“I can’t really explain to you what it is like in Hollywood. But if someone like me gets stories like this told about them in the press, it will swirl forever. It will be the only thing people associate with me from now on. Not my acting. I might never work again.”
Lawson didn’t know this woman, so it was hard for him to care that a spoiled, rich Hollywood actress wouldn’t be getting any more starring roles. Especially when she, albeit involuntarily, had involved Lexi in this problem. He also knew that people usually didn’t get shot for no reason.
“Why were you shot?”
The woman looked surprised. “I-I don’t know.”
“Bullshit.”
“Dad.”
“Lexi, stay quiet or go upstairs. I know you may think you like her . . .” Lawson looked back at the woman. “What is your name anyway?”
“Taylor.”
He looked back to Lexi. “I know you may think you like Taylor because you like her movies, but you don’t really know her. And she’s not really telling the truth. She wants me to put you at risk to save her career, but she doesn’t want to be honest with me. That’s not how this is going to go down.”
Lawson reached for his phone again, and Taylor sat up a little on the couch.
“Okay. Okay, you’re right. Please. Just hear me out. I promise I’ll be honest with you.”
Lawson looked over at his daughter. Her eyes were pleading just as heavily as Taylor’s. He let out a sigh. Taylor continued.
“You’re right. I know who shot me. And if I go to the police—”
“Let me guess, they’ll kill you,” Lawson interrupted.
“Worse.” Taylor winced in pain as she moved to sit up a little more. Her shimmering sequin dress was covered with blood. The mascara had run down her face among her tears. “They’ll kill my sister.”
Lawson knew when the words were spoken that he had just been pulled into a tangled web. A mess that wasn’t his, but yet now it was. Taylor was crying now, and Lexi came over with some tissues. As she sat beside Taylor, pushing the tangle of hair from the supposed movie star’s forehead, she looked back up at Lawson, tears of her own ready to fall at any moment.
Lexi made sure Lawson was looking at her. “Dad, we have to help her. You’re really good at this kind of stuff.” Then she looked at Taylor. “He’s really good at this kind of stuff.”
They both looked back up at him.
Shit.
“Lexi, go call Cassie and tell her I need a doctor who can be discreet. Tell her I’ll explain later.”
Lexi jumped up and threw her arms around Lawson. “Taylor, my dad will fix this. He can fix anything.” Lexi bounded off to call Cassie. While those words were good to hear from his daughter’s mouth, Lexi also didn’t understand what all of this meant. But Lawson did. And it seemed that Taylor did as well.
“I know what this means for you, to not call the police. I’m so sorry I’ve put you in this position. If there was any other way, I would do it. You have to know that I would.”
Lawson didn’t respond to her thank-you. His mind was already running.
“Is it drugs?”
Taylor looked away, embarrassed. Then she nodded. “But I promise you, I’m clean now. I have been for six months.”
“Then why are they after you?”
Taylor looked away again and began to cry. Lawson walked over to the kitchen to give her a moment.
“Bourbon or vodka?” Lawson asked, looking inside his open liquor cabinet.
Taylor cleared her throat. “Bourbon. Thank you.”
Lawson opened his bottle of Blanton’s and poured both of them a drink. He had a hunch the trouble this beautiful woman was going to bring him would be immense. He couldn’t care less that she was a movie star. But at least she knew how to drink. That made him laugh to himself that maybe she’d be worth helping after all.
6
Lawson handed Taylor the glass of bourbon. She thanked him and took a sip. She let her head fall back against the pillow and closed her eyes for a moment, letting a deep breath escape as she relaxed. Other than his wife, Lauren, he had never seen a more beautiful woman. Even under all the distress, blood, and tears, he could tell why she dazzled on the silver screen. She was tall and fit, and had long tan legs, long dirty blonde hair, high cheek bones, big cat eyes, and lips Angelina Jolie would be jealous of. He tried to give her a moment, but his detective brain had already begun spinning.
