Chapter Eighteen
Ashland
“I did what I had to do.” Her chin rose, and her eyes blazed. “What I thought best to protect my sister.” She was so incomparable flashing her flames of silver fire at me. I should have realized right away who she was. I’d never seen eyes as beautiful as hers before or since we first met. But this wasn’t the same girl I remembered. Back then she’d been confident if a little nervous with me. A rising star, or so I’d thought. Not this half-starved, beaten down, nearly broken girl.
“No one’s questioning your loyalty to Hollie. But your fear for her made you act irrationally. Why not tell someone what you knew? The police for starters.”
“People, even the police, can be bribed and coerced. You still don’t get it, who my stepfather is and what he’s capable of. Everyone else knows he’s one of the most powerful men in the entertainment business. But I shouldn’t be surprised you don’t know given the way you isolate yourself up here in your penthouse like Quasimodo in his bell tower.”
“I’m better off far from all the shit in LA.” My spine stiffened. “It’s all fake fuckery and contrived happy endings.”
She cocked her head to the side studying me and weighing my words. Had I given too much away? Had she discerned how much of my disengagement from that world had to do with her? She had an uncanny ability to take the little I revealed and fill in the blanks with surprising accuracy.
You pressed deeper into my hand…
Even a lie intended to shield rather than hurt hadn’t gotten past her.
“I don’t have to have my finger on the pulse of Hollywood, the town not your sister, of course,” I let out a breath, “to know your stepfather’s not all powerful.” This wasn’t about me. Best to get her off that tangent. This was about her and doing the best I could to get the mess she had made of her life cleaned up. The sooner I did, the sooner she and the temptation she represented would be gone. Out of sight out of mind once more. At least that’s what I told myself.
“I’m gonna need to make some phone calls. Find out what’s going on. See what I can do.”
“I don’t need you to do anything. I can take care of myself.”
“Yeah, you’ve been doing a fine job of it.”
She frowned.
“That was harsh. But just from the little you shared it sounds like you very much need someone with a level head and resources on your side.”
“Fanny,” her sister cautioned. “You have to admit it. He’s right.” It was worth noting that the seventeen-year-old seemed to be the more sensible one.
“But Hollie,” her brow creased, “we don’t know…”
“You don’t trust me. I get it. You’ve made that abundantly clear. I find it ironic given the magnitude of your own deception right here under my nose.”
“I… but…it was necessary,” she sputtered.
“Give it a rest, Frances.” I could feel the tension snapping like a taut line between us. “A lie is a lie, right?” Only that wasn’t exactly true. Some sins couldn’t be pardoned. Like my own. “Justify your deception in your own mind if you need to. I might even have extended you the courtesy of listening to your explanation at another time.” My frown deepened as did my concern over the predicament she found herself in. “For now I need to get started on finding a solution.”
~ ~ ~
Fanny
I downed the remainder of my scotch. My eyes immediately watered. Some from the alcohol. Mostly out of frustration. I glanced again at the door downstairs and frowned.
“Ash isn’t going to betray us, Fanny.”
I wish I was half as certain as she was. When it came to her wellbeing, and in matters that involved the Dirt Dogs drummer, it was difficult for me to think rationally.
And it wasn’t just worries about what Ashland was doing downstairs that bothered me. I had doubts now, more of them, about my own actions. What if the Dirt Dogs’ drummer was right? Tristan and Ernie certainly didn’t have the means or the resources to stand up to Samuel. But maybe I should have gone to the police. Had I endangered my sister unnecessarily?
“Stop fretting.” Hollie beckoned me to her. “It’ll be ok. Come sit beside me here on the rug.”
“Alright.” I climbed down from the barstool and set my empty glass on the slate grey concrete bar. There was more furniture, more of Ashland Keys’ personality I suspected up here on the rooftop, than the interior of his apartment contained. I imagined that’s why he spent more time up here. I certainly would. Tangerine upholstered couches and arm chairs. Two large lounging areas with boldly striped pillows. Candles in lanterns on the concrete crafted side and coffee tables. Outdoor lights strung on wires overhead. A complete outdoor kitchen to go along with the bar. A wood-burning fireplace. A drum kit under a protective awning. And several dwarf orange trees in terra cotta containers. I imagined those were the source of that yummy citrusy aroma that clung to him like I longed to do.
