Smith rolled her eyes. "I should have guessed. You're as bad as him."
"But I'm helping you put him away so... looks like we're on the same team," I finished brightly. "And I really want to expose what he did to Chucky."
Smith's face softened. "We can work something out. And Shayne," she added as she stepped past us, her grip firm on Richard's upper arm.
"Yes?" I asked, waiting for a quote. Where was a notepad and pen when a reporter needed one?
"Be careful. You're a good reporter and I admire your tenacity in not giving up on this story, but I might not be around to save you next time."
"What makes you think there will be a next time?"
She laughed. "Oh, there will be a next time." Then she gave Richard a push, and followed him, silent to his moaning as she guided him out of the house, leaving us alone except for the gathering police.
"Detective Smith is one hell of a woman, especially after everything she's been though," said Ben. He rose to his feet and I helped him, steadying him when he stumbled, dizzily. He leaned against me, his body heat warming me. I didn't realize how cold I'd become.
"Shooting a murderer is pretty shocking."
"No, I meant what she's been through. I really admire her staying on the force. Not everyone would have done that after what she must have endured. I wrote her story last year."
I leaned away, frowning at him. "What are you talking about?"
"Her husband was shot while on duty. He saved two kids in an armed robbery and took the bullets that would’ve killed them."
"Wow. He sounds like an amazing guy."
"Apparently, he was."
"Was?" I stopped, forcing Ben to stop with me.
"Was," confirmed Ben as my realization caught up. "I think this was her first case since returning to the force."
"Then I'm glad she gets the credit," I told him, squeezing his hand. "She deserves it."
"So do you," said Ben, kissing me again.
Chapter Twenty-Four
"This is the life!" I sighed before refilling my glass with Sangria. I was relaxing on the brand new sun lounge. Beside me, Jenna raised her glass and clinked it against mine.
"Your complex is so lovely," she said, casting an eye around the trimmed and refreshed communal area surrounding the pool. "And the pool is just terrific!"
I had to nod in agreement. The ambience at the apartments was truly amazing. The foliage was fully pruned, the pool repaired and refilled, the floor swept regularly and new tubs were planted with pretty flowers. Okay, so it wasn't quite what they offered when I signed the lease, but I had to admit Mike was doing a great job. He was officially offered the job of Building Manager after his grandfather passed on.
"I don't even mind that you invited my arch nemesis," Jenna continued.
"Hmph," grunted said arch nemesis. Detective Smith raised her sunglasses and fixed Jenna with a hard stare that she couldn't quite hold. "I never believed you were a murderer," she said.
"Thanks, Detective."
"Again. Ashleigh. Please."
"More drinks?" asked the shadow that fell over me. I looked up, squinting, to see Mike hovering over me with a grin. He stepped to the side and crouched down beside the lounge. "Ice? Or perhaps a fresh application of sun lotion?"
"You already asked me that three times. The answer is still no." I couldn't help smiling at his persistence. I didn't think he found me at all attractive, but there were times when I could only wonder at the purpose of his persistent flirting. Not that the flirting ever stopped since officially becoming friends. That moment happened when he picked me up from the hospital where Ashleigh sent Ben and me after our run-in with Richard.
He grinned, apparently expecting my refusal. "I'll break you eventually," he told me. "One day, all this could be yours." He waved a hand over his torso and winked.
"Do you want me to arrest him?" asked Ashleigh. "As your friend, I can do that, with no questions asked."
Mike diverted his gaze to my new buddy. "Do you have a pair of handcuffs?"
"Is he always like this?" she asked, leaning toward me, as if he couldn't hear her.
I nodded and rolled my eyes. "Always."
"Then I withdraw my offer to arrest him. I’ll save the handcuffs for the really bad ones."
"I can be very, very bad," countered Mike, proffering his wrists and looking hopeful. When she laughed and rose from her lounge, slipping into the pool, he took a moment to appreciate her long, lithe body in the white swimsuit before looking at me again. "Thank you," he said, kneeling beside me, his voice low.
