The Affair of the Mutilated Mink by James Anderson

her breath. 'What is it you say? You cannot use me ?
    'Well, not-that is—'
    She jumped to her feet, again breaking into a torrent of Italian.
    Haggermeir held up both hands. 'Please, no, signorina. No understand Italiano.'
    Eventually she ran out of breath and stood staring at him, her eyes flashing. 'Signore, you eensult me. Do you not know the big Hollywood men, they all — Goldwyn, De Mille, Warner, and Korda in England - they all want to sign up Laura Lorenzo. They go on their knees. They grovel in the dirt. But always I say no. Until now. I offer you my services. And you? You turn me down. I not forget this!'
    Haggermeir ran his hands through his hair. 'Don't get me wrong, signorina. I'd be tickled pink to sign you up. It'd be a terrific feather in my cap. But for another movie, not for The King's Man . It's not your sort of picture. It's a crummy old story—'
    ' Sciocchezze ! Nonsense! It is a fine story.'
    'It is? You think so?'
    'Of course.'
    'Well, maybe for Rex. But there's no part in it that would suit you.'
    'No part? You are mad. The part of Anne-Marie might have been written for me. It just needs to be - what you say - written up, made bigger. True, she is French, but she can be Italiano just as well. Call her Anna Maria. Where is the problem?'
    'I'm not sure Arlington Gilbert would go along with that.'
    'Geelbert? You let your writers deectate to you?'
    'Not normally, but he's a touchy guy. Now, look, what I'd like to do is commission a screenplay from a really first-rate writer - S.N. Behrman, say, or Lillian Hellman - just for you.'
    'Fine words, Meesta Producer, but disguising the seemple fact that you do not weesh to have me in your movie. Well, do not fear that you will have to. Do not imagine that you will ever get the opportunity.'
    And she flung the script at his feet and swept from the room.
     
    * * *
     
    Gerry stood in her room, surveying herself in a full-length mirror. She gave a satisfied nod at what she saw. She was wearing a plain white sleeveless nightdress. She had combed out her hair, so that it fell straight to below her shoulders. She had applied a very pale, almost white, face powder and a bright scarlet lipstick, very thick. The effect was dramatic.
    She opened her dressing table drawer and took from it a long- bladed carving knife, which she'd sneaked from the kitchen earlier, and practiced holding it in various positions, rubbing her thumb lightly along the blade. She rehearsed several different kinds of smiles. At last she felt ready.
    She'd realised earlier that it was nearly time to abandon her hoax on Arlington Gilbert. However, she couldn't just let it fizzle out. It had to end with a bang. This last personality was going to be her piece de résistance . Afterwards she'd tell him the truth.
    She opened the door and went outside. Brr, but it was cold. She must get this over as quickly as possible.
    She turned right and hurried past the intervening bathroom to Gilbert's room. She paused outside, then gently turned the knob and pushed the door open an inch. No light showed, nor was there any verbal challenge. Gerry slipped in, silently closed the door behind her, and stood quite still, her heart beating fast.
    She took a deep breath and stepped forward. The knife was held behind her back, ready to be brought forward at the crucial moment. What she was going to do after he saw it she didn't know. It would depend on his reactions.
    When Gerry judged she was in the middle of the room she stopped. Then she spoke, softly and wheedlingly in the voice of a little girl.
    'Oh, Mr Gilbert.'
    There was no reply. Gerry raised her voice. 'Mr Gilbert, would you like to play with me? I'm so lonely. Do wake up and play. I have a lovely toy here.'
    But still there came no response.
    Suddenly Gerry grasped the truth. She stumbled back to the door and switched on the light. The bed was empty.
    She gave an exasperated exclamation. All for nothing. What a waste!
    Then abruptly she realised how very