paced the floor, his eyes blazing. He wiped his palms over his face. The room was spinning-he had never felt so desperate, so out of control.
Louisa entered and did a nervous sort of bow. ‘Rita Clay is here for you, Mr Steel.’
Cole didn’t turn round, just nodded and impatiently waved her in.
‘Hello, Cole. Marty.’ Rita was sharp in a tailored grey suit, striking against her dark skin and blonde hair. She shook Marty’s fat, sweating hand but still Cole didn’t turn round. Settling on a plaid chaise longue, she crossed her legs. ‘Let’s get to the bottom of this, shall we?’
‘Have you tried calling her?’ said Cole tightly.
‘I have. We had a phone appointment scheduled for this morning.’
‘Well, call her again, then.’
‘I’ve tried a number of times, she isn’t picking up.’
‘She isn’t picking up, or she’s switched off?’
Rita paused. ‘She’s switched off.’
‘Fuck!‘ Cole put his head in his hands. ‘Just find her, Marty–for God’s sake, find her!’
Marty looked uncomfortably at Rita, who looked more than uncomfortably at Cole, who was standing with his hands flat against the window, his head bowed.
Rita had known Cole was a weird one, but this was extreme. So Lana was missing–she was stir-crazy, she probably needed a break. It wasn’t ideal, in fact it was a pain in the ass, but if Lana needed head space then so be it. She’d talk to her when she got back.
‘Let’s not make assumptions.’ She checked her cell again. ‘Lana’s only been out since this morning. She’ll call either one of us in the hour and we’ll all realise it’s been a misunderstanding.’
Finally Cole whipped round. ‘A misunderstanding?’ he spat. ‘If only! Christ knows, I’ve tried my damnedest to misunderstand, but I’m telling you now, it’s pretty hard to misunderstand something that’s staring me right in the goddamn face!’
Marty and Rita exchanged confused looks.
‘Lana’s pregnant, you hear me?’ He laughed manically. ‘Pregnant.’ He shuddered. ‘With another man’s baby.’
The room was shocked into silence. Rita gasped. Marty sat with his mouth hanging open.
Rita spoke first. ‘What?’
‘Don’t make me repeat it,’ said Cole in a clipped voice.
‘I don’t understand,’ said Marty unhelpfully.
‘Guess what, Marty,’ said Cole, jabbing a finger in his agent’s face, ‘neither do I.’
Rita took control. ‘OK, Cole, let’s slow down a minute here. Are you absolutely sure about this?’
‘A hundred per cent. I found the test.’
‘How?’
‘In her bathroom.’
‘That’s a breach of contract.’
‘To hell with that, I was concerned for her safety.’
Rita took out her phone. What on earth had Lana been thinking? They were in deep shit now, real deep shit. As soon as she was done here they were getting the best lawyer in town.
‘What if the test belongs to someone else?’ said Marty.
Cole and Rita looked at him blankly.
‘Gee, I don’t know,’ said Cole, crossing his arms in mock-contemplation. ‘Lana’s acting kind of funny, then I see the test in Lana’s bathroom, then Lana disappears out my life the same fucking morning. I’m putting two and two together here, Marty, I don’t know, seems kinda logical to me.’
Marty opened his mouth to speak.
Cole punched the air. ‘Bullshit!’
Rita stood up. ‘We’ll keep this under close wraps,’ she said. ‘It’s best for everybody concerned.’ She looked at Cole. ‘Especially you. We’re yet to find out the circumstances so let’s not reach any rash conclusions before we know the facts.’
‘And what do I do?’ Cole slumped into a chair, exhausted.
‘You wait.’
‘Just find her,’ he said stonily. ‘Find her and bring her back to me.’ He pointed to the floor beneath his feet.
Rita nodded. ‘Anyone’s gonna get through to her, it’s me. If you’ve been calling, stop. No pressure, nada. Let me deal with it.’ She left the room to try Lana’s cell again.
As soon as she was gone Marty slid over to Cole, quick as a snake.
‘What’s going on?’ he said hoarsely. He was perspiring with the excitement of it all.
Cole looked up wearily. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean …’ He looked about him. ‘Isn’t this what we wanted?’
Cole leaned in, careful to keep his voice down. ‘You’re an intelligent man, Marty, a very intelligent man. Why you’re behaving like the world’s biggest fuck-head is beyond me.’ He turned on him. ‘It’s another man’s baby. Do you understand what that means? My wife is carrying the bastard of some asshole off the street. And that asshole’s got a death wish: whoever goes behind my back with my wife has got to have a spare pair of balls.’
Marty sat back. ‘When you’ve calmed down, we’ll talk.’
‘I am calm.’
Marty turned his head to check Rita was out of ear-shot. ‘Then think about it a second, would you?’
Cole glowered.
‘You’ve still got the contract, right?’ said Marty. ‘You’ve still got her and you’ve still got everything she has. Infidelity’s a hell of a bargaining tool, my friend. If you want it, Cole, this baby’s yours.’
Las Vegas
It was scorching hot in Vegas. On the Boulevard Lana decided to quit the cab and walk, past the crowds swarming at the spectacular Bellagio fountains, the tourists gathered by the sparkling waterfalls of the Mirage, their attentions absorbed. Lana felt like part of it, sewn in, invisible. There were enough distractions here to make a person disappear.
Feeling suddenly hungry, she ducked into a burger joint close to the Venetian. It had been years since she’d got fast food, just queued up with everyone else to put in her order for a double cheese and fries, unwrapping the sticky, sweaty
