On The Edge

An Alex Ross Story, complete with a mysterious, beautiful ('natch!) woman on the run

By Atonia Walpole

Part 1:

Alex Ross zipped his pants and began making his way through the tall grasses back to his car. He’d pulled off the coast road to put the top up on his car and take a piss. A movement caught his eye. In the distance he saw a woman walking along one of the narrow paths that led from the cliff sides. She wore a light tan raincoat pulled tightly around her and a white headscarf. She was headed in his direction so he paused at the edge of the grasses and watched her, wondering where she’d come from. His was the only car around. Hell there was nothing out here, nowhere for her to have walked from. He glanced over his shoulder. In a few minutes the sun would be down.

He walked out of the grass to his car and finished putting the top up. Looking up he saw the woman had seen him and stopped on the path. She looked like she was poised for flight. He leaned against the side of his car and lit a cigarette, pushing his hat back on his head. She waited on the path…still not moving.

“Hello,” he called out, “need a lift somewhere?”

She advanced a few steps.

“I say, you need a lift?” he called again.

“Who are you? Did he send you out here to get me?”

The last rays of the sun glanced off the white silk scarf, coloring it briefly. “Name’s Alex Ross…nobody sent me.”

She walked slowly to the parking area and stopped again. “Alex…why are you here?”

“I stopped to take a piss. I might ask you what you’re doing out here alone. How did you get here anyway?” He could now make out dark curls escaping around the scarf. She wasn’t dressed for hiking. He caught the gleam of patent heels.

She walked over to his car and stopped a few feet in front of him. “You’re not part of them. Then, yes, you can give me a lift.”

Dark blue eyes and red lips. “Hop in,” he said and opened the passenger door.

Alex started the motor and backed out, turning toward the highway. “How did you end up out here? It's miles from anywhere.”

She stared straight ahead. “I was dropped off. Please, I’d rather not go into it.”

“You in some kind of trouble, lady?”

“No...you needn’t worry.” She leaned against the door and placed her right hand over her eyes.

“What’s your name? I don’t believe I heard it.”

She turned to him. “Lori…you can call me Lori.”

“Okay, Lori, so how does a good-looking dame like you end up abandoned on the coast road at sunset?”

“A misunderstanding.” She turned away, looking out the side window

They rode in silence for some time. “There’s a diner up here. Need a cup of coffee?”

“You don’t have to stop for me, please.”

“Hey, I’m stopping for me. I would have stopped anyway. You look cold. A cup of hot coffee will do you good.” Alex pulled off the highway and up to the diner.

Once inside and seated in a booth she took off her scarf and ran her hand through her short, dark, curly hair. “Thank you,” she said when the cup arrived.

Alex got a good look at her. He noticed her hands, nice chunk of stones on her right hand but none on her left, long painted nails matched her lipstick, and her clothes had an expensive look about them.  Lighting a cigarette he offered her one and lit it for her. “Where are you from?” he asked.

“From…as in the beginning…Ohio…a long way from here.” She blew smoke across the table.

“You’re right, a long way away.” He leaned back against the seat and tilted his hat back. Realizing he was inside with a lady, he took it off and placed it on the seat beside him, running his hand through his hair. “So how did you end up on the coast road?”

“You won’t leave that alone, will you? I told you it was a misunderstanding.” She flicked her ashes in the ashtray and picked up her coffee cup.

“I say you’re from LA. Your boyfriend got mad and dumped you out on the road.” He drew on his cigarette.

“Make up any story you want,” she shrugged.

“Hey, that’s what I do…make up stories.”

“What do you do, Mr. Ross?” she asked leaning back

“Write stories. I’m a newspaper reporter.”

She laughed, tilting her head back. “Wouldn’t you know! Well, this is one you won’t write.”

Alex stubbed out his cigarette and picked up his cup. He felt it in his gut…this was a story. “Where can I drop you?” he asked, looking at the coffee dregs.

She suddenly became quiet and fidgeted with the scarf in her lap. “I…can’t be seen tonight…not anywhere.” She worked her mouth and then smiled, looking up at him. “Take me with you.”

Alex blinked and put his cup down. “How can I refuse such an invitation?”

“It’s not an invitation…for anything, Alex. I need a place to stay tonight…just for tonight.”

Alex fished out some change and left it on the table. “Okay, you’ve got my curiosity up, but I’ll warn you it ain’t much.”

“It’s safe…that is all that matters.” Lori picked up her handbag and scarf.

Alex led her to the car and once inside, remarked, “I thought you said you weren’t in any trouble?”

