She didn’t dare speak, but the thought that he must be crazy implanted in her brain. Who would risk himself like that?
George called from above him. “Are you ready for me to pull her up?”
She slipped down an inch and couldn’t hide her panic. “I’m losing my grip.”
As an exclamation point to her words, she slipped yet again, this time not stopping.
* * *
Craig gauged the distance to the third floor, nearly six feet up now, versus the distance to the second-floor balcony, four feet to Sienna’s left. Seeing her sliding downward, he knew she wouldn’t last much longer. Beneath one of his clenched hands, he was still holding the second extension cord, a four-foot length stretched between him and where Sienna clung to it. Praying the siding would hold, he let go of the house with his right hand and pulled the cord toward him in the hopes that he could draw her past him to the balcony. Realizing he didn’t have the right angle to do it on his own, he called up to George.
“Swing her to the left!”
He didn’t know if George understood his plan or if he simply trusted him, but a second later, Craig saw the lines swing into motion.
Sienna squeaked in alarm when she started moving, her momentum sending her back and forth.
Craig tensed and prepared to do either the bravest thing he had ever done or the stupidest. He watched Sienna’s movement, counted down the timing, then pushed himself away from the wall and toward the second-floor balcony.
His left foot landed first on the railing, the pressure causing a loud crack from the wood. He could feel the railing pulling loose beneath him, and he threw his weight forward while he used the extension cord as a tether to bring Sienna closer.
He landed with a thud and heard Sienna scream his name. Then she was crashing into the side of the balcony railing and tumbling on top of him.
Craig grabbed on to her, not taking the time to process what had just happened. He scrambled up, pulled her up beside him, and bolted for the balcony door. If Carter had sabotaged one deck, he could have done it to a second one as well.
Craig found the french doors leading inside locked, but he didn’t let that stop him. He threw his shoulder into it, and the doors burst open.
The moment he and Sienna were both on solid flooring, he pulled her into his arms and simply held on.
34
“Are you guys all right?” George asked the moment he reached them.
Sienna shuddered, still clinging to Craig. It dawned on her that she was probably getting blood all over Craig’s shirt, but she couldn’t bring herself to let him go.
“I think we’re okay,” Craig answered. “Where’s Carter?”
“Carter?” George asked. “Why?”
“He’s the one who rigged the deck. Where is he?”
Sienna shifted now so she could see Craig’s face. He must be mistaken. “I thought you said Bruce was the one causing all the trouble. How could Carter be involved?”
“Bruce didn’t have access to the set. Carter did.”
Still not able to wrap her mind around the possibilities, Sienna shook her head. “But George said there had been a few break-ins. I thought that was when Bruce tampered with the lights and the car.”
“He didn’t have any way of knowing the lights wouldn’t get you. Besides, for the lights to fall at the right time, they had to have been triggered by someone in the room.”
“Someone like Carter,” George said. “The last time I saw him, he was outside by the exterior cameras.”
“Stay with her.” Craig stepped back. “I mean it. Don’t let her out of your sight.”
Sienna thought George would take offense to the commanding tone, but he seemed to take it in stride. “I promise I won’t let anything else happen to her.”
Craig gave him a nod before looking back down at her. He leaned down and kissed her, a brief meeting of the lips. His eyes took on a new intensity. “I meant what I said before. I do love you.”
She opened her mouth to respond, not sure what she wanted to say. Before she could say anything, he stepped out of her arms. “Stay with George. I’ll be back as soon as I’m sure Carter is in custody.”
* * *
Craig sprinted down the stairs to the main level of the beach house, slowing to a jog when he reached the open door. He scanned the area by the cameras but found it difficult to distinguish one face from another.
The excitement had brought everyone out en masse, and the grounds were buzzing with activity. The sirens of a fire truck blared, and Craig winced against the sound.
A plain sedan made the turn into the driveway mere seconds before the fire truck came into view. Craig turned away from the new arrivals and looked toward the crowd again.
He didn’t have to look long before he found Carter standing near the shade tent as though posing for the nearby paparazzi.
Fury built up inside Craig, and he nearly shouted out the man’s name. Realizing that by doing so he would alert Carter unnecessarily, he held his tongue and strode across the lawn.
Emergency personnel poured out of the fire truck, and Craig wondered if a police car was also en route. Selfishly he hoped he got the chance to confront Carter first. His hands balled into fists, the only outward sign of his churning emotions. “Did you enjoy the show, Carter?”
Carter turned to face him and gave him a haughty look. “Do I know you?”
“You’re about to.” The muscles in his right arm flexed, but a hand reached out and held his fist in place. Craig turned to see William standing behind him.
“He’s not worth it,” William said coldly.
“Maybe not, but it would make me feel a heck of a lot better.”
“You may have a point.” With speed that surprised Craig, William’s fist shot out and connected with Carter’s previously perfect nose.
