Watching Willow Watts (29 page)

‘
You knew Laurence Olivier? And Jimmy Stewart?’ Willow moved along the frames on the wall. ‘Elizabeth Taylor, and’ – her voice dropped to a whisper – ‘
Marilyn Monroe
?’

‘
Well, Marilyn and I weren’t
that close,’ Cissy explained. ‘She went on to become very famous, you see, and I . . . well, let’s just say I often got Marilyn’s leftovers.’ She motioned Willow to take a seat.

‘
You’re a film star.
’ Willow was obviously still trying to absorb the information. ‘But why are you living here?’ She gestured around the run-down house. ‘And how do you know my agent?’

‘
Lewis used to be my agent, too,’ Cissy said
.

Willow’s brow furrowed. ‘Lewis? I think you must be mistaken,’ she said, looking at Cissy like she was touched in the head. ‘My agent’s name is Jay. Jay Bellamy. Not Lewis.’

Cissy had
been right to think Willow hadn’t any idea what she’d signed up with; the man had obviously given the poor girl a false identity to hide his thievery. ‘I think you’ll find his real name is Lewis, dear.’ Cissy shuffled over to the cabinet where she kept all her clippings. Where was that one with the two of them together, right after Lewis had taken her on? He’d had his tart of a secretary snap a photo for the wall of his office, he’d said, although he’d never thought Cissy important enough to go up there. Lord knows why she’d kept the copy he’d sent.

Ah yes, here it was. Lifting the photo from the drawer, she turned to face Willow.

CHAPTER TW
ENTY-THREE

WATCHING CISSY RUMMAGE AROUND in a cabinet across the room, Willow tried desperately to take in everything that was happening. This woman was a former film star who not only had hob-nobbed with legends of the day, but who actually knew Marilyn? Willow never would have believed it but for the photos lining the walls. She pressed her fingers to her temples.
Could
this woman know Jay, somehow, too? And why did she call him Lewis?

‘
This is him, yes?’
Cissy showed the photo to Willow.

‘
Yes.’ Willow nodded. ‘But he calls himself Jay Bellamy now, not Lewis–’ She stopped. ‘What did you say his surname was?’

‘
Smelter,’ Cissy answered. ‘And I’m not surprised he changed his name, after what happened.’

‘
What?’ Willow’s heart pounded.

‘
Well, he
was
a big-shot agent,’ Cissy began, sitting down next to Willow. ‘Up in Scotland.’

Willow
’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Scotland! He told me London.’

Cissy didn’t look surprised at his deception.
‘But when one of his biggest clients, the singer Jorgie, busted him for something to do with a fraudulent contract, he couldn’t cover his costs.’

Willow sucked in her breath. ‘Fraudulent contract?’

‘
Yes.’ Cissy crossed her legs
. ‘I don’t recall all the particulars, but I do know there was some kind of settlement and the next thing I heard, Lewis had declared bankruptcy and taken off – with all the money he earned me, too.’

‘
Oh my G
od, I’m so sorry.’ Willow reached out to touch Cissy’s arm, noticing how the woman stiffened in response.

‘
I didn’t see him again until a couple weeks ago, at your concert on the green. I expect you were to be the key to his comeback, or something along those lines.’

‘
Yeah,’ Willow said. ‘I guess I am, but I don’t want to be. I’m through with being Marilyn but apparently my contract is pretty solid. He’s locked me in for ten years . . .’ Her voice trailed off as a thought entered her head. He’d signed the contract as
Jay
, not Lewis. If he put a false name, did it still count?

‘
That man should be shot,’ Cissy declared, thumping her cane on the floor with conviction.

Willow’s breath was coming fast
and she sprang to her feet. Could this be it – the out she was looking for? She had to speak to Matthias again.

‘
Thank you so much for talking to me.’ Willow looked down at Cissy. The woman seemed so frail, sunk in amongst the cushions of the threadbare sofa. ‘You’ve really helped.’

‘
Please let me know how it all comes out,’ Cissy said, her delicate features relaxing into a calm expression.

