Page 65 of Secret

"She answered."

"Come on, D."

"No... I mean it. She answered... no assistant... no ABC studio person. It was her cell phone. She said,Hello."

"What did you say?"

"I said,Hello, Ms. Fienes. This is Demarco Alford returning your call."

"How did you know it was really her?"

"She knew the book. It's not out yet."

"Yeah, but several people know about the book deal."

"No... I mean she knew details, Alec. She's read it."

"Sheronda Fienes has read your book," Alec said, calmly and matter-of-factly... but at the same time, he could have been an oracle prophesying the return of Zeus.

"I know. I'm stunned. I keep telling myself I must be dreaming... that I'm going to wake up soon to the usual—breakfast... laundry... garbage... you know, all the allure and prestige that being a househusband entails."

"What did she say?"

"She wants to do a television show."

"Get. The. Fuck. Out. That'shuge,D."

"Yeah. I think I forgot to buy toilet bowl cleaner today."

"You're in shock."

"Well, wouldn't you be?"

"So, what did she propose?"

"Well... she said that she read the book in a single sitting. Loved it. Wants to do aScandal-esque show, revolving around the private lives of Washington DC elite and Chandelier."

"And Abir?"

"She doesn't care about that shit at all. She says the meat of the story is Chandelier."

"She would know."

"What about Reed?"

"He's still around."

"Have you talked to him?"

"Yeah. He had to... uh," Demarco struggled for the correct word... "dismantleChandelier, so-to-speak... because of the controversy. But he's restructured and rebuilt a similar business."

"What's it called?"

"I don't know...Sconce?"

"Did he not ask you to come back?"

"No... not with all the hoopla. Personally, it was an easy way to let me go."