Goodbye Natalie

EPILOUGE

      Darla Jones crept silently into Vivian Valentine’s hospital room and stood for a long moment, making sure the actress wasn’t aware of her presence. It was past midnight and the corridors were mostly deserted; patients tucked in for the night, doctors and nurses either coasting through their rounds or hidden from view – catching naps or having illicit liaisons in closets or empty rooms. Darla’s attention was focused on the huge ring of emeralds and diamonds that adorned the sleeping Vivian Valentine’s right hand. With a tube of lubricant in hand, she aimed to make off with it – no one the wiser till she was long gone. Her notorious husband, Mudcat, had gone missing and the police were watching her apartment. It wouldn’t be long before they figured out where she worked and she needed to make this one little score before getting gone herself. She was feeling the heat, but luck had dealt her an easy hand when the old lady showed up with the jewelry. She wasn’t being greedy, just the one piece would bring her enough to travel on till she got settled again.

     The heavy ring slid off easier than expected and Darla hastily stepped out of the doorway into the hall, and directly into a huge man wearing a suit and Fedora. The impact knocked her backwards and the man grabbed her before she fell. With her wrist in his too-large hand, he pulled her up, and said.

     ”Whatcha got there sister?” His voice was gravel-like, and threatening.

      ”Let go a me!” Darla complained. She twisted her wrist to try and get away, his grip was viselike. She couldn’t make too much noise; a thief covets anonymity even above treasure.

     ”Listen Mister, maybe we can work something out.” She rolled her shoulders back, displaying her most prominent assets in grand fashion. The stranger glanced at her heavy breasts for an instant, then raised her hand face high.

     ”Not interested.” He hissed. With that, he snapped Darla’s ring finger backwards beyond it’s limit; a loud crack echoed down the hall and Darla suppressed a scream. He wrenched Vivian’s ring from the mutilated digit and shoved the shocked Darla down the hallway. Like an injured she-wolf set free from a trap, she held her throbbing hand and bolted from the scene of the attempted crime...injured, but glad to make her escape.

     The stranger entered the room, Vivian stirred. ”Who’s there’?” She asked.

     The man tossed the ring onto the bed. ”Better keep an eye on your goodies Ms. Valentine, diamonds to thieves s’like rats and cheese.”

     Vivian groggily retrieved the bauble and slipped it back on her finger. ”We’ve got bigger problems.” She said. ”Jake Barnes is still alive.”

     ”That’s not possible.” Said the man. ”I seen him with his face blown off with my own eyes!”

     ”Well, evidently our girl’s a little sharper than you bargained for. She switched identifications on you.” Vivian said accusingly.

     The man nodded appreciatively. ”Whatta ya want me ta do?”

     ”They think, that you think he’s dead and gone. I doubt he’ll want to surface to make any bizarre claims. That script is the only evidence that could make any accusations possible.” She finished speaking and thought.

     ”If they ain’t tryin’ to make a big deal outta it, what’s the problem?” The man asked.

     ”Do you know the value of a Hollywood studio, Jimmy?” She asked.

     ”I guess a lot.” He responded.

     ”Much more than a lot. It’s incalculable. Heartline owns forty percent of Fox right now. Any turmoil, scandal or miscue means dollars per share shrinkage in proportion to the bad press. With that bargaining chip, I could negotiate for another eleven percent, a controlling share. All studio decisions would be in my hands.” Vivian finished speaking and sat in meditation.

     ”It’s really worth all that?” He asked incredulously.

     ”They’ll willingly go to any length to avoid scandal, they’ll give me anything I want.” Vivian said vaingloriously. ”I made that studio what it is today...this, they owe me.”

     ”So, where is it?” He asked.

     ”That, Mr. Fingerelli...is what you are going to find out.”

* * *

      As the fog wrapped the city in its misty embrace, Suki Wong finished counting the day’s receipts and reached for the stack of mail delivered hours ago. One large, yellow envelope caught her attention. It was addressed to: S. Wong, Magic Carpet Massage, San Francisco, forwarded from the Hollywood Mailbox Service. Inside, was a smaller envelope, addressed to Jake Barnes. Suki called out, her voice echoing through the empty rooms of the massage parlor. ”Jake! Come get your mail!” No response. ”JAKE!!!”

     One of the young Asian massage girls stuck her head into the office. ”Jake no here. He pack a bag an go long time ago.” The young girl said.

     ”Ai-ya!” Suki exclaimed. Jake was always coming and going for long periods without warning. No telling where he was off to now. Suki tore open the envelope. It was pages of typed paper, text and dialogue...too much for the harried woman to read. The cover page read: ’Spec. Script’, by: J. Barnes. A handwritten note was attached, that said:

     Dear Jake, Before we leave I wanted to return your original script. RW already read it, I don’t know his reaction yet. Word of advice, never submit the original – you never know the value it might have one day. We’re leaving now. Best of luck.

     Goodbye, Natalie

     ”Another Jake’s girlfriends.” Suki muttered disgustedly. She stashed the envelope on a high shelf, out of the way, and turned the little T.V. in the office on, to catch the tail end of the late movie.

     The pretty actress in the final scene turned one last time toward her home and waved sadly before disappearing into the distance. The music swelled and the credits rolled. Suki was sorry she’d missed the movie, she liked that actress, but her name eluded her.

* * * * *