Chapter 47
Five minutes later, Marty and Popov were sitting outside, against the tower. Both had been zip-tied, and in Popov’s case his good hand was secured to the steps leading to the door.
Emma, Ronan, and Billy were standing out of earshot of the others but where they could keep an eye on them.
“You’re not like any movie producer I’ve ever encountered,” Ronan said, his hand wrapped in Emma’s. They’d been that way since they’d come down, as if worried the other would disappear.
“I just happened to be in the right place at the right time,” Billy said. “That’s all.”
“Thank you,” Emma said.
“Yes,” Ronan said. “Thank you.”
“Glad I was able to help. I would appreciate it, though, if we could play down my involvement. The gossip sites would have a field day.”
“I hadn’t even thought about that,” Ronan said. “Of course. No one will hear it from me.”
“I don’t really like lying,” Emma said, “but I’ll do my best in this case.”
“Thank you,” Billy said.
—
The area was soon crawling with sheriff’s deputies. Billy had also called Detectives Sanchez and Jensen, and both were in attendance.
“No Captain Wilson today?” Billy asked them.
Sanchez and Jensen shared a bemused look, then Sanchez said, “The captain is no longer on the case.”
Jensen put a hand to the side of his mouth and whispered, “Suspended, and won’t be coming back. But you didn’t hear that from us.”
Billy grinned and nodded. “Then can we assume Emma is no longer a suspect?”
“Emma was only a suspect in one person’s mind, and as we didn’t tell you, that person’s opinion no longer matters.”
“I’ll let her know. But first, I have good news for you.”
He told them about his suspicion of Popov and his people’s involvement in Katy Lane’s death. He suggested they might start by talking to one of Popov’s underlings, all of whom had been escorted to the tower before anyone else had arrived. The detectives jumped at the idea.
Billy’s phone rang. He moved somewhere private and answered.
“I thought our agreement was to call me first if something was going to happen to Victor Popov,” Lance said.
“And I believe I said I would if an opportunity presented itself. Which it did not.”
“A technicality.”
“Reality,” Billy said. “I take it you’ll swoop in and pluck Popov from the local authorities.”
Lance sighed. “I suppose I must. What do you think the chances are he’ll turn on his contacts in the U.S.?”
“Did I forget to tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“I have videos of Popov talking about a certain senator, and other influential people that I’m sure you’ll find quite helpful.”
There was a moment of silence before Lance said, “I look forward to viewing them.”
“I’m sure you do.”
Seconds after he hung up with Lance, Stacy called him.
“What’s up?” he answered.
“What’s up? Where are you? You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago! Please don’t tell me you weren’t lying about me handling this alone.”
He’d forgotten about the meeting with Pike and Tina. “Something came up I could not ignore. But don’t worry, I should be able to get there in fifteen minutes.”
He heard her relay the information to Pike and Tina.
“That is totally unacceptable,” Pike said, loud enough to carry over the line. “I am not waiting another second.”
Billy heard Tina say something, then the line went quiet for several seconds.
“Pike’s gone,” Stacy said. “And Tina wants to talk to you.”
The phone was passed, then Tina said, “Hello, Billy.”
“Tina, I am deeply sorry for running late, but something unavoidable came up.”
“It’s all right. This was never going to end well, anyway. You may want to call your PR team, though.”
“Why?”
“Before we came to the restaurant, I overheard Pike talking to someone about a meeting later tonight at a bar near our hotel. I’m pretty sure it was a reporter.”
“I see. And do you happen to know the name of this bar?”
—
Forty minutes later, Pike Westin spotted Paula Leeds entering Doolittle’s Bar and waved her over to the booth he’d reserved in the back.
After she was seated opposite him, he motioned to the glass in front of her.
“For you,” he said.
“Champagne?”
“I know you’re partial to it.”
“I am, but I try to save it for special occasions.”
“I believe our discussion will fill that bill nicely.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Do tell.”
Pike started to weave a story that was barely anchored in reality, and one that made him out as the victim of Centurion Pictures and, more specifically, Billy Barnett.
He was just getting to the part about the meeting he was supposed to have had with Billy that night when Billy Barnett himself slipped onto the seat beside him.
Pike’s eyes bulged, while Paula looked amused.
“Hi, Pike, Paula,” Billy said.
“Good to see you, Mr. Barnett,” Paula said. “How are you doing?”
“Very well, thank you. And you?”
She could barely keep her grin from growing, no doubt anticipating a showdown between the two men. “Right now, I don’t think I’ve ever been better.”
“Wha…How…How did…” Pike stammered, still stunned.
“How did I know you were here? Because you are not nearly as smart as you think you are.”
Pike’s expression hardened. “Paula and I are having a private conversation. So, if you don’t mind.”
“I actually do mind. And you are kind of in public here, making it easy for someone to, say, let me listen in via their phone.”
The woman in the next booth turned and waved her phone at them. Pike’s jaw dropped. It was Stacy, Billy’s assistant.
“I heard your fantastical story,” Billy said. “With that kind of imagination, you should consider getting into screenwriting. I thought Paula might appreciate hearing the truth, though.”
“I told her the truth,” Pike argued.
Billy pulled a thumb drive out of his pocket and set it on the table in front of him.
“What’s on that?” she asked, practically salivating.
“Among other things, every single take Pike shot on Regina Gideon’s new film and a very interesting conversation Pike had with myself, Ben Bacchetti, and Tina Martin in his trailer last Thursday, before he was given an ultimatum to get his act together.
Basically, anything you’d need to check if Pike has been telling you the truth or not. ”
“You recorded me without my permission?” Pike said.
“I think you’re losing sight of what’s important here,” Billy said. He picked up the drive and looked at Paula. “This would be a huge story. Of course, it would also destroy Pike’s career.”
“You can’t give that to her,” Pike pleaded, oblivious to the fact that his protestation confirmed that he’d been lying.
“I very much can,” Billy said. “But I offer a compromise.”
“What compromise?” Pike asked.
“Not for you. For Paula.”
“I’m all ears,” she said.
“I will get you exclusive access to the production of Peter Barrington’s next film, plus a one-on-one interview with him. In exchange, this”—he waggled the drive—“stays with me.”
“Throw in interviews with his wife, and Tessa Tweed, too, and you’ve got a deal.”
Billy pretended to think about it for a moment, then nodded. “Done.”
He held out his hand and she shook it.
Billy turned back to Pike. “As for you, consider this as dodging a bullet.”
“How do I know you won’t release that to someone else?”
“I’m not in the gossip game. But if I hear even a hint of you saying anything bad about Centurion Pictures or Regina Gideon or anyone associated with either, I will express-messenger the drive to Paula and tell her to have at it.
It’s up to you. Keep your career? Or go down in flames in the most spectacular and unforgettable way. ”
Unsurprisingly, Pike chose to keep his career.