Cherringham--Final Cut (6 page)

“Sure, guess that it could be that. But I doubt it. No symptoms her whole life, and out of the blue? Something — as we say — fishy here. I want to ask her some more questions when we get back in.”

Jack’s words had a chilling effect. Sarah still held onto the idea that something had happened to Zoë that could easily be explained.

In minutes, they’d learn what it was.

But with Jack feeling quite the opposite, Sarah knew to trust his instincts.

“I do hope –for Zoë’s sake — that you are
not
right,” she said to her friend.

Jack looked up from his gaze locked on the linoleum floor. “So do I Sarah. So do I.”

And then the door to Zoë’s room opened; Dr. Manjeep walked out, no smile, a nod.

Then:

“Perhaps you can come in?”

Jack got up and Sarah followed as the doctor led the way back into Zoë’s room, again pulling the door closed behind her.

*

Once in, Sarah could see that Zoë’s face was visibly ashen, eyes wide. Whatever she had learned in here … was serious.

The doctor walked over to the windows, and turned so she could address all three of them.

“I asked Zoë … if it was okay if I shared the results of our tests.”

Sarah saw Zoë look to the doctor then over to Jack and Sarah — her new friends … her new guardians.

“She says I can share everything with you …”

Something here,
Sarah could tell.

“We ran a full spectrum blood test, urine analysis, checked all of Zoë’s vitals.” The doctor paused. “We also — to be safe, and due to the intestinal contractions — performed a gastric suction.”

Sarah looked at Jack. He turned to her, again the veteran of many a hospital room conversation …

“Stomach pumping,” he said. Then to the doctor: “You felt that beyond the blood and other tests …?”

“Yes. It had to be done immediately. If there was a present danger to Zoë from something ingested.”

Sarah had her eyes on the actress. The words now … as shocking to Zoë as to Jack and her.

“It can reveal things well in advance of the tests.”

Jack walked closer to the bed. He looked down at Zoë as if trying to reassure her during his next question.

Then back up to the doctor …

“And I’m assuming that in this case, it
did
.”

The doctor nodded.

“Yes. I told Zoë. Asked her about her history. But the gastric suction showed toxic levels of Toradol, later confirmed by the blood work. The scientific name is ‘Ketorolac Tromethamine’.”

Jack cleared his throat. “That’s an opiod, right? Powerful pain killer?”

“Very. For short term use, if at all. Even a regular dose can cause difficulties; the amount Zoë had inside her could easily have caused gastrointestinal bleeding, heart failure, and renal failure.”

The doctor patted Zoë’s shoulder. “If we had not performed that procedure, she could have had another — and more severe — attack … that could have been fatal.”

Then Zoë spoke … “Thank you.”

The doctor smiled. “Part of the job, Zoë. And,” keeping her eyes on the patient — “is it okay I share with them, what we discussed?”

A nod. Then: “Absolutely.”

“Right. Well, Zoë is a very healthy girl. But she has used some mood stabilizers in the past, anxiety medications.”

“Off and on,” Zoë said. “Sometimes …” a small smile … “I get a little wired.”

“Yes, and I got a copy of her records from her London physician. Nothing dramatic there. And …”

Another pause.

“No history of using anything like Toradol.”

“Never,” Zoë said quietly. “I haven’t even heard of it.”

“And even her other medications … taken on an as-needed basis only …”

“And I haven’t needed them lately. Least — not yet.”

The poor girl,
Sarah thought.

Everyone thinking about how rich and glamorous her life must be.

But when she’s alone …

Dealing with issues like so many of us
.

Sarah was glad she and Jack could be there for her.

“I asked her whether she had any idea how the drug could have got into her system.”

“It seemed impossible,” Zoë said. “I didn’t eat anything at all. I didn’t even take my vitamins this morning … I don’t understand …”

The actress seemed close to tears. Funny, how she could probably produce tears on demand, a skill well-honed at drama school.

But real tears, real confusion?

Hard to fake that.

Sarah guessed that Jack now felt that his fears were vindicated.

Another ‘accident’. Near deadly this time.

And suddenly they were involved in another case.

