“I heard about that. I thought it was just an accident.”
Noah watched the other man. He was almost too relaxed, too nonchalant. Noah wasn’t certain whether to be suspicious or not.
“It wasn’t an accident,” E.J. said. “It was a deliberate attempt on Ms. Bennington’s life.”
Jake tensed. “You’re kidding me. Who would want to hurt Lulu?”
Noah took a step into O’Malley’s personal space, trying to rattle him. “We were hoping you could tell us.”
Jake studied Noah but didn’t move back. “You think it was me?”
“Where were you last Friday at 7:35 in the evening?”
Jake sat up straighter, suddenly more alert than he’d been a second before. “Are you with the police? Do I need my attorney?”
“My firm has been employed by Ms. Bennington to investigate the matter. If you need your attorney present, we can wait.”
Jake thought about that for a moment and then shook his head. “I didn’t try to run Lulu down with a car. I would never do something like that.”
“Where were you?” Noah prodded.
Jake wet his lips, confusion on his face. “Well…I was home.”
Lie number one, Noah thought. “Anyone who can confirm that?”
“No, Bethany was on a night shoot.” He glanced down nervously at his hands.
“You were here alone and no one can confirm that?”
“I’m sure the doorman can,” Jake said hopefully.
Noah already knew he’d be talking to the doorman on the way out. Hopefully, he’d been on duty at the time. “Where were you on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.?”
Jake’s confusion deepened. “I was home alone again. I had a pile of scripts to read.”
“Anyone who can confirm that?” E.J. asked.
“The doorman,” Jake said hopefully. “I don’t know what you’re getting at, but I swear I would never do anything to hurt Lulu. I love her.”
Noah knew he didn’t mean to say that. “Really?”
“We’re friends … we always will--”
“Why are you with Bethany?” E.J. asked.
“I…um…I…” He looked away, color in his cheeks. After a second he covered his face with his hands.
Noah watched the other man. This guy was falling apart.
“So you traded in Lulu for a skinnier model,” E.J. said accusingly.
Jake looked up. He rubbed his temples. “I don’t know what the hell I was thinking. Have you ever had the perfect life and then screwed it up?”
Noah shook his head. E.J. simply stared at Jake.
“Do you know what it’s like being with Lulu?” Jake asked.
“Do tell.” E.J. crossed her arms over chest.
Noah could tell she was enjoying putting him on the spot and truth be told, so was he. Nothing like making an idiot feel stupider than he thought he was.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Having sex with Lulu was incredible. Just watching Lulu eat gave me a boner. She’s so soft and smelled so good. And…and…everything about her was as exciting as it was comfortable.” He looked at Noah. “Have you ever been comfortable with a woman? Knowing that she’s there just for you? Wanting to be a better man just for her. I’m a fucking failure.”
E.J.’s eyebrows rose. “Dude, you’re an idiot.” Her voice rose. “You gave up Lulu for that…for that…”
“I wanted the brass ring.”
“You gave up the platinum one,” E.J. said angrily.
Noah didn’t know why E.J. was angry, but she stood and towered over Jake, looking like she wanted to hit him.
Noah grabbed her arm. “I think we’ve heard enough. Thank you for your time, Mr. O’Malley.”
As Noah pulled E.J. toward the door, Jake O’Malley burst into tears.
In the elevator, E.J. took a deep breath.
“Are you okay?” Noah asked.
“I used to think he was a total stud, but he’s just a pecker-head loser. He gave up Lulu for that overpriced show pony.” She glared at Noah, one finger an inch from his nose. “You better not mess this up, or I swear to God I’m going to be mad at you until the next millennia. You ride this train until she kicks you off.”
“I’m not dating Lulu,” Noah said, uncertain how he got on the defensive. He started to open his mouth to say more, but E.J. brought up her finger and waved it at him.
“Don’t bother to deny it. I can see the way you look at her and the way she looks at you. You want her. She wants you. Stop fucking around and get down to business.” She leaned back against the elevator wall; arms cross over her chest, glaring at Noah accusingly.
