I smirked. “Explain to me again why I would help you?”
“Because ifyoudon’t get her to stop,we’llhave to do it. And it won’t be a quick jab this time.” His smile fell off, and he stared me down.
I shifted, and scanned the packet, suddenly a little interested. “And how am I going to do that?” I looked up from the script.
Arthur’s thin lips spread into a slow grin as he slid his hand inside his suit, pulling out a small, gray bullet.
“You’re going to stun her. Scare her a little, that’s all.” He offered it to me, and I took it, bringing it to eye level and turning it between my fingers. “You ever hear of anIch lügebullet?”
Chapter 63
Evie
The First Screening
“He’s left us no choice. Sebastian Shaw is a monster.”
“A monster?” I stared blankly at the executive who’d pulled me into his office after working a twelve-hour shift.
I was exhausted and just wanted to leave the studio.
To go home.
To go to Sebastian’s.
“Yes. He has killed four of my friends. I’m not sure why, but we think it has to do with trying to cover up his past indiscretions. We need to keep Hollywood safe, Evie. And we can’t do it without you and thisIch lügebullet.”
I smiled at Arthur as he nodded enthusiastically. He was telling me all about his grand idea for the final scene they wanted to shoot. I prayed I hadn’t accidentally agreed to something, because I wasn’t listening. How could I, when my mind was full of the text Sebastian had sent me right before I walked into Arthur’s office.
Psycho Killer: This isn’t fuckingHeathers.
At first, I didn’t understand what he was trying to tell me, and then Arthur produced the bullet, and it clicked. Those were the same bullets Christian Slater’s character JD used inHeathers. There was no such thing.
Ich lüge means “I’m lying.”
Arthur’s hands waving in front of me brought me back to his office.
“Picture it. You and Sebastian, clothes torn, covered in dirt and cuts. Epic fires behind you, sirens blaring in the distance, and then, it’s just you two. You lift your gun, he follows, and then you say—”
“Simon says, motherfucker,” I finished his sentence, having already scanned the script.
He laughed and clapped, like one of those toy monkeys with the little cymbals.
“Yes! And then you shoot him! He’ll drop, you’ll run to him, not realizing it was a real bullet. As with any shoot with a gun, there will be proper staff on set to take care of him. He’ll be stunned, but nothing more. TheIch lügebullet was made just for this.”
“For movies?”
“No, to scare the piss out of people.” Arthur sat back and sighed heavily. “I’m sorry you got wrapped up in this, Evie. I’m not entirely sure why he’s doing all of this, but Sebastian needs to be stopped. You’re our last hope.”
“What if I miss? This seems dangerous.”
“It won’t matter. Even if it hits his heart, the bullet can’t pierce his skin. You have to trust me. If we don’t do this, you might be his next victim,” he warned.
I parted my mouth to speak, but I had nothing to say. When I realized I wasn’t reacting, I gasped loudly. “He wouldn’t.”
“Oh, he would, and he might.” Arthur came around his desk and put his hand on my shoulder. I forced myself not to flinch away. This was the man who’d stabbed me. Memories of that night flashed through my mind as he continued speaking so close to me.
“Sebastian Shaw is a monster we’ve kept at bay for many, many years. It started with your mother, but we think your return to Hollywood must have triggered something in him. He’s hellbent on killing all the people he thinks have wronged him, and you may be next if he suspects you’re trying to sabotage the film that is going to turn him into a household name. I’ve heard whisperings that a certain superhero franchise has been watching him. He won’t let you ruin that for him.”
