Chapter 46
46
JESSE
Now
On Monday morning Jesse woke to the sun streaming in through the window he’d forgotten to close the curtains on, again, and decided to try calling Devon Smith, again. He had three days in LA ahead of him before flying back late Wednesday night, and he knew Lloyd was right. It was too much of a coincidence, too serendipitous, that he and Minnie were both in the same city on the other side of the world. If she was still in the city.
He knew he had to act on it, so he got up, rubbed his eyes, paced the room, and called the last dialled number as he flipped Saraswati in his left hand.
‘McFadden Higgs, good afternoon.’ The same voice.
It must have been late afternoon in London. Jesse imagined Henrike making Ida fish fingers and chips.
‘It’s Jesse Lightning for Devon Smith?’
The reply was swift.
‘Devon can’t talk right now, can I take a message?’
‘Yeah, I’m in LA, and I need to get hold of him…’
‘Oh, I’ll put you through now.’
‘Oh.’
That was easy , Jesse thought.
‘’Ello?’ said a bouncy voice.
‘Hi, er, is that Devon?’
‘Speaking. Who’s this?’
‘It’s Jesse Lightning, I’m a designer, I’m in LA, and I’m trying to get hold of Minnie Byrne, I think she’s out here…’
‘If it’s a wardrobe matter you need to call her stylist.’
‘No, I’m not that kind of designer… I was hoping to get hold of her… to speak to her.’
‘Yeah, mate, she’s very busy, packed schedule out here.’
‘Out here, you’re with her?’
‘Who is this again?’
‘A friend. I’m a friend of Minnie’s.’
‘Everyone’s a friend of Minnie’s right now. What did you say your name was?’
‘Jesse Lightning.’
‘Jesse Lightning,’ the man repeated, guardedly. ‘I’ll see if I can get hold of her.’ There was a muffled sound and then the line went silent as Jesse realised he’d been muted. Ten seconds later, Devon unmuted the call.
‘Can I take a message, mate?’
‘If you could just tell Minnie I’m in LA too.’ Jesse scratched his head as he turned circles and looked around his hotel room, trying to find a solution, a glimmer. He looked out of the window. He could see the Hollywood sign from his suite. He remembered their conversation at the cocktail-making class. La La Land . Their heads drawing together, what felt a lifetime ago. ‘I know she’s busy but, erm, I’ll be at Griffith Observatory, in Griffith Park, for the next few days. Say… 6p.m.? But I fly back Wednesday night.’
‘Sweet, mate, we have a packed schedule.’
‘Of course. But if you could just pass the message on, it would be much appreciated.’
‘Will do, cheers!’ Devon said a bit too quickly as he hung up and Jesse threw his phone down on the bed in defeat.