Where now?
The question hit Audra like a blow as she left the airport.
She didn’t know.
A line of taxis idled in front of the airport. A man hopped from the front cab and reached for Audra’s bag. She pulled it away from him. “I’ll keep it. Thank you.”
He stepped back and opened the door. “Yes, ma’am. Where you headed?”
She didn’t know.
The thought almost made her turn around, flee the cab, and race into the airport. Instead, she slipped in the backseat, pulling her bag after her. What if Rosemary was out of town? Busy for the week? Completely and totally unhappy to see her?
It didn’t matter if Rosemary stomped around or acted miffed. Audra could endure any scorn and charges of being overly protective as long as she was satisfied all was right in Rosemary’s world. There was even a whisper of excitement at the chance to see this world for herself. Rosemary had bubbled about her apartment, the location, the neighborhood, everything Hollywood. Now she could give Audra the grand tour.
She tried to reassure herself that Rosemary’s silence meant she was swept up in the excitement of life in Hollywood. Yet a premonition nagged Audra.
“Miss?” The cab driver turned in the front seat to stare at her. “You want to sit in the car all day or actually go somewhere?”
“Sorry.” Audra pulled her thoughts from their downward spiral and dug in her purse for the scribbled note with Rosemary’s address. She handed it to the driver, and the taxi pulled from the curb. As the driver would through traffic, she leaned against the seat and closed her eyes. In a matter of minutes, the taxi would deposit her at her sister’s apartment. Then, if Audra’s fears were overwrought, Rosemary would open her door, a look of shock coloring her face that her big sister would make a frivolous and expensive trip across the country based on a missed phone call. Audra prayed that happened. If Rosemary wasn’t home, Audra would use the extra key Rosemary had mentioned she kept hidden under a stone. Audra would let herself in and wait until Rosemary came home.
With her role in Andrew’s death, she couldn’t simply wait and see what happened now.
The car slid in and out of traffic, the driver never pushing quite far enough to make Audra concerned for her life. Yet she caught her breath as he came dangerously close to another car’s bumper.
As the cab continued down a wide boulevard, Audra couldn’t see the appeal of the town. The landscape was dry, almost barren, and couldn’t appear more unlike Indianapolis. Where Indianapolis had grass and flowers, everything spread in front of her looked brown and dead broken only by the palm trees. How could Rosemary like it? Yet she did—at least that’s how things had sounded the first few months, as she received callbacks after auditions that led to a couple of walk-on roles. Then Rosemary called, voice vibrating with excitement, because her agent thought a contract for a speaking role was on its way.
The car drove past a red brick building with a sign that read Masters Studio. Had that studio’s executives and directors seen something they liked in a film test? Had someone there landed Rosemary one step closer to her dream?
Rosemary moved closer to her dream, while Audra had fled the opportunity to breathe life into hers. Had she wasted that opportunity? It shouldn’t matter. Family was more important than any job. Yet her heart clenched at the thought of the golden goose she’d killed when she left Indianapolis.
A few more turns, and Audra couldn’t tell anymore which direction the cab headed.
Her thoughts returned to Rosemary and the sudden decline in her excitement. She’d turned unusually quiet when she talked to Audra, no longer burbling with stories and experiences. And then, during their last conversation, there was a panicked edge to her words. She wouldn’t tell Audra exactly what bothered her, but Audra had surmised that Rosie had some kind of man trouble.
The taxi jolted to a stop in front of a nondescript stucco building. The front entrance faced the road, but Rosemary’s small apartment had an outside entrance separate from the one the other residents used.
Audra handed a dollar to the driver.
“Thank you.” He flashed her a smile that revealed a mouthful of crooked teeth. “You like me to wait?”
“No. That’s all right.” Audra opened the door and slid out of the cab, pulling her bag behind her. She studied the building as the taxi raced into traffic. “Time to confirm how foolish I am.”
She hefted the bag’s strap over her shoulder. Her steps dragged as she looked for the sidewalk that led to Rosemary’s entrance. As Audra edged around the side, she had to step around trash blown along the overgrown hedges. She didn’t share Rosemary’s enthusiasm for the location. A bus lumbered up a side street. Audra covered her nose against a slightly foul odor.
Almost at the backyard, Audra found the door. She knocked on it and waited a minute. No one came to the door, so she knocked again then searched for the rock that hid the apartment key. Rosemary hadn’t mentioned she had a rock garden next to the door. Audra broke a nail as she culled through the rocks, finding the silver key under the sixth rock. “About time.” Audra knocked one last time, but when no one came, she inserted the key and opened the door. The curtains were drawn, and a dusky light coated the room.
Audra stepped into the room but hesitated to go farther as she dropped her bag.