“Taylor, why would people be shooting you because of your sister’s drug problem?”
Lexi was in the other room getting Lawson a T-shirt, so while she was gone he wanted to try to find out more of the story.
Taylor opened her eyes, an emerald green, and took another sip of bourbon. “Long story short, I paid her debt but they wanted more.”
“And you refused?”
“I couldn’t just keep giving them money. They would never stop asking for more.”
Lawson took a drink. “And for the same reason you won’t call the police now, you didn’t call the police when they threatened you, right? You just thought they would quit demanding money?”
“I don’t know what I thought. I’ve played some badass roles, but I have no idea how this stuff works in real life. I thought if I paid what my sister owed, they would leave me—us—alone. If I went to the police, the paparazzi would know. The story would be everywhere.”
Lawson understood.
“So, who are these people?”
“I honestly don’t really know. The dealer I used to buy from is gone. My sister said some cartel or something moved in, raised the prices, and got her hooked on heroin. It was always just coke for me. I was stupid. My fiancé had died and I started to spiral.”
Lawson could certainly relate to spiraling after losing your significant other.
“Probably shouldn’t have given you that drink.”
“No, it’s fine. Alcohol has never been a problem for me. Well, no more than anyone else.”
Lexi came back downstairs and handed Lawson a shirt. Taylor sat up a little further.
“I’m really sorry I got you into this. And I’m sorry I’m asking so much of you. I just don’t really know what to do.”
Lexi said, “You’re lucky it happened to you here. Where somebody like my dad can help.”
Taylor smiled.
“If I’m going to help you, Taylor, I need more to go on. What were you doing in this part of town? Why didn’t they make sure you were dead? Cartel members, if that’s really what they were, don’t usually make a habit of leaving witnesses.”
Taylor looked at Lexi. So did Lawson.
“I know, Dad. Go upstairs, Lexi. You’re too young for this, Lexi.”
“Thank you for your help, Lexi,” Taylor said.
Lexi smiled. “I just hope you’re okay. Tell my dad what he needs to know. He’ll fix it.”
Taylor smiled, and Lexi begrudgingly went upstairs.
Taylor said, “They meant to keep me alive. The man in the car told me right before he shot me that if I didn’t pay, next time I’d be dead.”
Lawson thought about it for a moment. The man who’d had her must have been a professional. To shoot someone with a pistol, even at close range, and know you wouldn’t kill them is someone much more skilled than a cartel thug. Red flag number one went up for Lawson.
“So you don’t know the man?” Lawson said.
“No.”
“What did he look like?”
“They had a bag over my head. It’s somewhere in your driveway. It came off when I was running from them.”
“Did he have an accent?”
“Not that I could discern.”
Just because the man wasn’t Mexican didn’t mean he wasn’t cartel. But it did seem a little off. Her story wasn’t really making sense to him yet.
“Where did they pick you up? Do you remember the car they were driving?”
“Dad! I think I saw someone outside!” Lexi shouted from upstairs.
&
nbsp; Lawson’s hand immediately reached for his gun.
“Can you walk?”
“I-I’m not sure.” Taylor started to get up. She winced but made it to a seated position.
“Don’t move.”
Lawson rushed over to the front door and shut off the lights, then to the kitchen to do the same.
“Lexi, get down here. What did you see?”
Lexi came thundering down the stairs. “I was looking to see if the doctor was here yet, and I saw something move out by the road!”
“Help Taylor to your room, now. Lock your door and don’t come out until I come and get you.”
“Okay, I won’t. Be careful, Dad.”
Lawson skulked to the front door as Lexi went to the couch. Lawson heard Taylor wince as Lexi helped her up. There was barely enough light in the room for them to see, but they headed upstairs.
“Don’t come out of that room, Lexi.”
“We won’t.”
