Fifty Three

Douglas punched in a number and waited. When the phone was answered, she had a short conversation which the others couldn’t hear. But they did hear the final words, “Great! Then you’ll be down here in about 20 minutes.”

To Kim and Brad she said, “That was my ex, Dan Douglas. He’s a producer and director. For a while now he’s had the film rights to a story that he thinks needs to be told ... And I think it does, too. The problem is the person who controls the rights also has cast approval. And Dan has been totally unable to come close to getting it ... with anyone.”

Then reaching over the table, she gripped Kim’s biceps and squeezed, gently at first and then harder. “They’re real, aren’t they?” she commented. “Kimberly Kane, you have to be the most perfectly conditioned female on the face of the earth.” Then she looked puzzled and added, “But why don’t you use your husband’s name?”

“Huh?” Kim muttered, utterly shocked.

“Use your husband’s name?” Donna repeated.

“Primarily because I don