All That Glitters: Glitz, Glam, and Billionaires

by Michele Hauf

Brian started sobbing. “I’m doomed. No one wants me.”

  “Of course I want you, Brian. You’re my brother, my only family. Just listen. We can’t fight Hugh Callahan, so we’re running away.”

  “What?” He sniffled and peered at her. “But your contract?”

  “The hell with my contract. You’re more important.”

  He threw his arms around her neck. “Thanks, Natty.” After a couple of hiccups, he calmed down. “How and where are we going?”

  “Not sure where we’re going, but we’re leaving right away, while people are sleeping. No time to waste. Are you ready?”

  “Yes, yes. Are you sure they won’t catch us?”

  “No. We’re taking my car.”

  Brian snorted. “That piece of junk won’t take us far.”

  “I know. By then we’ll use different transportation.” She repeated Eric’s words, but the less she told Brian now, the better. “Take a quick shower, very quietly. And get dressed. Wear jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. I packed some clothes in an overnight bag.”

  “All I’ll take is my phone and iPad, and my backpack.”

  “Okay, get going. I’d like to leave by four-thirty at the latest.”

  He hugged her again. “Thank you, Natty. Won’t you regret giving up your fabulous contract?”

  She held him against her. “You’re more important. We’re family. We have only each other.” Her heart squeezed painfully. She was throwing away a bright future, a dream come true. “We’ll build a new future. A better one, I hope. Now go shower. Be quick and quiet.”

  Meanwhile, she sat at her desk and opened her box of lavender stationery, one of her mother’s last gifts, hoping it would bring her good luck. Using her neatest penmanship, she started a letter for the producer.

  Dear Hugh,

  Thank you for everything you did for me, for the gifts, dinners, and for your continuous support, and mostly for your sound advice to save my little brother. You convinced me that to be cured from his drug addiction, Brian should be uprooted from this neighborhood and should go through rehab. But I can’t deprive him of my loving presence and support. After careful consideration, I came to the conclusion that my career can be put on hold for some time, but not my brother’s safety. Therefore, I will leave this house and go away to solve his problem. Don’t worry about me, please. I will contact you as soon as I settle in a new place. Thank you again.

  Sincerely,

  Natalie

  She reread her missive, folded it, and put it in the matching envelope, then attached the lavender envelope to the unsigned contract and slid them into the yellow business envelope. She printed a label that said For Mr. Hugh Callahan, stuck it on the yellow envelope, and added it to the folder of official papers in her purse.

  A few minutes later, Brian walked into her room, his backpack hanging on his back. “I’m ready,” he said, his eyes shining with excitement.

  “Shh... Grab your boots and jacket. The September weather is warm here, but cooler on the East Coast. I’m bringing my purse and bag.” She was already wearing her boots and threw her jacket over her shoulders. “Now, very, very quietly.” She stepped out of the room onto the landing and listened. Jonah’s snores sounded like a trombone. “Thank God he’s deeply asleep.”

  Proceeding carefully, they climbed down the stairs and released a sigh of relief. “Through the kitchen and the backyard.” She unlocked the door, stepped out, waited for Brian to walk out, and locked the door behind him. They strode on the grass to the street and continued on the sidewalk for a block to her old Honda. For a change, she blessed Jonah for refusing to let her park in the garage, where he kept his delivery truck, his lawn mower, and some junk.

  “Now say a prayer for my car to behave.” They threw their bags on the back seat, settled in, and buckled their seatbelts. The car stalled and buzzed, but finally moved. Driving straight ahead, Natalie avoided passing in front of the house and sighed with relief after she left the neighborhood.

  At dawn, the streets showed almost no traffic. She maintained the speed limit on the back roads until she reached the highway. Eager to reach her destination, she accelerated.

  “Where are we going now?” Brian asked.

  “Straight to Caesars Palace. I’ll park in the basement garage.”

  “Why?” He frowned, suddenly worried. “I thought we were going out of town.”

  “I have to stop by my dressing room, and then we’re meeting someone.”

