It was almost noon before Bebe had herself sufficiently together to leave the house. In the full light of day, her appearance had shocked her witless, so much so that she’d almost canceled her appointment with her attorney. Living the party life generally meant that she slept all day and partied all night. Lamplight and twilight were always kind to her ravished features, and makeup hid a multitude of flaws. Today, the harsh reality slammed her full in the face. She wanted to cry, to blubber, to wail and stamp her feet at what she’d become, but she didn’t. She’d done it to herself…with Reuben’s help. From somewhere deep inside her a warning bell sounded. It was the end of the road for her; either she straightened out her life, or she would be joining Lily in that never-never place everyone feared. Initiating divorce proceedings was to be her first step in her personal survival. From there she would take it one day at a time.
The lawyer’s name was Chester Rogal. He was considered small-time by most Hollywood standards, but he was successful by his own standards and that was all that counted. When he closed his office at night, he often bragged to himself that he’d never short-changed a client or lost a case. He’d settled cases out of court, but always to his client’s advantage. He was short and rotund, with a beak for a nose and an Abraham Lincoln beard that he constantly massaged while he was thinking. And he was thinking now as he listened to Bebe Tarz. Of course, he’d heard all the stories before, everyone had, and he was smart enough to know that there were two sides to everything and then there was the truth. But Chester never passed judgment. Ever. Now he was listening with what he called his third ear for some telltale sign that Bebe was going to prove less than profitable.
“It’s very simple, Mr. Rogal. The settlement can be one or the other. I see it as cut and dried. I want my father’s half of the studio returned to me and my brother, or else I want half of everything Reuben owns. Either way, I want his resignation from the studio. If we settle for half and he fights for his seat on the board, I’ll give that up if I have to, but I want him out of there. What I really want is the studio; it belongs to my family. He robbed my father, and I don’t care what the media says about him being Fairmont Studios. Do you foresee a problem with any of this?” Bebe asked.
“Well, I’d be lying to you if I said the man won’t put up a fight. He’s given his life to the studio, and you want to yank it out from under him. Of course, he’s going to put up a fight. But we’ll work something out,” Chester said confidently.
“Mr. Rogal, I want you to cut him off at the knees. And I want to take back my maiden name after the divorce.” Bebe scribbled out a check for an outrageous sum of money and placed it on the desk with a trembling hand. “You will earn every cent of this, and if things go the way I want them to go, there will be a bonus in it for you. I’ll be in touch, Mr. Rogal.”
Chester buzzed his secretary after Bebe had left. When he heard her voice he smiled. “Helen, I want you to get me every word that’s ever been printed about Hollywood’s golden boy, Reuben Tarz.” He continued to smile as he stared at the check in his hand. Four lovely zeros, all in a row.
The moment Bebe swung the powerful car into the driveway leading to the house, she knew something was wrong. Her brother Eli and Clovis Ames, Fairmont’s leading lady of silent films and Sol Rosen’s second wife, were talking together on the front steps. Bebe felt her throat constrict. Something had happened to her father.
“We’ve been waiting, sis. Sit down. It’s Pop, he’s had a stroke. He…didn’t make it. Clovis was with him in the ambulance.”
“He didn’t suffer, Bebe,” Clovis said gently. “It was quick and…merciful, if you can say that about death. I…I want to do the right thing…. I’m not Jewish…Eli said he would handle things, so perhaps you two should talk about this. I can go back to the house or…I can stay, it’s up to you.”
In shock, Bebe could only nod. Her father gone. How was it possible? Just a little while ago she’d asked for the studio, had told the lawyer it belonged to her and Eli. But she hadn’t mentioned her father. Was it possible that even then she’d had a premonition? No, her father and Clovis were happy, traveling and doing things together. More than once he’d told her that he didn’t want anything to do with the studio, that Reuben Tarz deserved all the misery that went with it.
“I think you should call Reuben,” Eli said.
“That’s funny, Eli. I don’t have the foggiest idea of where Reuben is. I just got back yesterday myself,” Bebe cried, dabbing at her eyes.
“The housekeeper told me he’s in Washington. With Daniel Bishop, I assume. The studio told me he’s staying at the Ambassador. We can delay the funeral until he gets back. Do you want me to call him?”
“No, I’ll do it. What about Simon and Dillon?”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Clovis, did Daddy say anything, at the end, I mean?”
As if on cue, Clovis drew herself up dramatically. “Yes, he said to tell both of you he loved you very much. I was holding his hand and he squeezed mine. I said I would tell you.” Eli’s eyes thanked her for the lie.
“Oh, Clovis!” Bebe threw herself into her stepmother’s arms. “I’m going to miss him. I wish I’d been a better daughter, kissed him more often, visited him more, said kinder things to him.”
Clovis patted her comfortingly. “Shhh, that’s not important. Your father knew you loved him and he loved you. He wouldn’t want you crying like this. I want you to pull yourself together, Bebe. Things have to be done; you have to call Reuben. The whole town will turn out to pay tribute to Sol. We have to make some plans.”
Bebe nodded. “What will you do?”
Clovis smiled wanly. “I think I’ll go back to Texas and stay with my sister. I’ve had enough of this town to last me the rest of my life. Who knows, I might strike oil. The house is yours, Bebe. When your husband deeded it back to Sol, he in turn deeded it to you and Eli. Eli says he wants no part of it, so I guess it’s yours. I certainly don’t want it, and Sol never wanted me to have it. We had our own arrangements, and they aren’t important. Come along and call Reuben.”
“I filed for divorce today, Clovis,” Bebe said, trailing alongside her father’s widow.
“It’s about time. Now maybe you’ll make a life for yourself. I’m proud of you, Bebe, really proud. If you need me or if there’s anything I can do, let me know.”
“I always wanted to be like you, Clovis. I used to playact and say and do things I thought you would do in a scene. I think I’ve been acting all my life,” Bebe said pitifully.
“I’m flattered, honey, but what I did wasn’t reality. That was all make-believe for money. Money was the thing; everything, no matter what it was, was for box office. I’m really glad I didn’t make it when sound came. I got a chance to be myself, and I like who I am. That’s why I have to leave this place. Enough talk now. You have to call Reuben.”
The moment Reuben answered the phone Bebe started to cry. Between sobs she told him of her father’s death. “Eli said we can postpone things till you arrive. Can you give me some indication of when—”
“Bebe, listen to me,” Reuben said, his voice full of shock. People like Sol Rosen lived forever. “I can’t make it back right now.