Course of Action

by Gun Brooke

  “No. “The denial was quick and emphatic. “You barely look thirty-five.”

  “Then what? Do me a favor and just tell me, okay?”

  Annelie’s eyes widened a fraction at the blunt request. “Okay.” Her tone became very businesslike. “Your voice was always perfect for Diana. But film is a visual medium, and I’m not sure your look is quite right for her. “

  Carolyn raised an eyebrow. “Clearly you wouldn’t have cast Charlize Theron in Monster.”

  Annelie sighed. “Carolyn, listen. I know you want the role, and I love the work you’ve done for Key Line. But I can’t afford to allow my own personal preferences to enter into this decision. I’m risking a lot on this movie. People depend on me for their livelihoods, so I have to listen to what industry experts are telling me or I won’t get a distribution deal. You know what those guys are like.”

  It was the first time Carolyn had heard Annelie speak with real emotion since her presentation at the Nebula Circle fundraiser. She took a moment to consider the right way to respond. Softening her tone, she said, “At least let me read for you, and keep an open mind. Will you give me that?”

  “Absolutely,” Annelie said. “In fact, I’ll give you more. I feel very bad about the audiobooks, and I want to make it right with you. Let’s do this properly.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We both know I’m within my rights to stop selling the books and let our contracts with you simply expire. But neither of us gets anything from this option. I have a better idea.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I’ll pay you a hundred thousand dollars to compensate for lost earnings, and we’ll terminate the contracts properly. All you have to do is say yes, and I’ll handle the legal work.”

  Carolyn mentally repeated the offer. It sounded generous. Annelie was obviously trying to do the right thing. But her instincts told her to stall. It was a long time since she had signed the audiobook contracts. She wanted to see exactly what the fine print said before she walked away.

  “I’ll need to talk it over with Grey,” she said.

  “Of course. I’ll have my attorneys fax the paperwork over to him right away. Let me know once you’ve had a chance to think it over.” Annelie motioned toward the table. “How about some coffee?”

  Carolyn shook her head. “Normally I’d love a cup, but I need to be somewhere. I’ll call a cab.”

  “Why don’t I give you lift? I have to run a few errands.”

  Carolyn was about to decline when she thought again. It seemed as if Annelie was trying to be a friend to her on a personal level, irrespective of their professional relationship. It would be shortsighted to shut down that possibility. The role might not be hers automatically, but it was within reach, and the more time she spent with Annelie, the better her chances.

  “Thanks, that’s very thoughtful of you,” she said. “Now tell me the really good news—we’re taking that beauty parked right outside. The Mustang?”

  Annelie looked pleasantly surprised. “Yes. Do you like vintage cars?”

  “Love them. I’ve always wanted a seventies Corvette Stingray, but since I live in New York I drive a Volvo XC90, an SUV. Safe, versatile, and a tad on the dull side. Don’t tell anyone I said so, though. I’m participating in a Volvo commercial soon.”

  “You have my word,” Annelie promised with mock sincerity.

  After gathering her bag, Carolyn followed Annelie to the well-kept Mustang, where she enjoyed the feel of the smooth white leather seat. Cool air suggested the car had been modernized.

  “What color would you choose if you ever bought a vintage Corvette?” Annelie asked, donning a pair of sunglasses.

  Carolyn rolled her eyes at herself. “You’ll think I’m nuts, but I’d like a Tweety-Bird yellow one.”

  “A Tweety-Bird yellow?” Annelie burst out laughing. The sound was contagious, and the actress joined in. “I’d never have guessed.”

  Confidently, Annelie drove through the streets of the gated community and waved at the guard. Carolyn was intrigued by the strange mix of frankness and reserve she detected in the younger woman and wondered what made her tick. She was obviously a brilliant businesswoman. Was it her wealth or her persona that opened doors for her, and was it money or power she sought? Apparently it wasn’t celebrity.

  “You must have a great personal stake in the Diana Maddox books since you oversee every detail yourself,” Carolyn ventured.

