“Marty gave us some names big deal I already knew them from my father he had a Rolodex to die for don’t listen to anything Marty tells you he’s nuts— ”

“Do you have a copy of the treatment?” I said.

“No why would I?”

“Ever register it with the Writer’s Guild?”

“No why would I?”

“Isn’t that basic procedure?”

“If you care,” she said. “I lost interest after a couple of meetings you could tell from the reaction it was going nowhere fast that’s the way it is in the industry you’re insta-hot or insta-not stupid mistake my one mistake.”

“What was that?”

“Letting Daney write it he put in the same old crap he’d wanted me to use with Troy.”

“Blaming Barnett Malley,” I said.

“Blaming Barnett Malley but kicking it up to an absurd level now Malley was some kind of serial killer obsessed with power and control and body parts.”

“Sounds a bit like Daney himself,” I said.

“Hey,” she said, merrily. “You must be some kind of shrink.”

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 39

Milo said, “I’ll take you home, Sydney.”

“I’m still thirsty could we stop somewhere?”

“If I pass a place, I’ll get you a Coke.”

“How about Joya Juice there’s one near my house.”

As we left the park, she turned silent and fidgety.

I said, “What was your impression of Cherish Daney?”

“Drew said she was a real religious type wanted kids a whole bunch of them a brood was the term he used but she couldn’t have any she was sterile it was an issue.”

“Not having kids?”

“Adoption she finally accepted she couldn’t have her own decided she wanted to adopt was really obsessed with adopting even a kid from China Bulgaria Bolivia one of those places he didn’t want it didn’t want the commitment I said what about foster kids that way she gets to play mama then they leave and you’re off the hook and you get paid.”

“Drew like the idea of fostering?”

“He loved it said brilliant Syd you’re a genius that’s what he called me Syd extremely irritating big burr in the saddle but he kept doing it a real loser when we get to Joya I’d like something with pineapple in it okay?”

* * *

She directed him to the juice bar, just north of Sunset, in Palisades Village. He left her cuffed and went inside.

Women who looked like Weider were all around. She sank down and lay flat on the rear seat. I asked her about Barnett Malley but she claimed to know nothing about him.

“No impressions?”

“Why would I he was the other side?”

“Daney’s theories never got you curious?”

“That was bullshit.”

“What about Malley riding the rodeo?”

“What are you talking about?”

* * *