Singing a Song...

by Crystal V. Rhodes

  “You’re probably right about that, but I’m still not asking her a thing.” Thad folded his arms across his chest to emphasize his determination. “I’m telling you, man, the woman is mean. She’s spiteful, spoiled, stubborn…” Thad sputtered, looking for more words to describe Darnell.

  Ray grinned. He had the perfect word. “She’s Sensuous.”

  * * *

  “There are four crates coming inbound from South America in a week, and Wochev is sending in more product via the Ukraine.”

  Moody gave a satisfied smile. “It sounds good, Russ. Thank you, and keep up the good work.”

  Disconnecting, he pocketed his cell phone. He had gambled and won, and he felt great. Everyone in his drug cartel had been skeptical about this partnership with the Russian mob, but it had proved profitable beyond anyone’s expectations. The success of the decision had solidified his position as the leader of the most organized business machine on the East Coast, and it all appeared legal. Who would have thought that the son of an illiterate barmaid and a truck driver whom she barely knew could have risen to such heights? He had never had any doubt. Confidence was his forte. He was a self-made man. Everything he knew he had learned on his own—the cultured speech, the foreign languages he spoke, the social graces that opened the doors to membership in the highest of circles. It had taken time and patience, but he had moved steadily through the ranks of the underworld, destroying those who opposed him and rewarding those who had proved their loyalty. He was a determined man, and it was that determination that had brought him to this house on the cul-de-sac.

  With a sigh of satisfaction, Moody looked out of the curtained window to the house beyond. It felt good to be away from the demands of his position. Only Russ Ingram, his most loyal employee, knew where he was residing. He felt safe here in Carmel-by-the-Sea and had forgone bodyguards despite the objection of his security staff. He knew that it would be difficult to explain their presence if they had accompanied him. It would have been equally as difficult to conceal why he was here. In the end, he had gotten what he wanted: a chance to travel alone to the West Coast on an extended vacation, of sorts. Of course, he always got what he wanted—several homes, a fleet of cars, more money than he could count, and the respect of his peers. There was only one thing more that he needed to make his life complete.

  Reaching into the pocket of his tailored sports jacket, he withdrew a leather wallet and opened it to reveal a small snapshot. Tenderly, his fingers caressed the sharp cheekbones, traced the voluptuous lips and the feline eyes of the woman staring back at him—Darnell Cameron. He had come to the Monterey Peninsula to claim the biggest prize of all.

  He had found out from sources within the entertainment industry that when her tour was over, she would be resting at her home in Carmel, alone. That so-called boyfriend of hers was preoccupied in South America. He would present no problem. The time to get to know her was perfect. There was no one to get in his way. He had set the stage for the possibility when she was on tour. Anonymously, he had sent her flowers and gifts in every city in which she appeared. He hadn’t wanted to be too pushy. A woman like her had to be approached with finesse. But she had sent the gifts back to the post office box that he had used as a return address. He had suspected that she would. The lady had class.

  He had known that the first time he saw her perform on stage years ago and had determined that he would meet her. He had followed her career from the first time she stepped into the spotlight. He had read everything about her and eventually laid the foundation for the plan that would take him to her. There was no denying it—she was his obsession.

  Gently, he pushed aside the lace curtains to get a better view of the expansive structure beyond. A light appeared in what he reasoned might be her bedroom. He wondered what she was doing. Soon he would know. He planned to make Darnell Cameron a major part of his life.

  * * *

  As Darnell turned on the lamp next to the lounge on which she had been sleeping, she was surprised to see the time reflected on the face of the digital clock. Her short nap had turned into a long one. The sun was setting. The day was nearly gone. A rumbling in her stomach reminded her that she hadn’t eaten. Slipping from the lounge, she grabbed her robe and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

  Her nerves were still on edge, no doubt because of the altercation with that idiot earlier today. If she were a drinking woman she would have a stiff one now. Instead, she settled for a glass of orange juice and a view of Mother Nature.

