Fatal Identity (12 page)

“Of course not.” Jolene shook her head. “I thought you handled the whole thing very well. When that lady gets home, I'm sure she'll tell everyone how nice you are. It's important to keep your fans happy.”

Marcie nodded, but she was a little confused. “My fans? I don't have any fans.”

“But you will. I'm absolutely positive your screen test will be a huge success. It'll be the start of a new career for you.”

Marcie almost opened her mouth to say she didn't want a new career. She was only here to finish what Mercedes had started, and nothing else. But Jolene looked so hopeful, Marcie didn't have the heart to disappoint her. And it was very nice to have someone believe so firmly in her abilities.

“Here we are.” Jolene motioned to a huge, warehouse-type building. The sign on the side identified it as SOUNDSTAGE 23. “That's where they're going to shoot your screen test. And this is your sister's personal trailer.”

Marcie eyed the large Winnebago that was parked by the side of the building. “Her personal trailer? What does that mean?”

“It's where she went to relax between scenes. There's a kitchen, a master bedroom, a full bath, and a living room where she took meetings with Mr. Allen and Mr. Buchannan. And that's your sister's private makeup trailer.” Jolene pointed to a smaller trailer that was parked behind the motor home. “Beau came in early, so he could set up for you.”

Marcie nodded, even though she was surprised. She hadn't known that the studio provided a motor home and a makeup trailer just for her sister. It was a whole new world.

“We'd better hurry.” Jolene glanced at her watch. “Beau's a perfectionist, and he'll want you to look just like your sister.”

Jolene opened the door to the makeup trailer and ushered her inside. Beau LeTeure was waiting at the long makeup table with a lighted mirror.

“Miss Calder.” He smiled and shook her hand. “It's nice to see you again under happier circumstances. Please have a seat in front of the mirror.”

Marcie sat in the swivel chair, and returned his smile. “It's very nice of you to help me like this. Thank you, Mr. LeTeure.”

“You can call me Beau.”

Marcie nodded. “Then I'm Marcie. Did my sister call you Beau?”

“Not after she went on her diet.” Beau chuckled. “Then she started calling me B.L.T.”

Marcie laughed. “I think I'd better stick with Beau. B.L.T. means bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich to me.”

“It did to her, too. Mercedes absolutely adored them, and they were at the top of her list of forbidden foods. She said she was hoping to defuse the urge by calling me that.”

Marcie noticed that he was gazing at her critically, and there was a slight frown on his face. “Is something wrong?”

“No. Something's right. This is going to be a lot easier than I thought. Same bone structure. Same coloring. Same features. I think your lips are slightly fuller, but we can hide that. And you have incredibly lovely skin! You don't wear makeup very often, do you?”

Marcie shook her head. “Just a little lipstick for special occasions, and a skin conditioner every day in the winter, so I don't chap. It's very dry in Minnesota.”

“Just lean back, Marcie. And close your eyes and relax. We'll have you ready in no time at all.”

Marcie did exactly as he'd asked, except for the part about relaxing. There was no way she could relax when the fate of Mercedes's movie was at stake. As Beau wrapped her hair in a turban, she thought about the scene she had to do. Perhaps she could have taken her sister's place in an easier scene, one that didn't demand so much acting ability. But Mr. Buchannan had given her a very difficult passage for her screen test.

Beau smiled as he worked with an array of jars and tubes and sponges and brushes. Doing Marcie's makeup was much easier than he'd expected, and he was finished in less than twenty minutes. When he was entirely convinced that no one could tell she wasn't Mercedes, he stepped back and patted her shoulder. “You can open your eyes now, Marcie.”

Marcie was so shocked, she almost cried out as she saw her reflection in the lighted mirror. She was Mercedes!

“Startling, isn't it?” Beau smiled proudly.

Marcie blinked, but the image didn't change. Her sister was alive again, through Beau LeTeure's magic. “You're incredible, Beau! I can hardly believe my eyes. When I look in the mirror, I feel exactly like Mercedes!”

