Page 63 of Lion & Lamb

LION: Of course you knew him. He was paying for your apartment.

CLINE: I don’t believe…that is utter bull----! Who told you that? I’m serious. I want to know a name.

LION: It’s not important. Especially if it’s not true.

CLINE: Is that why you’re here? To drag me into this whole murder mess? No, thank you. And you can keep your coffee. I have things to do.

LION: Please, Ms. Cline, wait. You have to understand something. I’m buried in bull----from everyone around Archie. I’m talking his wife, the cops, the lawyers. I need someone to tell me the truth about the man. Someone who has nothing to gain.

CLINE: Is that what you really want? The truth?

LION: Absolutely.

CLINE: You’re one of the few. (Sighs) I can’t tell you how tired I am of this city. Everybody’s always making assumptions about everybody else.Ooh, how can that dirtbag possibly afford that Lexus? Ooh, look at that stuck-up b----in her Old City condo, she must have a sugar daddy somewhere.They never think,Huh, maybe that lady did it all for herself.

LION: Tell me how you did it, then. I’m one of those suckers who has a perfect-attendance certificate in a drawer somewhere, and I’m still paying off my law school tab. What do you know that I don’t?

CLINE: I know plenty. (To Janie Hall) Oh, thanks, hon. (Sips) Wow. You did Irish this up.

HALL: I told them to give me an Atlantic City pour.

LION: You were saying, Ms. Cline?

CLINE: The trick is to figure out what people want and come up with a way to give it to them. No guilt, no shame, no fuss, none of that nonsense.

HALL: And you’ve figured this out?

CLINE: Oh, sweetie. A long time ago. And if you can give people want they secretly want and make sure they never, ever feel bad about wanting it…well, they will reward you.

LION: I’ll bet poor Archie needed that kind of escape now and again.

CLINE: Oh yeah. I don’t think people appreciate what it’s like to be in the spotlight all the time. Sure, there are perks. But the stress and pressure and constant scrutiny can be awful. And that wife of his…

HALL: Francine?

CLINE: I can’t hear one of her old songs on the radio without feeling homicidal. Nobody knows what Philadelphia’s so-called sweetheart put that poor man through. She’s a real pill.

LION: And you’d make Archie feel better.

CLINE: I know what you’re thinking, and no, he didn’t pay for my condo. I can afford it all on my own. Money is not one of my worries.

HALL: So your thing with Archie was for real.

CLINE: I’m gonna pretend you didn’t just imply that I’m a whore.

HALL: No, it’s sweet! Sorry, that came out all wrong.

CLINE: Everybody knew the NFL superstar, but very few people knew the real Archie, the sweet kid from Detroit. I don’t even think Princess Francine saw that part of him. When something struck Archie as funny, he laughed with his whole heart, you know? God, I loved spending time with him. Wasn’t nearly enough, but it was enough. It had to be.

LION: Do you think his wife knew about your relationship?

CLINE: He only stayed over a few times…she watched him like a goddamn hawk during the off-season.

LION: How have you been coping with your loss?

CLINE: I’m drinking Irish coffee first thing in the morning, what does that tell you? Speaking of, if I could trouble you for another…

Chapter64

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