“I needed her to work this evening.”
“She’s good at her job,” O.J. said, grinning. “Is she good at anything else?”
“Now, that’s something I can’t answer.” Jax felt instant annoyance at the insinuation in O.J.’s comment. But he knew the cinematographer well enough to know he was only cutting up, as all the men did when they weren’t around the women. Still, he was amazed to find he was a little prickly where Nicole’s honor was at stake. “Where’d you hear it?”
O.J. looked at the pile of money in front of Jax. “I’ll play you for the details. That pot against what I know.” He grinned wickedly.
“I don’t want to know that bad. I’ll just wait for breakfast and it’ll be all over the set.”
“Rumors do fly,” another of the men commented.
“I’m out of here.” Kyle stood up, stretching. “Same time tomorrow night?”
“Don’t count on me,” Jax said, standing also.
“Hey, you can’t wipe us out and not give us a chance to win it back,” O.J. complained.
“I’ll be back,” Jax said, grinning. “Eventually.”
“Where’s the fire?” O.J. asked, eyebrows lifted. “Or should I say, where’s the hot stuff?”
“I only wish my life was as exciting as you seem to believe it is,” Jax said in his easy drawl. “I’ve got to set up a harness for that shot in the ravine.” He didn’t wait for them to tease him more, he simply left. Part of what he said was true, but there were other things on his agenda, too. Like keeping tabs on a tall, leggy blonde.
Chapter Three
Jax leaned against the side of Kyle Lancer’s trailer and waited. He’d been there twenty minutes and Angela was still inside. He could only wonder what she was up to. Sleeping with Kyle was a possibility, but it certainly didn’t seem to be her style.
Kyle was rich and handsome, but he was dumb as a post. Hollywood lore portrayed Angela as something of a black widow. She liked her men smarter—more fun to toy with before she ate them. Then again, he’d only heard rumors. He really knew nothing at all about Angela except that she was a total witch. She seemed to take pleasure in belittling people, and for the past five weeks, Nicole had been on the receiving end of her abuse. It had become a real point of curiosity to him why Angela hated Nicole so much. He suspected jealousy, but he had nothing to base that on except that he felt Nicole was a far better actress than Angela. And Nicole didn’t even consider herself to be an actress. She viewed herself only as a stuntwoman. Well, Nicole could give Angela a serious run for her money in a contest for movie roles.
The door cracked and he heard Angela’s voice.
“Don’t ever stand me up like that again, Kyle.”
If she’d gone to see Kyle for some romance, it had ended on a sour note. Jax pressed himself deeper into the shadows. The last thing he wanted was for Angela to see him. He wasn’t concerned about catching the rough side of her tongue, but he didn’t want her to know he was following her.
“Or what?” Kyle asked, his voice slightly slurred.
“Or you’ll pay a heavy price.”
Kyle laughed. “What are you gonna do, get me fired?” He laughed louder. “I’m carrying this movie. John won’t fire me, but he could damn sure send you down the road if I made a big enough stink about it. In fact, that pretty stuntwoman—”
“You shut your mouth,” Angela snapped. “You’re a fool, Kyle. Nicole Paul’s only talent is with sticky fingers. She’s an exceptional thief, just like her father. I don’t think that’s what John Hudson is looking for. And I wouldn’t count on John as an ally on this. We have a special relationship.”
“John Hudson’s far too smart to sleep with you, Angela. And from what I’ve seen on the set, that may be the only acting talent you have.”
“You’re disgusting,” Angela said with more scorn than she’d ever put into delivering lines.
“Just because you think you’ve landed a big fish from the studio doesn’t mean your career is going to take off. Take my advice, Angela. Gig that fish, get him in the boat and get a ring on your finger.”
“I don’t need a ring. I’m going to be a star.”
Kyle laughed. “You’re just another pretty face, darling. A pretty face and a bad disposition. Your days are numbered.”
“You’re a pathetic drunk.”
“I must have been drunk to sign on to this picture with you. I guess I thought you might still have a soft spot for me.” His laughter was ugly. “What do you think your powerful lover would think if he knew the truth about you?”
“You don’t have the guts to tell him.”
“Oh, don’t I?”
“No, you don’t. If you open your mouth, you’ll never work in this town again and you know it.”
“You’re just full of empty threats, Angela. Maybe I’ve had enough. Maybe I’m ready to call your bluff.”
“You’re going to be sorry!” Angela stormed out of the trailer, slamming the door shut so hard it bounced open again. In a moment she was down the stairs and striding across the parking lot in her spiked heels.
To Jax’s intense amusement, her heel collapsed and she almost fell down.
“Damn him to hell,” she raged. She slipped off the shoe and hobbled back to her trailer.
Jax followed at a discreet distance. He checked his watch. With a twisted ankle, he didn’t think Angela would be running out any more that night. He could finally go home and go to bed.
He lingered outside for another fifteen minutes, just to make sure that no one went to see Angela. He couldn’t have said why he’d chosen to shadow the star instead of Nicole. But after the arduous stunts he and Nicole had completed for shooting that night, he had no doubt that Nicole was in her trailer sound asleep. As he should be.
Sauntering across the parking lot, he took note that everyone had settled in for the night. A movie set was a lot like a neighborhood. There were good neighbors and bad. Some of the younger cast members had a tendency to stay up too late and be too noisy, but it was all part of moviemaking.
On his way to his trailer, he passed Nicole’s. He was surprised to see a light burning. When he’d gone by earlier, it had been dark. An unpleasant sensation curled through him. Had he been following the wrong blonde? No, he couldn’t believe that. And Nicole wasn’t stupid enough to advertise her movements by turning lights on and off. No, if she was up to anything, she’d be more discreet about it.
He was about to walk on when he saw her silhouette pass by the window. Her long hair was tumbled down her back and she stopped for a moment and drank a glass of something. Even in shadow form she was a beautiful woman. Beautiful and challenging. Just the way he liked them. She turned abruptly away and he was left with only an empty window.
NICOLE PUT DOWN the water glass she’d been drinking from and picked up the telephone receiver that had suddenly started to ring. No one ever called her. And certainly no one called her so late at night.
She answered and then felt her heart jolt. It was her father. She held the phone in her hand so tightly that her knuckles were white.
“Daddy, are you okay?”
“I’m not feeling well, Nicole. I hate to call you in the middle of the night, but I’m afraid I need you.”
“I’m