Fortunately she had her work to throw herself into, and she liked hanging out with Cat. They giggled like a couple of girlfriends about Nick Logan and his pursuit of every woman on the set. Almost every day Nick had a different girl come to his trailer for lunch. The crew took bets on whether it would be a blonde, redhead or brunette. He seemed to favour no particular colour, although they all had spectacular bodies.

'I've been watching him,' Shelby remarked. 'He definitely has a thing for you.'

'Don't be ridiculous,' Cat said, frowning. 'I could eat him up and spit him out.

He's a womanizing jerk.'

'So... we think he's a jerk, do we?'

'Good description,' Cat said. 'I mean, in an unruly puppy-dog sort of way.'

'I think you like him,' Shelby teased.

'I do not' Cat protested - a bit too vehemently.

Shelby found Nick was friendly and professional towards her. If it wasn't for her problems with Linc, she would have been having a good time on Caught. Her role was challenging and exciting - she'd never played such a tough character.

In a way it was exhilarating.

The day of the car stunt, Pete was very much in charge. He issued instructions at a rapid-fire pace, while everyone listened intently. Pete had a great reputation as one of the best stuntmen in the business. Shelby had to drive the car - a Jaguar - while being chased by Nick in another vehicle. The stunt part was executing a sudden stop and completing a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn without the car spinning out of control.

They'd rehearsed it for a week, and she was hoping she had it down. Pete, directing second unit, rode with the camera crew on a truck behind them.

Her heart was pounding. She didn't want to let Pete down. She could do it, had to do it.

'Action!' Pete yelled, and Shelby took off.

The stunt worked perfectly. Shelby was ecstatic. Pete hopped off the truck and ran towards her to help her out of the car. 'You're the greatest!' he said, beaming. 'I'm so proud of you.'

'Thanks to you,' she murmured.

'One take, Shelby,' he said, turning to the rest of the crew. 'Let's hear it for our girl!'

The applause was gratifying.

'I think you gotta come to my movie premiere with me tonight,' Nick said, smoking as usual. 'It's a big deal.'

'It is?' Cat said.

'I gotta go, an' I don't fancy doin' it alone.'

'Take one of your many girlfriends,' she suggested. 'You've got enough of them to choose from.'

'I wanna take you,' he said, giving her a moody stare.

'Why?'

"Cause it'll be dynamite publicity for our movie. We'll get outta the limo, an'

here I am with this knock-out blonde, an' everyone's gonna say, "Who's the fox?"

An' I'm gonna say, "She's the director of Caught, the movie I'm making".'

'What makes you think we need that kind of publicity?'

'We don't, but it'll be fun.'

Fun? Hmm... She hadn't experienced a lot of that lately. Although when she'd called Merrill back, the conversation had been pretty damn good. Before she could say a word, Merrill had started raving about the dailies. 'I showed them to people here,' he said. 'They love you, they love your work. We got plenty of backers, Kitten. When do I get your next script?'

She'd given no thought to what she planned to do next. Maybe take some time off and go island-hopping, read some books, generally veg out.

'I'll get back to you, Merrill,' she'd said.

'Do that, Kitten. It's you and me all the way.'

It was nice to know that somebody was waiting for her next project, although she was wise enough to realize that if Caught failed horribly at the box office, she'd be yesterday's news.

'What're you thinking?' Nick asked, still waiting for her answer.

'I hate that question. Like I'm going to tell you what I'm thinking.'

'Why not?'

'Okay, I'm thinking you're an asshole - does that satisfy you?'

'Y'know, there's something about you,' he said, grinning. 'You're kinda like old and young at the same time. It's the sexy bod and the old mouth.'

'Old mouth?' she said, frowning again.

'Y'know what I mean.' He chain-lit another cigarette. 'So - you comin' to my flick?'

'Why are you always asking me to go places when you have a million babes who would happily go with you at the drop of their knickers?'

'Knickers!' he exclaimed, laughing. 'That's a nice old English word. Didn't know you were English.'

