Chapter 15

The couple had just finished an utterly magnificent dinner and were enjoying cognac with cigars and coffee. So far the evening had gone exactly according to plan: They were both relaxed and had unwound from the day’s excitement.

What they didn’t know was a woman was sitting at the bar and had been studying them carefully, concentrating on Kimberly. Because she was sitting at Kim’s 8 o’clock, she had not been noticed by either of them. Kim and Brad were seated side by side on the banquette. Seeing that the young couple were preparing to leave, the woman made her move.

Striding up to the table she said, “My name is Donna Douglas. May I join you for a few minutes?”

The two were stunned. Standing beside their table was a magnificent blue-eyed blonde about five feet seven inches tall. Her figure was utterly perfect. Beyond that, though, both recognized the name: Donna Douglas was the hottest thing in films — in more than one sense of the word — and had been for several years.

Before either Kim or Brad could say anything, a waiter brought up another chair and set it opposite Kim. Donna ordered coffee, and the waiter quickly departed.

“I ... I don’t know what to say,” Kim stuttered. “To what do we owe this honor? Miss Douglas, you’re famous. What are you doing here with us?”

“First of all, as I just said, I’m Donna Douglas. And you are... ?” Donna extended her hand across the table.

Kim gripped the extended hand and said, “I’m Kimberly Kane, but what... ?” Her voice just tailed off.

“Miss Kane, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life,” Donna Douglas began. Then, in an apparently total change of direction, she continued, “Have you ever wanted to be in films?”

“Of course, Miss Douglas,” Kim replied with a little grin. “Every seven-year-old girl wants to be a movie star. Of course, in my case, since I’m as plain as a grocery bag and have all the curves of a straight stick, there’s a certain handicap...” Then she snapped her fingers and added, “I wonder ... Maybe there’s help for me in the Americans With Disabilities Act! Or might be, if they ever get around to passing it.”

Douglas had been studying Kim carefully as she spoke and realized that Kim was serious. “It’s perfect!” she declared. “You’re the perfect illustration of the biblical line, ‘They have eyes but they do not see.’ Kimberly, I say again: You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life. But you just refuse to believe it, don’t you?”

Donna’s words affected Kim as if she had been hit over the head with a two-by-four. She was utterly stunned. But then it got worse.

“Would you folks mind sticking around for a while longer? Or do you have plans... ?”

“It’s been a very rough week and an even worse day,” Kim replied. “Our only plans involve being horizontal in bed.”

“Please?” Donna begged. “Could you wait just a few more minutes? I really need to make a phone call.”

Although they really did want to get to bed, being in the presence of a genuine movie star clinched the deal. They agreed to stay for a while. Donna motioned to a waiter who brought a phone to the table and plugged it in.

Douglas punched in a number and waited. When the phone was answered, she had a short conversation which the others couldn’t hear. But they did hear the final words, “Great! Then you’ll be down here in about 20 minutes.”

To Kim and Brad she said, “That was my ex, Dan Douglas. He’s a producer and director. For a while now he’s had the film rights to a story that he thinks needs to be told ... And I think it does, too. The problem is the person who controls the rights also has cast approval. And Dan has been totally unable to come close to getting it ... with anyone.”

Then reaching over the table, she gripped Kim’s biceps and squeezed, gently at first and then harder. “They’re real, aren’t they?” she commented. “Kimberly Kane, you have to be the most perfectly conditioned female on the face of the earth.” Then she looked puzzled and added, “But why don’t you use your husband’s name?”

“Huh?” Kim muttered, utterly shocked.

“Use your husband’s name?” Donna repeated.

“Primarily because I don’t have one!”

“But ... Brad... ? You two are married, aren’t you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Kim exclaimed, now at least partially recovered from the earlier shock.

“Well, that can be fixed easy enough,” Donna continued blithely. “After all, it will just be a matter of lining up the paperwork to conform to the reality.”

“To the what?” Kim nearly screamed.

“To the reality of your marriage to Brad. Lady, you really should see yourselves. I’ve been watching you two for over an hour now. You know what? Both of you have a deep-seated need to be in physical contact with the other. And you know what else? On both of your parts, it’s an unconscious act. Then I see you, Kim, in Brad’s presence. You’re like a flower opening in the sunshine. And your beauty becomes utterly overwhelming!”

Then she looked at Brad and studied him closely. Finally she nodded her head firmly and said, “Yep. It’s utterly perfect. I can see it now, Kelly starring Kim and Brad Kramer. It will be a smash.

Before either could respond, a tall good-looking man in his mid-30s came up to the table. Seemingly embarrassed, Donna slowly rose to her feet and extended her hand. The man ignored it and took her in his arms and kissed her. Kim could see momentary resistance on Donna’s part, but then there was complete surrender as she melted into his embrace and kissed him with all of her power. Again, as with the Carlsons and the Christians, she could see the electricity and hear the bells. Finally the pair eased apart.