  She headed out the door to walk the grounds. Her home was a contemporary showplace, nestled among pine, fir, and windswept cypress trees high above the Pacific Ocean. From nearly every direction she could look out onto sweeping vistas of majestic beauty. The view brought her peace. It was something that she very much needed in her life.

  Fame had come relatively easily for her. Talent and luck had both prevailed. Music and business had been her double-majors in college and she had put both to work when she embarked on her career. Her voice rivaled that of Aretha Franklin; her business acumen that of Bill Gates. Few knew the extent of her wealth or that she had complete control over her musical empire. She owned it all—her music, her labels, even the production facility in which she and others recorded. With the help of her family, Darnell had orchestrated her success, leaving little to chance. Doing so had not been easy in the misogynistic male-dominated music industry. She had made enemies, but she had prevailed. The constant effort to stay on top had taken its toll, however, and it was here where she sought relief.

  Whispering a prayer of thanks for the blessings bestowed on her, she turned and headed back to the house. As she tried to throw something together for dinner, the ring of the telephone in the kitchen interrupted her efforts. Darnell frowned. This was the only telephone in the house without caller I.D. She made a note to remedy that as she reluctantly picked up the receiver.

  “Hello!”

  “My, my, aren’t we grumpy?” The voice on the other end was that of her cousin, Nedra Davis-Reasoner. She and her family lived nearby.

  “I’m sorry.” Darnell relaxed. “I didn’t mean to be rude, but it’s been a tough day.”

  An intuitive Nedra translated her words. “Oh, you thought this call might be the hunk, didn’t you?” She was referring to her nickname for Thad. “I thought your business with him was over.”

  “As of today, it is.” She related her latest incident with the beast. Nedra had been her confidant throughout her long ordeal with the man. “It’s all water under the bridge now, thank goodness!”

  “I still say he’s your ticket into the movie business. Maybe he can help you come a step closer to your dream.” Nedra was a fan of Thad’s and could not conceive of him being the ogre that her cousin painted him.

  Darnell guffawed. “Thad Stewart? Help me? That man can’t help himself across the street.”

  Nedra was one of the few people in Darnell’s life who knew of her goal to own a film studio. She wanted to be more than a singer with good vocal chords. She planned on becoming a power in both the music and movie industries. However, she would do so without the help of Thad Stewart. “Please, Nedra, don’t ruin the rest of my day.”

  Her cousin complied, and they turned to making arrangements for Nedra’s oldest son to spend the next day with Darnell. Then they disconnected. It wasn’t until later as she climbed the stairs, prepared to turn in early, that Darnell gave her cousin’s words regarding Thad any thought. Over the next few weeks, she planned to wade through a stack of scripts that her manager had sent her to read. It looked as though it might be an arduous task. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for in the role that she would choose for her film debut, but hell would freeze over and elephants would fly before she would need Thad Stewart’s expertise in that area, or anything else. That was a certainty!

  After a quick shower, Darnell turned off the light in her bedroom and retired for the evening. Nearly simultaneously, the light in the bedroom in the house across the
street went off as well.

  CHAPTER 3

  Thad couldn’t believe what he was doing. Were there no limits to how far he would go to make this movie? Here he was back in Carmel-by-the-Sea, where he had sworn never to come again. He could only pray that he wouldn’t live to regret it.

  It was all Ray’s fault. After trying verbally to persuade Thad to ask Darnell to join him on his film project, he had put facts and figures together on paper to illustrate the financial difference between a hit and a flop. The numbers spoke for themselves. While her addition to the cast might not insure a hit, it would certainly add to the possibility. As a prudent businessman, it was a reality check that he couldn’t deny.

  He planned to use the repair of his car to explain his return. Knowing Darnell, she wouldn’t make it easy, but hopefully he could at least get her to read his script.

