I had no reason to take it.”
“How did it get in your trailer?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“What do you suspect?”
She started to tell him that Angela was quite capable of framing her and why—her new movie offer. But she held her tongue. She had no evidence against Angela, and she knew what it felt like to be falsely accused.
“I really don’t know. All I do know is that I’m innocent. I didn’t take it.”
John nodded. “I have your word on it.”
“You do.” She almost added “For what it’s worth,” but she didn’t. John was doing his best to be square with her. He didn’t deserve her caustic remarks.
“Have you hired a lawyer?”
She shook her head. “My father recommended Carlos Sanchez.”
“He defended your father.” John nodded slowly. “Okay, then let’s get back to work. I want to finish this sequence, then you have a costume change. We’ll do the scene on the balcony with the evening gown.”
“Tonight?” Nicole wasn’t prepared for that scene. It wasn’t scheduled to be shot for at least another week, and it was one of the trickiest shots of the movie, at least for her.
“Yes, right away. I’ll tell everyone to begin to prepare. I want this scene in the can.”
He walked away to consult with a cameraman and Nicole was left sitting alone. She finished John’s thought. He wanted this scene in the can before she was carted off to jail.
JAX SIPPED the cold beer. Normally he wasn’t a beer-drinking man, but it was hard to fit in with the cast and crew without occasionally drinking a brew. Especially when a card game was as hot and heavy as this one.
He threw in another fifty-dollar chip and called the bet. His cards, tightly folded together, were held loosely in his hand. Unless the gods of luck were truly against him, he had the winning hand that would bring home a five-hundred-dollar pot. He’d always been lucky at cards, horses and escaping injury. Now, women were another story.
Two men dropped out, leaving Jax, the male lead Kyle Lancer, and O. J. Adams, the cinematographer.
“Well, well, looks like lucky Jax has done it to you boys again.”
They all looked up to see Angela standing at the door. She was wearing a red evening gown. “I thought I might find you boys here. I guess you forgot you were supposed to show up for the publicity shots, Kyle.”
“I didn’t forget. I decided not to do it. Besides, I wouldn’t want to come between you and your love affair with the camera.”
A couple of the guys started to laugh but stopped when Angela walked into the room. She moved like a panther. She was just as beautiful and just as deadly.
“You left me waiting there for you like a fool. I don’t appreciate it.”
“Sorry, Angela. I thought I was doing you a favor.”
“That’s the problem with you, Kyle. You aren’t equipped to think. That requires a working brain. You’re just one handsome hunk of muscle. So in the future, don’t think. Just show up and do what you’re told.” She whipped around and left the room, leaving a faint trail of perfume that smelled like gardenias.
O.J. took in a deep breath. “Wow, she smells like flowers, but sulfur would be more appropriate.”
The men laughed. Jax still held his cards, biding his time.
“Well, it’s show time, boys,” Kyle said, putting two pair on the table. “Who can beat it?”
O.J. threw his cards facedown. “Not me.”
Just as Kyle was reaching for the pot, Jax laid his cards down faceup. The three queens were offset by a pair of threes.
“Full house,” Jax said, pulling the money toward his place. “I was running a little low on cash. Thanks, boys.”
“Yeah, we heard you made bond on Nicole.”
Even though Jax was startled by O.J.’s comment, he didn’t show it. In many respects, Hollywood was a small town. Folks in the business heard lots of rumors, but most of them were untrue. This time someone had actually gotten the facts straight.
“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
