There was a blonde who looked like a farm girl who had come to town to get into car commercials. Huge smile, enormous teeth. A brunette in a tiny Brazilian bikini and... I realized I didn’t hear Rudy’s voice anymore. I started to go over to the darkroom to check on him, but then I heard Lupe say something about not wanting any. I went back to examining the photos. There, in the middle of the pile, maybe three quarters of the way down, was something that jolted me.

A polaroid of Monica Fullbright.

She had a pair of glasses pushed down on her nose and her hair pinned up in a ponytail with some of it falling about her shoulders. It was her! Was she posing as a schoolgirl, or had he simply caught her in an unguarded moment?

“Hey, Rudy, who’s this?” I asked, walking into the darkroom. I caught him in mid-toke, a tiny gold spoon to his nose, a small amber vial clutched in one hand. Lupe didn’t say anything. He snorted and put the spoon back in his pocket. I was surprised he didn’t have it hanging on a gold chain around his neck.

“Oh, that’s just the girl who does makeup for me sometimes. If you decide you want to come back and get some pictures, just let me know and I’ll line her up. I’ll give you a good price, but since you aren’t actresses, I can’t give you the $89 special.”

“I get more than that for a blowjob,” said Lupe. She slammed the back door on her way out. I heard the Fiat misfire, then start up.

CHAPTER TEN

I ran out of Rudy Sancerre’s studio expecting to see Lupe driving away. She was waiting for me. I had her take me back to where I had left my car, then follow me down the Ventura Freeway to my apartment. There was a fat, nearly full moon in the distance, hanging over Pacoima. I did not feel like playing the willing, gracious hostess. There would be no putting out of the little fingertip towels. No tiny pink hand soaps shaped like seashells and scented with L’Air du Temps.

It was nearly midnight. Still no answer at Monica Fullbright’s when I called there. Angrily I slammed the phone back onto the receiver. It was obvious she didn’t want to talk to me. I forgot to ask Lupe if she had eaten, and she didn’t mention it. I handed her a couple of sheets from the hall closet and gave her one of the pillows from my bed. She spread them on the couch. I would have to go back to Rudy Sancerre’s soon, without Lupe, to find out what he knew about Monica Fullbright.