Reel Stuff (17 page)

“Great.”

“You don't sound sincere.”

I didn't mean it. I had a hard time believing this was happening.

“We're here to do a job and we're spending someone else's money. If the situation were reversed—”

“Do I detect a note of jealousy?”

“No. Maybe. I don't know.”

“Skip,” she whispered, “we're undercover. Isn't this what we're supposed to be doing? Getting close to Juliana Londell?”

“I found out she has a rather sizable insurance policy on her late husband. That's what we were sent here to find out.”

“We can learn more, Skip.” Making the case for staying in this fantasy world. “Was she faithful? Is she trying to pull some sort of scam? Did she take part in the murder?”

“I'm not sure we can—”

“What?” Em's hushed voice was stern. “Solve the crime? If we go back to Miami, I don't think it furthers the cause, Skip. Ashley is not going to fund numerous trips to California, I'm pretty sure of that.” She was talking in a soft voice, but every word was intense. “And what about Greg Handler? The camera guy?”

I'd almost forgotten about him.

“I'll get closer to Juliana.” She wasn't giving up. “You find out what you can about her and try to find this Handler guy. And talk to James about the history of that other grip. There were four people on that scaffolding. Two are now dead. And we're not sure about another one.”

She was right. She was wrong. But one thing was evident. There was a lot of information to gather.

“We're still working the case, Skip. It's just that I think I can be more effective in this capacity.”

And I thought she was making an excuse to explore career opportunities. But she was right. There were things I could be
doing while she was distracting the suspect. Still, I didn't want to be dating a television star, because I was pretty sure that I wouldn't be dating her long.

“So where does that leave
us
?”

Em stared straight ahead and took a deep breath.

“The producer, Martin Scott, wants to talk to me in an hour. Over coffee. He said he has some specific points he wants to address. And he wants Juliana there as well. He wants to talk to me, Skip. About the role, if it should be offered.”

I ignored the ramifications. I concentrated on the fact that Juliana had been invited to the conference.

“So, she's out of the office.”

“He called her from the audition. She's coming to the meeting.”

“This meeting with Martin whoever?”

She caught my snarky tone.

“Scott. Martin Scott. If you're concerned, I'm pretty sure he's gay, Skip. Just settle down.”

It was an ideal opportunity for me to go back and talk to the Waronker lady. Whether she'd talk to
me
was a different story.

“All right, Skip, I'm a little scared. Okay? Should I do a second audition? And what if I really got the gig? Do I carry this undercover thing that far?” Her insecurity was showing.

Squeezing my hand, she said, “But I really believe I could do this. And if I get the job, what do I tell Dad?”

It wasn't about Em being undercover. It went further than that, and she couldn't admit that. In a matter of hours, she'd bought into the hype. She was envisioning a possible future in show business.

“Em, I just don't know where that leads us. I'm your biggest fan, but there's a job here that needs to be done.”

“They think I can act.”

“You did a damn fine job of convincing them, granted, but
even your Screen Actor's Guild card is fake. We're frauds. Both of us. Pure fiction. We're playing a role. Don't you think someone will figure this out?”

She frowned, grabbing me by the elbow, and pulling me down the lot.

As we walked toward the gate, she talked.

“Skip, there are moments in life when you have to either bite the apple or throw it away.”

“Now you're Eve?”

“Maybe. But here's an opportunity that may never present itself again.”

“Damn, Em, you sound like James.”

“And you buy into his schemes religiously, don't you?”

I did.

“An actress? Really?”

“I'm going for it, Skip. It's the best undercover role I'll ever play. Are you with me or not?”

I was always with her. But I was here to help solve a murder in Miami. Somehow I was going to have to do a balancing act. I didn't like Juliana Londell, and I suspected she may very well have had something to do with her husband's death. The lady was possibly a murderer, and now, now she was responsible for my girlfriend's career and future. What the hell was I supposed to do?

“By the way,” she said.

“Yes?”

“You said you found the insurance policy. Unbelievable. In that short time I was in Bavely's office?”

“Yes.”

“And you had time to look at it?”

“I did.”

“How much does she stand to make? On top of a huge inheritance?”

“Ten million dollars.”

“Ten million dollars?”

“Ten million dollars,” I said.

“Ten million dollars,” the words rolled off her tongue.

“The lady stands to make a lot of money, no question. It would be worth the effort to bump off someone you'd grown tired of, wouldn't you say?”

“Damn, Skip. That's a lot of money.”

“Your dad's worth that, isn't he?” For some reason I'd always thought her father was worth multiple millions. It just came out, and I didn't really expect her to respond to the question.

“Like I said,” she said, “that's a lot of money.”

“You take your meeting. I'll go back to the office and talk to Sue Waronker. I don't think she likes me, but she gives me good information.”

“Be careful.”

“You too.”

“We happy?” she asked.

It was one of my favorite lines from
Pulp Fiction
. I didn't answer.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

James was less than sympathetic.

