by Lila Moore
“On that we agree,” I muttered. Shonda shot me a sharp look. I cleared my throat.
“We’ve been following Louis for a long time,” Harry continued. Now it was his female companions turn to give him a sharp look. I assumed they didn’t want us to know this. If we knew we were being closely watched, or that GG was paying off people near us to spy, we’d be more careful. It would be harder for GG to get dirt on us.
“We were hoping to get pictures of Louis with one of his boyfriends,” Harry said. “I’m sure you’re aware he has several.” I kept my expression neutral. “If we got a picture of him kissing one of them, it’s irrefutable proof. You can’t sue us if we catch him red-handed.”
I shook my head. “You’re such a fucking bottom feeder,” I said.
“Jamie,” Shonda snapped.
I didn’t care. I plowed on. “You so entitled. Louis’s private life is no one’s business. Whatever he’s doing-or not doing-is none of your concern. Did it ever occur to you that you can seriously hurt people with this trash? Mind your own business and let him live his life in peace.”
“So, you’re confirming he does have boyfriends?” Harry said.
“Fuck you. I’m not confirming anything.”
My good cop routine was out the window. I couldn’t deal with lowlifes like Harry anymore.
“If you’ve got something to offer us, I suggest you put it on the table now,” Shonda said. “Because so far, all I’ve heard is standard tabloid bullshit. I mean, did you really call us into some top secret meeting just to tell us that Louis’s PR team tried to manipulate a story to their advantage. Every celebrity does that.”
Shonda was downplaying what we’d learned today. The fact that Louis’s team planted a story so quickly was suspicious.
“Like I said,” the woman continued, “we suspected the whole story was fake-that your PR teams had fabricated it for press.”
“I have to say we were quite impressed,” Harry said. “I’ve seen celebs desperate for good PR before, but never anything like this. I mean, faking a kidnapping? That’s above and beyond.”
I rose to my feet. “This meeting is over.”
“Wait!” Harry said. “There’s more.”
He pulled out his phone and showed it to me. There was a picture of Louis in a hot tub with two shirtless guys. I recognized one of them as Louis’s bodyguard. Louis was laughing and touching his chest while leaning in to whisper intimately in his ear.
“So?” I asked.
“So… this picture was taken while you were in the middle of being kidnapped. It proves Louis wasn’t there. We assumed the whole story was bullshit, then you went missing two days ago.” To my surprise, Harry’s voice became soft. “I know you weren’t faking. There’s a mad man out there.”
I don’t know why, but Harry’s words made me choke up. He was the enemy, but when even your enemies are willing to concede your life is in danger, it does something to you. There was reason for him to care about me and yet… I pushed the thought away. He was probably just trying to manipulate me so I’d give him an exclusive.
I cleared my throat. “It was real.”
My voice was scratchy. The room suddenly looked much smaller to me. I rubbed my wrists. The ghost of the ropes that bound my arms and legs together would haunt me for a long time.
“Who did this to you?” Harry asked gently.
“I wish I knew,” I said quietly.
“And if we knew, we wouldn’t come to you first. We’d go to the police. The matter is being handled and her kidnapper will be caught soon,” Shonda added.
“Good,” Harry said. “We think we can help.”
“It’s being handled.” Shonda was losing her temper.
“Is it?” The woman readjusted her glasses. “Our law enforcement sources tell us there is little to no evidence to go on. They have no suspects and no leads.”
“What are you saying?” I asked.
“What we’re saying is that if you give us an exclusive-”
“No,” Shonda cut her off.
“…then we’ll help you catch this asshole.”
“We’re leaving.” Shonda grabbed my arm in an attempt to force me out of the room, but I dug in my heels.
“What do you have to offer that the police don’t?” I asked.
“You have to agree to give us inside access,” Harry said.
“Not going to happen.” Shonda’s nails dug into my arm. I tried to shake her grip free, but she was stronger than she looked.