“It’s been a long time, Donna,” the man said. “Too damned long!”

Donna Douglas was slowly shaking her head while tears streamed from her eyes. “Why, Dan? How could you bear to kiss a slut like me? I’m a piece of dog shit, Dan Douglas, and we both know it. What I’ve been doing the last months has been an utter disgrace to the human race. Why, Dan?” she repeated.

“Because I love you, honey,” he said softly. “And you know what? I think you still care for me, too. There’s the same magic in your kiss there always was. But you know what the clincher is?”

Donna just slowly shook her head looking like a little girl as she did so.

“Our divorce has never been made final. Although there were several court dates set, you broke them all on one excuse or another. And that’s because you never wanted it in the first place, did you?”

Instead of responding, Donna pulled herself together and changed the subject. “Dan, I think I’ve found Kelly for you. Her hair and eyes don’t match Kelly’s, but she said that wasn’t important. What’s important to her is to find an actress who can do the things she did. And I think this girl is it.” Then she grinned and added, “And it’s a two-fer! Her husband is a perfect Mike, too.”

Then she said, “Dan Douglas, I would like you to meet Kimberly and Brad Kramer. I think they’re perfect! Now why don’t you tell them what it’s all about.”

While greetings were being exchanged, the waiter brought up a fourth chair and set it across from Brad. When they were all seated again, Dan began to tell his story.

“First of all, the film is being done at Alliance Studios. Just a few months ago no studio would have touched this story, but then Ali McGrath — now Ali Clifford — acquired Alliance in an out-of-court settlement, and things changed.

“You see, Kelly — that’s the working title of the film — is the story of a truly remarkable woman. Not only does she hold two Medals of Honor, she also is the only winner of the Cross of Liberty. That little-known award was created especially for her. Subsequently, the legislation creating it was repealed on the basis that for over 120 years, the Medal of Honor was our highest award for valor, and now it is again.

“However, she still holds the Cross of Liberty, and with it a particular distinction. You see, by the law creating it, holders of the Cross are senior to anyone else in any service holding the same rank. And since Kelly is now a four-star general, she’s the senior officer in the entire U.S. Armed Forces. Her only superior is the President in his capacity as commander in chief.

“At any rate, aside from everything else, she’s also the only female winner of the Medal of Honor. It seems there was one awarded during the Civil War to a woman who was a contract surgeon. I guess it’s funny, really: She was awarded it as a consolation prize of sorts. They wanted to commission her as an officer but couldn’t do that because she was female, so they settled for the Medal of Honor. Can you imagine? The Medal of Honor as a consolation prize? But subsequently, the award was rescinded.

“Anyway, that’s Kelly Jackson.” Dan Douglas shook his head and added, “Her story got a bit of a play at the time, but quickly faded from view. It seems that the mass media rapidly lost interest when it was learned that during her career, Kelly had harmed people! Even killed some, if you can believe such a thing.”

With a warm smile he continued, “And it would have stayed that way had Ali Clifford not acquired Alliance. You may remember ‘Ali McGrath movies’.” He grinned and added, “And like George Lucas, she didn’t make ‘films’, she made movies. They never cost much to make but they all just coined money. But what do the hoi polloi know about films? I mean ... Really! And the fact that they all made money just further convinced the Hollywood powers that they were correct. After all, it’s a known fact that a good film can’t make money.

“Anyway, it’s fair to say that Ali Clifford has a warm spot in her heart for the U.S. Armed Forces.” He shook his head and added, “And she knowingly sacrificed her career for them.”

While he had been speaking, Dan’s attention had shifted from Kim to Brad. Finally, he interrupted himself by asking, “Brad, did you ever serve?”

“Yes he did, and he’s a real hero!” Kim responded, taking Brad’s hand in hers. “He holds the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.”

“Well, you’re the guy to play the rôle of Mike Callahan, Kelly’s husband,” Dan said. “That’s for damned sure!” He shook his head and added, “It’s going to be funny with a husband and wife team playing a husband and wife team.”

“But we’re not married!” Kim protested.

“But you soon will be!” Donna Douglas insisted.

“It really wouldn’t be the dumbest idea in the world,” Dan said thoughtfully. Then he looked Kim straight in the eye and added, “There’s on-screen nudity ... and on-screen lovemaking, too. Can you handle it? Would you care to?”

Kim looked at Brad and said, “It’s up to you, darling. What do you think?”

“Is it a necessary part of the picture?” Brad asked rather than replying directly.

