Hollywood Girls Club (33 page)

Boos and heckles rang out as Arnold squinted his eyes.

“There, there she is. I want her arrested. I want her jailed.” Lydia looked at Zymar, who looked as drained as she felt. Jessica stood at Lydia’s side. She leaned over and whispered,

“This will be ugly. But stay strong. You’ve got the crowd on your side.”

“Lauren, get security up here now!” Jessica hissed over to Lauren. “How the fuck did this prick get into the building?!”

“I have here a cease-and-desist order from a federal judge,” Arnold bellowed. “Police are on the way. You, Lydia Albright, are a thief and a liar. And finally after years of fraud and slander, you are going to jail.”

“Hey, Arnold, pipe down and show your film,” an exec yelled from the first row.

“Yeah, Arnie, what are you so afraid of? That Lydia might actually be right?” another senior studio exec called.

“You think you’d want a film that made some money while you’re running Worldwide,” catcalled another. “Everything else you’ve released so far has tanked.”

Jessica charged toward the leprechaun. “Arnold, this stops now. We are going to my office to discuss this.”

“You, Jessica Caulfield, will be charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and a felony,” he screeched. “Violation of copyright laws both domestic and international. Perhaps you two gal pals can be cell mates.”

“I’m not kidding, Murphy,” Jessica threatened. “
Now.
This is still my company, my building, and my screening room. So far all you’ve got proof of is a room full of people getting ready to watch a film. Do you even know what we’re here to see?”

Arnold looked horrified.

“Yeah, Arnie, you’re looking at the Peter O’Toole fan club. We’re here to watch
Lawrence of Arabia
. Now get out.”

“You won’t get away with this,” Arnold hissed as Jessica’s security detail finally arrived at the screening room door.

“Come with me, Arnold,” Jessica said. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back out the door.

“You two,” Arnold said, pointing to his goons, “stay here. If they show anything but
Lawrence of Arabia
, come get me.” They nodded slowly.

Jessica nodded to the projectionist as she, Arnold, and his attorneys filed out of the room.

Lydia couldn’t imagine how Jessica contained Arnold for two hours, but she did. Every time Lydia looked over her shoulder throughout the picture, the only people she saw by the screening room door were Arnold’s henchmen. And they seemed to enjoy the film as much as the other ninety-seven people crammed into the screening room. As the credits rolled, with the closing score blaring from the speakers, Lydia overheard snippets of conversation.

“Huge.”

“It’ll break records.”

“Amazing action sequence. I can’t remember the last time I saw something like that on film.”

“He’s an idiot if he doesn’t release this summer.”

Lydia was thrilled. She received the kisses and handshakes of a conquering producer.

Zymar made his way through the crowd of well-wishers to Lydia’s side.

“Oh Zy, it really is even better than I expected!” Lydia said, giving him a hug.

“Yeah, well, let’s hope we get a release date,” Zymar said.

“Well, if you don’t, Arnold is a fool,” said Jeff Blume, stretching out his hand to Zymar. “But then again, I worked for him, so I know that to be a fact.

“Hi, Lyd,” he said, and gave her a hug. “Great job. It’s amazing. Listen, if you don’t get a release date from Worldwide, let me know. Galaxy has an option to pick up one of Worldwide’s unreleased films. They owe us from way back. I don’t think Arnold’s aware of the deal; it predates him. But I want to make
Seven Minutes Past Midnight
a Galaxy release should Arnold be stupid enough not to distribute it.”

“That’s great news, Jeff,” Lydia said.

Zymar placed his arm around her waist. At least part of the plan had worked: The public would get a chance to see the film. Lydia might not be able to make it to the premiere, as she’d be in federal prison, but at least the movie would be released.

*

Lydia walked into Jessica’s office expecting police and federal marshals, but to her shock Arnold was gone. Waiting instead were Jessica and Cici. And Ted Robinoff.

“Lydia, it’s
fantastic
!” Cici squealed, and sprang to her feet.

“You saw it?” Lydia asked, surprised to see her friend.

“We got there just as the opening credits closed,” Cici gushed. “We saw the whole thing. Ted loved it!”

Lydia turned to look at Ted Robinoff, arguably one of the most powerful people in Hollywood. Definitely the most elusive. Lydia gave Jessica a knowing glance. They’d both suspected this love affair between Cici and Ted but had been unable to obtain confirmation from Cici or any of their other sources.

