more night, even promised to have me flown out to the coast in the morning in his own private jet plane. I tell you, Phil, he doesn't take no for an answer." There was a long pause, and then she added, "You know, in a way it was almost flattering. Jason has a very polished technique, and he knows how to ... to grab a woman without making her feel it's something evil."
"Maybe I should take lessons from him," I said, and I couldn't keep the bitterness out of my voice, "Oh, come on, Phil. No harm was done. Besides, I didn't want to insult him and maybe queer the whole deal for you. You wouldn't want that to happen, would you?"
"No ... I guess not."
Carla chuckled. "Well, neither would I. So don't get upset by this, Phil. It wasn't really unpleasant."
"Okay," I said.
"I wish you could see me off at the airport, Phil."
"You know that's impossible."
"Yes-I know. You call me out in Hollywood now, like you promised, you hear?"
"I will."
"I'll try to get back to New York soon. Phil."
"I hope so, Carla."
"Will you miss me?"
"You know I will."
I heard her draw a deep breath. "Well...."bye for now, Phil."
"Good-bye," I said, and I waited until she had hung up before I slowly replaced the phone on its cradle.
I stubbed out my cigarette, mixed a fresh drink, then lit another cigarette and sat down in the chair and stared at the dark screen of the TV set, which I had switched off when the phone rang. I smoked and drank slowly while I tried to convince myself not to be angry over what Jason had tried. It was part of the game, I told myself. You try cutting corners and you have to expect something like this every now and then. It's part of the price of getting ahead. Carla had told me that often enough, and I understood it-but it was a different matter when it hit me personally. This wasn't the same as her affair with the director. I didn't even know the guy. He was just a name that I had read in the newspapers.
But Jason was different.
Jason was a man I had introduced to Carla myself and I couldn't control the pictures that flashed through my mind-pictures of him forcing Carla to the bed that I had shared with her, his Lips on hers, his hand sliding up under her dress, Carla struggling....
"Nuts!" I said out loud to the empty room, and I gulped down the rest of my drink. I was learning fast, I realized. I was learning that playing the game wasn't all one-sided.
I went to bed, but it was a long while before I fell asleep.
I couldn't shake the feeling of disgust that had taken hold of me.