Part 4 (1/2)
”No, Rory, don't go. I love you,” Serena said. Her voice was quivering, and her emerald eyes were full of tears. ”I've always loved you, even when you didn't want me.”
”Cut!” came the director's voice. ”Mattie, I need you to cool it a little. If you start the scene at such a high emotional pitch, we won't have anywhere to go.”
”Right, Luther.” Mattie nodded up to the director's booth.
”Okay, everyone, take it from 'Should I leave,'” Lillian ordered.
”Should I leave, Serena? Is that what you want?” Rick said.
”No, Rory, don't go. I love you! I've always loved you, even when you didn't want me.”
They were into it by then. Mattie and Rick were utterly convincing, making everyone who was watching really believe they were desperately in love. Bess had tears in her eyes as she watched them move slowly toward each other. Finally, Serena collapsed in Rory's arms.
”Here comes her big speech,” Lillian muttered under her breath to n.o.body in particular. ”Watch her screw it up.”
”Oh, Rory, I want to do so many things with you,” Mattie whispered hoa.r.s.ely. ”I want to take walks in the rain with you, I want to sit with you under the stars on a deserted beach. I want to dance with you, to sing with you, to-”
Mattie suddenly fell silent. She stood as if frozen, her eyes fixed on the teleprompter, her beautiful face a terrible white. Then, as everyone looked on in horror, she let out a bloodcurdling scream and slumped slowly to the floor.
Chapter Seven.
”MATTIE! MATTIE!”
”What happened?”
”Is she all right?”
”Don't touch her!”
Everyone gathered around Mattie, who was lying on the floor. After what seemed forever, her eyes began to flutter open. She looked dazed. Mattie struggled to her feet with Rick's help. The look in her eyes only grew wilder.
”Look!” she cried, pointing to the teleprompter.
Her monologue had been changed. It read: ”I WANT TO DANCE WITH YOU, TO SING WITH YOU, TO MURDER YOU. YES, YOUR TIME IS UP, RICK ARLEN. I'M GOING TO KILL YOU. I'M GOING TO WATCH YOU DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH, AND I'M GOING TO LAUGH.”
”What in the name of- What is this?” Pappas yelled. ”Get me the teleprompter operator! I want to talk to her right now!”
”I'm here, Mr. Pappas.” A short red-haired girl spoke up.
”Would you care to explain this?” he asked, arching his eyebrows.
”Well, sir, I, uh-I really can't explain it,” the girl stammered. ”I got here early to type in the scene, and I was at the keyboard all morning. The only time I left was to take a phone call. And I know I wasn't gone for more than a minute because when I picked up the phone, there was no one there. I-I didn't think-”
”Exactly, you didn't think.” Pappas shot the operator a harsh look. ”You're fired. And whoever's job it was to keep strangers off this set, you're fired, too.” Then, to the frightened cast and crew he said, ”I'll fire every last one of you if I have to. This nonsense has got to stop!”
Nancy watched the producer from the sidelines. He seemed genuinely concerned, but what if it was all an act? What if beneath all his theatrics, there was something completely different going on, something much more calculated-and sinister?
She noticed Lillian Weiss, too. Lillian was off in a corner, trying to be inconspicuous, but nothing could hide the pleased look on her face. She was loving every minute of all this.
”Okay, everybody,” Luther's voice boomed from the director's booth. ”Lunch break. And when we come back, let's try to get this show back on schedule, shall we?”
”Calm down, Mattie! You're not going to let some practical joker ruin your day, are you?” Rick opened the front door of the studio for them, and Mattie, Bess, and Nancy filed past him onto the sidewalk.
”Come on,” he added with a grin. ”Let me treat you all to lunch-while I'm still alive, that is.”
”Stop it! Stop pretending everything's fine!” Mattie turned on him, her green eyes flas.h.i.+ng. ”You've got to be terrified! Why don't you just come out and admit it?”
”Me? Terrified? Don't be ridiculous.-they can't kill me. The world needs me! Besides, it'd spoil the ratings if I died.”
”Oh, I could just punch you,” Mattie growled. ”And I'll pay for my own lunch, thank you.”
”Whatever you say.” Rick shrugged. ”I'll just have to treat Bess-and Nancy, of course. Right, ladies?”
Bess and Nancy said nothing, embarra.s.sed by the way Rick was taunting Mattie. Nancy started to walk off by herself.
”Hey, look who's here!” said Rick, his attention caught by a man at the studio door. ”It's the president of the losers' league himself. Hi, Dwayne.”
Dwayne Casper, Mattie's agent, rushed up to them, pointedly ignoring Rick's remark. Nancy stopped and observed the scene at a short distance from the others. ”Mattie!” he cried, throwing his arms around her. ”I was bringing some of your new head shots to the front office and I heard what happened. It's absolutely outrageous! Are you all right, darling?”
”Oh, I suppose so,” Mattie replied softly, shaking free of his embrace. ”It was awfully upsetting, but-”
”But nothing,” Dwayne said, interrupting. ”You're in danger, and I won't have it!”
”Keep your s.h.i.+rt on, Casper,” Rick said, with a scornful laugh. ”This nut is supposedly after me, not Mattie. Why don't you leave us alone and go hover over some of your other clients. If you have any, that is.”
”Rick!” Mattie cried sharply.
”It's all right, Mattie, he doesn't bother me. As long as you're all right-”
”I'm fine, Dwayne. Please don't worry about me.” Mattie smiled at him warmly. ”Honest.”
”Yeah, don't worry, old buddy. I'll take care of Mattie,” Rick said, trying to a.s.sure him.
”Oh, I'm sure you will.” Dwayne sneered. Then he turned to Mattie and took her by the hand, looking deeply into her eyes. ”I want you to promise to call me if there's any more trouble on the set.”
Mattie nodded, then Dwayne walked off, throwing a nasty look over his shoulder at Rick.
”For pete's sake, Mattie,” Rick muttered before Dwayne was out of earshot, ”when are you going to dump that jerk and get yourself a real agent!”
”Oh, Dwayne's not so bad,” Mattie answered, watching the man disappear. ”Remember, he took me on as a client when n.o.body else would even give me an interview.”
”But you've come a long way since then. You're a star now. You should have a major agency representing you,” he said as they started walking to catch up with Nancy.