‘Screw the public.’
‘Can I quote you? You and Roarke have her surrounded. Nobody can get to her. You know I’ll be fair.’
‘Yeah, we have her surrounded. No, no one can or will get to her. And you’d probably be fair, but she’s not talking to the media.’
‘Is that her decision, or yours?’
‘Back off, Nadine, unless you want to try public transportation from here.’
‘Just relay my request. That’s all I’m asking, Dallas. Just let her know I’m interested in letting her tell her story on air.’
‘Fine, now change the channel.’
‘All right. I got an interesting little tidbit from the gossip station anchor this afternoon.’
‘And you know how I live to hear the details of the lives of the rich and ridiculous.’
‘Dallas, face it, you’re about to become one of them.’ At Eve’s furious grimace, Nadine laughed. ‘Christ, I love needling you. It’s so easy. Anyway, word is that the hot couple of the last couple months is split city.’
‘I’m agog.’
‘You may be when I tell you that hot couple consists of Jerry Fitzgerald and Justin Young.’
Eve’s interest level rose enough to have her reconsidering swinging into a bus stop and ditching her passenger. ‘Do tell.’
‘There was a very public scene today at the rehearsal for Leonardo’s showing. Apparently our lovebirds got physical. Blows were exchanged.’
‘They hit each other?’
‘More than love taps, according to my source. Jerry retired to her dressing room. She has the star’s dressing room now, by the way, and Justin left in a huff and with a puffy eye. A few hours later, he was in Maui, partying with another blonde. Also a model. A younger model.’
‘What were they fighting about?’
‘No one’s sure. Sex is thought to have reared its ugly head. She accused him of cheating on her, he did the same. She wasn’t going to stand for it. Neither was he. She didn’t need him anymore, he didn’t need her right back.’
‘That’s interesting, Nadine, but it doesn’t mean anything.’ But the timing, Eve thought. Oh, the timing.
‘Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. But it’s funny, people in the public eye like that, both of them media personalities losing it in front of an audience. I’d have to say they were pretty wired up or putting on a hell of a show.’
‘Like I said, it’s interesting.’ Eve pulled up at the security gates of Channel 75. ‘This is your stop.’
‘You could take me to the door.’
‘Take a tram, Nadine.’
‘Listen, you know you’re going to look into what I just told you, so how about matching some data. Dallas, you and I have a history here.’
That was true enough. ‘Nadine, things are balanced on a very thin line right now. I can’t afford to tip it.’
‘I won’t go on air with anything until you give me the go ahead.’
Eve hesitated, then shook her head. ‘I can’t. Mavis is too important to me. Until she’s in the clear, solid, I can’t risk it.’
‘Is she heading toward the clear? Come on, Dallas.’
‘Off the record, the prosecutor’s office is reconsidering the charges. But they’re not dropping them, not yet.’
‘Have you got another suspect? Redford? Is he your new prime?’