A Winter's Tale (The Shakespeare Sisters 2)

Ignoring them both, Kitty walked across the room to the large oak table, stepping over leads and avoiding boxes. Lying spread out on the table was a script, the first page opened for her to see.

Her eyes widened when she looked at it. She glanced back at Drake and Everett, who were still distracted by the computer in front of them.

One little read wouldn’t hurt. Right?

FADE IN

Extreme close-up of a pair of eyes shifting from left to right. Pan out slightly to reveal a bead of sweat running down their face.

Move camera up to reveal an old 3 blade fan, circling incessantly though clearly having no effect on the heat in the room.

Camera pans out to reveal a documentary being filmed. Pared down equipment including a camera, boom, lights and other paraphernalia.

Adam (to be renamed) taps a pen to his lips. His expression is set, his eyes narrow.

ADAM

I have evidence that you regularly use children under the age of ten to traffic drugs.

GARCIA

Who have you been talking to?

ADAM

I never reveal my sources, you know that.

Shouts come from just outside the windowless room. The door opens and a big burly thug drags in a teenage boy, who’s kicking and screaming. A glance between the boy and Adam alerts the viewer that the two of them are already acquainted.

Garcia pulls a gun from the holster on his leg.

She stared at the black print for a moment, blinking to let the words sink in. Was his brother making a movie about Adam? It couldn’t just be a coincidence that he was using that name. She reached out, wanting to turn to the next page, desperate to see what happened. Her hand hovered for a moment, unsure.

‘What are you looking at?’ Everett asked. Kitty glanced up to find him glaring at her, his muscles drawn into a frown.

She put the mugs on the table, feeling guilty. ‘Nothing.’

‘Everything in here is confidential, remember?’

She nodded. ‘I remember.’

Drake stood up, ushering her out yet again. If he wasn’t so into himself, she might describe him as a knight in shining Armani. ‘And as we said before, she’s signed an NDA. She can’t tell anybody about the things she’s seen in here, otherwise she’ll be in breach of that. You’re just interested in the way we make movies, right, Kitty?’

‘Right,’ she replied, still not quite clear in her mind about what she saw. ‘What’s your project about?’

‘Please, Kitty.’ Everett sighed, rubbing his face with the heel of his hand. ‘Stop asking so many questions.’

He sounded almost defeated, as though he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. She nodded quickly and hurried out, but not before taking one last glance at the script lying on the table across the room.

It was about Adam, that much was clear. What she didn’t know was why, and whether Adam had any idea his brother was making a movie about him.

24

All made of passion and all made of wishes

– As You Like It

‘You look different.’