“So you liked the film?” Lydia asked.

“Very much,” Ted said.

“Where’s Arnold?” Lydia asked. “Sorry if I look a little panicked. I half expected to be arrested upon entering Jessica’s office.”

“Yes, Celeste told me about your ongoing problems with Arnold,” Ted said. “It seems he’s been less than helpful with this film.”

It was an understatement but one Lydia chose not to comment on. She knew Cici well enough to know that if she hadn’t already, she would fill Ted in on every one of Arnold’s dirty tricks over the last nine months. A story that would be much more compelling for Ted coming from Cici.

“Well, that’s finished now. All I want is a release date for my film. And not to go to jail,” Lydia said, watching Ted Robinoff, wondering if he’d actually commit to anything at this moment.

“I need to go over to the studio,” Ted said. “Arnold and I have a meeting at six. But Lydia, I can guarantee you that Worldwide won’t be pressing any charges against you or Zymar.”

He turned to Cici, his tone softening. “I’m going now. I’ll see you around eight.”

Lydia watched as Cici turned from tough über-star to sweet, soulful girl as she looked up and kissed Ted. She’d never seen her friend let herself be so emotionally vulnerable with a man, and she’d wager that stern, serious Ted was rarely so intimate with anyone on the planet.

Ted paused at the door to Jessica’s office. “I wish I could give you a release date now, Lydia, but I need to meet with Arnold first. You have moxie and passion, and those are two qualities I admire in a person.” He gave them a wave.

“Who is that guy?” Lydia said, dropping to the couch. “Is he for real?”

“Oh, he’s for real,” Cici said, “and he’s mine.”

“If we get out of this one, ladies, it will be a very good day,” Jessica said.

A very good day indeed
, Lydia thought.

Chapter 33

Jessica Caulfield’s Booties

Jessica stared at the digital calendar on her flat screen monitor. She did the math for the third time in her head.
But …

“Oh my GOD, I’m pregnant!” Jessica whispered aloud. “Lauren!” she yelled. “Call Dr. Crane and schedule an appointment for today if you can get it.”

“But your annual isn’t for another six weeks,” Lauren said, standing in the doorway to Jess’s office.

“Don’t worry about it, just do it,” Jessica said, and quickly minimized the calendar on her computer screen, even though there was no possible way Lauren could see it. Once Lauren returned to her desk, Jessica counted the days off on both hands for the fourth time.

“He can’t see you until tomorrow,” Lauren yelled out.

“Fine,” Jessica called, “just book it.”

Jessica didn’t know if she was thrilled or terrified. Twenty-four hours was too long to wait. If her calculations were correct, she was almost eight weeks along. Eight weeks! That meant she’d be a mother in seven months. Jessica jumped from her chair and grabbed her Dior purse. There was a Save-On down the street. Normally she’d send one of her assistants or a trainee from the mailroom, but she didn’t want speculation over her fertility filling the agency halls. There was enough gossip about her floating around already.

“I’ll be right back,” Jessica said, slipping quickly past her three assistants.

“Where are you going?” Lauren asked. “You have your weekly meeting with Jeremy and Tolliver in fifteen minutes.”

Most of the time it was fantastic to have a brilliant obsessive-compulsive assistant like Lauren, but at this moment, Jess somehow felt as if she was being scolded by her mother.

“Back in ten,” Jessica called. “I have to run out.”

Lauren flashed a disapproving frown as Jessica hopped onto the executive elevator. Her heart pounded with excitement and fear.
What would Mike say?
He couldn’t be surprised; they’d been less than zealous with their birth control.
Lackadaisical
was the word that came to mind.

The pharmacy next to the office was empty except for the clerk at the register and a blue-haired ninety-year-old woman in the birthday card section. Jessica grabbed three tests (all different brands just to be on the safe side) and bolted to the register. She slid up to a girl who looked to be no older than fourteen. The girl blew a huge bubble, then cracked her gum.

“That it?” she asked while listlessly passing the boxes in front of the bar code scanner.

“Yes, thank you.”

“Sixty-three forty-nine,” the girl said.

Jessica handed her a hundred. Parenthood was expensive and she didn’t even know if she was pregnant yet.

