The Dingo Dilemma by Claire McNab

Author:Claire McNab [McNab, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781555839833
Publisher: Alyson Books
Published: 2006-01-01T03:00:00+00:00

* * *

In the end, we didn’t watch a movie, but had pizza delivered and chatted about different things, none of which was remotely connected to Natalie. I did most of the talking. I amused her with my description of Pauline Feeney’s ire when I’d told her there was no way I could get her onto the Darleen set. I told her about my conversation with Yancy and how he’d claimed his boss, Norris Blainey, some time in the past had been associated with mysterious deaths. I described my trepidation about embarking on an acting career, even though it was only for a short time and in a good cause, and how I expected Harry and Gert O’Rourke to call any minute, demanding to know what I’d found out about their son, Dingo, which so far would be nothing.

After we’d cleared away the remains of the pizza, we sat on either end of the couch with tea (me) and coffee (Ariana) looking out at the lights of the city.

Ariana broke the silence. “Sorry. I’m not very good company tonight.”

I took a deep breath. “Do you want to talk about Natalie?”

“What is there to say?” I didn’t speak. Ariana looked over at me. After a moment, she said, “Natalie doesn’t know who I am.”

How could anyone forget those laser blue eyes?

Ariana’s lips trembled. “She’s in restraints. She doesn’t understand what’s happened to her, and she keeps trying to get up, saying she wants to go home. Natalie means our house, where we lived in Santa Monica.”

Ariana put her face in her hands. “When I was leaving, she pleaded with me, begged me to take her there. She said someone was waiting for her. Someone who loved her.”

I put my tea down carefully, and moved to take her in my arms. I could cry for the pity of it, but that would be no comfort for Ariana. “What else?” I said.

“That was the worst. That and her bewilderment at not being able to get up and walk. She treated me like a friendly stranger. “Something’s the matter,” she said. “Will you get someone to help me, please?”

We sat in silence, Ariana in my arms, for a long time. Then she stirred. “I’m exhausted.”

I kissed her, gently. She didn’t push me away, nor did she respond. I said, “Come to bed.”

“Kylie, sex is the last thing on my mind.”

“I had more in mind a comfortable cuddle.”

She gave me a small, tired smile. “Why do I not believe you?”

“Fair dinkum, Ariana. I won’t start anything. Promise. It’s just that I don’t think you should be alone tonight.”

She nodded slowly. “Just for tonight, I’d…”

“Appreciate my company?”

“Something like that.”

“Can you give me an old T-shirt to wear? I hadn’t planned ahead.” Sure.

She moved without her usual taut energy. I took Gussie outside for a quick run, then came in, cleaned my teeth in the guest bathroom and changed into the old, soft T-shirt Ariana had left out for me. I padded into her bedroom. I could hear her shower still running, so I sat on the bed and waited.

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