by Zara Keane
Jason nodded, understanding her reasoning without needing to ask her to elaborate. “Okay, but you might regret not treating your headache when your new bodyguard shows up later.”
“Why’s that? I’m not happy about you hiring a bodyguard without checking with me first, but I understand that you’re concerned about my safety.”
Jason opened and shut his mouth a few times, and shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
Mindy narrowed her eyes. “I know that expression. What’s wrong?”
“I…might have hired Cash.”
“What?” Mindy’s pulse quickened. “Might have or did?”
“Did.” Jason met her gaze. “It was the smart thing to do.”
She exhaled in a whoosh. “You’ve gotta be kidding me. You hired my ex-husband to be my new bodyguard?”
“Cash is the best man for the job. We need someone you know to pull this off. Who better than your ex? He’s ex-military and runs his own security firm. And we can easily convince the cast and crew you guys are back together.”
Mindy slammed her espresso cup onto the table and glared at him. “No way am I agreeing to this. Cash Kincaid is a low-down piece of cow poop.”
Jason winced. “Harsh.”
“But true. He upped and left me without a word of explanation.”
“Cash got the wrong idea about you and Tony Russo.”
“Cash is an idiot. I’m an actress. If there was on-screen chemistry between me and the co-star I was supposed to be married to, it means I was doing my job.”
“I know, honey, but Cash wasn’t in a good place back then.”
“Hey, you never liked him. Are you on his side or mine?” she demanded, placing her hands on her hips.
Jason threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’m on no one’s side, honey. Just stating the facts.”
“Which are?”
“Cash had a bad case of PTSD when he came back from Iraq and he thought you weren’t around to support him.”
“I’d just landed the role on Once and Forever,” Mindy said, outraged. “How was I supposed to support us if I didn’t go to work?”
“I know. I’m not sure Cash understood that.”
“I waited tables and went to audition after audition before I landed that job. Sure, it wasn’t exactly my dream role, but it was a regular paycheck and we needed the money.”
“Hey, you don’t need to convince me. I’ve always felt it was a massive misunderstanding between you guys.” Jason fiddled with his nose ring. “And I was probably hasty in passing judgment about you and Cash being a lousy match. He wasn’t in the business and—”
“And wasn’t likely to further my career. I’ve heard it all before—from my mother.” Mindy strode to the window, breathing heavily. For the first time since she’d arrived in Ireland six days ago, the sight of the rolling green hills and dramatic coastline failed to make her heart sing. Cash… What did he look like now? Did he still have his trademark military buzz cut? Was he still as muscular and… Mindy squeezed her eyes shut. “I have got to pull myself together.”
“Yeah, you do.”
Mindy whirled around. “Did I say that out loud?”
“I know your feelings for Cash are—” Jason made a circular gesture with his hand, “—conflicted.”
“There’s nothing conflicted about my feelings. I didn’t want our marriage to end, and he did. When I think of Cash, the only thing I feel is regret that he’s a total bonehead.”
She ignored the niggling imp on her shoulder that reminded her that five years of bad first dates and a couple of meaningless flings hadn’t managed to wipe the memories of Cash Kincaid from her mental hard drive—or her heart.
Mindy folded her arms across her chest and sighed. “Is there no other way to do this? Faking a relationship just to disguise the fact that I have a 24/7 bodyguard is extreme. For all we know, the letter was a hoax.”
“If it was just the letter, I’d be inclined to agree with you.” Jason took a step closer and took her hands in his. “We’ve been friends for a long time, Mindy. I wouldn’t suggest this scheme if I wasn’t genuinely worried about your safety. And you’ve made it clear you don’t want Alfonso finding out you have a stalker.”
“I need this role,” she whispered. “Everyone still thinks of me as the cute kid from The Mindy Show. The last episode was broadcast fifteen years ago, and what work have I done since? A few voice-overs for infomercials and a six-year stint on a daytime soap. I’m thirty-one. A role like Gwynyvere isn’t likely to come my way again.”
“That’s why I hired Cash. The more time you have to convince Alfonso you’re irreplaceable, the better.”
