Familiar Double. Caroline Burnes

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СКАЧАТЬ heard Angela’s voice.

      “Don’t ever stand me up like that again, Kyle.”

      If she’d gone to see Kyle for some romance, it had ended on a sour note. Jax pressed himself deeper into the shadows. The last thing he wanted was for Angela to see him. He wasn’t concerned about catching the rough side of her tongue, but he didn’t want her to know he was following her.

      “Or what?” Kyle asked, his voice slightly slurred.

      “Or you’ll pay a heavy price.”

      Kyle laughed. “What are you gonna do, get me fired?” He laughed louder. “I’m carrying this movie. John won’t fire me, but he could damn sure send you down the road if I made a big enough stink about it. In fact, that pretty stuntwoman—”

      “You shut your mouth,” Angela snapped. “You’re a fool, Kyle. Nicole Paul’s only talent is with sticky fingers. She’s an exceptional thief, just like her father. I don’t think that’s what John Hudson is looking for. And I wouldn’t count on John as an ally on this. We have a special relationship.”

      “John Hudson’s far too smart to sleep with you, Angela. And from what I’ve seen on the set, that may be the only acting talent you have.”

      “You’re disgusting,” Angela said with more scorn than she’d ever put into delivering lines.

      “Just because you think you’ve landed a big fish from the studio doesn’t mean your career is going to take off. Take my advice, Angela. Gig that fish, get him in the boat and get a ring on your finger.”

      “I don’t need a ring. I’m going to be a star.”

      Kyle laughed. “You’re just another pretty face, darling. A pretty face and a bad disposition. Your days are numbered.”

      “You’re a pathetic drunk.”

      “I must have been drunk to sign on to this picture with you. I guess I thought you might still have a soft spot for me.” His laughter was ugly. “What do you think your powerful lover would think if he knew the truth about you?”

      “You don’t have the guts to tell him.”

      “Oh, don’t I?”

      “No, you don’t. If you open your mouth, you’ll never work in this town again and you know it.”

      “You’re just full of empty threats, Angela. Maybe I’ve had enough. Maybe I’m ready to call your bluff.”

      “You’re going to be sorry!” Angela stormed out of the trailer, slamming the door shut so hard it bounced open again. In a moment she was down the stairs and striding across the parking lot in her spiked heels.

      To Jax’s intense amusement, her heel collapsed and she almost fell down.

      “Damn him to hell,” she raged. She slipped off the shoe and hobbled back to her trailer.

      Jax followed at a discreet distance. He checked his watch. With a twisted ankle, he didn’t think Angela would be running out any more that night. He could finally go home and go to bed.

      He lingered outside for another fifteen minutes, just to make sure that no one went to see Angela. He couldn’t have said why he’d chosen to shadow the star instead of Nicole. But after the arduous stunts he and Nicole had completed for shooting that night, he had no doubt that Nicole was in her trailer sound asleep. As he should be.

      Sauntering across the parking lot, he took note that everyone had settled in for the night. A movie set was a lot like a neighborhood. There were good neighbors and bad. Some of the younger cast members had a tendency to stay up too late and be too noisy, but it was all part of moviemaking.

      On his way to his trailer, he passed Nicole’s. He was surprised to see a light burning. When he’d gone by earlier, it had been dark. An unpleasant sensation curled through him. Had he been following the wrong blonde? No, he couldn’t believe that. And Nicole wasn’t stupid enough to advertise her movements by turning lights on and off. No, if she was up to anything, she’d be more discreet about it.

      He was about to walk on when he saw her silhouette pass by the window. Her long hair was tumbled down her back and she stopped for a moment and drank a glass of something. Even in shadow form she was a beautiful woman. Beautiful and challenging. Just the way he liked them. She turned abruptly away and he was left with only an empty window.

      NICOLE PUT DOWN the water glass she’d been drinking from and picked up the telephone receiver that had suddenly started to ring. No one ever called her. And certainly no one called her so late at night.

      She answered and then felt her heart jolt. It was her father. She held the phone in her hand so tightly that her knuckles were white.

      “Daddy, are you okay?”

      “I’m not feeling well, Nicole. I hate to call you in the middle of the night, but I’m afraid I need you.”

      “I’m on my way,” Nicole said, pulling on jeans and shoes as she talked.

      “Drive safely,” Vincent Paul said in a weak voice. “I couldn’t take it if something happened to you.”

      “I’m fine, Dad. I’ll be careful. Just try to relax. Shall I call an ambulance?”

      “No, no ambulance. Not yet.”

      “Can you tell me what happened?”

      “I think I just got upset and my blood pressure got too high. I’m okay, Nicole, but it would be good to see you.”

      She snatched up a blouse and searched through a pile of things for a bra. She was a terrible housekeeper. She could never seem to find time to put things where they belonged. It was a habit that would drive her father nuts. He was such a neat-nick.

      “Dad, can you call your doctor?”

      “I don’t think it’s necessary, Nicole. In fact, just talking to you has made me feel better. It really isn’t necessary that you come over here.”

      “Too late to avoid me now,” she said, putting a light note on it. “I’m on my way. Besides, I want to talk to you about what happened today. I don’t want you to worry about it.” This was, she felt certain, at the root of her father’s heart flare-up. He’d been worried about her and it had affected his health.

      “Okay, but just drive carefully.”

      “I’m headed out the door, Daddy. I’ll be there in half an hour.”

      JAX HAD WATCHED the production of her dressing, and he’d felt only a brief moment of guilt. He hadn’t meant to be a voyeur, but once he started watching, he couldn’t force himself to leave. He was still standing in the shadows when the trailer door opened and Nicole came flying out and jumped into her car.

      She’d barely gotten the door closed before she was turning the key. The engine turned over but didn’t catch. She tried to start it again with the same result.

      Jax hesitated. Wherever Nicole was going, she seemed in a major hurry. And she seemed upset. But he wasn’t СКАЧАТЬ