An Incident Halfway To Hell 4

"Why, yes I can, I handled that three or four weeks ago. Miss Birch sold that contract to Mr. Marnelli. Remember, I mentioned that the O'Brian account was off the books."

"I thought O'Brian sent a check himself."

"He did, and I turned it over to Mr. Marnelli. Actually, he sent two checks for the same amount about a ten days apart, I turned them both over since Mr. Marnelli was the one who settled the account. "

As he suspected, it was O'Brian and Vitto was up to something - Damn his hide!

"Thanks, Angie - have a nice weekend." He said, breaking the connection. He quickly dialed Vitto's number. The man must have been waiting by the phone; he answered on the first ring.

"What the fuck is going on, Vitto! Melva came in a few minutes ago soaked to the skin and mad as hell. What have you two been cooking up?"

"What happened?"

"I just told you! Now you tell me what you've been doing behind my back."

Vitto in his most placating voice, said, "Nothing, Paul, honest. Melva just thought she'd give O'Brian a chance to fulfill his contract - that's all."

"Bullshit! Two weeks ago you were talking about that old release he signed with Stud and I told you then that a release isn't a contract, it's only an instrument to prevent people from suing later on. You never listen - and now you've got Melva involved. God Damn it, Vitto, you know exactly how little it takes to get her started. You've been playing at this for a month, haven't you?"

"Hey! Don't go all goody two shoes on me, Buster - remember we're milking the same cash cow here. O'Brian might be worth 10, maybe 12 million in sales when his movie hits the theaters. What did you expect me to do, let him walk away without giving it a shot?"

"I don't give a fuck what you do, - only leave Melva out of it. Jesus Christ, man, you can't have her pressuring people to do porn flicks, what kind of a stink do you think that would raise? If it's only money you're worried about, think of this: You flush Melva down the drain and you lose more than you'll make off an O'Brian film."

"Hey, I didn't twist her arm, she volunteered. Melva agrees with me. O'Brian is trying to weasel out. She holds a contract, damn it . . . "

"You mean, YOU hold his contract. How come you didn't tell me that you bought it from Melva."

"O'Brian was under personal obligation to her, I didn't think I needed your approval!"

"You don't, but what good does it do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Read the fine print, - O'Brian has to approve any transfer or the contract becomes null and void. I've got news for you, Vitto, not only did you nullify that contract, but O'Brian has no obligation to reimburse your expenditure. I sure hope you cashed his check. $52,000 wasn't it?"

"You're shittin' me, right?"

"Like hell I am! It sounds to me like you didn't cash his check, I kind of figured that when Angie said she got two of them. Listen Vitto, O'Brian just made a bundle at Paramount - he's not going to be falling all over himself to do a $52,000 dollar skin flick. He might, however, send you a real nice thank-you note for paying off Melva."

For once, Vitto was speechless.

"You know," Markey continued, "I've got a feeling Melva doesn't know about those checks. Am I right?"

"I was going to tell her . . . If it didn't work out tonight " He protested.

"Sure you were! All I can say, Vitto, is if whatever happened there that turns into a major problem for Melva, I'm holding you responsible. Now, let it go! Leave O'Brian alone, and maybe I can negotiate your money back. As for Melva, you stay away from her, not even a phone call - understand? She has enough problems right now! One more thing, I can't see Melva going to that dance alone - who all went with her?"

"Just Hoot, I think."

"Hoot? He left for Chicago tonight!"

"Yeah, well before he went he was going to join her at that club. I don't know if he did or not, you'll have to ask Melva."

"You're not telling everything, are you? Exactly why was Hoot there and not one of the regular men?"

"Well, they're buddies, you know and I thought . . . Maybe he could help change O'Brian's mind . . . About doing the video . . . " He wound down without admitting exactly what he had asked Hoot to do.

"Well, it obviously didn't work." Paul snapped, not quite able to keep the rancor from his voice. "I was hoping someone could tell me exactly what happened there before I speak to Melva. If you hear from Hoot, have him call me. I'm staying here tonight." Markey, didn't bother to say good bye, he just hung up. "Asshole," he muttered.

Paul gave Melva a few more minutes to get cleaned up, then made his way upstairs carrying a tea tray. Oh, this is going to be fun, he thought. Damn it to hell, if it isn't one thing after another

Melva was on the phone the minute she entered the room. She knew exactly who to call to straighten out that lying, miserable Son of a Bitch! I'll teach him a lesson he won't forget, she thought as she punched in a number. It rang and she stepped out of her sodden clothes while waiting for the answering machine to kick in. Finally the recording came on and she paced naked, waiting for the beep.

"Manny, if you're there, pick up, it's Melva." The line went dead for a moment and then a deep masculine voice said,

"Hi, Babe, what's happenin'?"

"I've got a problem. There's someone that needs a Larry Burke lesson."

"Whoa, there Melv, I don't know nothing about Larry Burke. You got that?"

"OK, OK, but you know what I want. His name is O'Brian, Casey O'Brian and he lives at 6829 Laurel Canyon Boulevard . . ."

"Hey, isn't that the same Casey that used to work for you?"

"That's the one."

"I can't do it, Melv, he knows me. Hell, I got drunk with him one night at your house."

"Well, get someone else! It's worth 10 grand to me to see that Bastard in the hospital."

"What the hell did he do?"

"That doesn't matter, - can you handle it?"

"For 10 grand? Sure! I take it you want this just like the others; - short, sweet and painful?"

"And then some. Make that son of a bitch wish he had never laid a hand on me."

"OK, Melv, but I'll need the money up front - I'm gonna have to hire this one."

"I'll send it over by courier tonight. Thanks, Manny, I feel better already."

Melva had just gotten out of the shower and into her robe when Paul rapped, "It's me Babe, I've got some hot tea - you looked like you could use some."

"I could use a God damned drink!" she responded, pulling open the door, "Come in, just don't start grilling me - I don't feel like talking about it!"

"I just wanted to make sure you were OK." Paul said soothingly. "Now, sit down and have some tea - Sofia is putting together a snack."

"I'd rather have drink! Come on, Paul - please - just a little one?"

"Sorry, Honey - you know you can't. When it gets tough like this, just remember; they don't serve booze in jail, either. Try thinking of something nice, like your trip to New York."

"You know how I hate those fucking award things!"

"Look, that's only one night. We'll stay a few days and do some shopping. I've got tickets to that show you wanted to see. We'll have fun. Now drink you tea and relax. Would you like a back rub? . . ."

Casey had dreamed of meeting Melva Birch and it happened one evening while he was tending bar at the Plaza Hotel. Melva breezed in surrounded by band members, a tour manager and publicity agent and Casey promptly forgot everything he knew about mixing drinks. He was a star struck kid of twenty-one; she a gorgeous Megastar more beautiful in person than on the album covers stacked in his apartment. Casey had idolized Melva for years, even had a treasured collection of all her music videos, those delicious, near pornographic bits of art work where almost naked men and women writhed in sexual abandon as Melva sang. He had watched them all a thousand times and now Melva Birch, the goddess of sex, sat before him in full view, laughing over some joke that Casey didn't hear. He stood gaping like an idiot until the waitress lay the order on the bar, then finally gathering his wits he went back to work.

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written by ernies