Chapter Twenty-Three
The L.A. Storybook was a small, reasonably priced motel located near the movie set. The rooms were clean, but the smell of unwashed bodies and stale cigarettes still lingered. Kelli hauled her bruised body from the bed and considered the multi-colored gown she wore. She wondered who put her to bed and how long she had slept. She needed to pee. She placed her bare feet on the floor, struggled to stand, and was immediately startled by the man’s shadow lounging alertly on the chair by the window.
“Oh, it’s you,” she gulped.
“It is, Miss Templeton.”
Aloysius Sand sat up rigidly, stirred an expression of concern and focused his attention on the honey-colored hair spread like wisps of straw across her shoulders.
“Good afternoon. Hope you’re feeling better.”
“Afternoo