“So…I lied,” she said, looking him in the eye.

Part 2:

Alex pulled out onto the highway and sped away. He’d noticed the black car sitting back under the trees and now it was behind him. He adjusted his rearview mirror and reached for a cigarette.

“Lori, don’t look back but I think we’re being followed.”

Lori slipped down in the seat.

“It’s too late for that. You want to tell me what’s going on?”

“I’m sorry I got in your car. Where are you going?”

Alex took the first road off the highway. “I don’t know. Yeah, he’s tailing me. Who are these guys?”

“Probably associates of my…former boyfriend.”

Alex looked over at her. “Former…is this some guy that’s gonna send goons to cut off my nuts?”

“It’s not you they want. They don’t really want me.”

“Well, they want somebody!” Alex turned again down a narrow road, taking the first turns he came to until it spilled him back onto the highway. He increased his speed until he came within the outskirts of the city. He took the long way around to his neighborhood and somehow lost the tail in the residential streets and parked two blocks from where he lived.

“Come on and hurry! It won’t take them long to find the car.” He grabbed her hand and led her through an alley, coming up on his apartment. “This is it,” he said, pulling out a key.

“I’m sorry, Alex,” she said again.

Alex closed his blinds and curtains and locked the door. “I need a drink. Want one?” he asked, making for the kitchen.

“Yes,” she said, taking her coat off.

“Sit down.” He handed her a drink. “Now I want some answers. Who are you, why is somebody following you and how did you end up on the coast road?” He took a long drink of the whiskey.

She sipped her drink and looked up. “You may know of me, Laura Storm?" She smiled slightly. “I’m an actress. Oh, nothing big time…a bit player. I got mixed up with some people. I didn’t know about them until it was too late.”

“Go on,” Alex prompted

“I met this guy. He kind of swept me off my feet…money, jewels, and furs. He liked me on his arm, you know, like an ornament when we went out. He knew some people and they got me work. I was opposite Gregory Peck in Rage in the Pacific. Did you see it?”

“No…I don’t get to movies, especially war movies. So go on.”

“After a while he kind of put me off on some of his other guys.” She dropped her head. “He had a new girl, you see, anyway somebody…went missing….an actor…young guy, a bit player like me. We were friends…”

“You think your guy had him knocked off?”

“I know he did. I confronted him with it. He didn’t want me anymore but nobody else could have me. He had a guy take me out on the coast road. I know he was supposed to kill me but Tommy wasn’t like that. He just told me to disappear. The car that was following us...how many men inside?”

“Two hats.” Alex was pacing.

“Oh, no!” Lori began to cry.

Alex stopped and looked at her. “Lori, who are these guys are we talking about, the mob?”

She nodded her head.

“Christ!” he said and sat down. “Who is this guy?”

“Johnny Rosso. Somehow he’s connected to the studio.”

Alex lit a cigarette. “I’ve heard the name before.  They’ve made my car.” He ran his hand through his hair and stood up, pacing again. “I’ll borrow a car from a guy whi owes me. We gotta get out of here.” 

“Alex, I’m so sorry you got mixed up in this. You seem like a nice guy. I’ll just go…take a taxi and find a hotel somewhere.”

“I am a nice guy and I ain’t gonna leave you for the likes of Rosso and his goons and, Lori…don’t say you’re sorry again…okay?”

Lori bit her lip. “Okay. What are you going to do?”

“I gotta think…it’ll come to me. Meanwhile you take the bedroom. I’ll bunk on the couch. Get some sleep. You’re gonna need it.”

Alex lay down on the couch, resting his head on his arms. Something didn’t quite make sense to him. This guy Rosso had a different dame every month. He’d seen the pictures. Why would he be trying to kill this one? Surely he didn’t go around knocking off last month’s flavor. No, there was more to this than she’d told him. He’d make a few phone calls in the morning and see what he could dig up.

Alex was up at dawn, drinking coffee and making phone calls. A little after eight, Lori opened the bedroom door.

“You’re up,” she said. “Do I smell coffee?”

Alex was seated on the couch looking over some notes he’d made and also through an envelope that had been discreetly slipped under his door five minutes ago. He looked up. “Good morning. Yes, there’s coffee. Pour yourself a cup and come sit down beside me. We need to talk.”

Part 3:

Lori brought her cup to the couch and sat down, quietly looking him over in his white tee shirt and slacks. She hadn’t noticed how attractive he was the night before. He turned his green eyes on her and held her there for a moment.

“You haven’t been honest with me, have you?”

