Imposter by Antony John

compelling.
    The valet at the Beverly Wilshire raises an eyebrow as Maggie pulls up. Not many rusty Chevys idling outside the hotel, I guess.
    â€œThanks for the ride,” I say.
    â€œYou’re welcome.” Maggie flicks the keys dangling from the ignition. “You know, before Annaleigh left, she told me about you and Sabrina.”
    â€œWhich Sabrina’s that?”
    She thinks I’m playing it cool, but I’m not. I don’t have a clue who Sabrina is anymore, let alone what she’s up to.
    â€œWatch out for yourself, Seth.”
    As the old Chevy pulls away, filling the air with exhaust fumes, Maggie’s words play over in my mind. I need to do more than watch out. I need to keep my distance. Sabrina is a star—get too close and I’ll surely be burned.

15
    THE REHEARSAL IS SCHEDULED FOR TEN a.m. At nine thirty, Ryder sends a text canceling it.
    I go to the office anyway. I want to check that Maggie’s okay. I also want to tell Ryder and Brian what Kris said to her last night.
    Yes, I’m tattling. No, I don’t feel bad about it.
    Ryder answers the door. “You got my text?” he asks. I nod. “Yeah. Sorry for the late notice, but our cast is in flux.”
    My first thought is that Annaleigh has quit, but surely she wouldn’t. And there’s no way Ryder would kick her off the movie the day after the junket. Which leaves Sabrina. She was angry last night. Is she ditching the project again?
    â€œI’m sorry,” I say. “Are you going to replace her?”
    â€œHer?”
    â€œSabrina.”
    â€œThis is about Kris, not Sabrina. Seems he’s been seeing Tamara Pelham, and the press got wind of it.”
    Across the room, Brian spins his chair around to face me. “She’s engaged,” he snaps. “Some rich guy who wants to make life real uncomfortable for Kris. So he’s pulled out of the movie. Again!”
    I feel like I did at the party, two steps behind. Did Sabrina leakthis news to get back at Kris? No, she said it herself: Revenge is a dangerous game to play when you’ve got something to lose.
    The main door opens and Maggie steps in. When she sees me, she freezes, like I’m the last person she wants to meet.
    â€œCan we, uh, talk?” I ask her.
    She looks at Brian before answering. “Sure.”
    â€œSomething the matter, Seth?” he asks.
    â€œNo, it’s all good.”
    I head to the rehearsal room so Maggie and I can speak in private. Before I close the door, Ryder and Brian join us. Maggie doesn’t sit down.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” demands Brian, all business.
    How to explain? “Last night,” I begin, “Sabrina told me about Kris and Tamara.”
    â€œUh-huh. You and everyone else, probably. What’s that got to do with Maggie?”
    â€œSeth passed it along to me,” she says.
    â€œIt’s juicy gossip, all right,” says Ryder with a weary smile. “But now we should get back to the more pressing task of damage control.”
    Maggie doesn’t move.
    â€œTell Seth you had nothing to do with that story getting out, Maggie,” says Brian.
    She shakes her head. “I’m not going to lie to him.”
    Ryder and Brian stare at each other. They’re still on the same team, but Maggie’s on the opposite side of the table now.
    â€œYou’d better not be saying what I think you’re saying,” Brian mutters.
    â€œSeth deserves to know the truth.”
    â€œYou’d really sell us out?” says Ryder.
    She looks from one man to the other and shrugs.
    Brian grits his teeth, jawbones visible beneath clean-shaven skin. “Enough of this crap. You’re fired.”
    Maggie heads for the door while I struggle to keep pace with what’s unfolding. She’s basically admitting that she leaked the story. She has lost her job, and maybe even jeopardized her place at film school. And for