'Hey - sweetie, I'm not gonna stop you. There's nothing for you to do here except hang around the set while I'm working, and we both know how boring that can be.'

'True. Although we'd be together at night.'

'Not really,' he said, stifling a yawn. 'We have a shitload of night shoots coming up.'

'My movie would shoot six weeks in L.A. By the time I'm finished you'll be home.'

'Go ahead and say yes. Sounds like you're into it.'

'I'll miss you, though.'

'I'll miss you too, but I've got a nice hotel set-up, my agent's flying in this week, my publicist's already here. So I'm surrounded by people.'

'Are you sure you'll be okay?'

'Hey, if you're worried about me drinking, I'm not.'

'Promise?' she said, anxious to believe him.

'Yeah, I promise. You don't have to be here to protect me, Shelby.'

'Then you think I should say yes?'

'Who's directing?'

'Cat Harrison.'

'You mean the kid?'

'She's not such a kid, she's almost twenty.'

'Sweetheart, thats a kid.'

'Merrill told me if I have doubts I can choose any director I want. But you know what? I had Ed run Wild Child for me again, and I like her work. She's got an offbeat quirky style.'

'Who else is in it?'

'Nick Logan.'

'He's not bad.'

'I wanted to make sure you were okay with me not coming there. Although I'll fly in for the Rapture press junket. Merrill promised I can use his plane.'

'Listen to my little movie-star wife,' Linc said, amused. 'Merrill says I can use his plane. Jeez!'

'People do that for you all the time,' she chided. 'Don't make me feel spoiled.'

'I'm teasing you. Can't you take a joke?'

Shelby hung up feeling pleased. She'd already said yes to the James Bond-type movie that did not start for six months, and Caught would be an interesting interim film.

Linc was right, there was nothing more depressing than hanging around a set, especially when he was into concentrating on his work; he did not appreciate diversions. Basically she'd be sitting in New York doing nothing.

She called Ed and accepted the movie.

He was one happy agent.

Talk about an accelerated pre-production schedule, things were totally crazy. So crazy that Cat did not have time to dwell on her personal problems. According to Leo Napoli, he'd arranged for divorce papers to be sent to Jump in Australia.

She was relieved: the sooner her two-year marriage was over the better.

Merrill had gone ahead and signed Shelby Cheney and Nick Logan to star in Caught. Cat still felt Shelby was wrong for the role, but Nick Logan was perfect for the smart-mouthed con-man. In his early thirties, Nick had a bad-boy edginess about him, plus he was a dynamic actor. Currently finishing off a modern-day cowboy movie in Arizona, he was flying in as soon as his film wrapped.

Cat wished she'd had more to say about the casting of her two stars, but she couldn't complain. At least she was about to direct, since apparently neither Shelby nor Nick had voiced any objections.

Her excitement level was in overdrive. She was getting ready to direct her own movie with two star actors and an actual budget! How cool was that?'

Merrill had surrounded her with a first-rate team of people - all of whom had worked for him before. She was well aware that he was making sure she wouldn't screw up. It was irritating and reassuring all at the same time.

The line producer, Gary, seemed like a great guy. He was energetic, smart and non-critical. He steered her through production meetings, casting sessions and location scouts, making her feel secure, even though she knew he probably regarded her as a total amateur.

Jonas was also there for her, arriving at her apartment every night after work, breaking down the script with her as she bounced ideas off him and discussed the shooting schedule, laying out each scene on index cards.

In her mind she had a master plan for Caught. She wanted to capture a degree of realism. She wanted her movie to have a gritty edge, with a documentary feel to it.

'Everyone loves the script,' Jonas assured her. 'Usually Merrill brings in one or two other writers. This time he hasn't mentioned doing that, so it's quite a compliment.'

After one particularly creative session with Jonas, Cat requested a private meeting with Merrill, and informed the big man that she would like him to appoint Jonas as an associate producer on Caught.

At first Merrill laughed at her. Then, after a lot of persuasion, he realized it wasn't such a bad idea. After all, he'd taught Jonas everything he knew, so why not put him out there? Merrill was also canny enough to realize that it could be useful having Jonas permanently on set to report back.

'Please don't mention I asked you to do this,' Cat insisted.

Merrill agreed, although it didn't stop him grumbling about losing the best assistant he'd ever had.

When Jonas got the news he was delighted. He immediately asked Cat if she'd had anything to do with it. 'Who - me?' she said innocently, not fooling him one bit.

'I know it's you,' he said. 'Do I thank you now or later?'

She was sitting on the floor in her apartment surrounded by storyboards, notes and her laptop.

'Just be there for me,' she said. 'That's thank you enough.'

'All the way,' Jonas replied.