“Dude, she's always had this prima donna attitude. You've known that since high school. Your girlfriend is someone who thinks she should be a little higher up on the ladder than she is.”

“What?” I knew what he was saying, but I wanted clarification.

“She believes she's better than we are.”

Emily sleeps with me. I have no great job, no real future, and yet she lets me invade her space.

“That's not true, James.”

“It is. You may choose not to believe it, but in one of your sane moments, you will realize your better half really believes she is your
better
half. Actually, she may be, but amigo, she is all about herself. Trust me on this, Skip.”

“She is with me, James. How does that play if she thinks she's better than we are? How?”

I didn't want to hear it.

“Come on, man, secretly I like Em, but, Skip, she is so stuck on herself. Deep down you know that.”

And I realized he was right. She'd always known she was destined
for bigger and better things. I could tell from her demure demeanor, her smugness, her holier-than-thou attitude. But she hung out with me. She'd stuck with me for six years. So what did that say about the lady?

Now, Em was going for a career. A glamorous career that few people dream of. And here I was still stuck in a dead-end job. Selling security systems in Carol City, Florida, and working part time as a P.I.

I'd dropped the budding actress off at a coffee shop about two blocks from the studio, and I drove the rental back to Londell's office. Sue Waronker, the leggy brunette, was at her desk.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, she nodded at me.

“Almost closing time, Mr.—”

“Moore. Skip Moore.”

“Yeah. What can I do for you?”

“Juliana had my girlfriend fire me.”

She smiled and wrinkled her nose. “I heard. You are no longer a boyfriend-slash-manager.”

“Is she always this take charge?”

“Juliana?” She laughed. “She's a ballbuster.”

“I get the impression you aren't really that fond of her.”

“She signs the check.” Her voice carried a sarcastic smile.

I slumped into a chair across from the lady.

“Seriously, Chip.”

“Skip.”

“Doesn't matter. I've got work to do, and then I'm out of here. This was not an invitation for you to have a seat.”

“She was married to Jason Londell.” I wasn't about to leave.

“Duh.”

“And he dumped her?”

“Oh, is that the story?” She wore a wide-eyed innocent look on her face. “Thanks for enlightening me.”

“I don't know. It's what I heard.”

“I don't understand how that could possibly be any of your business, but I believe I was a little closer to the situation.”

“Oh?”

“Without giving away the exciting plot, let me reiterate what I said earlier. Juliana Londell is a ballbuster. She is a tough lady who doesn't let anyone get in her way. Anyone. Understand? Tell her that something can't be done, and she'll find a way to do it.”

Suspicion confirmed. The agent dumped the actor.

“Let's take your bombshell blonde. Agent Kathy Bavely found her. Invited her back. Saw the potential. But the question is, who's representing your sweetheart to Henson Productions? Care to venture a guess? Who will guide her career and give her the auditions she needs? Huh?”

“Juliana?”

“Bingo, dude.”

“So not only does she chew up men and spit them out, but she uses people to get what she wants.”

“Hey, Flip.”

“Skip.” She was doing it deliberately.

“Dude, like I said, the lady signs my paycheck. I don't make much, but it's an income and I am not saying things like that about my employer.”

I nodded. Receiving good information from someone who appeared to be extremely hostile.

“So Juliana left him for someone else?”

“That's above my pay grade, Kip.”

I let it go.

“Another actor? Someone in the business? I'd really like to know. Do you have any idea?”

“You don't give up, do you? Why is this so important to you?” Looking up from her computer, she shot me a questioning look.

“Your boss just cost me some money. A commission. Ser iously.
She got me fired. And I'd like to know a little bit more about this lady.”

“I've said all I'm going to say.”

Sue Waronker stood up, rolled her chair back, and stepped away from the desk.

“Time to go, Rip.”

Easing out of the chair, I said, “If you know anyone looking for a manager—”

“Oh, for God's sake. What kind of a manager are you? You can't hold on to the only client you had. Great manager you turned out to be. I'll be sure to recommend you to all my friends.”

“Actually, I'm not that bad.”

She laughed out loud, a throaty laugh that came from the chest.

“Not that bad? You overestimate your worth, Mr. Manager.”

“No, Sue, you should be impressed.”

“And why is that. Why should I be impressed?”

I smiled insincerely. “I landed a beautiful young actress who may have a very bright future, and I got her a leading talent agent. Not bad for my first time out, is it?”

I didn't point out that it had all happened pretty much in less than twenty-four hours.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

I found Greg Handler's agent on a web search. I called, told the guy I was an independent filmmaker, and was working on a documentary about struggling independents in the industry. Like myself.

The agent gave me a phone number, and I was surprised when Handler answered. I didn't think it would be that easy.

“I'm between gigs right now,” he said. “What did you have in mind?”

Explaining that I was strictly in an exploratory mode at the moment, I told him I just wanted to meet for a short time to give him my vision of this fantasy project and see if he was interested.