“The police called one of the producers. He called everyone in the company... Oh, God.”

Nicole blew her broad nose demurely and said, “You want a drink? Anything?”

Rune said, “No. I just came by to tell you. I was going to call. But that didn't seem right — you two seemed close.”

Nicole's tears were streaming again but they were the sort that don't grab your breath and her voice remained steady. “You were with her when it happened?” She hadn't heard Rune's refusing a drink, or had decided to ignore it, and was pouring Stoly over small, half-melted ice cubes.

“I was in the street, waiting for her. We were going to a party.”

“The AAAF party, sure.”

The memory of which set off another jag of tears.

Nicole handed Rune the drink. She wanted to leave but the actress looked at her with such wet, imploring eyes that she eased into the hissing leather cushions and took the offered glass.

“Oh, Rune... She was one of my best friends. I can't believe it. She was here this morning. We were joking, talking about the party — neither of us really wanted to go to it. And she made breakfast.”

What should I say? Rune thought. That it'll be all right? Of course it won't be all right. That time heals all wounds? Forget about it. No way. Some wounds stay open forever. She thought of her father, lying in a Shaker Heights funeral home years ago. Death changes the whole landscape of your life, forever.

Rune sipped the clear, bitter drink.

“You know what's unfair?” Nicole said after a moment. “Shelly wasn't like me. Okay, I do a pretty good job. I've got big boobs so men like watching me and I think I know how to make love pretty good. And I like what I do. I make good money. I've even got fans send me letters. Hundreds of 'em. But Shelly, she didn't like the business. It was always like she was carrying around a, you know, burden of some kind. She would've done something else if she had a chance. Those religious nuts... It's not fair they picked her.”

Nicole stared at the bookcases for a moment. “You know, one time we went to this movie about this hooker who was also a blues singer. She had a terrible life, she was so sad... Shelly said that was her, that's how her life was. Blue. We saw it twice, and, boy, did we cry.”

Which is what she did now.

Rune set the vodka down and put her arm around Nicole's shoulders. What a pair we are, she thought. But there was nothing like tragedy to bring out sisterliness.