“You are sometimes,” Amanda commented.
“Thanks,” he said.
“And then I’ll walk down the same path I did tonight and hopefully draw the person after me, and you’ll all surround them.”
“The three of us will surround them?” Donavan asked.
“You’re right. We need more recruits we can trust.” People not involved with this movie in any way. “I’ll take care of that part. You guys just get ready to catch the culprit.”
Amanda let out a low laugh.
“What?” I asked.
“Did you just use the word culprit?”
“Shut up.”
Grant stood and stretched. “This is like a real-life movie. Except that whole watching an hour’s worth of video on your computer would’ve been edited out.”
Amanda stood as well. “Good thing we have America’s favorite action hero, Heath Hall,” she said, taking Grant’s hand and leading him to the door.
“I’m not America’s favorite right now, but I will be soon.” He winked at me, and they both left my trailer.
I turned to Donavan. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He pulled me down onto his lap and into a hug. “Is this the exciting life I can hope to lead when dating an actress?”
“No, most of the time it will be really boring. Just me. And occasionally you needing to fake a British accent to help me with my lines.”
“Sounds perfect to me.”
“Give me one second. I need to text my friend, and then we are going to make out.”
He laughed. “I like how you give me warnings when we are going to make out as if I need to prepare myself.”
“You do.”
I grabbed my phone and texted Abby. Are you still coming to see me tomorrow?
She responded almost immediately. Yes!!
Will you bring Cooper?
I can see if he’s available. Why?
We’re taking down a bad guy.
Thirty-Six
We were on our dinner break the next day, and I had gathered my band of vigilantes in my trailer. I didn’t want too many people in on this or suspicions would arise, but I needed enough to trap the perpetrator. Hopefully five was the lucky number—Donavan, Abby, Cooper, Amanda, and Grant.
“Thanks, everyone, for coming. For believing me.”
Abby kept giving Grant sideways glances. I’d introduced both her and Cooper to him earlier, and both of them were beyond starstruck. Especially now, with him in full costume, leaning against the wall, hair perfectly coiffed, neck scarf neatly tied, and sword dangling from his waist.
“What’s the plan?” Grant asked.
“After our final scene of the day, I’m going to start walking back, just like yesterday. I’m going to say something about how I forgot a light again. I’ll pause and pretend like I’m going to turn back but change my mind. Donavan, Amanda, Abby, and Cooper will be hiding ready to intercept from the far side. Grant, you’ll come up from behind, since you’ll have been on set with me.”
“And if the person never shows up?” Amanda asked.
“Hopefully they will.”
“Let’s catch the bad guy!” Amanda said, standing up.
I smiled. “T minus two hours to take down.”
“Can I eat now?” Grant asked.
“Yes, go eat.”
Grant waved to the room as he left.
“Me too,” Amanda said. “I’ll see you later.” She shut the door behind her, and Abby let out a little squeal.
“I know I shouldn’t think this is cool, because someone has been screwing you over, but . . . ?”
“It’s fine, you can say it,” I said.
“I just met Grant James,” she said.
“You were right,” Cooper joined. “He is very attractive.”
I laughed. “You all okay to hang out here for the next two hours while I’m on set?”
“Yes, we have your boyfriend to grill,” Abby said.
I raised my eyebrows at Donavan, and he said, “I’ll survive.”
“Good. I need to go eat, and next time I see you, hopefully you’ll be surrounding my tormentor.”
I had stepped onto the gravel outside my trailer when Donavan said, “Hey.”
I turned.
“You okay?”
“A little nervous,” I admitted. As much as I wanted to figure out who had been sabotaging me, I also kind of didn’t want to know.
“You don’t think this person would hurt you, do you?”
“I don’t think so. . . .” Although I wasn’t sure. I hadn’t felt safe at all the night before.
“Be careful, okay?”
“I will.” I hugged him.
He moved to kiss me, when I took a step back. “You really want to kiss this?” I pointed at my zombie makeup.
