Hunter and the Trap Read Free Page A

the story of how he shot that lion.”
    â€œHe spent the fifty grand before he ever hit Africa. Take my word for it.”
    Andy had gone on into the suite, and now we followed him inside. Jose Peretz was explaining how he had unpacked. He had put the guns into a bedroom closet. Diva was in one corner of the big couch in the living room. She watched us silently. It was funny how no one ever asked Andy about her, who she was or what she was to any of them. Maybe she was Jose’s girl, although I was inclined to think that Jose was some kind of faggot, not the ordinary kind but something esoteric; and since Diva had that lean, dry, meticulous look of a certain type of dyke about her, perhaps they matched. But no one asked about Diva, not even myself. In a way, Andy was very fond of Jane Pierce; he would embrace her and kiss her in front of Diva, and there was no reaction in the dark-haired woman that I could see. But then there was no reaction on her part to any of the play between Andy and other women—maybe because she knew that it never went beyond the opening of the game.
    Andy wondered about the guns, and whether there were any new laws to make things difficult.
    â€œYou don’t have any pistols?” I asked him.
    â€œJust an old Santé automatic that I use for target practice.”
    â€œWell, don’t take it out on the street, and I’ll call my lawyer later and see if you need any kind of a license or whether you check it in downtown or what. I suppose the rest are rifles and shotguns?”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œI don’t think it makes any difference, as long as you keep them here.”
    The big red-headed belly dancer came in then. She had changed clothes, from a daytime dress to a long, shimmery gown, and she told Andy that while it was a little early for the party to start, she was hungry, and she did not want to make a date with anyone else because she was going to lap on his ass like a hound dog all night.
    â€œDon’t you ever eat alone?” Jane asked her nastily.
    â€œHoney, take a second look at me. Do you think I have to?”
    The hotel waiters began to move in and set up, and I went into Andy’s bedroom to call my wife. Andy came in while I was waiting for my number, and then Jose came in with Andy’s tuxedo.
    â€œI had it pressed,” Jose said.
    He helped Andy dress. Liz, my wife, informed me that she had heard about the party.
    â€œHow could you hear?”
    â€œThe six o’clock news. Evidently, Grand Duke Alexis is flying in from Paris as some sort of publicity stunt. He expects to make the party. Am I invited?”
    â€œYou know you are.”
    â€œNot that earnestly, but it’s nice to hear it from God’s right-hand man.”
    â€œWill you come?”
    â€œI wouldn’t miss it for the world—if I can fight my way in. What do you expect, a thousand people?”
    When I put down the phone, I told Andy about the Grand Duke Alexis.
    â€œWho the hell is the Grand Duke Alexis?”
    â€œDon’t you remember? He used to have a restaurant in Beverly Hills. Now he has a place on the Left Bank.”
    â€œDid I ever eat there, Monte?”
    â€œI guess you must have, because he’s flying in tonight. That’s a big tab for a party. You should be flattered. Look, do you want me to go home and change?”
    â€œWhat for?”
    â€œI don’t know what for. I just don’t want to drag the affair down. Look, Andy, are you short of cash?”
    â€œWhat?” He was provoked now. I had hit a soft spot. “What in hell ever gave you that notion?”
    â€œAll I am thinking about is this damn party. It’s going to take a bundle to pay for it.”
    â€œAre you serious, Monte? You’re like the oldest friend I got. Otherwise, I could get real nasty.”
    I let the subject drop, and Andy and I went into the living room. Two tall, distinguished, white-haired Italians