I stiffened my shoulders, really bothered by this idea. Obviously, it had occurred to me as a possibility, but I only had a small number of people who worked for me, and they’d all been with me for years. I couldn’t believe any of them would be responsible for something so nasty—something obviously intended to hurt me.
It made me even more scared. Even more vulnerable.
“This is why you brought me in,” the guy said tersely. “Getting pissy about it isn’t going to help.”
I blinked, trying to figure out what he was talking about. Maybe it was the headache, or maybe it was because people normally went out of their way to be nice to me, but it took me several seconds to realize he thought I was being pissy.
He thought I was being pissy.
I sucked in a sharp breath. “There’s no reason to talk that way to me. And I wasn’t inclined to be pissy until you came in here with an attitude.”
“There’s no attitude.” He met my eyes and seemed to tower over me, although I was tall and he was only a few inches taller. “I’m here to do a job. I don’t waste my time with sugarcoating things. I’ll keep you safe, and I’ll find out who’s doing this to you, but I don’t cater to divas or prima donnas.”
I was so shocked and outraged that I almost sputtered. I felt my cheeks blaze hot, and my fingers tightened at my sides. I actually wanted to slug this guy. I couldn’t remember the last time I fought that particular instinct.
Before I could get any word spoken—much less the frigid setdown his obnoxiousness deserved—Cali reappeared in the doorway.
“They want you out front for the read-through,” she said, looking curiously between the two of us as if she’d sensed something was off.
I cleared my throat. “I’ll talk to you later,” I said to the guy, hoping I sounded appropriately dismissive. “What’s your name anyway?”
He’d moved to leave immediately, but he paused at my last question. Turning his head to give me a cool look, he said, “Cole.”
Cole. The name fit him somehow.
Deciding the thing that would annoy him the most was to not react to his rudeness, I had a sudden inspiration. “If you’ll excuse me, Cole,” I said with my sweetest of smiles, “we can talk later.”
He blinked, looking briefly surprised, but then he narrowed his eyes as he shot me one last look and left the room.
I blew out a sigh as I watched his tight butt and strong back leave the room.
As soon as I got a break, I was going to call Sebastian. There was no way I was going to put up with this asshole for more than a day.
***
“Just give him some time,” Sebastian said, sounding like he was smiling on the other end of the phone. “It takes a while to warm up to him, but Cole is a good guy.”
“I don’t care what kind of goodness is buried beneath the surface. I don’t have time or patience to try to find it. I need help now, and this guy is rude and hostile and inappropriate, and I don’t want him hanging around me.” I was alone in my dressing room now after a first read-through, but I glared at the closed door, where Cole had been standing earlier that morning.
“He’s all we can send you. The rest of us are booked up right now.”
“Why can’t you come out? I’d much rather have you here.”
“I know, but it’s just not going to work right now. Cole is just as good as I am. Better, probably. If anyone can take care of this business for you, it’s him.”
“Well, can’t you tell him to try to be nice? I’m under enough stress without putting up with his attitude.”
“I’ll talk to him.”
“It’s not like we have to be friends, but I don’t think it’s too much to expect some basic courtesy.”
Sebastian chuckled. “It might be too much to expect out of Cole, but I’ll talk to him.”
“I mean, normal people don’t pick a fight on first meeting someone. It’s like he has something against me, before he’s even really met me.”
“It’s not personal. It’s just his way.”
“Well, he needs to change his way, because I’m not going to put up with it.” I wasn’t sure why I was getting so riled up about the guy. A two-minute conversation shouldn’t have bugged me so much. I breathed out, telling myself to calm down and not get so bothered by something so unimportant.
“He really got on your bad side quick. You’re usually pretty easygoing.”
“I know! But I’m telling you he was horrible. I’ll pay you double if you come out and send him away.”
Sebastian laughed out loud. “I’m sorry, Evangeline. But it has to be Cole. What’s he doing now anyway?”
“I don’t know. He’s probably interrogating my staff some more. My assistant said he gave her the third degree for almost an hour. I mean, Cali has been with me since I was thirteen. Does he think she’s suddenly turned into some sort of crazed stalker?”
“He’s probably just trying to get background information. Be patient. I promise Cole will be able to help.”
“He better. Okay, I’ve got to get going.”
“I’ll talk to Cole and tell him to try to rein in his worst instincts.”
“There’s going to be an awful lot to rein in,” I muttered, before I said goodbye and hung up.
This whole situation sucked. It was bad enough to know someone was threatening me.
It was even worse to have to put up with a guy like Cole in order to keep myself safe.
I honestly wasn’t sure which was worse.
Two
Cole
“If you’re calling to check up on me and lecture me on catering to your little princess friend, I’m not interested.” As soon as I’d seen Sebastian’s name on my phone, I knew he was calling to bitch at me. Well, maybe not bitch but certainly to lecture. No doubt the diva had called and cried because I didn’t bow down and fall all over myself in her presence.
Worst. Job. Ever.
“Man, don’t you ever get tired of being such a pain in the ass?” Sebastian asked wearily. “I mean, honestly, it’s exhausting for the rest of us to have to deal with you. Why can’t you just, you know, be normal?”
