Page 86 of Wild Idol
I chuckled.
“Maybe we should invite her over and get her in the jacuzzi.”
Sable or Emily, or whoever she was, had enticing qualities. No doubt about it.
48
“Ithink I’ve got something,” Denise said when she called. “Listen to this,” she read from an article online.
I put it on speaker so Jack could hear.
“Sable’s recent escapades have called into question her ability to meet obligations. ‘The embattled star’s increasing trouble with drugs and alcohol have industry insiders worried,’ an anonymous source close to the star says. ‘These tours cost a fortune. The cost of marketing and promotion is more than the GDP of some third world countries,’ the source says. ‘This tour has the potential to be incredibly lucrative, but not if Sable is too drunk to take the stage.’” Denise continued to skim the article. “After a month-long retreat at the Tranquility Rehabilitation Facility, Sable has recently been seen living it up on the town, hitting bars and clubs with her usual fervor. In an effort to revamp her image, the star has been seen around town, signing autographs, posing for pictures, and engaging with fans. It seems herpublicist has been working overtime and has even scheduled a meet and greet for young fans at the Coconut Key Children’s Hospital. This is a much more accessible version of Sable, and she seems to be indulging in moderation. Seen on numerous occasions with her longtime manager, rumors of an impending separation have been put to rest. As of now, Sable’s World Tour will kick off as scheduled.”
JD and I shared a look.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he said.
I nodded.
“Tell me her manager is not stupid enough to think he can replace Sable with a lookalike,” Denise said.
“Looks like he did just that,” I replied. “The old Sable was on a path to self-destruction.”
“That’s crazy.”
“Makes perfect sense,” Jack said. “They replaced everyone close to Sable. Security staff, assistant, publicist—anyone who knows her well enough to pick up on subtle differences. They parade the newSableall over town. Before long, she becomesSable.”
“That might work for the tour,” Denise said. “But what about the next album?”
“Easy. They sample Sable’s voice and get AI to sing it. Emily Fowler lip-syncs on tour. Everybody does it now. Nobody seems to care. The label and the manager keep printing money, and Emily Fowler gets to live out her pop star fantasy.”
“And they’re going to get away with it if we don’t prove it before she leaves town,” I said. “She might never come back.”
The clatter of Denise tapping on the keyboard filtered through the phone. “Emily has a prior arrest for DUI.”
“Her prints are in the system,” I said with a grin. “That should be easy enough to come by.”
“I’ve got an idea,” JD said with a devilish grin. “She’s going to be signing autographs at the children’s hospital.”
“You wanna steal some sick kid’s autographed photograph?” Denise said, scolding him playfully.
Jack’s face wrinkled. “No. Of course not. All we have to do is collect a pen, a glossy photograph, a bottle of water, anything she touches.”
“How do we get close to her?” Denise asked. “We can’t coordinate with the hospital. Loose lips sink ships. If it gets out that this is a sting, it could blow the opportunity.”
“I’ll call Paris. This is a publicity stunt, after all. I’m sure Sable would be more than happy to give a camera crew all access to showcase her newfound altruism.”
Jack smiled. “Pride cometh before the fall.”
49
Sable had never met Denise. She was the perfect person to take point on this. Posing as Paris’s assistant, Denise would have direct contact with the star. Paris had negotiated behind-the-scenes access and would be with Sable every step of the way. The puff piece was designed to humanize the star. We’d have the entire interaction on high-def video and clear audio. We didn’t need hidden cameras, but we had rigged up a small wireless button camera on Denise, just as a backup. With a flesh-colored in-ear monitor, I had direct communication with Denise.
To say she was excited to be in the field was an understatement.
The news crew met Sable at her mansion.
The cameras rolled from the momentSableopened the door with a bright smile. “Welcome to my home! I’m so glad you could be here today.”