Lawson moved to his right along the wall until he came to the first window. He peered around it, but the porch light was still off, so there was nothing but darkness. The street light at the top of the driveway that helped Lexi see whoever was there didn’t reach down to the house. For the second time that night, Lawson felt completely exposed. These massive windows had been a massive mistake. He reached to his left and flipped on the porch light but forgot he had unscrewed the bulb. He strained to see but as far as he could tell, there was no one there to greet him. He saw no movement at all.
Lawson tuned his ears, listening for something . . . anything.
The floodlight kicked on at the back of the house.
Lexi was right, someone was there.
7
Lawson moved past the kitchen toward the sliding glass door that led to the back deck. The floodlight that had come on hung just outside the door. It could pick up motion several feet into the backyard. Lawson sidled up to the wall and gave the deck a look, but saw nothing. He unlocked the door and slowly slid it open. There was almost complete silence. He took a step out on the deck and saw the shadow of an arm of someone walking around the corner of the house. Adrenaline surged as he readied his gun and stepped forward across the deck, down the stairs, and to the edge of the house.
Lawson swung around the corner, gun extended, and he just barely pulled his finger away from the trigger when he found Cassie standing there pointing her gun at him in the light of the moon.
“Jesus, Lawson! I almost shot you!”
“Me? I almost shot you!”
They both lowered their guns.
“What the hell are you doing out here snooping around?” Lawson said. “Have you lost your mind?”
“When Lexi called about the doctor, I doubled back to make sure everything was okay. I was just checking the perimeter to make sure the shooter was gone.”
“You couldn’t call and let someone know?”
“I texted you, Lawson. Let me guess . . . Mr. No Technology doesn’t have his phone on him.”
“No. Why would I? I was going to bed.”
Cassie rolled her eyes. “Can we go inside? The doctor should be here any minute now.”
Lawson shook his head and started walking toward the back entrance.
Cassie continued, “Sure, Cass, follow me. Let’s have a drink. Thanks for coming back to help. Oh, and thanks for calling a doctor who’s willing to risk his medical license to come for a house call on an undocumented attempted murder.”
Lawson looked back at Cassie, not appreciating her sarcasm. “You done?”
They walked inside, and Lawson turned on the lights.
“No, I’m not done. Why the hell isn’t whoever got shot on the way to the hospital? Why didn’t you call the police?”
Cassie blew a tuft of hair off her forehead. She was getting herself worked up. One of Lawson’s least favorite, yet also one of his favorite, things about her.
“First of all, calm down.”
She hated it when he told her to calm down. He was smiling on the inside.
“Calm down? You’re telling me to calm down when you are breaking about six laws and calling me in as an accomplice?”
Her normally pale skin was now a fiery red. Lawson was enjoying this.
Cassie was still spun up. “It’s just like you to be ungrateful. So, where is she?”
“Who?”
Cassie rolled her eyes. “You’re doing this on purpose. Make me a drink. You know who.”
“Everything okay, Dad?”
Lawson spun fast and saw Lexi peeking around the stairs.
“Lexi, I told you to wait in your room.”
“I know, but I heard Cassie’s voice and figured it was okay.”
Lawson shook his head. “How’s she doing?”
Before Lexi could answer, Taylor walked around the corner holding a towel to her shoulder.
Cassie’s jaw dropped. “Ho-ly shit. You’re Taylor freakin’ Lockhart.” Then to Lawson. “That’s Taylor freakin’ Lockhart. The biggest movie star on the planet.”
“So I’ve heard.” Lawson turned to Taylor. “How you feeling?”
“Tired.”
“Oh my God,” Cassie kept on. “I loved you in Let Me Go. Sooo good.”
“Cassie,” Lawson interjected, trying to stop her.
“No, seriously. I still think about that movie.”
“Cassie, Taylor has been through a lot. And since when did you become a fan-girl?”
“Shut it, Lawson. Not everyone is like you and hates entertainment. You’ve probably never even heard of her.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Taylor, that’s probably the doctor,” Lawson said. “Lexi, take her upstairs. He can take a look at her in your bedroom. Cassie, stay down here with me. We need to talk.”