“I hate to break it to you, but this is normal for me. If she’s already running to you and crying, that’s her problem. I’m not here to be her friend or part of her fan club. I’ve got a job to do.”
“I get it, Cole, but can’t you do the job without being so freaking difficult?”
“How was I being difficult? She finally arrives here, and after playing the giggly schoolgirl with her fan club, she allows me to hold court with her. I walk into her dressing room and she’s napping. Fucking napping! It was only like… nine in the morning! Who does that?”
Sebastian sighed. “Who cares? You didn’t have to be rude to her.”
I was just about ready to punch something. “I wasn’t rude. I was me. That’s it. I walked in, I took in the surroundings, and looked for anything that was maybe a little… off. She wanted to play at being the happy hostess, and I wasn’t in the mood. Like I said, I’ve got a job to do, and she needs to respect that and stop being so damn sensitive.”
“Okay, fine. Whatever. What are your thoughts so far?”
“Her security team is a joke. Honestly. They all like her, and as long as they’re just dealing with screaming teenage girls and only have to stand there like a wall, they’re fine. None of them are trained for anything beyond that. I’ve seen mall security with higher training.”
“Fabulous. Now what?”
“I’m going to work with the guys a bit to teach them what they need to be looking for, and I’ve suggested they all work on their… shall we say… physical fitness.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means they’re big but not in a way that’s going to help anyone if we have to actually move and run.”
Silence.
“They’re fat, Sebastian. They’ve been riding the diva’s coattails and spending too much time around the catering
truck, eating donuts. They’re in no shape to do much good if someone physically came around and threatened her.”
Sebastian snickered.
“What? What’s so funny?”
“You’re just like Declan was.”
“What do you mean?”
“When he was on the case where he met Kristin and he was guarding the child pageant star. He refused to say her name, and you’re doing the same exact thing.”
I swiped a hand across my face and sighed loudly. “It’s a ridiculous name.”
“You’re going to have to say it eventually. You cannot keep on with referring to Evangeline as ‘her’ or ‘the princess’ or ‘the diva’.”
“How about pain in the ass? Can I use that one?”
“Not funny, Cole. I’m serious. Evangeline is a close friend—practically family—and I need to know you’re committed to taking care of her.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, but under protest. I need you to let go of why you don’t want to be there and put your energy into finding out who’s threatening her.”
The thing is, I knew he was right. I knew I needed to quit feeling so defensive and do what I was being paid to do, but everything about this case just bugged me. This person… this… Evangeline… grew up with every creature comfort and privilege a kid could want. She was rich and famous by the time she was twelve. She had no idea what it was like to struggle for anything.
Even now with this stalker situation, she was still very protected, and there was still the possibility of this being more a nuisance than a genuine danger. And she didn’t even have to deal with it herself—she was paying other people to take care of it for her.
“Cole?”
“Yeah, what? I’m here.”
“You got quiet,” Sebastian said, the weariness back in his voice. “Look, I really want to be able to trust you on this. We’ve got Ali’s graduation this weekend, and I’m trying to keep her calm and focused. This trip we’re going on is a surprise, and that’s where I need my attention to be, so please, man. Do this for me. Tone down the attitude and just… find out who’s scaring Evangeline.”
Every time Sebastian said her name, I wanted to snort with disgust. Such a stupid name. I pushed the thought aside and focused on Seb. He was a good guy, and he’d had my back more times than I probably deserved. “Okay. Fine. I’ll lighten up a bit. But know this, I’m taking this job seriously, and that means I need to focus and not be bothered stroking this chick’s ego. Tell her to do her job, and I’ll do mine, and hopefully we won’t need to be in each other’s faces hardly at all.”
“I suppose that’s all I can ask for.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Keep me posted. I’m going to be around until Saturday night. Our flight leaves at eight, and then I’d like to be able to put the phone away for a couple of days, if you know what I mean.”
“Uh, sure. Luckily, I was able to crack that code,” I said sarcastically. “Don’t worry about things here. Go and be the doting fiancé, and I’ve got things covered on my end. If anything comes up, I’ll reach out to Levi or Declan.”
“But if it’s really serious…”
“Seb, I get it. She’s your friend, and you’re concerned. I’m on it. Go and enjoy yourself, and tell Ali congratulations.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it. And Cole?”
“Yeah?”
“I owe you.”
I chuckled as I hung up and mumbled, “You have no idea.”
***
The problem I was seeing with the entire situation so far was that there were way too many people around. This set claimed to be “closed,” but it was in the middle of freaking downtown Baltimore. The first days just on the primary set were bad enough—especially the alley scenes—but then they would start filming elsewhere in Baltimore, where it would get a hundred times worse. There was no way to keep things completely under control in the middle of this circus.
Last count there were about a hundred people on the film crew milling around, and that didn’t include the actors and their entourages, the extras, and the food people, and whoever else got a day pass to be here. It was a nightmare.
I walked the perimeter of the set. They weren’t even filming today. They were just getting ready and setting up for tomorrow. The cast was off in a locked room reading lines. I hadn’t seen… Evangeline… since this morning. Sebastian’s words came back to haunt me, and I knew he was right. I had to address her by name and be a professional, but that name just didn’t roll off the tongue, you know?
