by Cassie Miles
"I've just checked the rushes for today's work. Quite beautiful, really. And I thought we might take advantage of this quiet time to discuss the scene tomorrow morning."
"What scene?"
"I simply cannot get Dinah to hold the snake. And it's rather necessary, you know, for Eve to communicate with the snake in the Garden of Eden. I'm afraid you'll have to play Eve."
"Naked? No way!"
"You won't really be nude. It's an illusion, costuming."
"I'm not an actress," she pointed out. "And I'm definitely not a body double for Dinah."
"Rafe has already agreed to his part with the tiger in this scene."
"Good for Rafe," she said. "I'm still not interested."
"I thought you might have hesitations. That's why I've come tonight to convince you."
She was beginning to have a very bad feeling about this conversation. With his dark goatee, dressed all in black, Alex looked like the very devil.
But Jenna remained nonchalant. "It doesn't matter if we talk tonight, tomorrow or next week. I'm not going to do it."
"I know how very interested you are in Eddy Benson's death," Alex said smoothly. "Unless I miss my guess, your friend Rafe is somehow investigating."
Jenna said nothing. She wasn't a good liar, and she definitely wasn't in the same league as Alex when it came to manipulation and slyness. She tossed the last cover over the birdcages and led the way out of the room, too far from her gun if she needed protection.
In the quiet of the outer soundstage, she said, "What are you getting at, Alex?"
"I have a bit of information," he said. "And I would be willing to share if you would agree to do this brief scene for me tomorrow morning. Say yes, Jenna. We'll film early in the morning with a minimal crew and no embarrassment whatsoever."
"Are you trying to blackmail me? That doesn't make any sense. I don't have anything to hide."
"But you have people to protect, don't you? What if I told you that Hugh Montclair isn't the great hero he pretends to be? I think, perhaps, you owe it to your mother to find out all you can about the man."
That had to be the most twisted logic in the world, and yet it was effective. Jenna would do anything to protect her mother. "What do you know, Alex?"
"A bit about chemistry." His manner intensified. "A thing or two about poisons. Murder."
"Tell me."
"Not so fast, my dear. I'll want your promise that you will do the scene with the snake in the morning."
"Why is it so important that I do it?"
"This isn't a big-budget film, Jenna. If I hire an actress, I'd have to work with the girl and get her to handle the snake. Really, dear, wouldn't you be more comfortable taking care of your own python?"
She conceded the point. "Possibly."
"It's one small, simple scene. Not worth the trouble of hiring another actress, but integral to my vision for Eden."
"You can't hold back information about a murder."
He laughed, and the sound was magnified by echo. "I don't have to tell a soul. Not unless directly questioned. Even then, I'm rather clever with words. Besides, I never cared a damn for Eddy Benson. His incompetence crippled my brother."
"Did you hate him?"
His penetrating gaze stared right through her defenses. "Surely you know about my brother, the former stuntman who lost the use of his legs because Eddy Benson was negligent. Everyone knows how thoroughly I hated Eddy."
"Why did you hire him?"
"I didn't. Eddy was Hugh's idea."
An ugly sneer distorted his lips. His hatred had festered within him for a long time. Jenna braced herself to run. "Did you kill him?"
"I might have wished him dead, but I would never harm my own production with a murder on set."
"All right, Alex, tell me what you know."
"And you'll agree to that tiny scene in the morning?"
"Yes."
Now that he'd won, Alex breathed more easily. "Thank you, Jenna. You shan't regret this."
That remained to be seen. "Tell me."
"Hugh's dearest friend, Paolo Vincenzo, died of AIDS. Apparently, he was infected while in South America doing some sort of business for Hugh."
That wasn't much of a secret. Though Nick had avoided mentioning the cause of his father's death earlier today, she could have found out.
Alex continued, "But here's the really interesting part. It seems that Hugh has become obsessed with finding a cure."
"A cure for AIDS?"
"One of his degrees is in chemistry, you know. And he set up a regular research center on his estate. He does his testing and experimentation on pigs."
