The sheriff stiffened. “Who is he?”
“The director on the first movie I ever made. I was a fool. I was young and needed money and my roommate said she had gotten a role in a movie and she could probably get me in, too. And she did. But it ended up being a porn film.”
The sheriff held out a box of tissues for her. She took one and wiped her eyes. Now that she’d started speaking, the words flooded out of her, along with the tears. “I never did another one. And I went on to make other films under my real name. But my husband doesn’t know about that part of my life. I love him and I couldn’t bear it if he found out. Plus, all my new fans would be disgusted.”
“That would be bad,” Sheriff Winston said gently.
“He made me do it. He said he’d ruin my life, my marriage, my career.” She looked down at her hands while she twisted the tissue around. “And now it’s all ruined, anyway, and I’ll be going to jail.”
“Perhaps not,” Winston said. “It will depend on the information you give us now. We want to catch this man. Who’s blackmailing you?”
“Emmett Pierce,” she said.
Bianca felt her knees go weak, and she sank into a chair. “Emmett Pierce wanted you to ruin my movie? Why?”
Rachel looked up at her. “I’m so very sorry, Ms. Rossi. He wanted to put you behind schedule. He wanted to ruin your film so you’d go running to him for help. I knew you wouldn’t. He’s delusional.”
“He is that, for sure,” Bianca said.
Blake put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him. She covered his hand with her own.
The sheriff said, “We need to take a full statement from you.”
“Don’t you need to read me my rights if you’re going to arrest me?”
Winston said, “I’m not sure we will be arresting you, Ms. Poole. If you were being blackmailed, then you are also a victim here. If you cooperate with us by giving us information that will lead to the arrest of Mr. Pierce, then we may be able to avoid mentioning your part in this whole deal.”
“Really?” Rachel looked pathetically hopeful. “Is that even possible?”
Bianca’s heart twisted for the young wife, but then she remembered the Thanksgiving poisoning. She hoped Sheriff Winston knew what he was doing, because even though Rachel was a victim — she was also a poisoner.
“I’ll help you in any way I can,” Rachel assured them.
“How have you been communicating with Mr. Pierce?”
“I call him every Friday to give him my status report. He gets very angry when the movie is on schedule.”
Winston turned to Bianca. “Are you currently on schedule?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He turned back to Rachel. “Have you reported in yet today?”
“No. I usually call right after lunch. I would have been calling now except for...” She trailed off.
“We’ll have you call him now and give him a false report. Tell him the movie is behind by ... how long would be believable, Ms. Rossi?”
“A full week, maybe two, depending on what Rachel told him last.”
“The last time I spoke with him was last Friday. You had just gotten back on schedule then.”
“Then tell him things have gone really badly. You stole the thumb drives, you were able to destroy film, and we now have almost a week to make up. Will you do that?”
Rachel nodded, embarrassment and relief mingling on her features.
The phone was put on speaker phone, and they could all hear it ring. The call was being recorded.
“Pierce,” a man’s voice announced, and Bianca’s skin crawled. There was the voice that grated so upon her nerves. She couldn’t believe the weasel actually thought she’d want to be with him, to have a relationship with him, either business or personal. He honestly thought that he had a chance with her — and was willing to blackmail and poison people by proxy to make it happen. She suspected he was a sociopath because, hey, the whole no-conscience thing kind of gave it away.
“This is Rachel,” the actress said, her voice only a little shaky. She was a good actress, after all, and a little fear was probably a normal thing when speaking with her blackmailer. “I have good news for you.”
“It’s about time. What have you done?”
She rattled off the things the sheriff had suggested, a list of things they’d all brainstormed.
“Good, good,” the weasel said, sounding satisfied. “Are they behind schedule again?”
“Yes. By almost a week.”
“Excellent work! You just may save your marriage, after all. Though it sounds like your career may still go down the toilet. Ah, well, true love wins out and that’s all that matters, right?”
Bianca really wanted to hurt this guy.
“What else can you do this week?” he demanded. “I want her to get even farther behind.”
“I can put more Ipecac in their food.”
“No, no. That’s far too coincidental. Do something different.”
“All right,” she said.
“Don’t mess this up, little porn star. I mean it.”
“I won’t.”
“Call me next week.”
“I will.”
And he hung up.
Rachel pressed her hands to her face for a moment, then lowered them.
The sheriff put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “You did good work, Ms. Poole.”
Rachel breathed out a huge sigh of relief.
“You may have to do this again for another week or two until the film is completed.” The sheriff shrugged. “We’ll let you complete this movie. You are not to mention anything that has happened in this room to anyone, including your husband.”
“Oh, believe me, I want it kept quiet more than any of you possibly could.”
“Good.”
After the deputy led her outside the office, Sheriff Winston said, “Do you want us to move against Pierce now, Ms. Rossi?”
“We’re very close to completing this movie, Sheriff. Let us do that first, and then we will handle Emmett Pierce.”
He nodded. “Let me know when you’re ready to make your move and we’ll be there to support you.”
