Read Online Hollywood Hills by Joseph Wambaugh - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Joseph Wambaugh
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Nate's age in a Calvin Klein multistripe gray suit, a crisp white shirt, and a necktie that cost more than everything on Nate's body. He had been around Hollywood types long enough to recognize the uniform of the day for agents from ICM and CAA.
Rudy Ressler was dressed supercool in a wrinkled cotton shirt, a black T-shirt beneath it, loose-fitting, acid-washed jeans, and retro black tennis shoes. In short, he took pains to dress as he had when he was in middle school, as did most of the above-the-line people on any shoot that Nate had ever worked. In the light of day the director looked older than he had on the red carpet. His rusty thinning hair was growing out at the roots, and his skin was getting blotchy. The director's eye job wasn't great either, and when Nate got close he could see the surgical scars by Ressler's ear. Nate thought the director ought to sue the quack who remodeled him.
At first Rudy Ressler didn't recognize Nate, but when he did, he jumped to his feet. "Officer Weiss!" he said, loudly enough fo r o thers at nearby tables to hear, obviously thinking it exotic and cool to be doing lunch with a cop.
Nate smiled and they shook hands. Rudy Ressler said, "I'd like you to meet my fiancee, Leona Brueger. And this is my agent, Todd Bachman."
Leona Brueger gave Nate a dazzling smile, held out her hand palm down, so that he didn't know whether to shake it or kiss it, and said, "Well, this is a treat. A real cop. Or should I say police officer?"
"Cop's fine," Nate said. "In fact, it's my favorite word."
He shook her hand, and it was quite cool for such a hot afternoon. The agent gave him a vigorous sweaty handshake and said, "Rudy tells me they call you Hollywood Nate, but I'm not sure why."
"He works at Hollywood Station," Rudy Ressler said. "And get this. He has a SAG card!"
"You're an actor as well as a cop?" Todd Bachman said. "When I can get work," Nate said.
Rudy Ressler said to Nate, "Todd's with CAA."
"Would I have seen you in anything?" the agent asked Nate. "I'm not sure," Nate said self-consciously. "But I'm always available if you need my type in a production you may be packaging." Nate thought that everyone laughed too hard at that. He wa s t rying to be amusing but he was also being very serious here. "Are you represented?" Rudy Ressler asked.
"Well, not exactly," Nate said, getting stoked over the possibility of being represented by CAA.
Leona Brueger chuckled and said, "He's got a great look for anyone casting a cop character, doesn't he, Todd? The camera would love him."
When she said it, her lashes fluttered subtly, and Nate thought, An older chick batting her eyes at me? But then he noticed that her eyes were a bit heavy-lidded and there was an empty wine bottle in an ice bucket beside her, but neither the agent nor Rudy Ressler ha d a wineglass in front of him. So then he realized that Ms. Brueger liked to get her drink on.
The agent looked at his watch, and Nate saw that it was a Swiss Army watch like the one he wore. The absence of at least a Rolex made Nate conclude that the guy's client list probably included a lot of B-listers like Rudy Ressler.
The agent said, "Rudy, Leona, must go. More tomorrow. Will loop you in as soon as I hear more from A&E. Good to meet you, Officer."
He kissed the air in Leona's direction, rose, and departed. And Nate was disheartened that the agent hadn't even offered him a business card.
When he was gone, Leona Brueger stood wobbling for an instant and said to Rudy, "Damn these new Jimmy Choos. Too sky-high for me."
Nate looked down and thought that the double ankle straps looked very smart around her shapely ankles, but the leather resembled snakeskin, and he was not fond of reptiles. She took a little step sideways before righting herself and heading for the ladies' room. Sure, Nate thought, it's just the shoes.
When she was gone, Rudy Ressler said, "Leona and me, we're going to Tuscany for three months. At least that's the idea, but I don't
Rudy Ressler was dressed supercool in a wrinkled cotton shirt, a black T-shirt beneath it, loose-fitting, acid-washed jeans, and retro black tennis shoes. In short, he took pains to dress as he had when he was in middle school, as did most of the above-the-line people on any shoot that Nate had ever worked. In the light of day the director looked older than he had on the red carpet. His rusty thinning hair was growing out at the roots, and his skin was getting blotchy. The director's eye job wasn't great either, and when Nate got close he could see the surgical scars by Ressler's ear. Nate thought the director ought to sue the quack who remodeled him.
At first Rudy Ressler didn't recognize Nate, but when he did, he jumped to his feet. "Officer Weiss!" he said, loudly enough fo r o thers at nearby tables to hear, obviously thinking it exotic and cool to be doing lunch with a cop.
Nate smiled and they shook hands. Rudy Ressler said, "I'd like you to meet my fiancee, Leona Brueger. And this is my agent, Todd Bachman."
Leona Brueger gave Nate a dazzling smile, held out her hand palm down, so that he didn't know whether to shake it or kiss it, and said, "Well, this is a treat. A real cop. Or should I say police officer?"
"Cop's fine," Nate said. "In fact, it's my favorite word."
He shook her hand, and it was quite cool for such a hot afternoon. The agent gave him a vigorous sweaty handshake and said, "Rudy tells me they call you Hollywood Nate, but I'm not sure why."
"He works at Hollywood Station," Rudy Ressler said. "And get this. He has a SAG card!"
"You're an actor as well as a cop?" Todd Bachman said. "When I can get work," Nate said.
Rudy Ressler said to Nate, "Todd's with CAA."
"Would I have seen you in anything?" the agent asked Nate. "I'm not sure," Nate said self-consciously. "But I'm always available if you need my type in a production you may be packaging." Nate thought that everyone laughed too hard at that. He wa s t rying to be amusing but he was also being very serious here. "Are you represented?" Rudy Ressler asked.
"Well, not exactly," Nate said, getting stoked over the possibility of being represented by CAA.
Leona Brueger chuckled and said, "He's got a great look for anyone casting a cop character, doesn't he, Todd? The camera would love him."
When she said it, her lashes fluttered subtly, and Nate thought, An older chick batting her eyes at me? But then he noticed that her eyes were a bit heavy-lidded and there was an empty wine bottle in an ice bucket beside her, but neither the agent nor Rudy Ressler ha d a wineglass in front of him. So then he realized that Ms. Brueger liked to get her drink on.
The agent looked at his watch, and Nate saw that it was a Swiss Army watch like the one he wore. The absence of at least a Rolex made Nate conclude that the guy's client list probably included a lot of B-listers like Rudy Ressler.
The agent said, "Rudy, Leona, must go. More tomorrow. Will loop you in as soon as I hear more from A&E. Good to meet you, Officer."
He kissed the air in Leona's direction, rose, and departed. And Nate was disheartened that the agent hadn't even offered him a business card.
When he was gone, Leona Brueger stood wobbling for an instant and said to Rudy, "Damn these new Jimmy Choos. Too sky-high for me."
Nate looked down and thought that the double ankle straps looked very smart around her shapely ankles, but the leather resembled snakeskin, and he was not fond of reptiles. She took a little step sideways before righting herself and heading for the ladies' room. Sure, Nate thought, it's just the shoes.
When she was gone, Rudy Ressler said, "Leona and me, we're going to Tuscany for three months. At least that's the idea, but I don't
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