Chapter 6
Even though she didn’t have any filming today, Elise woke to the alarm. She’d talked to Finn and he invited her over to see him early this morning at his sister’s house.
After coffee and toast, she dressed in jeans and a copper-colored blouse that brought out the color of her eyes, then opened the front door.
And ran into a wall. A ripped chest wall. “Mason? What are you doing here?”
“I finished my movie and decided to come see you.” He kissed her on the lips. “I miss you.”
She sighed. Mason Spur was her on-screen lover. Her former real-life lover. “How did you get past security?” The private condo the studio had rented for her was in a gated community.
“Take a wild guess?”
“Fans of yours at the entry?”
“Yep.”
“Too bad. I’m on my way out.”
“I’ll come with you to the site and watch you film.”
“I’m not going there.”
He shrugged and gave her a toothpaste ad smile. “I’ll come no matter where you’re going.”
“No, Mason. We broke up before I left Hollywood.”
He stuck his hands in his jeans pockets. “That was just a spat.”
“It wasn’t. I don’t like being with you.” He was self-absorbed and conceited.
“That’s cruel.”
“Maybe, but you don’t seem to understand that we’re through.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Go back to Hollywood. And leave me alone.”
“Fine.” The smile turned into a sneer. “You’re cold in bed, anyway.”
He opened the door and slammed it shut, making her recoil. Hell. That was unpleasant.
But she wouldn’t let this ruin her day.
Her driver, Jimmy, came to the door. She’d already called for her car before Mason arrived. “Is something wrong, Ms. Preston? I didn’t know if I should have intervened. He seemed aggressive.”
“He was. But I’ll call out to you if I need your help.” She walked out with him. Once she got in the vehicle, she was calmer and as she gave Jimmy the directions to Fiona Rayburn’s house, she forced Mason Spur from her mind.
His sister’s three-story home sported cedar siding and was flanked by trees. What a lovely setting. Jimmy let her out at the front and she told him to wait to see if Finn needed to go out. She walked up to the porch and rang the bell. A flustered woman opened the door.
Her eyes widened. “Oh, my gosh. Elise Preston.”
“You must be Fiona.” His twin was a feminine version of her brother and just as gorgeous. “Didn’t Finn tell you I was coming over this morning?”
“Is it that time already? My twins are being obstinate and I’m trying to get them to clean up the playroom then get dressed. We have to go grocery shopping. Come on in. Finn’s settled out on the deck.”
She followed Fiona down the hallway to the kitchen. She heard two little boys and a TV down the hall. The living space looked like a cyclone struck it. Shoes, toys and clothing were strewn out everywhere. Some unrecognized food was on the floor.
“I’m sorry,” Fiona said. “I haven’t gotten to clean up yet. Go out and see Finn.”
Elise walked through a glassed-in porch to the deck. Finn sat in a chair looking out at the pool.
“Hey, there.”
He turned around and his eyes lit from within. Even sick, he was cute and sexy. Having ditched his pajamas, he wore a grey knit sweatsuit. “Just the woman I want to see.”
She crossed right to him and kissed him on the cheek. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
She sat down next to him. She wanted to take his hand but that wasn’t professional, even now when he was hurt. And he’d asked to see her. “How are you?”
“Much better.”
“Which is more than I can say for your sister.”
“The kids are being brats because Tim hasn’t been home.”
“Yeah. I talked to her. Hold on a second.”
She walked back into the house and found Fiona sitting on a bar stool holding her coffee. “Fiona, go on upstairs and take a bath. I’ll corral the twins into picking up the downstairs and cleaning themselves up.”
“But you’re a movie star. You don’t do those kinds of things.”
“I’ll be doing them today. Right now, you need a friend. Finn and I will take watch over the two of them.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
Fiona hurried out of the room. Elise went down to the playroom, which was also a mess, and turned off the TV set. High-pitched squeals.
“Come on boys, outside. Your uncle wants to talk to you.”
“No.”
“No.”
“If you won’t come with me, I’ll go get my big burly driver to come in and carry you out.” She arched a brow. “Or, the Blue Bomber, who was just at my house.”
“You know the Blue Bomber?”
“Yeah.”
“Who are you?”