  “Do you realize that if we’re caught escaping it’s going to be horrible—at least for me.”

  “We won’t be caught. It’s only four-forty. There’s no one around. Don’t be nervous.” She patted his hand, although her own nerves vibrated like hot wires.

  Waving her parking card in front of the key reader, she drove through the gate of the underground garage and parked in a nearby spot. “Let’s go. You can leave your backpack. I’m leaving our overnight bag.”

  “Nope. I’m taking my backpack. I have my phone and iPad.”

  “Okay.” No need to argue with him now.

  With Brian grumbling next to her, she strode to her dressing room, and set the envelope on her dressing table. Now she had to be sure the envelope would reach Hugh before he thought she was missing and alerted the police. On a sudden inspiration, she decided to scribble a short note to the theater director.

  Spencer,

  I left a letter for Mr. Callahan and the contract envelope on my dressing table. Make sure he gets it today. Thank you,

  Natalie

  “You’re crazy. What if this guy opens the letter before we have time to leave?”

  “Spencer Hall never comes to his office before noon. Come.” She folded her note, took the elevator to the second floor and hurried toward the director’s office to slide it into the mailbox hanging on his door.

  Brian followed her. “You’re playing with fire. I’ve never been so worried.”

  “Hush and walk fast before the cleaning people arrive and start asking questions.”

  They rushed back to the garage and headed toward the exit.

  “Hey, ma’am.”

  Natalie spun, facing a security guard, and read his name on his nametag. “Hi, George,” she answered with a bright smile.

  “Is everything all right? Just checking.” He considered her curiously. “It’s not even five a.m. Were you sleeping here?”

  “I’m Natalie Borikev. I perform at the Colosseum and have a parking pass at Caesars Palace.” She pulled out the card from her purse and showed it to him. “I stopped by Mr. Hall’s office to leave him a note. And now we’re starting the day early. Taking my little brother to breakfast and then driving him to school before indulging in a day of shopping.” She played with her hair and chuckled. “Today is my day off. Both Mr. Hugh Callahan, my producer, and Mr. Spencer Hall, the theater director, advised me to rest and enjoy the day.”

  “Of course, Ms. Borikev. I had a glimpse of your show last night. Fantastic.” The guard nodded in approval. “If you need anything, let me know. Have a good day.”

  “You, too.” She grabbed Brian’s hand and sauntered to the exit.

  “Now he can report seeing you and we’ll be in trouble.”

  “Shush, for heaven’s sake, and walk.”

  “Where we going now?”

  “To have breakfast at Joe’s Café.”

  “Breakfast this early?” Brian squinted at her as if she’d lost her mind. “I’m not hungry.”

  “Me neither. But we’re going there.”

  “Why?” he said as they exited the garage and turned left into the street.

  “Just walk. Fast. People are starting to be out and about.” In fact, she heard fast footsteps behind her, threw a glance over her shoulder, and caught a glimpse of a man hurrying behind them. “Fast.” Her heart missed a beat at the thought someone might be following them.

  “Natalie.”

  She spun and smiled. “You.” Eric still sported the busboy disguise he’d h
ad at the restaurant, with his beard and mustache in place, and his hair glistening and pulled to the back of his head with too much gel.

  He greeted her with a beaming smile that reassured her there was still hope in this world. “Glad you’re here. This must be Brian.”

  “Yes,” Brian answered, his eyes round with surprise. “And who are you?”

  “Eric. A friend. Where’s your car, Natalie?”

  “Parked in the Caesars Palace garage.”

  “Good. Let’s go there.”

  “I thought we’d have breakfast at Joe’s Café.”

  “No need to waste time on a breakfast now. We can leave early. Walk ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”

  “Careful. We were stopped by a security guard.”

  “I’ll make sure no one sees me. I want to check your car and then I’ll explain the plans.”

  In the darkness still shrouding the streets, Eric followed them at a short distance, carefully watching for suspicious figures. He couldn’t believe his blooming luck. Natalie had trusted him and come.

