Part 9 (1/2)

Had she run into Harris half an hour earlier, she would have looked stunning and completely put together. But now?

In a split second, however, she made the decision not to be embarra.s.sed. Not in front of Harris. She broke out her brightest grin. aI was looking for a regular bath, but all the tubs were filled with alcohol. Sometimes a girl has to make do.a Harris laugheda”a jolly, bubbling noise that Clara had once adored. He stepped closer. aYouave got a lot of nerve showing up here after sending me packing like that back in Chi-town.a He moved so close that they were practically touching.

To get away from him, Clara would have to barrel through a wall of people or climb over a couple of chairsa”risky maneuvers for a girl in a towel.

She looked around. aWhere is the birthday girl, anyway?a Harris pointed to the dance floor. An admittedly very pretty blonde in a low-cut black dress was dancing to a hopping tune. aGood, isnat she? Twiggy dances with the Follies.a aHow nice for you. I mean, for her. Now, if youall excuse mea”a aClarabella,a he said, his fingers trailing down her bare arm. aWhy are you still fighting me? Iam free now to do what I want, and youare finally back where you belong. Why donat we go back to the way things were?a Clara just smiled grimly and said nothing.

Harris looked toward the front entrance to the ballroom. aWhere is that Ivy League twit, anyway? The one who was trailing after you in Chicago like a puppy?a aOh,a Clara said. The large amount of booze in her system had her a little at a loss for words. She stared up into Harrisas bottomless blue eyes. Suddenlya”and inexplicablya”she found it impossible to talk about Marcus, to say that she was dating someone. She wanted, just for a second, to let Harris think she was still available.

aThatas over,a she said quickly.

aIs that so?a Harris asked. He took her chin in his hand and tilted her face to one side. aThen why is he standing right behind you looking so blue?a She spun and saw Marcus standing near the entrance. He was still wearing the tux he mustave worn to the Met exhibition, and he looked gorgeous, even with the crestfallen expression on his face.

Then all Clara could see was his back, moving away.

aMarcus!a she called, cinching the towel tighter and shoving Harris aside. But when she emerged into the hallway, Marcus was gone.

VERA.

Vera looked over the directions to Connieas Inn one more time.

She had allowed Gloria to slip through her fingers not once but twice.

She doubted shead get a third chance.

She adjusted the belt of her off-white dress as she walked. It was simple, but its dropped waist and pleated skirt flattered her slim figure. Evan had given her some cash to buy it. She didnat like that. Yes, she needed to spend her time finding her brother, not waitressing or dancing in a chorus, but she didnat want to start depending on Evan too much.

It would have been one thing if Evan had been her husband, or even her boyfriend a When Evan had put together that picnic in Central Park, Vera had thought head done it because he liked her. Liked her liked her. And then head talked about her to the guys at the Cotton Club as if she were his girl.

So why didnat he act like it?

He hadnat so much as held her hand since that afternoon in the park, and they hadnat gone on any more anot-datea dates. Vera should have been thankful for thata”the last thing she needed was the drama of dating the only friend she had in this city.

But she wasnat grateful at all.

Because shead realized that she definitely liked him.

What girl wouldnat? Vera had never really cared about jazz until shead heard the gorgeous, mournful tones Evan could tease out of his trumpet. He was talented, handsome, and sweet. Maybe now that he was working at the top nightclub in the city, he had started to realize how far out of Veraas league he truly was.

She wasnat good enough for him.

When she arrived under the narrow black awning of Connieas Inn, she found a line of men and women that snaked down the front stairs to the door of the club. She nudged a tall man with a mustache. aWhatas the rumpus?a aTheyare auditioning today. Are you a dancer?a the man replied. He looked Vera up and down. aYou look like a dancer.a Vera thought fast. aYep. Do you know where I should check in?a aYou donat need to check ina”as long as youave got an audition time, youall be fine.a aYeah, but I actually forgot if my audition is at three or three-thirty, so I really need to check.a aGo ask Frank. You canat miss hima”big guy with the clipboard.a The door at the foot of the steps was propped open with a slab of wood. The club didnat look so ritzy in the daytime. Chairs were stacked on top of the round tables, and the tables had been pushed against the walls. Vera followed the line of hopefuls all the way through the room, past the pillars at each corner of the dance floor. There a man dressed all in black was teaching a group of scantily clad women some steps on the gleaming, brightly lit wood.

To the right, a muscled white man in a fedora and suspendered trousers checked off items on a clipboard. Frank.

aExcuse me?a Vera asked in her sweetest voice. aI was wondering if a piano player by the name of Jerome Johnson was hired recently.a Frank looked up from his clipboard, startled. aJerome Johnson? No, he hasnat been here yet.a aYet?a Vera asked.

aNo one by that name has come by.a Frank gave her a dead-eyed stare. aWhatas it to you?a aI just thought that maybea”a Vera began, her voice cracking a little.

She jumped when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She turned and saw Evan. He was dressed casually in tan trousers, a white s.h.i.+rt, and a tan blazer, the brim of his brown derby tilted back. Shead forgotten that theyad agreed to meet here after he finished rehearsing at the Cotton Club for the day.

He glanced around the club. aI take it youare not having any luck?a aNoa”Jerome never auditioned here.a The trumpet player whoad just finished his audition walked over. aI canat believe ita”Evan Montgomery? What are you doing in New York? I thought you were sticking around the Windy City for good!a Evan shook the older manas hand. aItas a long story, Mike.a He looked at Vera. aVera, this isa”a aEvan Montgomery?a Frank interrupted. aYou had a slot for ten a.m. but you never showed.a Evan backed up. aI havenat got the slightest idea what youare talking about. Iave already got a gig.a Veraas eyes widened. aWhat instrument is listed for Evanas audition?a Frank glanced at his clipboard. aPiano. Weare looking for a piano player.a Evan had to be realizing the same thing as Vera: Jerome had stopped by Connieas Inna”and had used Evanas name to book an audition. Head probably used fake names at all of his auditions, which was why it had been so tough to track him down. But he had never shown up. Why?