“I hope …” the doctor said slowly, “that maybe you can help Zoë? Figure out what happened?”

A look of worry in the doctor’s eyes.

When Sarah heard a big, blustery voice outside, a thick accent.

All eyes in the room turned to the closed door which did little to keep the noise out.

“I must — I tell you — I must see my
star
! Do you know who I am? Do you? Now let me—”

The doorknob turned and, with a nurse on one side and an attendant in a white outfit and white trainers on the other — a man entered. Burly, long overcoat, black fedora, with busy eyebrows that bobbed above what looked like wild eyes, he struggled as the hospital employees held him.

Who is this guy?
Sarah thought

And she and Jack were about to find out …

Jack watched as Zoë quickly turned to the doctor.

“That’s — um, it’s all right, Doctor …”

A nod from Dr. Manjeep, and the attendant and nurse backed away.

And Jack watched as the man in the overcoat brushed it as if shaking off dust, and then marched straight over to the bed, ignoring everyone else.

“My
dear
Zoë, I could not
believe
it, when I heard the news.” The man took Zoë’s left hand and made it into a sandwich between his two bear-sized paws.

Obviously,
Jack thought,
a big wig with the film company.

“Thank you, Ludo. Um,” Zoë nodded at her doctor, then to Sarah.

“This is my producer, the film’s producer—”

With the introduction, the man turned. “Ludo Pesciak, proud producer of
The Rose of Cherringham
!” Then with his eyes narrowing, eyebrows expressing suspicion. “And you two?”

“Friends,” Zoë added quickly. “Jack has been serving as my driver, and Sarah … keeping an eye out for me.”

The producer nodded.

“Not such a good eye then, hmm? What happened?”

First checking that Zoë didn’t mind, the doctor gave a summary of the toxic drugs found.

Ludo raised his hands up, palms out. “But how? You … I mean, you would never …?”

Jack intervened. “Don’t think Zoë knew she was taking anything, Ludo.”

The producer now rolled his yes.

“Another accident!”

Everyone seems to like that word,
Jack thought.

“That — remains to be seen.”

The producer touched his forehead. “My sweet Zoë, what can I do … anything … tell me …”

The doctor walked over to the monitor.

“Maybe best we give her some more time to rest, hmm? For now.”

“Oh, yes,” Ludo was quick to agree. “What am I thinking? Rest, get better.“

Then: “But … when can she be back on set?”

Zoë looked at the doctor. “I feel fine now, really.”

And Jack saw the doctor look right at the actress.

He felt that — like him — the doctor may not be worried about her patient’s current state.

But more about how this happened.

And what might happen next.

“Well — I’d recommend a night’s rest here.”

“Of course,” Ludo said, a finger jetting into the air. “And then?”

“Tomorrow you could be released. And if you are feeling strong enough, maybe a few hours of work. But only—”

“Everyone’s depending on me,” Zoë said. “The entire production.”

“It’s your health that must come first,” Ludo said.
“Nem igy van
?”

Whatever that meant,
Jack thought, his Hungarian a tad rusty.

He looked at Sarah.

Be interesting to find out the story about this producer that everyone called ‘Dracula’.

“So maybe … tomorrow … for a bit …” Zoë looked from the doctor to her producer.

“See how you feel,” the doctor said. “But light days only.”

“Screw the crew,” Ludo said. “You, Zoë,
you
are the priority now. If better, you work, If not, you don’t.”

Quite the character,
Jack thought.

And then …

“So, some rest right now sounds good,” Zoë said.

Jack watched Sarah walk over to the bed.

“I’ll stay in touch. Text, call? Yes? See how you get on.”

A smile for the actress. “Thank you, Sarah, I don’t know what I’d do …”

“And I’ll be ready to drive you over to the set … assuming …” Jack started.

He shot a look at the producer — “the First Assistant gives us the correct location …”

Ludo looked confused about that.

He might be producing this epic but he definitely wasn’t ‘hands on’.

“And I will look in later,” the doctor said, walking away from the windows, herding all out of the room …

*

Ludo sat in one of the sculpted plastic chairs.