'I lived there for a while.'

'You did?'

'Yes.'

'I don't know much about you, do I?'

'I don't know much about you either, and I'm not sure I want to, so don't sweat it.'

'You coming with me or not?'

'What's the movie?'

'Trucker. Big-time action, you'll get off on it.'

She sighed. 'I dunno...'

'For fuck's sake,' he snapped. 'Stop givin' me this I'm-not-sure crap.'

'Okay,' she said, making a snap decision. 'Your charm has convinced me. Only no hands on.'

'What does that mean?'

'I'm not one of your conquests. I'll go with you 'cause you're right - it'll be great publicity for our movie.'

'Jeez!' he grumbled. 'You sure as shit don't make it easy.'

'What time?'

'I'll pick you up at seven. Wear something sexy.'

'Shove it up your-'

'Okay, okay,' he said, holding up his hand. 'I get it. Wear whatever you want.

See ya later.'

Chapter Thirty-Three.

"I got somethin' to tell you that'll shock the shit outta you,' Freddy Krane announced. He was back in town and visiting the set.

'What's that?' Linc asked, high on coke and feeling no pain, even though he was in the middle of working.

'Lola Sanchez,' Freddy said, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. 'A coupla nights ago I was havin' phone sex with that model broad, Allegra. So I'm pullin' the old pod, an' all of a sudden, whammo! I realize I'm sittin' in the same bed you fucked Lola in.'

'I didn't fuck her,' Linc said, frowning.

'Sure you did. Only you've forgotten about it.'

'I have?'

'She's changed, but Freddy never forgets a face, so I did some checking.'

'I've no idea what you're talking about.'

'Keep listenin'. A few years ago at one of my parties I hired a Latino DJ who'd been recommended. He brought his girlfriend with him.'

'So?' Linc said, not even vaguely interested in Freddy's ramblings.

'She was a hot-lookin' piece, turnin' on the sexy dancin' for us. So I sent one of my girls to bring her over.'

'You did, huh?'

'Over she comes, this hot little Latina chick, an' that's the last I saw of her, 'cause you took her inside an' spent the night with her in my bed. I couldn't even sleep in my own freakin' bed! So in the mornin' when I come in, you're gone and she's still there, naked as a Playboy spread, an' sexy as all-get-out.'

'Who are you talking about?'

'Lola Sanchez, schmuck! Course, her name wasn't Lola then, but it was her. I had one of my assistants track down the DJ from that night. The dude's now producing records in L.A. I spoke to him personally - asked him if he played a gig at one of my parties, and was the girl with him Lola? He told me yes.'

'I'm still not getting you,' Linc said.

Freddy shook his head in disgust. 'What are you - stoned?'

'Who understands what the fuck this story is about?'

'You were screwing Lola Sanchez, only that wasn't her name then. She was just some sexy Chicana chick tryin' to get herself noticed. You nailed her in my bed, spent the night with her, then passed her on to me. Unfortunately she didn't want anythin' to do with me. End of story. Now, six years later, here we are.'

'Holy shit!' Linc said, finally getting it. 'You sure?'

'Course I am,' Freddy agreed, chuckling. 'I got a memory like a freakin'

elephant - 'specially when it comes to women. If I've seen 'em naked, you can bet I'm gonna remember 'em.'

'But you didnt see her naked. According to you it was me who spent the night with her.'

'Why d'you think she hasn't mentioned it to you?'

'Maybe she's embarrassed.'

'She's pissed at you, man. You screwed her all night, then dumped her. Bet you never even called her, did you?'

Linc shrugged. 'Who remembers?'

'You shoulda called, sent a flower or somethin'. I would've, only she didn't want me, she wanted you, the big movie star. Marched outta my house all bent outta shape.'

'You think it was Lola?'

'I know it was.'

'What should I do?'

'Get her into bed again, then tell her you remember while you're screwin' her.

Tbat'll give her the come of the century.'

'Anybody ever mentioned you're a dirty old man?'