Beth woke to a huge hangover ... and the incessant ringing of the phone.

What time was it? Oh, my gosh. Almost dawn. Who would be calling this time of day then she smiled, er, grimaced. Must be London calling!

"Trevor."

There was a pause on the line, then a voice.

"You stood me up!" Not Trevor, obviously. Josef Kostan. She was still confused from the drug. How had she ... oh, right. The "late night tour of Los Angeles" he had cajoled her into accepting.

She cleared her throat but couldn't help how deep her voice had gone.

"I must have fallen asleep. I'm so sorry." She really wasn't but still, it was best to be well mannered and take the blame.

"Asleep again?" Those words brought back into her mind again how shocked she had felt waking up in his penthouse. Still he was trying to be charming ... and maybe succeeding. She would give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Raincheck?"

"Only if it's soon. Tonight. Please say yes. I can't wait to see you again, Beth. Maybe we can start over?" He threw out the bait, the one he knew she couldn't resist: "An exclusive interview. No holds barred. Anything you want to know. Within reason."

"Er, I ..." She thought of Trevor salivating over the idea of an exclusive. "Yes, alright. What time should I meet you?"

"The limo will come at 8. Did you bring along an evening dress?"

Her mind's eye saw herself not in long gown but rather in lingerie, dangling from his lap. Was that what he had in mind? She smiled. A seduction attempt by one of the world's richest men.

Again the throaty voice. "Yes. Sorry, I'll have to ring off now. I'm getting that annoying beeping sound of another call coming in. It's probably my fiancee."

"Ah, Trevor. Your editor." She noted the sarcasm in his voice at the word implying theirs was merely a business arrangement. She opened her eyes completely at that one. He might be right!

She was silent.

"Ah, until the evening then, Beth? Goodnight."

Hey, did he say goodnight? Didn't he mean good day?

Trevor had gone to voice message. She let it go for she had to think. Curiouser and curiouser ...

The next call came in. It was Lt. Davis. There had been another co-ed murder ... and then their "perp" had died in a car accident but they were sure of his guilt. Died with the murder weapon in his hand. Open and shut case.

Right. "Were there signs of anyone else in the car, Carl?"

Yes, she pondered. Wouldn't there be trace evidence of me in the car? But he didn't seem to even know she had been there. Certainly no suggestion of her involvement.

Okay, now it really was Alice in Wonderland and she had just fallen down the rabbit hole.