by Lucy Score
His phone vibrated again with a text message from one of his men.
NSS.
It was Invictus speak for “no sign of subject.” Xavier had the utmost faith in his team and their preparation. He knew exactly where the crowd would be, where the exits were located, and what to expect once they were inside the theatre. He’d arranged for a second car and driver to be waiting at a side entrance as Plan B. Event security was on the lookout for Ganim and the seven other problem suspects on the “unfriendly” list.
They were ready for Ganim, and perhaps tonight they would get lucky.
Now that the cops were interested in the case, Ganim would be taken into custody if he was detained by Xavier’s team or event security. He hoped it would be that easy, but his gut told him otherwise.
The man may be crazy, but he wasn’t stupid. Every movement he made in L.A. had been carefully cloaked except when trying to get Waverly’s attention.
The noise outside the car grew louder as the limo edged past crowds lining the sidewalk. They were still two blocks away from the theater, and the crowd outside couldn’t know who was in the limo, but it didn’t matter. Their enthusiasm overrode everything else.
Both sides of the street on the theatre’s block were lined with waist-high metal fencing that served as a barricade. Cops walked the block directing traffic and keeping spectators on the sidewalks.
The theatre appeared on their left, and as the limo rolled to a stop, the crowd outside grew raucous. Waverly was still rubbing the coin between her fingers and staring as if unseeing out the window.
“Geez, they don’t even know you’re in here yet,” Kate grumbled. “They’d probably go nuts no matter who got out of the car. ‘Ohmigod! It’s Mr. Potato Head. Let’s get his autograph and maybe rip off his nose for a souvenir!’”
Kate’s snarky humor dragged Waverly from her fog, and Xavier watched her eyes refocus on the interior of the limo as if she was seeing it for the first time.
“You ready to go be adored by hoards?” Kate asked her.
Waverly shot her a bright smile that wasn’t fooling anyone. “Let’s do it. Oh, and I’m thinking pizza or fried chicken for late night.”
“If you’re a good girl, I’ll get you both,” Kate promised. “So recap. As soon as that door opens, you’ve got four minutes with the crowd to give our buddy Saint here a heart attack. Then we drag you away from your adoring fans, across the street to the holding area. We’ll meet up with your parents, run the first half of the gauntlet, and then dump the ‘rents and trade them for Liam and his wife.”
Waverly gave a nod. “I’m ready. Just point me in the direction of my loving admirers.”
She looked steadier than she had. Her color was up, and there was light in her eyes. But Xavier wasn’t sure if it was excitement or fear. Or both.
Xavier exited first, nodding at the guard who opened the door. They made room for Waverly on the street, and when she stepped out, the crowd behind the barrier went wild.
People were screaming her name. Flashes from cameras and cell phones lit up the evening like lightning. Xavier didn’t like how charged the crowd was already, and it only heightened when they realized she was coming their way.
Their little entourage picked up another guard and two cops. Xavier kept his left hand on the small of Waverly’s back and walked her right up to the crowd. He had a surreal moment where he felt like he was dangling a tasty morsel in front of a starving dog and expecting to pull back with all his fingers intact.
The noise was so deafening, Waverly could do nothing but smile at those she greeted, their comments, questions, and requests lost under the din.
“Waverly!”
Her name was shouted from all directions. She began with a pair of giddy teenage girls, signing the publicity headshot that the one with braces handed over. She obliged them with a selfie that brought tears of hysteria to the teens and then moved down the line. People shoved pictures and magazines at her to sign. Cell phones recorded her every move. From the third row a middle-aged giant with the collar popped on his lime green polo clutched a fistful of pictures.
Hulking over the crowd, he shoved them in front of her, and as soon as Waverly signed one, he shuffled it to the bottom of the stack and followed her down the line, leaning in again with a fresh picture.
Xavier let him do it twice until the man elbowed a woman holding her young daughter in the face. He took the marker and tossed it over his shoulder. “No more,” he told him and moved Waverly down the line. When the man protested, one of the cops stepped in and gave him the option to calm down or leave.
