Free Reel Stuff by Don Bruns Page B

we’re even in this business.”
    I think we were all on the same page.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
    Two in the morning doesn’t seem that late when you’re working. Somebody still had to discourage any drunks walking home from entering our precious set and disrupting the phony surroundings we’d concocted. The flow of people was surprising to me, since I thought you went to dinner, scored, then took the girl home. All before two a.m. But, it was all only make-believe. Emily had said it best.
    A stream of cars and pickups passed by at three thirty when a few bars closed, and I was confronted by a gang of five guys who pulled up in an ancient Volkswagen bus. When they rolled the window down, I could smell the pot.
    â€œDude, somebody took over our park.”
    â€œA TV show is all.”
    â€œDude, we usually go out there and get a little mellow, you know?”
    â€œDude,” I said. “find another place to get mellow. Either that or I call the cops and you will get busted for public intoxication and possession of a controlled substance. Got it?”
    They moved on.
    Two girls with a little too much makeup and skirts just a little too short tottered by on the sidewalk, balancing on five- or six-inch heels. “Any movie stars still up?” the short brunette asked. The closer she got, the stronger the smell from her cheap perfume.
    â€œNo movie stars tonight,” I said.
    â€œHow much you got, honey?” The blonde moved closer and put her hands on my shoulders. She had to be three or four inches taller that I was, and when she looked down at me and smiled, I could count the stained, crooked teeth.
    â€œI’m sure I don’t have enough, ma’am.”
    â€œMa’am? I’m not your momma, boy. Do you want a little action or not?”
    I shook my head, suddenly aware I hadn’t worked this shift before. It was a completely different group than I dealt with during the day.
    â€œToo bad. We’ve had some fun with some of the others on this set.”
    â€œBeen a party week,” the smaller brunette burped and did a little bump and grind. “Party.”
    â€œWhat kind of party?” I asked.
    â€œThat trailer over there.” She motioned to one of the leads’ trailers. “Why, two nights ago this guy who directs things, he—”
    â€œDirects the show?”
    She ran her hands down my chest, and when she started to go further I stepped back. Her forwardness and the boozy breath mixed with sweet perfume was almost nauseating.
    â€œRandy Roberts?”
    The short girl with the black skirt looked up at her very tall friend.
    â€œWas it a guy named Randy?”
    â€œOh, hell,” the blonde started laughing. “There was Randy and Richard and a couple of other guys I can’t remember, but I do know that Jason Londell was there in all his splendor.”
    â€œSplendor?” I shuddered.
    â€œLook, geek boy, do you want to party or not?”
    I did not. But I wanted information on previous parties.
    â€œYou ladies partied with Jason Londell?”
    â€œPartied?” The tall blonde let go a belly laugh. “Hell, we did more than just party. We gave him a real joyride.”
    The smaller brunette smiled and nodded. “He was magnificent. Kept saying his wife had left him, and we were the best thing that had happened to him since then.”
    â€œStacy was doing a reverse cowgirl, and he was shouting out his wife’s name. Juliana, Juliana, then he—”
    I didn’t want to hear any more.
    â€œWait. Jason Londell said his wife left
him
?”
    â€œHe said it over and over.”
    â€œOver and over and over and, then, over,” the brown-haired girl reiterated.
    I had this mental image that wasn’t pleasant.
    â€œâ€˜The bitch left me. The bitch doesn’t understand what she just did. The bitch left me. Juliana left
me
.’ And then, the next day, he kills himself. Our little