“I will.”
They went their separate ways; Tierney turned to watch Travers go.
“He’s the closest thing to a father I’ve ever had.”
“That’s rough. My old man was the affectionate type, made me feel like I was the center of his universe. My mom was the same way. When they died I thought something was wrong with the whole deal. I thought I should be dead if they were. Took me years to get over that feeling.”
“I don’t like my parents. I honestly never believed they ever loved me. People shouldn’t have kids if they’re not willing to nurture them. They should give them to somebody who cares.”
He put an arm about her shoulders. “No use fretting about the past, Tierney. I’ve wallowed in that cesspool myself. We need a clean, fresh start!”
“Yeah, we do. But we have some business to settle first. Are you game, Kiel?”
“Whatever you say, baby. This is your territory. I’m a rookie.”
“And I’m the pro? Ha! I’ve been called worse.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I know. I was only joking. I was thinking we should head to my retreat up in Santa Barbara. It’s a dreamy place. We can flesh out our plans there … and I can slip into some of my own clothes. This black nightgown is making me stick out like Lady Gaga in a church choir!”
“Lady who?”
“Wow, you are out of the loop! Come on!”
She started to run towards a taxi parked at the marina clubhouse. He followed her, admiring the way her round butt jiggled with every barefooted step.
***
Tierney’s retreat was an ultra-modern beach house with sleek wood floors, glass walls and a flat, metal roof. Inside she had decorated it in a minimalist, rather Asian style; the furniture sturdy, functional yet very artistic. The seating was lean but comfortable. Kiel sank into a black leather sofa; put up his sore feet and closed his eyes.
“A man could get used to this too easily. You know what Travers said, ‘keep him on the straight and narrow’.”
“And what does that mean, anyway? You’re rich too. You’re already used to this lifestyle.”
“Not really; most of the time I live on my boat. Before that I had a simple Cape Cod in Virginia, where I lived with Jeri. I rarely visited the hacienda, it reminded me too much of my folks.”
Tierney sat down beside him; handed him an imported beer. He frowned at it, sipped it, set it on a glass coffee table.
“Tell me about her. Was she beautiful?”
“Sure. Like an angel. And her heart was good. She wasn’t callous towards one soul, no matter how they treated her.”
“You think I’m callous, towards my parents?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But you think it.”
“I get that you have this idea about them, how they are, who they are. But people just need a second chance sometimes, to prove they’re worth knowing.”
“But what if it was them that hired those goons to kill me?”
“Why would they, Tierney? Be logical.”
“I don’t have to be logical. I follow my instincts, and they say I can’t trust them. I’m going to take a shower. Want to join me?”
She threw off the black nightgown, headed bare to the glass shower in the bedroom’s en suite bath. He shed his clothes, chased her in.
The water was gloriously warm and soothing, erasing the tension and fatigue from their muscles. Kiel soaped her up with a heavenly lavender bath gel; the scent invigorating and soothing at the same time. They were both slick as the glass – their bodies slipping against each other, working up a devilish friction. She rinsed him down with a showerhead then went at him like a starved cannibal, nibbling, biting, devouring. He had to grab the door handle to keep from falling as her actions carried him off to a higher plane. He grunted and hissed and growled and begged for more. But before she could finish he lifted her, wrapped her soapy hips around his and thrust into her sharp and deep. Tierney gasped, then settled into his rhythm, impaling herself gladly on him. Her breasts ached for touching. She began to massage them, knowing what the sight of that would do to him. He watched her, his eyes on fire. He caught one nipple in his mouth then the other, going back and forth until she was about to burst.
“Now,” she whispered hoarsely, “don’t wait.”
He covered her mouth with his own, his tongue echoing the moves of their hips. Finally they both hit the sky, quivering so hard it seemed like the whole world was moving with them.
***
“So, do you think my plan will work?” Tierney asked as she and Kiel wolfed down a pair of Spanish omelets in the all white kitchen of her beach house.
