The five photographers near the bathroom were laughing at their colleagues, and still snapping away.
‘What’s going on here?’ demanded an overweight man in a bright orange uniform. ‘We don’t want your sort in here!’ It was the manager of the Hummus Are Us deli in the food court.
‘We have the right to be here!’ shouted a pap wearing a green sweater.
As they argued, Sophia and Jackson just had time to duck into the bathroom.
‘Showtime,’ said Ivy.
I may not be an actress, Ivy thought, but if I have to, I can put on a performance.
She shouted across to where the confused photographers were untangling themselves from the crowd.
‘Hey, paps!’ she shouted. ‘That should teach you!’ Then she turned on her heel and ran.
Ivy was hoping that the photographers would be convinced that Olivia had escaped and chase her and Brendan across the food court to catch up.
‘Hey!’ shouted Green Sweater. ‘There they go!’
One glance over her shoulder, and Ivy could see the photographers following.
She and Brendan ran back the way they had come, dodging a family of five, a delivery of beads to the bead shop, and the chocolate kiosk. When Ivy looked back she saw that Olivia’s five paps had been joined by Jackson’s five and now, as they headed out the east entrance to the mall, all ten photographers were in pursuit.
Exhilarated, Ivy shared a grin with Brendan. They were just turning a corner, out of sight of the paps. ‘Race ya!’ she said to her boyfriend, then put on a burst of vampire speed. Her powerful muscles worked overtime, going at least twice as fast as a human’s.
Brendan was surprised, but then boosted his own speed and soon they were practically flying down the street towards the final battleground.
Two blocks later, Ivy checked behind her to see the paps only just turning the corner. She made sure they saw her, and ducked into Patsy’s Pastry Shop, a cosy little store filled with wonderful baking smells, cupcakes with four-inch-high icing and fresh croissants.
‘Yummy,’ said Ivy. But she wasn’t here for a leisurely hot chocolate. ‘Two ham-and-cheese croissants, please, Patsy,’ she said, not even out of breath from the run.
Any moment now the photographers were going to catch up.
Patsy Lovett, a large woman with big blonde hair, raised one eyebrow at the sight of Brendan’s now straggly blonde wig, but she served up the croissants and handed them over.
Just as Brendan and Ivy were settling down, the paparazzi caught sight of them in the shop window. Mr Red Jacket shouted, ‘There!’ and pointed, which made Patsy frown.
They gathered at the window, shoving each other aside to get the first shot of ‘Olivia’ and the mystery actress.
‘Hey!’ Patsy shouted.
She grabbed her rolling pin. Ivy already knew that Franklin Grove’s baker didn’t like anyone – anyone! – messing with her business.
Just as Ivy had hoped, Patsy stormed out of the shop and let loose on the stalkers. ‘What do you think you’re doing? You’ll drive away my customers!’
‘This is public property,’ one pap shouted back.
‘If you don’t get away from my shop, I’ll make room for those cameras in my oven.’ Patsy looked like she meant it.
All but Mr Red Jacket scattered.
‘I’m not doing anything illegal,’ he protested.
Patsy advanced on him like she was stalking a mouse in her kitchen. ‘But I might.’
Ivy saw the fear spread over his face and wanted to do one of Olivia’s cheers. P-A-T-S-Y ! Patsy scares the mean paps guy!
Patsy got right in his face, lifted one large finger and smudged flour on his nose. The pap yelped and scurried away.
Patsy came back in, dusting her hands off.
‘Took care of that.’
‘Thanks,’ Ivy told her.
Brendan pulled off the wig. ‘I don’t think I’ll be wearing this again any time soon.’
Moments later, Ivy saw Olivia, Camilla, Jackson and Sophia poking their heads around the real-estate office across the street. When they saw the coast was clear, they scurried inside the pastry shop. There wasn’t a photographer in sight.
‘It worked!’ said Olivia, still a little out of breath.
‘Thanks, everyone,’ Ivy said, triumphant. ‘Mission accomplished.’
Chapter Seven
After a round of Patsy’s croissants, Olivia, Ivy, Camilla, Jackson, Brendan and Sophia headed to the Meat and Greet for celebratory milkshakes.
‘That’s definitely my exercise for the day,’ Olivia said. ‘I’ve earned a milkshake.’
Jackson smiled at her, making Olivia’s heart pound as hard as when she’d been running from the paps. ‘That was so much fun,’ he said. ‘I’d do the whole thing again!’
Ivy groaned. ‘I hope that won’t be necessary.’
Olivia bit her lip. They still hadn’t figured out how to fix this whole Harker mess. The longer Harker built up speculation about the other actress and waited to announce that they were twins, the more chances they had of being exposed.
‘We may have escaped this time,’ Olivia said, ‘but they aren’t going to stay away for long.’
Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia saw Charlotte sitting two booths away with someone, but Olivia couldn’t see who. They were facing the other way.
Then Olivia heard a familiar voice coming from the booth. It was Jessica. ‘You totally failed,’ she was saying in a cold voice. ‘You didn’t get a single picture of the two of them and the paparazzi are furious for being given a false lead. They’ve given up and gone home! This is a disaster.’