Kate hovered at Waverly’s elbow acting as photographer for fans and ready with a metallic marker if it was needed. Waverly scrawled her signature on just about anything that was shoved in front of her. Until some smartass in a backward trucker hat held out a grainy copy of one of the topless shots.
Kate snatched it out of the guy’s hand. “Real funny, asshole.”
Trucker Hat didn’t think it was so funny now that his picture had been confiscated. He charged the barrier, reaching toward Kate. Xavier grabbed his arm and held it in a crushing grip.
“Stay behind the barrier, sir,” the cop behind him shouted and the crowd turned their cell phones to capture the scuffle. Trucker Hat backed down quickly, but the crowd was even more amped. A woman with a mousy brown perm and a kitten sweatshirt vied for Waverly’s attention by grabbing her arm and holding it in a death grip. Xavier couldn’t hear what she was saying. Judging from the woman’s animated expression, it could have been praise for a movie or some kind of political rant. Or maybe she was just rattling off the list of names of her cats.
Either way, Xavier had had enough.
“Enough,” Xavier said, shaking his head at Kate. “Let’s get her out of here before someone rips her hair out as a souvenir.” He separated Waverly from her rabid fan who was still yelling something. The rest of the entourage closed ranks around them and Xavier guided them back across the street to boos from the crowd.
“Well, that was fun,” Kate said, hustling to keep up. “Did you see X Factor put the kibosh on eBay Eddie?”
Waverly gave him a weak grin and winked.
They reached the relative safety of the other side of the street and the opening of the large tent that served as a holding area for the red carpet walkers. Xavier thanked the cops and guard for their help and was surprised when Waverly took the time to do the same. She shook each of their hands, asked their names, and thanked them. Waverly also scrawled a quick autograph and delivered it with a wink to Officer Kinnekut who claimed his wife was a huge fan. But Xavier judged by the star-struck expression on the man’s face the autograph would never make it home to the missus.
Kate discreetly tapped her wrist signaling that it was time to move on. Xavier stepped in and whisked Waverly into the tent. Inside, it was a different kind of excitement.
Here, celebrities and their guests were corralled and released in a controlled trickle down the red carpet to ensure a steady flow of traffic for the photographers and reporters. Before their release into the wild of the carpet, stylists fluffed and dabbed, assistants snapped “candid” shots of their clients for Instagram and Twitter, and agents shooed their charges away from the complimentary pizza that had the potential to ruin a ten thousand dollar designer gown.
The excitement ratcheted up another notch when the inhabitants of the tent realized that Waverly was with them. She was immediately surrounded by well-wishers both sincere and fake.
Xavier stayed close and spotted Big Mike Mahoney a few paces away, maintaining a discreet distance from the soap actor he protected. The actor, as Xavier discovered in yesterday’s event security briefing, had a little trouble with a fan who was convinced his character was real and that she was pregnant with his love child.
Big Mike gave Xavier a nod, and Xavier threw him a mock salute. They’d run into each other at similar events in the past. It was impossi
ble to miss the man when he towered head and shoulders over the rest of the crowd.
He took a moment to report to his team and let them know that Waverly was on schedule and in the holding tent. Everyone checked in with all clears in their respective areas, and Xavier began to wonder if Ganim wasn’t ready to make his move tonight.
Gwendolyn weaved her way through the crowd to Waverly’s side and air kissed her on both cheeks. “You look incredible. Any incidents I need to be aware of?” she asked.
“You missed Saint here almost lay out a lady in a cat shirt,” Kate said helpfully.
“I thought she might have rabies,” Xavier quipped, and Waverly laughed.
Gwendolyn ran her gaze over Xavier and gave him a feline smile. “Well, I’m sure I’ll enjoy the video of that later. I’m going to collect your parents. Phil’s babysitting them right now. See you on the carpet.” With one last look at Xavier, she disappeared back into the fray.
