Page 10 of Beyond the Darkness (Basic Instincts #3)

“Stay Out of Trouble”

Hudson waited until the Uber was right outside the building before exiting the lobby. The three photographers who were waiting on the doorstep started clicking their cameras before he’d even opened the door.

“Any news on Julian’s murder?” one of them yelled.

“Who do you think did it?” another shouted.

“Will the play be cancelled?”

Assholes.

“Guys, just let me be. I’ve lost a friend. I’ve nothing further to say.” He pushed past them and jumped into the back of the car.

“Do you think it’s a copycat killer, Hudson?”

What the fuck does that mean? He pulled the door shut and locked it, keeping his head down to deny them a decent picture. “Just go, please,” he told the driver.

One of the photographers had his camera right up to the window. It banged against the side of the car as the vehicle pulled away.

“What was that all about?” the driver asked.

“You don’t want to know,” Hudson said, sinking low in the back seat and breathing deeply.

The Vermont Hotel was on the waterfront, just across the river from the Concert Hall. He was relieved to see there were no press people waiting outside. Hudson thanked the driver and credited her with a tip, before hurrying inside.

The hotel foyer had high ceilings and marble tiles on the floor with lots of dark wood and brass railings.

The concierge gave him directions to the lounge, where he found more white marble and lots of plush soft furnishing, all cream and gold velvet.

In the corner of the large room, a pianist played a decent rendition of an old Bond theme.

“Over here, my darling.”

Jo Peel was on her feet to greet him with open arms, a vison of big blonde hair, cleavage and statement jewellery.

Unlike most showbiz people, Hudson was not into hugging and kissing, but Jo was not the woman to say no to.

He allowed himself to be enveloped in her warm, sweet-smelling embrace.

Once done with the hugs, she stood back, holding him at arm’s length in a formidable grip to look him up and down.

“My God, you’ve been through it, haven’t you? Have you slept at all?”

“Not much,” he admitted, relieved when she released him and sat back down.

Jo was midway through one of those sparse breakfasts that only seemed to be served in posh hotels.

Meagre portions of bacon, sausage, eggs and avocado spread across an oversized plate.

“You need to eat something.” Rings flashed on every finger as she cut a tiny piece off the end of a sausage and put it in her mouth before chewing daintily.

“I’m not hungry.” There was already a pot of coffee on the table and a spare cup. He helped himself and dropped in a lump of brown sugar.

Jo patted her mouth with a napkin, careful not to smear her crimson lipstick.

Despite her old-fashioned glamour-puss image, Hudson knew from experience that Jo was no pussycat.

She drove an extremely hard deal and fought like a tiger for the rights of her clients.

It was impossible to determine her age. The cosmetic enhancements and dramatic make-up made her appear young and old at the same time.

Hudson guessed she was in her late forties but could be ten years off in either direction.

His eyes were fixated on a huge sapphire and diamond pendant that hung just above her well-hoisted breasts.

“Aren’t you worried you’ll get mugged walking around with something like that?”

She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. “I’ll like to see someone try. They won’t survive with their fingers intact, that I guarantee.” She had a deep, raspy voice that had a two-packs-of-cigarettes-a-day quality, though Hudson had never seen her smoke in all the time he’d known her.

It was not yet eleven o’clock. Jo had flown to Blyham early that morning. “What time did you have to get up to start putting all this together?” he asked.

“This”—she ran her fingers over herself from head to waist—“was achieved in fifteen minutes in the back of the car to the airport. I might look high-maintenance, darling, but I could practically do this in my sleep.”

He laughed. Despite the circumstances, it was good to see her. He no longer felt alone. “What time are Andie and Rav arriving?”

“They’ve been and gone.”

His mouth dropped. “They’ve what?”

“It’s fine, sweetie, don’t worry. Everything is taken care of. They’re getting it from all angles at the minute—police, investors, cast, crew, their goddamned agents. Even I felt a scrap of sympathy for them. It can’t be easy.”

“I don’t understand. What do you mean? Everything is taken care of?”

“To use a showbiz cliché, the show will go on.”

He let that digest. He’d more or less accepted that it would, though he had mixed emotions at the prospect of continuing. “How?” he said at last.

“Rehearsals have been stood down for the rest of the week. Enjoy the time off and try to get yourself together. There’s a great-looking spa in this place. You should book yourself in and take advantage. Relax, unwind, recharge.”

“What about the play? What about Julian?”

“I can deal with most things, but Julian’s death is something I can’t get involved in.”

“Murder,” he corrected. “Julian’s murder.”

“Murder, yes. It appears that way.” She raised the cup and saucer and sipped.

“I represented him for a couple of years myself. Back in his early days. I got him some good work in TV. He wouldn’t have been playing understudies now if he’d stuck with me.

No offence to you, my darling. Julian was a fine actor.

He could have carried this play with ease. ”

“I know he was.” After Luke had left last night, Hudson’s mind had been in a state of turmoil.

When he’d eventually gone to bed, he’d been unable to sleep and had watched an old episode of Casualty in which Julian had appeared as the victim of a road accident, who was trying to escape from a violent relationship.

