Matt & Mariko - A Serialized Novel - 5.4

CHAPTER 10 

    Tally and Mariko handed their tickets to the valet outside The Black Cat.

     "Girls driving tonight," Rollo explained to the valet, who didn't pay any attention. Rollo turned back to his friends.

     "But the worst part of the whole Madelaine thing, I didn't tell you," he said.

     "What?" Matt asked.

     "She called me Jefferson."

     "Jefferson?" Tally asked.

     "Jefferson," Rollo repeated, shaking his head. "While we were making it. Jefferson."

     "Who's Jefferson?" Mariko asked.

     "Whoever," Rollo said.

     "Come stay at my place," Tally said to Rollo. "It's better than sleeping in your car on that road by the water towers. Yuck."

     "What about Jack?"

     "That's over," she said. "We decided to get HIV tests, and he got so freaked out by the whole thing that he started hyper-ventilating in the waiting room." She thought for a moment. "Your dad been tested?"

    "No," Rollo said. "Not gonna ask him either."

    "What about Madelaine?"

    "What about her?"

    The valet pulled up with Tally's silver Acura, hopped out and held the door open on the passenger side for Rollo.

    "Has she been tested?" Tally asked as she got in the car.

    "They haven't invented the test for her yet," Rollo said.

    Rollo and Tally waved good-bye to Matt and Mariko as they pulled out into the traffic on Melrose.

     

     The boulevard had come alive with the night. Bright signs lit a row of boutiques and restaurants on the other side of the street. More and more people were walking up and down the sidewalk on their way to dinner. Cars were backed up trying to make right turns into the nearest parking lot. Horns honked. For a minute, living in Los Angeles was almost like living in a city.  But only for a minute.

     Before the valet could bring Mariko's BMW to the front of the restaurant, a silver Jaguar blocked the way. Ashton was sitting in the passenger seat, looking at Matt through tinted glasses. A blonde woman was driving, but it wasn't the blonde from Ashton's house.

     "Girls driving tonight," Matt said to Ashton, who didn't pay attention.

     Ashton rolled the window down.

     "You're getting shot at," he said to Matt.

     "Word gets around this town fast," Matt replied. He figured Aileen must have found out somehow and got the news to Ashton. But it didn't matter.

     "Ronnie, we have to be at the studio right away," the woman interrupted.

     "My attorney," Ashton said to Matt.

     "A pleasure," Matt said to her.

     "Likewise," she said. "Ronnie – "

     "OK, just a sec," he said with a motion of his hand and turned to Matt. "Look, kid, I'll keep these people off your back. But the things I told you about this morning are happening in the next two days. I need to hear from you before then."

     "You'll keep these people off my back?" Matt asked, head tilted.

     "They may know where you hang out," Ashton said. "I do."

     "Word to the wise?"

     "You think you should be jerking around on this or getting to work?"

     Ashton turned to his attorney and the Jaguar sped off.

     Matt turned around to see Mariko looking at him. It was a look he'd never seen her give him before. The valet pulled her car up to them and Matt walked around to the passenger side.

     "Girls driving tonight," he said again.

     "Girls always drive,” the valet said. “Even when there's no car."

      Mariko tipped him a buck as he closed her door.