bimbo, Stone. I have talent as an actor.”
“Have you appeared in anything yet?”
“Two off-Broadway plays, one of them a lead; I got good reviews.”
“Do you mind answering my questions?”
“No; Dick said to tell you the truth.”
“How long have you known Dick?”
“About fourteen months. He came to a backer’s audition for one of the plays I did.”
“Did you start seeing him right away?”
“No; I knew he was married, so I refused to go out with him. But he came to our opening a few weeks later, and to the party afterward, and I really liked him. I decided to overlook his wife. I know that doesn’t sound very moral, but I’m a big girl; I take full responsibility.” She waved a hand. “He gives me this, and I give him…companionship.Sex is only part of it. He leads a very pressured existence, and he’s able to relax completely with me. I don’t expect him to leave his wife; at some stage it will end, but right now it suits us both.”
“How often do you see him?”
“Somewhere between once and three times a week, depending on when he can get away.”
“Where do you go?”
“Usually here. I cook for him. Once or twice he’s picked me up at the Studio, and we’ve gone out for dinner in the Village.”
“On any of these occasions did you run into anybody who knew him?”
“No. When he’s not wearing a business suit, he’s really quite anonymous.”
“Anybody who knew you?”
She shook her head.
“Has there ever been a mention of you two in any of the gossip columns?”
“Not once; not until this DIRT thing. Dick is very upset about it; his wife doesn’t seem to know yet, but he thinks she’ll find out now, that some ‘friend’ will mention it to her. The fact is, he loves his wife. He just needs something more than she’s giving him.”
“Tiff, have you ever had the feeling that somebody was following you?”
Her brow wrinkled. “No, I haven’t; do you think somebody might be?”
“It’s a possibility; after all, whoever is publishing this sheet seems to know where you live.”
She looked worried now. “I hadn’t thought about that. Do you think I’m in any danger?”
“No, I shouldn’t think so. In fact, you may have already heard the last of this. Whoever’s doing it just wanted to needle Hickock; I don’t think you were the target.”
She looked relieved.
“Have you ever discussed your relationship with Dick with anyone else—a friend, maybe—somebody at the Studio?”
“No, never; it’s always been our secret. God, I wouldn’t want anybody I know to think that I’m the mistress of a married man, which is—let’s face it—what I am. I come from a small town, where people don’t do this sort of thing. I would never want this to get back to my parents. They wouldn’t understand at all.”
“I don’t think it will get back to them,” Stone said. He handed her his card. “I don’t want you to get paranoid about this, but if you ever feel that someone is following you, or if anyone tries to photograph you on the street, please go straight to a pay phone and call me. I’ll try to find out who it is.”
“Thank you, I’ll do that,” she said.
Stone stood up. “Well, that’s all I need to know for the moment,” he said. “I’m sorry to intrude on your privacy.”
“That’s all right,” she said, smiling. “To tell you the truth, if I weren’t seeing Dick, I’d welcome the intrusion; sometimes I get a little lonely.” Sheopened the door and held out her hand. “I hope you’ll come and see me if I ever get in another play.”
Stone took her hand. “I’m sure you will, and I’d like that very much.”
She closed the door behind him, and he took the elevator down. He liked the girl; he thought Hickock was a lucky man. If his wife didn’t find out about Tiffany Potts.
Chapter 20
A rnie Millman came out of the movie house on Third Avenue and checked his watch; nearly five. Arnie had spent the day at the movies
“Have you appeared in anything yet?”
“Two off-Broadway plays, one of them a lead; I got good reviews.”
“Do you mind answering my questions?”
“No; Dick said to tell you the truth.”
“How long have you known Dick?”
“About fourteen months. He came to a backer’s audition for one of the plays I did.”
“Did you start seeing him right away?”
“No; I knew he was married, so I refused to go out with him. But he came to our opening a few weeks later, and to the party afterward, and I really liked him. I decided to overlook his wife. I know that doesn’t sound very moral, but I’m a big girl; I take full responsibility.” She waved a hand. “He gives me this, and I give him…companionship.Sex is only part of it. He leads a very pressured existence, and he’s able to relax completely with me. I don’t expect him to leave his wife; at some stage it will end, but right now it suits us both.”
“How often do you see him?”
“Somewhere between once and three times a week, depending on when he can get away.”
“Where do you go?”
“Usually here. I cook for him. Once or twice he’s picked me up at the Studio, and we’ve gone out for dinner in the Village.”
“On any of these occasions did you run into anybody who knew him?”
“No. When he’s not wearing a business suit, he’s really quite anonymous.”
“Anybody who knew you?”
She shook her head.
“Has there ever been a mention of you two in any of the gossip columns?”
“Not once; not until this DIRT thing. Dick is very upset about it; his wife doesn’t seem to know yet, but he thinks she’ll find out now, that some ‘friend’ will mention it to her. The fact is, he loves his wife. He just needs something more than she’s giving him.”
“Tiff, have you ever had the feeling that somebody was following you?”
Her brow wrinkled. “No, I haven’t; do you think somebody might be?”
“It’s a possibility; after all, whoever is publishing this sheet seems to know where you live.”
She looked worried now. “I hadn’t thought about that. Do you think I’m in any danger?”
“No, I shouldn’t think so. In fact, you may have already heard the last of this. Whoever’s doing it just wanted to needle Hickock; I don’t think you were the target.”
She looked relieved.
“Have you ever discussed your relationship with Dick with anyone else—a friend, maybe—somebody at the Studio?”
“No, never; it’s always been our secret. God, I wouldn’t want anybody I know to think that I’m the mistress of a married man, which is—let’s face it—what I am. I come from a small town, where people don’t do this sort of thing. I would never want this to get back to my parents. They wouldn’t understand at all.”
“I don’t think it will get back to them,” Stone said. He handed her his card. “I don’t want you to get paranoid about this, but if you ever feel that someone is following you, or if anyone tries to photograph you on the street, please go straight to a pay phone and call me. I’ll try to find out who it is.”
“Thank you, I’ll do that,” she said.
Stone stood up. “Well, that’s all I need to know for the moment,” he said. “I’m sorry to intrude on your privacy.”
“That’s all right,” she said, smiling. “To tell you the truth, if I weren’t seeing Dick, I’d welcome the intrusion; sometimes I get a little lonely.” Sheopened the door and held out her hand. “I hope you’ll come and see me if I ever get in another play.”
Stone took her hand. “I’m sure you will, and I’d like that very much.”
She closed the door behind him, and he took the elevator down. He liked the girl; he thought Hickock was a lucky man. If his wife didn’t find out about Tiffany Potts.
Chapter 20
A rnie Millman came out of the movie house on Third Avenue and checked his watch; nearly five. Arnie had spent the day at the movies
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