“Maybe,” I said. Shonda’s eyes lit up with fury. She did not being defied in matters like this. “Tell me what you have first.”
“No way,” the woman said. “When you find out what we know, you’ll bolt and leave us with nothing.”
“You do realize this man wants to keep me as his…” I couldn’t say the words sex slave. It was too much. “He wants to kill me, and you want to play games with my life.”
“We can’t just-” the woman started only to be cutoff by Harry. He held up his hand silencing her. “Okay. We’ll tell you. We have serious reason to believe that your kidnapper is working with Larry’s team.”
“What?” Shonda and I said at the same time. “Impossible.”
“I’m afraid it’s true. We’ve been tipped off multiple times by Louis’s publicist. We believe she’s orchestrating this, or at least facilitating your kidnapper.”
“What do you mean facilitating him?” I asked.
“We think she came into contact with him at some point. She’s tipping him off to your whereabouts. She knows that this story is a potential goldmine of good press for her client she’ll stop at nothing to succeed.”
I thought back to the night of my kidnapping. It was Louis’s publicist who suggested I use the back exit of the theater. My kidnapper was waiting for me to come through those doors. The only way he could have known was if he’d been tipped off. Louis’s publicist had practically forced me out. She knew everything. Harry was right.
“Did Louis know?” I asked.
Harry frowned. “We’re not sure. He’s treated like a child for the most part. His publicist controls everything. Louis seems more interested in drinking and sex than the ins and outs of the business. My guess is that he does what he’s told, nothing more.”
“We need to go,” I said. “Thank you.”
“Wait.” The woman ran in front of the door, blocking our exit. “We worked hard on this. Your safety is of course top priority for us, but I think we deserve a reward for our efforts.”
“I can’t give you an interview.”
“Give us some details of the kidnapping. We won’t say it came from you. We’ll print it up as, ‘Sources close to Jamie Kelly tell us…’”
My mind flashed back to the basement. The restraints, the torture devices hanging on the walls, my kidnapper’s dull grey eyes-these details were too intimate to share with a tabloid. The wounds were still raw. I could barely talk about what happened out loud to Theo. No way was I going to confide in Harry Lovejoy. Then inspiration struck. My kidnapper had gone into hiding. Maybe I could draw him out? I knew he was obsessed with me. He probably read everything that was printed about me. This was my chance to lure him into the open.
“He was a tall, thin ugly man. He was weak, pathetic-in need of punishment…” I said. Harry exchanged a look with the woman. “Can you write that? Can you write that he was a weakling, a mama’s boy desperate for a strong woman to discipline him? Write that no woman would want him-not even his own mother-because he was so puny. He couldn’t even keep a skinny girl like me hostage. I managed to get the better of him and escape. What kind of pathetic man can’t even keep a wounded, tiny girl prisoner without being overpowered? It’s no wonder he has to kidnap women. No one would voluntarily spend time with a pathetic little boy like that. Also, write that law enforcement believes he suffers from serious sexual dysfunction, that he most likely has a micro-penis and is incapable of getting hard.”
The woman raised
her eyebrows as if she was confused and shocked by my statements. Whatever they were expecting to get from me-this was not it. A smile slowly spread across Harry’s face. Understanding came to him.
“You’re trying to provoke him.” It wasn’t a question.
“Just print that,” I said. “Print it and you’ll get an even bigger story.”
“What?”
“Louis’s publicist was an accomplice to a kidnapping.”
Harry’s smile widened. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
With the wheels in motion, I turned to Shonda. “Let’s go.”
We walked out of the room and back upstairs.
“Are you sure about this?” Shonda asked as we got onto the elevator. “You’re putting a target on your back. This psycho will see it as an invitation to come and get you.”
“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. We’re going to end this.”
17
“I need Theo,” I said to Connor.
He pulled out his cell phone and handed it to me. I dialed Theo’s cell and listened to it ring and ring. It went to voicemail. I called back and left a message.