“That’s one thing that’s going to make this movie different from almost any other. Every single element in the film will be a recreation of actual events. The movie will open with Kelly naked, although it will be a night scene. She’ll have to run naked across an open field at night, too. Then there’s lovemaking with Mike, and there’s even a nude scene in a dungeon where Kelly was whipped.”

Kim visibly winced at Dan’s last comment but asked,”How many strokes with a whip?”

Dan was amazed. “What difference does it make? We’re not going to really do it.”

“Why aren’t you?” Kim asked. “Didn’t it really happen?”

“Yes, it really happened,” he explained. “That’s the reason for Kelly’s first Purple Heart, but—”

“No ‘buts’,” Kim interrupted. “How many strokes?”

Dan and Donna exchanged looks and Dan said softly, “Three.”

Kim relaxed. “I can handle three.”

“But ... But why?”

“Look, I thought this was going to be a re-creation? I don’t know if she’s been explicit with you two or not, but it’s pretty clear to me that the reason Kelly wants casting approval and has rejected everyone you’ve submitted is that she figured they couldn’t do the things that she did. I don’t know if I can either, but there’s a good chance I can.”

At that point Brad quickly filled the others in on Kim’s workout program, and most particularly the weights she worked with every day. His report was greeted with low whistles from the Douglases.

“Well, I guess the next thing is for you two to plan on getting the redeye to Dulles leaving tomorrow night. You can meet with Kelly on Monday morning and we’ll take it from there,” Dan concluded.

Kim and Brad exchanged looks and Kim said, “Whoops! That’s a problem. A very big problem, in fact. We have to be at work Monday morning.”

“So a desk is uncovered for a couple of days. Big deal,” Donna responded. “It won’t be the end of the world.”

“No, not the end of the world, but it’s not that simple,” Kim responded.

“Why not?”

“Because of our jobs is ‘why not’,” Kim said.

“Which are... ?”

“I’m vice president–manufacturing & design, and Brad’s vice president–sales & marketing is why not. We’re both with Aerospace Technologies.”

Donna’s eyes widened as she digested what Kim had just said. Then she exclaimed, “My God! You’re ... you’re ... that machine-tool designer, aren’t you?”

“I design machine tools,” Kim admitted, “but I don’t know about being ‘that designer’. What designer is that?”

“The one that’s been featured in all the papers for the last couple of weeks,” Donna replied. Then she added, “You’re Dr. Kimberly Kane, aren’t you?”

“I guess,” Kim admitted.

“Oh, dear! Dan, this is getting better and better! You know how Kelly is always bragging about only receiving a high-school diploma on an honorary basis? She is going to freak when she learns that the girl playing her in the film has an honest-to-God earned doctorate!”

While this exchange had been taking place, Dan had been thoughtful. Finally he changed the subject and asked, “Brad, what did you get your medals for? Where did you serve? What unit?”

Brad was puzzled by the line of questioning but replied, “Vietnam. Alpha Company, First Ranger Battalion.”

“Carlson’s Rangers?” Dan said in a hushed tone.

“Some people called us that, I guess,” Brad admitted.

Donna’s eyes had flared, too. To Dan she asked, “How’s Lisa?”

“She’s fine, sweetie,” Dan replied, but blushed as he did so.

“Look,” Dan said, “we’ve gone as far as we can tonight. Why don’t you two come out to our place and spend the night? Then tomorrow you can check with your company and we can check with Kelly? But we really do want you to come home with us. It’s very important.”

“But everything’s at our hotel—” Kim started to protest.

“We have everything you could possibly need at home,” Dan interrupted. “Please? It really is very important to us. And it’s less than a mile, so there’s really no driving involved, either.”

Kim and Brad exchanged looks and then agreed.

Their bill was being taken care of by AT, but Kim’s eyes flared when she saw Dan Douglas leave a fifty-dollar bill for their two cups of coffee. Dan’s car was already out front, and Donna was riding with him. Kim’s car was quickly brought around and they followed the Douglases into Beverly Hills to a fenced and gated estate.

The gate, electrically operated, swung open smoothly and the two cars went up the drive to a circle in front of the house. There Dan and Donna got out, so Kim set the brake and she and Brad alighted, too.

Before they could even get to the door, it opened and a young woman came hurtling from the house into Donna’s arms. “Mommy!” she screamed. “You’re home!”

Kim and Brad watched as the two embraced and kissed. The kiss they exchanged was anything but a standard mother-daughter peck on the cheek. Then Kim was puzzled. Only then did it register that Donna was only in her mid to late 20s, yet the girl appeared to be in her late teens, at least. The ages just didn’t fit.

The two finally separated, but continued to hold the other with a hand around the waist. Donna said, “Sweetie, I would like you to meet Mr. and Mrs. Kramer. We hope they’ll be starring in ‘Kelly’.”