The Blue Movie Murders Read Free Page A

here?”
    â€œSorry, Governor.” McCall slipped the button into his pocket. “What are you planning to do about them?”
    â€œNothing. If I took action every time a group of people showed up with signs I’d never get anything done. I’ve survived everything else. I’ll survive Cynthia Rhodes.”
    McCall dropped into his favourite chair. “There’s something more to consider, Governor. The kids and the blacks didn’t have most of the community on their side. People may laugh at women’s lib, and make jokes about it, but not too many people are going to joke about blue films. The public seems to have had enough of sexy movies. They just might support Cynthia Rhodes on this.”
    Governor Holland frowned. “The woman is nothing but an opportunist, Mike. Do you ever read any of that bilge she grinds out for the magazines?”
    â€œI’ve read some of it, and I certainly don’t agree with a lot of it. But she’s an attractive, articulate young lady. This time she just might have a cause with meat in it.”
    The Governor sighed and went to the window. “All right. What should I do? If we pass a law banning those films, the Supreme Court is bound to declare it unconstitutional.”
    McCall was more a man of action than ideas, but this time he had a suggestion. “Why not appoint a distinguished committee to study the problem? The President’s always doing it—why not you?”
    â€œA committee?”
    â€œThe Governor’s Commission on Pornography.”
    Sam Holland shook his head. “That’s already been tried in Washington and it got them nowhere.”
    â€œMaybe they just didn’t have the right people on it. I met a man last evening who’d be perfect. Ben Sloane, the film producer.”
    â€œI heard he was in town, at Dora Pringle’s party. She invited me but I had too many other things scheduled this week. My wife and family see little enough of me as it is.” He stared out the window at the line of pickets.
    â€œWe talked a little about blue movies. Sloane claims some of them have had real artistic merit. He mentioned one called The Wild Nymph that was made right here in this state.”
    The Governor turned suddenly from the window. “Look what they’re doing down there now! My God, those women should be arrested!”
    McCall joined him in time to see a small group of Cynthia’s followers attempting to storm the side gate where a single uniformed guard was trying unsuccessfully to hold them back. But even as he watched, two city policemen came running, and the girls retreated. “They’re just trying to get arrested,” McCall decided. “They’d love to get their pictures in the paper being hauled away by some ‘brutal’ cop.”
    The Governor returned to his desk. “What were you saying about this man Sloane?”
    â€œBen Sloane. He’s a fairly well-known Hollywood producer, one of the few who’s managed to cling to his position during the films’ changing economic times. He was here last evening on his way to Rockview. A film called The Wild Nymph was made there twenty years ago by a director named Sol Dahlman. Sloane wants to find Dahlman and gets him back into pictures.”
    Governor Holland grunted. “Why does he think Rockview’s the place to find this man?”
    â€œI don’t know. But he drove up there last night with his secretary.”
    â€œWell, I think I should steer clear of any notion of a commission. But I wish there was something I could do to keep those women quiet.”
    As they listened a shout went up from the street, then a sort of chant. McCall returned to the window and saw Cynthia Rhodes perched on a makeshift podium of wooden crates, leading the audience like an over-aged cheerleader.
    â€œHolland! Holland! Be a man! Filthy films need a ban!”
    â€œWhat do they want from me?” the