“Hey, yeah, it’s a no go here. I’m getting out of town,” Goldie said.
“Oh—” Libby whispered, “you need to tell her to meet us at John Wayne Airport. That’s where we’re flying out of.”
“No, we’re taking my Net Jet,” Goldie said to Libby. “I’ll reimburse you for your commercial ticket.”
“What?”
“Kid, I haven’t flown commercial sinceBeautiful Girlbroke the box office in ‘92. Do you have luggage for Tally to get?” Goldie winked at her.
“Uh, it’s in the rental car outside your house.”
“Grab my friend’s stuff out of the car, return it to, uh, John Wayne too, but later. The priority now is getting us out of here. Also, do not tell Hollis. He no longer works for me.”
Well, okay. Libby watched as Goldie made one phone call in which half a dozen details were sorted.
“Also, send a car and driver to the Marmont. Get that going after the jet. Don’t tell anyone anything. I’m going way undercover. Make sure the wigs, the hat, all that is easy for me to get to. See you in Van Nuys.”
Libby was flying a private jet back to Michigan with the biggest movie star in the world. This really was the weirdest day!
The good news was that Libby had succeeded in convincing Goldie Hayes, super famous superstar, to come back home to Irish Hills.
The bad news? They couldn’t tell a soul.
Chapter Five
Goldie
Libby was quiet as they landed at the small airport. It was a dark night now in Michigan. The day they’d had seemed as though it had lasted for a month.
Goldie appreciated Libby giving her space. And she was grateful to have a friend right now. She was so stung by Hollis. He knew her. She thought he respected her.
But he was in it for the buck, just like everyone in L.A.
Tally had arranged for a driver to meet them at the airport. That was Goldie’s instruction, except when they got there, it was a rental car with no driver.
“Crap, this won’t do.”
The Net Jet flight attendant loaded her bags into the back of the SUV. Was this a Ford? She hadn’t been in a Ford since her last time in Michigan. She smiled, seeing the logo. Her dad drove a Ford Bronco, and her first car was a used Ford Escort. Back when she used todrive.
“Didn’t you tell Tally to pack two weeks’ worth of clothes?” Libby asked.
“Yes, she obviously didn’t listen.”
“Ha, yeah, five bags is uh?—”
“—Ridiculous, there’s no way I have everything I need,” Goldie said.
“Really? I was thinking you’d probably need one bag, if that, for a month here,” Libby laughed.
“Well, anyway, who’s going to drive?” Goldie said. “I haven’t driven myself anywhere since Y2K.”
“I got you.”
Libby took charge again, getting behind the wheel. Goldie got in next to her. Libby really was a godsend right now.
Goldie was so impressed with her old friend. She had stepped in and protected Goldie. She’d seen the fans turn on her before Goldie sensed it.
Libby drove, first on a dark highway, with a little traffic, but not much. And then they pulled off the highway onto a rural state route.
