The Dream Merchants by Harold Robbins

Author:Harold Robbins [Robbins, Harold]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi, pdf
ISBN: 9780795340987
Publisher: RosettaBooks
Published: 2014-05-14T23:00:00+00:00

2

The applause grew louder as the curtain lifted slowly. Johnny watched Warren Craig stand there on the stage. In spite of himself he applauded with the rest of the audience. He looked over at Jane. She, too, was applauding.

She caught his look and made a face at him. “I don’t like him any more than I did before,” she said, “but—”

Johnny interrupted her. “I know just how you feel. The son of a bitch is an actor.”

He looked back at the stage. The years had dealt well with Warren Craig. He had matured subtly without losing any of the natural charm of his youth. He was more poised, his voice richer and more expressive.

Slowly the curtain came down, hiding him from view. The applause faded away and the audience began leaving the theater. Johnny sat there lost in thought.

“Ready to go?” Janey asked.

He looked up at her, startled.

She caught the expression on his face. “What were you thinking about, Johnny?” she asked suspiciously.

His face broke into a guilty smile. He looked like a small boy caught in the cookie jar. “You guessed it,” he confessed.

“Oh, Johnny!” she exclaimed. “Not again!”

He nodded his head. “Again. He’s too good to pass up. We need a guy like that.”

“Johnny, he won’t even talk to you!” she protested.

He stood up. He had made up his mind. “I can’t lose anything by asking,” he said. “Want to come with me?”

She shook her head. “Uh-uh, not me,” she answered. “You may have forgotten what Sam and I did to him, but I’ll bet he hasn’t.”

He turned to Rocco. “Would you mind taking Janey home?” he asked. “I got a hunch he might listen to reason.”

Rocco smiled. “I wouldn’t mind a bit.”

“I can get home all right,” Janey put in quickly, “Rock can go with you.”

Johnny knew what she was thinking. He smiled reassuringly at her. “Don’t worry about me, Janey,” he said, tapping his artificial leg, “I can get along all right now.”

“You sure?” she asked.

“Sure, I’m sure,” he told her.

***

When they were out in the street, she said to Rocco: “I guess it’s silly of me, but I was worried about his getting along.”

Rocco looked at her. “You don’t have to worry about him any more. He can get along all right.” He was quiet for a moment as they walked along, then he added: “He don’t need nobody to look after him any more. I’m beginning to wonder what I’m doing hanging around.”

She looked at him, her face thoughtful. “Why, Rock, you’re doing a job,” she protested. “Johnny couldn’t get along without you.”

His face was impassive. She couldn’t tell how he felt. His voice was questioning as he answered: “I’m not so sure he can’t.” He looked at her. For the first time she saw a look of pain his eyes.

Involuntarily she put her hand on his arm as they walked along. She could feel his arm tense underneath his coat. Slowly it relaxed as they walked along. After a while she asked: “What’s on your mind, Rock? You’re not yourself.

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