As long as Emmett had just been bothering Bianca, she’d managed to ignore him, but neither she nor Blake nor the sheriff were the type of people to let him blackmail this poor actress.
Emmett Pierce, scumbag extraordinaire, was going down just as soon as this movie was in the can, and the deadline was less than two weeks away.
The celebration was in full swing and spirits were high.
The movie was done! She’d successfully completed it — under budget and within the allotted six weeks. Forty-four days, technically, but who was counting? And $31.25 under budget. That was the closest she’d ever cut it, but she’d made it.
She felt jubilant.
The cast and crew were in the cafeteria, where Ilene had outdone herself with a delicious feast, complete with three types of desserts.
Bianca stood and raised her glass of Merl-O high. “To all of you who made the impossible become real. We pulled it off! We did it! I’m so proud of us! Thank you for giving me your all and making this movie happen. It is officially in the can!”
The people around her clapped, cheered, and whistled. They were as happy as she was.
The movie would now move into post-production, but she had met her deadline.
She sipped the Merl-O, enjoying the flavors of plum and black cherry on her tongue — a nice contrast to the Type O blood.
Blake reached out and took her hand. This was the first time she’d shown open affection for him on the set. It was new to her — but she wasn’t going to blow it again. She squeezed his hand.
There were more whistles, and a few enthusiastic catcalls.
Buddy called out, “Hey, Blake, did you get to meet Ms. Rossi’s brother at the restaurant?”
Blake glared at his friend. “You knew that guy was her brother?”
&nbs
p; “Heck yeah, we did!” Buddy and Ernie exchanged a look and laughed.
He shook his head good-naturedly and muttered, “Jerks.”
“Whatever,” Ernie said. “It worked, didn’t it?”
Blake turned to her. “I think this whole crew has been matchmaking for us.”
“Good.” She leaned up and kissed him, and more whistles and cheers followed.
“Dunstan, please dim the lights. Daniel has prepared some footage I’d like him to run.”
“You just want the lights dimmed,” Dunstan said, close by, “so you can kiss Blakie-poo.”
She turned to the gargoyle. “Blakie-poo?”
Dunstan grinned wickedly and nodded.
“You’re fired,” she said. “As soon as I can find a miracle worker to replace you, that is.”
“Yeah. I’m worried,” Dunstan said flatly.
He motioned to a guy near the wall, who dimmed the lights. A screen rolled down to cover part of one wall. A moment later, images began to play across it — snippets of scenes the cinematographer had put together for tonight. Bloopers, touching moments, funny moments.
Around them, people laughed and commented, but they grew quieter as the film ran on. It was short, only about eight minutes.
She snuggled against Blake and watched highlights of the last six weeks play out on the screen.
When it was over, the lights flickered back on, revealing that everyone but Dunstan had slipped from the room. As soon as he flipped the lights back on, even he left the room with a wave.
The room was totally empty except for the two of them.
Bianca laughed. “I do believe they’re still matchmaking.”
“It worked. I can’t resist any longer. Do with me what you will,” Blake declared dramatically.
“I’d like to take you shopping,” she teased.
He pulled her into his arms and she wrapped her arms around his waist. “You’ll have to pay me at least two kisses to get me shopping.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Gladwell. We’ll be shopping in L.A., right after we confront a certain weasel, which we’ll wait until New Year’s Eve to do because he’s not worth interrupting Christmas.”
Then she kissed him, and the buzz swirled through her, warming her from the inside.
She never, ever wanted to leave Blake’s arms.
He whispered into her ear, “You know I’m going to want to marry you now, don’t you?”
“I hope so,” she giggled.
He nuzzled her neck. “And the sooner the better.”
“My brothers will want a big formal wedding.”
“Then they’d better get married soon.”
She laughed. “I love you, Blake Gladwell.”
“And I love you, Bianca Rossi.”
An hour later, Blake sat on the couch in Bianca’s home, her brothers across from him.
They were friendly, and he learned that Orlando was the name of the brother that he’d made such a spectacular fool of himself in front of. Orlando proved to be an affable guy who took the foolishness and the fact that his sister was marrying a human in stride. “As long as you treat her well, my friend,” he said.
“I will,” Blake assured him.
Leo asked Bianca, “So are you going to call Emmett Pierce and let us tear him limb from limb now?”
Blake stared at the man, until Leo waved a hand and said, “I’m just joking, my new human friend.”
“Glad to hear it.” Relief welled within him. It might take a while to get used to vampire ways and inside jokes — he was beginning to think of the experience as the vampire sequel to My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and he was the guy trying to catch on.
Shifting the conversation back to Pierce, he told his future brothers-in-law, “It’s time to call him and set it up. The sheriff said he can go any time.”
Bianca nodded. “Going on a weasel hunt. And I just happen to have his cell phone number, which he conveniently sent to me, unsolicited.”
She dialed and they listened to it ring over the speaker phone.
“Pierce,” he said.
“Emmett, is that you?” Bianca said sweetly.
“Yes. Who is this?” He sounded suspicious. “I’m busy.”
“Is that any way to greet the woman you want to romance, Emmett?”
