Ivy realised that she might not need Sophia to go streaking after all. Lillian had access to the inner circle with all kinds of information about the people in the movie.
She needed to keep Lillian talking about Jackson. Her mind flashed to the girl in the polka-dot jacket outside and then to Bethany – Jackson fan girls. If Ivy pretended to be a big Jackson fan, she could ask Lillian lots of questions without Lillian wondering why she was asking.
Think perky. Think Mister Smoothie. You can do this! Ivy told herself.
Ivy forced an Olivia-style giggle. ‘Whoever they pick for the lead is going to be one lucky girl getting to talk to Jackson all the time.’
Sophia looked at her like she’d grown a second head.
‘I mean, he is totally above all labels.’ Ivy winced at her own idiocy, hoping that Lillian would buy her act and spill some silver bullets.
Lillian chuckled. ‘He certainly isn’t at all what you’d expect from his movies.’
In a blood-drinking, coffin-dwelling, fang-filing kind of way? Ivy felt like Lillian was finally going to give her the breakthrough evidence she needed. She clutched the Stetson she was stacking with both hands.
‘In a really modest and down-to-earth kind of way,’ Lillian finished.
Ivy let out her breath. This guy was completely squeaky clean! He had everybody fooled.
‘Except,’ Lillian said and Ivy’s head whipped back up, ‘for the dietary requirement section of his rider.’
Ivy gulped. ‘Yes?’
‘It’s a mile long. For a guy who is so laid back he’s almost dead, he sure is particular about his meals.’
Ivy nudged Sophia so hard that she dropped a stack of baseball caps, and they scattered all over the floor of the trailer.
‘Ivy,’ Sophia whispered, as they crouched to pick up the hats. ‘Can we please stop talking about Jackson?’
‘But I’m on the verge –’ Ivy started.
‘Of getting us escorted off the movie set in handcuffs for harassment,’ Sophia finished. She picked up the last hat and gave Lillian a big smile.
Ivy sighed and kept her mouth shut.
‘Thanks so much for helping out, girls,’ Lillian said. ‘Let’s see . . . I’m sure I’ve got . . .’ She trailed off as she went rummaging around in a box in the corner. ‘Yup! Here it is.’ She pulled out a T-shirt that said ‘Save the Whales'. ‘Jackson wore this last week, during shooting in the studio.’
She handed it to Ivy, with an expectant look, but Ivy couldn’t figure out why Lillian would think she wanted a grubby old shirt.
‘Wow, Lillian!’ Sophia said. ‘Thanks so much. Ivy is so excited, she’s speechless.’ Sophia nudged her hard. ‘And I know a little girl who’s going to be very jealous.’
Ivy realised that this was primo Jackson memorabilia. Bethany would be utterly thrilled. ‘Yeah, thanks!’
After all that, Ivy thought, I’m still not any closer to proving Jackson’s vamp-ness. And I’m running out of time.
‘I don’t know why any of these people are bothering,’ Charlotte said. ‘I’m the most qualified for the part; I’ve already acted with Jackson.’
Olivia bit her lip. That was totally rude, but she didn’t want to start an argument in line. It was just her luck to end up right behind Charlotte. ‘I think it’s exciting that everybody gets a chance,’ she said.
‘Humph.’ Charlotte rummaged through her bag, pulled out a compact mirror and started applying another layer of mascara.
Katie and Allison were waiting nearby, looking like they’d just come last in a race.
‘Aren’t you two going to sign up?’ Camilla asked them.
‘Of course not,’ Charlotte answered. ‘They’re going to be my cheerleaders.’
Katie offered a weak thumbs-up and Allison said, ‘Go, Charlotte!’ but she wasn’t smiling.