Part 24 (1/2)
”Mr. Groves, I have spent my entire career ignoring what the tabloids print about me. I think I can manage to ignore this as well.”
”You don't think anyone will believe me.”
”Have they ever?” As the reporter sputtered, Tony caught Leah's eye and shook his head. Kevin could spot a lie and, so far, he hadn't accused the boss of lying. She closed her mouth as CB sighed. ”People have no interest in the truth, Mr. Groves. They'll enjoy the story while it's being told and forget it the instant the next story comes along. It's why television is so successful.”
”Reality TV...”
”Isn't. Now, if you don't mind, in spite of delays...” Somehow he made the delays seem like they were Tony's fault. ”... I have a show to produce.”
”No. You need the page I found!”
”I expect we'll continue to manage without it.”
”It could have important information!”
”Mr. Foster, tell Ms. Chou to arrange to have my couch cleaned. Ms. Burnett...” He frowned at her. ”If you intend to continue hanging about my studio, find something to do.”
Kevin didn't quite stamp his foot. ”You need the information I have!”
”And you haven't convinced me of that. Good afternoon, Mr. Groves.”
”Then I will convince you!”
”Fine.”
”I'll prove it to you!”
”Very well.”
”I'll be back with that page. It has important information!”
”I look forward to you proving it to me. You will, however, have some difficulty returning if you don't actually leave.” The final word carried enough volume to lift Tony and Leah to their feet as well and move all three of them across the office and out the door.
Kevin pointed a finger at the two of them. ”Don't go anywhere.” Then he turned and ran for the street.
”Don't let the door hit you on the way out, a.s.shat!” One hand covering the phone, Amy flipped him off with the other.
”Thank you for holding, Father Thomas; we really need to use that graveyard...”
Leah smoothed down her clothes; not because they needed it, more because she needed something to do with her hands. ”Your boss is an impressive man.”
”Yeah.” Tony carefully detached the rest of the s.h.i.+rt from his chest. ”All his ex-wives think so.”
”I meant he's a manipulative s...o...b..” ”They'll probably agree with that, too.”
Amy hung up and grinned at them as they drew even with her desk. ”I got you the g... u... n.”
”I can spell,” Leah sighed.
”I'm not spelling it out for you.” She jerked her head toward the bull pen. ”I don't want that lot to get excited. It's never pretty.
Anyway, the guy's bringing it over later.”
”Tonight?” Tony asked incredulously.
”This very.”
”That was fast.”
”I'm the best.”
”You're kind of scary.”
”Just part of my charm.” Head c.o.c.ked, she examined him through narrowed eyes. ”So what are you going to do now?”
”I don't know what she's going to do,” he nodded at Leah as he pulled polyester away from his body. He might have the whole world in his hand, but he also had wet fabric in the crack of his a.s.s. ”But I'm going to talk to Rachel and then I'm going to get my laundry out of my car and change my pants.”
Chapter Eight.
”ALL RIGHT, THAT ONE 0works for me.” Peter tossed his headphones onto his chair and walked out into Raymond Dark's office, one fist pressed against the small of his back to knuckle out the stiffness of a fourteen-hour day. ”Mason, you happy with it?”
”I'm happy with anything that lets me get rid of these d.a.m.ned teeth,” Mason muttered around the fingers shoved into his mouth. ”I bit my lip again.”
”Bad?”
”Nothing that'll show on camera, thanks for the sympathy.”
”You're welcome. Lee?”
Lee, sprawled on the red velvet sofa, waved a weary hand. ”It was art. Emmys all around. Are we done?”
”We're done. That's it, people...” Peter raised his voice as he turned to face the crew. ”... good work, thanks for staying late, and make sure you have tomorrow's sides before you leave.”
That wasn't it, of course, but with the last shot in the can the mood lifted as everyone found enough energy to get them through wrap-up and out the door. With no demons currently ripping either place or people apart, Tony did what he always did. He made sure the radios were back where they belonged, put the batteries in the charger, ran an errand for Peter, helped Tina close the trunk she locked her computer gear into, had a short meeting with Adam about an error in the advance schedule-where meeting would be defined as Adam pointing it out and telling him to see that it got fixed-and then he was done and the rest of the crew were heading for cars and home and the soundstage was empty.
Previous Contents NextNearly empty.
Leah was somewhere around.
And Lee was standing just inside the door, watching him, his face expressionless enough that it was kind of creepy.
”What?” Tony demanded. He'd stopped just a little too close, almost inside the other man's personal s.p.a.ce, but if he backed up now, he'd look like a dork.
”You're staying in case another demon shows up.”
”That was the plan.”