  “I guess you could say that, but also, I gave my word to Delia Carlton that I’d personally make sure her story didn’t get twisted or sold out to any of the greedy Hollywood moguls. Doing the conventions, letting the fans in more without exposing Delia, is one way of accomplishing this. Keeping the movie production within the family, so to speak, is another.” Annelie smiled briefly. “I’m normally not a control freak, you know. It’s just that I made a promise.”

  Carolyn nodded. So keeping promises and honoring loyalty rated highly with Annelie. This did not surprise her since this was how everyone she’d met and worked with from Key Line operated. Still, she wondered how on the up-and-up Annelie’s offer to reimburse her for the cancelled contracts was. She’d sounded so sincere when suggesting that she release Carolyn from the contract in a decent way, but something didn’t ring quite true.

  “How are you feeling?” Annelie asked. “You were a little pale when you came to the house, but it looks like the swim did you a world of good.”

  Surprised yet feeling unexpectedly cared for, Carolyn smiled. “I’m fine, thanks. The swim did what it always does for me. It’s relaxing and keeps me going. I’ve always suffered from migraines and discovered, long before any of the newer medications, that swimming is the best way to handle them.”

  “I won’t pretend to know what it’s like, but it sounds painful. That reminds me, since you’re going to use the pool a lot while you’re in Florida...Do you have a car here?”

  Carolyn shook her head. “No. Jared has a car, of course, but he uses it every day. I could come by cab, like today.”

  “No, that’d be such a nuisance for you. Here’s what we’ll do. Why don’t you borrow the SUV while you’re here? I have this car and a Jaguar, so I’m all set.”

  Carolyn couldn’t believe the other woman’s generosity. “Thanks. That’s really kind, and I appreciate it. An SUV would be super, since I’m used to one.”

  “Great. That’s settled, then.” Annelie pulled over in front of Jared’s condo, letting the motor run while she reached in the backseat for her purse.

  The action caused her ponytail to sweep forward along Carolyn’s bare arm, making her skin tingle from the soft touch. Startled, she glanced at the blond tresses, almost expecting them to be dusted with something magical.

  “Here,” Annelie said as she shuffled through her bag. “If no one is at the house, you can use this card.” She handed over a key card similar to one from a hotel. “It automatically turns off the alarm, so pull it through the box again and it’ll lock up and reset the alarm when you leave.”

  “You’re sweet to trust a stranger, Annelie. I’m honored, of course, and it’ll be so good for me, but still…”

  “You’re not really a stranger.” Annelie shrugged. “I’ve known of you for years, and you’re working for me too, in a way. I’ll give you the keys to the Navigator tomorrow and tell the guards to expect you.”

  “Thanks again. I’m really grateful,” Carolyn said as she stepped out of the car.

  Annelie hesitated as if meaning to say something more, but shifted into Drive and waved. “Talk to you later. Have a nice afternoon, Carolyn.”

  “You too.”

  Walking toward the apartment building, Carolyn looked down at the key card, feeling almost disoriented. Nothing had gone as she’d planned, and she now had to regroup mentally. It hadn’t crossed her mind that Annelie would virtually rule her out before the casting process began in earnest. She was infuriated that the decision could be influenced by men who thought any
actress over thirty-five should be playing Grandma. What did they know about the audience for a powerful female character like Diana Maddox?

  She had to figure out how to show Annelie Peterson exactly what it took to captivate that audience, how to make herself indispensable as Diana Maddox. I know Sylvia Goodman is a good actress, beautiful…younger. Carolyn gave a mental shrug, pressing her lips together. She may be good, but she’s not me. She’s not Maddox.

  Chapter Three

  Annelie waved to the security guard at the desk in the foyer of a carefully renovated art-deco building by the boardwalk.

  “How are things today, Earl?” she asked, as she passed him on her way to Key Line Publishing.

  “Just fine, Ms. Peterson. The wife and I have bought tickets to the Diana Maddox convention.”

  “I’ll see you there, then.” Annelie returned his smile. “I hope the two of you have a good time.”

  “I’m sure we will. My wife adores the books.”

  “Tell her to keep an eye on our Web page. We’re planning a few surprises.”

