Beautiful (Book Three of the Beautifully Broken Series)

by Angela Stephens

  “Well, Kat, are you ready?” Jerome asked, acknowledging a nod from woman. “We’re keeping interviews brief so we can cover everyone scheduled.”

  “Let’s get the show on the road,” she said.

  Lights blazed on, bathing Kathryn in instant warmth. Staring at the cameras, she felt a flutter of anxiety and mentally prepared herself, hoping eventually that she would become fully at ease with future media exposure. Jerome counted down, then gave her a thumbs up.

  “Continuing our tour of Manticorp Media headquarters,” Jerome said in a crisp, authoritative voice, “we’re talking to belle of the ball and rising star, Kathryn Denton, image consultant.” He smiled and stepped toward Kathryn. “Kathryn, we’d like to begin with a few words from you about your role in the company and how you see the influence of Manticorp Media on a global scale.”

  “Jerome, let me begin by thanking Green Scene for this opportunity,” Kathryn with easier confidence than she expected. “Evolution is the keyword for Manticorp Media in our continuing quest to be the frontrunner in environmental action. As image consultant, it’s my goal to steer the ship past the shoals of outdated ideas and destructive practices toward a safe harbor of progressive and beneficial change.”

  “Very poetically put, Kathryn,” Jerome said. “As the spokesperson for Manticorp, what message do you have for the global audience?”

  “This is our world,” she said. “A world that is our only home today, and tomorrow. It’s easy to put the burden of responsibility onto future generations, but it will be a task they won’t thank us for if their only choices are to repair the damage we caused. We’re already dealing with issues a step at a time, but we have to stop walking and start running to keep up with the threats not only to our environment, but to our very existence.”

  “A sound philosophy,” Jerome said, “and passion clearly conveyed by your words. To finish off, what would you like to say to the young people watching this broadcast?”

  Kathryn gazed into the cameras, any anxiety long gone as a sense of purpose suddenly engulfed her.

  “I would say that who we think we are and what we may be capable of may not be what it seems. You may think your role is too small or insignificant to make a difference, but that’s not the case. When I started college, I didn’t know what, if any, difference I could make to the world. Now, just months after graduation, I’m in a position to do far more than I ever would have imagined.” She paused. “Think about who you are and what your goals are, then put that intention into positive action. I think you’ll be surprised by what you can accomplish.”

  Jerome smiled and turned to the cameras. “Some very insightful words from Kathryn Denton, image consultant for Manticorp Media. For more information or inquiries, please email us at jeromeemerson at greenscene.com.”

  “That’s a wrap,” one of the cameramen said.

  Kathryn relaxed as the crew switched off the lights and began efficiently disassembling the equipment.

  “Inspiring words, Kathryn,” Jerome said. “I think we’ll hit some impressive viewer stats today.”

  Kathryn smiled. “I think I could get used to this.”

  “I hope so,” Jerome said. “One of our goals is to set up a weekly spot called the Manticorp Minute to update on events and campaigns.”

  “The Manticorp Minute,” Kathryn said. “What a great idea! You know, Jerome, I think I can get used to this kind of thing.”

  “You’re a natural,” Jerome said. “I saw the way you transformed when the cameras started rolling. You’re not just parroting words, you’re actually speaking from the heart, and our viewers are going to respond to that.” He glanced at his watch. “We’re interviewing Frank Manticorp next, but later on I’d love to get together with all of you to discuss a proposition. We already ran it by Frank after the Gala, but now would be a great time to put it in motion.”

  “Anything you can clue me in on now?” Kathryn asked, her curiosity even more piqued.

  “No time now,” Jerome said as he followed his crew out the door. “We’ll talk later.”

  Noticing James and Sandra talking in reception, she was about to return to her task of catching up, but something about their demeanor compelled her to put her work aside.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  James waited until Jerome and the crew filed into the elevator before turning to her.

  “Sam’s stopping by after the interviews are finished. He’s got some information for us.”

