There was much confusion and noise and screaming.

Lola could barely breathe. She struggled out from under Tony and saw Selma fall.

Tony's bodyguards were busy pulling guns and firing back. But they were too late, the car holding the gunman sped away.

'They've shot my sister!' Lola screamed. 'Oh... God! THEY'VE SHOT MY SISTER!'

Chapter Thirty-One.

Shelby and Cat spent the rest of the flight back to L. A. getting to know each other. Even though there was an eleven-year age gap between them, they found they had plenty in common. Cat talked about her drug days, meeting Jump and how cool she'd thought he was.

Shelby talked about her early days in England, her move to America, and how overwhelming it was for her when she'd first met Linc. 'He's an amazing man when he wants to be,' she said wistfully.

'I remember seeing him in movies when I was a kid,' Cat said.

'He's not that old,' Shelby said with a slight smile. 'He's only in his forties.'

'I know,' Cat said. 'Although it seems like he's been around forever.'

The flight attendant came by and served them a light snack. Then the attendant asked Shelby if she'd mind signing an autograph for her niece who happened to have the same name as her.

'I'm not sure I can live with Linc any more,' Shelby confided, when the flight attendant finally left. 'He has a drinking problem, and it's getting to be too much.'

'Have you told him?' Cat asked, nibbling a cheese cracker.

'I've tried to. He doesn't seem to hear me. Yesterday he informed me that I had to walk off your movie or have Pete fired.'

'Pete?' Cat said, shocked. 'Our stunt coordinator?'

'That's right.'

'Why would he want to get Pete fired?'

'Because Pete and I used to go out way before I met Linc. I didn't bother mentioning to him that Pete was on our movie, so when he saw a picture of us together in People he went berserk.'

'Ha! Those paparazzi shots can cause trouble.'

'I had no idea we were being photographed,' Shelby explained. 'Pete and I were having lunch, it was nothing more than that.'

'It's all about publicity when you're famous,' Cat remarked. 'You can forget privacy.'

'I suppose so.'

'All those crap TV shows, the tabloids and the magazines, you think the people who run them care about celebrities' feelings?'

'No.'

'Here's the thing. A person can be in an awesome marriage or relationship - they don't care. They'll go right ahead and publish a rumour that you've been seen out with someone else, which creates a big mess. And that's exactly what they're hoping for.'

'I agree.'

'Man! I'm lucky I'm not in the public eye.'

'Actually you are,' Shelby agreed. 'You're a young girl directing a big movie. A gorgeous Cameron Diaz-style blonde, so you will get noticed and written about.'

'Gee, thanks. I can't wait.'

'Maybe you should've been an actress.'

'Are you saying that all good-looking women should be actresses?' Cat exclaimed.

'How sexist is that?'

'You know what I mean.'

'Well, anyway, here we are,' Cat sighed, helping herself to another cheese cracker. 'Both of us about to get divorced.'

'I didn't say I was getting a divorce,' Shelby said quickly.

'It sounds to me that's what you have in mind.'

'It's complicated,' Shelby said unsurely. 'I have to talk it through with my therapist.'

'I'd never go to a shrink,' Cat said, snatching up a handful of peanuts. 'All they do is look bored and try to make you cry. They're sort of the Barbara Walters of the doctors' brigade.'

'I gather you've had experience.'

'Oh, yeah. When I was fourteen my dad thought it was a cool idea. How dumb was that?'

'Therapists can be helpful,' Shelby said gently. 'It's not general knowledge, although it's been written about in some of the more in-depth articles about him, but Linc suffered an extremely violent childhood.'

'What happened?' Cat asked curiously.

'I don't want to get into it now,' Shelby said evasively.

'I can't stand people who blame everything on their parents,' Cat said, wrinkling her nose. 'I could've been a total fuck-up because of my parents. I mean, even though they were rich and kind of spoiled me, I never got any real love and attention from them. So I became a druggie at fifteen, living by myself in New York, until Jump came along and rescued me. It's only now that I've finally taken control of my life.'

'And a very good job you've done,' Shelby said. 'I have to say you're extremely mature for your years.'

'Yeah, I'm an old soul,' Cat said, grinning. 'That's what everyone tells me.'

At LAX, they were greeted by airline personnel waiting to meet Shelby. Several lurking paparazzi hovered outside the terminal. Cat tried to distance herself from Shelby, which made the photographers notice her, and wonder who she was.