“Perhaps it'll help with your screen test. If you know you look like your sister, it should be easier for you to play your sister. Remember, we're all pulling for you, Marcie.”

“Why, thank you!” Marcie gave him a big smile. “I suppose I shouldn't ask this, but do you have any tips for me? I've never done anything like this before, and I'm very nervous.”

Beau looked surprised, and Marcie wondered if she should have asked. Perhaps it was a breach of etiquette to ask her sister's makeup man for advice. But then he smiled, and that put her fears to rest.

“This is the first time a star has ever asked
me
for advice!”

“That's just the point.” Marcie laughed. “I'm not a star. My sister was a star, and I'm just pretending to be her. I know how much Mercedes loved this film, and I really want to finish it for her.”

Beau nodded. He was very pleased by her answer. “Well . . . there is one thing I noticed when I was on the set. Mercedes had a way of tipping her head to the side when she was thoughtful. That might be a good thing to do, when you're waiting for your third cue.”

“Like this?”

Beau nodded as Marcie tipped her head to the side. “That's it. You look exactly like her when you do that. Now come with me, and I'll take you to hairdressing.”

Marcie followed him out one door and through another, where a pretty dark-haired woman was sitting in a chair, reading a magazine. She was so engrossed in the article, she didn't hear them come in.

Beau cleared his throat to get her attention, and then he turned to Marcie. “This is Rhea Delaney, your hairdresser. Rhea? I'd like you to meet Miss Calder.”

The woman's mouth dropped open, and she jumped up from the chair as if she'd been shot from a cannon. Her face turned white, and she leaned against the counter heavily for support. “Beau! You . . . I can't believe . . . oh, Lord!”

“Sit down and take a deep breath, Rhea.” Beau grinned at her. “And please don't faint until you finish Miss Calder's hair. I take it you approve?”

The woman sank back down in the chair. “Oh, dear! I'm sorry. I guess I made an awful fool of myself, but . . . I still can't believe it!”

“You thought you were seeing a ghost?” Beau laughed.

“That's exactly what I thought. And I don't even believe in ghosts! Please accept my apology, Miss Calder. They told me you looked like your sister, but it's almost uncanny.”

Marcie laughed. “You can thank Beau for that. I'm afraid I didn't look that much like her at first.”

“All right, Rhea, it's your turn.” Beau turned to go. “Are you going to do natural, or wig?”

Rhea Delaney stood up and took a deep breath. Marcie was relieved to see that the color was coming back to her face. She gestured to the chair in front of the mirror, and Marcie sat down.

“I'm going with the wig. Reuben sent me over some stills from the scene, and I've restyled the one Miss Calder—I mean, the
other
Miss Calder—wore. Don't worry, Beau. I won't spoil your illusion. I'll even bring her over for your approval when I'm through.”

“Beau?” Marcie called him back. “Will you be there when they shoot my screen test?”

Beau shook his head. “I'd like to be, but it's a closed set. Mr. Buchannan thought you'd be more comfortable that way.”

“But that's not true.” Marcie shook her head. “I always do better when I'm surrounded by friends. I'll ask him if you can come. And you, too, Mrs. Delaney. If you'd like to, that is.”

Rhea Delaney smiled. “I'd love to! And please call me Rhea. Every time someone calls me Mrs. Delaney, I look around for my mother-in-law. Now let's see if that wig I styled is right for you.”

It took only a few minutes, and Rhea Delaney was finished. She told Marcie she was perfect, took her to Beau, who agreed, and then she escorted Marcie back to her personal trailer where Elena Garvey, the costume designer, put the final touches on her costume.

After everyone had left, Marcie sat down on the couch and tried her best to relax. She was very impressed with everyone she'd met. The members of the crew were courteous and very friendly. And when she'd asked, every one of them had given her tips on how to do the scene. Now the only person left to meet before her screen test was the director, David Edward Allen. He would give her his final instructions, and then she'd rehearse with Ashley Thorpe.

Marcie was too nervous to sit for long, so she got up and paced. She looked like Mercedes, down to the finest detail, but could she actually
be
Mercedes?

