The Mouse Trap (M/FFF) - Chapter 5

[AlexUSA3]

Frank Green steps out of the movie theater and lights a cigarette. He shakes the match until the flame is gone and tosses it in the street. The 22 year-old, fresh out of college, has landed himself a job in Los Angeles. His medium brown suit is pristine. The white shirt crisp. The red tie adjusted perfectly. His brown had an artistic match.

"Man, that Harry Langdon is a riot," Frank says to his long-time best friend, Jimmy.
"Yeah, but to have him before a Dracula film?"
"It worked. Made Dracula seem less menacing."
"See ya around, pal."

The scene is 1935. Detroit. Home of auto dealers. Frank has a train to catch the next morning, and this was he and his friend's last time catching a "funny flick" together.

The next day, Frank is on a train to begin work as an assistant at a talent agency. Accounting, making drawings for the printer and such. Scouting. That kind of thing.

Whatever.

Frank reads a book along the way. In it he reads of a girl who was captured and kidnapped. Makes him think of his childhood sweetheart, Elaine Perkins, who last time they wrote mentioned her little sister being infatuated with those new Nancy Drew books. They lived in Los Angeles too.

A memory surfaces. Frank, then Frankie, and Bobby, Elaine's brother, taking turns tying up Elaine. They'd take turns with their bicycles pretending to be Barney Oldfield. Then, later, Jimmy Jump. Either way, they'd have a bicycle race, and the winner determined if Elaine was saved or not.

Frank pauses. He thinks. The joy was always in being the nabber for him

How can he get that thrill again?

[AlexUSA3]

Chapter 2

"Randolph & Young Talent Agency; this is Green speaking. Yes. Of course, I will notify Mr. Randolph as soon as he comes back from lunch. Thank you."

Live in Los Angeles had all the same excitement as Detroit did. Here, however, was where Elaine Perkins now lived.

"Mr. Green?"
"Yes, Mr. Young?"
"I know you have a lot of things, but focus on getting that poster ready for Anita's gig next month. It's a big show, and we need to start advertising."
"I will get right on it."

Drawings mattered a lot in advertising talent, especially when an actress was trying to attract Hollywood attention by having a show in their backyard. Frank made the drawings and would bring them to the advertisers who would then print them however Randolph or Young requested. Some were posters around the city; some were advertisements in the periodicals; others got advertised at the movie theaters themselves.

In addition, after just 5 months here, Frank had gotten a reputation for his art. No surprise considering he'd won the high school drawing contest and placed second in college. He now also did some work on the side drawing artwork for books. One day he got a request for artwork for a detective novel which included a damsel-in-distress. He was contemplating this when his thoughts were interrupted.

"A telegram for a Mr. Green," shouted a delivery boy.
"I'm Mr. Green, Willy."
"It's from a Mr. James Dodson in Detroit."
"Here you are. Keep the change, Willy."
"Thanks, Frank!"
"Don't mention it to anyone except your parents, or people will start forging telegrams to me."
"I know sir! Good day!"
"Keep the change, Mr. Green?" asked Mr. Young from his doorpost
"It's a personal telegram, so I paid him from my own pocket."
"All right. I'm waiting on a wire from New York."

Frank, I got a job as a Hollywood stage hand thanks to you. I will be arrive by train at 3. Jimmy

"It's already 2. Mr. Young, I just a notice that someone needs me to meet him at the train station. I'll start early tomorrow and Thursday to make up for it."
"OK, Mr. Green. Mr. Randolph will see you bright and early," the white-haired gentleman smiled and waved.

Frank grabbed his hat and coat and walked out the door. As he stepped into the hall, he saw the floor secretary, Miss Eva Ware, go by.

"Good afternoon, Miss Ware."
"Leaving already?"
"My best friend is coming on the 3 o'clock train. I'm going to meet him and help him get a room in my building."
"See you tomorrow."
"See you."

Frank entered the elevator and went down to the ground floor. As the elevator descended, he muttered something like "the gams on that girl." As he stepped out, Frank lit a cigarette and hailed a taxi.

"Destination?"
"Train station."
"OK."

As the taxi drove, Frank thought about both Miss Ware and Miss Perkins. A plan was forming in his mind of how he could get those detective novel scenes to come to life.

He had it now!

[ninterz]

Well that's sounds interesting

[AlexUSA3]

Chapter 3

"Jimmy, I had an idea the other day."
"That's scary, Frank, what is it?"
"For the detective novel, we get a girl to pose for a picture, then we tie her up, take another picture, and let her go."
"That's a novel scheme there. Why you telling me?"
"I need you to be my camera guy to take the photos and develop them. I'll pay you and the girl for their time."
"Sounds like a crazy plan, but it might just work."
"It'll work, Jimmy. Now, get out before you're late and get fired."
"See you later, Frank."

Frank began another day at the office. His duties mostly involved establishing contact with others. Make a call for one of his bosses; direct a call to them. Arrange for advertising. Make advertisements. Follow up on a show. Send a wire.

"Hello, Miss?" he greeted a young red head with an in-style cut.
"Vivian Banks."
"You're here to see Mr. Randolph about finalizing appearing in an RKO short?"
"Yes."
"Right this way."

Later, Frank was heading downstairs to send a wire when he ran into the secretary. Suddenly, he knew he had his first subject.

"Miss Ware?"
"Hmm?"
"I got a a little job doing artwork for novels and stuff. I need a subject. I'll give you 5 dollars to be a model for the heroine."
"Mr. Green?"
"We only need an hour or so. Mr. Young is gone all week, so we can use his office after Mr. Randolph is gone. You won't even be home late."
"Well, all right. When?"
"Will tomorrow do?"
"I think so."
"Thanks."