  “Anything that will put an end to this?” Kathryn asked, her upbeat mood suddenly evaporating. “I was getting excited about the proposition Jerome wants to discuss. Why is it that as soon as I feel optimistic about something, an issue with Heather manages to spoil it?”

  Struggling to suppress a surge of emotion, she turned away. Sandra reached to embrace her. Aware of the workers in the vicinity, James ushered Kathryn into his office.

  “I’ll see what I can clear from your desk,” Sandra said, hurrying into Kathryn’s office.

  Once the door closed, Kathryn finally gave into her frustration. Tears streamed down her face. James cradled her against his chest and stroked her hair.

  “Easy,” he said soothingly. “Just let it out, Kat. I know it hasn’t been easy, but we’ll deal with this together.”

  “I’m sorry,” Kathryn snuffled. “I’m trying my best to focus on work but the situation with Heather’s really affecting me. First the intimidation, then her threats, I can’t concentrate, and there’s so much to be done I don’t know how I’m going to do my job.”

  James pressed his fingers to Kathryn’s lips. “Enough. You’re getting yourself too worked up. Take a deep breath and let it out through your mouth.”

  Kathryn reluctantly complied.

  “Okay, a couple more times.”

  Kathryn inhaled deeply and exhaled twice more.

  “Feel better?”

  “Actually, I do,” she said.

  “Try that the next time you’re stressed or emotional. Helps calm you down.”

  Kathryn wiped her eyes. “Thank goodness for waterproof mascara,” she said.

  “You look as beautiful as ever,” James said. He glanced at his watch. “Tell you what. It’s going to be a while before the interviews are complete. Why don’t you go up to the patio for some fresh air? Take a breather for a few minutes to center yourself. Sam won’t be here till later this afternoon and Sandra can cover till then. Deal?”

  Feeling her spirits lifted, Kathryn looked at James and smiled. “Deal.”

  Chapter Ten

  The warmth of the sun coupled by the fresh breeze wafting the scent of the river instantly invigorated Kathryn the moment she stepped onto the patio. Wandering past the bar and around the tables, she basked in the peace of an environment untroubled by phones, demands or concerns. Below, the river sparkled in a serpentine ribbon, boats trundling beneath bridges bustling with traffic.

  As always, glorious Mt. Hood rose above the verdant distance, a haughty queen surveying her domain. Kathryn watched cotton puffs of clouds drift in from the coast, the pristine sky occasionally flecked by the gleaming flanks of a passing jet.

  Approaching the railing, Kathryn gazed at the cityscape, her thoughts lost to the sprawl of buildings and streets. It had been her dream to gaze at similar cityscapes around the world, and now, it seemed that the images of exotic destinations she had always envisioned would now become a reality.

  She felt a sense of pride in her accomplishments, but more than that, she felt that her conversation with her parents had finally opened the door to a better understanding between them. The dialog with her father had reassured Kathryn that while her mother was unlikely to change, Kathryn could at least know that her distance was not because of her, but rather an aspect of her mother’s personality.

  Feeling calmer and better able to deal with her work, Kathryn was about to turn when a vicious blow to her back winded her. Crying out, she clutched the railing and pulled herself away
just as a second blow glanced her shoulder. She stumbled away, her eyes widening in horror widening at the sight of an unfamiliar face she somehow recognized.

  Dressed in the blue-edge gray uniform of the cleaning crew, Heather grinned at her, her emaciated body lost in the uniform. Sporting cropped shoulder length hair dyed brown, her once perfectly sculpted face looked gaunt, her eyes rimmed with dark circles. Kathryn could scarcely believe that what had been a stunningly beautiful woman had deteriorated into someone more suited to an alley than a catwalk.

  “Long time, no see, bitch,” Heather said.

  “What are you doing here?” Kathryn said.

  Heather laughed, the sound chillingly unpleasant. “I came to visit my fiance,” she said. “Been having some trouble reaching him. His name is James. Maybe you know him?” She approached Kathryn, her bloodshot eyes flitting to the view beyond. “Problem is, he doesn’t return my calls, doesn’t answer my emails. Seems he’s really busy these days. You know anything about that?”

