Carolyn Keene. Stay Tuned For Danger

Thanking him, the girls made their way through the set of swinging doors that led into a long hallway. The noisy tour group had gone directly onto the set, but Nancy and Bess continued on, looking for the makeup room.

“This must be the hall he means,” said Nancy.

“Maybe we’ll pass the casting director’s office,” Bess whispered, following her.

Just then, two young secretaries stepped into the hall ahead of them. “Well, I think he has a good point!” one was saying to the other.

“He may have a point, but that’s still no way to talk to people. Even if he is the producer!”

Feelings seem to be running high everywhere, Nancy thought. Suddenly she grabbed Bess by the wrist and signaled for her to be quiet.

They stopped by an open door with a sign that read William Pappas, Producer. They couldn’t see in or be seen. Inside, a man was shouting, probably into a phone since no one responded to him. “I’ve told you before, he can’t do this to me! I don’t care if he is Rick Arlen. If he leaves this show, he’ll never work again! Nobody—nobody—breaks a contract with me. I’ll kill him before I let him work for someone else!”

Chapter Two

“I can’t believe he feels that strongly about Rick Arlen,” Bess whispered angrily.

Nancy peered into the office, taking care to remain hidden. William Pappas’s face was flushed with anger as he stared at the phone he had just slammed down. He fumbled in his pocket for a cigar.

“Actors! They’re all alike! No class—none at all,” he muttered to himself. Then he rose and shouted to a timid-looking girl in an inner adjacent office. “Get the writers on the phone and tell them I want a Rory Danner death scene—the more realistic the better. That idiot doesn’t deserve to live after what he’s put me through! And where’s my Danish? You know I can’t think before I’ve had my second coffee.”

“Come on!” Nancy said in Bess’s ear. “Let’s get out of here.” They hurried down the long hallway without looking back.

“Gosh, Nancy,” Bess announced after they’d rounded a corner and were safely out of sight, “I’ll bet he’s the one who’s causing all the trouble.”

“I don’t know, Bess. Maybe he has an artistic temperament, too. Remember what my aunt said about Mattie Jensen?”

Bess’s attention, however, was caught by something else. “ ‘Makeup.’ Here we are.” Bess placed her hand over her heart. “I can’t believe I’m about to walk through that door and meet Mattie Jensen! How do I look? Are you sure this skirt is okay?”

Nancy couldn’t help laughing. “You’re too much,” she said teasingly. “It still looks great, but if you’re so uncomfortable why did you wear it?”

“Because it looks great—you just said so yourself!” Taking a deep breath, Bess knocked on the door.

“Come in,” someone called out. Bess immediately recognized the voice of her favorite soap opera character.

Inside, Mattie Jensen was sitting in a large, barber-style chair. Her famous auburn curls were wrapped in purple curlers, and her porcelain skin was scrubbed clean. Not a hint of makeup anywhere. But she still looked incredibly beautiful, and her green eyes sparkled.

“Mattie J-Jensen,” Bess sputtered.

“You must be Nancy Drew,” Mattie replied. She held out a manicured hand and gave Bess a warm smile.

“No, I’m Bess Marvin. She’s Nancy.”

“Oh, of course,” Mattie corrected herself, taking Nancy’s hand. “It’s great to meet both of you.”

“Thanks, same here,” Nancy answered.

“Nancy, Bess, I’d like you to meet Kay Wills. She’s our makeup artist and one of the great ones. Without her, I’d be lost.”

“Come on, Mattie, don’t be so modest.” Kay rolled her eyes at the girls and began dotting ivory base on Mattie’s forehead. “With looks like yours, you’ll never be lost.”

“Well, looks aren’t everything, are they?” Mattie sighed, holding her head still as Kay blended in the foundation.

“Try telling that to your leading man,” Kay sniffed, continuing to work.

“Poor Rick,” Mattie murmured. “He’s so misunderstood. And now all this awful stuff is happening to him. Nancy, maybe you’ll be able to help.”

Nancy leaned against the wall. “To be honest, Ms. Jensen, I’m in New York on vacation. I really don’t want to get involved in anything complicated.”

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