“I don’t know. It’s tricky. Live TV and all that. Do you think this guy Weathering will go for it?”
“He’ll go for anything that’ll get big ratings … and this will!”
“But what if he’s the bad guy?”
“Then he’ll find some way to pin it on someone else. But he won’t refuse to air the show. Believe me, I know him. He gets off on high numbers!”
“Let’s do it then!”
She smiled, reached for a phone.
***
It didn’t take long to get everyone together once they heard Tierney’s voice and were convinced that she was alive. And Weathering set up a live web broadcast for that evening, getting the word out to fans on Tierney’s website and Facebook page.
Kiel, wearing some hot designer threads and a pair of sexy sunglasses eased a rented silver Jaguar into the studio parking lot and escorted Tierney past the waves of paparazzi. She looked like a divine scamp in a low cut red mini-dress and matching stilettos, her hair wound up like an ice cream cone atop her regal head. Her make-up was perfection, her attitude outwardly snarky but inside she was shivering, fearful, unsure of her plan and every other thing – except Kiel. He was the one solid, unwavering certainty in her life.
The suspects were gathered on a set built for a local talk show that Weathering produced. When Tierney walked in, Kiel examined every face in the room, could see that Aram and Betsy were overwhelmed with joy.
“Look at your parents. Still don’t think you can trust them?”
She cast a quick glance their way as they rushed towards her. Betsy swaddled her in nervous arms while Aram cleared his throat a dozen times and kept saying how good it was to have her there. Tierney was a bit overwhelmed herself but she had to play it cool.
“We’ll talk after the show,” she assured them.
“Tierney, I know it isn’t the time for this,” her mother began, “but we want to say we love you. We tried to say it before in all the wrong ways. I only hope you’ll give us the chance to prove it to you.”
“Yes, we … we do love you, girl. I’m sorry I was so self-absorbed. But I guess I took my cue from my own dad. I should’ve realized I’d wind up as much an ass as he was if I emulated him.”
Tierney sucked in a deep breath, trying hard to quell an urge to sob.
“Like I said, we’ll talk later. I want you to meet Kiel.”
“Who?”
“She means me.” He stepped forward. Betsy Evans perked up.
“And who are you?”
“I’m Tierney’s fiancé.”
He shook her hand; she smiled, a bit breathless.
“Tierney, your taste has improved immeasurably.”
The cameras were already rolling, had been since Tierney entered the studio. Bill Weathering was standing in the corner, salivating. Dennis Evans was nearby, his eyes twitching with hate as he watched his parents fawning over Tierney. Bodey Gillette was helming the main camera; he couldn’t take it, or his own gaze, off of her.
“I am Tierney’s fiancé!” Istvan Rader shouted as he strutted across the set.
“You are not!” Tierney countered. “Did you ever propose?”
“It was my intention. You know that. I was only waiting for the proper time.”
“Well, I’m sorry, but that time passed
like six months ago.”
“How can you say that, Tierney, after all we have meant to each other?” He meandered towards the camera. “You are breaking my heart.”
Dr. Lenz, a fat, balding man in a sweaty dark blue suit, stepped over to referee.
“That’s good, Istvan, get those feelings out into the open. Let Tierney know exactly what her actions are doing to you.”
Istvan actually brought tears into his eyes. Tierney was embarrassed, but knew they were false. He had become as good as a soap opera veteran at wringing out his emotions for the camera.
“Oh, for God’s sake! You’re not winning any points or sympathy with that act.”
“It isn’t an act,” Dr. Lenz announced. “I’ve had Istvan in therapy for hours, Tierney. He was despondent and near suicidal after hearing about your supposed death. I had to prescribe several drugs to get him to an acceptable level of calm.”
“Yeah, most of those drugs will just make him more suicidal. You are a creep, Dr. Lenz!”
She turned her back to them. Kiel smiled his approval.
Ernie Saunders and his wife Lu Jiang, showed up at the door. The guard wouldn’t let them in until Tierney waved him away.