A moment of silence, and then, in an excited, breathless tone, he said, “Bianca? Is that really you?”
“Yes. And I wanted to let you know that I’m flying out to Hollywood in nine days. I’ll be there on New Year’s Eve and I’d love to meet with you. Can you work me into your schedule?”
“I’d clear my schedule any day for you. Any month, my love.”
Bianca rolled her eyes and made a gagging motion. “How about three in the afternoon?”
“Yes! I look forward to seeing you. Thank you. I was hoping you’d come around.”
“I’ll see you next week, then, Emmett.”
She hung up and released a huge breath of relief.
Blake said, “I’m proud of you for making that call. Are you sure you’re not an actress? Because you did that expertly. He must really think you’re interested in seeing him.”
She smiled at him, and the smile lit her pretty face. “Thanks.”
Blake nodded and grew serious. This was the moment he’d been looking forward to and dreading, all at the same time. “You know, Bianca, I had an interesting chat with your brothers last night.”
Bianca tipped her head suspiciously. “What are you three planning for me?”
“I just discussed something I want to do with them, and they thought it was a good idea.”
“A movie project?”
“A romantic comedy project, sort of.”
“Really.” Bianca arched a brow and looked from Blake to her brothers and back. “Tell me more. I happen to be interested in doing more rom-coms.”
“In your new Love Bites series. I know.”
“Is that what you’ll be calling it?” Leo asked. “We wondered.”
“You told them,” Bianca accused, but she didn’t seem angry, just curious as to what they’d been discussing.
“You know,” Blake went on, “we’ve known each other for over six weeks now.”
He’d asked for their blessing to marry her, and they’d asked him a lot of questions and seemed satisfied with his answers. Then he’d asked them what type of ring they thought Bianca would like, and they’d exchanged a smile. Leo had said, “She would love to wear our mother’s wedding ring.”
This was the moment. He hoped, especially after her claiming bite, that she’d say yes. He pulled the jeweler’s box that held her mother’s wedding ring from his pocket, and went down on one knee. “Bianca Rossi, will you marry me and be my wife and lifemate?”
She blinked back happy tears. “Yes. Of course.” She hugged him, and he stood to embrace her properly, yet circumspectly, since her brothers were watching.
The brothers clapped.
She pulled back, laughing, and took his hand.
“I sure hope you plan to offer me a permanent job at the studio, or I won’t be able to support you in the manner you prefer.”
“Of course. I want you to make my next movie with me — lots and lots of movies. Would you be interested in that position, Mr. Gladwell?’
“I believe I would, Ms. Rossi.” He squeezed her hand. “I’ve also come to another decision.”
“Oh?” She raised an eyebrow.
“I’m going to sell my place in Hollywood and perhaps buy one in Moonchuckle Bay. I was thinking that you might want to look at some of those homes with me, since you’ll be living in it with me.” He studied her. He’d discussed this with Leo and Orlando, as well. Teasingly, he asked, “We won’t be living with your brothers, will we?”
She laughed. “Oh, heavens, no.”
He grinned. “Good.”
What Had He Ever Seen in Her?
EMMETT HADN’T BEEN THIS EXCITED in a very long time. What a wonderful way to end t
his year and start another — by beginning a true romance with Bianca Rossi.
He’d made sure he looked just right. He even got a haircut so that he’d look good for her.
The woman he’d fallen for was finally coming to see him! He could hardly believe it. She’d seemed so unattainable, and yet she was flying in to see him. This was, without a doubt, the start of something beautiful.
His secretary buzzed him to let him know she had arrived — with her brother Leo, a man named Blake Gladwell, and another named Samuel Winston. Disappointed that she hadn’t come alone, he said, “Send them in.”
He rose to open the door and welcome them. He held out the box containing the dozen long-stemmed roses he’d gotten for her.
Bianca gave him two cheek air kisses and took the roses from him. “Thank you. It’s so good to see you, Emmett. You’ve met my brother, Leo, before, right?”
“Yes. Welcome, Mr. Rossi.” He shook hands with the frowning man, wishing Leo hadn’t come.
“And this is my friend, Blake Gladwell, who has accompanied us on this trip.”
“How do you do, Mr. Gladwell?”
“Better than you, I think.”
What a strange thing to say.
“And another friend, Samuel Winston.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” Emmett lied. “Please, have a seat. All of you. May I offer you some refreshment?”
“No, but thank you,” Bianca said.
She didn’t sit, but took his hand and looked into his eyes. Surprised at the contact and the gaze, his heart rate sped up. Bianca was holding his hand. He wanted to remember this special moment forever. He opened his mouth to speak, but she put her fingers to his lips.
“Shhh,” she said, and her blue eyes looked so intense. She held his gaze as she said, “Emmett Pierce, you will forget about any porn movies you have ever directed and never release them again. You hate the stuff.”
“I have never directed porn movies,” he said in reply. “I hate porn.”
“Good answer. And you will forget all about Rachel Poole and ever making a movie with her. You will forget you ever knew her.”
The Director Gets a Grip: Moonchuckle Bay Romantic Comedy #3 Page 11