Not Wanted in Hollywood Read Free

Considering
the way this deal is worked out, they both need each other.
Alistair needs access to the place and permission for his cameras
and Hammy, from what I’ve heard, needs the money,” I
said.
    “ What do you
mean, by what you’ve heard?” Travis asked.
    “The girls talk and I listen. Hammy has got
some major debts to unsavory people. The girls say that he is
working them harder, trying to push them further as to what they
will actually do.”
    “You know Trudie, there is a reason you get
into trouble. You need to learn to keep your nose out of other
people’s business, especially when you are in a place like this.
People who work here and come here do not like having someone
poking around in their affairs.” Travis had a worried look on his
face.
    “ This from
the man who spends his life poking around in other people’s
affairs,” I said quietly. “I’m not asking for information, I just
listen. Some of these girls just want to talk to someone who is
actually paying attention to them.”
    “ I thought
the documentary filmmaker was supposed to be doing that, you know,
going behind the scenes, finding out the gritty realism,” Travis
said.
    I snorted. “Alistair wants his name in
lights. He doesn’t really care who he has to trample to get
there.”
    “ Speaking of
which,” Travis said. “I think that’s your boss trying to get your
attention.”
    I looked over and sure enough, there was
Alistair glaring at me.
    “ See you
later,” I said to Travis, before heading off to whatever new
torture Alistair had waiting for me.
    “ I don’t pay
you to flirt with the customers,” he hissed as I walked up to
him.
    Technically
speaking, he didn’t pay me at all. His manager had hired me,
through my boss, Monique Petit, to keep an eye on him and try to
smooth the ruffled feathers that he invariably caused.
    “ You told me
that my services were no longer required and that I should comfort
your interview subject, who had become distraught due to your line
of questioning,” I reminded him. Of course I was using much more
professional language than he had.
    “Well, where is she?” barked Alistair.
    “ She was
extremely upset and wanted to be alone. She asked to be excused
from filming for the rest of the day,” I said.
    To be
perfectly honest, she had suggested that he put the camera
somewhere that would prove very uncomfortable if not anatomically
improbable. Of course I wasn’t going to tell the man who
though t that he was the greatest
filmmaker alive that. Usually I find in these cases that honesty is
a pointless exercise.
    “ I need you
to speak to the dominatrix. She is still refusing to be on camera
without her mask,” Alistair grumbled.
    “ I’ve already
tried talking to her,” I said. “She is adamant that her face never
appear on camera.”
    “ Well I need
you to change her mind, that’s what I pay you for,” he
snarled.
    Once again I had to stop myself from
reminding him that he didn’t pay me at all.
    Heading towards the back rooms I heard some
familiar yelling. Rounding the corner I found Hammy with one of the
girls pinned up against the wall in a threatening manner.
    “What do you want?” he snapped at me.
    “ Alistair
asked that I speak to Amber,” I said indicating the young woman he
had cornered.
    “ She’s busy,”
he snapped.
    This was where my negotiating skills needed
to come in.
    I shrugged in
what I hoped was a nonchalant manner. “I have got an overwrought
filmmaker out there,” I said, hoping I was putting the correct
amount of stress into my voice. “I am trying very hard to make sure
that he doesn’t pull out of this deal. You know how much money we
all stand to lose if he decides to walk.”
    I could see that got through to him, the
mention of money usually did. He stepped back.
    “ We’ll be
discussing this later,” he growled at Amber as she walked past
him.
    I followed her quietly back to the dressing
room.
    “ Thanks for
that,” she said, as she