Drama Queen by Susannah McFarlane Read Free Book Online Page A

the woman walked off.
    EJ knew she couldn’t keep following Sydney.Sooner or later she would notice her. From what EJ had seen though, she needed to keep tabs on Ms Radisson, and she’d thought of a way to do it.
    EJ walked towards the shooting area and stopped at the catering tent, taking one of the water bottles out of a large fridge. EJ then took her star charm from her bracelet and twisted. Within seconds it shrank to a tiny, sticky star in EJ’s hand. EJ hoped her little plan would work. She took a deep breath and shouted out, ‘Ms Radisson! Ms Radisson!’
    Sydney Radisson turned back looking surprised and more than a little cross. ‘Are you talking to me?’ she snapped.
    EJ ran up to her. ‘Yes, sorry for yelling, Ms Radisson, but you forgot your water.’
    â€˜I have my water right here, can’t you see, can’t you see that?’ snapped Sydney, glaring at EJ.
    EJ gulped. ‘No, that water is no good,’ she said, thinking quickly. ‘This one has added nutrients. It’s been especially ordered for you.’
    â€˜Oh well in that case, why didn’t you say so?Give it to me!’ said Sydney even more rudely this time. ‘Come on, I don’t have all day!’
    EJ leant forward to pass Sydney the bottle and as she did, she pretended to stumble.
    â€˜Hey!’ cried Sydney as EJ grabbed the bottom of her trench coat. ‘What are you doing, you stupid girl?’
    â€˜Oh gosh, I am so sorry,’ said EJ, stroking Sydney’s trench coat back into place. ‘Sorry, sorry, Ms Radisson, I tripped. Here is your water. I’ll leave now,’ said EJ.
    â€˜Good idea,’ said Sydney turning her back on EJ and walking onto the set.
    â€˜Yes it was,’ said EJ to herself as she re-opened her pad and pressed the star-tracker app. A map appeared on the screen with a yellow star. When Sydney moved, the star would flash as it moved along the map. A red light indicated EJ’s position. EJ had successfully put the homing device on Sydney’s trench coat and would now know where she was at all times. That was good, very good. But what shemost needed to know now was what those little balls were in the perfume bottles. She headed back towards Sydney Radisson’s trailer to find out.

    It was another message from SHINE. EJ opened it and read.

    EJ checked the time. The text was received only three minutes ago. Was that what Sydney had seen on her phone? Was that what made her get up and go to the cupboard? EJ could see the message wasclearly a code and if it was a coded message going to Sydney Radisson, then it was confirmed: Sydney Radisson had to be working with SHADOW. She was obviously a better actor than EJ had thought. But what was the code? EJ12 would need to find out—and fast.



EJ looked at the message again.

    She had seen Sydney pick up the paper as soon as she read the text message and then she had seen her write something down. Was that something to do with what ‘follow 44 to the letter’ meant? EJ wasn’t sure but she knew the only way to find outwas to get into that trailer and take a look at what Sydney had been reading. She checked the star-tracker. Sydney was still over at the set but EJ may not have enough time. She ran over to the trailer and pulled on the door handle but the door was locked. Calmly and quickly, checking that no one was watching, EJ took her key charm and twisted it to convert into a larger universal skeleton key. EJ put the key into the lock and turned it smoothly. She then opened the door and stepped up into the trailer, closing it quickly behind her.
    This really is like a five-star hotel, thought EJ, feeling the soft plush carpet under her feet and, for some reason, she wondered what the toilet was like. But now was not the time to explore the trailer, she needed to look at the sheet of paper. The piece of paper that Sydney’s cat had just walked across on her way to settle