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Authors: Joan Lowery Nixon
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hits, but lately he’s had a run of flops, so he’s counting on Dakota Wayne’s popularity to bring this one off. Only …”
Sam paused until Sean demanded, “Only what ?”
“Only, right from the beginning they’ve had trouble,” Sam said. “There were a lot of arguments about the script, and the head scriptwriter quit. Then a Hollywood set for New Guy in Town was destroyed in a fire. An expensive camera fell over and was smashed. Another was stolen. Props disappeared.”
“Good gracious!” Mrs. Quinn exclaimed.
“Yeah,” Sam said. “So they moved the whole thing up here to Redoaks to film on location.”
“Who are the people making the movie?” Mrs. Quinn asked.
“Donner Productions,” Mr. Quinn answered as he walked into the kitchen. “It smells great in here. What’s for dinner?”
“Dad! You’re home!” Sean yelled and jumped to his feet. “I’m going to be rich and famous—that is, if you and Mom let me.”
“Hey, you’re good, Mr. Quinn,” Sam said. “You know practically everything that’s going on in Redoaks. Is that because you’re a private investigator?”
Mr. Quinn laughed. “It just so happens that I was getting some information I needed at the police station, and a number of officers were signing up to work as off-duty security on the set,” he said. “I heard all about the movie. The story deals with a New York City kid whose father moves his family to a small town. The boy misses his friends and can’t adjust until, through his little brother, he discovers the real meaning of friendship. Frank Hightower’s a good director, so it could be a very successful family movie.”
“If it’s made,” Sam said. “You know … the jinx.”
“Jinxes are nothing but superstitions,” Mr. Quinn said. “We don’t believe in jinxes.” He opened the oven and glanced inside, taking a deep breath. “ Mmm , lasagna.”
“Ten more minutes until it’s ready,” Mrs. Quinn said. “Sam, would you like to stay for dinner?”
“Thanks,” Sam said. “I was hoping you’d ask.”
“Sean, suppose you set the table,” Mrs. Quinn said.
“But, Mom, I’ve got to tell Dad about—”
“Later,” she said firmly. As she took a mixed-greens salad out of the refrigerator, she added, “You’ll have plenty of time to tell him during dinner.”
Sean tugged a stack of plates from the cupboard and arranged them around the table. “Mom, I’ve just got to be Justin Moore’s stand-in, no matter what.”
“No matter what?” Sam made his voice low and scary. “Don’t tell me you’re not even a little bit afraid of the jinx?”
2
A S SOON AS PLATES had been passed around and everyone had begun eating, Sean burst out with his news. “The casting director is going to call tonight,” Sean said. “You and Mom have got to let me take the job! Please, Dad!”
Mrs. Quinn’s forehead wrinkled with concern, but Mr. Quinn said, “The school board had planned to meet today to discuss the requests by Donner Productions. Donner wants to film some of the scenes on the Redoaks Elementary School grounds. I’m sure the school board will set up regulations regarding the education of the children who’ll work in the film. And there are California state laws to follow, as well, so there’ll be studio teachers on hand.”
“I have some questions about letting Sean take the job,” Mrs. Quinn said. “It’s bound to disrupt his regular studies.”
Mr. Quinn smiled at Sean. “His grades have been very good. I’m sure we won’t have to worry about them slipping during the two or three weeks that Donner Productions will be filming in Redoaks. The studio teachers will see to that.”
“Dad’s right!” Sean said, wondering if the studio teachers were tougher than Mrs. Jackson. “I’ll study harder than ever.”
“It might turn out to be a valuable learning experience,” Mr. Quinn said.
“Yeah, Dad!” Sean said.
“And I think we’ll all agree that ninety percent of
Sam paused until Sean demanded, “Only what ?”
“Only, right from the beginning they’ve had trouble,” Sam said. “There were a lot of arguments about the script, and the head scriptwriter quit. Then a Hollywood set for New Guy in Town was destroyed in a fire. An expensive camera fell over and was smashed. Another was stolen. Props disappeared.”
“Good gracious!” Mrs. Quinn exclaimed.
“Yeah,” Sam said. “So they moved the whole thing up here to Redoaks to film on location.”
“Who are the people making the movie?” Mrs. Quinn asked.
“Donner Productions,” Mr. Quinn answered as he walked into the kitchen. “It smells great in here. What’s for dinner?”
“Dad! You’re home!” Sean yelled and jumped to his feet. “I’m going to be rich and famous—that is, if you and Mom let me.”
“Hey, you’re good, Mr. Quinn,” Sam said. “You know practically everything that’s going on in Redoaks. Is that because you’re a private investigator?”
Mr. Quinn laughed. “It just so happens that I was getting some information I needed at the police station, and a number of officers were signing up to work as off-duty security on the set,” he said. “I heard all about the movie. The story deals with a New York City kid whose father moves his family to a small town. The boy misses his friends and can’t adjust until, through his little brother, he discovers the real meaning of friendship. Frank Hightower’s a good director, so it could be a very successful family movie.”
“If it’s made,” Sam said. “You know … the jinx.”
“Jinxes are nothing but superstitions,” Mr. Quinn said. “We don’t believe in jinxes.” He opened the oven and glanced inside, taking a deep breath. “ Mmm , lasagna.”
“Ten more minutes until it’s ready,” Mrs. Quinn said. “Sam, would you like to stay for dinner?”
“Thanks,” Sam said. “I was hoping you’d ask.”
“Sean, suppose you set the table,” Mrs. Quinn said.
“But, Mom, I’ve got to tell Dad about—”
“Later,” she said firmly. As she took a mixed-greens salad out of the refrigerator, she added, “You’ll have plenty of time to tell him during dinner.”
Sean tugged a stack of plates from the cupboard and arranged them around the table. “Mom, I’ve just got to be Justin Moore’s stand-in, no matter what.”
“No matter what?” Sam made his voice low and scary. “Don’t tell me you’re not even a little bit afraid of the jinx?”
2
A S SOON AS PLATES had been passed around and everyone had begun eating, Sean burst out with his news. “The casting director is going to call tonight,” Sean said. “You and Mom have got to let me take the job! Please, Dad!”
Mrs. Quinn’s forehead wrinkled with concern, but Mr. Quinn said, “The school board had planned to meet today to discuss the requests by Donner Productions. Donner wants to film some of the scenes on the Redoaks Elementary School grounds. I’m sure the school board will set up regulations regarding the education of the children who’ll work in the film. And there are California state laws to follow, as well, so there’ll be studio teachers on hand.”
“I have some questions about letting Sean take the job,” Mrs. Quinn said. “It’s bound to disrupt his regular studies.”
Mr. Quinn smiled at Sean. “His grades have been very good. I’m sure we won’t have to worry about them slipping during the two or three weeks that Donner Productions will be filming in Redoaks. The studio teachers will see to that.”
“Dad’s right!” Sean said, wondering if the studio teachers were tougher than Mrs. Jackson. “I’ll study harder than ever.”
“It might turn out to be a valuable learning experience,” Mr. Quinn said.
“Yeah, Dad!” Sean said.
“And I think we’ll all agree that ninety percent of
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