When the clothing arrived； I had them leave it in his bedroom。 Then the buzzer sounded again and I cursed to myself as I went to the door。 I was beginning to feel like a bloody butler。 I opened the door。 〃Hello； Mr。 Cord。〃
It was a child's voice。 I looked down in surprise。 Jo…Ann was standing next to Monica； clutching the doll I had given her in one hand and her mother's coat in the other。
〃McAllister sent me a telegram； on the train；〃 Monica explained。 〃He said you'd probably be here。 Did you find Amos？〃
I stared at her dumbly。 Mac must be losing his marbles。 He must have known there was a three…hour layover in Chicago and that Monica would show up here。 What if I didn't want to see her？
〃Did you find Amos？〃 Monica repeated。
〃Yes； I found him。〃
〃Oh； goody；〃 Jo…Ann suddenly exclaimed； spotting the breakfast table。 〃I'm hungry。〃 She ran past me and climbing up on a chair； picked up a piece of toast。 I stared after her in surprise。
Monica looked up at me apologetically。 〃I'm sorry； Jonas；〃 she said。 〃You know how children are。〃
〃You said we'd have breakfast with Mr。 Cord； Mommy。〃
Monica blushed。 〃Jo…Ann！〃
〃It's all right；〃 I said。 〃Won't you e in？〃
She came into the room and I closed the door。 〃I'll order some breakfast for you；〃 I said； going to the telephone。
Monica smiled。 〃Just coffee for me；〃 she said； taking off her coat。
〃Is the doctor here yet； Jonas？〃
Monica stared。
I stared。
Jennie stood in the open doorway； her long blond hair spilling down over the dark mink coat； which she held wrapped around her like a robe。 Her bare neck and legs made it obvious she wore nothing beneath it。
The smile had gone from Monica's face。 Her eyes were cold as she turned to me。 〃I beg your pardon； Jonas；〃 she said stiffly。 〃I should have known from experience to call before I came up。〃
She crossed the room and took the child's hand。 〃e on； Jo…Ann。〃
They were almost to the door before I found my voice。 〃Wait a minute； Monica；〃 I said harshly。
Amos' voice cut me off。 〃Ah； just in time； child；〃 he said calmly。 〃We can leave together。〃
I turned to look at him。 The sick； dirty old man we had found in the bar last night had disappeared。 It was the Amos of old who stood there； dressed neatly in a gray； pin…striped； double…breasted suit； with a dark chesterfield thrown casually over his arm。 He was every inch the senior executive； the man in charge。
There was a faintly malicious smile on his lips as he crossed the room and turned； his hand on the door。 〃My children and I do not wish to impose… 〃 He paused and bowed slightly in the direction of Jennie。 Angrily I started toward the door。 I opened it and heard the elevator doors open and close； then there was silence in the hall。
〃I'm sorry； Jonas；〃 Jennie said。 〃I didn't mean to louse things up for you。〃
I looked at her。 Her eyes were large with sympathy。 〃You didn't do anything；〃 I said。 〃Things were loused up a long time ago。〃
I went to the bar and poured myself a drink。 All the good feeling had gone。 This was the last time I'd ever play the good Samaritan。 I swallowed the drink and turned back to Jennie。 〃Did you ever get laid in a mink coat？〃 I asked angrily。
There was sadness and understanding on her face。 〃No。〃
I poured myself another drink and swallowed it。 We stood there； looking at each other silently across the room for a moment。 Finally； I spoke。 〃Well？〃
Her eyes still on mine； she nodded slowly。 Then she raised her arms and held them out toward me； the coat falling open； away from her naked body。 When she spoke； there was a note in her voice as if she'd always known that this was the way it was going to be。 〃e to mother； baby；〃 she whispered gently。
The Story of
JENNIE DENTON
…
Book Eight
1
JENNIE WALKED THROUGH THE CURTAINED DOORWAY INTO THE CAMERA and the director shouted； 〃Cut！ Wrap it up！〃 And it was over。
She stood there for a moment； dazed； blinking her eyes for a moment as the powerful kliegs dimmed。 Then the oppressive August heat came down on her and she felt faint。 She reached out a hand to steady herself。 As if from a distance； she heard the giant sound stage turn into bedlam。 It seemed that everybody was laughing and talking at once。
Someone pressed a glass of water into her hands。 She drank it quickly； gratefully。 Suddenly； she began to shiver； feeling a chill； and the dresser quickly threw a robe over her shoulders； covering the diaphanous costume。 〃Thank you；〃 she whispered。
〃You're wele； Miss Denton；〃 the dresser said。 He looked at her peculiarly for a moment。 〃You feeling all right？〃
