Read Online To Have and to Kill by Mary Jane Clark - Free Book Online
Authors: Mary Jane Clark
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she said.
Chapter 17
I t was a bargain, really. You couldn’t put a price tag on all the publicity that would be garnered for A Little Rain Must Fall when Martha Killeen worked her magic. Quent was certain that many of the top magazines would be interested in running a story, with Killeen’s photos attached. He was thrilled that he had been successful in obtaining the precious prize and confident that he could find a way to pay for it by juggling the ALRMF budget.
He knew exactly when he wanted Martha to come to the set: it would be perfect when they shot the dream sequence. Afterward, there would be a few weeks before the show debuted from Los Angeles. During that period, the pictures would get all sorts of play, in print and on the Internet, luring viewers to tune in and watch as the soap opera continued. It could only help the ratings.
As he watched Glenna Brooks walk over to the table next to the podium and pour a glass of water, Quent was happy for another reason. He was glad that he had foiled Glenna by making sure she didn’t get the photo shoot she wanted so much. She had been calling all the shots lately, and it angered him. Glenna was acting selfishly, as if her personal life was paramount. What about all the people who needed A Little Rain Must Fall to succeed? Their livelihood depended on the show. And for Quent, the show was his life.
Glenna was putting his life in jeopardy.
Chapter 18
F ollowing the bidding, Glenna was looking out at the audience as she put down the pitcher. Not paying attention to what she was doing, she misjudged the space on the tabletop and knocked over the glass of water she had just poured.
“Oh, I’m such a klutz,” she exclaimed.
Someone rushed out with a roll of paper towels, cleaned up the spill, and took away the broken glass.
“I’m gonna try to get it right this time, folks,” said Glenna, smiling as she picked up the pitcher and poured water into the remaining glass.
Glenna was just about to take a sip when Travis turned his head away from the microphone for a spate of coughing.
“Here you go, Travis. Drink this,” she said, passing the glass to him.
“I can wait,” said Travis unconvincingly.
Another cough.
“Okay, thanks.” He turned to the audience. “Hold on a minute, everybody,” he said, holding up his index finger. Raising the glass to his lips, Travis took a long gulp, followed by another. He ignored the funny taste. Maybe it’s the building’s old pipes, he thought.
The auctioneer continued to cough. He took another swallow.
“You want to take a break for a few minutes?” whispered Glenna.
“No, I’ll be all right.”
Travis brought the glass to his mouth again and drank. Afterward, his face reddened and he began to hack uncontrollably. He brought his hand to his forehead.
“Dizzy. I feel dizzy,” he sputtered as he staggered forward. “I can’t catch my breath.” He winced in agony, clutching his stomach.
Glenna reached out as Travis collapsed into her arms. The force of his weight led them both to the floor as someone in the audience shouted, “Call 911!”
Chapter 19
M artha Killeen rushed toward the stage and began taking pictures. Her camera lens captured Glenna fumbling to loosen Travis York’s tie and unbuttoning the top of his shirt. Martha took pictures of Travis writhing in agony on the stage floor. As Casey Walden and Quent Raynor climbed onto the stage, Martha turned to take general shots of the audience, who sat filled with horror yet driven to watch what was happening right in front of them.
It took less than ten minutes for the paramedics to arrive, but by then Travis was comatose.
“He’s still got a pulse,” shouted the emergency worker to his partner.
Martha got pictures of Travis being intubated, as well as shots of Travis, his face a bright cherry-red, being lifted to a stretcher and rolled out of the room.
P iper’s first instinct was to move to the stage, but a man identifying himself as a
Chapter 17
I t was a bargain, really. You couldn’t put a price tag on all the publicity that would be garnered for A Little Rain Must Fall when Martha Killeen worked her magic. Quent was certain that many of the top magazines would be interested in running a story, with Killeen’s photos attached. He was thrilled that he had been successful in obtaining the precious prize and confident that he could find a way to pay for it by juggling the ALRMF budget.
He knew exactly when he wanted Martha to come to the set: it would be perfect when they shot the dream sequence. Afterward, there would be a few weeks before the show debuted from Los Angeles. During that period, the pictures would get all sorts of play, in print and on the Internet, luring viewers to tune in and watch as the soap opera continued. It could only help the ratings.
As he watched Glenna Brooks walk over to the table next to the podium and pour a glass of water, Quent was happy for another reason. He was glad that he had foiled Glenna by making sure she didn’t get the photo shoot she wanted so much. She had been calling all the shots lately, and it angered him. Glenna was acting selfishly, as if her personal life was paramount. What about all the people who needed A Little Rain Must Fall to succeed? Their livelihood depended on the show. And for Quent, the show was his life.
Glenna was putting his life in jeopardy.
Chapter 18
F ollowing the bidding, Glenna was looking out at the audience as she put down the pitcher. Not paying attention to what she was doing, she misjudged the space on the tabletop and knocked over the glass of water she had just poured.
“Oh, I’m such a klutz,” she exclaimed.
Someone rushed out with a roll of paper towels, cleaned up the spill, and took away the broken glass.
“I’m gonna try to get it right this time, folks,” said Glenna, smiling as she picked up the pitcher and poured water into the remaining glass.
Glenna was just about to take a sip when Travis turned his head away from the microphone for a spate of coughing.
“Here you go, Travis. Drink this,” she said, passing the glass to him.
“I can wait,” said Travis unconvincingly.
Another cough.
“Okay, thanks.” He turned to the audience. “Hold on a minute, everybody,” he said, holding up his index finger. Raising the glass to his lips, Travis took a long gulp, followed by another. He ignored the funny taste. Maybe it’s the building’s old pipes, he thought.
The auctioneer continued to cough. He took another swallow.
“You want to take a break for a few minutes?” whispered Glenna.
“No, I’ll be all right.”
Travis brought the glass to his mouth again and drank. Afterward, his face reddened and he began to hack uncontrollably. He brought his hand to his forehead.
“Dizzy. I feel dizzy,” he sputtered as he staggered forward. “I can’t catch my breath.” He winced in agony, clutching his stomach.
Glenna reached out as Travis collapsed into her arms. The force of his weight led them both to the floor as someone in the audience shouted, “Call 911!”
Chapter 19
M artha Killeen rushed toward the stage and began taking pictures. Her camera lens captured Glenna fumbling to loosen Travis York’s tie and unbuttoning the top of his shirt. Martha took pictures of Travis writhing in agony on the stage floor. As Casey Walden and Quent Raynor climbed onto the stage, Martha turned to take general shots of the audience, who sat filled with horror yet driven to watch what was happening right in front of them.
It took less than ten minutes for the paramedics to arrive, but by then Travis was comatose.
“He’s still got a pulse,” shouted the emergency worker to his partner.
Martha got pictures of Travis being intubated, as well as shots of Travis, his face a bright cherry-red, being lifted to a stretcher and rolled out of the room.
P iper’s first instinct was to move to the stage, but a man identifying himself as a
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