“A famous movie star, too. Now get up.”
She steered the boys to the deck. “These guys need a talking to. I sent Fiona up to take a bath.”
The boys stood before him, lips pouted, staring down at their toes. “Hey, guys, I know you’re upset about your dad, and I’m calling him next, but you gotta get your acts together. Mommy is very sad and you’re making things worse.”
As if on cue, tears leaked from both their eyes. He let them cry. Finally, he said, “Go in and clean up your toys, clothes and carry any food out to the kitchen. Elise is going to supervise. Then put on your bathing suits. Come back out here and you can wash up in the pool.”
They scooted away.
She grinned. “Wow. You’re a miracle worker.”
“No more than you.”
“I’ll go help them.”
“Let them do it as much as they can. Then you can do the rest.”
She sat down again. “You look much better. Lift up your shirt, I want to see your bruises.”
His eyes twinkled. He was flirting. “Yes, ma’am.”
The bruises were still there of course and had turned that ugly yellowish blue. “Ouch.”
“Ibuprofen is doing the trick. You’re here early.”
“Am I?”
The boys came out. “We did okay in there.”
Elise got up. Went inside the house. “Not bad,” she said when she came back out with the kids.
“Now get your suits on.”
Heads down, they left.
“Let me go finish so Fiona doesn’t have to do it.”
Back in the family room, she picked up stray toys and clothes and cleaned off surfaces then did the same in the playroom.
She found a vacuum in the broom closet and ran it over the floors.
She came out and saw the boys were on the edge of the pool.
“Okay,” Finn said, you can go in.” He smiled at her.
“Been a long time since you wielded a vacuum, I’ll bet. ”
“Not so long. I have a cleaning person up here, but I do it in a pinch.” She sat.
“So? How was your morning?” he asked.
“You don’t want to know.”
“Sure I do.”
“Do know who Mason Spur is?”
“Of course. The Blue Bomber.”
“Among other things. He showed up at my doorstep this morning.”
His brows furrowed. “Are you two…close?”
“Not anymore. We were on and offscreen lovers for a while, but that ended months ago. On my part at least. He’s been filming in Hollywood, but he finished his movie and came out here to see me.”
“Huh! Where is he now?”
“I’m back.” Fiona had come out to the deck. Her hair was dry and fluffy, her face scrubbed clean, and she wore a cute sundress. “Thank you for that, Elise. Who cleaned up?”
“Me and the kids.”
“Wow.” She glanced out at the water. “I’ve got to go grocery shopping. They’ll have to get out of the pool.”
Elise smiled. “How would you like to be driven to the market without the boys?”
“I don’t understand.”
In answer, she picked up her phone. Pressed a button. “Jimmy, would you mind taking Finn’s sister to the grocery store…okay…she’ll be right out.”
“This isn’t necessary, Elise. I have my act together now.”
“Go on, honey. I’ll bet it takes half the time when the little monkeys aren’t with you.”
Finn added, “And we can supervise them in the pool.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
“Thank you. Both.”
After she left, Finn said, “Now, back to the Blue Bomber. So did he vamoose?”
“Yes, he did. Back to L.A. I hope.” She shook her head. “Typical Hollywood guy. He can’t believe every woman won’t be thrilled at his attention.”
“I’m glad you’re not.”
She grinned. Ah, this was progress. “Now, let’s enjoy the beautiful day.”
* * *
Finn awoke. He was stretched out in a chaise in the shade of the deck’s big gazebo. Disoriented—how did he get here—his gaze landed on the water. The pool was empty. He waited until he was fully awake then pulled the chair upright.
Fiona walked out to the deck. “You’re awake.”
“Last thing I remember is Elise and I watching the boys.”
“She made you lie down over here and you zonked.”
“When did she leave?”
“She didn’t. She’s inside telling the boys about knowing The Blue Bomber. But the police are here to see you. Do you feel up to it?”
“Sure. Maybe they know more.”
“They said they need more information. I’ll go get them.”
Instead of uniformed cops, a blond man in a light summer suit and a stylish haircut came out to the deck. “Mr. McKenna, I’m Captain Marshall with the Rockford Police Department.”
“Ah, the big guns.”