The production company had their own security people, and I managed to get some time with them to discuss what could be done to secure the area a little more. Their head guy was a little annoyed with my presence, but I really didn’t care. By the time I’d walked away from him, he knew better than to second-guess me.
He would have extra men on site tomorrow when the cameras started to roll.
I stalked back over to the main building, and I found Malcolm—Evangeline’s head security guy—standing outside the door of the room where the cast was reading. I could tell he puffed out his chest a little more. As if that was going to intimidate me. Asshole.
“Are they coming out anytime soon?” I asked him.
He shrugged.
“Have they come out at all since I’ve been gone?”
A head shake.
I was in no mood for this. In less time than it took to blink, I was on this guy with my arm at his throat and his body slammed against the wall. “You can give me the silent treatment on your own time. While we’re here on the set, you’ll talk to me when I speak to you. If you were doing your job, I wouldn’t need to be here. But you’re not. So why don’t you give your overinflated ego a break and tell me what I need to know so we can both wrap this shit up.”
The guy’s eyes were defiant, but he was turning red from the pressure I had on his throat. I pressed a little harder just because I could. “We’re both trying to keep her safe, so if you give a damn about her, you’ll cooperate.”
Then I let him go and stepped back and tried not to smirk when he gasped for air and almost sagged to the ground.
“Fine,” he wheezed. “They should be coming out for lunch in a few minutes.”
“Does she eat with the cast and crew or go to her dressing room?”
“Dressing room. Cali brings her the food.”
“Figures,” I muttered and raked a hand through my hair.
As if reading my mind, Malcolm straightened and said, “It’s not like that. Evangeline used to sit out and eat with everyone and joke around. Since things started happening, it was agreed upon that she should eat in her dressing room. She hates it, but one of us usually stays with her.”
“Okay, here’s what I need from you—when they come out for lunch, send Cali to get her food, and you escort her to the dressing room. I’m going to spend the lunch break with her and get some background information. While I’m in there, I want you and your guys casually observing anyone who’s lingering around here.”
“Lingering?”
“Yeah, you know, hanging around and watching for her.”
“How long of a list do you want? I mean, there’s a small entourage that is always around.”
“Consisting of…?”
“Besides the rest of the cast? You’ve got producers, directors, their assistants, makeup people… Seriously man, there’s a lot.”
“Okay. That’s a start. But I want you to take note of who stays around longer than they need to.”
Malcolm nodded and seemed to have caught his breath finally. “What if we do? Should we scare them off?”
I shook my head. “Take notes. I don’t want anyone to know they’re being observed. Yet. For now, I want to get a feel for what we’re dealing with. See who’s around and see if it’s a onetime thing. We’ll play it like this for a few days, and see what we can find. After a day or two, you’ll eat with her, and I’ll stay out and observe. Okay
?”
He nodded again. “Look, Cole… you have to understand. I’ve been with Evangeline for years. She’s like a sister to me. It pisses me off that I can’t get a handle on this situation.”
“I understand your frustration. I really do. But you have to know that my being here is because she needs more help. I can’t have you off pouting because I’m here. We need to work together on this.”
I would have said more, but the door to the reading room opened and people started milling out. Evangeline spotted Malcolm first and smiled at him—immediately going to his side. For some reason, it bothered me. She smiled at him—a relaxed smile—and wrapped her arm around his as she waved goodbye to the other actors and promised to see them in an hour.
Then she spotted me, and all that peace and relaxation immediately disappeared. She frowned and, if I wasn’t mistaken, glared. Huh. Who knew she had it in her? She almost looked intimidating.
Or maybe she was just a really good actress.
Somehow I doubted it.
Either way, I stepped back and observed. Sure enough, Cali went rushing by toward the food table while Malcolm led the princess away. I leaned against the wall and did my best to blend in and observe. So far no one was lingering or looking out of place. Everyone was on the move to one place or another.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Malcolm open the dressing room door and usher Evangeline inside and shut the door. I’d decided to wait until I saw Cali heading back this way before going to the dressing room. Why? One, it gave me extra time out here to get a good look at how people behave, and two, I didn’t want to spend any more time in that room than I absolutely had to.
I was bored already. There was nothing going on that was raising any red flags. People were busy doing their thing, and nothing seemed out of place. Obviously, someone was sending this stuff to Evangeline, but on the surface, there weren’t any obvious suspects. Not that it was unusual. It just meant that this case wasn’t going to be as cut and dry or as quick as I’d like it to be.
“Hey, Cole,” Cali said as she approached, carrying two plates, a young mousy girl on her heels. “This is Janelle. She’s one of the director’s assistants. There are two. Her and Matt. You’ll be seeing them around a lot, delivering scripts and scheduling changes directly to Evangeline.” The girl said a quick hello before looking down at the ground. “I know we didn’t talk about it, but I had a feeling you’d probably want to spend a little more time talking with Evangeline during the lunch break. I brought you a plate too.”
Protecting the Movie Star (The Protectors Book 4) Page 3