Lovescenes

Crawford patted her shoulder clumsily. ‘Dammit, 1 thought for sure you knew. I wish I’d spoken to your agent first. I tried. I called her office this morning and left a message, but... I’m really sorry. I mean, along with everything else, I hate to dump this on you, too, but...All Our Tomorrows has to keep going. I’ve got no choice about the sto­ryline. You see that, don’t you?’

‘You’re changing it,’ she said flatly, and Jerry nodded.

‘I have to. Without Morgan, I’ve got to kill you off. You understand.’

Shannon raised her eyes and looked at the director’s reflection in the dressing-table mirror. You’re an actress, she told herself, reading the wary concern in the man’s eyes. You play the part through to the final curtain.

‘Yes, of course,’ she said evenly. ‘Aland’s nothing without Johnny.’

‘I’m glad you’re taking it so well, Padgett,’ Crawford said. ‘And listen, I really am sorry about this morning.’

‘Don’t worry about it,’ she said, forcing a smile to her lips. My God, she thought, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, was that pasty face hers?

‘Are you OK? You look awfully pale.’

‘I’m fine,’ she lied. ‘It’s just the pills doing their job.’

‘Are you sure? You don’t look so good.’

‘Really, I’m good. Do you want to get to the taping now?’

There was a light tap at the door. It swung open and Claire stepped into the tiny room. Her glance swept past Jerry and fell on Shannon.

‘Well,’ she said brightly, ‘I see I’m just in time for the first meeting of the Tomorrows’ chapter of the Cade Morgan Fan Club.’ She smiled and put her hand on Shannon’s shoulder. ‘How are you doing, sweetie?’

Shannon opened her mouth, then shut it. Claire gave Jerry Crawford a look.

‘Right,’ he said briskly. Five minutes. Then maybe we can get this scene squared away fast and we can all get the hell out of here.’

Shannon nodded, the smile still plastered to her face. As soon as the door swung shut, she closed her eyes and bowed her head.

‘You know?’ she asked, and Claire nodded.

‘Crawford left a message with my secretary. I’m sorry, sweetie..’

‘Damn it, I don’t want to hear any more sympathy messages!’ Shannon said slamming her hand down on the dressing-table. ‘There’s got to be a perfectly reasonable explanation for all this. I’ll bet any­thing it’s a mistake. Cade went out there at the last minute, Claire. He didn’t even really want to go—it was just to meet somebody and talk about some movie they’re making next spring.’

Claire’s hand tightened on Shannon’s shoulder. ‘ I’d love to tell you what you want to hear, but I can’t. Crawford’s office gave me all the gory details and I confirmed them.’

‘But...but...it hasn’t been four months yet,’ Shannon said, grasping at straws. ‘Remember? You said these parts would run four months.’

‘Morgan wouldn’t sign more than a month- to-month contract, and he insisted on a rider that would permit him to cancel with one week’s notice. I thought it was because he wanted to negotiate for more bucks, but this morning I heard that he’d already talked to Scorpio Studios a few months ago about this movie. They didn’t want him—Hollywood’s run by a bunch of bankers. What do they know from musicians? “Show us you can act,” the grey flannel suits said, “and we’ll talk it over.” So Mr. Morgan got himself a part on To­morrows and did just that.’

Shannon took a deep breath. ‘Are you saying that Cade planned this?’ .

‘I’m saying he put his money on a horse that was a sure thing. The worst that could have happened was exposure on Tomorrows. The best was that he’d have this Hollywood contract in his pocket.’

‘But I spoke to him yesterday morning! He phoned me from LA—he said the smog was awful and the traffic was worse than New York’s.’

‘They signed him yesterday afternoon, kid.’ Claire glanced down at her client’s face and cleared her throat. ‘Look, let me speak to Crawford. The hell with this “the show must go on” garbage. You’ve put in a long day and...’

Shannon shook her head. The floor seemed to tilt under her feet but she took a deep breath and forced a smile to her lips.

‘It isn’t necessary,’ she said firmly. ‘Besides, I know all this is some sort of terrible error.’

‘Shannon, sweetie...’

‘You’ll see,’ she repeated as stubbornly as a child de­termined to go on believing in Santa Claus. ‘Cade wouldn’t lie to me.’’