The men rose.
Chester looked surprised. “Tremayne agreed to another interview?”
“Not exactly,” Irene said. “I owe him an apology. He has graciously agreed to accept it. We’re having tea together.”
“Be forewarned,” Oliver said. “There will be a studio photographer and a publicist present. Ogden sent them here in a chauffeured limo.”
“In that case I’ll go upstairs and put on some fresh lipstick,” Irene said.
Brandon chuckled. “I thought the Burning Cove Hotel had a firm policy when it came to photographers and publicists. They aren’t allowed on the grounds.”
“It’s my hotel,” Oliver said. “I made the policy. I can make exceptions.”
Luther gave him a knowing look. “You kept the lid on a major scandal involving a fast-rising star and you arranged things so that Tremayne came out of a messy situation looking like a real hero. His studio is going to be very grateful.”
“I’m counting on it,” Oliver said.
Luther smiled. “In other words, casting Tremayne as the hero is good for business. Ernie Ogden owes you a very big favor. Having him in your debt is bound to be useful. On top of that, the gossip columnists will fall all over themselves retelling the story of Tremayne’s heroics, and the Burning Cove Hotel will be featured in every single piece that appears in papers across the nation.”
“Nothing like good publicity,” Oliver said.
Brandon got to his feet. “Sounds complicated. I think I’ll stick with the detective business. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to work.”
He nodded politely at Irene and disappeared into the living room. A moment later the door closed quietly behind him.
Luther looked at Oliver. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe there is one more reason for making Nick Tremayne the star of your little story. It will dominate the news. No one will pay any attention to a much smaller piece about a certain automobile accident that took the life of another guest of the Burning Cove Hotel.”
“In the magic business we call it misdirection,” Oliver said.
Chapter 65
Nick Tremayne eyed the elegantly wrapped gift box with a wary expression. “What’s inside?”
“Two cans of film,” Irene said. “The negatives of those two movies that you made in Seattle. They were found in Claudia’s hotel room. I can’t guarantee that there are no copies floating around somewhere, but I very much doubt it. Claudia seemed quite sure that she was the only one who possessed Island Nights and Pirate’s Captive. I had a hunch she would keep them close at hand. Her whole future was tied to them.”
Nick looked up, his expression watchful. “You found them?”
“Yes.”
There was no need to explain that Oliver was the one who had realized that Claudia’s suitcase had a false bottom.
She and Nick were sitting in a corner of the tearoom, alone at last. The studio photographer had taken several pictures of Nick looking both heroic and modest. The publicist had jotted down several quotes from Irene and the management of the Burning Cove Hotel that verified Nick’s timely arrival at the scene of the attempted murder. Both the photographer and the publicist were on their way back to L.A.
Nick studied the box as though it contained a cobra. When he turned back to Irene, there was anger and resignation in his eyes.
“How much do you want for them?” he asked, his voice flat.
“Nothing. They’re yours. It’s the least I can do after dragging your name into a murder case.”
Nick stared at her in disbelief. In his world there was a price tag attached to everything.
Irene picked up the teapot and filled the two cups. By the time she set the pot down, Nick’s expression had transformed into cautious hope. He glanced at the box again and turned back to her.
“You know what’s on those films?”
“Claudia told me.”
“Either film could kill my career.”
“If I were you, I’d take them down to the beach and burn them.”
Nick nodded slowly. He put one hand on the box.
“I’ll do that,” he said. “I thought she loved me, you know.”
“Maybe she did back at the start.”
“Something happened after I made Sea of Shadows and Fortune’s Rogue.”
Irene smiled. “Something happened, all right. You became a star.”
“I shouldn’t have pleaded with her to get the divorce. Shouldn’t have let the studio pressure her into going to Reno.”
“For what it’s worth, I doubt that would have made much difference. Being married to you would not have been enough. She wanted what you have. She longed to be a star.”