For a moment, I almost felt sorry for the boss.

Crisis One taken care of for the day, I made my way back to my desk, avoiding looking directly at Felix as I passed his office, lest he see the glint of guilt in my eyes.

As soon as I sat down, my cell rang.

“Tina Bender?” I answered.

“Tina, dahling,” Marco cooed on the other end. “How are we this fine morning?”

Oh, boy. Loaded question. But I figured the short version would suffice. “Fine.”

“Fab. Listen, hon, is it true that you’ve been talking to the police?”

Shit. My worst fears were confirmed. Word was spreading through my network of informants that Tina Bender and the cops were like that.

“Um, sorta.”

Marco made a tsking sound. “Sweetie, that’s not good. You know loose lips aren’t gonna wag your way like that.”

I nodded at my cubicle. “I know. Look, it’s just…temporary,” I hedged, not willing to air all my dirty laundry for Beverly Hills’s biggest gossip.

“Let’s hope. For your sake, dahling.”

“Thanks.”

“In the meantime, I’m not a fair-weather friend, and has mama got some good d-i-s-h for you, girl.”

I leaned forward. “I could use some good dish today. Lay it on me, Marco.”

“Guess who came into the salon yesterday?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but he didn’t give me a chance.

“Duke Donovan.”

I drew a blank. “Who?”

“Duke Donovan! Ohmigod, girl, don’t tell me you don’t watch Massexachusetts?”

I had to admit, I didn’t. But the name was starting to ring a bell. “He did that paranormal alien show for a while, right?”

“Yes! Gawd, I miss that show. Anyhoo, while Gia was doing his highlights I overheard him on his cell saying that he was slated to star in that new action film with the mondo budget. And, get this, his co-star—Tom Cruise!”

I raised an eyebrow. That was big news. If I remembered correctly, the last movie Donovan worked on had been…well, I couldn’t actually remember the last movie he’d worked on. Then again, Donovan’s sister had been murdered last spring, catapulting his name back into the spotlight and earning him that all important Hollywood sympathy vote.

Amazing how one little murder could make a hasbeen a household name again.

I froze.

Suddenly I felt the distinct click of puzzle pieces falling into place in my brain.

Jake Mullins’s widow was a has-been child star. One who was desperate to get back into the business. Hadn’t she mentioned she’d recently picked up a couple roles?