He gave him a smile and gestured to the chair. “May I?”
“Of course.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Better after a few days but honestly, pretty lousy still.”
His light brown brows narrowed. “You got beat up badly.”
“Do you have news on who did it?”
“Maybe. We found your car. It’s in impound at the station.”
“Is it damaged? In movies it’s usually burned.”
“No it’s not burned. It’s in the same shape as it was before.”
“Where was it?”
“In Niagara Falls at the airport.”
“That’s an hour away.”
“Yep. Since there’s no damage, we think the guy took it for transportation.”
“Then this whole thing—he gestured to his body—wasn’t to get the car.”
“We know that because he didn’t have to beat you so badly to steal an automobile.”
“Were there prints? Do they know who he was?”
“No. The fingerprints were wiped. So I need to ask you some questions. Do you have any enemies, Mr. McKenna?”
“Call me Finn. Enemies? Boy, I don’t think so.”
“No dissatisfied client? You practice reiki, right?”
“I do. Do you know what that is?”
“No, but I’d like you to tell me. Who knows what connections there are?”
Finn explained the process he went through with a client.
“It sounds like you treat distressed people.”
“I do. But no one so distressed that they’d do this. In any case, I help them all.”
“Every single one?” Captain Marshall couldn’t keep the skeptical tone out of his voice.
“Captain, this whole collective basically deals with alternative healing methods. We’re very successful practitioners which is why we opened up offices in one spot.”
“I see. So what about personal enemies?”
“You know, I don’t think I ever had any.”
“You’ve always been Mr. Nice Guy?”
“Yes, he has.”
Captain Marshall looked over his shoulder when Elise came up behind him. He rose. “Ms. Preston. Good to see you again.”
“You, too, Captain.”
Finn scowled. “How do you know each other?”
“We need police protection at the site of the movie.”
“How do you know Mr. McKenna?” Marshall asked.
“We’re close friends. And I can assure you that he’s one of the good guys.”
“So it seems.” He took out a card and handed it to Finn. “Here’s my contact information. Call me if you think of anything else. And I’ll have your car delivered here today.”
“Thank you.” The man walked to the porch and inside the house.
Finn gave her a genuine smile. “I’ll tell you one thing, kiddo. You’re a showstopper.”
Elise laughed.
* * *
Daisy Taylor sat beside Finn two days after he was attacked. She gave him a once over. “You’re healing fast, Finn. I’m so glad.”
He grinned. “Hey, I took your introductory class for both sexes before we opened the collective and I’ve been following what I learned for four years. So basically I’m a healthy male.”
Certain aspects of general well-being like heart health, aging, disease prevention and reproduction applied to both sexes.
Finn smiled at her. “I’ll never forget when you brought that whole box of condoms from vendors that your nursing students had saved. I never thought about those curly cue ones increasing women’s enjoyment.”
“Some guys got embarrassed.”
“Yeah, the younger ones. Take it from me, it was a valuable lesson.”
Chuckling, she sat back in her chair. “So, Finn McKenna. Elise Preston seemed worried about you.”
“Yeah, we got close.”
Daisy was nothing if not forthright. “Have you separated her from your practice?”
“No. We decided to have a professional relationship only.”
“That’s good.”
He blew out a heavy breath. “I guess. It’s okay if you think it was unethical to have a relationship with a client.”
“Things happen, Finn. I know that.”
“Maybe. Now, tell me about Liam.”
She thought of her dark-eyed, dark-haired child who was the spitting image of his father. “As a baby, he was all smiles and cuddles. Then out of nowhere, he became a teenager who’s moody and doesn’t want to spend time with his Mama.”
“That’ll end. Once I got to college, I saw my mother as a friend and outgrew my moods.”
“Let’s hope that happens to my kid.”
“Any guys on the scene?”
Once again her mind went to Linc. “My ex is in and out of the scene, so to speak, because he comes to see Liam. Then he makes excuses to be with me.”
“How’s that for you?”
“I don’t want him around.”
“Any chance of a reconciliation?”
“No.”
“Aw, I’m sorry.”
“I want to say something else about the movie star. I’m not sure I made myself clear. Professional ethics don’t keep you warm at night, buddy.”