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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

Laurinda tilted her head in April’s direction. “That guy is a producer from the Coast who’s about to get a movie going. Ten to one, there’s a part in it April wants. She’s ambitious, boy. You talked about people who didn’t take certain parts and lived to regret it?” Laurinda asked, then paused for effect.

“Yes,” Hayley said, waiting, knowing Laurinda was about to say something Hayley should find incredible.

“How about the people who come so close to a starring role and don’t get it? They wanted it so bad they could taste it,” Laurinda said, dramatically pointing to her mouth. “It was so close they could taste it!”

“That’s got to be awful.”

“Awful? I’ll say it’s awful! Especially for an unknown.” Laurinda leaned in and whispered, “April Dockton was the second choice to play Cleo Paradise’s role in My Super Super.”

Hayley’s mouth dropped. She didn’t have to fake her reaction to this tidbit. “She was?”

Laurinda nodded. “She almost nabbed it but in the end they picked Cleo.”

“And Cleo became a star.”

“That she did.” Laurinda made a face. “I’ll tell you something,” she began, then laughed. “If I were Cleo Paradise, I wouldn’t want to meet up with April Dockton in a dark alley. In any alley, for that matter.”

26

Horace Flake was speeding down the Garden State Parkway, his father in the passenger seat.

“Son, slow down,” Ronnie ordered, bracing his hand against the dashboard. “I want to get there in one piece.”

“I drive for a living,” Horace reminded his father. “Did you forget that?”

“You hang around the airport and try and get fares. Most people are afraid of gypsy cab drivers like you. They think they’re going to get in your car and get murdered. That’s not what I call driving for a living.”

“Thanks,” Horace said sarcastically, his thick, beefy hands gripping the wheel. “I’m so concerned about your welfare that I take the day off, and that’s all you have to say? I want to see Cleo Paradise brought to justice. I want the world to know how she treated you. It’s outrageous. You were her agent on a movie that lands her an Academy Award nomination, and now she’s ignoring you.”

Ronnie looked forlorn. “I told her it was a bad script.” He shook his head. “I still think it was a bad script. A bad script that turned out good. Cleo worked her magic.”

“I thought the stalker movie you got her was good,” Horace said, his hands gripping the wheel even tighter. “Now I watch the movie just to see the part where the guy tries to kill her. It’s awesome.”