Screenland (May-Oct 1931)

100 SCREENLAND cold. It was over almost as soon • as it started. Dad dusted off his hands. Picked Del Santo up by the seat of the pants and threw him through the open door. "That ought to hold you for a while," he said. Miss Latour stopped screaming. Rushed to the telephone. "Police ! Police !" she cried into the receiver. "He's stealing my baby. Send the police !" Dad pushed Nurse and me toward the door. "Get out of here," he said. "Let's be on our way." Nurse carried me into the car. Dad jumped in beside her. Mike slammed in the gears. Away we went. Hadn't gone two blocks before a cop on a motorcycle came up beside us. "Pull over to the curb," he roared. "Where's the fire?" Mike stopped the car. The cop looked in through the window and saw Dad. "Hello, Bill," he said. "Didn't know who it was. Wouldn't have stopped you. We got a call at the station that somebody was stealing a baby." "McGuire," said Dad thankfully. "Just the man I'm looking for. Listen, Mac, here's the story." Dad told him about Del Santo and Miss Latour and how they were planning to run off to South America and take me with them. "Don't blame you a bit," said McGuire. "He's your kid, ain't he? Better get out of the country fast. She'll have a flock of cops after you. The sympathy is always with the woman." "We're headed for Mexico," Dad told him. "Agua Caliente. Once we cross the border I'd like to see her take the boy away from me." "O. K.," said McGuire. "I'll give you an escort through the city. Ready, Mike? Step on it. Let's go." McGuire got out in front of us and turned on his siren. We hit Hollywood Boulevard at sixty miles an hour. Everybody got out of our way when they heard us coming. Boy, it was exciting. Never had such a ride in my young life. We went through Hollywood and Los Angeles so fast that the street lights were nothing but a blur. Came to the Coast Highway. McGuire stopped. Gave us the signal to go ahead. "You're safe now," he said. "Good luck, Bill. Give my regards to the kid when you get to Mexico." Been a hard day. A boy needs his sleep. Cuddled up in Nurse's arms and shut my eyes. Sure glad to be with Dad again. Wonder what this Mexico place will look like. Sunday. Slept 'til noon. Nurse gave me an extra big bottle when I woke up. Agua Caliente is swell. Beautiful Spanish buildings all over the landscape. Swimming pool is pretty. So is the race track. They won't let me into the gambling casino because I'm too young. Don't suppose it amounts to much, anyway. Monday. Things are not going so well. Heard Nurse and Mike talking about Dad today. "Been hitting the stuff ever since we arrived," Mike said. "Hate to see Bill Regan in that condition. He's right in the middle of a big picture, too. This little trip is costing the studio about five thousand a day." "Can't you get him straightened up?" asked Nurse. "It's Miss Latour he's worried about." "Don't blame him," growled Mike. "If my wife had run off to South America with a ham actor I wouldn't feel so cheerful myself." Tuesday. Dad's still hitting it up. Mike says he lost ten thousand last night in the casino. "Couldn't even see the chips," Mike said. "They took him for everything he had. A crime, that's what it is." Am getting worried. Hate to see Dad making a fool of himself. Wonder if Miss Latour and Del Santo went to South America. Don't think she'll like him much after Dad spoiled his good looks. Friday. Something has got to be dene. Nurse said that Dad has had ten telegrams from the studio. They're sore because he's holding up production on the picture. Say they'll get another director unless he comes back to Hollywood at once. Saturday. Don't feel well. Have been worrying too much. Can't hold anything on my stomach. Whooped up the last four bottles. Am tired of Agua Caliente. Wish we could all go back to the house in Hollywood. Like that town a lot better than Mexico. Sunday. What a night ! Everything happened at once. Dad got fired by the studio. Lost every cent he had in the casino. Feel terrible myself. Haven't had a decent meal in twenty-four hours. Everybody's worried about me. Nurse says the Mexican doctor at the hotel never saw a baby before. Hasn't the slightest idea