  She felt a surge of fear. Heather was clearly high on something, and the distance to the door was suddenly as far away as the moon. Her mind raced with a chaos of thoughts, and she cursed herself for leaving her phone in her office. She glanced toward the door, and Heather unconsciously followed her gaze.

  Taking advantage of Heather’s brief distraction, Kathryn bolted for the door. Heather turned, screamed like a banshee and charged Kathryn, slamming her hard against the railing. Kathryn cried out from the painful impact of her shoulder against the rounded metal bars. Suddenly, Heather’s hands clamped around her neck, squeezing with a force belying Heather’s rail-thin frame.

  “You think you’re just going to waltz into my shoes?” Heather hissed with a rage contorted expression. “Who the hell are you anyway, you little slut? Some college girl with starry eyes and cocksucking lips that believes for a minute she’s better than me?”

  Pushed back over the top of the railing, Kathryn grabbed Heather’s hands and tried to pry them from her neck, but Heather’s fingers continued to dig into her flesh. The breeze fluttered through Kathryn’s hair, sending a thrill of terror through her at the thought of the drop inches away.

  Panicking and feeling lightheaded, she flailed violently at Heather’s face, her fist resoundingly smashing against her nose. Heather howled and immediately backed away as blood fountained from her nose and gushed down her chin.

  Kathryn then launched herself at Heather with such fury that the two of them toppled over a nearby table, sending chairs skittering. Droplets of Heather’s blood splattered everywhere, speckling Kathryn’s face. Heather groaned as she fell heavily onto her back while Kathryn mindlessly punched and kicked her.

  “Leave us alone!” Kathryn screamed with a hatred she had never before experienced. “Just leave us the hell alone!”

  Covering up under the assault, Heather managed to get a leg around to trip Kathryn, who went tumbling down. Heather scrambled to her feet in synch with Kathryn, clearly staggered.

  “This isn’t over, bitch.” With that she turned and ran toward the door, her footsteps resonating across the patio until she vanished into the building.

  Gasping for breath, her shoulder throbbing, Kathryn took stock of the situation. Though still shaken from her ordeal, she forced herself to walk to the door. She paused to look through the glass before stepping inside, but realized Heather would probably be flying down the stairwell. Stepping into the hallway, she hurried to the elevator and punched the button, grateful that the elevator arrived quickly. It was only once she stepped inside and the door closed behind her that she broke down in tears.

  ***

  Like a stop motion sequence in a film, images comprised events from the moment Kathryn stumbled from the elevator: Sandra’s shocked expression, the echo of frantic voices, the blur of faces, James, Frank, and then those of detectives swarming into the office and the paramedics that tended to her.

  Kathryn had spoken calmly enough, recounting the events as though discussing a shopping list while paramedics checked her and cleared her with nothing worse than scrapes and bruises. Her shoulder would hurt for a couple of days, and the marks on her throat would fade, but it was the blood splattered on her face that still seemed to reappear no matter how many times she had gone to the bathroom to clean it off.

  Now, sitting numbly at her desk gripping a mug of tea, an icepack on her shoulder, Kathryn stared out the door at Frank, James and Sam talking to the detectives by the elevator. Their voices waxed and waned, James occasionally turning to flash a reassuring smile at her. Kathryn smiled back, but it was more a reflexive action of the lips than from an emotion she actually felt.

  Sandra squeezed her hand. “It’s going to be okay, Kat,” she said, her voice a distant whisper. “They’ll find her. She can’t have gotten far.”

  Kathryn merely nodded and turned to regard the view with a sense of detachment. Somewhere, perhaps within walking distance of the building, Heather, and possibly others, waited. She had thought her office safe, a sanctuary from the dangers lurking in the streets beyond, but she realized she was no longer dealing with rational minds.

  James, Frank and Sam shook hands with the detectives and returned to Kathryn’s office. Sandra pulled up chairs for everyone.

  “How are you feeling?” Sam asked.

  “Better,” Kathryn said. “Still a little shell shocked but it will pass, though I’m thinking of taking up kickboxing.”