It had been a powerful performance that had Hudson in tears by the end, even more tragic given current circumstances.

“So, what are they planning to do? Just replace him?” He clicked his fingers disdainfully. “Like that?”

“You know that’s how it works. Everybody is replaceable.”

“For fuck’s sake.”

“We don’t have to like it, but it’s the way it is.

” Jo’s phone rang. She glanced at the screen without picking it up, bared her teeth, then rejected the call.

She turned back to Hudson, fully composed.

“Look, it’s shit, I know it is. We both do.

But there’s a lot of money invested in this show.

Two years of planning just to get to this stage.

The goal has always been to make this a hit, take it to London and then on road.

Potentially Broadway. Julian was a lovely man, but he was one small part of the production. It will go on without him. It must.”

He nodded sullenly. “You’re right. I don’t have to like it.”

“But you have to get that talented arse of yours on stage in two weeks’ time and make this the smash we know it has to be.”

“Jesus, two weeks. We’re already behind.”

“Rav and Andie have agreed to cancel the first three preview performances to allow you to make up for some of the lost rehearsal time. But opening night goes ahead as planned.”

Hudson slumped further into his seat, thoroughly depressed.

What she was telling him made complete sense.

As a professional, he knew that. He’d replaced other actors at short notice, and been replaced himself a couple of times—it was all part of the business.

The opening of any new show was always fraught with problems, but this was so much worse.

“I don’t know how we’ll make it. It’s too much. ”

She slapped her hand on the table, her rings clattering off the marble.

“Get it together, Hudson. Look, you’ve got the rest of the week off.

Do whatever you want to mourn Julian. Get drunk.

Fuck your blues away. Do whatever you need to do, but make sure it’s all out of your system and you’re laser focused by Monday morning.

You’ll need to be to get this show running.

It’s going to be under more attention than ever when it opens. ”

“Jesus. As if we weren’t stressed enough already.”

“Yes, it’s shit, but I don’t make the rules. I just play by them. Everyone will be talking about Darkest Blue by the time you hit that stage. You need to be on your A-game.” Now she picked up her phone and tapped her nails against the screen. Her mouth raised at the corners. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

He groaned. “If this is more bad news I don’t want to know.”

Jo licked her lips. “It’s the silver lining. The show has sold out overnight. The complete four-week run.”

“What?”

“Ticket sales were pretty good already for the first two weeks and weekends, but the whole run has been snapped up now. Restricted view and nosebleed seats, the lot. Wow.” She grinned. “You realise this means a big step closer to the West End transfer.”

“It’s grotesque.”

“You might want to check the socials, darling. Everyone is talking about you. You’ve gained several hundred thousand new followers on those accounts you don’t even update.

I’ll get Nehal right on it. He can post some new content on your behalf and give all these new people something to engage with. ”

“No,” he said, outraged. “I don’t want to encourage it.”

“You have to.”

“I don’t suppose Rav and Andie told you I’ve been receiving weirdo fan mail at the theatre? That’s the reason I don’t engage with strangers online. I have no fucking clue who any of them are.”

“Even more reason to let Nehal run the accounts. You won’t have to interact with any of them.

It’s a win–win, darling, take it.” Jo began gathering her things together, stuffing everything into an oversized Chanel bag.

“Now, I’ve got to make some calls. You know what you have to do, just relax for the rest of the week and be one hundred per cent on it for Monday. ”

He reached for his coffee, but it had gone cold. “Are you flying back to London?”

“Later tonight, but you can reach me by phone at any time, you know that. Day or night. In the meantime, I’ll be fielding off offers of work for you.

The phone has been going all morning at the office.

Most of them want you to give an interview but there are some legit work offers in there too.

Big ones. But until we have the dates for Darkest Blue in London, I can’t commit you to much of anything. ”

If it wasn’t all so distasteful, Hudson would admit a grudging respect for the way Jo was handling the situation.

He sighed and got to his feet. He had no idea what he was going to do with himself these next few days.

He’d been looking forward to the opportunity to explore Blyham and the local area, but the circumstances were not ideal.

“What about Julian’s part? Will they find someone to take over before Monday?”

Jo did not look up from her phone.

When he repeated the question, and she looked at him sideways, he knew the answer. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Don’t tell me, you’ve put up one of your other clients, haven’t you?”

She shrugged. “They needed someone who could start at short notice, and I have the perfect person. I sent him the script last night and he’s already learned his own role, he’s working on your lines right now.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“He did a video audition with Rav and Andie first thing this morning and they’ve agreed that he’s the best option. Let’s face it, you need somebody who could start yesterday, and I’ve found the solution. Now, don’t look at me like that, Hudson. I told you—I don’t make the rules.”

“You just know how to play them,” he groaned.

“Exactly.” She smiled. “Now, go on, get out from under my heels. Mama has work to do.”

As Hudson was walking away, she called after him. “Hey.”

“What now?”

Jo was on her feet, one hand on her hip. “Make sure you stay out of trouble between now and Monday. You’ll be a lot harder to replace.”