Mindy bit her lip. He was right, unfortunately. They’d barely begun shooting Gwynyvere’s scenes. She couldn’t risk Alfonso deciding she was a liability and replacing her with another actress. And he’d do so in a heartbeat. Warrior’s Creed was an international sensation. Mindy’s fame didn’t extend beyond America. Should Alfonso decide to give her the chop, she didn’t have the fan base and the bargaining power to go over his head and persuade the producers to keep her. If she believed for one moment that her overzealous fan truly meant her harm, she’d never agree to stay on the set. But seriously? Freaking out about a few weird letters was ridiculous.
Derek bounded down the stairs and into the kitchen, grinning like a man who’d gotten laid. Mindy snuck a glance at Jason. She bet that was exactly what had happened.
Jason tossed Mindy her jacket. “Let’s make tracks. When Derek spoke to Suzie, she said she’d speed up your hair and makeup and have you ready on time, but only if we arrive within the next ten minutes.”
Mindy smiled. “Suzie is a miracle worker.”
They squeezed into Derek’s tiny car and drove the short distance from Derek’s house to the Clonmore Castle Hotel, where Mindy was staying for the duration of the shoot. Alfonso had hired a section of the hotel for the cast and crew, including rooms for hair and makeup. While some of the filming occurred in a studio in Cork, most of the scenes being shot in Ireland were outdoors, mainly around Ballybeg, and some on the Clonmore estate.
The moment Derek drove through the gates and took the winding lane that led down to the hotel, Mindy’s limbs turned to ice. “I see blue lights. What are the emergency services doing here?”
“Isn’t that a fire truck? Something’s burning,” Jason said as Derek pulled over to the side of the road.
They climbed out of the car and stared down the lane. The smell of smoke was heavy in the air but Mindy couldn’t hear flames.
Through the trees, a police officer wearing a yellow visibility vest stood guard. The man spotted them and ran over. “Sorry, but no one is allowed in here at the moment.”
“We’re part of the film crew,” Derek said, raking a hand through his wild red hair. “We have to get to work.”
“After this morning’s drama, I doubt there’ll be any filming here today.” The police officer grimaced. “A car exploded, killing the driver.”
Mindy gasped. “Oh my goodness. Who was it?”
“I can’t comment on that, miss.”
Mindy’s stomach churned as she thought of the various members of the cast and crew, plus the hotel guests and staff she’d met during her stay. “Please. We all work on Warrior’s Creed. Was it a member of the cast or crew?”
The man’s eyes darted to the side. “I’m really not supposed to say.”
Mindy turned on the charm, using her acting skills to her advantage. She batted her eyelashes at him and did her best little-girl-lost impression. “If one of my coworkers is dead, I need to know.”
The policeman grimaced, then nodded. “All right. We won’t be able to confirm the identity of the deceased before the pathologist’s report, but the car belonged to an American actress. Mandy something.”
The ground shifted under Mindy’s feet. “What?” she shouted. “But I’m Mindy Mann.”
The police officer’s jaw dropped. “Y
ou are? But then who…?”
Mindy didn’t wait for him to speculate. She pushed past him and ran down the lane. After twenty feet, the smoke grew thick enough to force her to cover her mouth and nose with her jacket. Blinking through the stinging smoke, she spied the burned-out shell of what had once been her sports car. The vehicle was surrounded by police, firefighters, and paramedics. A group of hotel guests had gathered at the side of the clearing, including several of Mindy’s fellow cast members. She wove her way through the crowd, trying to reach Alfonso, the director. Suddenly, a tall man broke apart from the crowd. Despite the soot smudges on his face and fair hair, she recognized him instantly.
He staggered toward her, blinking. “Mindy? Is it really you?”
“Cash,” she whispered hoarsely.
He stopped, swayed, and then seized her in a crushing bear hug. “Thank you Jesus. You’re okay.”
“Cash,” she repeated, inhaling the still-familiar scent of him, now combined with smoke.
When he broke the hug, their eyes met properly for the first time in five years, and time seemed to stand still. Mindy’s heart performed a thump and roll. Cash’s gaze dropped to her mouth, and her lips parted involuntarily, an electric awareness whizzing through her body. She longed for him to touch her, to make her feel whole again, to make her forget that one of her coworkers had been blown up in her car.