Lawson let the doctor in, and he went upstairs to work his magic on Taylor. Cassie stayed behind and joined Lawson on the sofa.
“I haven’t told Taylor this yet, but I can’t help her with this. I’ve got enough to worry about making sure the repercussions from the bar don’t come back on Lexi.”
Cassie was quiet for a moment.
“Cassie?”
“I’m thinking. I mean, it’s Taylor Lockhart. She’s so hot I’d bang her. And I’m strictly into men.”
“How’s that helpful?”
Cassie smiled. “I forgot, the new Lawson hates jokes . . . All I mean is, I get what you’re saying. We’ve already got a shitstorm brewing with what you did the other night.”
Lawson caught the word “we.” His old partner was a bulldog, and no matter what happened, he knew when worse came to worst, he could count on her. He was hoping it wouldn’t come to worst.
Cassie continued, “And someone like you who’s served a long prison sentence should probably stay as far away from whatever this little shooting is. You probably don’t have quite as much grace as the rest of us. Even though you were FBI a long time ago and you did pull one of the greatest takedowns in organized crime history. Still. I get it. T-R-O-U-B-L-E is about the last thing you need right now.”
“But?” Lawson was patient.
“But it’s Taylor Lockhart.”
Lawson still wasn’t convinced. “You say that like it means something. It doesn’t. Not to me.”
Cassie finished her drink. “Well, maybe it should. You’re already this deep. You’re already in trouble, concealing a crime. Might as well see it through.”
Lawson could tell there was something else behind Cassie’s motivation. “You going to keep not saying it? I mean you’re saying everything else, so just spit it out.”
“Fine. I could help you with this. It’s a big name. Could be good for the new private investigation firm that is currently struggling to get cases.”
Lawson stood. “Two things: One, I don’t care about the PI firm. Two, I told you, I don’t need the trouble. You help her, I’m out.”
Cassie joined him standing. “I don’t get you, Lawson.” Cassie made a sweeping m
otion with her hand and looking all around the room. “I see this house. I see the coaches Lexi is learning from. I know that ain’t cheap. You’re going to have to make money at some point. That’s why you took that stupid job of going to that bar for that movie producer or whatever she was. The one that’s now got you in hot water. But you won’t do any work for a PI firm that you have half of your money in, and your old partner to work with? Why? I don’t understand.”
“I’m tired.” Lawson didn’t feel like discussing it. “I’ll call you in the morning after I talk to Taylor and tell you whether or not she wants your help.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“You don’t want my help with this Hollywood fixer thing you’ve gotten mixed up in either?”
“I’ll handle it.”
Cassie hung her head and let out a sigh. Then she nodded her head, defeated. She walked over to the foot of the stairs. “Night, Lexi! Taylor, I hope you feel better!”
“Night, Cassie!” Lexi shouted back.
Cassie lingered for a moment.
“Lawson, I know it’s only been a year since you got out of jail. And I know you’ve got a lot on your plate raising Lexi by yourself. But this isn’t prison. You aren’t by yourself anymore. You have someone to watch your back. You’ve got to let people back in—let me back in. You don’t have to do this alone.”
“You a psychologist on the side now too?”
Lawson’s effort to deflate the situation with humor fell flat.
Cassie took one last look at Lawson, then walked out the front door.
8
Lawson jogged down the last of the hill and turned right onto his driveway. It was the same six-mile run he’d made every day since they’d moved. He never missed a day. His daily exercise regimen was the only constant he’d been able to salvage from his old life with Lauren. The life before all the pain that changed him entirely. Before the run he pounded out the customary two hundred push-ups. The two hundred squats. And the four hundred sit-ups. All the same as every other day of his life. And it felt better than ever that morning. He figured it was because he was losing control of some of the harmony he had created with Lexi here. The workout, though, he could always control. It always helped center him.
Shooting Star Page 3