When the attendant who had tried to bar his way walked back, Jack saw the producer raise a meaty finger.

“And that one … he actually put his hands on me!”

“Guess it’s part of their job,” Jack said.

Ludo had agreed to chat a bit before they all left the hospital.

And based on the man’s habits — as reported by Gary — this might be the only chance to talk … unless they dropped in on him for dinner at The Spotted Pig.

“People in this country —
barbarians
!”

“Different world, different customs,” Jack said, looking at Sarah.

She picked up the ball. “Ludo, do you have any idea how this might have happened … or the other accidents?’

Jack hoped that Sarah’s voice might calm this bear who seemed ready to rage at the universe.

“What?”

He looked at Sarah as though the question came from Mars.

“You mean, harm beautiful Zoë? No. Why would anyone want anything bad to happen to such a beautiful, charming actress? That’s completely,” he searched for a word, “insane!”

Jack nodded in agreement. “That’s just it, Ludo. We don’t have an idea how these things could be happening. Let me ask you this …”

A pause, Ludo’s eyes trained on Jack …

“What would happen if Zoë had to leave the production?”

“Leave the production?” Ludo swivelled his bulky body in his chair as if his head was about to corkscrew off into space. “That would be a total disaster!”

“You couldn’t simply replace her?” Sarah asked.

“Replace her? With so many scenes shot, the money invested? That young girl
is
the movie. Without her …” he blew a stream of air through his rubbery lips, “we have nothing.”

Ludo looked at his watch, a dramatic look, signalling that he’d had enough chatting in the brightly lit waiting room.

“I must go. People wanting reports, Bernstein back in Hollywood. Investors get very nervous when they hear stories like this!”

As Ludo tried to raise his bulky body out of the sculpted chair Jack put a hand on his wrist.

Ludo looked down at it.

Right,
Jack thought,
the man did not like being touched.

“One more thing, Ludo. And thank you for talking with us.”

A nod.

“Is there someone who would benefit if what you were just talking about happened?”

“Meaning …?”

Sarah filled in the gap. “Zoë, off the film?”

Ludo looked away. “I don’t — I mean, a movie always has grievances, rivalries, old grudges. Show me a happy film set,” Ludo said, “and I will show you a fantasy.”

“So,” Jack pressed on — “there could be people who want harm to come to, what … the studio, the film, the stars … you?”

Ludo didn’t move or say anything for a long time.

But his facial expression seemed to show he didn’t like the direction this chat had taken.

Then he spoke slowly, “Like I said, people … they have their grudges … bad will, hmm? It’s always around.”

Now Ludo moved as briskly as possible to get out of his chair and again used his stubby finger to make a final point.

“If the two of you really want to help this girl … you will keep a good eye on her.”

Sarah stood up and extended a hand to the man.

“We will. But you know what would really help …” she looked at Jack, “is if we could be given all access to the set, when the movie starts reshooting.”

Again a pause.

“Very well, I will tell Alphonso, and Fraser. They will not, as we say — be pleased.”

“Thank you,” Sarah said.

Then Ludo turned and rolled out of the waiting room.

And when he was gone, Jack turned to Sarah.

“That Ludo … he is something.”

“Indeed.”

“But he gave me some ideas. Bit of a talk, while we walk back to the car park? Have some things we could start looking into …”

Sarah smiled at him, “I thought you would …”

And they left the room together.

Jack didn’t say anything until they were out of the hospital building, and had walked over to Sarah’s Rav-4.

“Good one — asking for
carte blanche
to go on the set.”

“Thanks. Though I don’t imagine we’ll be very welcome.”

Jack grinned at that. “Yes. But at least they can’t throw us off.”

“We’ll see about that.” Then Sarah asked: “That bit of interrogation of Ludo … your thoughts? I’m assuming you have some.”

Jack laughed, “Yeah, I always do, don’t I? Okay …”

He looked around. Today was another beautiful blue sky day; had to be frustrating to lose a day of shooting, but even worse to lose a day like this.

Even in spring such days could be rare.

“See, it really looks like Ludo is worried about this film …”