Tease by Immodesty Blaize Page B

agreed.’
    ‘Lewis, don’t. I can’t. I won’t be good company.’
    ‘What’s wrong with you?’
    ‘Nothing.’
    ‘Fine. Your choice. Blue have you brought all the costume back from the stage?’
    ‘Ah. No, I’m missing the gloves and stockings. Where did you chuck ’em, darling?’ Blue looked over at Tiger enquiringly.
    ‘The gloves went behind me into the band – I think one of them went into the drum kit. The audience got the stockings I’m afraid.’
    ‘Tsk, I can’t believe Cherry and Brandy didn’t spot them. I’ll fine them both tomorrow.’
    ‘No, no, it’s okay, Blue, I think they were tied up with the puppy costumes. I know one of the tails kept pinging off.’
    ‘There’s nothing wrong with those puppy tails. Anyway that’s not the point, the audience always try nicking any souvenir pieces of costume they see left on the stage. It’s an unbelievable pain in the arse for me when that happens, I’m the mug who has to make everything again.’
    ‘Whatever,’ sighed Tiger, uncharacteristically apathetic.
    Blue arched an eyebrow pointedly and turned to Lewis. He took the opportunity to theatrically usher Lewis out of the door, leaving Tiger to her thoughts.
    ‘Did anyone catch your eye in the audience?’ Blue whispered safely out of earshot of Tiger.
    ‘Well there was this juicy blonde, she—’
    ‘No no no!’ hissed Blue testily, ‘Listen, this is important. I think I saw Rosemary Baby in the audience.’
    ‘Who? What kind of a stage name is that?’ Lewis burst out laughing.
    ‘You know, Rosemary! The ugly redhead! You know, the one who caused all that trouble with Tiger’s pal Tiffany Crystal out in Vegas a couple of years back.’
    ‘Really? But Tiffany’s lovely!’
    ‘Oh for Chrissake didn’t you read about it? It made the newspapers! Tiger was up in arms about the whole thing. Tiffany tried to be her friend at first but she ended up nearly dying on stage one night at the hands of Rosemary Baby.’
    ‘No shit!’
    ‘Yes shit. First it was creepy things. Harrassment. Calls in the night. Heavy breathing and threatening voices saying things like “No one wants to see your bony ass and scrawny neck on stage.” ’
    ‘What? But Tiffany’s gorgeous! A legend in her own g-string!’
    ‘Exactly. Oh, she just ignored it all at first. Had no idea who was behind it all, thought it was a silly prank. But then Tiffany started getting personal visits from heavies. Her husband hired protection for her and it seemed to get better. So anyway, Rosemary blags a part in the same show as Tiffany only she’s way down the bill. Oh what was it called again?
Brief Encounters
, that’s it. Great topless tit ’n’ feather revue. I can’t believe Rosemary managed toget a feature in it to be honest, even bottom of the bill. She must have been wiping the dust off her knees all around town, that’s all I can say. So anyway they’re doing a handful of tour dates with this show and when it gets to Vegas? Well, let’s just say when Tiffany slipped down her huge glass staircase they found the top three steps doused in silicone spray; remarkably similar to the spray Rosemary was using to shine up her latex stockings.’
    ‘I remember Tiger telling me about that now! Tiffany was in traction for weeks!’
    ‘You got it. Well Rosemary was arrested, and get this! She claimed Tiffany was sending
her
hate mail, when everyone knew Rosemary was sending it to herself. The brass! Obsessed she was. Well in the end the useless cops couldn’t prove anything, and Rosemary got off scott free. Probably got down on her knees again if the truth be told. So here’s the thing. I’m sure I saw her in the audience tonight. You need to know this, Lewis, because I warn you, you don’t want the likes of her anywhere near our Tiger. Rosemary Baby’s just a bitter, washed-up never-has-been with an axe to grind with the world. I know it’ll put the wind up Tiger off if she finds out she’s been sniffing around.