Richard Hawke - Cold Day in Hell

I said goodbye to Megan at Fifth Avenue. Actually, I didn’t say goodbye. She squeezed my hand, and in half a minute, she was passing the library lions. I considered angling across Bryant Park to my office but then congratulated myself for not being a complete fool. Megan was right. I should go see my girl. I needed to do some work on that front.

I peered down Fifth for a last glimpse of the small detective, but the dusk had swallowed her up. I hoped she wasn’t still carrying around her big stupid questions. A woman like that worries me.

He’s back! Loose lips are telling this reporter that Marshall Fox and KBS Television have mended fences and are ready to put pen to paper for a three-year renewal of Fox’s popular late-night show, Midnight with Marshall Fox . With Fox’s ex-boss, former KBS director of programming Alan Ross, behind bars and awaiting the first of what promises to be a string of trials running longer than some of the shows Ross himself heralded at KBS, the popular entertainer released a statement declaring his “satisfaction that the disinfectant they’re using over there at KBS seems to be working.” Since the dropping of all criminal charges against him five months ago, Fox has been splitting his time between his ranch outside of Jackson Hole and his beachfront estate in Maui, working on a book about his recent roller-coaster ride through the public zeitgeist. Responding to a call from this reporter concerning the increasingly erratic behavior of Fox’s estranged wife, Rosemary Boggs Fox (and who hasn’t seen the photographs at this point?), Fox replied, and I quote: “What can I say, Jimmy? Fruitcake. It’s not just for Christmas anymore.” Unquote. My, my. Don’t the beautiful people say the most beautiful things?

Meanwhile, in related dirt…

Richard Hawke lives in New York City. He is the author of Speak of the Devil , and under the name Tim Cockey is the author of the award-winning “hearse” novels. Visit his website, www.RHawke.com.