Miller's Crossing Ch. 02

If you have not already, please read Miller's Crossing Part I. You may not understand some parts of this story if you do not.

...

They picked an out of the way Chinese restaurant that was open late because of it's bar. Seating themselves at a big corner booth, because she brought paper and he brought his laptop. It ended up looking like Command Central for some coup, with papers strung amongst the plates of food.

"Okay, who do you have as the most likely suspects if the target was Amber?" Wentworth asked as he looked over what she had written on one of the papers. "I've got her agent, and her recent ex. I don't know her well enough or follow the gossip on her to really know anything." Wentworth sat back and contemplated that. "We may have to ask some questions about her or find someone that does keep up with the gossip on her."

He continues, "What about suspects if you were the target?"

"That's where I get stumped," she answers. "I don't know anyone who would want to hurt or kill me. It makes me feel awful looking to my friends and asking myself, 'Could it be him or her?' I really have no clue."

"Have you looked at your assistant?" he asks cautiously.

"Jeremy? No way. I don't think Jeremy has it in him to do something like that. Besides, what would be his motive?" she asks brushing it off.

"Did he call Spielberg's people like you asked?" "When he showed up tonight, he looked a bit bewildered that you were there."

"'Worth, I trust Jeremy, I wouldn't have kept him employed if I didn't. That's what I hate about doing this. You have to look at the people closest to you, even though you know that they couldn't possibly do it." Heidi had such a hurt look on his face that Wentworth moved closer to her and put his arm over her shoulders. Using his other hand he guided her chin up so he could look into her eyes.

"I only want to help. Perhaps having someone's unbiased opinion might help in this." he said to her. After a few seconds of looking into her eyes his feelings went from protective to something entirely different. She felt it too. She saw him look down to her lips and couldn't help but smile inwardly. She reached up to his hand that still rested on her chin and said, "I know you're trying to help. I just don't like feeling helpless like this. Someone sabotaged that rigging, and I may not be acting like it, but it scared me. Not much scares me, but that sure as hell did."

"Pissed you off too, didn't it?" Wentworth said with a smile. He knew the moment was over, so he removed his hand from her chin, but not the one behind her shoulders.

"Yeah, it did." Heidi answered. "It made me so mad that I was willing to use you for a punching bag. I'm sorry for that. I wanted to hit something and you were just conveniently close." she said as she looked down at the table in front of her.

"It's alright, Heidi," he said as he brushed a strand of hair off of her face, "You are a passionate woman. Anyone who knows you can see that. Just don't actually hit me and we'll be fine." he finished with a chuckle.

She turned to him with a smile and realized just how close he had moved. It was one of those moments where you take what you want or deny yourself what's right in front of you. It was clear to both of them that the move was hers to make.

She looked down at the table, cleared her throat and mumbled something about it being late. He took the hint and removed his arm from behind her and moved a few inches away and called for the check. She felt awful, but knew she had to deny her feelings for him. She had no business getting involved with him. She knew lust was fleeting, and she felt she was too old to play games anymore. She was also not willing to lose her heart to someone that wouldn't be around for more than a few months at a time. She knew how good actors lives were. Constantly moving project to project, hardly having time for an actual home much less a real relationship.

Wentworth didn't understand her reaction, but he accepted it. He was sure that she felt the same feelings he did. The look on her face at times indicated as much, but he wasn't the type press the issue, even though it did make him feel a bit rejected. As they cleaned the table of their debris and headed out to their cars, he stopped by hers. He stepped up close to her once more and quietly said, "You're not alone in this. I'm going to help you. Please don't shut me out." Before she could respond he was gone.

That night instead of thinking about who could have been a saboteur, all she could think of were a pair a green eyes, and a pair of really nice hands. She had a bit of a fetish about nice hands. You could tell a lot by a man's hands. Of course, that night it wasn't his hands she was really concentrating on. Laying in the dark, thinking about Wentworth naked was what consumed her thoughts. She was a little embarrassed at first. But who the hell was going to find out about her fantasies? Luckily, she had a vivid imagination, and thought about his hands running up and down her stomach, massaging her breasts, and his fingers tweaking and pinching her nipples. Then, eventually, his eyes looking up at her from between her thighs. She had a little blue toy that she had gotten at the Adult Toy Store that helped her on nights like this. All she really wanted to do was to relieve some tension so she just imagined him going down on her. Flicking his tongue over her labia and clitoris, bringing her to a slow and powerful orgasm. In her afterglow, she imagined him looking up at her and smiling, happy that he had satisfied her. With that image she fell asleep.

