Gloria swept regally across the crowded restaurant, like a Montgolfier Brothers hot-air balloon trailing pretty little pennants and fluttering ribbons of silk. Earnest and the two stars followed in her wake, while the maitre d’ preceded her with the haughty air of Grand Vizier. The jumbled, tumbled, grumbling crowd at the top of the escalator was left to sort itself out. After all, that’s what insurance lawyers were for, was it not?
Montpelier couldn’t hear the shouts and shrieks from the foyer, of course. But he watched Gloria and her entourage march to the table nearest the computer-directed jukebox. He breathed a silent thanksgiving that Gabriel hadn’t arrived at the same time as Earnest.
“Um, would you like a drink, Mr. Good?” he asked.
Good held up a long-fingered hand. “Never touch alcohol, Mr. Montpelier....”
“Les.”
“Alcohol and business don’t mix. Never have.”
“Well, that’s one thing you and Ron Gabriel have in common,” Montpelier said.
“Oh? What’s that?”
“He doesn’t drink, either.”
“Really?” Good’s perpetual smile got wider and somehow tenser. “That’s a surprise.”
“What do you mean?”
“From all the depravity in his scripts, I assumed he was either an alcoholic or a drug fiend. Or both.”
“Depravity?” Monteplier heard his voice squeak.
“Yer not married or nuthin’, are yew?” asked Connors.
Brenda shook her head slowly. “No, I’m a rising young corporate executive.”
He was working on his second bourbon and water. Their dinners remained on a corner of the table, untouched.
“Must be tough to get ahead. Lotsa competition.”
“Quite a bit.” Brenda sipped at her vodka sour.
“If TNT sponsored yer new show, it’s be a real feather in yore cap, huh?”
“Yes it would. But I won’t go to bed with you for it.”
Connors’ face fell. “Wh... who said anything about that? I’m a married man!”
Now Brenda permitted herself to smile again. “I’m sorry,” she said with great sincerity. “I didn’t mean to shock you. But, well... there are lots of men who try to take advantage of a woman in a situation like this. I’m glad you’re not that kind of man.”
“Hell, no,” said Connors, looking puzzled, disappointed and slightly nettled.
Brenda sweetened her smile. Have to introduce him to some of the professional ladies working at the hotel, she knew, before he decides to get angry.
Earnest sat across the table from Dulaq. Between the two men sat Gloria Glory and Rita Yearling. Four appetizers had been served; two were still sitting untouched but Dulaq’s and Gloria’s were already demolished.
“And you, you great big hunk of muscle,” Gloria turned to Dulaq, “how do you like acting?”
The hockey star shrugged. “It’s okay. Ain’t had a chance t’really do much... wit’ the riot and all....”
Earnest felt his blood pressure explode in his ears.
“Riot?” Gloria looked instantly alert. “What riot?”
“It wasn’t a riot,” Earnest said quickly. “It was just a bit of a misunderstanding...”
“I’m afraid it was all my fault,” Rita offered.
“Dis Gabriel guy gimme a hard time, so I punched him out.”
“You hit Ron Gabriel?”
For an instant there was absolute silence at the table. Even Dulaq seemed to realize, in his dim way, that Gloria’s reaction would have enormous implications for his future in show business.
“Uh... yeah. Once. Between de eyes.”
Gloria’s bloated face seemed to puff out even more and she suddenly let loose a loud guffaw. “Oh no! You punched that little creep between the eyes! Oh, it’s too marvelous!” She roared with laughter.
Dulaq and Rita joined in. Earnest laughed too, but his mind was racing. Fearfully, he touched Gloria’s bouffant sleeve. She wiped tears from her eyes as she turned to him.
“Um, Gloria,” he begged. “You’re not going to, uh... broadcast this, are you?”
