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Authors: Gemma Halliday

Hollywood Scandals (6 page)

BOOK: Hollywood Scandals
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Nothing.”


You think that’s what he used to disguise his voice?” Cam asked, coming up behind her.


You mean the caller?” Allie asked, her blue eyes wide.

Reluctantly, I nodded.


How does it work?” she asked.

Man, she was a pushy little thing.


It’s…complicated.” Which wasn’t entirely true, but considering it was Barbie I was talking to, reciting her ABC’s was probably complicated.


Do you think that guy from PW used it?” Cam asked.

Allie turned to her. “What’s PW?”

I vaguely felt Cal perking up in the corner, but I ignored it, instead shooting Cam a silent “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” look. While I might have to share an office with Neanderthal Man, he didn’t need to know every detail of my personal business.

But Cam was either playing blonde or not receiving vibes today. “It’s the name of the company she traced the call to. PW Enterprises.”


How did you find that out?” Allie asked.


I’m a reporter, remember?” I answered. I think I showed great restraint for not adding, “One hired for more than her great rack.”


So, you know who did it then?”


Well… almost. I know where the call was made from, but not who made it. Yet,” I added, trying to save face.


Hmm.” She pursed her lips together, a furrow forming between her perfectly plucked brows.

I knew I was going to regret asking but… “What?”


Well, the caller did say to stop printing stories about him.”


So?”


So, I’d think the easiest way to generate a list of suspects would be to make a list of people you’ve written about.”

I snorted. “Look, I know you’re new here, but some of us have published quite a few articles. I write a
daily
column. The list would be a mile long.”

Allie blinked at me, and I wasn’t sure just how many of my subtle insults had made it through her thick blonde skull.


He said stor
ies
. Plural,” she pointed out. “You could narrow it down to the people you’ve written multiple columns about lately.”

I hated to admit it, but the Barbie had a point. While plenty of celebs had mentions in my column, there were only a handful I’d given more than one mention to in the last few weeks. Hollywood’s attention span was about as long as an ADD-affected two-year-old’s.


Right,” I said. “I was going to do that next.” I cleared my throat. “So, did you actually want something or just coming over to chat?”

Barbie blinked at me. “Oh. Yeah. Um, Felix said we should go to the courthouse together. Pines’s evidence trial is starting in half an hour.”

I looked down at my watch. “I’m on it.” I grabbed my purse, notebook, a ballpoint.

I felt rather than saw Cal rise from his desk, following a pace behind as I made for the elevator


Who’s he?” Cam whispered as I hit the “down” button.


No one.”

Cam gave him a slow appraisal, her eyes resting on the fit of his T-shirt across his broad chest. “He doesn’t look like no one.”


He’s my insurance.”

She gave me a look, but thankfully didn’t push it.

Once we hit the parking lot, we all dispersed to our respective vehicles. Cam’s a Jeep Wrangler with mud caked into the tires. Allie skipped to one of those new little VW bugs. Powder blue. Figures. Even her car was adorable.

I unlocked my helmet and threw a leg over my bike.


No.”

I turned to find Cal at my side, shaking his head.


Excuse me?”


I can’t let you ride that.”


Hold up - you can’t
let
me?”


You’re completely exposed. Not to mention how easily someone could stage an accident on something that flimsy.”


My bike is not flimsy.”


It’s the smallest bike I’ve ever seen. What’s it made of, plastic?”

I clenched my teeth. “I’m petite. I need a petite bike.”


Not today you don’t.”


Look you-“


No, look
you
,” he countered, taking a step forward. Suddenly his jaw clenched, his eyes going intent. His entire demeanor shifted into something hard and dangerous. I felt my breath back up in my throat, realizing just how good at his job he must be. “I was hired to keep you safe. Which I intend to do, whether you cooperate or not. You want to go the courthouse? Fine. We do it my way.”

He gestured to his left where a huge black Hummer sat at the curb. And not one of those new SUV sized ones. This was an original tank.


Seriously?” I asked. “A Hummer?”


It’s safe.”


It’s a tank. It’s probably guzzles more fuel than some small countries.”

He raised one dark eyebrow ever so slightly. “We could always go back inside?”

I looked across the parking lot at Allie, applying lip gloss as she pulled her Bug out into traffic. I clenched my teeth together. And swung my leg back over the bike, locking my helmet onto the handlebars again.


Fine. But, you know what they say about big cars, right?” I asked as Cal opened his passenger side door for me.


What’s that?”


They’re compensating for something. The bigger the car the smaller their… ” I let my gaze fall to the crotch of his jeans. Then back up to give a long, meaningful look at the behemoth of a car he drove.

But instead of growling at me, the laughter returned to Rent-A-Goon’s eyes.


Oh, yeah? And what do they say about girls who drive hot pink Hondas?”


I don’t know,” I said. “I’ve never met anyone ballsy enough to tell me.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up. “Somehow, I believe that, Bender.”

 

* * *

 

 

Next to the sentencing, the Pines evidence trial was a downright snoozer. Cops had found the kiddie porn in Pines’s backseat, partially shoved under an old copy of
Variety
. The ‘partially’ was the sticky word that had granted Pines’s defense attorneys a hearing. Just how much had been exposed? Enough that the police had seen it was young boys, or just a naked person? Did they have probable cause for investigating the car?

