The Other Side of Midnight

One uniform (captain)

Six service ribbons (assorted)

Six medals (assorted)

Actor's Name: Lawrence Douglas...(Personal Charge to Catherine Alexander--MGM).

Catherine looked up, her face flushed.

"No!" she said.

He stared. "What shall I tell them?"

"Tell them I'll pay for his medals if they're awarded posthumously."

The picture finished shooting three days later. Catherine looked at the rough-cut the following day and approved it. The film would not win any awards, but it was simple and effective. Tom O'Brien had done a good job.

On Saturday morning Catherine boarded a plane for Washington. She had never been so glad to leave a city. Monday morning she was back in her office trying to catch up on the work that had piled up during her absence.

Just before lunch, her secretary, Annie, buzzed her. "A Mr. Larry Douglas is on the phone from Hollywood, California, collect. Do you want to take the call?"

"No," she snapped. "Tell him that I--never mind, I'll tell him myself." She took a deep breath and pressed the phone button. "Mr. Douglas?"

"Good morning." His voice had the consistency of hot fudge. "I had a hard time tracking you down. Don't you like roses?"

"Mr. Douglas--" Catherine began. Her voice quavered with fury. She took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Douglas, I love roses. I don't like you. I don't like anything about you. Is that clear?"

"You don't know anything about me."

"I know more than I want to know. I think you're cowardly and despicable, and I don't want you ever to call me again." Trembling, she slammed down the receiver, her eyes filled with tears of anger. How dare he! She would be so glad when Bill returned.

Three days later Catherine received a ten by twelve photograph of Lawrence Douglas in the mail. It was inscribed, "To the boss, with love from Larry."

Annie stared at it in awe, and said, "My God! Is he real?"

"Fake," retorted Catherine. "The only real thing is the paper it's printed on." She savagely tore the picture to shreds.

Annie watched, dismayed. "What a waste. I've never seen one like that in the flesh."

"In Hollywood," Catherine said grimly, "they have sets that are all front--no foundation. You've just seen one."

During the next two weeks, Larry Douglas phoned at least a dozen times. Catherine instructed Annie to tell him not to call again and not to bother telling her about his calls. One morning while Annie was taking dictation, she looked up and said apologetically, "I know you told me not to bother you with Mr. Douglas' calls, but he called again, and he sounded so desperate and well...kind of lost."

"He is lost," Catherine said coldly, "and if you're smart, you won't try to find him."

"He sure sounds charming."

"He invented treacle."

"He asked a lot of questions about you." She saw Catherine's look. "But, of course," she added hastily, "I didn't tell him anything."

"That was very bright of you, Annie."

Catherine began to dictate again, but her mind was not on it. She supposed the world was full of Larry Douglases. It made her appreciate William Fraser all the more.

Bill Fraser returned the following Sunday morning, and Catherine went to the airport to meet him. She watched as he finished with Customs and came toward the exit where she was standing. His face lit up when he saw her.

"Cathy," he said. "What a surprise. I didn't expect you to meet me."