  “That’s my girl,” James said with a smile.

  “Kathryn, the police have issued APBs on Heather and Antoine,” Sam said. “Antoine’s connections to the Russian mafia have also attracted the attention of the FBI. I had hoped my investigation would resolve the situation before it reached this point but clearly the risks have escalated.”

  “How did Heather get past all the security?” Kathryn asked. “I don’t understand. Surely cleaning crew are subject to the same checks?”

  “They are,” Frank said. “Unfortunately, Heather had inside help. I always prided myself on hiring the best people for the company, and that’s been true of the cleaning company for years. However, it seems that Kathryn paid off the employee she impersonated. Her clearance badge would have gotten Heather through security, particularly since she took the trouble to look like the employee.”

  “Where is the employee now?”

  “Police are on their way to her address,” Sam said, “but chances are she’s probably fled. We don’t know how much money Heather paid her, but it had to be a decent amount to persuade her to do something like this.”

  “It didn’t even look like her,” Kathryn said, recalling Heather’s gaunt features and dyed hair. “That she would go to such lengths,” She paused, feeling a strange calmness despite her refusal for a sedative. “She wanted to kill me. It was her intention to—”

  “That’s enough,” James said, taking her hand. “The authorities are dealing with it now.”

  “Sam, what happened to that footage you wanted to show us?” Kathryn asked.

  “A bike courier delivered the envelope with the photos,” Sam said. “He’s clean. Some college kid working during summer break. Paid a good sum as well. Probably more than he earns in a week. I‘ve forwarded everything to the authorities.”

  “Dad,” James said, “I think we should talk about the trip now.”

  “What trip?” Kathryn asked.

  “I was on my way down to discuss it after my interview with Jerome,” Frank said. “We’d been talking about a pictorial covering all the areas where Manticorp has made an impact for a while now. Kind of like an environmental slideshow. After the Gala elicited so much publicity, Jerome thought it would be a good idea to launch it now.”

  “So that’s what all the mystery was about,” Kathryn said, a flicker of excitement rising.

  “What do you think?” James asked. “We could hit the road, take some awesome pictures.”

  “What about all our work?” Kathryn asked. “There’s so much to do.�
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  “I can cover for you,” Sandra said. “Now that Neil and the team are settling in, we can get caught up in no time. Anything requiring your attention can wait until you return.”

  “I think it’s an excellent idea,” Sam said. “Unfortunately there’ll be no way to keep what happened today completely out of the press, so getting away will keep you out of the spotlight at least for the time being. I would suggest that you make no announcement about the trip. In fact, if anyone asks, you’re returning to Arizona to visit your family.”

  Kathryn thought about it. Getting away from the city sounded more appealing by the minute. She had no desire to deal with the buzz that was surely flowing through the building as they spoke, and after a few weeks it would invariably die down. But then...

  “And if she tries something again? This time it was only Heather. Because she failed, who’s to say she won’t bring help next time?”

  “There won’t be a next time,” James said flatly. “If she, or anyone else even shows their face anywhere near us, they’re dead.”

  Everyone looked at James, his expression leaving no doubt of his seriousness.

  “I wouldn’t travel down that road, James,” Sam said quietly. “As I’ve said, sooner or later criminals always make a mistake. In Heather’s case, it will definitely be sooner.”

  Kathryn shuddered. The coldness in James’ eyes was not what she wanted to see, and she feared what he might be capable of should another situation with Heather occur. They both needed a break, better before James snapped than after.

  “I think the sooner the better,” she said. When do you want to leave, James?”

  “Early tomorrow morning,” he said. “I’ve already planned the route. Only Dad, Sam and Sandra know the details. We can go back to my place and pack now, then get an early night.”

  Kathryn glanced at the lovely view and lost herself in the sight of Mt. Hood, which had become almost a spiritual icon for her. She had planned to do a lot of sightseeing when she came to Portland but had yet to find the time, and as much as she loved James’ loft, she didn’t feel particularly safe there. She felt her spirits lift at the thought of simply getting away.