by Lili Porter
Paolo studied Jamil. He respected his straight forth demeanor and no nonsense way. They were qualities he greatly admired—despite the situation, which made him want to rip someone’s head off.
Karisma wiped her eyes and tried to stand up, but Paolo held her firm to him.
“Where are you going?” he asked her.
“The police need to be called, Paolo. I need to clean up,” she said.
He shook his head. “We can’t call them yet, babe. And even if we wanted to, you taking the time to clean up before calling them would not look good, okay?”
Karisma didn’t feel comfortable with what he said. “We have to. It was self-defense. He had a knife and was going to rape me. He wanted me to have his baby. He was insane,” she said softly but firmly.
“Fuck!” Paolo exclaimed. “The media is going to have a field day with this.”
“His name is, was…Carlton Davies,” Jamil said.
Paolo had been so consumed with Karisma’s emotional state that he hadn’t even realized that the dead man was laying on the floor beside her bed. That pissed him off further. How was she supposed to calm down with that reminder right there?
“How many times did you fire the gun, baby?” Paolo asked her, making sure her back was to the body.
“Just once. I hit him in the chest, I think,” she said.
Wolfe confirmed. “One shot through the heart.”
Paolo had to take charge. “Stella, get Kari out of this room, okay?” he asked calmly.
“Please, come with me, don’t leave me alone,” Kari pleaded.
“I’ll be there in a bit, I promise, sweetheart, but I have to talk to your security for a minute, okay?”
She nodded and looked at Amani. “Go ahead, Amani. Work with him, okay?”
Amani nodded and Stella escorted Kari out of the room.
Paolo called out, “Kari. Don’t use the phone. Don’t call anyone yet, understand?”
“I understand,” she said, walking out of the room.
Paolo watched the two walk away and heard Kari mumble, “I didn’t even want to take the gun. Oh my god, what if it hadn’t been there?” Then she started to cry again.
Sighing, Paolo ran his hand down his face. He had to work quickly. He pulled out his cell phone and touched the screen.
“I know it’s late. I need you to meet me at 152 Calmate Drive in the Hollywood Hills. How quickly can you get here?” Paolo asked.
Hanging up, he turned to the men in the room and said, “I have someone on the way in twenty minutes. Now let’s figure out how this prick got into this house,” Paolo said. He was clearly taking over and not about to leave any detail to chance or any other person that he didn’t trust completely.
***
Karisma sat on the plush, white sofa in the red guestroom, named so because all the accents in the contemporary decorated room were shades of red.
“What have I done?” she asked, closing her eyes. Stella came to sit next to her. She rubbed her shoulder.
“I’m so sorry, Miss Kari,” she said. What else could she say?
“How in the hell did he get in here?” she asked. “I don’t understand how no one could hear or see anything.”
Stella didn’t know what to say. She just sat there shaking her head. Finally, she said, “I’m a light sleeper. I should have heard something.”
Karisma nodded. “No, you’re not security. This is on them. It shouldn’t have happened. I’m scared, Stella. I didn’t want to shoot him.”
Stella turned Karisma to look at her. “You did what you had to do. He broke in. He tried to rape you. He had a knife, for goodness sakes! I am very glad that gun was there and you used it.”
“I thought he was gonna kill me,” Karisma said, wiping her eyes and runny nose. “I wish I could call my parents. I need them.” Her knees were bouncing nervously and she looked down at her hands.
“You had no other choice,” Stella reiterated.
“Is he dead for sure? No doubt?” Karisma asked with a sadly pitiful look on her face.
Stella nodded. “Yes. He’s dead, Miss Kari. Most definitely.”
Karisma sighed heavily. “I need a shower,” she said, standing. “Please put these pajamas in the laundry room hamper. Make sure they are washed in the morning, actually, wash them right now.” She walked into the bathroom and closed the door.
After standing under the water for fifteen minutes, Karisma walked past Stella, who was reclining on the sofa.
“Anybody say anything?” she asked.
