Брайан Фриман - Alter Ego

“Forgive me for saying so, but I hope this isn’t some kind of weird game to drive publicity for the movie. That would be a horrible thing to do to the families of the victims.”

Aimee put her wineglass down and brushed her hair from her face. “I’m hurt that you would even think that.”

“I’m sorry, but you’ve lied to me before,” Serena said.

“What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Aimee studied the fire and pushed her lips together into a frown. “You don’t understand my situation, Serena.”

“Yes, I do. You’re protecting yourself and your career. The trouble is, you’re protecting him , too.”

“I have no choice. You may think I’m a star, but in this industry I’m a nobody. Nobodies don’t go up against Dean Casperson, not if they ever want to work again. Don’t believe the hype that Hollywood has changed. If you think that, you’re kidding yourself.”

“If you talk, others will, too.”

“Or I’ll be hung out to dry,” Aimee said. “Either way, my career will be over. In public, people may talk about how brave you are, but behind the scenes, they’ll label you a troublemaker and a bitch. Those women don’t get parts.”

Serena held her stare in the firelight. “Tell me the truth. Did you take the Xanax yourself?”

Tears filled Aimee’s eyes. “No. Of course I didn’t.”

“Did he assault you once before? When you did the first movie together?”

She nodded silently. “It was awful.”

“Then why go to his house? Why be alone with him again?”

“When Dean Casperson calls, you don’t say no,” Aimee replied.

“Will you come in and make a statement?”

“No. If you repeat what I’ve said to anyone, I’ll deny it. This is between you and me and no one else.”

“There has to be a first domino,” Serena said. “Someone has to talk.”

“Not me.” Aimee wiped her face. “You should probably go. I have an early call for makeup on the set.”

Serena stood up. The fire was hot on her back. Knowing the truth and not being able to do anything about it was more frustrating than the lie. “Okay. Fine.”

“I wish I could help you.”

“I wish you could, too.” She headed for the front door. “I’ll have an officer do a drive-by overnight. Just to make sure the area is secure. If you have any kind of problem, call me.”

Serena left the house and pulled the door shut behind her. She stood on the porch under the dark sky, anticipating the snow. She studied the yard again, making sure there were no fresh footprints around the house. She was about to leave when she heard a voice in the house behind her. It was Aimee, talking to someone. Serena immediately turned back and shoved the front door open again.

“Aimee? Are you okay?”

The actress was standing in the living room with her wineglass in her hand. She pointed at the mantle over the fireplace. “I’m fine. I have a little visitor. I don’t know where he came from.”

Serena stared across the shadows and saw a tiny flutter of movement in black and white.

It was a chickadee.

Cat was already in bed at midevening, but she couldn’t sleep.

She’d been playing Words With Friends with a boy in Idaho, but when she got 112 points for “quiz,” he became irritated with her and signed off. She checked Facebook, but it was late and none of her friends was streaming live. She pulled the Rubik’s Cube from Curt off her nightstand, but she’d solved it a dozen times and was bored with it.

Her phone had a Netflix app. She opened it up and ran a search with the words “Dean Casperson.” Dozens of movies came up, going back years. She’d seen most of them. She picked a romantic comedy and then fast-forwarded through the movie until she reached Dean’s first scene. She froze the image with his face on the screen.

The movie was only a few years old. He looked exactly as he had at the party on the North Shore when she’d met him in person. She was ashamed of what a fool she’d been for him that night. You are so amazing. I just love you.

And then to hear him flirting back, knowing full well that she was melting for him. Cat, as in meow?

Now she knew the truth about him. It made her sick.

She got out of bed and pushed her tiny feet into boots and retrieved her heavy coat from the closet. She went over to the bedroom window and did what she always did when she couldn’t sleep. She climbed out onto the cottage’s front porch. She pulled one of the Adirondack chairs close to the white railing and sat down and propped her feet.

Minnesota Avenue was hushed. She heard nothing but a low murmur as the snow started. A tiny advance guard fell through the streetlight ahead of the army behind it. The windshield of her Civic already had turned white. She thought about driving to the end of the Point to hang out on the green bench by the harbor. It was like an oasis. Stride went there to deal with crossroads in his life, and she’d picked up the same habit. But she didn’t want Stride to worry if he looked in on her bedroom and she was gone. She knew he checked on her sometimes.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Curt was inviting her to a video chat. She accepted the call and saw a shadowy close-up of Curt’s face and his happy, cocky smile. He was in his car, driving one-handed. His long black hair was loose. Snow made sticky streaks on the side window behind him.

“Kitty cat!”

“Hey, Curt. Where are you?”

“I’m on 35. I just left the casino at Black Bear. I think the sky’s falling.”

“Looks that way.”

“You want me to come over there? We could hang.”

“Nah, Stride would freak,” Cat said.

“Come on, Stride loves me. I’m the hero. I rescued you. That should count for something.”

“I know, but I think he’s pissed at both of us. I’m just sitting out here by myself for a couple minutes. I’m heading to bed soon.”

“It’s early.”

“Yeah, but I’m bored,” Cat said.

“You’re sounding all down again.”

“I know.”

“So talk to me,” Curt told her. “What’s with the frown?”

“Stride won’t let me tell anyone what I saw at Dean Casperson’s house. It’s stupid. I want to help.”

“Well, you didn’t see anything really juicy, right?”

“Maybe not, but I know what was going to happen.”

She saw a truck pass Curt on the freeway with a blare of its horn and a flash of its high beams. The snow got heavier.

“You should probably hang up,” she said. “It’s not safe driving like that.”

“I’m not hanging up until I see you turn the world on with that smile of yours.”

“Well, that’s not going to happen tonight.”

Curt gave an exaggerated sigh. “Look, I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’m with Stride on this one. If you try to make people think Casperson is a sleazebag, the only one who gets hurt is you. It’s not worth it.”

“Everybody wants to protect me like I’m still a kid. I’m sick of it.”

“I’m just saying, when it’s your word against Dean Casperson, who do you think the world is going to believe? Sorry, kitty cat, it ain’t you. It ain’t me either, or Stride, or Serena, or anybody else. People love this guy. They don’t want to believe he’s a dick. If they don’t see it with their own eyes, trust me, it doesn’t matter what you say. They’ll just call you a liar and plunk down their money for his next flick.”

“Yeah. I know.” Curt was right. So was Stride. No one would believe her.

“Besides, it’ll all be over soon,” he went on. “No use sweating it now.”

“What do you mean? Why?”

“Word is, the film’s wrapping soon. There’s a big party tomorrow night.”