Noah leaned against the opposite side of the elevator, trying to ignore E.J. and her reproving stare. “Why are you so angry? I think Jake’s an idiot, too.” A guy didn’t trade up any further than Lulu Bennington. Getting Lulu was like trading in a paper airplane and getting a space shuttle.
E.J. sputtered. “But…but…you don’t understand. Lulu is all about making women comfortable in their own skin. She’s like a best friend, therapist, and mom rolled into one. Jake traded in a real woman for an accessory.”
“Huh?” Noah said. His little tomboy E.J., who only cared about books and guns, was turning into a girly girl.
She flung out her arms. “Bethany Forrester is nothing more than a brand name purse that looks good with your shoes and your outfit. She isn’t the outfit, she just makes the outfit look better.”
“Are you saying that Jake thinks of himself as the main attraction and he only has Bethany with him because she makes him look better?”
“Yeah, pretty much,” E.J. said, satisfaction on her face.
If I were to be with Lulu, what am I? Noah asked himself. A belt, a scarf, some earrings? “Strangely, that makes sense and I’m a little worried that I got it.”
E.J. smiled at him. “You have to understand. Lulu spends a lot of time making women feel good about themselves and Jake hurt her. His choice of Forrester sent her a message that she wasn’t good enough in her skin for him.”
“Where do you get all this information?” Noah asked.
“From Aiden, he’s a talker.”
“You two are strange friends. You have no business being together.”
“That’s the point,” E.J. said.
“This chick talk is confusing me.”
“You are my co-worker,” E.J. said, “we’re forced to get along. Not that it’s a hardship because I like you and all the boys. In my life I’ve had co-workers or co-conspirators forced together for the sake of the job. Aiden and I have nothing in common, yet we like each other. So yeah, we’re friends. When this job is over, we’re still going to do lunch, go shopping and probably get mani-pedis.”
“Do you talk to him about me and other guys?” Noah asked almost afraid to hear the answer.
E.J. slanted a glance at him. “Seriously? You’re not that interesting.”
Noah stared at her, surprised. He remembered when he’d first hired E.J. She hadn’t been much of a talker. She’d done her job and gone home. Now, she’d turned into this passionate woman that surprised Noah to no end.
The elevator reached the ground floor and as they walked out of the building, Noah got to thinking about how Lulu had changed everybody in this upbeat, unusual way. Even Noah had given extra thought to what he’d planned to wear today, aware that some of his suits needed to be replaced. Gideon had started to take a yoga class to relieve his stress. Something he would never have been caught dead doing B. L.—before Lulu.
As he shoved open the door into the frigid January air, the next thought that struck Noah almost stopped him. Lulu was a powerful woman and Noah half suspected that deep down inside Jake couldn’t handle being Mr. Lulu Bennington. He turned to E.J. “Who wants to be Mr. Lulu Bennington? That’s a hard thing on a man.”
“Are you excusing his behavior?” E.J. asked.
“No, he’s still an idiot.”
She eyed him curiously. “Could you manage bein
g Mr. Lulu Bennington?”
“I’m never going to get a chance to know.” His heart missed a beat. “Women like Lulu mess around with guys like me. They don’t marry us. End of this conversation.”
He and E.J. got into the Escalade. He glanced at E.J. She hadn’t said anything further, but he thought he detected pity in her eyes.
Chapter Thirteen
The Bennington estate faced Huntington Bay, standing high on a bluff overlooking the gray water, with tall trees on either side of it. A long expanse of lawn wandered toward the bluff. To one side deep steps had been cut into the side of the bluff leading down to their own private beach. The trees looked forlorn and bare, but Wilder knew in another two months spring would bring green leaves back to them. Spring was Wilder’s favorite time of year.
Aunt Julia stood in the enclosed, porch a long scarf trailing behind her as she gave Wilder a kiss on the cheek. “Welcome home, Wilder.” She turned to E.J. and gave her a kiss on the cheek, too.
“I’ll show E.J. to her room.” Aunt Julia slipped her arm through E.J.’s as they entered the house. “I don’t expect much,” Aunt Julia chattered, “but I do like having my babies home for a weekend.”