His eyes clouded with desire. “Mindy,” he murmured, and his mouth descended to hers.
Their lips were about to touch when a screech split the air. “Mindy? You’re alive?”
Mindy recognized the voice instantly. She pulled away from Cash and whipped around in time to see a pink-haired woman tottering toward her on impossibly high heels.
Her eyes flew to Cash, then back to the woman. “Mom? What are you doing in Ireland?”
3
Cash took a ragged breath and stared as Barbara launched herself into her daughter’s arms.
“My baby,” the older woman exclaimed in dramatic tones. “I thought you were dead.”
Mindy untangled herself from Barbara’s grasp. “Mom? What are you doing here? Did you bring her, Cash?”
The tone was accusatory, bordering on aggressive. What the hell? “Now wait a second. Your mother is your manager. She hired me. Why wouldn’t she be in Ireland?”
A muscle in Mindy’s cheek flexed. “Jason is my manager. He hired you. I fired Mom five years ago.”
The significance of the timeline sunk into Cash’s brain. “Right after—”
“Not right after we separated. Once I got out of rehab.” Mindy didn’t lower her voice. She seemed indifferent to the curious crowd eavesdropping on their conversation.
Cash knew she’d been interviewed by Oprah to talk about her road to Damascus conversion from a pill-popping former child star to a sober, serious actress who advocated for child stars’ rights. He’d chosen not to watch the show. Every part of him wanted to believe Mindy was genuine, but they’d been married long enough for him to know she was an excellent actress.
Jason came into view and took Barbara by the arm. “Go and wait in the hotel lobby.”
The older woman bristled with indignation, her unnaturally large chest puffing out even further. “I certainly will not. Someone tried to kill my daughter, and I want to get to the bottom of it.”
“That’s a job for the police,” Cash said in a low but firm voice. “Take Jason’s advice and wait for us inside.”
Barbara’s mouth opened and shut. “Fine,” she snapped, “but don’t leave me hanging around for long.”
Then she stalked off toward the hotel’s entrance, leaving Cash, Mindy, and Jason to stare awkwardly at one another. A silence taut with tension descended. Cash heaved a sigh. “Would one of you please tell me what the hell is going on?”
“I emailed you,” Jason said. “And I spoke to the other guy you work with—Liam, I think he’s called.”
“I know you did. I received emails and messages from both you and Barbara. I assumed she was still Mindy’s manager and you were Mindy’s personal assistant.”
“I was aware Barbara contacted you. She inundated me with calls and emails about this stalker guy. Apparently, he’d also assumed Barbara was Mindy’s manager at first and sent her the initial threatening letters. I didn’t take Barbara’s claims seriously until Mindy started receiving them here at the hotel. That’s when I started to think Barbara’s idea of hiring you wasn’t as crazy as I’d first thought.”
“Excuse me. Ms. Mann?” A short guy of about fifty approached. He had a shock of carrot-colored hair and a broad, plain face dusted with a generous sprinkling of freckles. Despite his age and height, he moved like a man accustomed to keeping fit through strenuous workouts. He extended his hand and shook Mindy’s. “Inspector Conor Tobin of the Emergency Response Unit. I’d like to ask you a few questions. Can we go inside? We’ve set up shop in the hotel’s café.”
“All right,” Mindy said. “Do you have any idea who was driving the car?”
“None. That’s what we’re hoping you can help us find out.”
The Clonmore Castle Hotel boasted two cafés. The police had taken up residence in the smaller one. A wiry dark-haired man was seated at a corner table. He leaped to his feet when she entered, his eyes bugging at the sight of her. “Mindy? But you’re…”
“I’m fine, Alfonso.” Mindy squeezed the man’s arm reassuringly and plastered a calm smile across her face. She addressed the rest of them. “This is Alfonso Ramirez. He’s the principal director for Warrior’s Creed.”