There was a knock on the door, and Marcie got up to answer it. David Edward Allen was here. She opened the door to invite him in, but the director stepped back so quickly, he almost fell down the step. Marcie stared at him in surprise, and he gave a sheepish grin.

“Sorry. For a minute there, I thought . . .”

“You were seeing a ghost?” Marcie smiled sympathetically. “That's what Rhea said when she saw Beau's makeup. And Elena thought the same thing. I'm sorry I startled you. Please come in, Mr. Allen.”

The director stepped into the trailer. “Call me Dave. My full name's too much of a mouthful. I only use it because there's another David Allen in the biz. Let's stick with Dave and Marcie, all right?”

“That's fine with me.” Marcie nodded.

“You know, Marcie . . . the resemblance is really remarkable.” Dave took a seat on the sofa. “If you can just act, we're home free.”

Marcie nodded. “I'll try, but I've never had any training. I promise I'll do my best, Mr. Allen . . . I mean, Dave. Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it.”

“Your attitude's good, especially since you're willing to take direction. You have no idea how many prima donnas there are out here. Let's rehearse it one time, and see how you do. I'll read your cues.”

They rehearsed it, and after the scene was finished, Marcie sighed. She knew she hadn't done her best. She was just too nervous. Then Dave gave her some instructions on body language and explained the motivation, and she tried it again. When she finished, he smiled.

“That was a hundred percent better. No one's expecting you to be perfect, Marcie. If we can keep you focused, you'll do just fine.”

“Maybe.” Marcie looked slightly dubious. “But I'm really nervous about the closed set. I know I'd do a lot better if I could have some friends watching me.”

Dave looked surprised, and then he nodded. “I should have guessed it. Your sister was the same way. She always performed better in front of an audience.”

“Then I can ask some people to come?”

“Ask anyone you want. But they'll have to get here fast. We're shooting in twenty minutes.”

“Oh, they're already here.”

“They are?” Dave frowned. “You're really not supposed to bring anyone onto the lot without permission, Marcie. It's a matter of security.”

“Oh, I didn't bring them. They work here. Beau LeTeure said he'd come if you'd let him. And Rhea Delaney, and Jolene Edwards, and Elena Garvey. They've been so nice to me, Dave! I just can't believe how much they want me to succeed!”

“That's good, Marcie.” Dave picked up his script and headed for the door. “I'll tell Jolene to invite them. You stay here and try to relax, and she'll come to get you when it's time.”

Dave was grinning as he walked onto the soundstage. Marcie was charming. It was clear she had no idea what was at stake for the cast and crew of
Summer Heat
. Naturally, everyone was anxious for the picture to be completed. As the director, he was no exception. If they had to ditch
Summer Heat,
there would be no screen credits. And good screen credits were very important. They led to new and better jobs. For a moment, he'd almost blown it and told her that, but it was better to let her think that everyone was pulling for her because they liked her.

“Yes, Mr. Allen?” Jolene hurried up when he beckoned to her.

“Miss Calder wants you on the set during her test. You must have made a good impression.”

“Oh, great!” Jolene looked excited. “She's really nice, Mr. Allen. I'll do anything I can to help her, if she gets the job.”

Dave smiled. “We all will. Those screen credits are important. Right, Jolene?”

“Yes, they are, Mr. Allen.” Jolene frowned slightly. “But that's not the only reason. I really like her. The other Miss Calder was great, but I like this one even better. She treats me like I'm a real person.”

“You're not a real person?” Dave laughed.

“Well, sure I am. But you know what I mean, don't you, Mr. Allen?”

“I think I do.” Dave nodded. He could tell that Jolene was utterly sincere. “I want you to round up Elena Garvey, Rhea Delaney, and Beau LeTeure. She specifically asked that they be there.”

Jolene gave him a huge smile. “I just knew she'd like them! Remember how the other Miss Calder used to invite us all to the set? It'll be just like old times, if she makes it. I probably shouldn't ask this, but do you think she will?”