BooksBarbecue
Back Mobbed Save as PDF
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

After they did the first take, the director walked over to her, put his hand on her shoulder, and led her off to the side. “Daisy, I want you to look like you’re having the time of your life. You and Kyle are madly in love and everything is wonderful. The audience has to feel that and fall in love with you, too. That way when April tries to strangle you they’ll be jumping out of their seats and screaming. Capiche?”

“Capiche,” Daisy answered. Cleo would be furious with me if I blew this scene worrying about her, she thought. She was always a pro. Like the time she was on her way to the set of My Super Super and someone sideswiped her car. Cleo was a little banged up but refused to go to the hospital.

“I can’t be late,” she’d told the police officer, and then asked him to call her a cab. Cleo said she’d done her best work that day. “I had to focus,” she said. “It was only that night when I realized how much my bones ached!”

Focus, Daisy told herself as the crew prepared to start the scene again.

Kyle winked at her. “We’ll get it right this time.”

When the director called for action, Daisy opened the hood of the car. Steam was pouring out from the engine. She smiled broadly, leaned over, and closed her eyes.

“What are you doing?” Kyle asked.

“I could use a facial,” Daisy answered, turning her head to the left and right, before she started to cough.

“What’s a facial?”

The director smiled as he watched the action on a video screen. When the scene was over he yelled, “Cut!” and jumped out of his chair. “That’s it!”

Daisy’s throat felt dry from breathing the artificial smoke. The makeup girl handed her a bottle of water, then patted her face with a sponge. They did the scene two more times. While the crew was moving the camera from one side of the car to the other, Daisy snuck a look at her cell phone.

Cleo still hadn’t called back.

I thought it felt lousy when I checked my phone to see if a certain guy had called and he hadn’t, Daisy thought. That’s nothing compared to the emptiness I feel right now. Cleo didn’t want to tell me that she was leaving the house because she wanted me to concentrate on the movie. I’m trying, Cleo, Daisy thought. But who made you leave? And where did you go? Did you tell me anything that might give a hint? Cleo, you’re my best friend, I should remember something you told me that might help Regan Reilly find you.

Please be OK, Cleo. Please.

57

The guy who wanted to buy Edna’s sideboard was middle-aged, dressed in a cheap suit, and had an affected air. He gave Regan the creeps.