Lady Boss by Jackie Collins Read Free Book Online

it! God damn it, if that was the only way she could get Panther Studios, she would do it! Go in undercover and find out everything Abe Panther wanted to know. She wasn’t about to tell Abe, but she was beginning to think it was a great idea! This way, when she took over the studio she’d know everything. What an advantage!
    Immediately after the meeting with Abe, she’d caught a plane back to New York. Morton Sharkey had accompanied her in the limousine on the drive to LAX. He’d talked all the way – telling her how ridiculous Abe’s idea was, how it would never work, how it was quite obvious that Abe Panther was getting senile.
    Morton couldn’t help but notice her silence. ‘You’re not actually thinking of doing it?’ he’d demanded incredulously.
    She’d smiled a slow, inscrutable smile. ‘I’ll let you know, Morton.’
    Now she was ready to tell him ‘Yes, we’re going for it.’
    Naturally Mr. Morton Sharkey would throw a fit: lawyers were always creating problems, studying every legal angle, pointing out the pitfalls.
    So what? Lucky Santangelo did what she wanted. And this caper was just the kind of adventure she craved. She was already thinking of ways to change her appearance so no one would recognize her. As Gino’s daughter, the widow of Dimitri Stanislopoulos, and Lennie Golden’s wife, she’d had her photograph in the newspapers from time to time. But not that often. And she’d never cooperated with the press – there were no official posed pictures, only random paparazzi shots.
    A wig would take care of her hair. And glasses for her eyes. Dowdy clothes and a subservient attitude. This was going to be fun! Six weeks of play-acting and then Panther Studios would be hers.
    There was only one catch. How was she supposed to take six weeks off from normal life? How was she going to explain it to Lennie?
    First she decided to confide in Gino.
    The Santangelos. Black-eyed Gino, and his wild daughter. They’d been through a lot together – more than most families in ten lifetimes. Lucky loved him with a fierce and enduring passion.
    She called him, saying she had to see him urgently. They usually dined together several times a month. Unfortunately she’d had to cancel their last dinner because she’d been in L.A.
    â€˜Paige is in town,’ Gino said, over the phone. ‘Can’t it wait?’
    Lucky was insistent. ‘Urgent means urgent.’
    â€˜And Paige in town means an old man’s feelin’ pretty damn good.’
    â€˜So feel good later. This can’t wait.’
    â€˜Lucky, Lucky, you’re a difficult woman.’
    â€˜So what else is new?’
    â€˜Hey – how about I bring Paige with me?’ he suggested.
    Lucky stood firm. ‘Absolutely not.’
    She wasn’t being possessive, but the last thing she needed was Paige Wheeler knowing what she planned. Who could guess what kind of mouth the woman had? She was, after all, married to a Hollywood producer. One word in the wrong direction could blow the whole setup.
    Lucky was determined to make sure nothing went wrong. Acquiring Panther Studios was all-important to her. There could be no tripping up along the way.
    * * *
    They met at a small Italian restaurant on Lexington. Father and daughter. Lucky so dark-haired, black-eyed, and exotically beautiful. Gino still walking with a swagger, a certain energy and cockiness about him that belied his years.
    The man’s still got it,
Lucky thought admiringly as he approached their table.
He really must have been something when he was young.
    She’d heard enough stories about him from Uncle Costa, her father’s dearest and oldest friend. Costa Zennocotti, who’d once been Gino’s lawyer, was now a retired and respectable old gentleman living in Miami.
    Ah… when Costa got to talking about the old days it was a treat. To hear Costa tell it