Jerry was running water into the sink, and splashing it on his temple. Joe went straight to the window to see if he could verify Eppstadt’s story, while Eppstadt snatched a handful of water to douse his own wound.
“The line’s down, by the way,” Jerry said.
“I’ve got my portable,” Eppstadt said.
“They’re not working either,” Joe said. “The earthquake’s taken out the whole system.”
“Did you see Maxine or Sawyer out there?” Jerry said.
“I never got out there, Brahms. There are people — ”
“Yes I know.”
“Wait. Turn off the water.”
“I haven’t finished washing.”
“I said: turn it off.”
Brahms reluctantly obeyed. As the last of the water ran off down the pipes, another cluster of noises became audible, rising from the bowels of the house.
“It sounds like somebody left a television on down there,” Joe said, splendidly simple-minded.
Eppstadt went to the door that lead into the turret. “That’s no television,” he said.
“Well what the hell else would it be?” Joe said. “I can hear horses, and wind. There’s no wind today.”
It was true. There was no wind. But somewhere, it was howling like the soundtrack on Lawrence of Arabia.
“You’ll find this place gets crowded after a while,” Jerry said matter-of-factly. He patted dry the wound on his face. “We shouldn’t be here,” he reiterated.
“Who are they out there?” Eppstadt said.
“Old movie stars mainly. A few of Katya’s lovers.”
Eppstadt shook his head. “These weren’t old. And several of them were women.”
“She liked women,” Jerry said, “On occasion. Especially if she could play her little games with them.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Joe said.
“Katya Lupi, who built this house — ”
“Once and for all — ” Eppstadt said, “these were not Katya Lupi’s lovers. They were young. One of them, at least, looked no more than sixteen or seventeen.”
“She liked them very young. And they liked her. Especially when she’d taken them down there.” He pointed to the turret door through which the sound of storm-winds were still coming. “It’s another world down there, you see. And they’d be addicted, after that. They’d do anything for her, just to get another taste of it.”
“I don’t get it,” Joe said.
“Better you don’t,” Jerry replied. “Just leave now, while you still can. The earthquake threw the door open down there. That’s why you can hear all the noise.”
“You said it was coming from some other place?” Joe said.
“Yes. The Devil’s Country.”
“What?”
“That’s what Katya used to call it. The Devil’s Country.”
Joe glanced at Eppstadt, looking for some confirmation that all this was nonsense. But Eppstadt was staring out of the window, still haunted by the hungry faces he’d met on the threshold. Much as he would have liked to laugh off what Jerry Brahms was saying, his instincts were telling him to be more cautious.
“Suppose there is some kind of door down there … ” he said.
“There is, believe me.”
“All right. Say I believe you. And maybe the earthquake did open it up. Shouldn’t somebody go down there and close it?”
“That would certainly make sense.”
“Joe?”
“Aw shit. Why me?”
“Because you’re the one who kept telling us how good you are with a gun. Anyway, it’s obvious Jerry’s in no state to go.”
“What about you?”
“Joe,” Eppstadt said. “You’re talking to the Head of Paramount.”
“So? That doesn’t mean a whole heap right now, does it?”
“No, but it will when we get back to the real world.” He stared at Joe, with an odd little smile on his face. “You don’t want to be a waiter all your life, do you?”
“No. Of course not.”
“You came to Hollywood to act, am I right?”
“I’m really good.”
“I’m sure you are. Do you have any idea how much help I could be to you?”
“If I go down there — ?”
“And close the door.”
“Then you make me a movie star?”
“There are no guarantees in this town, Joe. But put it this way. You’ve got a better chance of being the next Brad Pitt — ”
“I see myself more as an Ed Norton.”