"For bringing attractive women to the pool?"
"That, sure, and for the job," he said softly. "I have free rent and can concentrate on my career so long as I maintain the building and ensure the tenants don't wreck it. It means a lot that you did that for me."
I shrugged, trying to look as nonchalant as I could in a tropical two-piece. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Apparently, someone spoke to the building owner after my grandpa died and told them they'd better not even think about hiring anyone else. Not when I was the best thing to happen to the building since it was built, and also that the eye candy was much needed."
"I really don't think anyone said anything like that," I told him, frowning. I did speak to them, that was true, but I didn't exactly strong-arm them. I just pointed out the building was a lot nicer with Mike in charge and I believed he should be at the top of the candidate list. I definitely didn't say anything about calling him eye candy.
"They said you practically pleaded with them to keep me. I think you have the hots for me. I can understand it. I would if I were you too. And thank you for the oranges. I know you’re the one who keeps leaving them outside my apartment. Consider yourself forgiven for taking my last one and throwing it away." Mike got up and strolled off before I could push him into the pool, which was a shame. I would have really enjoyed that. It would have made me even happier than knowing how happy he was about the job.
"He is hot," said Jenna, watching him walk away. "Ridiculously hot. What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me? You have a boyfriend!"
"I know and he's wonderful, but I'm not blind. I'm looking on your behalf just in case Mr. Hotshot Reporter doesn't work out."
"Mike said he would never date me, not that I even asked," I told her.
"What? He really said that?"
I nodded. "He said my taste in men is really bad. And after I dated an infomercial producer, a married guy, and a man who kills people, he just couldn't see it with us. He would forever worry what could be wrong with him."
"You know he's lying, right?" said Jenna.
"Plus, I really like Ben," I added, smiling at the thought of him. So much for my anger at him “stealing” my job. Ben turned out to be a pretty great guy.
"Speaking of whom, I think he just walked in." We both turned and gawked at Ben. Wearing simple, pale tan chinos and a blue shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, he looked like he just stepped off a runway. Thankfully, his bruises had faded, but the cut left a small scar over his eyebrow. "He just gets better and better, doesn't he?"
"Yep," I said, worried I was salivating too heavily. Since Ben rescued me, and I rescued him, then Ashleigh rescued us both, I saw him in a whole new light and a very favorable one. Sure, I always found him annoyingly handsome, but now I was getting to know him, I found him devastatingly handsome and endlessly interesting. It was a shame we didn't get to know each other under different circumstances, but we both rose above our initial miscommunication to concentrate on knowing each other better now. I was so excited to see him at my first party with my newest LA friends, and not just because he was holding a folded newspaper aloft.
"Is that what I think it is?" I yelled, jumping off the lounge and hurrying towards him. He paused and nodded, smiling. "You guys, it's here!" I called over my shoulder.
Ben watched me walk barefooted towards him, his smile widening the clo
ser I got. For a moment, I forgot I was wearing a teeny, two-piece, but the way Ben looked at me made me think he was pretty happy about it. Both he and Mike, who wolf-whistled before his attention was quickly lost as he turned to ogle Ashleigh when she climbed, dripping wet, out of the pool, seemed to appreciate my swimsuit.
"I forgot my swim shorts," Ben said, leaning in to kiss my cheeks.
"Skinny-dipping is cool here," replied Mike before he blanched and pulled a face. "Dude, not into you. Just saying. Girls, skinny-dipping, cool... That's the rule." He trailed off as Ashleigh walked towards us, all conversation and smart remarks disappearing while he gazed at her. Ashleigh narrowed her eyes at Mike and walked right past him.
"Noted," replied Ben without taking his eyes off me. "You want to see what the headline says?" he asked, holding the newspaper just out of my reach. I thought about jumping for it, but I didn't want Ben's eyes to fall out with the ensuing bouncing. I was pretty sure Mike's eyes were already falling out, and I couldn't blame him. Ashleigh looked sensational and about as far from cop-like as she could be. She should have been a swimsuit model. I would definitely buy whatever she wore.
