A long sigh escaped June. “I needed more time to finish that last script. I wasn’t thinking things through when I took him out to the rose garden. I was reeling, I felt so betrayed by him. The day before, he seemed like he was coming out of his bad spell. Honestly, he did. I had no idea he was going to put on a suit, write, ‘I’m sorry,’ on a piece of typing paper, and then swallow every sleeping pill he had. When I found him the next morning, he was already cold.”
“Oh, June.” Tears stung at Eva’s eyes. Nothing else on earth hurt like the death of someone you loved; she knew this all too well.
“All I was really thinking was how much he loved his roses and that I needed more time,” June went on. “I knew—deep down I knew, even when I was shoveling—there would be no digging him up again. I knew I would need to have an explanation for Elwood being missing, and a good one so that no one could ever suspect where he actually was.”
“Well, good luck with that,” Melanie said.
“I did come up with one, though. It’s a good plan and it still might work.”
“You can’t possibly be serious!” Melanie half laughed.
“I think we should hear her out,” Eva said. “Please, Melanie?”
“I can’t believe we’re actually discussing this.” Melanie spoke to the walls of the kitchen as if they were listening in.
“I decided that when the script was done, I would tell everyone he’d asked me to drive him out to his bungalow in Palm Springs. You know, to finish the trip he had started with Ruthie. Because he thought if he did, he would find peace. I was going to say I agreed to drive him, that he’d taken a sleeping pill from inside the car while it was still in the garage and slept the whole way; that’s how I’d say he got himself out of the house. And once we were there, I’d say he’d asked for some time to himself, that he wanted me to return to Malibu and come back for him in a week. But when I went back to Palm Springs, I would say I didn’t find him. What I would find instead was a note he’d written, and I’d show the note I already had. And then, after Max came by with his ultimatum, I figured he’d want to go out to the bungalow to talk to Elwood and so he’d be the one to find the note. I’m going to add just a little bit to it, which will be easy. I’ve already mastered Elwood’s script for signing his name for banking.”
“What are you going to add?” Eva asked.
“I’m going to say that Elwood has chosen to financially provide for Ruthie’s boys his way, by ending his life out in the desert, and he doesn’t want anyone to come looking for him. But of course the police will be called, and days will be spent in the wilderness searching for him. He won’t be found, though, and at some point he’ll be declared dead. But I will have already gotten the money for that last script, and I’ll convince Ruthie’s sons to sell me this houseusing that money as a down payment. The house will be mine, then. Truly mine. I can then watch over Elwood’s beautiful resting place the remainder of my days.”
Melanie exhaled heavily. “And I suppose this is the story Eva and I are supposed to corroborate for you if we’re questioned about it? That everything seemed just fine at your house before you and Elwood went to Palm Springs? You want us to lie for you?”
June didn’t hesitate. “I do. But Melanie, I’m not asking you to. I can’t keep you from calling the police if that’s what you’d rather do. Maybe I do belong in jail for this. But I don’t want anything bad to happen to Eva. Or to you. I don’t want Eva getting arrested or deported to the Soviet Union to face whatever kind of hell awaits her there. And I don’t want you to never be in another film. I know how hard you worked to make it in Hollywood. And I haven’t told you this before, but I drove into Santa Monica back in January when your movie came out. I saw it. You’re a wonderful actress. None of what has happened to you is your fault, either. I’ve made a mess of things, but I don’t want you or Eva to pay for it. You’ve already had to pay.”
Eva reached across the table and squeezed June’s hand. There had been only a handful of women in her life who’d been this kind and good to her. Four, really. Her mother, Sascha’s mother for a time, Louise—dear Louise—and now June.
“Assuming I agree, what happens if the police or Max don’t believe you?” Melanie asked. “What if they don’t believe us when we’re asked to corroborate? What happens then?”
“What’s not to believe? I think it’s easier to buy the story I plan to tell than the real one. Who is going to believe I had the crazy idea to bury Elwood in his rose garden? And that you both found out about it and said nothing? You and Eva standing by me if you’re questioned means there will be no reason to doubt me. Max knewElwood wasn’t doing well. He’ll tell anyone who asks that he’d told me we needed to get help for him, and I’ll act remorseful that I didn’t. Actually, I won’t have to act. I wish every minute of every day that I had called a doctor when I saw Elwood slipping this time.”
Melanie seemed to think on June’s plan for a moment before shaking her head in obvious rejection. “Why would I do this? This is insane! I am already in enough hot water. If it’s that easy to lie, then I’ll just lie when I call the police and I’ll leave out the fact Eva knew something bad had happened to Elwood. She’ll stay out of trouble, and so will I.”
“But, Melanie,” Eva said gently. “June will go to jail. She will lose the house. She loves this house. It’s her home. It’s all she has now.”
Melanie seemed to ponder this but only for a second.
“No,” she said, vehemently. “No, no, no. It’s too risky, and I can’t manage another catastrophe in my life. I just can’t. I won’t have a place to live nor money to live on if this goes south.”
June furrowed her brow. “Why won’t you have a place to live?”
But Eva knew what Melanie was referring to; she’d overheard her talking on the telephone with both Carson Edwards and her agent.
“Carson is already talking about pulling the plug on supporting me,” Melanie said. “All he really needs is just a little push and he’ll say he’s done. This house may not be mine but it’s allIhave now.”
There was a second of silence before June spoke, and when she did, it was as if the words had suddenly just come to her. They spilled out in a rush. “You can come live with me. You and Nicky can both move in with me, and you can have the upstairs to yourselves. I’ll buy a new bed for that room. You won’t have to leave Malibu if Carson stops paying your rent. You can stay.”
“What?” Melanie said doubtfully.
“I won’t charge you room and board or anything,” June went on. “It won’t cost you anything to move in here. If Carson stops supporting you, you won’t have to leave Paradise Circle. You can stay right here as long as you need to. I’ll provide anything you need.”
“Why on earth would you do that?” Melanie’s voice was not much more than a cautious murmur.
“Because we need each other right now. Please, Melanie. I can’t go to jail. I need to finish this last script and get the money for it. It’s the only way I can keep my home.”
There was a long stretch of silence.
“I seriously can’t believe Elwood left those boys this house when it’s your home, too,” Melanie finally said with a huff. “Do they even need it? Aren’t they already living somewhere else?”
