Read Hollywood Divorces / Hollywood Wives: The New Generation for Free Online Page B

almost recoiling from the stink, he said, ‘How would you like to make some real money?’
    Arliss’s narrow face brightened. Real money. Who wouldn’t want to make a score? If he had real money he could buy himself a better life. ‘How’d I do that?’ he asked, trying not to sound too eager.
    ‘By co-operating on something and keeping your mouth shut.’
    ‘Somethin’ legal?’ Arliss said suspiciously.
    ‘If it means big bucks, do you care?’ Eric shot back. He knew Arliss had done time for petty burglary so he would not be averse to criminal activities.
    ‘How big are the bucks?’ Arliss ventured.
    ‘Enough to keep everyone happy,’ Eric said, tapping his fingers on the bar. ‘I need to put together a team I can trust.’
    ‘What kinda team?’
    ‘I’ve been watching you and your friends. You all seem pretty tight.’
    Arliss did not take kindly to the thought that Eric had been spying on them. Davey and Joe, and especially Big Mark, would not like it either. Big Mark could crush this guy’s ass if Arliss gave him the word. Mark was the strong one in the group. He worked as a bouncer at a club on the strip, and according to Mark, not a night passed unless hesplit some asshole’s lip or broke a nose or two.
    ‘We’re tight all right,’ Arliss said stiffly. ‘Tight enough not to need any intruders.’
    ‘Don’t get me wrong,’ Eric said quickly, ‘I’m looking for a few guys who can handle themselves in any situation and make big money doing it.’
    ‘Doin’ what?’ Arliss asked, blinking rapidly.
    ‘It doesn’t matter,’ Eric said, backing off. ‘I sense you’re not interested.’
    ‘Didn’t say that,’ Arliss growled. ‘If it means big bucks, I could be ready t’ do anythin’.’
    ‘Anything, huh?’ Eric said, giving him an appraising look.
    ‘Short of murder,’ Arliss added, with a nervous cackle.
    ‘And even murder has a price, doesn’t it?’ Eric said mildly.
    Arliss nodded, he couldn’t help himself.
    It was then that Eric knew he had found the right man.
     
    It never occurred to Eric that he could fail at the scam he was shortly to put into motion. Failure was not a word in his vocabulary. Failure was his past, and he was never revisiting his miserable past.
    Two months previously he’d been sent to some big movie star’s Bel Air mansion to do some work on her computers–upgrading, Mr Hailey, his boss, had informed him. Usually Mr Hailey took care of all the famous clients, but recently he had been undergoing a punishing course of chemo treatments and was losing his hair, so he’d started sending Eric out on the more high-profile jobs.
    Mr Hailey trusted Eric, who was quiet, always on time and did his job well. And then, of course, there were Eric’s forged references attesting to his diligence and honesty. Those references had landed him the job.
    How easy it was to clean the slate and start afresh. How simple it was to fool people.
    So one fine morning Eric had set off to the movie star’s Bel Air mansion, pressed the buzzer at the bottom of a long, winding driveway, and when the gates opened, had driven up to the house.
    He was greeted by her assistant, a gregarious gay man with a halo of curly auburn hair and matching beard. He introduced himself as Danny and led Eric into the office.
    ‘This is her home office,’ Danny said. ‘Her production offices are at Universal. I work here. ’ A conspiratorial wink. ‘Lucky me !’
    Eric had no idea who the celebrity was. He didn’t watch TV or go to the movies, and he certainly didn’t buy CDs or attend concerts. The walls of her office–covered in framed posters and photographs–soon clued him in. He recognized her as that slutty blonde who wore revealing outfits and sang controversial sexy songs. He recognized her because the con in the cell next to him had her picture pinned to his wall and had christened her ‘Queen of the Wankers’. Lissa Roman, that was her name.
    So here he was in the office of