And Eddy had been bitten by a pig. The viral infection that killed him must have come from the pig.
Alex gave a little wave of his hand. "Good night, Jenna. I'll see you in the morning."
Chapter Seven
Jenna had set her alarm for half past four in the morning, but she awakened before the buzzer went off. The uncomfortable sofa bed was made almost uninhabitable by the fact that Jenna and her mother were both scrunched beneath the goose-down comforter. The Denardos were small women, but both were accustomed to sleeping alone. The night had been a silent battle for space and covers.
Jenna's lower back ached and her eyelids felt scratchy. In a few short hours, she'd promised to appear in front of a movie camera, wearing little more than a smile and a python. She needed to report to makeup by five o'clock so they could slather her naked skin with paint. Before that, she had just enough time for a shower and recrimination.
In the tiny shower stall, she rinsed her body with steaming hot water. Why, oh why, had she allowed Alex to talk her into this? And where was Rafe? She'd expected him to return here after her mother's date, but Jenna hadn't wanted to look like she was waiting up for either of them. When she went to bed to fake sleep, her ruse worked too well. She was sleeping soundly before either of them returned.
Out of the shower, she shrugged into a worn, red plaid flannel robe and wrapped a towel around her wet hair. When she shuffled into the animals' room, which was lit by a single bulb, she caught sight of Rafe's incandescent glow. Shadows fell across his face, highlighting his high cheekbones and chiseled jaw. He looked tall, dark and handsome. Perfect, as usual.
"I've got news for you," she said. "But first, how did Mom's date go last night?"
"It was…nice."
She waited for him to say more, but he was silent. Apparently, he didn't understand the various stages of dating, all the subtle clues that marked a date as "friendly,"
"more than friends" or "Wow!"
"Candlelight?" she asked. "Expensive restaurant? Did they stay for dessert?"
"Yes. Yes. And yes."
"Any physical contact?"
Rafe considered for a moment. "He might have reached across the table once or twice and squeezed her hand."
Here was the clincher. "Did they kiss good-night? If so, what kind of kiss?"
"On the cheek," Rafe said.
Jenna nodded, satisfied. Kate and Hugh were friends, nothing more. "I'm relieved. I don't really like Hugh."
"You said you had information."
She told him about her conversation with Alex. The idea of testing fatal serum on animals disgusted her. In Jenna's mind, it was murder. Good reason to dislike Hugh Montclair.
On the other hand, taken in the context of what Alex said had happened, Eddy's death could be considered an accident.
She concluded, "He was bitten by the infected pig. I figure the bite might have happened when he was getting a saliva sample for the physical examination."
"Very neat," Rafe said.
"Very," she agreed.
"Except for one thing. Eddy Benson was murdered. At the end, he realized what had happened to him, and he called upon Saint Francis to avenge his death."
"How could anybody know the pig was going to bite Eddy? Or that the infection would be passed through the bite? Maybe Eddy called upon Saint Francis for a differe
nt reason. Maybe to protect the pigs."
"He was murdered," Rafe repeated. "If Eddy was infected with a bite, it must have been one of Hugh's pigs that bit him."
"Right," she said.
"Why would he be taking saliva samples from Hugh's livestock?"
Jenna groaned. Of course, Rafe was right. They were back to zero. Alex's information was worthless. "I can't believe I promised Alex that I'd do the seminude scene with the snake."
"I'll be there." Rafe grinned. "For support."
"Darn right, you will. Alex said he'd talked to you, and you're playing Adam to my Eve."
"I am?"
"He wants you to do something with Darius."
"That's a problem," he said. "I can't do this scene as an angel. The film will pick up my aura."
With a jolt, she realized their dilemma. "If you're a mortal, you won't have any control over the tiger."
"Exactly."
"We'll have to use conventional methods for handling him. That's all."
But she wasn't pleased about this turn of events. Working with the tiger was always difficult, and Alex was under the impression that Rafe was able to communicate with the big cat on a special magical level.
