By the time we had finished with the cops, who took away the battered robber, and kept looking at me in a strange manner, it was late. We returned to the hotel, and Simon was very quiet.
We arrived at the desk, and I asked for my cardkey.
“Miss Lake, there is a note from Mrs Kysinski.” the clerk said, and handed me a folded piece of paper.
“Your mother has gone home, she is giving you the choice, stay with me or catch a cab.”
“She wants me to stay with you?”
“No whips, I promise.” I said, with a grin. The clerk’s eyebrows threatened to take off, which made me laugh even more.
“I’ll take a cab. If I stay the night, I can’t promise that I would be able to behave myself.” he said.
“Your choice. Will I see you at the show tomorrow?”
“I wasn’t going to, but I think I will now.”
I stood up on tip toes and kissed him on the cheek.
“Goodnight Simon, you are very sweet, but a little sad also, I think.”
“Goodnight Sandi. You are simply the best.”
I went up to my room, and had my third shower. It was still humid, so I turned up the air-conditioning. I lay on my bed and stared out the window at the New York skyline. In a way I was sad he hadn’t wanted to stay the night, but it saved any complications.
The telephone woke me at a little after eight. The show was due to start at two, and I frowned. I answered the phone. It was Natasha.
“Alexandra darling. What have you been up to? Have you seen the papers this morning?”
“Actually, I was fast asleep until you woke me.” I said, somewhat crossly.
“Well, you are famous, and it has given my show the most wonderful publicity, you are simply brilliant.”
“Famous?”
“Yeah, your little adventure with the thief in Central Park, it is front page news.”
“Oh fuck.” I said, and she roared with laughter.
“You are divine, even when you swear you sound so upper class and English.”
“I’ll see you later.” I said, somewhat grumpily, and put the phone down on her.
I dialled the desk.
“Hi, this is Miss Lake in room 1008. I understand I have managed to get into the papers this morning. Could you send a copy up to my room with my breakfast please?”
I then had to select my choice of breakfast, by which time I was fully awake.
I showered again, and whilst I was doing so the room service arrived with my breakfast and four newspapers.
SUPERBABE Lands in New York.
By Edward Harley.
Convicted felon Georgiou Lapinos (32) found himself in jail again last night after attempting to rob the wrong girl. At about 11pm in Central Park, New York City, Lapinos jumped into the path of a horse and carriage on its circuit of the park with a young couple enjoying a romantic ride. Armed with a .38 special, he held the reins and demanded the young man’s wallet at gunpoint.
But he had not reckoned with English spitfire Sandi Lake, who, according to the driver Bill Myers (58) verbally attacked the man with some very ‘earthy’ language. Then, seizing the whip from Mr Myer’s hand, the young supermodel literally lashed out and disarmed Lapinos with one strike, and her second strike knocked him to the ground. He was detained by police and arrested for attempted armed robbery. Lapinos is wanted for seven similar offences, and on a warrant for failing to surrender to bail for an earlier charge.
Miss Lake, at seventeen, is one of the youngest models to hit the big time within the fashion industry. She has recently been contracted by the famous Kysinski Fashion House, to model Natasha Kysinski’s Fall Collection. The Collection was previewed in London, Paris and Rome earlier in the month, with Miss Lake as the model for the entire show. It is held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where Miss Lake is staying.
Her stunning looks and colorful private life, have captured the imagination of the UK male. Her pictures now adorn more walls than the topless models from glamour magazines, and she keeps most of her clothes on.
She was recently the victim of a kidnapping attempt in Sussex, England, and the local police had to shoot one man and detained another after the gun battle to rescue her. Her father, Jonathon Lake, is rumoured to have underworld links, and she tries to distance herself from anything her father does.
Her looks have earned her the nickname of Superbabe in the UK, and she has certainly lived up to her name last night.
Her companion in the carriage was Simon Haddow (23), younger son of Natasha Kysinski. He spoke to this reporter last night from his home address.
“Sandi was amazing. She was so angry with the man. All I saw was the gun, and while I was still in shock, she stood up and really tore into the guy. I could see he was uncertain what to do, so she just took the whip and laid him out. The cops were there so fast, it was all unbelievable, she was just so cool.”
Lapinos is to appear before the court today, and he knows he is going to jail for a long time.
The phone went, and I answered it.
“Miss Lake, this is the hotel operator. I have a young man on the line, he says he is a friend of yours, do you wish to take a call from a David Carter?”
“David? Yes, oh yes, sure.” I said.
“Sandi?” said a familiar voice.
“Dave? Brilliant. Where are you?”
“I’m in New York, and I see you are too.”
“Oh, you’ve seen the papers?”
“I can’t leave you alone for a second. And who is this Haddow guy?”
“Oh, he is the son of the lady whose collection I’m here to model. I met him at dinner last night and we went for a ride as I had not seen anything of the city.”
“Well he seems pretty smitten by you.”
“You know how it is with us supermodels.” I teased.
“I’ve missed you.”
“Bollocks, you’ve had the time of your life. How’s Mike?”
“Mike is great, we are staying in a motel just outside the city. Seriously, I have missed you.”
“Aw, you are sweet. But I bet you haven’t really.”
“Well, most of the time I have. I did meet a girl in California, and she wanted us to get serious, but something held me back.”
“What, her husband?”
“No you daft bint, you.”
I was quiet.
“Sandi?”
“What?”
“I can’t get you out of my mind.”
“Foolish boy.”
“No, it is just that I really do love you.”
My heart went flippity flop.
“Mike called Jenny and she told him about the kidnap attempt, and I wanted to come back. But it was silly, there was nothing I could do. Then she told him about your modelling contract. You have done really well.”
“Thanks.” I said. I loved hearing his voice, but I was not certain whether I felt the same way as before.
“Dave. I need to see you.” I said.
“Great, where will you be?”
“I am at the Waldorf, the show starts at 2 pm. But I need to talk.”
“Oh, that sounds ominous.” he said.
“Not really. I need to see you and talk to you before I really know what I feel.”
“Oh.”
“I’ve been through a lot, and on my own, and I am not sure whether I want to get too stuck in a serious relationship just yet. But you are special, and I need you in person to see whether I want you as much as I think I do.”
I realised I was making little sense.
“I’ll be over this afternoon.”
“Great, I’ll leave a ticket at reception.”