Sabotage on the Set Read Online Free PDF Page A

said, that Dakota would like to get out of the film. He doesn’t enjoy playing kids anymore.”
    “Don’t say anything against Dakota Wayne,” Debbie Jean warned. “He’s gorgeous. He’s wonderful. He gave me his autograph.”
    But Brian kept writing. “Okay, so he’s wonderful and maybe he can even wiggle his ears, but we’re trying to solve a case,” he said. “Right now, everyone on that set’s a suspect.”
    “Not Maria,” Sean said.
    “Sure. Even Maria.”
    Although Debbie Jean scowled at him, Brian went on taking notes. “Tiffany told me that Dakota is wealthy,” he said. “Because of his father’s business investments, he’s set for life. He doesn’t have to make this movie.”
    Sean remembered the pay-and-play clause. “Yeah. And even if the movie folds, Dakota will get paid.”
    “Okay. We’re all agreed? Dakota’s a suspect and so is his dad,” Brian said.
    “How come?” Debbie Jean asked stubbornly.
    “Dakota’s playing the part of a little kid in New Guy in Town ,” Brian explained. “And he’s not a little kid anymore. If the film critics and the public think he’s miscast, the movie will probably bomb. It won’t help Dakota’s career if his newest movie is a flop.”
    “Don’t forget Max. He blamed the grip for knocking over the light and fired him,” Sean said.
    “He’s not completely to blame. We were there. We heard Dakota’s father talking the assistant director into firing the guy,” Brian answered.
    “You’ve got a lot of names and information written down,” Debbie Jean said, “but it doesn’t tell you who’s jinxing the movie. How are you going to find out?”
    “By narrowing our list down until we come to the one person who has the motive and the means.”
    “What does that mean?”
    “Somebody badly wants that film shut down for what he—or she—thinks are good reasons. That’s the motive . And somebody was able to be on hand when each of the problems took place. That’s the means .”
    “Can you do it?”
    “We’re the Casebusters, aren’t we?” Sean bragged, but he couldn’t help wondering how they were going to come up with the answers.

7

    A FTER DINNER THAT EVENING, Brian and Sean rode their bikes to the hospital to see Justin.
    A nurse at the desk shook her head. “We’re supposed to see that Justin doesn’t have too many visitors,” she said.
    A grandmotherly nurse stepped up and smiled. “I think we can make an exception here. Justin’s feeling lonely and unhappy. I’m sure that he’d like to talk to boys his own age, not just grown-ups.”
    The other nurse shrugged, and Brian said, “Thanks.”
    “Justin’s mother just went down to the cafeteria,” the older nurse said. “I’ll take you to his room.”
    Justin lay sunk in pillows, looking bored. But he smiled and sat up in bed as Sean and Brian came into the room.
    “Hi, Sean,” he said.
    “Hi,” Sean said. “This is my brother, Brian. You were talking to him earlier, but I didn’t get a chance to introduce you. Brian’s an extra in your movie. We came to see how you were feeling.”
    “And to ask if you know who gave you the soft drink,” Brian said.
    “But Detective Kerry said—,” Sean began. He stopped when Brian frowned at him.
    Justin shrugged. “I don’t know who gave us the drinks. We were all talking, and then the drinks were handed out. I wasn’t paying attention.” He thought a moment. “Why? What does it matter?”
    “Just curious,” Brian said.
    Justin hugged his arms and drew back against the pillows. His eyes were wide and scared. “Was it the drink that made me sick?” he whispered. “Did somebody put something in it?”
    “Detective Kerry tested the drink,” Brian said. “He told us that nothing had been put in it.”
    “Then why did you ask about it?”
    “I just wanted to make sure,” Brian said. Justin looked so miserable that Brian tried to cheer him up. “Hey, look. It’s all over. There’s nothing to be scared