Swimming to Catalina Read Online Free PDF Page B

of dress-period, Western, and just jeans-were having lunch.
    “Let’s walk through the main room and I’ll ask the maitre d’ if he has a table outside; it’s such a nice day.”
    Stone followed her through a handsome dining room, and as they were approaching the doors to the patio, Stone heard someone call his name. He stopped and turned toward the voice. Louis Regenstein was at a booth in the corner of the room, standing, waving him over. Stone touched Betty’s arm and motioned for her to follow him.
    “Stone, it’s good to see you,” Regenstein said, offering his hand. He gestured toward his companion. “This is Mario Ciano; Mario, this is a new acquaintanceof mine, Stone Barrington.” The two men shook hands. “Stone, will you join us for lunch?”
    “Thank you, but…”
    “You go ahead, Stone,” Betty interrupted. “I have some work to do back at the office.” She leaned closer. “I’ll see you at Vance’s house tonight.” She vanished.
    Stone took a seat facing the two men, with his back to the room.
    “Would you like something to drink?” Regenstein asked.
    “Some ice tea would be good,” Stone replied.
    Regenstein waved a hand and the ice tea and a menu appeared. When Stone had ordered, Regenstein turned to Ciano. “You see what I mean?” he asked, nodding at Stone.
    “You’re right, Lou,” Ciano replied. “He’s perfect.” Ciano turned to Stone. “Have you ever done any acting?”
    “Not since high school,” Stone said.
    “Except in front of juries,” Regenstein chuckled. “That’s what he told me.”
    “You’re actually a lawyer?” Ciano asked.
    “Yes.”
    “A trial lawyer?”
    “From time to time.”
    “What was your most recent trial?”
    “I defended an American woman on a Caribbean island against a murder charge,” Stone replied.
    “And what was the outcome?”
    “She was hanged.”
    Ciano burst out laughing. “He’s typecasting, Lou; our guy loses the case, too.”
    “May I ask what you gentlemen are talking about?” Stone said.

    “The voice is good,” Ciano said, ignoring him, talking about him as if he weren’t there.
    “Good for what?” Stone asked.
    “He wouldn’t have to join the Screen Actors Guild, would he?” Regenstein asked.
    “Nah, he gets one freebie, then he has to join.” Regenstein turned to Stone. “You’re planning to be out here for a few days, aren’t you?”
    “Yes, but Vance…”
    “How would you like to appear in this picture with him?”
    “With Vance?”
    “Of course, with Vance; Mario is the director.”
    “Oh.”
    “Well?”
    “Are you perfectly serious, Lou?”
    “Perfectly. We’ll pay you, let’s see, twenty-five thousand dollars for a week’s work.”
    Stone turned to Ciano. “You look like a perfectly sane person, Mario,” he said. “What the hell is Lou talking about?”
    Ciano leaned forward. “We have this scene to shoot this week, a courtroom scene, and the actor who was to play the lawyer got a better offer and wants out. Lou and I would like you to test for the part.”
    Stone shook his head. “Gentlemen, you’ll have to forgive me, but I come from New York, where things like this don’t happen. I mean, I’ve heard about Schwab’s Drugstore and the casting couch and all that, but…”
    “Schwab’s is long gone,” Ciano said, “and don’t worry, neither Lou nor I wants to fuck you; we just want you to stand in front of a camera and read a few lines. If you do it well, you’ll play a prosecuting attorneywho is trying to put the client of a lawyer played by Vance Calder in jail. You’ll lose, of course, but you’ll look good doing it.”
    “I can’t believe there aren’t a hundred real actors who could do it better,” Stone said.
    “That remains to be seen,” Ciano said. “Don’t worry, if you’re lousy, we’ll hire an actor.”
    “Actually, you’d be doing us a big favor if you’d do this, Stone,” Regenstein said. “Mario is due to start shooting the scene tomorrow