Chapter 5 |
Instead of answering right away, Matthew flicked on the Ford's high beams. The light cut through the window, illuminating the figure outside and revealing that it was, indeed, a woman.
Matthew was wary. The world might be full of sunlight, but darkness lurked wherever the sun didn't shine. And people corrupted by that darkness were capable of desperate acts for the slightest gain.
The woman lifted her baseball cap, revealing long, chestnut hair tied back in a ponytail. She pointed a hand toward the estate. "Are you the one who sent those women in there?"
Matthew didn't answer. Instead, he sized her up from head to toe. The woman was slender but toned, probably around five feet seven inches tall. She was also instantly recognizable, thanks to two distinct features: full, pouty lips and a generous bust that contrasted with her lean frame.
Though she wasn't exactly his type, there was no denying she was a beauty.
"Get in," he said, unlocking the passenger door. "We can talk in the car."
The woman rounded the front of the car and slid into the Ford's passenger seat, placing her handbag at her feet.
Matthew let his guard down. He had just realized who this woman was. Angelina Jolie wouldn't be out here in the middle of the night to rob a simple driver—unless she was completely insane.
After seeing her in "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," her famous full lips and figure were unmistakable. Matthew was certain this woman was Angelina Jolie.
"I'm sorry," Matthew replied virtuously. "I can't answer that. It would be unprofessional."
Without a word, Angelina Jolie pulled a wallet from an inner coat pocket. She casually extracted five green bills and laid them on the center console between the seats.
Matthew glanced down, saw the two zeros following the number one on each bill, and nodded immediately. "Yes. I'm the one who brought the six women, Miss Jolie."
So much for professional integrity. It was a luxury for a man with only a few dozen dollars to his name, who had no idea where his next meal was coming from.
Angelina Jolie wasn't surprised that Matthew recognized her. She'd already made a name for herself in Hollywood.
Matthew stole a glance at Jolie, wondering what a Hollywood star like her was doing approaching his car at this time of night, in a place like this.
Whatever her reasons, it didn't matter. He snatched the five hundred-dollar bills and immediately stuffed them into his pocket.
Angelina Jolie saw the undisguised hunger for money in his expression and felt she'd found the right man for the job.
"Want to make some more money?" Angelina Jolie asked suddenly.
Matthew turned to look at Jolie's angular face.
What could a Hollywood celebrity like her possibly want, showing up in the middle of the night looking for a well-built driver?
And another question immediately followed: what was in it for him?
"Who doesn't like money?" Matthew nodded eagerly.
Angelina Jolie gestured toward the estate again. "Do you know who's throwing that party?"
"Jonny Lee Miller." Matthew had read about him before.
"You know him?" Angelina Jolie asked.
Matthew hesitated. He didn't know him personally, of course. "I've only seen his picture."
"That's good enough," Jolie said, looking pleased. "Just do exactly as I say, and I'll give you five thousand dollars."
The words "five thousand dollars" made Matthew's ears perk up, but he added, "I don't do anything illegal."
Going to jail for a mere five thousand dollars wasn't worth it.
"It's all perfectly legal." Jolie opened her handbag and pulled out a small DV camera. "Take this, get into the estate, and film that bastard Jonny Lee Miller screwing those prostitutes. Bring it back to me, and the five thousand dollars is yours."
"What?" Matthew's eyes widened as he pointed at his own chest.
"You want me to film him in the act?"
Then he realized something was off. "Wait, why do you want this?"
Jolie just stared at him, her voice cold. "Are you going to do it or not?"
A job like this was definitely risky, especially since Jonny Lee Miller was a wealthy man. Matthew's head was spinning. Why would Angelina Jolie want this? Until he understood her motive, he wouldn't dare get involved. He could end up in jail for something like this.
Gazing at Angelina Jolie's angular, expressive face, then at the nearby estate, Matthew mulled over the little he knew about her. Suddenly, something clicked.
He asked immediately, "Jonny Lee Miller is your... husband?"
