“Photos? What photos?”
He sent some glossy pictures skidding down the desk in my direction. They were photos of me on various set locations with lit joints and bloodshot eyes.
Fabricated photos.
I knew that because I could remember exactly which party each one of those shots was taken.
My apprehension turned into irritation now. I hadn’t been in the industry long enough to make enemies or build rivalries. Who would do that? Go to that extent to get me fired? “These aren’t real. Who gave you those?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does!” Anger erupted inside my chest, and my teeth clenched together so tightly my jaw ached. “Whoever sent you those wants to destroy my career. I think I have the right to know who the fuck wants to do this to me.”
“Maggie—”
“Look, if you don’t believe me, here.” I got out my phone and swiped through the photo albums. Then I gave him the phone. “These are the originals that were Photoshopped to make them look like they were on set. They were taken months ago. You can see the date.”
He glanced at the screen then up at me, his lips pursed.
“And don’t worry, I’m taking the test. Got nothing to hide.” Thanks to Mike, I hadn’t smoked anything since my birthday. My mind rumbled. Wait a minute… “Is this what it’s all about? Someone is getting me for the Kyle-Mike situation?”
“Let it go, Kid.”
I stood, and my palm banged on the desk, scattering the photos on top. “No, I won’t. Who the fuck did this, Don?”
“It’s Andrea. Happy?”
I froze for a second. Then my ass plopped back down. “What?”
For several moments there was nothing. No noise. No words. No reaction. The room was so heavy with nothing that I was choking on it. “I don’t understand. Why…why would my own mother try to get me fired?”
He ran a hand over the back of his head and set my phone on the desk. Then he held his own cell. “Listen to this.”
A recording played with Andrea’s and Robello’s voices.
“My daughter is not well, Don. I’m so worried about her. This business is not right for her. It’s going to make her relapse.”
“Relapse?”
“Her father and I hid this from everyone, but…Maggie is a recovering addict.”
My heart sped up. Sweat broke out along my forehead, and for a minute the world seemed like it was spinning with me sitting in place.
“I’m very sorry. I should have come to you earlier, but I thought she was handling it,”Andrea whimpered.
I covered my quivering lips with my hand, stifling the urge to cry out loud.
“Then I got those pictures.”There was a crunch of paper, probably of the envelope where the fake pictures were.“Here. See for yourself. I don’t know what to do. This girl is breaking my heart.”Andrea cried.“Don, please help me. I need to get her out of this before it’s too late.”
I scrubbed at my eyes angrily, wiping away any potential tears in one jerky motion. “I was never an addict. She’s…”
He stopped the recording. “I know it’s all lies. Mike tipped me off a few days ago that she might do something like this. I recorded the conversation and asked you to take the drug test to be on the safe side, legally.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t think she’ll stop here. She’ll probably go to the tabloids, and we need to be ready if things escalate.”
My lips parted in shock. “Why would she do this to me?”