Carter cried out, his hands coming up to stem the flow of blood now gushing down his face.
Craig considered the older man before giving him an approving look. “I guess it’s only fair you take the punch since you’re family.”
“I thought so,” William conceded. “Of course, I still think if you have more than two brain cells in that thick skull of yours, you’ll be family too before I see too many more birthdays.”
Craig didn’t know how it was possible to smile at a time like this, but he couldn’t help it when faced with William’s dry humor. “I’d like to think I have a few more brain cells than that.”
“Glad to hear it.”
* * *
Sienna snuggled next to Craig on the couch in the living room of her hotel suite, the news droning on the television that they hadn’t bothered to turn off.
Her grandmother had retired to her bedroom a few minutes earlier, her grandfather still at the police station where Carter was being questioned. Sienna considered it a huge vote of trust that her grandma felt comfortable with them being alone. She also realized her grandfather hadn’t been joking when he kept teasing Craig about making their fake engagement real.
She looked up at him. As much as she didn’t want to replay the terrifying moments when she had hung suspended in midair, the memory of Craig professing his love warmed her.
She wanted to say it back to him, if nothing else as an expression of her gratitude. She also realized he didn’t want the words unless she meant them. Was that why he had left her so quickly to go after Carter?
Did she love him? She couldn’t remember ever being more comfortable with anyone before, nor could she think of a time she had let someone consume her thoughts so completely. Even when he had been out of town, in the back of her mind, she had always been wondering if she would hear from him soon and what he would say.
Was that love? She studied his profile, the firm jawline and the stubble on his cheeks. A sweeping sensation rushed over her, part pain, part wonder. In only a few weeks, this man had become the most important part of her life. The recognition of what she wanted and the depth of love she felt for Craig
swept through her, a pure and piercing sensation she had never before experienced.
Craig looked down at her curiously. “What?”
Still trying to come to terms with her newfound feelings, she chose a different topic of conversation. “You know, the whole showdown with you and Carter was pretty anticlimactic.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, in the movies there would have been a good chase scene, maybe some people shooting at each other. Instead it was a single punch.”
“I know.” He scowled. “And your grandfather didn’t even let me have that.”
“It was nice of you to give him that little gift.” She reached up and kissed Craig’s cheek.
“I thought so.” He turned his head and found her lips.
When she pulled back, she found herself pinned by his stare. “You know, there’s something I forgot to tell you earlier.”
Craig shook his head. “You already thanked me a dozen times.”
“That’s not what I was talking about.” She shifted and lifted both hands to his cheeks. “I didn’t tell you I love you too.”
He shifted so his body was facing her more fully, his hands now gripping her arms gently. She could see the questions in his expression and waited for him to make the next move. Finally he asked, “You aren’t telling me that because I saved your life, are you?”
“No.” She leaned forward until her lips pressed against his. For a fraction of a second, he didn’t move. Then he drew her closer, his fingers tangling in her hair and sending shivers through her. She smiled when she pulled back. “I said I love you because it’s the truth.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “Then I am definitely the luckiest man alive.”
“I hope you always think that.”
“I plan to.” He slid his arm around her shoulders again, and they settled back against the couch cushions.
Sienna shifted her gaze back to the TV, a sense of wonder settling over her. The image of the beach house filled the screen, an insert of her photo covering the bottom corner.
“Big news from the set where Sienna Blake has been shooting her next movie. Everything was caught on film in this incredible scene. And don’t think this was staged, folks. It’s a little long, but this is what really happened.”
The image cut to the moment right before the deck collapsed, and Craig tightened his grip around Sienna’s shoulders when the initial sounds of the deck collapsing began.
She saw the small burst of light from where the explosive device detonated to make sure the deck collapsed completely, followed by the miraculous way she was able to grab the rope and Adam succeeded in diving for the doorway. Seeing it all on-screen, she could almost pretend the whole thing had been scripted, but there was nothing fake about the sheer terror that had consumed her when the deck had fallen out from under her feet.
The clip continued to roll, revealing the rest of the rescue and even including close-ups of Craig and Sienna when they finally reached the second-floor balcony.
When the newscaster continued to talk about the incident, Sienna looked up at Craig. “I hate to break it to you, but I think you just started your fifteen minutes of fame.”
“I’ll settle for fifteen seconds and call it good.”
“You might have been able to fly under the radar if the cameras hadn’t kept rolling. Marcus will probably give that cameraman a big bonus for thinking to keep filming and for doing the close-ups.”
“He told the cameramen to keep rolling.” Craig shifted, then looked down at her. “Does Marcus tell the cameramen to keep rolling very often?”
“No, actually. I think the only time I’ve heard him tell them to was right before that car almost ran me over.”
“He knew.”
“Who knew what?”
“Marcus knew what Carter was up to.”
“How could he possibly know that?” Sienna asked, bewildered.
