Picture This

‘I know, I read about it. He’s a total psycho, you should know that. I mean, as a fellow female artist you should know that.’

Ignoring her, Susie pulled out a cigarette and lighter from her bag and lit up. Peering more closely at her reflection, she studied her headdress. ‘This bird’s bloody heavy. God knows what the Queen feels like when she’s wearing one of her crowns, like she’s got the whole of the British Isles resting on her loaf. I met her once, you know. She’s a lot shorter than you’d think. Makes you feel at ease – that’s real class. Something you and me will never have. The raven’s cute though.’ She took a last drag of the cigarette, stubbed it out on the marble-topped dressing table, then strategically pushed the cigarette butt into the beak of the raven so that it appeared to be smoking, giving the bird an irreverent appearance. ‘That’s better. Now I’ve gone from Queen of the Night to Queen of the Rakish Ravens.’

‘Didn’t you hear what I said? Felix Baum’s dangerous. He’s a psychopath.’

Susie stood up and began making her way to the door, her train dragging behind her. ‘I can take care of myself.’

The waitress followed. ‘You don’t understand. A few nights ago he invites me back to his place, the usual hook – you know, how he was going to remake me, brand me, launch me… You see, I have this thing about wings, and I was wearing them that night. So I get there, he drugs me and then he almost kills me, then he rapes me… ’

‘Rape? Really? You’re both consenting adults, aren’t you?’ Irritated, Susie let the restroom door fall back on the waitress. Surprised by Susie’s indifferent reaction, she pushed the door open and followed her out into the corridor.

‘You don’t get it. I’m telling you this as a fellow artist and a fan – the guy is sick!’

Ignoring her, Susie moved into the ballroom, the waitress running after her. ‘I almost fell off his balcony!’

At the last sentence Susie swung around. ‘What do you mean, fell off his balcony?’

‘Oh, so now you believe me?’

‘Just tell me exac

tly what happened.’

‘He’s so charismatic, you kind of fall under his spell. I was, like, hypnotised standing on the edge of his wall staring down at the cars roaring below and he kept saying how we were making art together, history – the ultimate performance piece, and he was filming with this camera… I was totally caught up in the moment. I could have jumped – I mean, it’s a miracle I didn’t… ’

‘You were standing on the edge of the wall as if you were about to jump?’ The image began to float before her like some horrible memory she’d failed to repress – Maxine, on the bridge.

‘Susie? Is this waitress harassing you?’ Felix’s voice startled both of them. ‘Because I can have security remove her.’ He was standing behind them, stiff with rage.

‘Just you try, Felix,’ Leia taunted, while stepping back a little, frightened.

‘Do I know you?’ His voice was icy cold.

‘Do you?’ Susie asked Felix, now genuinely confused about who was telling the truth.

‘Don’t play that bullshit game with me, Felix. You took me back to your place a week ago.’ Leia pushed Felix on the shoulder.

‘Security!’ he called out to a guard who was discreetly hovering nearby. The man immediately hurried over. ‘I want this woman removed.’

Reluctantly the guard began to manhandle Leia towards the front entrance.

‘You can’t do this! I have rights! Felix–’

Felix turned back to Susie. ‘I’m so sorry, I’ve never seen this woman before in my life—’

‘He’s lying! I’ve been inside his apartment! What about the Frida Kahlo? The Paul McCarthy? The Gursky photograph in the bathroom? He tried to kill me!’ the waitress managed to shout before being wrestled out the door.

‘How does she know what’s in your apartment?’ Susie demanded as soon as the waitress was out of sight.

‘She probably read about it in a magazine – occupational hazard. I swear, I don’t know who she is. I mean, she’s nothing but a wannabe artist, I’ve never seen her before’

‘How did you know she’s an artist, then?’

Lost for words, Felix shrugged helplessly.

‘You liar!’

By now several guests at nearby tables had swung around to see what all the noise was about. In the far distance Felix could see Martha Keller, his publicist, beginning to weave her way through the tables towards them. He grabbed Susie’s arm and tried to lead her outside into the corridor. ‘Not here—’