Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Reid turned her way. “We can do that?”
Probably not, but she’d been known to get her way.
* * * *
West opened the doors as the big boss approached. Ian Taggart was dressed for work in his usual button-down and slacks. He only wore a tie when Charlotte forced one on him, and a jacket was even harder to get him in, but he still managed to ooze authority.
“You talked to him?” West asked.
“Alex is taking him up to the office. We want to get a full statement out of him,” Ian replied, walking through the doors.
They’d found JK Harris. It was why he’d called twenty minutes before. They’d tracked him down to a motel just outside of Dallas.
“So did he do this?” It was the question that bothered him on a nightly basis. Who was coming after the woman he loved and how could he stop them?
How much pressure would be off Ally if they caught the man who was trying to torment her?
“He claims he didn’t,” Ian replied. “According to him, he received a note the night Ally’s place got vandalized. It told him all he had to do if he wanted his career back was leave without telling anyone where he was going. He claims he received a call from a director who would be willing to hire him but only if he spent a couple of months at the motel.”
It didn’t add up for him. “Why would he believe that? Or think we would believe that?”
“Dude, he’s from Hollywood. Their scripts don’t always make sense.” Ian glanced down the hall. “Of course, there is one scenario in which it does make sense. Not for him to do it. That’s stupid, but he’s not the smartest guy in the world.”
“Who would want to send him here for months?” West wasn’t sure he was following Ian’s reasoning.
“Hey, babe.” Ally rounded the corner and reached for his hand. “Mr. Taggart, nice to see you. I think I figured out what’s happening. You know that scene in the movie where the detective gets everyone in a room and points to the bad guy? I’m about to do that. Except I’m prettier than the old dude who usually does it. Come on.”
He started to follow Ally, but he looked back at the boss. “Shouldn’t you be the one doing this? Do you know who it is?”
Taggart strode along behind them, a mischievous light in his eyes. “Oh, I wouldn’t take this Benoit Blanc moment from her for all the world. I’d like to see if she’s figured it out. If she has it right, I’ve got some receipts I can show the room. Or is Scooby-Doo closer? He would have gotten away with it if not for those meddling kids.”
“I prefer to think of myself as a superhot Angela Lansbury,” Ally announced as she opened the door to the soundstage.
Up on the set of the Crownes’ living room, it looked like the principal cast was assembled. Channing sat beside Reid, patting his shoulder, as Bryce paced and Jay sat in one of the big wingback chairs, his eyes narrowed.
“Hello, Allyson,” Jay said with obvious disappointment. “Would you like to explain why you’ve demanded we all join you here? You know we have things to do. We’re supposed to start shooting soon. If you’re still interested in working on this project. I know you have better things to do.”
Ally walked right onto the set, her ponytail swinging. “I can do my boyfriend and my job, thank you very much. He can be quick when I need him to be, and he’s surprisingly flexible.”
Taggart snorted behind him. “I can’t believe I didn’t like her in the beginning.”
“She gets that a lot.” He stood outside the lights. The spotlight was for her. He was the man who waited for her to come off stage, to take off the costumes and makeup and be herself again. He was her safe space.
“I bet he is. Hello, Mr. Bodyguard.” Channing winked his way. “Who’s your friend? He looks nice.”
“He’s married to a former mafia assassin.” He did not want to be the reason America lost Channing Lloyd’s talent. “I’m not joking. She really was an assassin, and she can be cranky about women coming on to her husband.”
“Well, I didn’t say she couldn’t join us.” Channing huffed.
“Could we be serious for a moment?” Bryce asked. “Our whole production is in chaos. I’m getting calls from my friends back in LA talking about us. We don’t look good.”
“Jay doesn’t care about that.” Ally put her hands on her hips. “Do you, Jay? Are you worried about how the press is looking at us? Or are you just happy that they are?”
Jay frowned, seeming to understand that this wasn’t going to go the way he thought it would. “I assure you I am concerned, but I also understand the value of publicity.”