Read Online Sinners by Jackie Collins - Free Book Online

increasingly obvious that Michelle Lomas was not going to appear.
    Already they were shooting around her, and the previous day Charlie had stalked off the set, leaving a message for Cy that unless Michelle was there he wasn’t doing another day’s work. So the time had come to tell him that Michelle Lomas was pregnant, a fact confirmed yesterday. She was confined to her house by Lake Lugano and wouldn’t be budging, on doctor’s orders, for nine months.
    Marshall carried a small briefcase in which were photographs and brief biographies of his ideas for replacements.
    The main thing was to convince Charlie that it was worthwhile to go ahead with the picture without Michelle. He had every contractual right to walk out if he wanted to. It was up to Marshall as his agent to persuade him not to.
    *    *    *
    In his tastefully decorated pale beige suite with two colour televisions going full blast, Charlie paced the floor wearing a white towelling bathrobe and brown Gucci slippers.
    George hovered respectfully in a corner, one eye on the television and one on Charlie. A rented secretary sat at a table, day-dreaming about being discovered. And another table held a spread of eggs, toast, fruit and coffee, all untouched.
    ‘You should eat something,’ George said mildly.
    Charlie grunted, still pacing. His work was more important than anything else, and he was incensed that they should have done this to him. Without Michelle the film wouldn’t be the same. Where the hell was she? Why had she backed out?
    He wasn’t going to do it. He would go back to London and screw ’em. They weren’t going to fob him off with some replacement.
    Six boring days he had been waiting for Michelle, and apart from a press party, where he was asked a string of inane questions, he hadn’t been anywhere except to the studio.
    Of course, he had had a stack of invitations. Hollywood was always delighted to see a new face in town. Any excuse to throw a party. Several well-known hostesses vied with each other to be the first to have a dinner party for him. This time they were out of luck. He said no to everything. He didn’t believe in a social life until the film was under way.
    There was a knock at the door and Marshall K. Marshall limped in. In spite of the air conditioning he was sweating profusely. He rarely left his office during the day, only in emergencies.
    ‘You look great,’ Marshall said. ‘Even thinner than last week.’
    ‘Yes, I am managing to keep the old weight down.’ Charlie smiled. He knew it was only supreme willpower that kept him looking as good as he did. Four weeks of normal eating and he would be back to the fatty he once was.
    ‘You’re not going to like this,’ Marshall said. ‘Cy’s not exactly ecstatic about it. But Michelle is expecting a baby. She’s got us by the balls.’
    Charlie slumped into a chair. That was the last thing he’d expected.
    ‘We got a doctor’s written confirmation yesterday – so that’s why there’s been all the shillyshallying. Who would imagine Michelle would get herself knocked up? Not only knocked up, but thrilled about it. Cy wanted her to go ahead and do the movie anyway – after all, it won’t notice for another four or five months – but no, she ain’t taking no risks. Sorry, Charlie, that’s it. Look Cy’s in a bind, if you walk out it will be bad, and I know you can walk out, and personally I wouldn’t blame you. But listen, baby, if we can find a replacement – someone you OK, and you stay, then I reckon it will be another ten per cent of the gross, and that ain’t chicken feed. What do you think?’
    The rented secretary sat straight in her chair, trying to listen over the noise of the television. George still lingered in the corner.
    Charlie closed his eyes and tried to think. Another ten per cent. Not bad. But who could replace Michelle?
    As if reading his thoughts Marshall said, ‘We could have a re-write. Instead of the parts being equal, build