"The transformation," Rafe said, "is difficult. I haven't prepared myself. I had hoped to use the house for my meditation prior to the change."
"There isn't time," she said. "The makeup people are going to need both of us as soon as possible."
"Makeup?"
"Even if you have a terrific suntan, the bright lights on the set wash out all color. We'll both need tons of body paint."
He hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his Levi's and paced rapidly back and forth. His slight aura seemed to follow him like the tail of a comet.
"What's the matter?" she asked. "I had the impression that you kind of liked being human."
"I'm an angel, Jenna. I don't like to haul around a thick body of human flesh. The effects are unpredictable. And I'm vulnerable. If you cut me, I'll bleed."
"If I cut you right now," she said, "what would happen?"
"You wouldn't," he said.
Very true, and she pitied anyone who would try to attack him. As an angel, Rafe was cloaked in invulnerability. With a fierce glance, he could dispel any threat.
"All right," he said, "this can't be helped. I'll have to transform right here. Right now. Keep watch for me, Jenna. There must be no interruption. Whatever happens, you must not touch me and, please, try to maintain quiet."
He sat on the floor in a lotus position. His eyes closed.
Jenna watched in utter fascination. From nowhere, a wind stirred the air in the room. A sparkling energy field surrounded Rafe, swirling around him like a luminous tornado.
A slight vibration hummed through him, and she heard a distant whir that came closer and closer. Rafe seemed to rise several inches off the floor.
His breathing became labored. He was shivering, yet heat radiated from him in waves.
Jenna wanted to go to him, to hold him, to comfort him in what appeared to be a most strenuous effort. But he'd warned her about physical contact. She knotted her hands helplessly.
Suddenly, he blinked. He seemed to settle into himself. In a hoarse voice, he said, "It's done."
"Are you all right?"
He nodded. His broad chest heaved with each new breath. The simple movement of his head seemed like an effort.
"Is it okay?" She knelt beside him. "Are you all right?"
His blue eyes seemed to have difficulty focusing as he gazed at her. "I'll be fine."
"You seem hot. Should I get you a glass of water or something?"
Clumsily, his hand rested on her shoulder. "Help me stand. It takes a moment to gain my strength."
"Then maybe you should remain sitting. There's no reason to rush. Not really. The makeup can wait."
"Jenna!" His deep voice was strong. "I don't wish to sit here like a lump of clay."
In her struggle to help him rise to his feet, the towel fell from her hair. Her flannel robe gaped, and she clutched it together to cover herself.
On his feet, Rafe stared down at her. With slow deliberate motions, he embraced her. His hands radiated warmth as he caressed her. "Soft," he whispered. "Your skin is like satin."
Her robe came apart, but Jenna didn't care. She was caught in the intensity of the moment, unable to consider beyond the taste of his mouth upon hers. As he kissed her, she melted against him.
When Rafe stepped away from her, she was trembling.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I had no right to kiss you."
"Don't apologize."
"You understand, don't you? There can never be a relationship between us."
"I understand." He was her ephemeral lover. His existence was only for a moment, while he was mortal. Then he would be an angel again—distant, untouchable. "I'll take any kisses I can get."
"There's a problem," he said.
"What's that?"
He shuffled his feet, and she realized that when he was an angel, she never heard him walking. "As a mortal man, I lack control," he said. "Especially, um, below the waist."
Jenna glanced down. There was a sexy bulge in his jeans. "Personally, I think it's very attractive."
"How am I going to walk around in a body stocking with this hanging out?"
She grinned. "I'm told that men think of other things to control that. Think of something unsexual." Helpfully, she continued, "Think of wading across a river. It's cold, ice cold. Fast moving current…"
"Sunlight reflecting, like the sparkle in your eyes. My body tingling, alive." He shook his head. "Not water. Water is sensual."
"How about sports?" she suggested. "Football."
"I'd think of what you would look like in a cheerleader uniform. The Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, I know, have very attractive outfits."
"Forget sports," Jenna said. "An old boyfriend once told me that when he got turned on, he did mathematical equations in his head."