E.J. said something Wilder couldn’t quite catch as she walked up the stairs with Aunt Julia.
Wilder watched as Julia led the way up the stairs to the second floor. Lulu would be along later with her coterie of bodyguards. Wilder wanted some time to be alone. A shadow moved outside the windows overlooking the rose garden. Wilder caught a glimpse of Julia’s bodyguard detail. This whole situation with Lulu’s stalker had everyone on edge and taken on an almost surreal feel.
In his room, Wilder hung up his coat and stood at the window looking out over the Bay. His thoughts wandered for a moment remembering all the happy times when he’d been a boy and walked the beach with his mother. Lulu had been a toddler at the time and would rush toward the surf and then back away. Wilder remembered the time she’d dug down deep into the sand and found a crab. She’d been so delighted by her find.
A knock sounded on the door and E.J. entered. “Your Aunt Julia is a hoot.”
“She comes by it naturally.” Wilder sat down in a chair flanking the fireplace. A roaring fire warmed him as he stretched his cold feet toward it.
E.J. sat in the other chair and for a moment Wilder had this odd thought of how comfortable they were together. On the fireplace mantle were photos of Lulu, Wilder, Aunt Julia and Grandma Penny. E.J. asked about them and Wilder explained the relationships.
“What was it like having an actress as a grandmother?” E.J. put the photo back on the mantle. “I looked her up on the Internet Movie Database, she did a lot of B horror movies.” She snickered. “Zombie Queen from Mars.”
“Grandma Penny would be the first to admit she was never Oscar material, but until she married my grandfather she was very much in-demand.”
E.J. simply smiled. “What’s she like?”
“She is a pistol. She’s the reason Viagra was invented.”
“Wow!” E.J. said.
“Grandma Penny was quite the vixen in her day. Still is with her fire engine red hair.”
“Did you have a little boyhood crush on her?”
“I’ve always been a little bit in love with Penny. In fact with your red hair and pale skin, you remind me of her a little.”
E. J.’s eyebrows rose. “I look like her?”
“Superficially. She was a little more…uh.” How did he say it politely?
“I saw some of the movie posters, she had big ta tas.”
“Exactly,” Wilder said with a chuckle.
“Will I get to meet her?”
“She lives in New Orleans.” In fact, she lived in a house in the French Quarter that had originally been a brothel owned by her own grandmother. Wilder had been fascinated by the house as a child. “Aunt Julia visits her four or five times year. I try to get out there at least twice. Lulu goes more often. She and Grandma Penny bonded from the first moment Lulu saw her when she was about three hours old. Grandma Penny had a lot to do with why Lulu is the way she is.” Lulu had the same seductive quality. Deep down Lulu was a flirt, just like Penny.
Wilder’s first memory of Penny was her laugh. He grew up loving her laugh. He understood why his grandfather married her. He’d been captivated by her. His first wife had been the joining of two wealthy families—the Benningtons and the real estate mogul deVries. Wilder and Lulu’s father had been the only child from that marriage. After grandma died, grandpa married his second wife, Marcia out of loneliness, and divorced her after Uncle Hiram had been born. Penny had been the love of grandpa Bennington’s life. Her vivacious personality and her slow Southern drawl had enchanted everyone. When she presented him with a daughter, he’d been delighted. Grandpa Bennington had been fiercely protective of Aunt Julia, indulging her in a way he’d never indulged his sons.
“I’d like to meet her, sometime,” E.J. said.
They fell into a comfortable silence. Wilder watched the flames flicker in the fireplace. The warmth lulled him into a peacefulness he hadn’t felt for a while. This house always did that to him. He always felt safe here. Julia had brought Wilder and Lulu back to this house after their parent’s funeral. There was always something healing about this place.
“Tell me,” Wilder said, “Are Lulu and Noah sleeping together yet?”
E.J. stared at him in surprise. “That would be unprofessional of Noah.”
He gave her a long look. Not that he didn’t believe her, but he supposed he’d have to accept it. “Is that the story you’re sticking with?”
