L. A. Movie by Philip Prowse
40
'What could I say?' Mike Devine replied. 'I agreed to go Miss Sullivan gave
me seventy-two hours to leave L.A.'
'But you're still here, Mike,' I said.
Mike Devine started to cry. 'Yes, I can't go. I can't live without Gail. I love
her, even if she doesn't love me. And all my friends are here in L.A. I don't
know where to go.'
'Have you heard from Miss Sullivan again?' I asked.
'Yes, the day before yesterday,' Mike replied. 'That's why I called you. She
told me that I had broken our agreement by not leaving. I asked for more time
and she gave me until tomorrow morning. She said that I had to call her
tomorrow evening, from somewhere a long way from L.A.'
'Did she say what would happen if you didn't leave LA?' I asked.
'Yes, she said that I had cheated people and
told lies to get money from
them. She said I would go to prison.' Mike Devine stopped. Then after a while
he spoke again, slowly and sadly. 'All my life I've had everything I've wanted,'
he said. 'If I went to prison, I would have nothing. My father won't help me. He
says that prison would be good for me. But he's wrong! I would die if I went to
prison. You've got to help me, Samuel. What can I do?'
I smiled. 'Well I don't have eight hundred thousand dollars to lend you,' I
said. 'My advice is to do what Mr X wants.'
'But I'm broke. I don't have any money at all. I can't afford to stay anywhere,'
Mike replied.
'Well, I've got a cabin up in the hills, at a place called Crystal Lake,' I said.
'It's a long way from L.A. I suggest you go there now and do what Miss
Sullivan told you to do. Call her tomorrow evening and give her the number of
the cabin. She will call you back. Then she'll know that you've really left L.A.
And I'll try to find out who Mary Sullivan is, and who her boss, Mr X, is. Give
me her phone number.'
Mike
gave me the number, and I told him how to find Crystal Lake. I gave
him the name of a farmer there who kept a key to my cabin. I hadn't been up to
Crystal Lake for many months. It was a place I used to go to when I wanted to
do some fishing. Over the years, I had caught a lot of fish in the lake near the
cabin.
'I don't know how to thank you,' Mike Devine said. 'You must think I'm a
bad person.'
'Well,' I said, 'you certainly are in lots of trouble. I'm not going to be able to
help you much after today. I'm going to Europe soon. But I'll do what I can.
Enjoy yourself at Crystal Lake - try to catch some big fish!'
When
I got back to my office, I rang my friend Hank. Hank works for the
phone company.
'This is Len,' I said. 'Can you give me some help, Hank? Will you check this
phone number on your computer? I want to know whose number it is.'
I gave Hank the number Mary Sullivan had given Mike. Then I waited while
he checked his computer.
'I've got it,' Hank said, a minute later. 'It's the private office of Senator Theo
Z. Democrates. I have an address for the office.'
I noted down the address and I thanked Hank. This was interesting news!
Theo Democrates was the senator Toni had told me about - the man who might
L. A. Movie by Philip Prowse
41
have been involved with Gail.
I put down the phone and it started to ring almost immediately. I answered it.
It was Rik.
'Lenny, hi, how are things?'
'Rik! Has something happened to Gail?' I asked.
'No, don't worry,' Rik said quickly. 'The movie's going well now, and we're
getting ready to leave for Istanbul the day after tomorrow. I want you to join us
there. That's why I'm calling you. I've spoken to Mr Frank about you. Go to the
Magic Movie Productions studios now. Go to the main office. Mr Frank's
secretary will give you an envelope. In it, you'll
find an air ticket and some
instructions. A make-up artist and someone from the costume department are
already in Istanbul, and they will know what to do with you.'
'But Rik,' I said. I was puzzled. 'What do you mean? Why do I need to see
costume and make-up people? I'm not an actor.
'You're going to be Brent Foster's double!' Rik replied. 'You look and sound
a lot like him. When you're made up, people will think you are him!'