I had to hand it to Pines’s lawyer - the guy had a way of asking the same question so many different ways that the arresting officer began to doubt his own story. As the afternoon dragged on, he went from, “Yes, sir,” to “I really can’t recall now.” I feared just how fuzzy his memory might get by the time the actual trial started.

In the end, the magazines were allowed into evidence. Not really a shocker. We all knew there was no way Pines was getting off that easily.

As soon as the gavel fell, I stood and stretched my legs. Four hours on a hard, wooden chair had caused my right foot to fall asleep. I stomped on it as I made my way from the courtroom with the rest of the news hounds.


That was so freaking cool!”

I turned to find Allie at my side, eyes shinning. Throughout the entire boring proceeding, she’d been scribbling in a pink, floral notebook like a demon.


Cool? We’re lucky we didn’t go into a coma.”


But the way they got down to every little detail. Didn’t you find that fascinating?”

Was she for real?


Sure. Fascinating. Like paint drying.”

We pushed our way outside, blinking back the assaulting sunshine. I squinted and noticed Cal’s Hummer right away. He was semi-legally parked at the curb, leaning against the passenger side, his eyes covered in dark sunglasses that reflected the glass courthouse building back at me in blinding clarity. He looked like a hitman. Or The Rock. Either way, the pedestrians on the sidewalk were giving him a wide berth.

Allie pulled a pair of designer sunglasses from her bag and slid them onto her nose, turning to me. “So, Felix told me this was originally your story.”


It
is
my story,” I agreed, emphasizing the present tense.


Right. And I don’t want to step on your toes or anything.”


Thank you.” I think that was the first smart thing she’d said.


So, when I type up our notes tonight, I’ll put your name first on the byline, ‘k?”

I felt my eyes narrow. “What do you mean
you’re
typing up
our
notes?”


You know, the ones we took during the hearing just now?”


That was a no-brainer. Evidence in. I didn’t take any notes.”

She cocked her head to one side, her blonde hair cascading over her right shoulder like a shampoo commercial. “Huh. Well, then I guess I’ll be typing up
my
notes. See you tomorrow, Bender.”

For a second, I swore a glimmer of triumph sparked her eyes, and I suddenly found myself wondering if maybe the blonde wasn’t as dumb as I’d originally thought.

Before I could protest, she’d turned on her kitten heels and was sashaying to her tiny little bug.

I clenched my jaw. So help me, if I wasn’t being watched by a dozen security cameras right now…


Ready to go?”

I turned to find Cal behind me, hands in his pockets.


More than ready.”

Because I had a sinking feeling that if I didn’t get my version of the hearing in to Felix tonight, there was a strong chance blondie might conveniently forget my name on that byline.

 

* * *

 

 

By the time Cal dropped me back off at my bike and insisted on following me home, it was dark and I was starving. Luckily, Aunt Sue had actually remembered the lasagna recipe. Unluckily, she’d forgotten to take it out of the oven. I pushed through the front door and into a thick cloud of marinara-flavored smoke. Coughing, I staggered through the kitchen, removed the offending casserole - which resembled a charred brick now - and opened up all the windows.


Peanut, that you?” Aunt Sue called from the living room. I could hear the strains of the
Price is Right
on the Game Show Network in the background.


It’s me. How long has this lasagna been in the oven?”


I put in just after
Deal or no Deal
.”

Five hours. No wonder the place reeked.


I think we might be having takeout tonight,” I shot back.


Oh, let’s have Chinese,” Aunt Sue agreed happily, shuffling into the kitchen. “Or maybe Indian. You know how I love curry.”


I do know.” I used a spatula to try to wedge the noodle brick out of the pan. No luck.


Oh, or Italian! That’s my favorite.”


I know.”


I make a mean lasagna,” Aunt Sue said, a faraway look in her eyes.

I sighed. “I know.”

I gave up on the spatula and stuck the whole thing in the trash. I’d buy a new pan tomorrow.


What’s that awful smell?”

I turned to find Hattie Carmichael standing in the front doorway, wrinkling her nose.


We had a little cooking mishap,” I said, pulling the number for the Peking Palace off the refrigerator and dialing the phone.


I made lasagna,” Aunt Sue said.


Ugh, it smells like you overcooked it,” Mrs. Carmichael said.


Ya think?” I mumbled, listening to the phone ring on the other end.


Anyway, I came over because there’s this strange car parked across the street. I just don’t know who it belongs to, so I was about to call the police.”

Aunt Sue and I looked out the window simultaneously.

To find Cal’s Hummer parked at the curb.

Great.


He’s with me,” I reluctantly admitted.

Both Aunt Sue and Mrs. Carmichael’s eyebrows rose in unison.


Oh? A new beau?” Mrs. C asked.


No, not a beau.”


A friend?” Aunt Sue supplied.


Sorta.”


Well, why’s he just sitting there? Why doesn’t he come in?” Mrs. C asked.


He’s shy,” I shot back, willing the guys at the Peking Palace to pick up so I could avoid any further interrogation. Mrs. Carmichael was not only the head of the neighborhood watch, she was also the biggest gossip in the entire Palm Grove development. I know, hypocritical in the extreme, but I wasn’t a fan of gossip when it revolved around me.

Or my need for a bodyguard.


Well, maybe I should just go talk to him,” Hattie said, clacking her dentures as she eyed the Hummer.


No!”

BOOK: Hollywood Scandals
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