And then Frank supplied the answer: aIam not the only one who missed you, neither. There were two scary-looking jamokes asking after you. After a few hours they finally gave up and skedaddled.a So not only was Jerome using fake names, but the Mob was on to his ruse. No wonder head never shown up.

Frank glanced at Evan once more. aSo let me get this straight: Youare Evan Montgomery, but youare not this Evan Montgomery?a aExactly,a Evan said. aThatas someone whoas been using my name, who weare trying to find.a Frank patted his pockets. aYou know, why donat I go on in back and get the audition form the other Evan filled out, and you can tell me who it is if it ainat you.a aThat would be wonderful!a Vera said. aThe audition form probably has Jeromeas address!a aNo problem. But why donat you two wait outside? Weare trying to run an audition here. Iall send someone to get you after Iave found the paperwork.a aSounds like a plan,a Evan said. aI could use a smoke.a He gave Vera a quick hug and her stomach flip-flopped. aI told you wead find him,a he whispered.

As he went out to the street, Vera said, aI have one more favor to ask.a Frank scowled. aWhat now?a aMay I use your powder room?a Frank burst into laughter. aSure thing. Thereas one backstage there.a He pointed, then shuffled into the office.

The restroom was so tiny that Veraas knees banged the back of the door when she sat. But what did it matter? Using the splintered mirror over the d.i.n.ky sink, she touched up her lipstick and grinned: In just a few short minutes, she would have Jeromeas address.

She would be able to see her big brother, to embrace him. To talk to him again after months of silence. To warn him that someone was coming after him.

When she walked out, Frank was still in the office. She listened to a woman sing an off-key rendition of aAfter Youave Gone,a and finally Frank returned. He was mopping at his head with a handkerchief.

aYeah,a he said, distracted, athere wasnat much on the form. But here it is.a He handed her a sealed envelope.

aThank you!a Vera said, and she stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek.

He waved her away. aOh, go on.a Outside, she found the line of performers still there and a few men lounging against the front of the building, smoking. But Evan wasnat one of them.

On the sidewalk in front of the club an almost-whole cigarette lay smoldering on the ground. Next to it was Evanas brown derby.

Where would he have gone without her? Without his hat?

Vera s.n.a.t.c.hed Evanas hat off the ground and whipped around to face the line of people. aDoes anyone know what happened to the man who was wearing this hat?a No one said a word.

aOh my G.o.d,a Vera said, leaning against one of the awningas posts for support. A few people glanced her way, but they didnat stay interested for long. Girls probably acted crazy all the time at these auditions. She couldnat stop herself from quietly weeping.

After ten minutes had pa.s.sed and there was still no sign of Evan, she suddenly knew: The Mob had kidnapped him. Maybe the two guys Frank had mentioned had stuck around, waiting. And then when Evan had come out and fit Jeromeas description a If anyone was going to be kidnapped, it shouldave been Vera. Evan didnat have anything to do with any of this. He was just a sweet boy who had the misfortune to be friends with someone like hera”a girl who brought harm to everyone she cared about.

A woman came and gave Veraas back a few awkward pats. aYou all right? Iam Molly.a aVera,a she said. The girl was stunning, with light brown skin and glossy black curls. She was probably just about Veraas age, seventeen or so.

Molly lowered her voice. aA couple of hard-boiled Brunos took him for a ride in a black Packard. One of aem showed us his gun and told us to mind our potatoes. Said if we was wise, none of us were seeing anything.a Vera almost stopped breathing. aOh no.a aYeah, it was kind of scary. And before that happened? The younger one was working me like a drugstore cowboy, trying to get a date. Like Iam going to go meet him at the Ritz-Carlton now.a aThe Ritz-Carlton?a aYeah. Promised me a fancy dinner. aI always sup at six,a he said. aSupaa”what kind of palooka says that?a Vera wiped the tears from her cheeks. aOnly the worst sort.a Molly shrugged. aI thought about goinga”it is the Ritza”but my boyfriend might not have liked it.a aProbably not,a Vera said. aBut I could go in your place.a aHa,a Molly said. aServe him right! But youad better bring some musclea”those guys werenat kidding around.a Vera clutched her handbag close and hurried away. She had just enough time to get back to the boardinghouse, pick up something shead hidden in the s.p.a.ce behind the bottommost dresser drawer, and get to the Ritz before six.

She was glad shead never gotten rid of Bastianas pistol.

Tonight she might have to use it.

GLORIA.

Gloria was alone.

She sat at the piano in the apartment, trying to pick out the tune of aSt. Louis Blues.a It was well past one in the morning. She hadnat seen Jerome since rehearsal at the Opera House hours ago. Staying out late was how he avoided having to talk to her. They were like two s.h.i.+ps pa.s.sing in the night. They barely spoke. They never touched. And a kiss was out of the question.

Gloria had spent the past week feeling absolutely awful. She wanted to tell Jerome how sorry she was, that the worst day with him was better than the best day without him.

But Jerome didnat make apologizing easy.

Her head jerked up when she heard the key in the lock. She mustered a smile and said, aHi!a Jerome hung his hat on the hook and removed his suit jacket, sat heavily in one of the chairs, and started untying his shoelaces.