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woman who doesn’t need to report to you,” Elovitz said, interrupting her. “She’s not scheduled to be on set until tomorrow’s eight o’clock call. Maybe she went into town.”
    Fancy shook her head. “She would have told me. Anyway, she doesn’t have a car here.”
    â€œSo, maybe she got a ride, or decided to take a walk.”
    â€œThere’s really nowhere to walk out here. I’ve tried. We’re in the middle of the woods, except for the runways. And those are dangerous. A man yelled at me yesterday when I was making a circuit of the airport.”
    I could imagine the fit Jed Richardson must have had upon seeing someone taking a stroll around his airfield while his students were practicing takeoffs and landings.
    â€œBesides,” Fancy continued, “Vera has been complaining about an ingrown toenail lately and it hurts her to walk.”
    â€œToo much information, Estelle,” Elovitz said, his patience wearing thin. “I don’t know or care where Vera is at the moment, as long as you make sure she shows up tomorrow morning. Now, if you’ll please excuse me, I’m in the middle of giving these people a tour.”
    â€œBut—are you certain she isn’t here?”
    â€œWould you like to join us, Miss Fancy, and see for yourself?” I asked.
    â€œOh, no. I don’t think so. I’ll just look around a little bit more if you don’t mind.”
    â€œNo one is in the building but us,” Elovitz said.
    â€œShe might have come here to soak up the atmosphere before her scene tomorrow.”
    â€œI doubt that,” Elovitz said.
    â€œShe’s very conscientious, you know.”
    â€œI
don’t
know.” He glared at the astrologer to stop her from talking. “You may look around. Just don’t bother us again, and don’t touch anything. It’s a hot set. Understand?”
    â€œOf course, Mr. Elovitz,” she replied, straightening her shoulders. “It isn’t as if I haven’t been on a movie lot before. I know the rules.”
    â€œThen abide by them. You aren’t supposed to be in here.”
    I thought that Elovitz was being a little harsh with Estelle Fancy. After all, the astrologer was simply looking out for the director’s leading lady. Movie stars often have personal assistants who travel with them. Perhaps Miss Fancy doubled as Vera’s personal aide. Or if not, maybe her presence was part of the deal to secure Vera’s cooperation in the first place. I wondered briefly if the actress was paying the way for her astrologer. Someone surely was.
    â€œWhat’s a ‘hot set’?” Mort asked Elovitz, who frowned as he watched Miss Fancy float ahead of us into the gloom.
    â€œI beg your pardon?”
    â€œYou told Miss Fancy not to touch anything because it was a ‘hot set.’”
    â€œThat’s the location we’re already filming in or going to film in next,” Elovitz explained. “Come on. I’ll show you.” He escorted us to the last part of the panels, where the red lights ended and a sign on a metal stand had been positioned. I could just make out the words HOT SET . Beyond it was the dark, cavernous space of the hangar.
    â€œLet me get the lights and you’ll see,” Elovitz said. He walked to an electrical panel and we heard the clicks as he flipped the breakers. One by one, the lights came on—first the overhead spotlights, then the klieg lights on stands, then smaller lights on metal beams above us—not only illuminating the interior of the set but also revealing the cameras, cranes, dollies, and other filmmaking equipment arrayed around the hangar. The lights reflected off the windows of several internal offices on the far side of the huge space. The last switch Elovitz hit turned on the double candlestick lamp with the wide shade that sat on the desk of a room that was eerily