"Logic," Rafe said, "requires total concentration. Yes, that might be effective and relevant, since I need to concentrate on the facts of the murder."
"I guess logic is a good antidote to sex."
"And murder," Rafe said. "When I think of injustice, my human body reacts. There's no room for another emotion." He looked at her. "How do you suppose Alex got his information about Hugh?"
"Because he wanted me to do this scene." But that explanation was too simple. Had he wanted to confuse her? Why did he tell Jenna? How did he think she was involved? "Do you think Alex killed Eddy?"
"Alex should be considered as a suspect. Keep in mind that in addition to the bite, there was the mark of a hypodermic needle."
Pondering these clues, Jenna and Rafe reported to the makeup area where Dorothy, the director's assistant, gave orders to three other women.
"Body makeup from head to toe," Dorothy said. "They're supposed to look naked. Jenna and Rafe, you just sit there, okay? Wardrobe! Where is that woman?"
These people were professionals. There was very little giggling and silliness as they did their jobs, treating Jenna and Rafe with the impersonality of a couple of sides of beef.
After they were fitted in filmy body stockings—a one-piece bathing suit for Jenna and briefs for Rafe—the makeup artists set to work with makeup that covered every imperfection. Jenna watched the scar on her knee from a horseback riding accident disappear. Tan lines vanished.
With Rafe, the makeup ladies complained about the thick body hair on his arms and chest.
"You're lucky," Dorothy said to him. "Jason has a lot of hair, too. If he didn't, we'd need to shave you."
"Forget it," Rafe said.
"You're really in much better shape than Jason."
"Is that a problem?"
"Not for you." Dorothy grinned. "Not at all."
After they'd been coated with a goo that seemed to clog every pore, the hairstylists descended. It was a struggle to get Jenna's thick hair tucked under the Eve wig that fe
ll almost to her knees. After being stabbed by dozens of bobby pins, she felt as if her scalp was a pincushion.
Rafe was outfitted with a far less elaborate wig, one that matched Jason's chestnut-brown hair.
When they were finished, Rafe and Jenna stood side by side, studying themselves in a full-length mirror. She shouldn't have wasted a second's worry about being too undressed. With the bodysuit and the thick makeup, Jenna realized she'd often been more scantily clad at the beach.
Rafe, however, was gorgeous. His shoulder span was impressive. The muscles in his stomach were taut. And he had the straightest, most well-developed legs she'd ever seen on a man.
Jenna tore her gaze away from him before she could succumb to the urge to climb his body like a jungle gym. She couldn't allow her mind to wander down that particular path. Working with the snake and the tiger was going to be complicated, and she needed to be sharp.
"You're adorable," Dorothy said. "You look like Ken and Barbie."
"Who?" Rafe asked.
Jenna explained, "With this makeup spackled all over, we look like plastic dolls. Unfortunately, I don't have Barbie's legs."
"You've got great legs," he said. "Great everything…not that I'm looking."
"I certainly hope not," she retorted. "Remember your little problem."
"Not so little," he said.
Alex swept into the room and eyed them critically.
"Not bad," Dorothy said. "They're not identical to Dinah and Jason. For one thing, Jenna's too short. But they'll be okay as long as you don't do close-ups."
"Right," Alex said briskly. "Come along, you two. Let's get this scene shot before the rest of the crew arrives."
"Good idea," Jenna said. "While we're working with Darius, I want the soundstage doors locked. Only necessary personnel should be present. We need to avoid distractions."
"But I was under the impression that Rafe was able to coax the tiger through hoops."
"Not today," Rafe informed him. "The thing that happened the other day was pure luck. It probably won't happen again."
"Very well."
As Alex explained his vision of Rafe playing with the tiger, coming in direct physical contact, Jenna added her own instructions. "Under no circumstance should Rafe be on the ground, lower than the tiger. As long as Darius doesn't think he's lunch, we ought to be okay. Also, we'll have to keep the tiger on a restraint leash."