I felt my shoulders sag. I’d actually secretly been counting on Cam to help me out.
“Please?” I begged.
But the resolved look in her eyes told me no amount of pleading was going to change her mind. “Sorry, Tina, but you’re on your own with this one. Look, just submit it to him, and see what he says. Maybe he’s feeling generous today.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Hello? Have you met Felix?”
She gave me a sympathetic shrug. “Sorry.” Then added as she turned to go, “And be careful, Tina, okay?”
I nodded. Really, I couldn’t blame her. A week ago keeping my boss happy would have been at the top of my priority list, too. And I’d already gotten her in hot water over the whole lookout at Katie Briggs’s incident.
Unfortunately, that left me still distraction-less. I let my gaze wander over the newsroom for another possible ally. Max, Cece…Allie.
I froze. If ever someone had distraction written all over her, it was Allie.
I clenched my jaw. I stood up. I sucked in a deep breath. And prepared to make a deal with the devil to save my skin.
“You’re nuts, you know that?”
I nodded.
Allie shook her head at me, her blonde locks falling over her shoulder. “You’re really going to call this guy out?”
I nodded again. “Look, I need you to distract Felix. Just for a second.”
She narrowed her eyes. “And what’s in it for me?”
I bit my lip. “That satisfaction of helping a coworker?”
Her eyes narrowed further until they looked like a cat’s.
Okay, so she was into satisfaction.
“Look, I’ll…I’ll introduce you to some of my contacts around town.”
Her lip curled. And she shook her head. “Not good enough.”
I threw my hands up. “Okay, fine. What do you want?”
“I want this story.”
I blinked at her. “What story?”
“The story of the Informer reporter who’s being stalked by a murderer, threatens to expose him, then ends up getting herself killed.”
I raised an eyebrow at her.
She shrugged. “It’s one possible ending.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Do we have a deal?”
I ground my teeth together. The last thing I wanted to do was give Barbie an exclusive on my life story. On the other hand, if I didn’t, said story was likely to be a whole lot shorter and have a much less pleasant ending.
Begrudgingly, I stuck my hand out. “Deal.”
Allie shook it, the most evil grin I’d ever seen spreading across her cute little face.
I involuntarily shuddered.
“So, you’re on Felix, then?”
She nodded. Then fluffed up her boobs. “Come six o’clock, he’s all mine.”
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?
“Thanks for the tip, Marco. I gotta go,” I quickly said into the phone, hanging it up and letting my fingers fly with lightning speed over my keyboard. I pulled up the IMDB website again, typing in the name “Alexis Mullins.” Her credits as a member of The Fenton Family popped up (back when she was known as cute little Alexis Grant), but alongside them were three new projects: a Lifetime movie, VH1’s Celebrity Sorority House, and an HBO TV series pilot produced by Tom Hanks. Not too shabby.
I chewed my pen top as I sat back in my chair. It was a long shot, but…
I grabbed Strawberry Shortcake and made for the elevator.
Unfortunately, as soon as I got there, the doors slid open to reveal Cal on the other side.
He looked down at my purse. “Going somewhere?”
“Jake Mullins’s widow.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Let’s just say I’ve got a hunch.”
Cal looked like he was about to protest. Luckily, he knew me better than that by now and, instead, shrugged, leading the way back into the elevator.
Half an hour later we were back in Echo Park, Cal’s Hummer stashed in the Ralph’s parking lot and the two of us knocking on Alexis Mullins’s front door. A few beats later it was opened a crack by the widow herself.
This time she was fully dressed, sporting a pleather miniskirt, thigh-high boots, fishnet stockings, and a lacy top that left little to the imagination. Either she was headed for the casting couch or a street corner somewhere on Hollywood Boulevard.
“Hi,” I said, doing a little wave at her. “Remember us?”
She wrinkled her forehead as if trying to. “Yeah. The writer, right?”
I nodded. “I had a few more questions about your husband. Do you mind if we come in?”
Her eyebrows drew together. Clearly, she did mind. But the allure of her name in print finally won out as she stepped back, allowing us entrance. “Sure. But I’m on my way to meet my agent for lunch, so if we could make it quick?”
“No problem,” I promised her.
This time she didn’t offer us coffee or a seat, instead standing near the door, antsy, shifting from one foot to another.
“So, what kind of questions?” she asked, biting a manicured fingernail between her two front teeth.
“You mentioned roles had picked up lately for you. When exactly did they start coming in again?”
Alexis blinked at me. “I dunno.”
“Was it before or after your husband passed away?”
Her eyes darted once to the door. “After, I guess.”
“Any particular reason things picked up for you?”