Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 95609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Definitely a trap. Still, I’m almost certain I’m about to meet the man I’m supposed to be investigating, so I follow her. A couple of winding staircases later and I’m ushered into a luxurious space that’s made up like a lush mancave. There’s a bar on one end of the room and a massive screen that takes up a whole wall.
It’s nearly impossible to have a trailer on a city set, so this is what passes for the director’s trailer. His hideaway and workspace.
There’s a desk with pictures of Joseph Helms and his wife. Mrs. Helms is a beautiful blonde who looks slightly younger than her middle-aged husband.
I know Jess can’t stand the woman, but I hope I don’t have to be the one to tell her if her husband is cheating.
“I can’t do it with twelve,” Joe says into his cell as he walks in from another room. “The whole thing is timed. I need thirteen contestants. No, I can’t have him cut one less. You are not understanding the situation.”
“Neither am I,” I whisper under my breath.
“Okay, I’ll give you the cheap-seats version.” Christy is also a blonde. She’s tall and willowy and weirdly reminds me of the woman in the picture, though they’re obviously not the same. Christy is older.
The man seems to have a type, and I realize why I’m here.
Blonde, cute, young-looking.
Jessica knows exactly what she’s doing. She found her bait, and apparently it is me.
“So we have thirteen contestants,” Christy says, her voice low so she doesn’t disturb the currently pacing director. “There are ten episodes we’re planning to film. One of the women who was set to compete got a call from her agent who got her a job on a TV show. The trouble is she has to be on set tomorrow. I’ve begged her to stay on tonight and the king can simply cut her at the first elimination ceremony, but she claims she needs her beauty sleep. So I’ve lost our sales rep from Nevada and everyone is freaking out.”
“I thought she was an actress.”
“They’re all actresses. Well, almost all. I think the midwestern girl is really an accountant,” Christy says. “But it’s better we talk about what else they do for a living. None of them are solid working actors, of course, but almost all of them want to be in the industry.”
I’m not following fully. “I don’t understand. If he’s scheduled to cut three women, why not simply cut two? It shouldn’t cause a disruption with the shooting. You’ll still have ten episodes.”
“But he’s obsessed with this live event he’s got going. It’s set up for thirteen women,” Christy says as her eyes follow her boss. “I’ve tried to get him to see it’s okay, but he insists on the original thirteen. I guess he’s worried people will ask questions if he doesn’t have the thirteen that were promised.”
“Why would he worry about that? It’s not in his control.” Things go wrong all the time. No one blames the director. Nope. That’s a PA’s job.
“He’s had a couple of rumors circulate that he’s hard to work with. He’s not. He’s the sweetest man,” Christy assures me. “But he’s in the running for a big franchise, and he wants everything to be in line with his vision. Thirteen is apparently his perfect number. And that is where you come in… What was your name?”
“Anika.”
She brings her fingers to her lips in a chef’s kiss. “Oh, you are perfect. And you’re the right size. You’re a six?”
I nod. “Why do you need to know my dress size? Am I going to be working in a costume?” It isn’t completely unheard of. If they need a crowd for a scene, they sometimes hire actors or shove crew into the appropriate attire and let them shuffle around. “You need a walk-on one?”
A one meant I wouldn’t have any lines and wouldn’t be asked to do anything more specific than walk in a direction. I would be set décor. A two and three were basically small part roles often with a dash of dialogue.
“Nope. I need a lot more from you.” Christy waves a hand to get Joe’s attention as he places his cell phone on the bar. There’s no booze there. Just a bunch of soda and water bottles, reminding me he’s sober and seems to want to stay that way. “I have the solution.”
Joe turns and his eyes widen. “Oh, yes. She’ll do nicely.”
“I’ll do what?” Terror is kind of flowing through my veins at this point because I’ve got an inkling of what they need from me.
The director gives me a wide smile. “Compete for the crown.”
Yep. I want to be back with the horses.
Chapter Five
Somehow I find myself sitting in a makeup chair, a man tsking over me as Christy and Joe explain the turn my life has taken.