The Last Don - Mario Puzo [56]
“Okay, okay,” Claudia said.
“I don’t mind having to tear up these markers, but I hate your being dumb,” Cross said.
They had left it at that, but Claudia wondered. Did Cross have that much power? Would Gronevelt approve or would he even know about this?
There had been other such incidents, but one of the most chilling involved a woman named Loretta Lang.
Loretta had been a singing and dancing star in the Xanadu Follies show. She had an abundance of verve and a natural humorous perkiness that charmed Claudia. Cross introduced them after the show.
Loretta Lang was as charming in person as she was on the stage. But Claudia noticed that Cross was not as charmed, in fact seemed a little irritated by her vivacity.
On Claudia’s next visit, she brought along Melo Stuart for an evening in Vegas where they could catch the Follies show. Melo had come merely to indulge Claudia, not expecting much. He watched appraisingly and then told Claudia, “This girl has a real shot. Not singing or dancing, but she’s a natural comic. A female with that is gold.”
Backstage to meet Loretta, Melo put on his game face and said, “Loretta, I loved you. Loved you. Understand? Can you come to L.A. next week? I’ll arrange to have you on film to show to a studio friend of mine. But first you have to sign a contract with my agency. You know I have to put in a lot of work before I make any money. That’s the business, but remember I love you.”
Loretta threw her arms around Melo. There was no witty mocking of devotion here, Claudia noted. A date was set and the three of them had dinner together to celebrate, before Melo caught his early morning plane back to L.A.
During supper Loretta confessed that she was already under an airtight contract with an agency that specialized in nightclub entertainment. A contract with three years to run. Melo assured Loretta that everything could be ironed out.
But things could not be ironed out. Loretta’s showbiz agency insisted on controlling her career for the next three years. Loretta, frantic, astonished Claudia by asking her to appeal to her brother, Cross.
“What the hell can Cross do?” Claudia asked.
Loretta said, “He has a lot of clout in this town. He can get a deal I can live with. Please?”
When Claudia went up to the penthouse suite on the roof of the Hotel and presented the problem to Cross, her brother looked at her with disgust. He shook his head.
“What the hell’s the big deal?” Claudia asked. “Just put the word in, that’s all I’m asking.”
“You are dumb,” Cross said. “I’ve seen dozens of dames like her. They ride friends like you up to the top and then you’re history.”
“So what?” Claudia said. “She’s really talented. This could change her whole life for the better.”
Cross shook his head again. “Don’t ask me to do this,” he said.
“Why not?” Claudia asked. She was used to asking people favors for other people, it was part of the movie business.
“Because once I get into it, I have to succeed,” Cross said.
“I’m not expecting you to succeed, I’m just asking you to do your best,” Claudia said. “At least then I can tell Loretta we tried.”
Cross laughed. “You really are dumb,” he said. “Okay, tell Loretta and her agency to come and see me tomorrow. Ten A.M. sharp. And you might as well be there too.”
At the meeting the next morning, Claudia met Loretta’s showbiz agent for the first time. His name was Tolly Nevans, and he was dressed in the casual Vegas style, modified by the seriousness of the meeting. That is, he wore a blue blazer over a collarless white shirt and blue denim pants.
“Cross, a pleasure to see you again,” Tolly Nevans said.
“We’ve met?” Cross asked. He never had handled the business details of the Follies show personally.
“A long time ago,” Nevans said smoothly. “When Loretta opened her first time at the Xanadu.”
Claudia noted the difference between the L.A. agents who dealt with big-time film talent and Tolly Nevans, who managed the much smaller-time world of nightclub entertainment.