He smiled. “Hey, I started liking you in the middle of you wearing all that.”
I patted his cheek. “That’s sweet, but you still can’t kiss me. I can’t risk you messing it up.”
“Fair enough.” He gave me another hug. “See you later.”
The tip of Benjamin’s sword pressed against my throat. It was cold, and Grant was right, a little sharp.
“Do you know how many people you’ve killed? I can’t let this go on,” Grant said as Benjamin.
“Then don’t,” I growled.
We walked a slow circle, the camera following us.
“Scarlett, what have you become?”
“Exactly what I was meant to.”
He pulled his arm back and thrust the sword forward. I dodged, and we got into our choreographed scuffle. Then Grant stabbed his sword to the right of my neck. The angle of the camera would make it look like it went straight through. I put my hands to my throat, breaking the packets of fake blood I’d been holding. I collapsed to the ground. Grant stood over me, then brought his sword down again. He paused, staring down at me for several moments before Remy called, “Cut!”
I stood, and Simone came forward and cleaned up my neck, then fixed the makeup for another take.
I let my eyes scan over the group of people in the hazy light surrounding me. Remy studied the monitor and pointed out a few things to the cameraperson. Noah was just beyond him, looking over his shoulder. Simone was now talking to Audrey, the hair person. Faith was looking at the script. Next to her, standing alone, was Grant’s agent. We locked eyes for a moment, and he shook his head slightly. I wasn’t sure what that meant. Everyone else was a crew member I’d seen around but had never really conversed with.
My heart picked up speed as I thought about walking through the dark alone.
“You want to take my sword?” Grant whispered from beside me as if he’d read my mind.
I smiled.
Grant’s eyes were now taking in our surroundings as well. “Do you think the person is here right now?”
“I don’t know.”
We ran the scene two more times before Remy said, “That’s a wrap.”
I took a steadying breath. Grant reached over and squeezed my arm. It was a sweet gesture that bolstered my opinion of him.
“I’m right behind you,” he whispered.
I nodded. “Hey,” I said loudly. “Will you walk me back to the trailers? I forgot my light.”
“I need to talk to Remy and watch some raw footage. You’ll be fine,” he said, playing the role I assigned him.
“Fine.”
He smirked and headed over to the monitors. I went for the path. And just like that I was alone in the dark. Just beyond the set I was leaving behind, I stopped and looked back, acted nervous. I took one step back toward the set, but then shook my head and turned back to the path.
I walked slowly to provide plenty of opportunity. The problem was, I really couldn’t see. I should’ve remembered this small detail from the day before. I’d shown the others which path to wait on, but after several more minutes of walking, I wasn’t even sure I was on that path. Especially not when I tripped over a large root. I didn’t remember there being roots on the walking path.
“Crap,” I grunted under my breath. Each step I took forward after that, I used my foot to feel the ground in front of me. This was going to take all night.
Then I heard it. The footsteps behind me again. I looked over my shoulder but saw nothing but blackness.
“Grant?” I knew that wasn’t the plan, but maybe he’d followed me when I got off course.
No response.
“Hello?”
“Are you scared?” a voice whispered.
I let out a scream, hoping my friends would hear it, and took off running. I’d made it only ten steps before I tripped on a root and went down hard, scuffing both palms. I flipped over and scooted backward while looking all around me.
“What do you want from me?” I said.
A rustling sound to my right launched me to my feet again. I should’ve taken Grant’s sword. “I’m over here!” I yelled. My voice bounced off the trees, which wouldn’t help with locating me at all.
Silence.
And then the loudest footsteps yet. Fast. Running toward me. I should’ve run. I needed to run. But the thought of tripping again and having my back to someone coming at me had me doing the exact opposite. I held my ground, and when I saw a dark form reach my field of vision, I launched myself forward, wrapping my arms around it. We both fell. I landed on my back, knocking the wind out of me. The figure rolled off me and bolted. I caught my breath, lying there while I assessed the damage. I seemed okay. I’d probably have a few bruises.