Stardust (The Starlight Trilogy #3) by Alexandra Richland Page A

building. In recent years, the only time he went to movie theaters was on official business. He was able to screen films at the studio whenever he liked, so there was never the need to see them the old fashioned way. He had grown detached from many things since he began working for Mr. Mertz. It felt good to reclaim some normalcy again.
    Nathan sat in the back row and placed his fedora on the chair beside him. Only two other people were here—a couple holding hands and whispering in the dark. A frown graced his lips. There was a time when the theater would’ve been packed with patrons. Yes, the great technological advancements over the last twenty years had turned out many incredible films, but where was the appreciation for the origins of motion pictures? Recognition of the people who pioneered the film industry and influenced the movies made today?
    The low hum of the projector filtered in from the back room and the film’s credits appeared onscreen. Jubilant theme music followed. With the commencement of the opening scene, a mix of pride and sorrow broke through Nathan’s numbness.
    A beautiful blond woman strolled down a crowded city street with impeccable poise, dressed in a stylish hat, blazer, and complementary skirt. The camera zoomed in on her smiling face, capturing her at the height of her popularity at Starlight Studios—when she looked the way he always wanted to remember her—before her mental illness took hold and dried up the life within her vibrant blue eyes.
    Nathan gripped the armrests and breathed deeply, keeping his eyes on the screen. No matter how painful it felt, he couldn’t leave. He needed a reminder of why he’d agreed to do Mr. Mertz’s bidding in the first place, a reminder that amongst his many sins was a purpose that was honorable and pure.
    Six years ago on a crisp spring afternoon in New York City was where it all started. He was a naïve young man then, just shy of his eighteenth birthday…
     
     
    Nathan exited the elevator and stepped onto the ward. White walls, tilted flooring, and silence surrounded him. It seemed like he was the only one here. According to the wire he received this morning, his mother was admitted three days ago. No information was provided on the extent of her condition. He had no idea how they found him. She always went by her professional moniker.
    Marion Taggart, known as Marion Whitney publicly, had worked at Starlight Studios for over twenty years. She was the most popular silent film actress until talking pictures arrived and her attempt to transition to sound failed. She continued to make movies but never reclaimed her status. When her star faded completely, Nathan only heard from her through letters. He received the last one six months ago.
    Marion had lived in Los Angeles during her time with the studio but insisted it was not the proper place to raise a child. She sent Nathan to live with his father on the family ranch in Salinas, California while she worked in Hollywood.
    For years, Nathan cut out pictures and articles from entertainment magazines to gather information on his mother, and whenever her films played at the local theater, he’d steal a nickel from his father’s change jar in the kitchen and ride his bicycle into town to watch her.
    Nathan’s fondest memories were his mother’s visits to Salinas during his summer and winter breaks from school. She wore extravagant clothes, and her hair and makeup were flawless, like she’d just stepped off a film set, not a country bound train. His bleak life on the ranch always brightened in her presence. She never stayed long, though, explaining that she needed to return to Hollywood to make money so she could give him everything he wanted.
    All he wanted was her.
    His father, Lloyd Taggart, was a proud rancher who loved horses almost as much as he loved the bottle. In the evenings, Nathan often found him passed out in his favorite wicker chair on the front porch, surrounded by the acres of