“They called a man over to help. He got here about 5 minutes ago. Go see Paolo. They are in the room,” she said in that patois of hers.
“How fucked up is this? And we’re supposed to go to France. How? Tessa’s in the hospital, and now, this,” she said on the verge of renewed tears. Holding them in, she walked into the hallway. She looked down the elongated corridor and saw Paolo’s men and her own security team moving around, seemingly, with the situation under control. They looked up at her, but only Amani and Wolfe said anything.
“Kari, you haven’t used the phone, have you?” Amani asked.
“No,” she said defensively.
“Good. We can’t make it look like you were awake until after the shooting,” he said, looking at her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay, Amani. But this should not have happened. That man had a knife and threatened me with it. I don’t mean to sound crass, but I pay you good money to make sure that something like this doesn’t happen. Now look. That man is on the floor of my bedroom. I’ll never sleep in that room again. I need to know what happened and why, Amani.”
“I understand. We know that he worked at the security company. He manipulated our system. There was no way to know that in advance. I’m sorry. Jamil and Omar are on with the company now.”
Karisma looked away. “Where’s Paolo?”
“He’s in the room with some of his men.” Amani looked at her like he wanted to say something more, but stopped himself. He nodded toward the active bedroom door. Instead, he added, “He’s got a lot of company.”
Karisma frowned. She started toward her room. She stood in the doorway watching Paolo and his bodyguards, Aaron Andretti was also there and so was another man. She wrapped her arms around her waist.
Wolfe met her at the door. When their eyes connected, he pulled her into a hug. “How you doin’, Boss Lady?”
“Scared as hell,” she said. “Who’s the guy with Paolo?”
“He’s a fixer. Like the chick on that show you watch on Thursday nights,” he referenced. She looked over her shoulder and locked eyes with her man. Even in this dire situation, he was sexy: and so in control. He extended his hand to her and called her over. She went to him and right into his open arms.
“You remember Aaron, don’t you, love?” he asked, turning her toward the men, rubbing her back soothingly.
She extended her hand to Aaron. “Hi,” Karisma said, feeling so strange. All these men knew she’d shot someone. Gawd, this was all so fucked up.
“Miss Montgomery, I am sorry we are reacquainted under these circumstances,” Aaron said.
“Sweetheart, I’d also like you to meet Vincent Duvernay. He’ll take care of everything,” Paolo said matter-of-factly.
Vincent took Karisma’s hand and shook it firmly. “Miss Montgomery.”
“Mr. Duvernay, thank you for coming,” she said. Then she looked around, noticing someone was missing. “Paolo, where is Clyde? Has anyone seen him?”
“He and some of your other staff are downstairs,” Paolo said, kissing the side of her forehead.
“Oh,” she nodded quietly. “Everyone’s okay, then.”
Vincent Duvernay, with salt and pepper colored hair, and grey eyes to match, stood over 6’ tall and took command of the room. It was decided that Wolfe would say he shot the intruder. Paolo nodded, saying, “That will work.”
Wolfe spoke up. “You want me to cop to it,” he stated, rather than asked. “Ho
w can it work? She was on the floor when we found her. What reason would I give for being on the floor?” Wolfe asked.
Karisma interrupted. “This was self defense. I have no problem with saying so.”
“I do,” Paolo said. “It’s important that you not be tied to this scene. The public, while sympathetic at first, will turn on you later and your career will be in shambles,” he said, looking her in the eye.
“Wolfe is your bodyguard. It’s only right that he be seen as the hero in this situation. He killed a stalker intruder who had a knife,” Paolo stated.
Karisma saw she was arguing a lost cause with Paolo. Vincent stepped in. “We’ll say that because of the threat Davies posed as her stalker, it was her security teams’ decision for Miss Montgomery to begin sleeping in another room in the house. You, Mr. Wolfe, began sleeping in her room every night until the person could be caught. Now tonight, you had gone to the bathroom, and evidently during that time, the intruder gained access to the bedroom. You saw the man in the room when you returned to bed, and he lunged at you with the knife just as you dove for the gun on the nightstand. It was on top, not inside. You grabbed it and tumbled to the floor. You rolled into the wall and fired when he raised the knife.”
