Part 41 (1/2)
”No surprise there,” I muttered.
”They liked your audition, but they just didn't think you were right for the part.”
”What?”
”Hey, I said they liked your audition. So don't obsess about the other half of what I said.”
”But, Thack, I didn't au-”
”G.o.d, actors actors. You guys kill me. So insecure.”
”But I-”
”Hold on, Esther.” Evidently speaking to the bartender, he said, ”Can I get ice and lime with that, please?” After a moment, he said to me, ”Send help! I'm in a place where you have to ask ask for ice and lime with your vodka tonic.” for ice and lime with your vodka tonic.”
”Thack, what are you-”
”Where was I? Oh, right, so you didn't get the part. But the Crime and Punishment Crime and Punishment casting director-oh, what's his name? You know who I mean? The one who liked you last year but didn't think you seemed like a killer? Anyhow-drumroll, please!-he wants you for a casting director-oh, what's his name? You know who I mean? The one who liked you last year but didn't think you seemed like a killer? Anyhow-drumroll, please!-he wants you for a different different guest role on guest role on Dirty Thirty Dirty Thirty.”
I sat up straighter. ”He does?”
”Yes! It's later in the season, an episode they haven't finished casting yet. My notes are back at the office, so I don't remember the exact shooting dates. I think it's in July. Anyhow, Geraldo will call you next week with that information when the contract arrives.”
”The contract? I've been hired?” I looked at Max with a big smile. ”I've got the job?”
”Yes! And it's a bigger part than the grad student role was!”
”Great!” I said, bouncing happily. A job! A real job! I wasn't just a singing server anymore. I had a guest role lined up on a hit TV series! ”What's the part?”
”You're playing a homeless bis.e.xual junkie prost.i.tute.”
I blinked. ”I am?”
”Yeah, they thought you were absolutely perfect perfect for it!” for it!”
”They did?”
”I think it was the outfit.”
”The outfit?”
”Yeah, the guy says you wore a tight, low-cut black dress with a . . . oh, a little see-through jacket around your shoulders? Something like that.”
”I what? what?”
”And, as it turns out, it's probably a good thing that when you called me yesterday to find out what time the audition was-”
”I did?”
”-you didn't tell me what you were planning to wear.”
”Oh, my G.o.d.” Cold horror washed through me.
”Because I would've said it was the wrong outfit, since you were reading for the grad student role. But as it turns out things worked out great!” He chuckled. ”Never give a good actor too much advice, that's what I say. Trust their instincts.”
”Thack! I . . . auditioned auditioned yesterday?” yesterday?”
Max sat bolt upright. Our gazes met.
”Oh, for Christ's sake,” Thack said. ”I just got my drink, and they're already dimming the lights in the lobby for the next act! I've got to go back to my seat. I wonder if I can hide this gla.s.s in my pocket?”
”Thack-”
”Anyhow, congratulations, Esther! And Geraldo will call you next week after we get the contract.” He hung up.
I sat there staring at the phone in my hand. I felt like icy ants were running all over me.
”Esther?” Max touched my hand. ”Esther. Tell me what happened.”
”Max . . .” I heard my voice break with fear. ”Max, I've been duplicated! The killer's after me me now!” now!”
22.
”Your double was wearing the same outfit that you wore the night we met Johnny Be Good in the church crypt?” Max said.
”That's what it sounds like, from Thack's secondhand description.” It was the dress I had worn in doomed antic.i.p.ation of a hot date with Lopez that night.
”That was three days ago,” Max said. ”If your double was created then, where has it been all this time?”
”Well, yesterday, while I was looking for Vino Vincenzo in Brooklyn, it was going to my my audition,” I said, feeling bitter. ”Other than that, I don't know.” audition,” I said, feeling bitter. ”Other than that, I don't know.”
”Perhaps it wasn't created until yesterday,” Max mused. ”Perhaps that why it hasn't crossed your path yet.”
”That . . . imposter imposter managed to get my agent on the phone when I couldn't,” I fumed. ”And why on earth did it go to my audition in managed to get my agent on the phone when I couldn't,” I fumed. ”And why on earth did it go to my audition in that that dress?” dress?”
”The physical form of the doppelgangsters seems to be fixed at the moment of their creation,” Max said. ”It's part of their temporary nature. They're created be convincing, but not to last long, after all.”
”And what kind of audition did my doppelgangster give that made them think I'm 'absolutely perfect' for the role of a homeless bis.e.xual junkie prost.i.tute?” I wondered.
”So for some reason, although your double evidently didn't start living your life until yesterday, its creation is derived from your life two days earlier. The day when you were wearing that outfit and first trying to contact your agent about that audition.”
”Don't get me wrong,” I said. ”I've got the range. I can certainly play the role. But what did my doppelgangster do do that made them look at me and see 'junkie prost.i.tute'? That's all I'm wondering.” that made them look at me and see 'junkie prost.i.tute'? That's all I'm wondering.”
”Unless your doppelgangster did start living your life sooner, and yet somehow has not encountered you. Is that at all likely, though?”
”I think I'm right for the role of a smart, fully clothed graduate student,” I said. ”So what happened? Did the doppelgangster screw up the line reading?” think I'm right for the role of a smart, fully clothed graduate student,” I said. ”So what happened? Did the doppelgangster screw up the line reading?”