  With another wave, Annelie walked through the glass doors leading into the building and down the hall to her beachfront corner office. She greeted her administrative assistant with a smile, then paused to enjoy the view and watch the waves wash onto the sand. Noticing a large envelope sitting on top of her inbox on her desk, she reached for it and instantly recognized the distinctive logotype of a famous photographer, Corazon Perez.

  Curious, Annelie opened it and pulled out a set of publicity photos. Suddenly breathless, she had to will her hands not to drop them. Carolyn Black gazed at her from the glossy pictures, her persona radiating off them with a subtle force. A note from Grey Parker was attached to the top photo, again stating Carolyn’s interest in the Maddox role.

  Annelie had glimpsed Carolyn several times since the actress had begun to use her pool. They rarely conversed, but she had been very aware of the actress’s presence.

  Reluctantly looking at the first picture, Annelie saw Carolyn dressed in a black, sleeveless turtleneck, resembling a panther. With her hair pulled back from her face in a tight twist that accentuated her features, she exuded both arrogance and danger as she leaned back in an armchair. Carolyn looked almost haunted, which made Annelie wonder what Corazon Perez had said or done to bring out this expression.

  The second picture was completely different. With her auburn hair clouding around her shoulder, Carolyn wore a long white caftan made from a thin, lacy fabric. One of its wide sleeves had fallen back a little, revealing her arm up to the elbow. Her makeup was discreet, emphasizing her intense eyes. She smiled faintly, as if privy to a special secret.

  The third picture made Annelie gasp inaudibly and sink into her desk chair. Corazon must have used a fan to blow the hair off Carolyn’s shoulders, making it flow behind her. At first it looked like she was naked, but when Annelie examined the picture, she saw Carolyn wore a transparent, light tan shirt that fit like a second skin. Small silver threads were woven into the fragile fabric, making Carolyn’s skin seem to sparkle. In this picture, the actress focused on something behind the photographer, a dreamy expression in her eyes.

  The glamorous pictures bothered Annelie. She rose from her chair and paced over to the window. As she placed a hand on the cool glass and watched the beach fill up with people, she was flooded by inexplicable emotions. She frowned, simply not used to feeling so vulnerable.

  Annelie hadn’t allowed herself to become involved with anyone the last few years. The last time she let anyone close, the relationship had ended in heartache. So far it had never seemed worth the effort to figure out if someone loved her for her money or for herself. I promised myself not to let it rule my actions. I guess I have.

  She recalled Carla, the one who had hurt her the most. The mere thought of the dark-haired girl she’d met at the university made her heart recoil. Though hardened by the sudden transition from being ignored to being fawned over, Annelie had still lowered her guard and let the other woman approach her.

  Attending some of the same classes at Barnard, they became close and Annelie began to nourish hope for a future with the exciting brunette. She never admitted to anyone how it broke her heart when she heard by chance of Carla’s plan to seduce the “ice queen.” When Annelie learned Carla had known about her financial status all along, she had in her wounded state assumed the other woman was a gold digger as well.

  Pulling out of the relationship and changing her curriculum, Annelie stayed within the close circle of her study group, never exchanging more than polite words in passing with Carla.

  She glanced at the remaining photos of Carolyn Black, but then opened a drawer in her desk and pushed the pictures inside before closing it. Feeling childish about her uncharacteristic behavior, she closed her eyes briefly.

  “Annelie? I’m going nuts! Will you take a look at this?” Jem Sanderson burst through the open door to her office. A shock of short brown hair streaked with a few gray strands framed a strongly chiseled face with azure blue eyes and a firm mouth. Waving a thick stack of documents in her right hand, the chief editor of Key Line was obviously agitated. “This is only since yesterday.”

  “Good morning to you too, Jem,” Annelie said, grateful for the interruption. “What’s this?”

  “E-mails! I’m suddenly getting at least two to three hundred e-mails every day insisting we use Carolyn Black as Diana Maddox and Helen St. Cyr as her love interest. They’re clogging my inbox! I can’t work like this.”