Amani and Wolfe exchanged a look.
“Of course, just like Miss Montgomery said, it was self defense. She was home, but asleep in the other room. No charges will be filed,” Vincent said.
Paolo intervened. “If I may, Vincent. Wolfe, the gun was a gift to you, as you admired it once. So I gave it to you a few weeks ago, you’re not sure of the exact date. You slept with it on the nightstand in case you had to use it. Simple.”
Wolfe nodded. “Yeah, okay. I can do that,” he said confidently.
Vincent stepped back in. “Okay, then, we need to get you out to fire the gun. Mr. Wolfe, I need you to bring a few of your things to the bathroom. It’ll look like you’ve been sleeping here,” Vincent said.
“What about all the paparazzi?” Wolfe asked. “They’ll instantly swarm.”
“The front gate security will go into emergency mode, just as surprised. You quickly run back in and up to this room through the back patio door. It’ll work out.”
“Okay,” Wolfe said. He seemed confident.
Karisma listened and wasn’t quite so confident. “I don’t want Wolfe risking getting in trouble for self defense. I still don’t understand…”
Paolo cut her off. “Baby, Vincent is the best and this will work out best for everyone, especially you.”
Karisma nodded her head, not strong enough emotionally to argue it out at that point. She did wonder how Paolo would know that Vincent was the best. Hmm…she’d have to ask him later.
“Okay, Stella will get me set up in the other room,” Kari said in surrender. She looked to Wolfe. “Are you really okay with this? I don’t want you to do it if you’re not.”
“It’s cool. We gotta do this. I’m good,” he said confidently, winking and nodding at her.
As they walked out of the mansion to the yard, Vincent began reviewing Wolfe’s story with him. They would need to call the police within the next few minutes in order for the story to fly.
16
Karisma had been told to make the red guestroom look like she’d been there all night. Wolfe’s own bedroom had been cleaned, showing no signs of the fact that until the gunshot, he had indeed occupied his bed. Everything was in place and they were all as prepared as they could be.
Within fifteen minutes, Karisma’s Calmate hilltop mansion was anything but calm. Police and news vans swarmed the estate like bees. Karisma was told to stay out of sight unless police specifically requested her presence. Her parents, Liane and Vaughn were called over, as was her assistant Sierra, and Valerie, too, who was charged with the tough task of giving a statement later that morning.
Karisma couldn’t stop sighing and shaking, reflecting on it all. She was forced to bring out the actress within her and it was painfully difficult. She’d had a few roles, one of which was even nominated for an Academy Award, where she played a doomed cotton club singer during the 1940s, a woman who ended up being murdered by her husband. Now, she was the one who’d killed. Self-defense or not, she had taken a life. Most of the world would never know, but how could she ever forget?
Helping ensure she could do what she must, Paolo stayed close to Karisma, shielding her from flubbed lines as she was questioned about the incident. She was doing an admirable job. She was so convincing, he even believed she’d been in the red bedroom when the fatal shot was fired.
Paolo leaned in and whispered, “You’re doing great, sweetheart.”
“I don’t know how long I’ll be able to deal,” she confessed. “My parents are here and lying to them…I just don’t know if I can even pull it off.”
“You must try,” Paolo said, rubbing her back.
Karisma heard her parents’ voices long before she saw them.
Paolo looked over at the handsome middle-aged couple that had entered the room, both looking closely at him first. He stood up and went over to extend his hand, first to Vaughn, who shook it firmly, and then to Liane, whose hand he kissed.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you both despite these tough circumstances,” he said.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Paolo,” Liane said and then she darted around him, right over to Kari.
Vaughn looked at Paolo and asked, “Were you here when this happened?”
Paolo was surprised by the question, but said truthfully, “Ah, no, sir, I wasn’t. Amani Mohammed called me and I came right away.”
