Disclaimer: See other chapters.

Thanks for all the reviews, they mean a lot, especially when deciding whether I should continue.

Chapter 3: On the Set

25 Hours Missing/9 am

Jack had called to see where the the movie crew was staying. As it turned out, they were less then a mile away from site where they where filming the movie. They were on the 1st floor of the Adam's Mark hotel.

He entered the lobby and walked over to the front desk, "Yes sir, may I help you?" asked the red-haired lady behind the desk.

"Yes, which room would I find the production team for the movie Envy?"

"Room 113, do you need me to get a bellhop to show you the way?" she asked.

"No, thanks, just point in the general direction," he said as she pointed down a very long hallway. "Thanks, something tells me I should have taken the offer for the bellhop."

It only took about 10 minutes before he found room 113, and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" someone shouted.

Inside were four desk, all within inches of each other. Bulletin boards overflowed with lists and a loud impatient woman was on the phone. She seemed to be in her forties, with curly brown hair, a baseball cap, and a pencil clinging behind her ear. She hung and looked at Jack. "Can I help you?"

"I hope so, I am looking for Alicia Waters."

"Alicia?" She said as she picked up a clipboard that was on the corner of her desk. She ran her finger down the page. "Like I thought, she's not working today, she's not due back until Monday." The clipboard dropped back down on the desk. "And today is Saturday, so your out of luck."

"Do you have any idea where she might be?" Jack inquired. He knew she was missing, but he had to ask. He didn't want to waste his time searching for someone who wasn't really missing. He had too many cases to solve, and had no time for a spoiled actress, unless, she was really missing.

The woman looked up at Jack, "Do you know how many actors I have to deal with? They get a few days off, they usually hit the road. So don't ask me, when they are not here, they are not my responsibility." With that said, the woman went back to work.

"Look, I need to find her," said Jack.

"You know what's it's like to make a movie with temperamental actors? And this is a low-budget film! The agents want that, the agents want this. I can't keep up with every actor. And what are you anyway? A fan or a stalker? She's a little young for you, isn't she?"

"Ok, let's see if I can clear up something," he said, reaching inside his jacket for his ID. "I am Agent Jack Malone, with the FBI, I am investigating the disappearance of Alicia Waters."

The woman looked up at Jack as though she were seeing him for the first time. "Oh, so like, your really serious, huh?"

"Yeah, really." said Jack, as he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Is she seeing anyone that you know of?"

"Yeah, she's been seeing the assistant director, Nick LaQuin."

"How long have they been seeing each other?" asked Jack as he reached into his jacket for his little black notebook.

"Since about a week into filming."

"Everything good between them?" asked Jack.

"As far as I know."

"And your name, for the record."

"Stella McGee."

"Anything you can think of that might help us find Alicia?"

"Maybe nothing, but the film doesn't have enough money to finish filming. We have been shopping it around, trying to raise the funds."

"What does that have to do with Alicia?"

"Simply put, Alicia is the biggest name actress on this movie. Without Alicia, there is no movie."

"Would anybody benefit from her not being able to complete the movie?"

"Just the competition, wait, there was another actress tagged to play Alicia's part. But she wanted more money, so we dropped her. That might be something."

"What's her name?"

"Janet Richards, here is her address and phone number," she said as she typed into her computer, she took a sheet of paper off her desk, and wrote the info down, and handed it to Jack.

"Ok, thanks. Where would I find the Nick LaQuin?"

"I will write down his address, and the location where they are shooting scenes today. And his cell number, just in case." she said, as she wrote. She handed the paper to Jack.

"And who is Alicia's agent?"

"Man by the name of Greg Atwood. He represent another actor in the movie also, so you should be able to find him on the set."

"Thanks!" As he left the office, he couldn't help but notice how Stella's attitude changed when he said he was an FBI agent. Why did that always get more attention And respect?

Jack got out of his car, and looked at all the scenes they had set up the movie. According to the guy at the makeshift gate, they were shutting a fight scene on the cliff, which wasn't really a cliff, cause it was low budget.

He walked over to a man standing by one of the trailers, and said. "Excuse me, could you tell me where I might find Greg Atwood."

"Sure, he's that guy over there, arguing with that actor who just came off the set."

"Thanks."

Jack made his way over to the man, and sure enough he was giving the actor hell. "Excuse me, Mr. Atwood?"

"Yeah, and you are?"

"Agent Jack Malone, with the FBI, need to ask you a few questions about Alicia Waters."

"What about her?"

"She's missing for starters."

"What? Hey Chris, go get some water and cool off, we will finish this in a minute."

"Got it Greg."

"What do you need to know?"

"Did Alicia have an disgruntled fans, or stalkers?"

"Disgruntled fans no, but stalkers yeah. Another actress, her name is Janet Richards, got into a cat-fight 2 weeks ago with Alicia, right here on the set."

"Over the fact that Alicia got the part that was Janet's to begin with?"

"Yeah, security had to break it up, and Janet was removed from the set."

"Ok, anything else that might be useful?"

"Not that I can think of, but do you have a card or something, just in case I remember something?"

"Sure," said Jack as he reached into his coat to retrieve one of his cards.. "Here you go, please call me if you think of anything. And one more thing, where were you yesterday morning about 8 am?"

"Here, holding that idiot's hand." he said pointed at Chris, who was now pacing back and forth. "It's his first big movie."

"Ok, thanks."

Ok more coming up very soon! Already have it written, just have to post it.