  Seeing her and her brother striding in the street had filled him with unexplainable joy and the certitude that he’d judged her right. A young woman of value who’d put her love of a glittering career on the back burner to save her brother from addiction.

  He’d been dying to hug her and give her that first special kiss he’d been fantasizing about for a week. Now was the wrong time. As he strolled into the garage, he pledged he’d do his best to guarantee their safety.

  Hidden near the garage entrance, Eric waited for Natalie and Brian to get in the car. After surveying the surroundings, he sneaked into the garage, sidled between cars, and then joined them and climbed into the back seat.

  “Start the car, Natalie.” It took her a couple of tries to start the engine. “Not the fastest one. It’s okay. Back up and leave the garage, then take a right and go straight,” he instructed.

  “And now?” she said as she slowed at the coming intersection.

  “Next light, turn left. Go straight for two lights.” The squealing of the car annoyed him. “Turn onto that small road and stop.”

  He jumped out. “Release the latch. I want to check the engine.” He opened the hood, turned on a flashlight and examined the inside. As he’d suspected, the timing belt should be replaced. He shut the hood and sat in the car. “Your timing belt is worn out and needs to be replaced. We can’t waste more time in Las Vegas. A quick stop at a mechanic’s in the nearest town should solve the problem.”

  Lines of concern formed on her forehead. “You think I can keep driving it like that?”

  “You’ll be okay for another hour at least.”

  “What if it stops?”

  He crossed his fingers and grinned. “There’s always my Harley to rescue you,” he joked. “Now, can I see your cell phones, please?”

  “Why? No way,” Brian protested with a shrug.

  “I want to check if you have a tracker on. We can’t afford such a risk.”

  Natalie handed over her phone.

  “Yep, someone has been tracking your every move. Look at this tiny icon.”

  “Oh my God.” She pinched her lips, her chest heaving. “Who’s spying on me?”

  Eric shook his head. “Could be your stepfather, or the producer, or maybe the theater director. Your phone, Brian,” Eric ordered.

  Brian dug out his phone and studied it. Eric snatched it. “Here, look at this. You too have a tracker. So it’s probably your stepfather’s doing.” He shook his head. “Nasty thing. I’m copying your contacts to my phone. We’ll ditch these cells and buy you new ones when we arrive at our new home.” When he finished transferring the data, he turned both phones off and shoved them into his pocket.

  “No...give it back to me,” Brian protested.

  “Do you want your stepfather to follow every one of our moves? If I give you back your phone, I can’t take you with me.”

  The boy lowered his head.

  “How about wearing your boots?”

  “What for?”

  “A ride on my Harley?”

  Brian’s eyes sparkled. “You’d take me?”

  “As soon as we’re out of Las Vegas.”

  “Where’s your bike?” Natalie asked.

  “Just behind that bush. Wait for me here.”

  “Don’t be late, please,” she said in a wobbly voice.

  “Three minutes. Enough to get my tank bag and the helmets.”

  Behind the blooming bougainvilleas bush, Eric found his Harley faithfully waiting from him under its protective cover. Without hesitation, he smashed the two cell phones under his boot and pushed them under the roots.

  Full of renewed energy, he started the engine and rode slowly to stop next to Natalie’s car. “Can you open the trunk?” He shoved his stuff in there and approached her open window.

  “I want you to follow right behind me. We’ll drive for thirty minutes until we reach Henderson. Ready?”

  She nodded, her teeth gritted, her face pale against her black T-shirt. He stroked her cheek and offered her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Natalie. We’re driving toward the east and a better future. Things will improve, God willing.”

  5

  The light traffic at dawn allowed Natalie to keep sight of the motorcycle ahead of her. After a few minutes, navigating various streets, Eric traded the back roads for a three-lane highway.

  “I can’t wait to ride that bike,” Brian mumbled next to her. Admiration underlined his tone. Eric had conquered her little brother’s heart when he’d promised to give him a ride on his precious Harley.

  Her heartbeat hammering in her chest and her eyes glued to the motorcycle and its charming rider, Natalie grumbled a brief “We’ll see.” How could he manage not to be blown away at that speed?