  The whole idea of humbling himself before that woman galled him, but Ray had added fuel to the fire. Miraculously, he’d produced a tape of a screen test that Darnell had made some time ago for one of the major studios. She was phenomenal. If Thad had harbored any doubts about her ability to handle the lead role in his film, they had been dispelled. Ray’s sources had informed him that the only reason that she had not made her acting debut before was failed contract negotiations. Thad wasn’t surprised. She had probably asked for the moon. Ray felt that it would be worth providing her with a lunar eclipse if they could also strike a deal with her to score the film. She had been nominated for an Oscar in that category last year. Her involvement in his film could prove to be a coup on many levels. So, here he was, ready to sacrifice both his car and his pride to achieve a dream. It had better be worth it.

  After arriving at Darnell’s house, Thad rang the buzzer at her entrance gate, and was greeted by a boy’s voice through the intercom. He informed Thad that Darnell was unavailable. Despite Thad’s best efforts to find out where she might be, the kid was mum on the subject. In desperation, Thad decided to trudge down to the beach, wait there, and go back to her house later to see if she had returned.

  It was still early morning. The ocean fog was gradually lifting. Waves lapped gently against the shore while, further out, angry breakers crashed against the rugged rocks. Seagulls perched on the rocky crevices, enjoying the misty spray. Their cries echoed in the morning stillness. Thad began to slow his purposeful stride to enjoy the calm.

  He was alone on the beach, and the rhythm of the sea was invigorating. Then, suddenly, a solitary figure appeared out of the morning mist. It was Darnell. Dressed in a black spandex body suit topped by a yellow jacket that brightened the gray morning, she was running straight toward him.

  Thad stood mesmerized as he watched her graceful movements. Her curvaceous body was synchronized perfection. Rivulets of perspiration glistened on her ebony face. His groin tightened instantly, and he silently reprimanded his body for its betrayal.

  Darnell’s mouth tightened when she saw the tall man standing on the beach. As she drew closer, recognition dawned. It couldn’t be, but it was. Thad Stewart! Her groan was audible. Reaching him, she ran in place.

  “What in the world are you doing here?” Her tone could chill ice.

  Thad forced himself to ignore the hostility. “Good morning to you, too. In answer to your question, I’m here so that you can take me to this precious garage of yours and get my car repaired.”

  Darnell shot him a look that would have withered any other man. Was he kidding? She continued to run in place. “So you’ve suddenly changed your mind, surrendered, and decided to come back here and take me up on my original offer, huh?”

  Thad’s jaw twitched. “I just want to get my car repaired.”

  Darnell raised a suspicious brow. “I see, and you want that to happen today?”

  Thad shrugged. “Whenever.”

  “Uh huh.” She continued to eye him skeptically. “Too bad. Perhaps if you had given me the courtesy of informing me of your change in plans, I could have told you that Mr. Hazelwood’s garage is closed on Sundays and Mondays. So if you’ll excuse me, I’m not through jogging.”

  Her tone was dismissive, and Thad’s patience was wearing thin. “Well, I wasn’t sure about his being open today, and I didn’t know about Monday. I guess we can go on Tuesday.” He paused. It would take a day or two to have his car repaired, thus giving him adequate time to soften her up regarding the film. If he was really lucky, he might be able to talk her into reading the script before Tuesday, and save his car.

  “I can follow you to the garage to deliver my car, get a rental to get around…”

  Darnell scoffed. “Oh, really? So you plan on staying down here?”

  Thad nodded, ignoring the sarcasm. “Sure do. That is, until the repair is done.” He rubbed his hands together, buoyed by the possibility that he might be able to make his pitch without sacrificing his car. “Meanwhile, what can we do today?”

  Darnell was amazed at his audacity. “Well, Mr. Stewart, since I didn’t tell you to come here today—or any other day—I have no intention of planning my activities around you. As a matter of fact, if I recall, I told you I never wanted to see you again. So, I have things to do, and finishing my run is one of them.”

  That was it! This woman was simply rude! Thad crossed his arms and fixed her with a killer stare. Darnell remained unfazed.

  “Now, if I thought that you were in shape to keep up with me…” she said as her eyes glanced down the length of his seemingly fit body, “I’d invite you to join me, but—” She shrugged, leaving the question of his ability hanging in the air.

