Free a Coyote's in the House (2004) by Elmore Leonard Page B

it.
    Antwan put his nose down to the dog agent's nose and said, Tell me where you live, my brother. I'll come over and we'll talk about it.
    Swifty looked at Buddy. He said, I don't need this. We get you the part and you don't take it, you'll never work in this town again, and went out through the dog door.
    Antwan hopped up on the table, said to Buddy, Just one, and gobbled up a few peanut butter cookies, ground them in his jaw and swallowed. He turned around once and sat down on the table before saying, You let that little hot dog talk to you like that? I couldn't believe it.
    He heard that somewhere, about my never working in this town again? Swifty wants to sound like he's in the movie business, so he picks up lines like that to use. But I'll tell you something, Buddy said. If ever a dog could work as a Hollywood agent I mean a real dog it would have to be Swifty. He's okay. You just have to get used to him.
    I didn't like his smell, Antwan said.
    He can't help that, Buddy said. Swifty gets his smell from where he gets everything else, from his owner. It's how my real agent smells, so it's how Swifty smells.
    Antwan helped himself to another cookie as he thought of something. Is it true humans take on a different smell when they lie?
    Yes, it's a fact, Buddy said. They lie and you get a whiff of something rotten. Like you get when you stick your nose in a garbage can. You might've noticed I kept sniffing while I was talking to Swifty. It's a sure way to tell when he's lying.
    It wasn't a bad smell, Antwan said, but it hung in the air till he left.
    There are things movie stars have to put up with, Buddy said. Like agents.
    Antwan nodded, accepting Buddy's wisdom, and said, You think you'll do the movie?
    I'll go listen to the mom and dad talking about it, Buddy said, and let you know.
    An t w a n went u p to see how Miss Betty was doing. He caught her standing in front of the mirror looking over her shoulder.
    Why there's a cool chick, Antwan said, if I ever saw one. I'm more than cool, Miss Betty said, still looking at herself in the mirror, I'm cold, not having any hair.
    You have a nice creamy coat on you, Antwan said, curly around your shoulders. ... Girl, you're looking fine. I mean it. He said then, Buddy got a movie offer.
    I know, Miss Betty said. I saw you and Buddy down there with Swifty. I bet he put on his act and you got tough with him, told him off.
    I put on the muscle just a bit.
    You have to understand Swifty, she said. If you don't take him seriously he's fun to watch.
    Antwan said, How'd you know about the job?
    When you all went inside, Miss Betty said, I slipped out on the roof, right down to the edge over the patio, and heard most of it. Buddy's agent made the offer and the dad didn't hesitate. Yes, indeed, Buddy will take the part. The mom said okay, meaning she went along.
    Antwan, curious about the mom, said, What does she do? The maid's always here working around, doing most of the cooking. What does the mom do all day?
    It beats me, Miss Betty said. I know she reads, she listens to music . . .
    Antwan said, She remind you of anyone? He watched Miss Betty shake her head no and he said, She's just like you. She's a show mom.
    You're trying to be cute now, Miss Betty said. Anyway, they're already shooting the picture. If Buddy's ready, he's on tomorrow. The dad goes, 'He's ready, don't worry about that.' Then the agent said, 'Oh, and why don't you bring Timmy along.'
    Me?
    You're Timmy, aren't you?
    Why's he want me there?
    That's a good question, Miss Betty said, turning to the mirror again. You like my hair this way, huh?

    Chapter Eleven.
    Early the next morning the dad drove them to the studio in his silver Cadillac port-utility vehicle, Antwan and Buddy with teraces hanging out of opposite windows to catch the breeze. They had to wait at the main gate while the guard phoned to see if it was all right to let them in. He gave the dad a pass to put on the dashboard and directions to where they