“Ernie! What are you guys doing here?”
“We got an invite from the producer! Man, I’m glad to see you!”
He squeezed her tight; Lu Jiang put on a fake smile but Kiel was watching her, nodding to himself. Plainly, she didn’t like Tierney touching her man.
“I’m happy you both are here. I’m going to need some more support to get through this thing.”
“Going to be like the final scene in a Poirot mystery, eh?”
“Maybe. But I’m not clever like him. Could you help? You were into those stories in school.”
“Sure, what can I do?”
“Watch everyone carefully, and tell me who has the most hatred for me.”
“I can tell you that right now, sis. It’s Dennis.”
“Hmm, just what I was thinking.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions, Tierney.” Kiel glanced round at the suspects. “I’ve got some old buddies doing a bit of digging. They’re going to call me if they find anything interesting.”
“When did you talk to them?”
“This morning, while you were trying on dresses.”
“Oh. Well I hope they come up with something soon. I’m not sure how to proceed.”
“Follow your plan.”
“It seems a lot harder to do that now, with everybody, and the cameras, staring at me. Kiel, I keep worrying about those Questor people. Do you think they’re watching us?”
“Baby, they’ve been on our tails since we hit the marina! I even spied a couple of them near your beach house.”
“Oh, God, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t see any point in scaring you. But don’t let them affect what you’re doing. Take control of the cameras and do what you do best!”
“Kind of a dubious compliment, I have to say. But … here goes!” She began to pace, clicking her heels on the hard linoleum floor. Then she started talking, loud. “I came back to LA, and gathered all these people together, for one purpose … to find out who wants me dead, and why. I will admit to all of you that I’ve never been one to back away from any experience, good or bad. Maybe I’ve stepped on a few toes, or egos, on my journey. Most everyone does. It can’t be helped. But I never did one thing out of spite or sheer meanness. If I have haters, fine, that comes with the territory.” She took a deep breath, avoiding the others’ eyes. “But this vendetta against me has to stop. I don’t want innocent bystanders getting hurt. So … I’m going to weed out my would-be killer here, today.” Gasps and sighs echoed round the room. “One by one, I will talk to you, and let you air your grievances …”
Dennis headed for the exit. “I am not about to be interrogated by you on camera, or anywhere else!”
Kiel barred his way. “Step back, brother, nobody’s getting out here until we find the culprit.”
Dennis stared up at Kiel; tried acting macho but saw it was futile and rejoined the group.
“Let’s start with you, Denny,” Tierney decided as she strode towards him. “You hate me, anyone can see that. But why?”
“I am not playing this game.”
“Well, I’ll play it for you, boy!” Aram Evans shouted. He stepped closer to them both. “Dennis was our first born, and a son, so naturally, we made him feel entitled to have everything a wealthy man’s boy could want. We doted on him, indulged him; spoiled him. You came along and we split our attentions in two. Dennis was conditioned to be the sun in our universe, so he couldn’t handle life in the shade. I could see the hatred building in him, so could Betsy, but we chose to ignore it. Maybe if we had talked to him, to show him, and you, how much we truly loved you both …”
“Would that have changed things, Tierney?” Betsy asked with wet eyes.
“It would have, for me. Dennis?”
“I told you, I am not playing your game!” He was stiff, but shaking, tears near bursting. He seemed like a lost little boy begging silently to be found.
Tierney suddenly felt extremely embarrassed and sad. This shouldn’t have been happening on a live broadcast – they should be alone at their parents’ house, just the four of them, working their feelings out in private.
She breathed in, strengthened her resolve. “There are other suspects. Istvan, your father was a demolition expert. He could have trained you to make bombs.”
“You know he didn’t! I told you how my father would have nothing to do with me once I started practicing the piano! He thought I was a weak, effeminate fool. I would never intentionally hurt you, Tierney. Sure, I threw a vodka glass at you, but I was drunk, I didn’t know what I was doing. I love you.”
