Page 122 of Stuart Woods' Golden Hour

The visitor pushed the doorbell button again.

“Relax! I’m coming!”

When he reached the door, he took a moment to compose himself, then pulled it open and stared in confusion. Standing on his porch was Deputy Director Bailey Robinson, and behind her were four people he didn’t recognize.

“Good morning, Richard,” the deputy director said. “I apologize for getting you up so early.”

“Good morning, Deputy Director. It’s fine. I was already awake.”

“Oh, good. I was wondering if we might have a word.”

“Um, sure,” he said, trying to remain calm. “Come in.”

He moved to the side and Robinson and two of the people with her entered, while the other two remained outside.

He led them into the living room. “Would you like some coffee? I haven’t started it yet, but it shouldn’t take too long.”

“Thank you, but I’ve already had a cup,” Robinson said. “Shall we sit?”

She motioned Pearson to the couch while she took one of the chairs across from it. Her companions remained standing.

Pearson felt his mouth going dry as he sat, hoping she was just here for his assistance on something urgent.

“What can I help you with?” he asked.

Smiling, she said, “To start, you can tell me when your relationship with Felix Braun began.”

“Oh, shit.” The words were out of his mouth before he even realized he’d spoken.

“ ‘Oh, shit,’ indeed,” the deputy director said.

44

For the Centurion Pictures crew,the day of the film festival’s opening ceremony started with television appearances by Tessa, Adriene, Peter, and Mark on three different German networks and the BBC.

Midday was the festival’s press luncheon, at which Tessa and Mark served as the event’s MCs. This was followed by a promotional photo shoot that included Peter, Hattie, and Ben, and a meeting with a group of twenty fans who had won a sweepstakes to spend a half hour with the stars of the movie.

By the time they returned to the hotel lobby, it was five-thirty p.m.

“Well, well, well,” a very recognizable voice boomed. “If it isn’t my Centurion Pictures friends.”

Action star Tom Norman peeled himself away from the group he’d been standing with and walked over to join Mark, Tessa, and the others.

“You really did make it,” Tessa said.

“Did you think I was lying about making time to be here?”

“Of course not. But in this business, schedules change on the daily.”

“Fair point. But what you didn’t know was that I’m the festival’s head judge for the films that have entered the competition.”

Tessa looked around at the others. “How come we didn’t know that?”

“Shh,” Tom said, a finger to his lips. “They’re not revealing that information until tonight.”

“Now I wish we were part of the competition,” Peter said.

Tom’s eyes lit up. “Peter! I missed you at my premiere.”

---