Stardust Read Online Free Page A

settlement.” She laughed, an infectious giggle. “Imagine his face.”
    “So everything’s friendly?” Lasner said, a concerned relative.
    “Darling, it was ages ago. You know Charlie. He’s wonderful. He’s just impossible to live with.”
    “You two go way back,” Lasner said.
    “Not that far, Sol,” she said, laughing again, then turned to Katz. “Hi, Lou. How’s Abe?”
    “Busy,” he said, almost blushing, grateful to be recognized. Ben smiled to himself. No one was immune to stardust, not even those who lived on it. “Can I get you a drink?”
    “Can’t. Date with the Major. To celebrate the end of the drive. Sol, would you believe it, we set a record? And it was just me and Carole and a few other girls.”
    “Julie Sherman,” Katz said, getting the name in.
    “Yes, Julie.” She had turned her head to him and now took in Ben, her smile as bright as the bracelet. “I’m sorry—”
    “Ben Kohler,” Lasner said, the way he now remembered it. “Otto Kohler’s boy.” Ben could tell from the fixed smile that the name meant as little to her as it had to Katz. “He makes pictures for the Army.”
    “Really?” A glance to the other wrist, another flash of diamonds. “God, look at the time. I’ll call Fay.” Evidently Mrs. Lasner. “We don’t start shooting for another week.” She looked up at him, suddenly serious. “Milland. What do you think?”
    “You’ll make him look good,” Lasner said, then leaned over and kissed her forehead.
    “Liar,” she said, smiling. “Love to Fay. If you want to buy a bond I’m in car twenty-two. At least I think it’s twenty-two. Just go to the end and holler. Lovely to meet you,” she said to Ben, grazing his hand with the tops of her fingers. And then, to Katz, “Give my best to Abe,” and she was off, turning heads again.
    “That’s a nice girl,” Lasner said.
    Ben looked at him, surprised at the word.
    “Paramount signed her to seven years. Seven years, Sol,” Katz said.
    “So let Freeman buy the bracelets.”
    “I’m just saying—”
    “Besides, she’s a friend. Who hires friends?”
    “Everybody.”
    “I don’t mean relatives. She and Fay started out together, for chrissake.”
    “Another round?” Katz said, letting it drop. A porter had started the first dinner chimes. “One for the road,” he said, beating the rush to the bar.
    “Your wife was an actress?” Ben said, curious.
    “Actress. They were Goldwyn Girls. On the Cantor picture. The Kid From Spain , whatever it was called. That’s how we met. The wrap party. I’m meeting with Sam, and he says, ‘I’ve got to go put in an appearance.’ So we met. Thirteen years now. Thanks,” he said, taking a new drink from Katz. “But Paulette, that was something different. She wanted it—pictures. After Goldwyn she was with Hal Roach. Then Chaplin found her. Or maybe she found him. Anyway, Charlie’s a great teacher. And she learned. But fresh—that you can’t teach. You look at Modern Times , that’s just the way she was.”
    “Before the bracelets.”
    Lasner glanced up. “There’s nothing wrong with bracelets. Depends how you get them.” He made a face, as if he were stifling a belch. The porter came through again with the chimes.
    “I don’t know about you, but this drink is going right through me,” Katz said. “I gotta take a leak. Sol, I’ll see you in the dining car.” He took Ben’s hand. “Nice talking to you.”
    Ben watched him head for the restroom, then heard a gasp and turned. Lasner was looking at the floor, bent over. “You okay?”
    Another gasp. Ben took Lasner’s arm. Not just the drink. He felt a clenched spasm. Lasner reached behind with his other hand, grabbing onto the window curtains for support. Geometric flowers. Around them the cocktail buzz went on, not noticing. Lasner looked up, his face contorted, white, sweat forming on his forehead.
    “Help me,” he whispered. “Don’t let him see.”
    Ben grabbed Lasner’s elbow,