Chapter Thirty-Seven
Ashland
My cell vibrated it my pocket with a text. More bullshit from Diesel I was sure. It had started nearly as soon as Linc and I had gotten in his car.
Diesel had wanted to know how late he should let the girls sleep.
If it was ok for him to knock on the door to check on them.
If he could drink the OJ in the fridge.
If it was ok for Fanny to cook him breakfast.
Ashland: Yes.
Lucky bastard.
Ashland: knock off the bullshit
Diesel: I’m only trying to look after her like you would.
In other words, he was giving me shit. Probably because I’d asked him to help out when he had plans to screw some random chick. Or just because he was Diesel, and he was bored, and messing with me amused him.
Regardless, I clicked the ringer off as Linc, and I entered the attorney’s personal office.
“Let’s start with the probable cause.” In a dark custom suit that probably cost him what some people spent on a car, Andrew Hart rolled his big leather chair up to his massive desk and reached for the large file that lay atop it. He flicked it open, perusing it briefly before he lifted his determined gaze.
“We have a source in LAPD.” Finger moving down the page, he nodded his grey-haired head soberly. He looked up. “Got one of the detectives to speak to us off the record. Samuel Lesowski didn’t kill his wife.”
“How can they be sure?” I protested, suddenly regretting the huge non-refundable retainer I had put down. I could tell that Linc wasn’t too pleased, either. He had sat up straighter in the chair next to me. “The affairs,” I continued. “The paternity issue. He’s abusive. He had a motive.” Fear was why Fanny and Hollie had run.
“He has a temper. He’s a volatile man. He’s also a pompous, philandering, power-grubbing asshole. But frankly, he’s not a murderer. Lesowski admitted to the argument with his wife. But he was distraught by the time police arrived. Half drowned himself. After she slipped, hit her head and went overboard, he dove in that dark murky water after her. He tried to find her. He searched for her in three-to-four-foot swells for over an hour. Staff on the boat saw the whole thing. Samuel Lesowski is everything I said he was, but based on the evidence and the accounts from eye witnesses that night, it appears he did everything in his power to save his wife. That’s not our case. Now using his position to sexually harass his adopted daughter and dozens of other women?” His heavy bulldog jowls shook as he vehemently tapped the thick stack of papers in the file with his thick fingers. “Plenty of sworn statements to attest to that effect. That’s how we’ll take him down and bury him, Mr. Keys. That’s why I wanted you to come in before I talked to the ladies. I won’t pursue the other. It’s a waste of my time and yours.”
“But he’ll continue to be a threat to Fanny and Hollie.”
“Perhaps. But unlikely once he sees the breadth of the accusations we have against him. He can’t silence everyone, even if he is stealing money from his daughter’s funds as they suspect. No doubt to keep other women than the ones we found quiet. I understand your concerns given who we are dealing with. But I’m sure with the proper precautions the two young ladies will be safe.”
Only they weren’t.
Not safe enough for me.
Not with only one security guard and Diesel Le in charge.
~ ~ ~
Fanny
I paced in earnest now while Diesel and Hollie sat side by side, uneasy allies scouring the internet trying to figure out how we had been discovered.
It didn’t matter.
What mattered was what always mattered.
Keeping Hollie safe.
If the media knew, he knew.
“Hols?” I called trying and failing to keep the panic from my voice.
“Yeah?” She turned her head, her distracted expression transforming to one of concern. “Get your things. Whatever you want to take with you. We need to get out of here.”
“Alright, Fanny.” She jumped up. Quick and immediate trust. I didn’t deserve it. Dinner parties. Writing love songs. Surfing. I’d been so distracted. So selfish. I had to make this right.
But I knew in my heart it might already be too late.
She stopped on her way to the bedroom and u-turned. “I don’t know what to get. Where are we going?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted, starting to tremble. “Grab a couple of outfits. No more.” We needed to travel light. “Find something to stuff them in.”
Grey eyes wide, probably mimicking mine, she nodded and practically flew down the hall.
I turned to Diesel. He had his cell to his ear.
“Who you calling?” Suspicion made my voice thread thin.
“Ash.” He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “It wasn’t me. I didn’t tell anybody anything. It was the OB cam by the pier. Got video of you and Ash kissing. It’s all over the internet, along with a bunch of crazy speculation. But the gist of it is, they must’ve figured out that if you’re here, then so is Holliewood. And everyone wants that reward.” He took his cell away from his ear. “Fuck! Busy signal. My calls aren’t going through.”
Ash wasn’t reachable. Ok. Alright. Not that I could rely on him anymore. Who knew what had happened with the lawyer? It was weird how he had wanted to meet with Ash first. And anyway, it seemed too risky to wait. Too much unknown. In my mind I made a list. A very short one.
1. Run.
2. Get Hollie and myself somewhere Samuel couldn’t find us.
I didn’t have any money. But I could buy some time.
“I need to borrow your phone,” I told Diesel.
“I don’t know.”
“I’m not asking.” My bravado was shit with tears in my eyes and my outstretched arm and hand shaking. But for whatever reason, he gave it to me.
I dialed his number before I could lose my nerve. I needed to know where he was and what he knew. I needed to redirect him. Then I needed to get going in the opposite direction.
“Hello,” he said hesitantly, likely not recognizing the number on his personal cell.
“It’s me. Fanny.”
“Fanny,” he spit.
Ok. Shit.
“Maybe we can meet somewhere and talk.”
“Yeah? You wanna talk now? All of a sudden. Why?” I could hear the suspicion in his voice.
“You want to meet or not?”
“Fine.” I’d think later on why he was so quick to agree. For the moment I took the inch he gave me and tried for more.
“Where and when?”
“Well, I’m stuck on the PCH right now. My driver had to reroute us. The Five is a parking lot. Almost like all of Southern California is heading to Ocean Beach.”
I gasped.
“You’ve got nowhere to run, Fanny. Nowhere to hide. You see, I’ve always known how you think.”
Shit.
“And I see you now, too. Live on San Diego’s most watched television news station. You and Hollie. The limo has excellent reception for its information center. I know exactly where you are. It’s on the screen. Ashland Key’s penthouse. You look scared, Fanny dear. Hollie, too. Both of you do.” He laughed. “You should be.”