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〃Who's going to be your feature editor？〃
〃Why； Jonas；〃 he said in wide…eyed innocence。 〃I thought you knew。 The little lady you had dinner with last night； of course。〃
I started to laugh。 I couldn't help it。 The old bastard was smarter than I figured。 He even had spies planted in 〃21。〃
After he left； I turned to McAllister。 〃I don't really have to stay here to sign those Engel papers； do I？〃
He looked at me sharply。 〃I don't suppose so。 Why？〃
〃I want to go to the Coast；〃 I said。 〃Here I'm about to make a picture。 What am I doing in New York； getting nothing done？〃
〃David and Bonner are here。 They've been waiting for a call from you。〃
〃Get David on the phone for me。〃 A moment later； he handed me the telephone。 〃Hello； David。 How's Rosa？〃
〃She's fine； Jonas； and very happy。〃
〃Good；〃 I said。 〃I just wanted to tell you what a great job I thought you did on that stock bit。 Look； I don't feel right hanging around New York while I'm trying to get The Sinner ready。 I'm going to shove off for the Coast。〃
〃But； Jonas。 I brought Bonner into New York。〃
〃That's fine；〃 I said。 〃But you get him back to the studio and tell him I'll see him there。 That's the only place to handle a picture。〃
〃O。K。； Jonas；〃 he said； a faint disappointment in his voice。 〃You flying out？〃
〃Yeah。 I think I can make the ICA two…o'clock flight。 That way； I'll be in California tomorrow morning。〃
〃Give Rosa a call； will you； Jonas？ She'd be pleased to hear from you。〃
〃I will； David；〃 I said。 〃By the way； how do I get in touch with that Jennie Denton？ I think I ought at least to meet the girl who's going to play the lead in The Sinner。〃
〃She's in Palm Springs； at the Tropical Flower Hotel； registered under the name of Judy Belden。〃
〃Thanks； David；〃 I said。 〃Good…by。〃
〃Have a safe trip； Jonas。〃
It was 11：30 a。m。； California time； the next day； when I parked my convertible in the driveway of the Tropical Flower Hotel in Palm Springs。 I checked at the desk and walked down to Cottage No。 5。 When I knocked on the door； there was no answer。 But the door was unlocked； so I walked in。 〃Miss Denton？〃 I called。
There was no answer。 Then I heard the shower running in the bathroom。 I walked through and opened the bathroom door。 I could see the outline of her body against the opaque shower curtain。 She was singing in a low； husky voice。
I closed the bathroom door behind me and sat down on the can。 I lit a cigarette while I watched her through the shower curtain。 I didn't have to wait long。
She turned off the water and I could hear her sniff at the cigarette smoke。 Her voice； from behind the curtain； was calm。 〃If that's one of the bellboys waiting out there； he'd better go before I e out；〃 she said； 〃or I report him to the desk。〃
I didn't answer。
She stuck her head through the shower curtain； groping for a towel。 I reached over and put one in her hand。 Through the curtain； I could see her wrap it around herself； then the curtain slid back and she stared at me。 Her eyes were dark gray and unafraid。 〃The bellboys in this hotel are the worst；〃 she said。 〃They walk in on you at the oddest times。〃
〃You could try locking your door。〃
She stepped out of the tub。 〃What for？ They all have passkeys。〃
I got to my feet。 〃Jennie Denton？〃
〃It's Judy Belden on the register。〃 A questioning look came over her face。 〃You the law？〃
I shook my head。 〃No。 I'm Jonas Cord。〃
She looked up at me； a slow smile spreading over her face。 〃Well； hey！ I've been waiting to meet you。〃
I smiled back at her。 〃What for？〃
She came very close to me and reached up to put her arms around my neck。 She drew my face down and the towel slipped from her body to the floor as she stretched up to her tiptoes and kissed me。 Then she leaned her head back and looked up at me with mischievous； laughing eyes。
〃Boss；〃 she whispered； 〃ain't it about time you signed my contract？〃
6
IT WAS THE SAME BUNGALOW OFFICE I'D USED TEN years ago； when we were making The Renegade。 Nothing had changed except the secretaries。 〃Good morning； Mr。 Cord；〃 they trilled in unison as I came in。
I said good morning and walked through to my office。 Bonner was pacing up and down nervously。 Dan Pierce was seated on the long couch underneath the window。 I looked at him for a moment； then without speaking； walked behind my desk and sat down。
〃I asked Pierce to e over and help convince you；〃 Bonner said。 〃You can't make a picture costing this much without a name。〃
〃Dan couldn't convince me to go to the can if I had the runs。〃
〃Wait a minute； Jonas；〃 Dan said quickly。 〃I know how you feel。 But believe me； I'm only looking out for your good。〃
I turned to him。 〃Like you did when you sold your stock to Sheffield without checking with me？〃
〃The stock was mine；〃 he said hotly。 〃I didn't have to check with anybody。 Besides； who could get in touch with you？ Everybody knew that you didn't give a damn about the pany； that you were unloading part of your own stock。〃
I reached for a cigarette。 After a moment； I nodded。 〃You're right； Dan；〃 I said。 〃The stock was yours； you didn't owe me anything。 You did your job and I paid you for it … in full； for the five years your contract still had to run。〃 I leaned back in the chair and dragged on the cigarette。 〃I just made a mistake。 You were a good agent when I met you。 I should have left well enough alone。〃
〃I'm trying to keep you from making another mistake； Jonas。 When the script of The Sinner was written； it was a vehicle for a big star … Rina Marlowe。 She was the biggest there was。 You can't just take a girl with no experience； and who nobody's heard of； and put her in a picture without stars to support her。 They'll laugh you out of the theater。〃
I looked up quizzically。 〃What do you think I ought to do； then？〃
I could see the quick look of confidence e into his eyes。 〃Get a couple of big names；〃 he said。 〃Use the girl if you want but back her up。 Bogart。 Tracy。 Colman。 Gable。 Flynn。 Any one of them insures it for you。〃
〃I suppose you can get them for me？〃
He missed the sarcasm。 〃I think I could help；〃 he said cautiously。
〃Well； bless your little bleeding； ten…per…centing heart。 That's very kind of you。〃 I got to my feet。 〃Get out； Dan。 Get out before I throw you out。 And don't ever e back on this lot while I'm on it。〃
He stared at me； his face turning white。 〃You can't talk to me like that；〃 he blustered。 〃I'm not one of your flunkies who you can buy and sell。〃
〃I bought you and I sold you；〃 I said coldly。 〃You're the same guy you were when you tried to dump Nevada's show for Buffalo Bill's。 You'd sell your own mother if there was anything in it for you。 But you're not selling me any more。 I'm not buying。〃
I pressed the buzzer on my desk and one of the secretaries came in。 〃Yes； Mr。 Cord？〃 she asked from the open doorway。
〃Mr。 Pierce was just leaving… 〃
Dan's face was livid with rage。 〃You'll regret this； Jonas。〃
The door slammed behind him and I turned to Bonner。 〃I'm sorry； Jonas；〃 he stammered。 〃I… didn't know… 〃
〃That's O。K。；〃 I said easily。 〃You didn't know。〃
〃But the way the picture is shaping up now； it's going over three million dollars。 I'd fe