“If he can broker me a deal like that, I will. How did you get them to pay you that much up front?” Rita asked.
“Remember, I waited to sign. I tried to get everyone to wait because I thought we had a hit on our hands, based on what Chubby and the others said at the screening. It also helped that they needed our movie on the books for the board of directors meeting.”
What I didn’t mention was that Saul was against waiting. He was happy with how things turned out, though.
“Craig was pissed when he heard what you were making for the two movies. He’ll have a complete fit when he finds out how much you were paid up front. At the time, I was with you, but Craig didn’t want to be shown up by some kid,” Kent said and then got back on track.
“Craig and I went to the convention, and he did what they asked him to for the day. He was on a panel discussion, and then they set him up in a booth to sign pictures. After we were done, we picked up Trip and Andy on our way to Victoria & Albert’s for dinner. They wanted to go to the dance club after dinner. Some of the people Craig met said they would be there. I decided I didn’t want to go since I’d had too much to drink the night before, so I grabbed a cab back to the hotel. That was the last I saw of them.
“I’ve gone to the hospital and gotten nowhere. I talked to the police, and they’re aware that he’s missing. Not knowing what else to do, I called Frank Ingram because he might put me in touch with Rita. He told me you were all here, so I came over,” Kent said.
My phone rang. It was a local number, so I answered.
“Mr. Dawson?”
“Yes.”
“This is Cheryl at the hospital. I have some bad news. Your friend Craig Wild has been identified as one of the dead.”
“Thank you so much for letting me know,” I said and hung up.
I looked at Kent; it must have shown on my face.
“NO!” he cried in anguish.
“What did they say?” Fritz asked.
“That was the woman I talked to at the hospital. She promised to call me if she had news. Craig didn’t make it.”
Kent was inconsolable. He and Craig had been friends for years. Kent’s job was to keep Craig out of trouble. Craig had been in the business since he was younger than I was. He’d gone through his Lindsay Lohan phase and ended up in rehab more than once. Kent had held Craig’s hand through the worst of it and gotten him straightened out.
◊◊◊
Rita got a call that Trip was awake and asking for her. We all drove to the hospital. They’d moved him from recovery to his own room. They were only letting two people in at a time, so Halle and Rita got to go in first. When Halle came out, Fritz was let in. When they came out, Kent and I got our turn.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked wan.
“Did they tell you about Craig and Andy?” I asked.
“Yeah, that was messed up. I heard the shots, and my first thought was just to get out of there. I saw Craig … it was terrible. Then it felt like I’d been hit with a sledgehammer, and the next thing I remember is waking up here.
“I can’t believe they’re gone. Fritz told me that I owe Andy my life. What am I supposed to do with that?” he asked.
Neither Kent nor I had an answer for him.
I’d gotten to know Trip through Halle and Rita and considered him a friend. It was hard to see him with his head wrapped and shoulder patched. He put on a good act, but you could see in his eyes that he was hurting. All I had to do was think of Jeff Rigger, and I understood how Trip felt right now.
Trip started to feel tired, so we said our goodbyes.
◊◊◊
We came out to the waiting room where Rita was talking to someone from the hospital with Frank at her side. When they were done, he motioned Halle and me over.
“Someone leaked to the press that Trip is here and that Rita’s in the building. They want to have her make a statement. I fear the alternative is them hounding you when you come or go,” Frank said.
“Won’t they do that anyway?” Rita asked.
She had a point.
“I imagine so, but I would advise you to give them a brief statement.”
“Okay, let’s do it,” Rita said.
◊◊◊
The hospital had a place for the press to talk to Rita. Frank wanted Halle and me to stand behind her to show support. Rita stepped up to the podium and read her statement.
“I received a frightening message last night that my son Trip had been shot. They say there are five stages of grief. I think I’ve gone through the first two, denial and bargaining. I’m at the third stage, anger.
“How dare someone think they can move their political agenda forward by killing or wounding our youth? My son accompanied his friend out for a night of fun. They were ready to wrap up their night and go home when they were gunned down by this … this …” she got out and then turned to clutch Halle.
I stepped forward.