She arrived back at her office with ten minutes to spare.
Just enough time to try one of my tests.
She slipped past Lauren and pulled shut her door (something she rarely did). In her executive bathroom she skimmed the instructions on test number one. She peed on the stick and waited, pacing in front of her executive toilet.

“Jessica?” She heard Lauren knocking on her office door. “Jeremy is on his way over.”

Crap, Jessica thought as she scrambled to put all three pregnancy tests in the drawer next to the sink. No answers yet, and now she had to meet with Tolliver.

Jessica had lost a tremendous amount of respect for Jeremy recently, because he couldn’t see through Tolliver’s brownnosing, suck-up ways. Why Jeremy still believed that Tolliver was an asset to CTA was an utter mystery to her. His paycheck was enormous. The magic client list that Tolliver claimed he’d bring with him to CTA from his previous agency had never materialized. And he hadn’t attracted any new talent, despite his touted skills. The man was expensive, had no clients, and brought in no business.
So why
, Jessica often wondered,
was he here?

But Jeremy was completely enamored of him. Jessica believed that Jeremy, as an Americanized Brit who’d pulled himself up with hard work and a good marriage, was impressed with Tolliver’s pedigree. Tolliver was related to two United States presidents and had a family lineage that could be traced back to the British royal family, or so he claimed. Jessica, however, doubted Tolliver’s claims. She’d checked with some of the agents at his old shop, DTA. It wasn’t that DTA couldn’t make Tolliver’s deal, but that they didn’t
want
to make his deal. Tolliver hadn’t met the bottom line. But now he had a new teat to suck off for at least three years. Jeremy was Tolliver’s new sugar daddy, one who hadn’t yet caught on to the scam.

This weekly meeting between the coheads of CTA was Jeremy’s idea. He was trying to foster a feeling of collegiality and camaraderie between Jessica and Tolliver. So far, Jessica hadn’t seen any kind of hard work that would make her want Tolliver as part of her team. He’d failed to close any deals or find work for any of CTA’s clients. Most of the time he bounced from meeting to meeting, coming up with grandiose plans and then never following through.

“Jeremy.” Jessica rose from the chair across from her suede-covered sofa as Jeremy entered her office. Clean-cut and crisp, he always wore Michael Vartos (the company was custom-tailoring his clothes now). Jeremy kissed Jess on both cheeks.

“Jess, you look absolutely radiant,” he said, taking a seat.
Little does he know
, Jessica thought.
I may just be the very epitome of radiant, and glowing, and ripe
.

“Where’s Tolliver?” Jessica asked. She peered through her open office door.

“Finishing up a call. He’ll be down in a few moments. This gives me an opportunity to speak with you alone.”

Radiant. What a word to choose. Jessica’s mind drifted to names and baby carriages. What color would she paint the nursery walls? Booties, she would get baby booties! Was it a boy or a girl? Which did Mike want? She tried to imagine what a perfect combination of her and Mike’s DNA would look like.

“Jess, what do you think?”

Jess broke from her reverie. She hadn’t heard a word Jeremy said. “I’m sorry, I’m fighting a terrible cold and the medicine has me a little hazy. Would you repeat that last part?”

Jeremy didn’t need to, as at that moment Tolliver entered Jessica’s office. His brow was furrowed and his fists clenched. So tumultuous was his demeanor that he didn’t bother to sit or greet either of them, choosing instead to pace in front of Jessica’s desk.

“Well, Jess, it seems your screening yesterday put CTA in a very tenuous position,” Tolliver said.

Jessica had little patience for Tolliver, anyway, and these dramatics irritated her. Keeping her disdain in check, she eyed him.

“How so? We didn’t violate any copyright laws. Ultimately Ted Robinoff gave his consent to the screening.”

“Yes, but it made Mr. Murphy very upset,” Jeremy chimed in.

Jessica was surprised by Jeremy’s response. The two men must have had a prior discussion about this matter. Jessica wondered what Tolliver was up to.

“It seems Tolliver has been working on a very important deal with Arnold and now, because of yesterday, it’s in jeopardy.”

“What deal?” Jessica asked, looking pointedly at Tolliver. She was skeptical. Aside from trying to sabotage Lydia’s film, Arnold hadn’t accomplished anything as president of Worldwide except losing money and pissing everyone off.

Tolliver flopped down on Jessica’s couch, running his hand through his hair.