Kiel’s eyes flared at the mention of the vodka glass. Tierney shrugged. “You love my father’s money. Admit it, Istvan.”
He glanced solemnly at the camera. “I will admit I like the lifestyle it affords me, but I would still love you, if you were poor. Besides, I have a new deal to star in my own reality show …” Weathering tried to shush him, unsuccessfully, “don’t worry, she won’t care.”
“What’s it going to be called?”
“The title will be Istvan: Playing For Keeps, it’s kind of like The Bachelor.”
“And just when did you and Bill Weathering dream this up?”
“It has been on the table for weeks. I knew you wouldn’t marry me. And I need a wife to stay in America, so I proposed the show idea to Bill and he agreed.”
“And you hired two goons to kill me so I couldn’t ruin the deal?”
“No, no, I swear! I would never hurt you!”
“Then maybe it was Bill that hired the killers. Were my ratings failing, Bill? So you decided to get me out of the way and give Istvan a new show?”
Weathering reluctantly appeared in front of the camera. “It never crossed my mind, darling. You are my favorite star. But why don’t you ask Bodey if it was him that hired the killers? He’s real good with explosives. I had him work up a bunch of blasts for a sci-fi movie I’m producing. And I know how he feels about you. I heard him say he’d never let you marry Istvan, or any other man but him.”
“Bodey, you got an answer for that?”
There was silence behind the camera.
Kiel’s phone chirped; he flipped it open; withdrew to a dark corner. Tierney watched him; began to pace again.
“This is getting us nowhere. Apparently I have ruffled a lot of feathers. But I never meant to harm anyone. I’m no saint, but I’m no devil, either.” She looked into the camera lens. “We are all good, and we are all bad. Why can’t we accept that fact about each other and move on?”
Kiel motioned for her to come towards him. Then he directed the security guards to shield the exits.
“What’s up?” she whispered.
“Bear with me, Tierney. I’m afraid you’re not going to like what I’m about to do.” He
kissed her then headed for the circle of suspects. “Lu Jiang, you work as a wardrobe supervisor at CBS, is that right?”
“Yes.”
“And you have access to all sorts of costumes, is that correct?”
“I suppose so. I dress the actors in a popular crime series.”
“So you would easily be able to borrow, shall we say, a couple of FBI suits with fake badges?”
“No, I wouldn’t. The studio would fire me if I stole from them.”
“What are you getting at, Fortune?” Ernie stepped forward, physically protecting his wife from Kiel’s stony glare.
“Yeah, Kiel, you don’t suspect Lu?”
“I never said I did, Tierney. I’m just asking questions.”
“Well, I don’t like the tone of your questions,” Ernie spat. “Lu couldn’t hurt a flea.”
“Fine. But what about you?”
“Me?” Ernie laughed, nervous.
“Do you visit your wife at the studio wardrobe department?”
“Of course not. Why would I?”
Lu Jiang seemed upset.
“Do you disagree, Mrs. Saunders?”
“He probably forgot, but Ernie did visit me several times in the wardrobe department last month. Once, he was locked in there, by mistake. Don’t you remember, honey?”
“Oh, sure, it was awhile ago so I guess I did forget.”
“It wasn’t that long ago. Saunders, did you take those suits and badges?”
“I did not! Tierney probably told you I was the one who was suspicious of those fake FBI guys in the first place.”
“That’s true, Kiel.” Tierney came close; wrapped her arm around his.
“She told me. She also told me how those same two jerks showed up at Travers’ yacht, way out in the ocean, not long after she talked to you.”
“Anybody could have let them know where she was … her parents, her brother … he’s your best suspect. He was always jealous of Tierney.”
“Ah, but you see … she didn’t tell him where she was, or her parents, or anyone else … just you! She thought you were the only one she could trust. But as it turns out … YOU are the only one she can’t trust!”
“Kiel, no!” Tierney cried.
Kissing Fortune (Man Season) Page 5