“Theo, it’s Jamie. Call me back as soon as you get this. It’s urgent.”
I paced around the hotel room like a caged tiger. My kidnapper couldn’t get to me at the hotel. There was too much security. He’d managed to sneak a note in with my room service, but that was as close as he’d ever come. Now that we had security all over the hotel on lookout for him, I doubted he’d return.
Was he smart enough to know to stay away? Maybe. It was hard to say. The one thing I was certain of was that Louis’s publicist was tipping him off. She must have had some way of getting into contact with him.
I snatched Connor’s phone out of his hand and called Theo. Again, it went to voicemail. I was losing patience.
“Theo! Come quick. I’m at the hotel. I need you. Please, hurry. I think-” I hung up the phone midsentence so it would sound as if I was in distress.
“What the hell was that about?” Connor asked. He grabbed his phone back.
“I need to talk to Theo. It’s important. I won’t be ignored any longer.”
Connor and Shonda exchanged a look I couldn’t quite interpret. “Maybe you should go lie down and take a nap,” Shonda said gently, as if she was talking to a crazy person. “I will wake you up when Theo gets here.”
“I’ve been asleep for too long. We’re going to catch this guy now.”
The hotel door flew open. Theo came in gun drawn.
“That was fast,” I said.
“I was on the way up when I got your message. Are you okay?” He looked around suspiciously.
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“I was on the line with someone when you called. Forgive me for not being at your beck and call,” he said sarcastically. He put his gun away. “Never call and leave a message like that again, unless you’re in serious trouble.”
“Theo, I have a plan,” I said, ignoring him.
“What?” He didn’t sound eager to hear my plan.
“Don’t say ‘what’ like that. I’m being serious.”
“I’m listening.”
“Louis’s publicist knows everything. She’s working with the kidnapper.” I expected a big reaction from Theo. He only stared at me dully. “Well? Aren’t you surprised?”
“No. I was just on my way over to tell you, I’ve uncovered the same thing.”
“How did you find out?”
“The timeline never sat right with me. The articles appeared in the tabloids too quickly. And you said that Louis’s publicist told you to exit through the back of the theater. She led you right into your attacker’s hands. How did you figure it out?”
“Well…” I looked to Shonda for help. I knew Theo would be pissed that I talked to the editor-in-chief of Gossip Guru. “We just came from a meeting with Harry Lovejoy. His team figured it out themselves.”
Theo groaned and ran his hands over his face. He looked tired, as if he’d been up all night. Knowing Theo, he probably had.
“Jamie, what did I tell you?” he said, raising his voice.
“Umm…” I wasn’t sure what he was referring to.
“I said stop playing games with the press. You agreed to turn over a new leaf. You weren’t going to get involved with anymore PR bullshit.”
“This isn’t about PR. They contacted us because they claimed they had exclusive info about the kidnapper. I was desperate, and you were gone, so I said yes.”
“Don’t try to put this on me. I’ve been out working to resolve this whole mess.”
“I’m not blaming you, but if you don’t tell me what’s going on, then how can I make an informed decision? Besides, you’re missing the point. I have a plan.”
“You’re missing the point. Now that the tabloids are in on this, it will be much harder to catch your kidnapper. They will be all over this story. We don’t need that complication.”
Theo had a point. Harry and his paparazzi would only add more chaos. Still, they provided us with a solid lead. Granted, Theo discovered the same lead on his own, but how was I supposed to know that?
“Do you want to hear my plan or not?” I said. I didn’t wait for him to respond. “We set up Louis’s team. We tell them I’ll be attending the premiere of Louis’s new movie tonight. Louis’s publicist will tip off my kidnapper, then you can arrest him.”
“What makes you so sure Louis’s publicist will take the bait?”
“Because she wants me dead.”
The room suddenly grew very still.
“Why do you think that?” Theo asked.
“It fits with the plot of Louis’s movie. His love interest is killed in the film.”
