0:55 PM

Gabriela goes over to the only person she knows. The guests are now leaving the supper room; the band is playing music from the sixties, the party is beginning, and people are smiling and talking to each other, despite the deafening noise.

Ive been looking for you! Where are your friends? Wheres yours? Hes gone. He said there was some problem with the actor and the director, thats all, and then he left. The only other thing he said was that tonights party on the yacht has been canceled.

Igor realizes what has happened. He hadnt had the slightest inten- tion of killing someone he greatly admired and whose films he always tried to see whenever he had time. Nevertheless, its fate that makes these choicesman is just the instrument.

Im leaving. If you like, I can drop you off at your hotel. But the partys just beginning. Enjoy it, then. Im flying off early tomorrow morning. Gabriela has to make a decision quickly. She can either stay here with that handbag stuffed with paper, in a place where she knows no one, hoping that some charitable soul will give her a lift as far as Croisette, where she will take off her shoes to climb the interminable hill up to the room shes sharing with four other friends. Or she can accept the offer of this kind man, who probably has some very useful contacts, and whos a friend of Hamid Husseins wife. She had witnessed the start of what looked like an argument, but such things happen every day, and they would soon make it up.

She has a role in a film. Shes exhausted from all the emotions of the day. Shes afraid that shell end up drinking too much and spoil- ing everything. Men will come up to her, asking if shes on her own and what shes doing afterward, and if shed like to visit a jewelers with them the following day. Shell have to spend the rest of the night politely avoiding people, trying not to hurt anyones feelings, because you could never be quite sure who you were talking to. It was, after all, one of the most exclusive parties at the Festival.

Lets go. Thats how a star behaves. She leaves when no one is expecting her to. They go out to the hotel reception, Gunther (she cant remember his other name) asks the receptionist to call a taxi for them, and she tells them theyre in luck; if theyd waited very much longer, they would have had to wait in an enormous queue.

On the way back, she asks him why he lied about what he does. He says he didnt lie. He used to own a mobile phone company, but had decided to sell it because he felt the future lay in heavy machinery.

And what about his name?

Igor is an affectionate nickname, the Russian diminutive of Gunther.

Gabriela is expecting him, at any moment, to come out with the words: Shall we have a nightcap at my hotel?, but he doesnt. He leaves her at the door of the house where shes staying, shakes her hand, and leaves.

How elegant!

Yes, this has been her first lucky day, the first of many. Tomorrow, when she gets her phone back, shell make a collect call to a city near Chicago to tell everyone the big news and ask them to buy the gossip magazines because shed been photographed going up the steps with the Star. Shell also tell them that shes had to adopt a new name. However, if they ask her whats going to happen next, shell change the subject. She has a superstitious belief that one shouldnt discuss projects until they actually happen. Theyll hear all about it as the news leaks out. Unknown actress chosen for major role. Lisa Winner was the guest of honor at a party in New York. Previously unknown Chicago girl is the new sensation in Gibsons latest movie. Agent negotiates million- dollar contract with one of the major Hollywood producers.

The skys the limit.