Willow nodded. ‘I will.’
She waved goodbye and forced herself to walk slowly to the door. Once outside, she quickened her pace until she was practically running. She burst through the doors of Paula’s salon, chest heaving.

‘
Everything okay?’ Paula looked up from where she wa
s slathering Mr Naughton’s comb-over with a horrible aubergine colour.

‘
I need to talk to Matthias!’ Willow panted. ‘I’ll explain in a sec.’

‘
His number’s on the contact list by the phone.’ Paula gestured toward the reception desk.

Willow raced over and punched in the number
, holding her breath as she listened to the phone ringing.

‘
Hiya
,’ Matthias voice boomed. ‘How’re things at the salon today?’

‘
I
t’s not Paula,’ Willow said quickly. ‘It’s Willow.’

‘
Oh, hello, Willow. Listen, I’m so sorry I couldn’t help you with that contract. Our legal expert said it was airtight. That’s a difficult situation, I know, but I’ve been thinking . . . it would make a fantastic story.
Twenty-First Century Marilyn and the Trappings of Fame.
You know, Marilyn had her fair share of people trying to get a piece of her, too.’

Willow rolled her eyes. When would Matthias stop trying to compare her to Marilyn?

‘
And you could make sure to expose Jay Bellamy, so that he’ll never be able to take advantage of anyone else,’ he continued.

Willow turned Matthias’s words over in her mind. The last thing she wanted to do was another interview, but if it stopped others falling victim to Jay’s scheming, then she was all for it. ‘Matthias, if what I’ve just found out is true, I’ll have an even bigger story for you,’ she said. ‘I need you to ask your legal expert: if someone signs a contract under a fake name to hide the fact he’s dodgy, does it make the contract invalid?’ She could hear the clacking of keys as Matthias noted it down.

‘
Sure, I’ll check
, but I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t be,’ Matthias said. ‘Listen, I’ll be up in Belcherton later today to talk to you about the interview, but I should be able to get back to you within the hour.’

Willow sighed with relief that she wouldn’t have to wait too long. ‘Great. Thanks, Matthias.’

She hung up the phone, and Paula scurried over after tucking Mr Naughton safely out of earshot under a blasting hairdryer. ‘What the hell is going on?’

‘
I think I might have found a
way out of the contract!’ Willow quickly explained about meeting Cissy and Jay’s false identity.

‘
For real?’ Pau
la shook her head, hair-sprayed fringe waving. ‘I mean, I knew he was sleazy, but I didn’t think he was a fraudster, too.’ She scooted behind the reception desk and opened Google. ‘What did you say his real name is?’

‘
Lewis. Lewis Smelter.’ Willow spat out the words. She couldn’t believe she’d let him kiss her . . . and do other things that were now making her feel like she was going to be sick again.

Paula typed the name into the search box and hit enter, and the two stared at the screen as link after link appeared.

‘
Oh my God,’ Willow
breathed as she read the top result:
Singer Jorgie Sues her Agent Lewis Smelter for Fraud
. The image by the link showed Jay – Lewis – with his arm around Scotland’s best-loved pop-singer, obviously in happier times. Underneath it was another link:
Jorgie Strikes Out of Court Settlement with Agent Smelter for One Million.
And then:
Jorgie’s Former Agent Lewis Smelter Declares Personal Bankruptcy
.

Paula shook her head. ‘Well, there you have it. God, no wonder he was so desperate to hide who he really was. I kind of remember hearing something about Jorgie and a dodgy agent, a few years back. Who’d have thought it was Jay!’

‘
I know.’ Willow was still having trouble digesting it all. ‘And the worst bit is, it wasn’t just Jorgie.’ She thought of Cissy, all alone in that dreary farmhouse, with only her old photos for company. ‘I’ve got to get out of the contract, Paula.’

The ring of the phone made them both jump and Willow’s heart banged against her ri
bs. Matthias couldn’t be calling back already, could he?

‘
RockIt Hair
, how can I help?’

