The Cinderella Killer Read Free

of a hellraiser.’
    â€˜I don’t know about a hellraiser. I did have a reputation in the past for being considerably younger than I am now. But I guess that goes for all of us, Johnny boy.’
    â€˜So how long have you been completely free of drugs?’
    It was a question so leading that it would not have been allowed in any British court of law, but Kenny was wise to it. ‘I’ve been free of any but prescription drugs since I emerged from my mother’s womb.’
    â€˜What about alcohol?’
    â€˜I don’t recall there being any around in the maternity suite.’
    That got a big laugh. Unusually, Johnny Martin was being turned over in the contest. And he didn’t like it. ‘Kenny, there were lots of rumours in the gossip columns about you partying rather heavily and—’
    â€˜Sure, I liked to party. Name me an actor who doesn’t. I dare say even you in your time have been something of a party animal, Johnny boy.’ Having coined the diminishing nickname, Kenny was going to stick with it.
    â€˜Well, I, er …’
    â€˜Anyway, do you believe stuff you read in the gossip columns? If you believed everything that’s been written about me, then you’d think I was a drug fiend and alcoholic who’s been to bed with every woman in Hollywood.’
    â€˜Is that not true?’
    â€˜No, I couldn’t manage
all
of them.’
    It was a good riposte. Again it made Johnny look silly. And the implication was there that, although Kenny hadn’t bedded
every
woman in Hollywood, he’d had his way with a good many of them.
    â€˜So your hellraising days are behind you, are they, Kenny?’
    â€˜You could say that …’
    â€˜I just did.’
    â€˜â€¦ but because there never were any hellraising days, it’s kinda hard to put them behind me.’ There was a twinkle in the actor’s eye; he was actually teasing his inquisitor.
    â€˜So how long is it since you last had a drink, Kenny?’
    â€˜If you’d been looking, Johnny boy, you’d have noticed that I’ve just had a sip from your excellent water on the table right here.’
    â€˜I meant an alcoholic drink.’
    â€˜Well, you should have said that, shouldn’t you, rather than confusing me?’
    â€˜How long is it, Kenny, since you had an alcoholic drink?’
    â€˜It’ll be two years on Thursday.’
    The directness and the seriousness with which this was said almost threw Johnny. The audience applauding the feat did little to settle him either. He stumbled a little over saying, ‘Congratulations,’ then moved on. ‘And may I ask your current marital status, Kenny …?’
    â€˜I am currently unmarried.’ He turned to face his public. ‘Footloose and fancy-free. On the market once again.
Available.
’ This was greeted by some raucous shouts and cheers from the female members of the audience.
    â€˜But you have been married?’
    â€˜Don’t know why you bother asking me that question, Johnny boy. You know the answer. Or if you don’t, it doesn’t say much for your researchers.’ Kenny was virtually taking over the interview now. ‘Yep, I’ve had four marriages. I should be getting good at it by now.’
    â€˜And have you got a fifth Mrs Polizzi lined up?’
    â€˜Still sorting out the final paperwork on the divorce from the fourth.’
    â€˜That being Lilith Greenstone?’
    â€˜Yes, your researchers have been doing their stuff.’
    â€˜She’s almost as big a star as you are.’ Polizzi shrugged. ‘And seems to be rather busier than you are at the moment. Was that one of the problems with the marriage – that her career was doing rather better than—?’
    â€˜I’m not going to say anything about Lilith in public. If I do one of her lawyers might hear it and screw another coupla million dollars out of me.’
    â€˜You say