“I…” She noticed the things he had in his hands. “No…I didn’t want you any more involved, Alex.”

“Bull shit! You were willing for me to do anything last night.  This picture was taken a little over a year ago…you and Rosso. I know a month later he had this blonde bimbo on his arm.  The “friend” that went missing was your husband, wasn’t he?”

“Yes…we were secretly married.”

“Not much of a secret, was it? He was arrested for public indecency in a bathroom. Did you love him?”

“I hardly knew him and that’s the truth.  Rosso forced me to marry him, hoping to save his reputation. He had a major contract…women loved him…it wasn’t public knowledge.”

“How could he force you to marry somebody? What kind of hold does he have on you?”

“Oh, Alex, once he gets you, you don’t get out. I wanted a career. He put me in the movies, got me parts I wouldn’t have been able to read for. It was only later I realized you have to pay for what he does for you.”

“Pay how, by marrying this guy?”

“That was only part of it. After Damon was killed, and he was because Rosso couldn’t control him, he’d become an embarrassment. He wanted me to marry again. I refused and he said I’d never work again. I went crazy, Alex.”

“That’s when you shot him?”

“I…yes.”

“Too bad you didn’t kill the bastard.” Alex leaned back on the couch and lit a cigarette. “Why didn’t you go to the police when Damon was killed?”

“Rosso has many friends in the police department.”

“All right, here’s what we’re gonna do. I got a car coming. We’re gonna leave town for awhile, let things cool down. I’m gonna nail this guy. I ain’t connected with a particular newspaper. He don’t own them all and he ain’t got all the cops in LA in his pocket."

“This is crazy, Alex! He’ll get you, too!” She stood up and walked to the window where the blinds had been partially opened.

Alex came up behind her. “Not if I stay one step ahead. I already got somebody looking into this. He’s a smart cop, discreet. You stick with me; we’ll both come out of this.”

Lori turned and he backed away. “What do you get out of this?”

“A damn good story and a byline if I’m lucky. I’m going to take a shower. Stay away from the windows and don’t open the door.” He turned back and looked at her. “I can trust you to stay right here?”

“Yes. Where else can I go at this point?”

“Nowhere, baby, unless you want to be dead.” He’d said it to frighten her but he wasn’t sure it wasn’t true.

Lori went to the kitchen and poured another cup of coffee,  carried it back to the couch and lit one of Alex’s cigarettes. She was frightened down to her core and now she was afraid for Alex. She ran her hand through her tousled hair. Picking up the photo of herself and Rosso, the wide smile, the diamonds around her neck, the scared look in her eyes, she could see it regardless of what the caption said, 'Johnny Rosso with Laura Storm, star of….' She threw it down on the coffee table.

Alex came out of the bedroom, dressed and with a small bag. He picked up his briefcase off the table and shoved some things inside. He rinsed out his coffee pot and wiped his hands on a towel. “Is the car out there?”

“Yellow with red interior?”

“Yeah, that’s it. Are you ready?”

Lori grabbed her bag and shoved the scarf inside. Pulling out a pair of sunglasses, she turned. “I’m ready.”

Alex made his way to the highway, keeping a close eye on the rearview mirror. “Looks okay so far,” he said, glancing over at Lori with a smile. “We’ll have to stop somewhere so you can get a few things. Have you got any money?”

Lori looked over at him. “Yes, I have money.”

“Good cause I ain’t flush at the moment.” He smiled again.

“Alex, where are we going?”

“Mexico. Been a while since I was there. II figure we can get lost for awhile.”

Lori looked at him for a minute and turned toward the road, a slow smile across her face. Lost with Alex Ross.

He stopped in San Diego where she shopped and they ate lunch.  Spotting a pawn shop, she asked him to wait outside.

“What are you pawning?” he asked.

“Jewelry. We may need the money.”

Alex leaned against the building and waited. She was out pretty quickly, snapping her purse and smiling. “I’d rather finance this little trip than wear Rosso’s diamond bracelet.”

“We’re in the money?”

“Yes, let’s go. I’m ready to be lost.”

They crossed the border into Mexico and after a while came to a little town. Alex drove around until he found a likely looking place to stay the night.

“Separate rooms? Well, I had to ask,” he said, raising a brow and grinning. They both signed the register, receiving their keys. He picked up the bags and carried them upstairs.

“Meet you in a few. We’ll go find a drink.” He unlocked her door and handed her the key.

“Sure, just knock,” she smiled and closed the door.

Alex pursed his lips and moved over to his door, unlocked it and went inside.

ON TO PART 4

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