Jolie didn't deny it. It was public knowledge, wasn't it? She'd assumed he already knew.
Now that he'd confirmed Jonny Lee Miller and Jolie were a couple, Matthew pressed, "Are you planning to divorce him?"
"You don't need to know that," Angelina Jolie said, placing the DV camera on the console. "So, are you in or out?"
Matthew didn't answer right away. He was thinking. It was risky, but not impossible. And wasn't five thousand dollars a little low for this kind of work? He was sitting next to Angelina Jolie, a bona fide Hollywood star. Even if she hadn't reached the peak of her future fame and fortune, she was still a very wealthy woman.
Matthew suddenly asked, "Why don't you go in yourself?"
Angelina Jolie muttered, "The second I walk up to that gate, everyone inside will know I'm here."
Her face instantly darkened, and she added in a near whisper, "I'm going to make that bastard pay."
She'd hired a private investigator a while ago. A few days back, she announced she was leaving town for a film shoot, giving Jonny Lee Miller an opportunity to be alone, and had someone keeping an eye on him. Unfortunately, the estate was surrounded by a high wall topped with an electric fence, so the P.I. had no way of getting inside.
Luckily, the P.I. had kept the place under constant surveillance. As soon as she got word about the party, she came straight here.
A divorce from Jonny Lee Miller was inevitable, but a divorce also meant dividing a significant amount of shared assets. To make him back down without a fight, she needed leverage. She needed hard evidence.
And given her personality, the only way to truly satisfy her thirst for revenge was to handle it herself.
That's why, instead of sending her bodyguard or agent, she was running this "operation" personally. When she got what she wanted, she would make that bastard lose face completely.
If it had been any other Hollywood star, Matthew would have thought he'd stumbled into a world of trouble. Who would be foolish enough to get personally involved in something like this? But with Angelina Jolie, it somehow seemed normal. Everyone knew she'd been a wild child in her youth. Right now, she looked like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
But instead of fearing the volcano's fire, he felt a strange thrill, as if he'd just gotten incredibly lucky.
He'd just delivered a few models to a high-profile client, never suspecting that the client was Angelina Jolie's husband, or that an enraged Jolie would be waiting to settle the score. This was his lucky break.
This was it—his chance to open the door to Hollywood! But how could he make the most of this opportunity?
The sudden stroke of luck made Matthew's pulse quicken. He took a moment to compose himself, then said, "Alright, I'll do it."
With five thousand dollars, he could finally rent an apartment, get settled in Los Angeles, and then start pursuing his acting career in earnest.
"Excellent," Jolie said, her tone all business. "As soon as you get what I need on tape, my bodyguard will get you the five thousand dollars immediately."
Matthew gave Angelina Jolie another look. Her last comment was clearly a warning, implying her bodyguard was somewhere nearby.
Matthew held out his hand. "It's a deal."
Angelina Jolie, however, had no intention of shaking it. He had to awkwardly pull his hand back. "Wait here," he said.
Matthew put the DV camera in his duffel bag, draping his jacket over it to hide it from view. A moment later, he was approaching the estate entrance.
"What are you doing back here?" the guard at the gate asked, stopping him. "You already made your delivery."
"Hey again, buddy." Matthew gestured back toward the Ford. "The company told me to wait, but there's no restroom out there, and I've really got to take a dump, you know? Mind if I borrow your bathroom?"
Matthew had already spoken with this guard when he drove in earlier.
The guard eyed the duffel bag he was carrying.
"My change of clothes," Matthew said, lifting the bag with a flourish. "And a roll of toilet paper. Don't ask where I got it."
The guard waved him through. "Go on, buddy. Follow the path to the fountain, then it's about two hundred feet to the right. You'll find the restrooms there."
"Thanks." Matthew stepped onto the estate grounds.
"Just don't go into the main house," the guard called after him.
"Don't worry, I won't," Matthew said with a sly smile, and started walking toward the fountain in front of the main house.