Waverly excused herself from a conversation and leaned in. “You did well,” she said, patting him on the arm. “The crowd signings are the worst part of things for security. They can be really unpredictable.”
“Then why do it?” he asked. God knew his heart rate would be a little more under control without worrying the entire crowd was going to jump the barrier and tear Waverly into tiny souvenirs of flesh.
Kate guffawed. “If Wave skipped the crowd, her mom would do something even more camera worthy like forcing a nip slip on camera or something.”
Xavier didn’t think she was joking.
“Any sightings of… him?” Waverly asked in a whisper.
Xavier shook his head. “All clear.”
He let her go back to her friends and fans with a reassuring nod. “It’s all good, Angel.”
The accolades came in left and right—well wishes for the movie, compliments on the dress—and while the delivery was slightly different, Xavier got the same vibe as outside. Everyone wanted a piece of her.
“Your parents are here,” Kate said, looking up from her phone. “I’m going to meet them.” She teetered off on her heels.
She returned a few moments later with Sylvia, Robert, and Phil in tow. The crowd around Waverly parted for the family reunion. “Darling! You’re absolute perfection,” Sylvia crowed as she leaned in for another round of air kisses. Xavier caught a whiff of her floral perfume.
Cameras snapped left and right, capturing the moment. Robert stepped in and gave Waverly a kiss on the top of the head. “You look wonderful, sweetheart.” They made a picture, the three of them. Robert, debonair with a deep tan and his impeccable tux. Sylvia in the glittering gold gown that clung to her tiny figure. And Waverly, the picture of youth and vitality, glowing like the star she was in the middle of it all.
She made him catch his breath.
Robert put an arm around each of them. “My two beautiful girls,” he crooned, and the crowd took it as an invitation to snap away. Everyone had a cell phone in hand to record the beautiful family.
“I heard there was an incident with the crowd.” Sylvia’s eyes glittered. “I hope someone got it on video.”
“Waverly’s fine, by the way,” Xavier announced coolly.
“Of course she is. Why wouldn’t she be?” Sylvia giggled as if he’d made a joke. “Darling! How wonderful to see you!” And just like that, their little circle opened up to include the crowd. All three Sinners were pulled in different directions. Xavier stuck with Waverly as she kiss-kissed and smiled and selfied her way through the tent. She made it look easy, natural. Waverly paused and introduced him when appropriate, giving Invictus a little bump each time. He was careful to maintain the line between security and guest, knowing that every impression was a reflection on Invictus.
She knew nearly everyone, had a grasp of names and faces, and remembered little tidbits of information about each person. She would have made a great diplomat, he thought.
Richard, an executive from Breitling Studios was a secret violin maestro. Tilda with her short red hair had starred in a popular nineties TV comedy and was slated to guest star in the reboot that fall with her niece.
He watched Kate expertly juggle the Sinners and their industry following, constantly maintaining forward progress toward the front of the tent.
Finally, their little group was on deck for release onto the carpet. The Sinners each checked their reflections in the hand mirror that Kate produced from the depths of her bag. They smoothed hairs, blotted, puckered. And, with the final prep behind them, were presented to the carpet.
The pit of photographers was every bit the hell Xavier had predicted it to be. Hairy guys in t-shirts and ball caps clamored for the Sinners to look this way and that. “Now just mother daughter.” “Now just Waverly.” Snap. Snap. Snap.
It was like watching a solar system of stars explode at the same time.
Xavier waited just off camera with Kate while Waverly turned this way and that, smiled here and then there. One of the photographers made a move to lean over the barrier hidden behind printed movie graphics for The Dedication. “Remember me, cupcake?”
Xavier rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses. Douchebag Joe had decided to make an appearance. Despite being physically hindered by the sling, his personality was still in full noxious power.
“Hey! Remember me, Waverly? You too good to look at your old pal?” Joe leaned precariously over the barrier.
Xavier took a step closer. “Just give me a reason,” he muttered under his breath.
