'And maybe he'll keep his promise. Who knows? We'll arrange a meeting with Mr Zandack, let him know you're represented now.'

The next day she and Leo sat down with Merrill in his office. Puffing on his usual cigar, Merrill laid it out. He announced that he'd hired a line producer and put Caught on a fast track. He also informed them that he was on the point of signing a famous actress, and if the actress agreed to Cat directing, she had the gig.

'It's all about the bottom line,' he said to Leo. 'You know it's to Cat's advantage if this film is big.'

'You had her sign away all her rights,' Leo pointed out. 'That's not fair.'

This sent Merrill off into a choking fit of sarcastic laughter. 'Fair? Are you in this business?'

'We're screwed,' Leo told her, when they got back to his office. 'Let's hope that whoever this actress he's talking with agrees to you directing.'

'Speaking of getting screwed,' Cat ventured, prowling restlessly around his office, 'do you deal with divorces?'

'Divorce is one of my specialties.'

'Really?' she said, flopping into a chair. 'I thought L.A. lawyers spread it around the firm so they can charge double fees.'

'No,' Leo said, with a quick smile. 'I specialize in contracts, negotiations and divorce.'

'Great! You're my kind of lawyer.'

'Who is this guy you're married to? Is he in the business?'

'Kind of. He's Australian.'

'Not Russell Crowe, I hope.'

She couldn't help laughing. 'I can assure you he's no Russell Crowe. And since I haven't mentioned this to anyone yet, including Jonas, I'd prefer you didn't say anything.'

'Naturally.'

'Thanks.'

Leo took out a yellow legal pad and picked up his pen. 'Let's get some details.

I need his name and profession.'

'Jump Jagger, he's a rock 'n' roller.'

'Any relation to-'

'No,' she interrupted. 'Everyone asks that. I wish.'

'Did you sign a pre-nuptial?'

'Of course not. I was seventeen when I got married.'

'Does he have money?'

'I don't want anything from him.'

'How about the reverse?'

'Jump would never ask me for a dime.'

'Divorce puts a new slant on things. People change.'

'Not Jump.'

'Why are you seeking a divorce?'

'It's a major cliche.'

'You still have to tell me.'

So she did, the whole sad story.

Leo listened intently, and when she was finished he assured her that he would be able to take care of everything.

She left his office feeling more positive about things.

That night she and Jonas went to dinner at Orso's on Third Street. They sat outside in the garden.

'What's going on?' Jonas asked, as soon as they'd ordered. 'You haven't been your usual obnoxious self since you got back.'

'Did Leo say anything to you?' she asked, sipping a glass of red wine.

'No, was he supposed to?'

'Okay.' She sighed. 'Here's the deal. Only, please, do not laugh at me.'

'You didn't laugh at me when I fell off my skis,' he reminded her.

'Actually I did,' she admitted.

'As long as you didn't take my photo.'

'Does that mean you won't laugh at me?'

'No, I'll respect whatever you have to tell me.'

'Well, it's, um... it's like, y'know...'

'C'mon, Cat, give it up. Did you catch him with another girl?'

'How did you know that?'

'I warned you not to surprise him.'

'It's worse than that,' she said miserably. 'I got to his hotel room and he wasn't there, so I slid into bed all ready to do the whole jumping-out-of-bed-naked thing. Finally he came in, was thrilled to see me, and we had this, uh... well, I don't have to tell you what happened next.'

'Please don't.'

'All I can say is it was great, then we went to sleep, and the next thing I know there's some skanky unclothed bitch climbing all over him. He admitted he'd been with her earlier, told me he was drunk and she was an old girlfriend.'

'Jesus, Cat, I'm sorry.'

'Wonderful story, isn't it?' she said ruefully. 'The kind of stuff you read about.'

'Or write about,' he interjected.

'Y'know,' she mused, 'my father always told me all men are dogs, and so did my mother.' She gave a regretful laugh. 'That's about the only thing my parents taught me.'

'Have you heard from him since?'

'He keeps on calling. I don't answer his calls.'

'Maybe you should talk to him, see what he has to say.'

'What's wrong with you?' she exploded. 'Aren't you listening to me? The asshole cheated on me.'

'Sorry.'

'Sex is the most intimate act between two people,' she said, narrowing her green eyes at the thought of Jump with another woman. 'And the jerk blew it.'

'I guess he did.'

'I'm nineteen, Jonas,' she said earnestly. 'Not some forty-year-old housewife with six kids who depends on the old man to bring home the bacon. Believe me, Jump is history. I'm divorcing him.'

'You're sure about this?'

'Yes, I'm sure,' she said, taking another sip of wine. 'Y'know, I was looking forward to coming to L.A. I wanted you to meet Jump. And I was planning on setting you up with one of my girlfriends.'

'So you think I need fixing up?' he said, looking perplexed.

'I never see you with anybody.' A beat. 'Is there someone special?'

'I'm too busy.'

'You must have some kind of sex-life,' she persisted, determined to find out.

'So now that you've revealed everything to me, I'm supposed to reveal everything to you - is that the way this goes?'

'No, be your usual silent self. Dunno why, but I like you that way.'

'You like me, huh?' he said, pleased.

'You're my friend,' she answered warmly.

'We'll always be friends, only let's not act too friendly in front of Merrill, otherwise he's likely to can my ass.'

'Never. The old pervert couldn't possibly manage without you.'

'You think?'

'I know. He totally depends on you.'

'Really?'

'Yes, really.'

'Let's order,' he said, picking up a menu. 'Are you hungry?'

'Always.'

'At least you never lose your appetite.'

'For food.'

He decided to let that one go.

Shelby drove Linc to the airport with the thought that she would soon be joining him on the New York location. She was unable to go with him because of the L.A.

press junket for Rapture, and an upcoming charity lunch in L.A. where she was being honoured for her work raising money for various cancer charities.

'I'm sorry you won't be here for it,' she said wistfully, driving down La Cienega because she refused to drive on freeways.

'So am I,' he agreed. 'My wife being honoured is quite something. Did you ever think that would happen when you came over here as a struggling English actress?'

'I never struggled, Linc,' she said, smiling. 'I came here to make a movie, liked it and stayed.'

'Then I saw you at Marty's party, and that was it - you and I were destined to be together.'

'Destined?' she said, still smiling. 'That's very dramatic coming from you.'

'And true.'

'Pete wasn't too happy,' she remarked, remembering her last conversation with her one-time boyfriend whom she'd left for Linc.

'Who gives a fuck about Pete?' Linc said sharply. 'I can never figure out what you were doing with him in the first place.'

'Pete's a nice guy. He was one of the first people I met in L.A.'

'Nice guy, my ass!'

'Linc-'

'You're lucky you never fucked him, 'cause if you had, I wouldn't have gone near you.'