TOYL

queried Emma.
    ‘The investors, the director, producer, me,’ he expanded. ‘Everyone is very happy at the way things have gone.’
    Emma shook her head in disbelief. ‘You exploited us all. My fiancé might be dead, Stuart is dead, and all you could think about was getting column inches in a newspaper?’
    ‘Try to understand things from our perspective, Emma.’
    ‘You’re unbelievable.’
    ‘This is the life you’d better get used to. If you want all the rewards that come with being an actor, then you’ll have to accept that sacrifices have to be made.’
    ‘When you found out Stuart was dead, were you really sorry?’ Emma asked. ‘Or did you just see it as another headline?’
    ‘That’s not fair,’ said Guy, wagging a finger at her. ‘The last thing I wanted was for that to happen.’
    ‘You said he called you just before he died,’ Emma said. ‘Did he ask for help? Did you ignore him and let him kill himself?’
    ‘No,’ Guy said. ‘I told you that I didn’t know.’
    ‘And this morning, when you told me that you thought Stuart hadn’t taken Dan – is that just a way of keeping the story going? You make out that someone is still out there, needing to be caught, when all along Stuart did do it.’
    ‘I truly believe that Stuart did not take your fiancé.’
    ‘It suits your purpose,’ Emma said accusingly.
    ‘You’d better leave,’ Guy said, ‘before you say something that might jeopardise your big break.’
    ‘Don’t worry,’ Emma replied, understanding the threat. ‘I don’t want anything else to do with your film. I’ve got more important things to think about. C’mon,’ she said, turning to Will, who looked quite stunned. ‘Let’s go.’

    ***

    ‘You sure you did the right thing back there?’ Will asked, as they walked back towards the tube.
    ‘Yeah,’ Emma replied. ‘I’m sure.’
    ‘But you’ve wanted to be in a film ever since I can remember.’
    ‘I know. But I don’t regret what I just did. Sometimes you just have to do what you think is right, and to hell with the consequences.’
    Will smiled. ‘You know, Em,’ he said, putting an arm around her, ‘I really admire you. I wish I could be as brave.’
    ‘Hey, you’re here supporting me,’ Emma said. ‘You shouldn’t put yourself down all the time.’
    ‘Maybe.’
    Emma’s mobile rang just as they entered the tube station – the number was coming up as unrecognised. She doubled back away from the ticket machines and headed back outside, with Will in tow. ‘Hello?’
    ‘Em, it’s me, Richard.’ His voice was shaking with emotion.
    ‘Richard, what’s the matter?’ She glanced up at Will who looked concerned.
    ‘He called me,’ Richard said. ‘The man who took Dan called me.’
    Emma listened as Richard relayed the details. ‘Have you told the staff?’
    ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘The police are coming.’
    ‘Good. We’ll be right over.’
    ‘What’s up?’ said Will, the second the call had ended.
    ‘Richard said a man called him today, saying that he had taken Dan,’ Emma explained.
    ‘Hell,’ Will said, taking in the news. ‘Looks like Guy Roberts was right, and Stuart didn’t do it after all.’
    ‘Maybe Guy Roberts did it himself,’ Emma suggested.
    ‘You really think he could have done?’
    ‘Who knows,’ Emma said. ‘Maybe he engineered this whole situation just to get the publicity he wanted.’

62

    Emma and Will watched through the glass as Gasnier and Davies questioned Richard. They’d been waiting there for five minutes now, having been told by the nurse not to disturb them. It was frustrating, not knowing what was going on.
    ‘You really think that the person who called Richard is responsible for all this?’ Will asked.
    ‘I don’t know,’ Emma admitted. ‘I’ll tell you after we speak with Richard.’
    As if on cue, there was movement in the room, and Gasnier swept out of the door, followed by Davies.
    ‘Emma,’ Gasnier said, flashing a smile, ‘good to see you.’
    ‘I’ve been waiting for you to call,’ Emma said, the words slipping out, sounding more accusing than she had intended.
    ‘I know,’ Gasnier acknowledged, his voice hinting at regret. ‘I was waiting until we knew something for definite, but I’m afraid, so far, we have no clue as to your fiancé’s whereabouts. There was nothing at Stuart’s flat, or on his computer, apart from what we had found already, of course.’
    ‘Don’t you think that’s strange?’ Emma