  “Calm down. Let me see.” Annelie reached for the documents and began browsing through them. “Oh, my.” She read a sample aloud. “I, and every one of my friends who have read the books and listened to the audiobooks, am hoping Carolyn Black will play Diana Maddox in the upcoming movies. After hearing Ms. Black read Maddox’s part in the audiobooks, there simply can be no other.”

  “Amazing, huh?” Jem stated. “How fans can be this devoted and loyal.”

  Annelie shook her head. “Mind-boggling.”

  “When will you be seeing Black next?”

  “Probably tomorrow. This is a busy week for me, so it’ll be the only day I can work from home.” Annelie had no plans to mention the audiobook contract termination to her staff, or anyone else, until after the upcoming convention, so she smoothly changed the topic, “Speaking of which, you’re not bailing on the luncheon at my house Friday, are you?”

  “Of course not! It’ll be fun. Did Kitty manage to change her ticket? I’m really looking forward to meeting her and Sam after all this time.”

  Annelie laughed quietly. “Yes, after nearly strangling me for changing the dates. She’d bought tickets to fly in just after the weekend, and then when I e-mailed her, asking her to come earlier, she had a fit. Only the fact she managed to save several hundred dollars saved my neck.”

  “Will she be here for the convention too?”

  “Yes, she and Sam decided to extend their vacation since they haven’t really taken one for the past two years.”

  Jem nodded, looking pleased. “Good. Maybe we can spend some time with them after the convention.”

  Annelie agreed.

  “I guess I’ll go work on a standard reply to the Maddox fans. There’s no way I can correspond with them individually.” Jem waved, jumped off the chair, and left.

  Alone with her thoughts, Annelie sat down at her computer and opened her desk drawer. Glancing down at the envelope with the photos she’d left on top, she sighed inaudibly. Carolyn looked absolutely wonderful in the pictures, almost as irresistible as in real life. Impatient with the direction her thoughts were taking, Annelie pivoted in her chair and gazed at the ocean again.

  It was obvious the actress had a large following. Numerous Web sites were dedicated to her long before the audiobooks—now there were hundreds more. Annelie reached under her hair, rubbing at the tension in her neck.

  Audiences were only faithful to a degree. If the actress they chose for the Maddox role did her job
right, Carolyn Black would soon be forgotten by this part of her fan base, especially if the audiobooks were discontinued in their present form.

  She’s the one I always saw as Diana Maddox. Annelie made the acknowledgment uneasily. For her, Carolyn was perfect as the headstrong, daring criminal investigator. However, she had to set her personal bias aside and listen to the show business expertise. So far, the marketing experts had suggested three different names of actresses they deemed more suitable than Carolyn—younger, edgier, and less glamorous, definitely less glamorous.

  Perhaps that’s it. Her personal appearance is too glossy, and even too strong? They don’t think she can play the role convincingly. Annelie doubted herself, her own assessment, since she reacted the way she did to Carolyn. Perhaps the investors and marketing experts fear she’s too much herself. The very part I find so intriguing.

  Diana Maddox was the kind of character who seemed to jump off the page. From the moment she’d read the first chapter of Dying for Fame, Annelie had been convinced that Maddox could attract just as large a fan base as other fictional female heroes. Getting to know the lesbian investigator was perhaps even more absorbing than author Delia Carlton’s compelling plot lines. Though Annelie knew they were sitting on a winner, she could never have anticipated the books would stay on the best-seller charts for several years or that sales would skyrocket worldwide.

  Fans of Diana Maddox, and of Delia Carlton, had flooded the publishing company with letters and e-mails, wanting to know more. Delia was not comfortable with the attention, so after brainstorming with Gregory and Jem, Annelie decided to give Diana Maddox a voice, if not yet a face, and purchased the rights to turn the novels into audiobooks. And instead of hiring a talented unemployed actor or actresses for the recording, as she usually did, she assigned a cast, a different actor for each character in the book, plus a narrator.

  For Maddox, Annelie had thought of Carolyn Black instantly. The actress’s voice held a rare quality that made people stop and listen. It could vary from a dark growl to a seductive purr, and because they would need a wide range of tones for the series, she was the obvious choice for the lead.