what's the matter. Says if I'm not better by noon, she's going to telegraph my regular doctor in Hollywood. Sunday noon. Nurse telegraphed for Doctor. He's coming by plane. Feel awful. Wish we were home again. The milk in Mexico doesn't agree with me, I guess. Dad's himself again. Spent the morning watching me. Nurse and Mike were in my room. Everybody quiet and worried. Wonder how sick I am ? Dad said if he'd known this was going to happen, he'd never have kidnapped me. Said he guessed that a boy's place was with his mother. Beginning to think so myself. Wish Miss Latour hadn't gone to South America with Del Santo. Was just beginning to like her. Boy, I'm sick ! The mere sight of a bottle turns my stomach. Worrying about my family has done it. A boy of my age ought to lead a quiet life. Having trouble with your parents is enough to make anybody sick. Elissa Landi, the Fox fascinator, is not only a good actress but she's a novelist, too, and besides that she wants to be a director. What's that crack about "beautiful but dumb?" Later. Doctor arrived. Was glad lo see him. "What's wrong, young man?" he said. "What's the trouble?" Examined me carefully. Shook his head. "Very strange," he said. "Don't understand it. Afraid this is pretty serious. W'here's his mother? She ought to be with him." "In South America," said Dad. Doctor shook his head and went : "Tch, tch. t You've got a sick baby, Mr. Regan. I'll "do the best I can to save him." Doctor gave me some medicine. Stuff tasted awful. Whooped it right up. After that they tried different formula?. Couldn't hold any of them. Felt awful funny inside. Saw Nurse crying. Guess I was a pretty sick boy. Dad began to pace up and down the floor. "You've got to do something, Doctor. Fle's my son. I can't give him up." "I'm doing the best I can," snapped the doctor. "There's something wrong with this child I don't understand. Wish his mother was here. Quite often they can help a baby far more than a doctor. Peculiar thing, but it's true." Nurse stopped crying. "Going to try," she announced. "Miss Latour may not have gone. May still be in Hollywood. Let me send a telegram, Mr. Regan." "Go ahead," said Dad. "Anything that will help little Bill." Guess I lost consciousness after that. Room got blurred. Everything spun around and around. Sunday night. Heard somebody calling my name and woke up. Didn't knowwhere I was at first. Recognized the room in Agua Caliente. A lot of people crowded around me. Saw Nurse and Mike. Saw Dad and Doctor. "My baby! My baby!" Miss Latour was bending over me. Sure glad to see her. Took me in her arms and began to croon a little song. "Came as fast as I could, darling." she whispered to me. "When I heard my baby was sick, nothing could stop me. Never leave you again, little sweetheart." Dad put his arm around Miss Latour and looked down at me. "The kid's smiling. Well, I'll be — !" he said. "Believe he knows you." "Of course he does, Bill," said Miss Latour. "Think a boy doesn't know his own mother ?" "Get a bottle ready, Nurse," said Doctor. "Maybe he'll take it now." "Did I ?" Gulped it down as fast as I could. Was certainly hungry. Miss Latour and Nurse held on to each other and laughed and cried. Was pretty happy myself. Swell to have my family together again. "Listen," said Dad, "after the kid has a good nap we'll start for home. That's the place he belongs and it's where he's going to stay." "No fooling," said Miss Latour. "They won't be able to pry me out of that house with a million dollar contract." "How about Del Santo?" asked Dad. "That bum?" said Miss Latour. "He sailed for South America a week ago. I was a fool. He was a bad actor, anyway. He ruined my last picture." Wait 'till I see the McGuire twins again. What a story I'll have to tell them ! Felt swell inside. Went to sleep happy for the first time since we left home. Tuesday. Home. No place like it. Bingo almost chewed one of my ears, he was so glad to see me. Mike found a letter from the studio with an offer for his new camera. Has to agree to operate it himself until the technicians learn how it works. Guess this means I'll lose Nurse. Mavbe it's just as well. Was about to fall' in love with that girl myself. A boy