'I'm worried about Shelby Cheney,' Cat said, swigging from a can of 7Up.

'Why?'

"Cause she's English and too beautiful to play my cop.'

'She's also an excellent actress,' Jonas pointed out.

'I know, but-'

'Maybe you should take another look at Rapture? he suggested. 'Her American accent is right on. I'll arrange a screening.'

'I'm glad you're so confident. She'll probably hate me anyway.'

'What makes you think that?'

'I dunno,' she said miserably.

'Come on,' Jonas said, cheering her up. 'Where's the cocky, I-can-do-anything Cat we all know?'

'She's on hiatus.'

'Bring her back.'

'Maybe she's not available. Maybe she's scared.'

'Not Cat.'

He didn't tell her about Merrill's backup plan. It would only make her more nervous.

A few nights later when they were once again sitting around in her apartment working on the storyboards while eating pizza and drinking wine, Cat started talking about her drug-addicted past. She had no idea why she suddenly decided to confide in him. She simply felt like unburdening herself, and Jonas was an excellent listener. 'I don't ever want to go back to doing that,' she said with an exaggerated shudder, 'but I have this recurring dream that being a druggie is like being an alcoholic, and since an alcoholic is always an alcoholic, I guess I'll always be a druggie.'

'Not the same thing,' Jonas said, watching her carefully. 'They call people alcoholics because the temptation is always there. If they have one drink they know it's over.'

'You think drugs are different?' she said, thinking that he was obviously naive.

'I bet you've never even smoked a joint.'

'We're talking about you, Cat, not me.'

'Oh, yeah, me,' she said ruefully. 'The girl who was dabbling in heroin, doing crack.' She sighed. 'What a moron!'

'Do you miss it?'

'Come on! I look back in horror.'

'Then there's no way you'll do it again. You're too smart.'

'Jump saved me, y'know,' she mused. 'Without his help...'

'You've got to stop thinking that way,' Jonas said, annoyed that she still considered her cheating husband some kind of saviour. 'You were an easily influenced kid. Now you're a big-time writer and director, which gives you every reason to stay straight.'

'Thanks,' she said softly. 'I must say, Jonas, you've got this knack of calming me down. You're like the big brother I never had.'

'Glad to oblige,' he said. He was becoming far too attached to this crazy, talented girl, and since she regarded him as nothing more than big-brother fodder, it was time to distance himself. Although that was almost impossible now that he was officially working on the movie. He was grateful for the opportunity to show what he could do, it was something he'd been working towards, and if everything worked out it could only lead to bigger and better.

A celebration was in order, so shortly before principal photography was due to begin, he informed Cat he was taking her out for dinner.

'No, no, no,' she said, panicking. 'I have to work all night. I'm kind of freaked. I won't be talkable to for the next six weeks, and after that I'll be locked in the editing room.'

'That's why you're coming out,' Jonas said firmly. 'I'm getting you while I can.'

'Aren't you listening? she wailed. 'It's impossible for me to go anywhere.'

'Too bad.'

She shot him a look. 'Since when did you get so forceful?'

'Since you became a prima donna,' he responded.

He took her to L'Orangerie, a fashionable French restaurant on La Cienega, and although the restaurant was very elegant, they both felt out of place amongst all the well-dressed, affluent people.

'Man!' Cat groaned, as the maitre d' seated them. 'The waiters are staring at me as if I'm from Mars.'

'You could've worn a dress,' Jonas suggested, although he was getting used to her uniform of low-rider jeans, combat boots and skimpy tanks. It didn't matter what she wore, she was so striking-looking that she could've got away with an old sack and bare feet, and still be the most beautiful woman in the room.

'Ugh! Dresses are not for me, thank you,' she said, with a mock shudder.

'Why? I'd go shopping with you.'

'No way,' she said, frowning. 'I hate shopping. It's a total waste of time.

Besides, you do enough for me.'

Before he could reply, a waiter appeared at their table and offered them menus.

'Can we split?' Cat asked, after the first course of eggs mixed with caviar.

'I'd sooner grab a Fatburger, wouldn't you?'

'Only if you're buying,' he said, signalling for the check.

'Hmm...' she said. 'Think I can manage that. I'll add it to the budget - Merrill will never notice.'

'You know, Cat,' he said, smiling, 'when I start producing my own films, I'm hiring you to write and direct every one.'

'You'd better hurry,' she said with a big wide grin, "cause soon you won't be able to afford me.'

'I got your Bentley back,' Otto informed Lola, speaking from his car phone in L.A.

'You did?' Lola said, pleased. 'How about my luggage?'

'Do not expect miracles,' Otto said, turning on to the Pacific Coast Highway.