“I’d already asked Mr. Ramirez to wait for me in the café to be questioned,” Inspector Tobin said, gesturing for them all to sit. “I thought it made sense to add Ms. Mann and Mr. Starr to the list and question them at the same time. We need to know who was driving that car.”
When they were seated, Inspector Tobin nodded at Cash. “You’re Liam Ryan’s friend.”
“That’s right. Thanks for sorting out the permit and the pistol for me. I collected them from Sergeant Higgins before coming to the hotel.”
Inspector Tobin slid a notebook and a pen from his shirt pocket. “So you weren’t here when the car blew up?”
Cash shook his head. “Barbara and I arrived just after it happened.”
“And I arrived with Jason and Derek O’Malley a few minutes later,” Mindy added.
Inspector Tobin frowned at his notebook. “Derek O’Malley? Is he part of the cast or crew?”
“Crew,” Alfonso grunted. “He’s one of the runners.”
At Inspector Tobin’s blank expression, Jason said, “A runner is a production assistant. They help out on set wherever and whenever they’re needed. I used to be one before Mindy hired me.”
And before that, Jason had been a successful child star whose job opportunities had dried up when his cute-kid looks had failed the transition into adulthood. Cash had never liked Jason. They were both protective of Mindy, and each saw the other as a rival for her affections. However, Jason was a good friend to Mindy, and Cash believed he had her best interests at heart.
Inspector Tobin leaned forward and pinned his gaze on Mindy. “We’re aware of previous threats against you, Ms. Mann, but they were reported by your mother and your manager. Do you have any idea who your stalker is? And why would he or she suddenly elevate their activities from vague threats to blowing up your car?”
“Are you sure they’re connected?” Mindy asked in a hopeful tone. “Perhaps my car was targeted randomly.”
“We know they’re connected.” Inspector Tobin’s expression was grim. “The hotel receptionist signed for a bouquet of flowers addressed to you. After the explosion, we read the accompanying note. Same style, same handwriting, and a clear threat to your life. And while it will take a bit for the official forensics report, none of us believe the explosion was accidental. We’re assuming it was a bomb that was designed to go off once the car reached a certain speed.”
Cash caught Mindy’s eye. Her calm v
eneer faltered and he read horror in the depths of her electric-blue eyes. He longed to reach out and comfort her, but stopped before he made a fool of himself.
Mindy shuddered and wrapped her arms around her body. “That bomb was meant for me, but some other poor person ended up being killed instead.”
“Apart from you, who had a key for the vehicle?” Inspector Tobin asked. “We’re doing a head count of the hotel guests and staff, but it’ll take a while to figure out who—if anyone—is unaccounted for.”
Mindy considered for a moment, then shook her head. “No one. I loaned the car to Jason a few times, but he always borrowed my key. And that key is still in my purse.” She withdrew a black car key and laid it on the table before them.
Alfonso cleared his throat. Cash didn’t know why, but he’d taken an instant dislike to the man. Judging by Mindy’s and Jason’s body language, they weren’t buddy-buddy with him, either. “Actually,” Alfonso began, shooting Mindy a defensive look, “I have a key. Mindy’s car is—”
“Was,” Cash corrected on impulse, noting a dark flush stained the director’s cheeks and a flash of annoyance crossed over his face.
“Mindy’s car was part of a fleet we hired for our most important cast and crew members,” Alfonso said in a clipped tone. “I received a spare key for each of the vehicles and locked them in my safe.”
“Are all the keys still in your safe?” Inspector Tobin asked.
The director shrugged. “I presume so.”
“We’d better check to make sure,” Cash said. “Unless the driver hot-wired the car, they got a key from somewhere.”
Inspector Tobin nodded. “We’ll do that straight away. Ms. Mann can continue to answer questions as we walk.”
“I’d better check on Barbara.” Jason pulled a face. “We don’t want her shooting her mouth off to the press again.”
“Thanks,” Mindy said and squeezed her friend’s arm. “I shouldn’t be too long.”
They filed up the stairs to the third floor. The director’s room was a suite with a safe located behind a discreet wooden panel. Alfonso counted out the keys, all tagged with the respective vehicle’s registration number and the name of the person who had the car. His head jerked up. “Mindy’s car key is missing.”