That afternoon, he and Jimmy were talking. Frank was looking out the back window at the street while taking a puff from his cigarette.

"You know that cute secretary, Miss Ware?"
"Yeah, what a doll."
"She's going to be our model. Tomorrow at 3:30."
"I can be there. We just wrapped."
"I've got to go."
"Oh, what for?"
"I have a date with Elaine Perkins. Fingers crossed."
"Go get 'em!"
"Thanks."

A date in Los Angeles is a busy affair. You hail a taxi, go to dinner, and then go to one of a variety of places. Tonight, they went to the movies. Frank enjoyed the Howard, Fine, Howard short, and Elaine enjoyed the movie that followed.

"Have a good night, Elaine."
"Good night, Frank."

Frank had a wild day ahead of him tomorrow. He was going to "kidnap" his secretary!

[AlexUSA3]

Chapter 4

"Jimmy, got the camera all set up?"
"Yeah."
"Now we just need Miss Ware."
"I saw her in here."
"Yes, there she is now. Thanks for coming."
"It's an odd service, but can I say no to an artist for something so simple?"
"Maybe not."
"Look at the city," she stared out the window the hustle and bustle of the city.

Los Angeles was very busy even in 1937. There were automobiles, autobuses, trains, pedestrians, and so much more. There was always something happening during daylight hours, and out there everyone traveled so determinedly and knew where they were headed, or so it seemed.

"Are you ready?"
"I am!"
"Pretty as a picture."
"I wanted your novel damsel to be pretty."
"Don't fret too much. It's pretty, and I will transform it to meet the novel's needs."
"I suspect so, Mr. Greene."
"Please, take a seat. We should only need 20 minutes tops."

Miss Eva Ware was in a stylish blue dress with flowers. She sat on the chair and had her wrists and elbows tied to the arms of the chair and her ankles to the legs. Then, a clean white handkerchief was used to OTM gag her.

"Just hold still. Jimmy, do your stuff."
"Right. Hold still Miss Ware."
"Look like you're in a desperate panic."
"Somebody help me," she pretended to cry for help as Jimmy snapped the shot.
"Great!"
"Mmmm!"
"That's our beautiful damsel. Thank you Miss Ware!" Frank walked over and undid the ropes.
"Was it good?"
"Just what was needed!"
"I'm glad to be of help."
"You were indeed. Here. Go treat yourself to something."
"Miss Ware," Jimmy spoke up, "May I walk you home?"
"Why, Mr. Dodson, yes you may."
"I'll see you in the dark room, Frank."
"OK, Jimmy. I have to clean up here anyway. Thanks a million."

Back in the dark room, the photo came to life just as they had envisioned. They studied it, and it seemed off thought.

"Remember when we were little? Me and Bobby Perkins would kidnap Elaine?"
"Yeah, but she couldn't wiggle as much as Miss Ware."
"Are you saying I wasn't tight enough?"
"Well, not if you want an authentic shot."
"That's a thought. I'll probably get more opportunities."
"Perhaps you will! But you have a winner here!"
"We sure do! Thanks a ton, Jimmy."
"Where are you going?"
"To my room. There's a lot of art to make!"
"See you tomorrow then?"
"If not sooner!"

Frank excitedly dashed to his study, and what Jimmy had said would not be forgotten.

[AlexUSA3]

Chapter 5

"I'm getting more requests than I ever expected, Miss Ware."
"That's good to hear, Mr. Greene. I'm glad to have been of help."
"Here's a little something extra for you as a thank you."
"No, Mr. Greene. You helped me find something better than money."
"Oh?"
"Your pal James Dodson. He's a nice young man."
"Oh, that's where he's been going the last couple months."
"Just in time for the holidays."
"Yeah, just in time. I have to get to work. Mr. Randolph wants my head for accounting stuff this morning."
"I'll be seeing you around."

Frank Greene had received requests for illustrations for at least 10 books from a variety of off-the-beaten-path publishers. Each one got a personal response. For some, it was mostly nature scenes. A different one was a Jane Austin wannabe novel. They were all types, but once again Frank was faced with a girl detective novel.

"Mr. Greene, thank heavens you're here. I've gotten my brain upside down with all this mess."
"What's the problem, Mr. Randolph?"
"I've made a mistake somewhere in my accounts. Either someone overpaid us, or my numbers are wrong."
"Let me see the sheet, and I'll compare with the receipts."
"Thank you."

This was the hard part. Frank was the everything-man in the office, but at least he wasn't the janitor. Scanning sheets was as thrilling as whitewashing a fence, but it was necessary. Frank had a keen eye, and in an honest business it's usually easy to spot a mistake like writing a payment as $10 instead of $100.

"I found it. You wrote that we were paid $10 instead of $100 on that last Vivian Banks film."
"Thank you. Now I can go home and not worry that my wife will berate me like I'm Andy Clyde."
"No worries."

Vivian Banks. That was a thought. She was coming in that day to discuss renewing her deal with RKO. Perhaps she would be willing to take a small side job as that recent film was only her second, which meant for sure that money was getting tighter.

"Hello, Operator. Put me through to Lexington 5986. Thank you. Hello, Mrs. Voelker? Can you please put Miss Banks on the phone? I can wait, thank you."

Frank waited a minute and heard Miss Banks' familiar voice.

"Hello, Miss Banks? This is Mr. Greene at Randolph & Young calling to let you know that Mr. Young is out and that you will be meeting with Mr. Randolph today. Thank you."

Miss Banks had played a damsel-in-distress in her first film. Perhaps she'd be willing to play one in her first photo shoot as well?