Vaughn narrowed his eyes on him and nodded. At forty-eight years old, he was a handsome man. Tall and brown skinned. “Damn shame. We have to do damage control on this, right away.”
“I’ve got someone handling that as we speak. And Valerie will be making a press statement at 9 AM,” Paolo said.
Vaughn paused and narrowed his eyes on Paolo. “Is that right? You’ve got somebody handling this. Well, how close are you two?”
“Vaughn!” Liane yelled from across the room.
“I’m just asking this young man how close he is to my daughter, Liane,” he grumbled, glaring at her.
Karisma stood up and walked over to him. “Daddy, Paolo and I are very close. We’re seeing each other.” Then she looked at Paolo and gave a weak smile. It was a rather silly term, considering what they’d become.
“Oh, yeah? He’s your boyfriend. So that’s why he’s taking over?” Vaughn asked in a somewhat taunting manner.
Paolo smirked, amused. “Karisma needed my help, Mr. Montgomery. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her,” he said, looking the older man in the eye.
“Really?” Vaughn said sarcastically. “How did you help?”
Karisma interrupted. “Daddy, please. Paolo has been a big help. I’m feeling terrible right, now, okay? Drop it.” She turned and walked away, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
Paolo and Vaughn stood looking at one another. Liane, who was back by her husband’s side, picked up on the tension and said, “Vaughn, let’s sit down. Now is not the time for this.”
Stella said, “I will be downstairs, Kari if you need me for anything, she said taking her leave.”
“Okay, Stella, thank you,” Karisma said.
Paolo went to sit next to Karisma on the bed and placed a protective arm around her shoulders.
“You look awfully comfortable on that bed, young man,” Vaughn said to Paolo. He wasn’t one to hold back on his emotions. No filter in that man.
“Aw, geez, Daddy, come on,” Karisma said, exasperated. “He’s not stepping on your toes; he’s looking out for me, too.”
“Look, sweetheart,” Paolo said. “I’ll go check on the progress the police are making on this investigation and see if I can’t speed them along. Vincent’s still overseeing it.” He kissed her brow.
Vaughn frowned. “Something about that guy,” he mumbled.
Karisma felt overwhelmingly
anxious at her father’s hawking eyes. He clearly didn’t approve of Paolo or him taking charge of the crisis. She couldn’t take it. “I’m going to the bathroom,” she announced. She quickly got up and charged in there, locking the door behind her.
Once safely hidden from everyone, she closed the lid of the commode and sat on top of it. With her head in her hands, silent tears fell. “Forgive me, Lord…help me, please.”
A few minutes later there was a soft knock on the door. Blowing her nose, she answered, “Yeah?”
“You okay, sweetie?” her mother asked.
“I’m okay, Mom. I’ll be out in a minute,” she answered.
“Okay. It’s safe to come out. Your dad went to see what’s going on, too,” Liane said.
“Haa. Figures,” Karisma said. This retelling of what happened would work on Sierra and Valerie, no doubt, and probably her mother, but her father—he was an entirely different story. It wouldn’t be easy to pull it off, he was an eagle-eyed enforcer.
***
Karisma walked into the hallway to where Vaughn was standing and he immediately wrapped his arms around her. “It shouldn’t be too much longer, baby girl. They took the body out, already. Your boyfriend’s in there running things. I stepped out to get a smoke.”
“Thought you were trying to stop?”
“Between Tessa and this, it isn’t the time,” he grumbled.
“You are going to try again, right?”
“Of course I am,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “Don’t worry about that right now.”
“Paolo’s a good man, Daddy. He treats me well. He’s not after my money. I know that’s what you think.”
Vaughn stated bluntly, “He wouldn’t be the first who was, you know. Did you see his financials?”
“Ah, don’t be crude, Daddy. And thanks for thinking that someone would only be interested in me for my money,” she replied accusingly.
“You just have to be careful about who you trust. Men want one thing first, and then they want money,” he said.