All was silent and chaos reigned, typical of Rosemary’s lack of housekeeping. A pillow and blanket were tossed on the floor next to a floral davenport. Bottles were strewn in a haphazard fashion on the vanity that was pushed into a corner of the room. The wardrobe overflowed with a riot of gowns and clothes pushing out of the gap between the unclosed doors. A few shoes had tumbled to the floor in front of the wardrobe.
A clammy sensation coated Audra’s skin, and the hair at the back of her neck stood on end. She whirled around, purse pulled tight against her body.
“Oh.” She gasped at her silliness. No one waited behind her, ready to pounce. She tried to laugh, but it sounded like a kitten’s weak squeak. “Get ahold of yourself.”
She swallowed.
Enough. She marched farther into the room, toying with a charm on her bracelet as she absorbed the scene. A davenport. Stacks of paper. A hot plate on a tiny table. Audra wrinkled her nose at an underlying odor that pervaded the room.
The blanket indicated Rosemary slept on the davenport or the floor. Audra moved toward the desk. Paper covered its surface, a hodge-podge of debris, yet somehow Rosemary would be able to find anything she needed.
Some fancy foiled invitations sat on top of the mess. Audra selected one. A fundraiser for the Hollywood USO at the Roosevelt Hotel. Looked like her sister had snagged an invite to appear at the event that evening. Audra noted the address. If Rosemary didn’t show up beforehand, she’d borrow one of Rosie’s dresses and meet her there.
The next stack caught Audra’s attention. They were articles written about the Hollywood Victory Caravan. Rosemary had circled items about the stars who’d boarded the benefit train. Bing Crosby. Desi Arnaz. Abbott and Costello. So many had made that trip, raising money for war bonds at each stop. Underneath the articles was a letter inviting Rosie to participate in a second caravan that was scheduled to leave in a week. Rosie? On a trip like that?
Audra turned to the wardrobe, running a hand along the dresses until she found a navy, satin number she’d wear tonight if she attended the fundraiser. As she studied the overstuffed wardrobe, she wondered how Rosemary could afford the abundance of outfits. And what did she wear when she wasn’t at an event? Nothing seemed serviceable for every day. Audra shook her head. Rosemary had not turned into a practical person while out here. If anything, it appeared her flighty, fun-loving personality had lost what little restraint it had.
The wardrobe’s bottom drawer puckered out, and Audra tried to push it into place. The drawer resisted and she reached in, expecting to move clothing or a handbag. She tugged out the obstruction and found a little black appointment book shoved among a mishmash of heels and other shoes. The book looked like one Rosemary had kept since high school, when the football team noticed her blooming beauty.
She’d made notes about every boy who asked her out and kept track of what happened on their dates.
Flipping through the pages, Audra whistled as she ran down the list of stars Rosemary had penciled on its pages. As she turned another page, Audra realized her sister rarely had a night at home. No wonder she had an invitation to join the caravan. Everyone in Hollywood had to know her. Had that contributed to her nearing a movie role?
According to the book, Rosemary would attend the USO event with Robert Garfield, the star from the plane. Audra’s fingers trembled as she remembered their closeness. His film charisma certainly carried over to the living, breathing version.
She turned back to the book. The calendar cleared after tonight’s appearance. Had Rosemary planned a break, or did it indicate a change in her status? Audra would have to ask when she found her. Already Hollywood seemed like a totally different world from Indianapolis. The magazines seemed to have it right—every night revolved around a party or gala. When did the stars work?
Audra turned another page and found a list of names and telephone numbers. Many of the names matched those found on the calendar. Closing the book, Audra tapped it on the table then placed it back in the drawer. Next, she rifled through a few piles on the desk. A note filled with Rosemary’s curly doodles stopped her. Names swirled around the edges, mixed with flowers and crossed-out hearts. Rosie only doodled when something bothered her, but the contents of the note made no sense to Audra. She placed it with the black book for easy access when she found Rosemary. She’d ask her about it—and insist Rosie tell what bothered her. Audra stepped away from the wardrobe since nothing else there held her interest.
Everything looked all right. Controlled chaos as only Rosemary could enjoy.
Yet the longer she stood there, the more it felt like spiders skittered up her back. There was little left to explore, other than whatever waited behind the lone closed door.
She nudged open the door to the bathroom.
Was that...?
She gulped and leaned against the door, opening it against a weight that pressed back.
A pale pink glob was visible. Audra swallowed and crouched down.
A hand?
“Rosemary?” She shrieked, unable to stop the terror. “Honey? Let me in.”
She pushed hard against the door, felt the weight give, and the door eased open.
Audra leaned around the door. She screamed. Then the world opened up as its axis shifted.