Willow forced herself to breathe
.

‘
Oh, hey
. Yes, she’s right here.’ Paula paused and Willow tried not to grab the receiver from her hand. ‘Okay, I’ll see you tonight.’ She handed over the phone, and Willow gripped it with sweaty fingers.

‘
Hi, Matthias,’ she said in a strangled voice.

‘
I’ve got your answer.’

Willow tried to decipher what it might be from the tone of his voice, but he sounded the same as always. ‘And?’

‘
And the lawyers say that by the sounds of it the contract might be invalid, on the grounds that the agent is trying to obtain money by deception, amongst other things. You might even be able to call the cops on him if he deliberately tried to mislead you!’ Matthias said gleefully.

A tsunami of relief washed over Willow. Legs buckling beneath her, she collapsed onto a wooden stool. Beside her, Paula was shooting concerned looks and squeezing her arm tightly.

‘
Say it again,’ Willow
said weakly, afraid she’d somehow misinterpreted his words.

‘
The contract is quite possibly invalid. But you know lawyers, won’t commit fully until they have every single detail in front of them.’

‘
Oh my God.’ Willow lifted her head. ‘I can’t believe it.’

‘
Look, I’ll be up tonight and I’ll give you a more detailed breakdown of what they said – and get the inside scoop?’

Willow nodded before realising he couldn’t see her. ‘I’ll see you tonight.’

She hung up and turned to Paula, whose pale face was anxious and pinched.

‘
Babes,
don’t worry,’ Paula said. ‘We’ll think of something. None of us are going to let you go off with him again, even if we have to form a human chain around you!’ Her eyes flashed.

‘
You don’t have to do that. The contract is invalid. Jay – Lewis – might even go to jail!‘ Willow stood and stretched out her arms, feeling all the tension and tiredness drain away. ‘I’m free, Paula. I’m free.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-F
OUR

CISSY CLIPPED ON HER
best pearl earrings and smoothed back her snow-white hair. For the first time in years – ever since she’d moved to Belcherton, in fact – she was attending a social engagement. And although she was sorely out of practice with chit-chat, she was actually looking forward to it. When Willow had rung up with an invitation for a small celebration tonight, Cissy’s first impulse had been to decline. She’d stayed away from socialising in the village for so long it seemed strange to join in now.

‘
Please come. I’m sure everyone would love to get to know you,’
Willow had said, sensing Cissy’s hesitation.

Cissy had finally agreed. Now, staring at her image in the mirror, an unfamiliar feeling of contentment bubbled up. By sharing her information with Willow, it turned out Lewis
wouldn’t
be making a comeback in the showbiz industry any time soon. Even though that had been her original goal, strangely, it didn’t seem as important now. Saving someone else from a similar fate meant Cissy had finally been able to let go of the hurt and anger.

She dusted some powder across her cheekbones
, then took a deep breath and eased down the stairs. After all these years – struggling to make a career, a reputation shattered, living a life a hermit would admire – could she finally be starting to find her way back to happiness?

*

‘
Cheers!’ Willow
lifted the champagne glass high in the air. ‘Here’s to being me again.’ She looked around her crowded lounge at the faces of friends and family. ‘I just want to say thank you to everyone who has helped me. I’ve got the best people
ever
supporting me.’

‘
Cheers!’ the room chorused in response, raising Lordy’s finest bubbly. He’d ordered in a boatload of cases to meet the ‘highfalutin’ demands of the tourists, but since they’d tapered off, he’d given Willow some bottles before ‘they went bad’.

Catching sight of her reflection in the large mirror above the sideboard, Willow couldn’t help smiling. Paula had dyed her hair back to its usual chestnut brown right after the phone call from Matthias, and although it was shorter than it had been, Willow was ecstatic the blonde had left the building. She’d dressed up a bit for tonight, but the fitted khaki trousers and cotton shirt were a far cry from the tight dresses and pumps she’d sported as Marilyn. It was brilliant to be back in her own skin, even if she did weigh twenty pounds more.