Sheri Cobb South (20 page)

“I’m sure no one could get tired of watching Miss Payne,” Frankie said wistfully, glancing over to where William Stanford draped a fur stole over the star’s shoulders.

“You may be right,” the younger Mr. Cohen agreed with a smile, seeing the direction of her gaze. “Still, it’s always best to leave the audience wanting more. I do wish to make it up to you, though. In a week or two we’ll begin filming a college musical called
Fraternity Row
. I’d like to use you as one of the sorority girls, if you’re interested. There’ll be a couple of brief lines and perhaps a little dancing, if you’re able to pick up the choreography.”

Frankie’s eyes grew round, and her jaw all but hit the floor. “Me? You want me to speak lines? And to dance?”

Mr. Cohen held up a hand to silence her. “I know what you’re thinking, and I don’t blame you. But I can assure you this is not a matter of charity. You looked good on the rushes—the camera obviously likes you. You earned another chance, and I intend to see that you get it.”

“Why—why, thank you, Mr. Cohen,” Frankie stammered. “Thank you very much!”

“Ed Reynolds will be directing. If you’ll stop by his office Monday morning, his secretary can fill you in on the shooting schedule. Now, I know you two must have plans for the evening, so if you’ll excuse me, I’ll say goodnight.”

Frankie stared after him as he returned to the crowd surrounding Miss Payne, then wheeled back to face Mitch. Her eyes were aglow, and her hands clasped together beneath her chin.

“Oh Mitch, can you believe it? My first speaking role! I can’t wait to tell Roxie, and I’ll have to write a long letter to Daddy, and—but what were you saying before we were interrupted? Something about Nevada?”

Mitch shook his head. “Never mind,” he said, draping his arm across Frankie’s shoulders as they headed for the exit. “It wasn’t important.”

About the Author

Sheri Cobb South is the award-winning author of five regency novels, including
The Weaver Takes a Wife
,
Miss Darby’s Duenna
, and
Of Paupers and Peers
. She has also written a number of teen romances for Bantam’s long-running Sweet Dreams series. She made her mystery debut in 2006 with the publication of
In Milady’s Chamber
, which introduced Bow Street Runner John Pickett. Sheri has always loved classic Hollywood movies, especially the MGM musical comedies of the 1950s, and hopes to convey a similar comic tone in her writing. A native and lifelong resident of Alabama, she recently moved to Loveland, Colorado, where she is currently writing a third John Pickett mystery. Sheri loves to hear from readers, and may be contacted at [email protected].

Acknowledgements Page

Stepping outside one’s comfort zone is never easy, and can sometimes be terrifying. In my case, after having written seven novels set in early nineteenth-century England, I felt compelled to try my hand at a mystery set in Hollywood in 1936—a project all the more intimidating when I considered that there are people alive today who would know if I got something wrong. Clearly, research was of the essence. I would be remiss if I neglected to mention the contributions of Dr. Georganne Scheiner, Chair of the Women and Gender Studies Program at Arizona State University, who generously sent me photocopies of her research into the Hollywood Studio Club; Elizabeth White, critique partner extraordinaire and all around good friend; my daughter Jessamy South, who volunteered her services as beta reader; and my parents, Bill and Jayne Cobb, who were asked to dredge up their earliest memories of growing up in the South in the late 1930s and ‘40s. If, in spite of all their best efforts to keep me straight, I still managed to get things wrong, feel free to place the blame squarely on my shoulders.

Copyright © 2012 by Sheri Cobb South

Electronically published by Belgrave House

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No portion of this book may be reprinted in whole or in part, by printing, faxing, E-mail, copying electronically or by any other means without permission of the publisher. For more

information, contact Belgrave House, 190 Belgrave Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94117-4228

     http://www.RegencyReads.com

     Electronic sales: [email protected]

This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.