"Please don't keep me in suspense," I pleaded, diverting my attention to what I'd been waiting for.
"'Child Star Killed by Jealous Sidekick'" read Ben, "An exclusive by Chronicle Reporter, Shayne Winter."
"Show me!" I squealed as he dropped the newspaper into my hands. I unfolded it, staring breathlessly at the headline with my photo byline. "I'm front page!"
"You deserve it," said Jenna, joining us as we scanned the copy. "That is a terrific photo of Chucky and Daisy. They looked so happy. She wanted me to thank you."
I paled, realizing how rude my celebration was when her brother was the reason for my headline. "I am so..." I began, but she held up a hand.
"Don't even think of apologizing. If it weren't for you, the real story behind Chucky's death might never have been discovered. I am so beyond grateful."
"And if it weren't for you, I might never have looked twice at Chucky's case," added Ashleigh. "You made sure this guy didn't get away. My captain was ready to shut the file."
"And Bob was going to write Chucky off as an ordinary obituary," said Ben.
Mike stepped forwards. "I have nothing to add," he said. "I played no part in any of this."
"That's true," I told them, "He was no use at all."
"But I'm still part of the gang, right?" He looked at all of us, his final glance fixing on Ashleigh again.
She waved her hand. "Eyes up here, buddy."
"I know," said Mike, without diverting his gaze.
"It's a good thing you're so gorgeous," said Ashleigh, "or I'd put you in a jail cell and throw away the key."
"So, the gang?" he said, putting his hand forward. For a moment, I had no idea what he was doing, then Jenna placed her hand on top of his, and Ashleigh placed hers on top of theirs. Ben shrugged and added his hand. They all looked at me.
"A proper gang has a name," I told them. "We don't have one."
"How about the Orphans Club?" suggested Jenna. "We, none of us, have parents anymore."
"That's miserable," said Mike. "And I do have a parent somewhere. I think. Not entirely sure." He shrugged as if he didn't care, but not before I saw the dark look that flashed across his face, only to disappear seconds later.
"My parents live in Pasadena," said Ashleigh. "But being a widow sucks."
"Orphans Club sounds good to me," said Ben. "It's very exclusive. Only the very best people belong."
"And Mike," said Ashleigh.
"Is that the sympathy vote?" Mike wondered.
"No, you brought the Sangria and it clouded my judgment."
"Orphans Club works for me," I decided, placing my hand over theirs. "To the Orphans Club. To saving the day. To..." I trailed off, searching for something else appropriate.
"To making sure the evil sidekick never gets away?" suggested Ben.
"To making sure the bad guy never wins," I corrected.
"To making sure the bad guy never wins," chorused our newfound club as we threw our hands into the air before we dispersed again. Mike drifted over to my vacated lounge, Jenna and Ashleigh to theirs, leaving Ben and me standing alone.
"You know what this means, right?" said Ben.
I looked up at him, a smile spreading across my face. Of course, I knew what this meant. "I've made it in Tinseltown? I'm an ace reporter and I'm going to get better stories?"
"It means Bob just tripled your workload. Gabi isn't returning from maternity leave so the entertainment column is all yours indefinitely, and no one else wants obituaries. Now you've got a share of the investigative reporting too."
As far as compromises went, I could take that. I found the obituaries could be interesting, and who knew what deaths might not be quite what they seemed? As for the entertainment reporting, I found it a lot more entertaining than I envisaged. I could do them both in between searching for the stories with serious potential. "And a pay raise?" I wondered out loud.
"You know what else you got?" Ben asked, stepping closer.
My heart thumped a beat faster. "Yes?"
"You got the guy too." He leaned in, his lips alighting on mine as he wrapped his arms around me.
I hugged my arms around his neck, tugging him closer as I stepped closer to him, relishing the cool cotton against my sun-damp flesh. "I did, didn't I?"
"You know what else?"
"Tell me," I whispered.
"I heard about a murder in Burbank. Want in?"
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