The Cinderella Killer Read Online Free PDF Page B

appealed to Charles. ‘Before I met this bastard I had hair to comb over my comb-over. Look at it now.’ So at least he had a sense of humour about his coiffure.
    â€˜Dare I ask,’ said Kenny, ‘whether you’ve heard any more communication with the Plague from Palm Springs?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜And?’
    â€˜And she’s still mad as hell at you.’
    â€˜I know that, Lefty. But are she and her posse of lawyers any closer to signing the agreements?’
    The lawyer shook his hands from side to side in an equivocating manner. ‘They’re still playing edgy with that. One day they’re about to sign the whole thing off, next day something’s come up.’ He turned to Charles to elucidate. ‘The lady we’re discussing—’
    â€˜Who certainly doesn’t qualify for the title of “lady”,’ said Kenny.
    â€˜â€¦ is the most recent Mrs Polizzi. Indeed, until she signs on the dotted line, she is the
current
Mrs Polizzi.’
    â€˜She was mentioned on
The Johnny Martin Show
,’ said Charles.
    â€˜Sure she was. Lilith Greenstone.’
    â€˜Easy to recognize,’ said Kenny. ‘Ten per cent sugar candy, ninety per cent vitriol. Hey, you’ve never said, Charlie boy … are you married?’
    â€˜Erm … I’m not unmarried.’ It was the nearest he could come to defining his on/off relationship with Frances.
    But fortunately Kenny wasn’t really interested in further details. He was still absorbed in his ongoing sparring match with his agent. ‘So what did the fragrant Lilith say when she last communicated with you, Lefty?’
    â€˜Well, needless to say, she didn’t communicate with me direct. Everything comes through her lawyers. You know …’ Lefty’s tone became sentimental ‘… a lot of nasty things are said about lawyers. All those unkind jokes comparing the profession to various predators. You know, like “Why won’t sharks eat lawyers? Professional courtesy.” I don’t like to hear lawyers being described like that … but for Lilith Greenstone’s lawyers I’ll make an exception!’ he concluded viciously.
    â€˜Come on, though – what did she say?’
    â€˜She said you were the worst kind of skunk, to run away to England.’
    â€˜Hey, I haven’t “run away to England”,’ protested Kenny, mock-aggrieved. ‘I’ve come over here to work. I’m extending my range by taking on the onerous role of Baron Hardup in a very fine production of
Cinderella
.’
    â€˜Well, you can tell Lilith that when she arrives.’
    â€˜â€œWhen she arrives”? Hell, is she planning to come over here?’
    â€˜I think she’s bluffing, but that’s what she said. She said she thought you two might have to meet face to face.’
    â€˜She wants to sort out the final details of the divorce?’
    â€˜No, I think she just wants to sort you out.’
    â€˜Oh.’ Kenny’s expression suggested that encounter was not one he would enjoy.
    And so the double act went on. Charles was content just to sit and listen. Though he was quite capable of being the life and soul of any party, it was just an act (like most things in his life, he thought in his less cheerful moments). But he was also happy to be entertained by the conversation of others.
    They had another round of drinks – large Bell’s for Charles, mineral water for Kenny, Diet Coke for Lefty. (Charles was to discover that the agent was almost never seen without a bottle of Diet Coke in his hand – he seemed to need an intravenous drip of the stuff.) Then Kenny said he should take Lefty to his hotel – the agent’s bags had been delivered there, but he hadn’t checked in yet.
    â€˜Are you in the Grand, like me?’
    â€˜Hell, no. The
Cinderella
production company’s picking up your tab. My company, using