“Can you scoot over a bit?” I asked Hollie before I dropped down onto the powder blue Moroccan rug next to her. “Holy shit that’s a pretty view!” I exclaimed, looking out at the ocean from her vantage point while mimicking her pose: legs crisscrossed, posture straight, palms open and resting on my knees.
“Yeah,” she agreed. “Try to focus on it. Receive the positive energy from the waves. Soak up some of the rays.”
“You came up here while we were out earlier, didn’t you?”
“Uh-huh.” Her eyes were closed. “I mostly watched the surfers then. I could watch them for hours. Make up stories about them in my mind. It’s almost as good as a TV.” Her lips curled into an amused smile.
Hollie liked watching TV almost as much as she liked acting. That escapism Ashland had alluded to was more like therapy for her.
But for me, that view, and just being beside my sister was near nirvana. I centered myself on the steady roar of the waves. Music to soothe my soul. Then I focused on the gentle breeze on my face and the warm caress of the sun on my skin. I exhaled the tension. Tipped my face up. Closed my eyes and inhaled slowly. Salt and citrus. I did it again. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. I chanted a prayer for peace. My thoughts drifted. No, they flowed right to him. I pondered the things he had said. The things he had done. He had proved himself time and again to be worthy of trust. Then I reexamined my own statements and behavior in juxtaposition to his.
Instead of peace I found enlightenment. I had acted out. Gotten my feelings hurt because he didn’t want me. Not as Frances or Fanny. But that didn’t make him untrustworthy.
I owed him an apology.
~ ~ ~
Ashland
“Fuck!”
“What is it?” Linc asked from his position on the couch across from me.
“Same story from your contact at the LA Times.” I sighed and dropped my cell on the coffee table. “Totally stonewalled me once I asked him to say anything negative, even off the record, about Samuel Lesowski.”
“I think Fanny’s telling you the truth.”
“I know she is.” At least I was pretty certain. “I know her stepfather’s a nasty piece of work. I remember how he treated her at the Oscars.”
Linc shook his head. “From what I can gather from the people I called it seems to be common knowledge that he’s a slime ball who makes liberal use of the casting couch.”
“Yeah, Fanny and Hollie say he fooled around on their mom a lot. I’m no detective, but researching on the internet it sounds like he took his time before calling the police to report his wife had drowned. And barely any investigation afterward. I thought maybe fear had colored Fanny’s judgment.” I blew out a breath. “More like I hoped that was the case. But this sounds bad, Linc. Really bad.”
“What does?” Fanny asked, her steps slowing as she entered the room from the stairwell. She stopped, realizing that Linc and Simone were both sitting on the couch opposite me. Hollie had much the same reaction as her sibling. In her surprise, she stumbled into her sister’s back.
I made the introductions. “Fanny and Hollie, I’m sorry I didn’t make official introductions before. This is Lincoln Savage, my cousin, and his fiancée Simone Bianchi. They’re here to help.”
“Hey,” Hollie smiled widely and did a little half-circle wave. “I love your duet in the Blaine film.” Effervescent, she gave them a full powered dose of her charisma.
“Thanks, darlin’.” Linc grinned. His megawatt lead singer brightness was the equal of her energy.
“Hard to believe Holliewood Lesowski was here in OB all this time and we never knew.” Simone’s sugar brown hair swished her shoulders. “I loved you in the Sixteen Candles remake. Totally endearing performance. I watched all the episodes.”
“Simone has a Bachelor of Music in Performance,” Linc declared proudly. “She’s always analyzing whatever we watch. She did some Broadway before she returned to OB to manage the shop for Karen.”
“Broadway’s supercool,” Hollie said. “I’ve always wanted to do theater.”
“Hi,” Fanny said low to Linc and Simone. “It’s nice to finally meet both of you together.” I found it interesting that she hadn’t brought up her own musical career during the interchange. Tugging on her beanie, she shifted her attention to me and shuffled her feet. “I’m sorry I’m kind of out of it. I heard you say something sounded really bad, and my mind’s stuck there.”
The task at hand. That was why she was unsettled.
“What you and Hollie suspected about Samuel? Linc and I checked into it. You’re right. Your stepfather is dead set on getting your sister back. He’s pulling out all the stops, using his influence to keep the public engaged and the story about your disappearance in the headlines.”