'Shit!' she muttered. If Merrill saw photos of her at the airport he'd be pissed. Although how could he be pissed when she was already back in L.A.?

They shared a car from the airport into town.

'See you Monday on the set,' Cat said, when Shelby dropped her off.

'I'll look forward to it,' Shelby replied.

Cat couldn't wait to get back to work. It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had her stuff - no more connections. Jump was history.

It was a delightful feeling of freedom.

Lola rode in the ambulance to the emergency room. Selma was lying on a stretcher, unconscious. She'd been hit by two bullets. One had grazed her temple and the second was lodged somewhere near her thigh.

The entire evening had been a nightmare. The shooting; the police; the crowds of gawkers who came out of nowhere; the flashing cameras that wouldn't quit.

Big Jay had been hit in the shoulder, although it didn't seem to have affected him too much - he was still on his feet. Tony was unscathed, so was Lola.

'Want me to come with you, babe?' Tony had asked as she'd climbed in the ambulance.

'No,' she'd said, barely able to look at him. Didn't he understand? It was all his fucking fault.

The ambulance men were very kind. They allowed her to sit next to Selma, keeping a tight hold on her hand.

'Will she be all right?' she kept on asking.

'Can't tell until the doctors take a look at her.'

'She's got to be all right,' Lola insisted. 'She's got to. This all happened because of me.'

'How's that?' one of the attendants asked.

'She came to New York to be with me. If I hadn't taken her out tonight, this never would've happened.'

'Mustn't blame yourself,' the attendant said. 'Violence is everywhere. You have no idea how many gunshot wounds we handle each day.'

'I don't want to know,' she said, her eyes filling with tears. 'This is my sister. And she will not die because I won't let her.'

There was more chaos outside the emergency room. The paparazzi were everywhere and the flashing cameras wouldn't quit - the photographers were like rabid bees, buzzing around, getting in everyone's face.

Lola wanted to kill them all. What a bunch of low-lifes. Why did they feel they had the right to intrude on such a private moment of tragedy?

Pale and serious, she rushed in beside Selma's stretcher, still clutching her sister's hand.

Doctors hurried forward and immediately took over. Lola knew she had to call her mother before she heard it on the news. She slumped against a wall, desperately trying to control herself. With shaking hands she took out her cell phone and punched in the number. 'Mama,' she managed, choking back sobs. 'Mama, get on a plane and come here at once. I'm... so... sorry. There's been an accident. Selma's been shot.'

Monday morning, the news on the set of Caught was all about the Lola Sanchez scandal in New York. A shooting involving celebrities was always a hot topic.

'Lola's sister is in a coma,' someone said.

'She's dead,' someone else said.

'The bullet was meant for Tony Alvarez,' someone else offered.

Stories bounced back and forth.

'My cousin's best friend is a bartender at the club they were at,' the continuity girl confided. 'Apparently Lola dissed some guy in the club, and he came back with a gun. The bullet was meant for her, not Tony.'

When Shelby first heard about it, she was worried that Linc might have been involved. Unwilling to call him, she contacted his publicist, Norm, who assured her that Linc had not been there.

'How's he doing, Norm?' she asked, hoping the news was good.

'You know Linc,' Norm replied, noncommittal as usual.

'Yes, I'm afraid I do,' she said quietly. 'And I also know he's drinking again.

So, for the time being, I won't be in touch. If you should get any press enquiries, as far as you know everything between us is fine.'

'Of course, Shelby. I won't say a word unless I hear it directly from you.'

'Let's keep it that way. We both know how the press will jump on it if they think there's any sign of trouble.'

Norm hung up the phone and wondered if he should give an exclusive to Liz Smith in return for a future favour. Then he decided, no, Shelby was a nice woman, and he still had some principles, even after years of being a PR to the rich and famous.

Shelby tried not to dwell on the scene between her and Linc in New York. Instead she threw herself into her work. When she spotted Pete coming towards her she was cordial with him.

'Did you see our picture in People? he asked, sounding kind of pleased.

'Yes, I saw it, and so did Linc'

'Hope it didn't ruin your weekend in New York.'

'My weekend was okay,' she said guardedly.

'Only okay?'

'Pete, I think it's best if we keep our distance.'

'I know that, Shelby. However, I do need to talk to you about the car stunt.'

'As long as it's all about work.'

'You're still upset about me driving you to the airport, aren't you?'

'Yes, quite frankly I am.'

'Linc was pissed - is that what I'm hearing?'

'I repeat,' she said coolly, 'let's stick to work.'