Free Someone Else's Fairytale by E.M. Tippetts Page A

shoot starts up in Vancouver in January. Until then, I don't really have anything. Just meetings and interviews and stuff.”
    “What's the film?”
    “No title yet. The working title is Killer , which they won't keep. I hope they don't keep it. Research has been interesting.”
    “Dare I ask?”
    He smiled. “Just been talking to cops, profilers.”
    “That useful at all?”
    “Some. You sound doubtful.”
    “Well, movie villains and real criminals don't have much in common. Movies tend to make them look like heroes.” This was one of Matthew's pet peeves, which he ranted about often.
    “Yeah, you sound like the cops I've talked to.” He gave me an appraising look. “They say stuff like, 'You'd never want to watch a real criminal for two hours. You'd want to lock them up after fifteen minutes, then run.'”
    Yep, I thought. “So you don't talk to criminals?”
    “I don't know any.”
    “Well, that's good, right?”
    “Yeah.” More of those blue eyes sparkling with amusement. “Listen,” he said, “you sure you don't want to come to my sister's new restaurant? Tia Anita's?”
    “Oh...”
    “You heard of it?”
    “It's my favorite restaurant.”
    “Last chance to eat with the old chef in charge. You sure?”
    “It sounds really nice, but no thanks.”
    “It's a non-date, so we're clear. And I'll make sure my family knows.”
    “I'm sure your family is very nice,” I said. “But meeting them, given my family situation, would be weird.”
    “Well, here's the thing, my parents already know who you are. And they're tactful.”
    They knew who I was?
    “Aaaand, I love my sister and the way she cooks, but she's very individual about it. Very avant garde. The food'll still be good there, but it will definitely be different. Just come.”
    “When does she take over?”
    “Monday. Tonight's the last night with the old chef. Oh, and the restaurant's fully booked. Solid reservations from opening to close.”
    “Okay, okay, no need to torment,” I chided him.
    “Am I getting to you? I am, aren't I?”
    “You're being cruel.”
    “I am so terribly not sorry. Come with us. My family's cool. You know, Steve's a dork, but-”
    “He's nice.”
    “Well, if you like him, you'll love everyone else.”
    “Your parents know Dr. Winters and know about me?”
    “Yeah, I don't know how they found out, but when I said your name to them and that you were kind of related to Chris and Beth, they looked at each other and my dad said, 'We know the rest of the story there.'”
    That was strange. Mom hadn't had much contact with Dr. Winters's social circle.
    Jason fixed those blue eyes firmly on mine. “They don't care okay? You're an innocent third party, and even if you weren't, it's not like they'd say anything.”
    I tapped my finger against the tablecloth. “What do they know about Chris and his situation?”
    “I don't know. What is his situation?”
    “He got into drugs and is now in prison.”
    “Oh, really?” He looked surprised, but not mortified. “No, they never said anything about that. I think they lost touch with the Winters when I moved to LA. They stopped going to Dr. Winters for their teeth not long after that, and Jen and Steve didn't hang out with Chris or Beth at all. Steve's wife and Beth went to different high schools. Look, am I doing a thorough enough job here? No one's going to care that your father's a cheater and your brother's a junkie. No one. It doesn't matter. Come eat with us.”
    I put my elbows on the table and my head in my hands.
    “Chlo-e,” he sing-songed. “You know you want to. It's Tia Anita's.”
    “You've already been so nice to me-”
    “What? So? There a limit on nice between friends? C'mon, it's all cool.”
    “But you're always doing the nice stuff-”
    “Well, okay, look. That's unfortunately how it goes in my life. As much as I'd love to go and hang out with whomever, whenever and do whatever, I can't. I've got to plan ahead and sometimes I need security