She nodded.
“I commend your loyalty,” he said.
“I would imagine it would be hard dating someone like your sister. Jake O’Malley didn’t manage the relationship too well.
“Men like Jake O’Malley are not made for powerful women,” Wilder said.
“He couldn’t handle being Mr. Lulu Bennington. I can see how he would be afraid of that.”
“I’m a powerful man. It’s easier for me to find a date.”
“What an ego you have.”
“It’s reality,” Wilder replied. “I’ve watched my sister for a long time. Jake O’Malley was a mistake. Lulu thought he had substance because he paid attention to her and in some ways stood up to her. He did a good job of operating in our world. Lulu thought he would fit in. But he made a mistake even though he thought he could come back and Lulu would be grateful to have him back. “
E.J. chuckled. “He didn’t see the rejection coming at him, did he?”
“Jake thought she’d take him back because he was Jake O’Malley. He forgot that Lulu is Lulu.”
“What makes you think Noah could be Mr. Lulu Bennington?” E.J. asked.
“I don’t think a lot of people would have the nerve to call Noah, Mr. Lulu Bennington and he certainly isn’t intimidated by her. There are few men who aren’t.” Some days he was even one of them.
“I know you’re right.”
“Edwina June,” he suddenly said. Remembering their game about her name and the reward of seeing her naked should he guess correctly.
“Impressive. You thought if you threw it out there, I’d slip and tell you.” she answered with a smug grin.
One can hope. He shrugged. He’d get it soon enough. He was enjoying their game. “Erica Juniper,” he said.
“Not even close.”
“Ella Jean?”
“Nope.”
“Etna Jill.”
E.J. burst out laughing. “Keep trying, Wild boy. You’ll never guess it.”
“I could cheat and ask someone.”
She grinned. “You do that and see how far you get.”
He wondered why she felt so confident no one would tell him her name. He rolled a few more E and J name combinations around his head, but came up with nothing. Her name had to be really unusual. Where did he find an unusual set of names?
She grinned as she walked out the door.
The fire crackled and he got up to put another log on it. Outside a few snowflakes drifted past the window. He heard a car door slam and Lulu’s laugh filtered up to him. His sister had arrived.
Noah stood at the window in the living room looking out over the snow covered lawn. The weekend visit had provided just the right amount of relaxation. The food had been unusually good. Julia know how to set a table. Noah had actually felt peaceful with the banter between Julia, Wilder and Lulu. Ian had chimed in, holding his own and even E.J. had contributed to the conversation when generally she was completely silent.
Out in the bay, waves crested in white caps and even as far as the house was from the beach, he could hear the roar of the waves crashing against the sand.
Outside, two guards walked the perimeter, huddled in their thick coats, hats and ear muffs. Noah changed them out every hour. He didn’t need guards with frost bite. Inside the living room, Aunt Julia held court like a queen. She chatted with Gideon and Roman while Ian fixed mimosas. According to Lulu a monthly lunch with Aunt Julia was a tradition.
Lulu crossed her legs and smiled at her aunt as she sipped her mimosa. “Aunt Julia, I really need to ask you something.”
Aunt Julia’s eyebrows rose. “And that is?”
“With all this drama swirling around us, how is it that you with your wild ways were able to get custody of Wilder and I when Uncle Hiram seemed the better choice?” Lulu watched her aunt curiously.
Noah thought that was the big money question.
“Well one hates to speak ill of the dead, but I guess I could open up the closet and rattle a few skeletons,” Aunt Julia said with a dramatic flourish.
Wilder chuckled. “Aunt Julia, you know everybody’s secrets.”
“Knowledge is power, my darling. Why do you think the Bennington Foundation receives so many donations? People aren’t charitable. I know where they hide their dirty laundry.”
Noah remembered looking up the foundation records. Despite the dip in the economy, the Bennington Foundation continued to rake in cash. Other foundations were downsizing, but the Bennington Foundation was growing. In the last year the foundation had dispersed over a hundred million dollars to various charities.
Protecting Lulu (Global Protection Agency) Page 16