I cleared my throat and shuffled my feet awkwardly. Theo was very still. I could see he was thinking hard about what I’d said. Was he reminded of losing his own fiancée? I hoped not.
“Anyway, his publicist wants to cement Louis’s image as the heartbroken hero. His fans go crazy for it,” I added.
“She’s done that already,” Shonda said.
“She’s made him a hero, but she hasn’t made him heartbroken. She wants him to be a tragic figure just like his character. The only way that can happen is if Louis suffers a tragedy-my death.”
“I don’t like it,” Theo said. “There are too many opportunities for trouble. And you promised me you’d stop playing games with the press.”
“Don’t you see? They are playing games with us. We have to beat them at their own game. It’s the only way to catch this guy. This isn’t about publicity, I swear. Theo, you have to trust me.”
He thought for a minute, then said: “Okay, but I don’t like the idea of this happening at a movie premiere. There are too many people. It’s not secure. We won’t be able to keep the place on lockdown.”
“It has to be in public. Louis’s publicist wants the world to watch. It’s better for her that way. It’s dramatic and Louis gets to play the hero. If I die, Louis will be set for life. They’ll both make millions.”
“No,” Theo said.
“Theo…”
“Just listen… I’ll go pick up Louis’s publicist and make her talk. We can get this straightened out without putting your life in danger.”
“How are you going to make her talk? Are you going to torture her?”
Theo shrugged as if it was a possibility, but I didn’t think he was being serious. At least I hoped not.
“She won’t talk,” I said. “Her whole livelihood has been built on controlling the narrative, burying secrets, and knowing when to keep your mouth shut. She won’t admit to anything. And you can’t have her arrested either. What evidence is there? We know she was involved, but can we prove it?”
I walked towards Theo. I wanted him to wrap his arms around me and tell me that he trusted me and that we were going to get through this together. I kept my distance though. That wasn’t my story. I would never find a guy to
be happy with. Eventually, this madness would end and I’d go on living life alone in the spotlight.
As for Theo… I had no idea what his future held. I had the sinking feeling I’d never see him again. I wanted him to sweep me up into his arms, take me into the bedroom and give me a proper goodbye. That wasn’t going to happen though-certainly not with Shonda and Connor watching. Even if they were gone, I wasn’t sure Theo was interested.
I stared into his eyes and tried to divine what went on behind them. Had he slept with me because he pitied me? Or was there more to the story than he was willing to admit?
“Theo, we can make this work,” I said gently. I wasn’t sure if I was talking about my plan or our relationship.
Theo’s hard expression softened. “Okay,” he said.
He touched my arm, then moved past me towards Connor. His touch made my heart race. When he was gone, it was like clouds passing over the sun. Suddenly, I was back in a cold, dark lonely place.
“Connor,” Theo said, “I want to know everything about the theater. Every entrance and exit, the name of every employee, the layout-no stone left unturned.”
“Roger.”
“Shonda, you’ll handle Louis’s publicist,” Theo continued.
“Yeah. I’ll set it up. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled.” Shonda, however, sounded less than thrilled about this plan. “You know I don’t like this. You can’t control what’s going to happen. It’s dangerous and you have no guarantee it’s going to work.”
“I know,” I said. “But this is my life and I have to take control at some point. I can’t live in fear. I want this to end.”
“Don’t let anything happen to her,” Shonda said to Theo. “I’m warning you. I’ll kill you myself if this goes haywire.”
“I’ll take care of her. You have my word. Now, let’s get ready.”
18
Shonda reconvened my Glam Squad. They came running into the hotel room, eager to be at the center of a huge media storm. They were insiders now and potential spies. Shonda made sure that anyone who worked for me signed Non-Disclosure Agreements, but that didn’t stop people from selling inside info on the sly. I had no doubt at least one or more of my style team had sold a juicy tidbit from my life to the tabloids. I could never prove it, but I was sure it happened. I had to assume that everything I said and did in front of them could potentially end up on the front page of a tabloid.