  Thad wanted to laugh out loud. This woman had nerves of steel, accusing him of being unfit. Him! Thad Stewart! He worked out every day. His stomach couldn’t get any flatter! His waist couldn’t get any trimmer! His body fat was practically zero. His biceps and his chest were both…both…

  He fought to remind himself of his real reason for being here. Somehow, he kept his voice steady. “Despite what you think about me, Ms. Cameron, I assure you that I could keep up with you at any time, day or night. One day I’ll accept your challenge, but I didn’t come here to jog.”

  Darnell gave a contemptuous snort. She didn’t believe for a minute that he could match her pace.

  “Like I said, I have a run to finish. Excuse me.” She moved past him and continued down the beach.

  Thad bristled but remained silent. The sooner he accomplished his mission and got the hell out of there, the better.

  * * *

  She was such a lovely woman. Even at this distance, just seeing Darnell jogging down the beach took Moody’s breath away. Excited, he had hastened his footsteps, knowing that he was only minutes away from finally meeting her in person.

  He had noticed the man standing on the beach with his back to him, apparently staring out at the sea, and dismissed him from his thoughts. Moody’s total focus was on Darnell. Just as he started toward the beach, she jogged up to the stranger and stopped. Moody froze, the muscles in his body taut as he watched and waited, poised to make a move.

  After Darnell and the stranger exchanged a few words, she continued her morning run. The stranger watched her jog away, then turned and started walking in the opposite direction. Moody gave a sigh of relief. She was safe. The man was probably a fan—a lucky fan. If he had touched her in any way, he would have died on the spot. Coming to her rescue had not been in his plan, but he would not have hesitated to do so. He had been here a week, clandestinely studying her habits, and it worried him that she moved so freely around Carmel alone. That he would remedy. He would make her security a priority when he entered her life, assigning only his most trusted bodyguards to protect her. Meanwhile, it irritated him that a fan had interfered with his plan to accidentally bump into her. It was frustrating. He had timed it perfectly, but—

  Moody turned and walked back up the path leading away from the beach. As was her pattern, she would be running for at least another hour. There was always tomorrow. Perhaps he’d have to readjust his plan
. Maybe they’d bump into each other at the grocery store or at a restaurant. No problem; he had waited this long to meet her, and another day didn’t matter. He planned to be on the coast for the entire summer. He had plenty of time.

  * * *

  An hour later, Darnell returned home to find Thad sitting on her three-tiered patio. His voice was strident as he explained how he got on her property.

  “The gardener came by to drop off some tools, recognized me and let me in the gate, but that kid inside the house refused to open the door. I tried to tell him that it was chilly out here, but he wouldn’t budge.”

  Darnell grinned. “That’s my boy.”

  Thad was fuming. He had about reached his limit with this woman. She was much too full of herself. During their car wars, Ray had shared with him everything that he had learned about her in order to give him an edge in the negotiations. He couldn’t deny that the woman was a fascinating study. She had earned quite a reputation in the business, and as far as he was concerned, it was a reputation that she well deserved.

  “Ms. It” was the nickname Darnell had acquired in the entertainment industry, and it wasn’t just a reference to her tremendous talent. While she had been on top of the music charts for years and had won nearly every award offered, to most of her fans, as well as people in the business, Darnell Cameron was a mystery. She was one celebrity who managed to keep her private life private, which wasn’t an easy feat.

  She rarely gave interviews, and the known facts about her were few. Her father was deceased, and she had been raised by her mother, Beverly Cameron, a CPA who owned a very successful investment firm in Chicago. Highly intelligent, Darnell spoke several languages and possessed amazing business savvy. In the process of emerging as a superstar, she had amassed a fortune. Forbes magazine touted her as one of the wealthiest entertainers in the industry, rivaling none other than Thad Stewart.

  Unlike Thad, Darnell was a rebel in the industry. She shunned Los Angeles and the celebrity scene on which he thrived. Her quick mind and razor-sharp tongue had many in the media wary of her, but the public loved her rebellious spirit. Thad could appreciate the latter; it was everything else about her that he found annoying. As he sat on her patio with the morning chill whipping through his thin jacket, he gave serious thought to wringing her neck.