  “He’s not going that fast,” Brian commented after throwing a glance at her dashboard. “Fifty-five or sixty is way too slow for his bike.”

  Not slow enough for her rusty, junky car. She bit her lip, praying that they could keep going to wherever Eric had planned to take them. He hadn’t even explained what would happen after the stop in Henderson.

  “You know he could easily reach eighty or ninety.”

  “For heaven’s sake, stop babbling and keep your eyes on Eric. I don’t want to lose him.”

  “Sheesh, you’re way too nervous. Chill out. We’re okay. Eric knows what he’s doing.”

  Eric was his hero now. All because of the Harley.

  “What time is it?” The digital clock had died ages ago.

  “How should I know? He took my phone. And your clunker’s clock is dead. The sky is getting lighter. Maybe it’s close to six.”

  Natalie glanced up. Yep, the sky exhibited the pink hue of a budding sunrise. They must have driven for at least half an hour. Soon they should enter the damned town that would be their first stop. Brian kept rhapsodizing about the merits of owning a motorcycle. She didn’t pay attention to her brother and wished she could share his excitement.

  The Harley seemed to slow, and a rear light signaled a right turn. In the semi-darkness, she noticed Eric’s arm rising to the side. All right, they finally exited the highway, and she sighed in relief. Eric led them to the nearest gasoline station. He stopped his bike and went to talk to the cashier while she and Brian waited in the car.

  “They have a service shop in the back with twenty-four-hour service.”

  Thank heaven for little favors. Following the Harley, she drove to the back and parked in front of the service shop. By the time she climbed out, Eric had already explained the problem to the mechanic, who started the car, listened to its noises, and then opened the hood and spent a few minutes examining the engine.

  Taking her car for maintenance had always been a nightmare for Natalie. The mechanics she’d dealt with spoke a different language, demanded exorbitant prices, and called her “honey” or “sweetheart.” While pacing in front of the shop, she blessed Eric for sparing her the
headache of handling this car problem.

  “He changed the timing belt,” Eric announced a moment later. “We’re lucky he had a spare.”

  “Ah, good. Thank you for—”

  “But there seems to be another problem. A leak. It may be from the engine or from a hose. It looks like you’ve had it for some time.”

  Her relaxed smile didn’t last long. “Ah... So...”

  “Well, it can’t be fixed right away.”

  “So, what do we do?”

  “We keep going. To Kingman, Arizona. It’ll take us about an hour and a half. We’ll stop for breakfast.”

  “I have to pay the mechanic.”

  “Already did. Don’t worry. We don’t want the bad guys to track your card,” he added with a chuckle, giving her the impression he didn’t have a care in the world.

  “They can track your card.”

  “My powerful cousin’s debit card.”

  “Then I’ll pay you later.”

  He smiled and nodded. “Where’s Brian?”

  “Sitting on the step there, playing on his iPad.”

  “Do you mind if I take him on my Harley?” At least he’d asked for her permission.

  “He can’t wait to ride with you. If it’s not too dangerous.”

  “I wouldn’t take him if I felt he’d be in danger.” He caught her gaze, urging her to trust him.

  “All right. I guess we should leave. It’s already six-thirty.”

  “Hey, Brian,” Eric called. “Put on your boots, jacket, and cap.”

  “Right away.” She’d never seen Brian obey an order this fast.

  Eric settled him, attached a helmet on the boy’s head, and gave him a few instructions. Then he came to Natalie and said, “Drive to the gasoline pumps. We’ll fill your car and my bike.”

  “Ready?” he asked afterward. “I’ll keep an eye on you in my rearview mirror.” He walked her to her car. “If you have any trouble, honk, all right?”

  She nodded and resumed her place in the car. He bent through the open door and cupped her face between his hands. “Soon it’ll be over, and we’ll be able to lead a normal life.” He brushed her lips with a quick kiss. “For good luck. Oh...” He snatched off his fake beard and mustache, and shoved them in his pocket. “Sorry, I forgot I had these on.” She couldn’t help chuckling. This man knew how to lift her mood.