〃I'm fine；〃 Jennie said。 She felt cold perspiration breaking out on her forehead。 The dresser gestured and the make…up man hurried up。 He swabbed at her face quickly with a moist sponge。 The faint aroma of witch hazel came up in her nostrils and she began to feel better。
〃Miss Denton；〃 the make…up man said； 〃you'd better lie down for a while。 You're exhausted。〃
Docilely she let him lead her back to the small portable dressing room。 She looked back over her shoulder as she went in。 The bottles were out and the whisky flowing。 Everyone was gathered around the director； shouting congratulations； supplying him with the adoration they felt necessary to insure their employment on his next picture。 Already； they seemed to have forgotten her。
She closed the door behind her and stretched out on the cot。 She closed her eyes wearily。 The three months the picture was supposed to take had stretched out into five。 Five months of day…and…night shooting； of exhaustion； of getting up at five o'clock in the morning and falling into bed like a stone at midnight； and sometimes later。 Five months； until all the meaning that had been in the script was lost in a maze of retakes； rewrites and plain confusion。
She began to shiver again and pulled the light wool blanket up over her and lay there trembling。 She closed her eyes。 She turned on her side； drawing her knees up and hugging herself。 Slowly the heat from her body condensed around her and she began to feel better。
When she opened her eyes； Ilene Gaillard was seated on a chair opposite。 She hadn't even heard her e into the small room。 〃Hello；〃 Jennie said； sitting up。 〃Was I asleep long？〃
Ilene smiled。 〃About an hour。 You needed it。〃
〃I feel so silly；〃 Jennie said。 〃I usually don't go off like that。 But I felt so weak。〃
〃You've been under a terrible strain。 But you have nothing to worry about。 When this picture es out； you're going to be a big star … one of the biggest。〃
〃I hope so；〃 Jennie said humbly。 She looked at Ilene。 〃When I think of all those people； how hard they worked and how much they put into the picture。 I couldn't bear it if I turned out to be a disappointment to them。〃
〃You won't。 From what I saw of the rushes； you were great。〃 Ilene got to her feet and looked down at Jennie。 〃I think you could use a hot drink。〃
Jennie smiled when she saw Ilene take down the can of cocoa。 〃Chocolate？〃
〃Why not？〃 Ilene said。 〃It will give you more energy than tea。 Besides； you don't have to worry about your diet any more。 The picture is finished。〃
〃Thank God for that；〃 Jennie said； standing up。 〃One more lunch of cottage cheese and I was ready to throw up。〃 She crossed the tiny room to the closet。 〃I might as well get out of this。〃
Ilene nodded。 She watched as Jennie slipped out of the costume … the sheer； flowing silk harem pantaloons； the diaphanous gauze blouse and gold…beaded blue velvet jacket that had been her costume in the last scene。 She scanned the girl's figure appreciatively； her designer's eyes pleased with what she saw。
She was glad now that Jonas had sent for her。 She had not felt that way at first。 She hadn't wanted to e back to Hollywood； back to the gossip； the jockeying for importance； the petty jealousies。 But most of all； she hadn't wanted to e back to the memories。
But as she'd studied the photograph； something about the girl had drawn her back。 She could understand what Jonas had seen in her。 There was something of Rina about her but she also had a quality that was peculiarly her own。
It wasn't until she'd studied the photograph a long while that she realized what it was。 It was the strangely ascetic translucence that shone from the photograph despite its purely sensuous appeal。 The eyes in the picture looked out at you with the clear innocence of a child； behind their worldly knowledge。 It was the face of a girl who had kept her soul untouched； no matter what she had experienced。
Jennie fastened her brassière and pulled the thick black sweater down until it met the top of her baggy slacks。 She sat down and took the cup of steaming chocolate from Ilene。 〃Suddenly； I'm empty；〃 she said； sipping at it。 〃I'm all used up。〃
Ilene smiled and tasted her own cup of chocolate。 〃Everyone feels like that when a picture is finished。〃
〃I feel that I could never make another movie；〃 Jennie continued thoughtfully。 〃That another part wouldn't make any sense to me at all。 Somehow； it's like all of me went into this picture and I've nothing left at all。〃
Ilene smiled again。 〃That will disappear the moment they put the next script into your hands。〃
〃Do you think so？〃 Jennie asked。