For the next several days, it was just work. Working until your muscles screamed for no more. Working until exhaustion exuded from everyone on the cast and crew. They worked on things besides the big scene on the ropes. It made Heidi wonder why, but she realized that it gave her more time to figure things out.

The Assistant Director was a bit more approachable in Heidi's mind. So on that Friday, that's what she did. Alan Cupper was a smallish bald man. He had a gentle demeanor, but anyone that worked with him knew that he was the one you went to when you needed the Director to change something. Alan got things done. On the lunch break, Heidi decided to visit Alan in his trailer. With her knock, he opened the door and beckoned her inside. Stepping up into the trailer she realized that they weren't alone. Wentworth was sitting down looking comfortable, having a cup of coffee. With one look at him, she turned to Alan, and before she could say anything, he offered, "I know why you are here my dear. Why don't you have a seat as well?"

She say opposite Wentworth and Alan stood standing against the stove facing them. Crossing his arms before him, he waited for someone to say something. Wentworth looked at Heidi, smiled a little and said, "I guess we had the same idea," indicating Alan. She responded, "so how far have you gotten?"

Alan answered this query, "Went and I have been racking our brain's for the last four days," he volunteered.

Heidi could feel her face get hot, and when she finally looked up at Wentworth, he shrugged and gave her an apologetic look. Through clenched teeth she asked if either one of them had come up with any answers. Alan, not really knowing what she knew, looked to Wentworth for an answer. "There are a few more suspects when it comes to Amber, and Hallowell is really concerned over this. He's even got some guy looking into it." "But," interjected Alan,"he's not telling us who this guy is, or what exactly he's looking into." "So," Wentworth continued, "it seems that everyone thinks they can solve this on their own, without anyone's help."

"Is that all?" Heidi asked, looking back and forth to each man's face.

They both answered by shaking their heads. She felt like they were holding something back, but had no idea what or why. She decided to leave just then, complaining of fatigue. Just as she was getting up from the table, Wentworth reached over and covered her hand with his. She looked up to him and they both had unreadable looks on their faces. She was mad as hell, but didn't want to say or do anything in front of Alan. She didn't really know if Wentworth had completely confided in him, or if he was feeling Alan out to see if he knew or was guilty of the sabotage. So, she didn't let her real emotion show on her face. Wentworth could tell she was mad, just by her demeanor, but didn't lead on that he knew. He kept his face as blank as he could. The quicker she left the better, he thought. Once she left the trailer, she went to look for a way to expend some of the pent up anger she had running through her veins like a bad drug.

Meanwhile, in the cabin that she left, Alan took the space that Heidi had vacated. "When are you going to tell her?" he asked . Wentworth put his hands on his scalp and rubbed it in irritation. "She's going to want me to be completely honest with her. I'm not sure I should yet," he explained.

"Sounds to me like you're trying to protect her, but she might not think of it that way." Alan had no idea how right he was, but Wentworth knew. He figured, right now that Heidi was somewhere fuming, or maybe, hopefully, working out her anger on someone or something else. He wasn't looking forward to seeing her. But, just like ripping a duct tape off, you have to do it quickly. He really didn't know how much he should tell her. He figured he would just feel her out and see how much she would be able to handle.

He looked for her everywhere on the set. Asked just about everyone if they knew her whereabouts. No one knew, no one had seen her since lunch was called. Luckily, neither of them were due to be in the filming for the rest of the day. She would have to stick around in case the director decided to change the lineup, but as it was she was just sort of "on-call" until the end of the day. Disheartened, Wentworth went to his own trailer to pack up and leave. He figured that she left the set to go blow off steam somewhere. It was probably for the best, he thought, it will give me time to figure out what my next move needs to be.

As he opened the door to his trailer and stepped up, he paused. He felt there was someone inside. Letting his eyes adjust to the dark interior, he spotted her. She was laying on the back bed, fully clothed, sans shoes –asleep. As he shut the door quietly, and walked to the back, he smiled to himself. She had a wrinkle of concentration in the middle of her forehead. He figured that was from the anger that she was keeping bottled up. As he carefully sat on the edge of the bed, he couldn't help but reach out and brush a stray hair out of her face, careful not to actually touch her lest she wake up. With a sigh, he got back up and closed the partition, closing off the bed area from the rest of the cabin. After relieving himself in the bathroom, he looked at his reflection. She is in my trailer. She came to me, and dammit she's unbelievably sexy. I wish she wanted me as much as I want her. Putting his hands on the counter, he looked up at himself once more. Coming to some sort of conclusion, he pushed off and headed towards the back again. Slowly, and quietly moving the partition aside, then moving it back once he was inside. He kicked off his shoes and took his shirt off. Just as before he slowly climbed up onto the queen sized bed and lay down beside her.