“He’s upped the reward for information that leads to Hollie’s return to five hundred thousand.”
“Probably using money he pilfered from my accounts,” Hollie grumbled. Neither she, nor her sibling seemed surprised by the information I had shared.
“No doubt.” Linc shook his head.
“And there’s no easy way to tell you this next part, Fanny.” I held her gaze. “But Samuel’s saying that you kidnapped Hollie.”
“No.” Her sun reddened skin paled. She wobbled. She looked unsteady. I rushed to her and swept her into my arms, noticing three sets of interested eyes following me as I carried her to the chair I had been sitting on a moment before. Lowering myself back into it, I carefully arranged her on my lap, her slender legs to the side.
“You ok?” I asked her.
“Hardly,” she rasped, looking dazed and more than a little frightened. “Would you be ok if someone accused you of a felony?”
I shook my head. “There’s a housekeeper that said she saw Hollie leaving with you willingly.”
“Maria Castel,” she guessed.
“Yes. She got fired. We’re trying to get in touch with her.”
“She’s a good lady.” Hollie came and sat on the ottoman by her sister. As unsettled as her sibling, she twisted her hands together.
“There are phone logs, Fanny. Proof that Hollie called you. I don’t really think anyone’s buying Samuel’s story. The police don’t seem to be doing much with the investigation. I wouldn’t worry. The crux of it all seems to be Hollie. He really wants her back.”
“I’m not going back.”
“No, you most certainly are not. You’re staying right here.” Neither protested. Hollie looked relieved. Fanny was in profile to me, and I couldn’t get a read on her reaction. “The penthouse is secure. We’ll start changing the elevator code daily. I’ve got a contractor coming to install exterior cameras around the building and one by the penthouse elevator. I’m also hiring a security guard to watch that entrance. If Samuel shows up here, threatens you or tries to take either of you against your will, we’ll stop him. Plus, if he does we’ll have a witness and video proof. But I’m also going to insist that you both have me or one of my friends with you at all times.” I squeezed Fanny’s leg to get her attention and confirm my dedication to the task. “I’ll keep you safe, and I’ll fix this. It’ll be ok. I promise.”
“I’m sure you’ll do everything in your power to try.” She turned to fully face me. Before I could open my mouth to tell her that I would do more than just try, she spoke again. “I’m sorry I doubted you. You’ve done nothing but help us, and I’ve been suspicious and rude.” Her eyes sparkled with sincere apology. “And all the while I misled you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you upfront who I was. That was a lie just like you said. You were right to point it out.”
I didn’t want to be right. I wanted something more. More than I knew I could hope to have. “You’re under a lot of stress. You just got the shit beat out of you, and that was by the less formidable of your opponents, hard as that is for me to fathom. You have plenty of legitimate reasons to be wary.”
“Those are justifications, but thank you for allowing me to have them.” She offered me a weak smile. “It’s beautiful up there on your roof by the way.”
“Thanks, little one. I like it there, too.” It was my sanctuary. My Notre Dame. She hadn’t been far off the mark calling me Quasimodo, though the disfiguring marks on me were on the inside. I stroked my finger across her cheek savoring the creamy softness. It wasn’t only her coloring that reminded me of a rose. It was also the silkiness of her skin. I wished I had seen her reaction to my favorite space. But would she have gifted me with her response had I been there to see it? Doubtful because I knew who she was now, and we had a past. A past that shifted the dynamic between us. A past that would shift us further apart if additional truths were told. “I accept your apology and admire you for being brave enough to say you’re sorry.” I needed to follow her example and confess my hidden lie. But it was that lie I feared was the truly unpardonable one. “Do you think we could start over? Be friends? I could use all the ones I can get. Third times the charm,” I coaxed, and her smile wobbled.
“Stop being so nice when I I’ve treated you so poorly.”
“That’s not the way I see it, Fanny. We both have issues extending trust. We just handle them differently.”
“Ash, dude,” Linc piped in, humor in his voice. “You do realize you gotta let down your guard to establish trust with someone?”
“I am aware, cousin. But thank you for interrupting our private conversation to point that out.” Linc made a sound like he was choking or laughing. I would’ve given him the finger, but I had Fanny in my arms, all soft, warm and compliant. I wasn’t messing up my current good fortune.