“I don’t know, but can you explain why the only two times he told the cameras to keep rolling was when an accident was about to occur on set?”
“It could have been coincidence. Both of them were action scenes that are difficult to recreate for the different angles,” Sienna said. “Besides, what would he have to gain from his movie being sabotaged?”
“I don’t know. What would he have to gain?” Craig asked. “If none of this had happened, what would be different?”
She shrugged. “By now the paparazzi probably would have moved on to something else. There are always a few that linger, but we wouldn’t have stayed in the press this much. Other than that, I can’t think of anything that would be significantly different.”
“Answer me this. What would have happened to the film if you hadn’t survived today? Would they have kept going with the movie or would they have scrapped it?”
“This is a multimillion-dollar project. I have to think they would have kept going.” She shuddered. “It’s a pretty sobering thought that my death would have made this movie an icon.”
“So a potential blockbuster movie would have elevated into something everyone would want to see because of the tragic demise of actress Sienna Blake.”
“The actress Sienna Blake, daughter of actor Sterling Blake.”
The hotel room door opened, and her grandpa walked in.
Craig stood up. “Did he confess?”
“He lawyered up,” William said. “I’m hoping we’ll be able to check the surveillance tapes at the house to show him messing with the lights before that first accident. I’m going to meet with the director over there first thing in the morning.”
Now Sienna’s suspicions started humming, and she stood as well. “Why do you need to meet with Marcus?”
“He’s staying in one of the rooms at the beach house, so the owner gave him the key to the room with all of the surveillance equipment in it.”
Craig crossed his arms. “Didn’t the police already go over all the video feed for that?”
“Everyone thought the light falling was an accident. It wasn’t until the car almost hit Sienna that they looked into surveillance at the house.” He motioned for them to take their seats and lowered himself into the armchair beside the couch.
“They should have looked at those tapes then,” Craig said, irritated.
“I agree, but you know how it goes. No one reported the lighting accident, so it wasn’t on the police’s radar.” William leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. “There’s another thing I thought you’d be interested in knowing.”
“What’s that?”
“Bruce has been driving a Honda CRV since the day before we saw him at Kendra’s concert.”
“You think he was the one in the woods at the party?”
“He admitted as much. The police also searched his house in California. They found letters threatening the Blake family, including Sienna.”
Sienna looked at him, confused. “I never received any threats.”
“From what I’ve gathered, Bruce planned to create a fake threat against you in an attempt to get rehired by your father,” William said. “That all changed when Carter approached him about helping sabotage the movie to get rid of Adam. When Carter asked about the Blake family to make sure Sienna’s security wouldn’t get in the way, we think Bruce decided he could kill two birds with one stone: help Carter get the lead role he wanted while also making it look like Sienna was in danger so he could get back on her security detail.”
“That’s crazy,” Sienna said.
“Yes, it is. That’s also why the staged accidents were typically when you were around too.”
“I’m starting to think there may be more to these accidents than we thought, but I’m not sure how to prove it,” Craig said.
William leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “It just so happens I’m an expert at proving things. Tell me what you’ve got, and let’s see what we can do.”
Sienna sat amazed as the two men who held such a huge piece of her
heart schemed together in a way that made her head spin.
35
Craig climbed up the side of the beach house, the memory of his last time in this position fresh in his mind. To his right, Brent followed a parallel path, and they reached the opposite sides of the second-floor balcony at the same time. The doors Craig had kicked in earlier had not yet been repaired and had been tied closed with some kind of twine.
Even though it appeared the alarm couldn’t be fully activated with the damaged doors, Brent checked it before giving Craig the signal to proceed. Craig pulled his knife out, cut through the twine, and opened the doors. Eventually someone would notice the doors hanging open, but by then, Craig hoped they would have their man.
Through hand signals, Brent and Craig continued their parallel movements, circling through the game room, past the kitchen, and into the narrow hallway that led to their objective. They found the door to the video room locked, and Brent picked it as though he was holding a key rather than a lock pick.
The door swung open, and Craig retrieved a modified flash drive from his pocket and plugged it into what appeared to be the main computer system. The light on the drive turned on, indicating the download was in progress. Brent stood guard at the door while Craig counted off the seconds. A minute later, the light switched off, and Craig unplugged it.
He signaled to Brent that they were good to go, and they moved on to the next phase of their plan: to inspect everything in the house and plant their own surveillance equipment.
* * *
“I swear, if I get another interview request today, I’m going to scream.” Sienna set her cell phone down on the coffee table and moved to sit at the dining room table with her grandparents.
William didn’t look up from buttering his toast. “It’s tough being popular.”
“So I’ve heard,” Sienna said dryly.
“Is Craig coming to church with us this morning?” Hannah asked.
“Yeah. He should be here any minute.” Sienna popped a grape into her mouth.
“I think he has enjoyed having you off the past two weeks.”
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