“I’ll take my chances.” Nancy smirked, not looking like she believed Holly could kill anything bigger than a cockroach.
Now it was Holly’s turn to mull over her options. “What if you’re the serial killer?”
The woman laughed. “I’m Nancy Doyle andnota serial killer.”
“Doyle?”
“Yes, I’m the mother of the man whoturned you mute.” She smiled. “Don’t worry, he has that effect on lots of women. If you’d like to message someone to tell them where and who you’re with to make you more comfortable, go right ahead.”
Nancy rattled off her address.
Who could Holly message? Definitely not Declan, he was probably performing the sins of the father between the slutty nun’s legs right about now. And any friends she’d made in Sydney were friends of his. There was no one to call.
Staying with Nancy might be a lot safer than sleeping on a hard bench at a train station. And she was the mother of a famous actor, so how evil could she be?
Without saying a word, Holly pulled out her phone and pretended to send someone Nancy’s details.
“Now that’s settled, go outside before Trudy hunts you down.” Nancy guided her to the door. She opened it, giving Holly a gentle nudge down the steps. As she reached the bottom with the script still clutched firmly in her hand, Holly read the lines.
What the hell?
She scanned the words again in case she’d read them wrong. She spun around to face Nancy still standing in the doorway. “They want me to say what?”
Chapter 2
“Cut!” someone yelled behind Holly.
She flinched and shielded her eyes from the bright lights shining in her face as her gaze skidded around the circle of people. They shook their heads staring at her like she was as thick as two bricks.
Standing in front of Holly with hands on hips, the frustrated expression Ethan Doyle aimed at her showed the same feelings. When a makeup artist rushed to him, he turned his back to her while the woman powered his face.
A voice yelled from behind the cameras, “hooker number three.”
Holly spun in the direction and found a small, balding man with an orange beard pacing in front of a monitor. “When Detective Morris—Ethan says,I have something you need to see, that’s your part.” The man speaking, she assumed was the director, smiled encouragingly but tension stiffened his face.
How could she do and say what is in the script? Ethan Doyle was a stranger. Buy her a wine or two and then maybe she’d be up for it. With all these people staring, it gave her a huge case of stage fright.
“Do you need a second to read your line again?” the director asked.
Holly nodded.
The man blew out a breath and clicked his fingers at Trudy—Clipboard Woman. And she ran over to Holly, rolling her eyes as she held out the script. The film crew weren’t very nice. If they hadn’t lost the originalhooker number three, they wouldn’t be in this mess. She was doing them a favour. They didn’t know about the mix-up and she wasn’t about to speak up now.
Holly only pretended to read it.
No, no, no. How am I supposed to do what they’ve asked?
She’d memorised the lines, but she needed a moment to calm her jittery nerves. Trudy didn’t give her enough time to chill the butterflies in her stomach before she snatched the paper from her hands and stormed back to her position next to the director.
Taking a deep breath, she gave herself a pep talk.You can do this. No big deal.Read the lines, put your hand on… on… Oh crap. A stampede of elephants now replaced the butterflies and her body grew warm despite the chill in the breeze.
“And… Action!” the director yelled, and Ethan Doyle began to saunter with a lazy stride to her that belied the angry expression on his face. Why was he mad? What caused the gash on his forehead? She’d have to watch the movie to find out.
Ethan Doyle, she was conscious of referring to him by his full name, said, “I have something to show you.”
Okay, this was it, bring out your inner Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman and nail your scene.“Sugar, I charge for that, but I can see you’re packing a big one, and I don’t mean your gun.”Wink. “So, I'll blow you for free. Consider it my civic duty.” Now she needed to lick her lips, step closer and rub her hand along his crotch.
Lick.Check.