Waverly continued to smile and pose as if Douchebag Joe didn’t exist in her universe.
Which didn’t go over well with the photographer. “Hey! Fuck you anyway! I’m sending your stupid ass my medical bills, ya fuckin’ bitch.”
Xavier stepped up just as two event security guys appeared.
“We’re going to have to ask you to leave,” said the one built like a brick shit house.
“That’s bullshit,” Douchebag Joe screeched. “This is freedom of the press!”
He leaned all the way over the barricade trying to shoot around Xavier and the other two guards. “Do not cross the barricade, sir.”
“She’s just being a cu—”
He was cut off when the skinny shadow of Arnie kicked Joe’s knee out from under him. Joe went down like a ton of bricks taking the barrier with him. He was hauled away, shouting threats of lawsuits before he could even regain his feet.
Waverly, who had seemed oblivious to the exchange, suddenly left her mark and crossed the carpet to Xavier. She stopped in front of Arnie.
“I remember you. Arnie, right?”
He nodded his shaggy head.
“Thanks for the help, Arnie,” Waverly said.
He held up the camera hesitantly. She gave him a nod and then blew him a kiss. Behind the camera, Arnie turned the color of an heirloom tomato as he grinned and snapped away.
The talent manager, a haggard looking man in a rumpled suit whose glasses kept steaming up from the sweat pouring forth from his forehead, finally signaled to Kate that it was time to clear the carpet. Kate and Xavier led the way to the first TV host. Each camera crew commandeered a tiny radius of the carpet with a camera, a host, a floor manager, a producer, and talent manager. It was pure chaos off camera, but Xavier could tell it was all par for the course with Waverly.
She breezed through two interviews with charm and grace, and on the third, Liam “surprised” her. They provided a united front on camera, just two friends proud of a project. Together they laughed off rumors of a romantic relationship, and Waverly scored points when one particular host kept pressing on that front. Waverly tugged Liam’s wife up on the elevated scrap of stage and told a behind-the-scenes anecdote about the happy couple.
They had just moved as a unit to Simon Shipley’s perch on the carpet. The pleasantries had just begun when Xavier’s team came to life in his ear.
“Suspect spotted. West side in the crowd.”
“Keep
eyes on him,” Xavier ordered quietly. He gave a nod to the undercover on his right. Darius was one of Xavier’s contract employees who did surveillance work when needed. He breezed in at just under five-feet nine-inches but was built like a body builder. Darius sidled off the carpet onto the walkway that was cordoned off behind the movie posters and took off toward the call.
Kate caught Xavier’s eye and he gave her a curt nod.
“He’s on the move. Heading toward the theatre,” came the voice in Xavier’s ear. The tone was calm, blasé even. But Xavier knew every member of his team was primed and ready to go.
Something wasn’t right, Xavier’s mind scrambled for possibilities. There was no way Ganim could just stroll down the carpet and grab Waverly. He wouldn’t make it past the pit without being detained.
The sound of the explosion had him diving for Waverly. He snatched her off the stage and had her down on the ground under him in less than a second, yanking Kate and Liam’s wife down with them. “Get down,” he yelled. But his command was lost in the second explosion, this one much closer.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Panic filled the carpet as people screamed and ran. The TV cameras panned the chaos as the crowd across the street broke through the barricades to escape the acrid smoke, snarling traffic.
“He’s on the carpet!” someone shouted in Xavier’s earpiece followed by a fit of coughing. Celebrities, fans, and executives ran and shoved their way down the carpet in a bid to get to the safety of the theatre.
Xavier caught a foot in the back as someone tried to jump over them. He needed to get them up and out or they’d be trampled. Liam crawled down from the stage and grabbed his wife and Kate. Xavier hauled Waverly to her feet and pulled his gun, his gaze scanning the crowd for Ganim’s face. “Get them out of here! There might be more bombs,” he yelled to Liam.
“I’m not leaving Wave,” Kate shouted, trying to come back for Waverly.