CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

THIRTY THREE
“First, let me express my condolences on your
loss. I know it was a professional relationship but it
must have knocked you for a loop, what with your
show still being in rehearsals and all.”
“Thank you, Joe. I appreciate that. We’re all
starting to find our way past the tragedy.”
“Is your show still going to open?”
“Of course it’s going to open. Danny Limm
wouldn’t have had it any other way. We would
dishonor his memory if we didn’t open it.”

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

THIRTY TWO
I dressed in black and went up to the roof
and sat staring at the haze of light over the city,
contemplating the news that so took me by surprise
earlier tonight at Elaine’s. I decided to forego feeding
in order to scribble these thoughts.
Patti met me at Elaine’s, and she looked
haggard and drawn. I made her order some soup and
demanded she sip some champagne to stimulate the
appetite before her bowl arrived. The bubbly seemed
to revive her but not for very long.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

THIRTY ONE
The stretch of Broadway that runs through
Times Square was once the entertainment capital of
the country. Now you would never know that it’s the
theater district. Everything is huge, garish advertising
for multinational criminal enterprises known as
corporations.

CHAPTER THIRTY

THIRTY
Everything is moving right along with Pretty
Lady. It is going to be an uplifting, laugh-filled evening
of musical entertainment. David staged a run through
for me tonight. There were a few hiccups but nothing
that makes me think the wheels are going to fall off
between now and opening night. Quite the contrary.
The music is tight, the singers are on key, and
everyone has a solid handle on their lines and cues.
The dance numbers will tighten up as soon as the
chorus gets in front of an audience. The curtain call
was awkward but I called David over and gave him a
few notes as well as my congratulations on a job well
done.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

TWENTY NINE
I took the weekend off to hunt in Alabama
and while I did not feed on Friday, I did locate my
prey that night. I let the anticipation build through
the daylight hours Saturday while resting in a huge
hollow log in a swamp not far from my prospective
victims’ home. A little hunger sometimes goes a long
way in providing a distraction. I allowed myself to
forget about Danny’s demise, the investigation, and
my precarious multimillion dollar investment in
Pretty Lady.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

TWENTY EIGHT
After my long day at the theater with the
detectives, I arrived home wondering how Patti fared
with the physician, and found Millie tottering on the
sidewalk.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

TWENTY SEVEN
I was thrilled to be part of Belasco’s world,
to be able to observe this unique creative force up
close. Theatrical magic supplied balance to my life, an
antidote to the inescapable and relentless destructive
drive at the basis of my existence. To become part of
the theater was to enter a new realm, a new reality
that allowed me to be a creator when all I had ever
done was destroy. I became David Belasco’s silent
partner.