Hollywood Divorces / Hollywood Wives: The New Generation (36 page)

‘So?’

‘Nicci never moves without her purse. And it’s lying on the floor by the front door.’ A beat. ‘Brian, I kinda got this premonition that something bad has happened.’

‘No way.’

‘Then where is she?’

He thought for a moment, remembering their conversation about Evan. ‘She might’ve gotten on a plane and gone to see Evan.’

‘You think?’

‘That could be it,’ he said. ‘She was upset about some shit between them.’

‘Can you check it out?’ Saffron asked. ‘’Cause this isn’t like Nicci, she wouldn’t hang me up.’

‘I’ll call Evan right now and get back to you.’

‘Thanks. I’ll be waitin’.’

‘So,’ Lissa said, ‘what was it you wanted to tell me this morning, Michael?’

They were lying in bed, comfortable and relaxed. Not only had they made love in the elevator, but they’d also made out in the living room
and
the bedroom. Now they were sharing a huge dish of vanilla ice cream with strawberries and chocolate sauce on the side.

‘There
is
something I need to tell you,’ he said, loath to break the mood. ‘It’s something that happened before us, if there
is
such a thing as us.’

‘Of course there is,’ she said, dipping a strawberry in the chocolate sauce and feeding it to him. ‘Whatever you might think, this is
not
a weekend fling.’

‘I hope not,’ he said, ‘although watching you tonight, I couldn’t help thinking how far apart we are.’

‘Far apart how?’

‘Everything.’

‘Hmm…’ she said, reaching for another strawberry. ‘Do you enjoy going to movies?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Watching ball games?’

‘I’m a big Lakers fan.’

‘What kind of music are you into?’

‘I’m easy.’

‘You see,’ she said triumphantly. ‘We’re
totally
compatible. Occasionally I have to work, the rest of the time I’m completely there for you doing all the things
you
like to do.’

‘You’re a sweetheart,’ he said.

‘I’m not such a sweetheart. I’m just happy I found you.’

‘You found
me
, did you?’ he said, raising a cynical eyebrow.

She smiled. ‘Sorta. Kinda.’

‘Anyway,’ he said, wanting to get the bad news over with, ‘d’you remember I mentioned I was about to give someone the break-up speech?’

‘Yes,’ she said, dipping her finger in the chocolate sauce.

‘Well, here’s the deal–just as I was getting ready to tell her that we were definitely over, she suddenly informs me she’s pregnant.’

‘Pregnant,’ Lissa repeated dully. This was the last thing she’d expected to hear.

‘It’s mine,’ he said. ‘I’ll take a blood test, of course, but I know it’s mine.’

She was silent for a moment, filled with mixed feelings. Why did this have to happen now? Why couldn’t anything go smoothly? ‘What will you do?’ she asked.

‘Carol doesn’t want anything from me, not even financial support, although I
will
support the baby,’ he said, reaching for a cigarette. ‘Do you mind if I smoke?’

‘Go ahead, poison yourself.’

‘You see,’ he said seriously, ‘Carol and I are over, so it’s not a problem, is it?’

‘Depends what you regard as a problem,’ she said coolly, trying to figure out how she really felt.

He stared at her intently. ‘I had to be up front with you, Lissa, didn’t I? No secrets.’

‘I appreciate your honesty,’ she said, ‘and I know it’s not an easy situation for you, especially in view of what happened before with Bella.’

‘Right,’ he said, lighting up. ‘But being here with you has made things so much better.’

‘I’m glad,’ she said softly. ‘Because I have a feeling you and I were meant to be.’

‘Yeah?’ he said, trying not to blow smoke in her direction.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘But if we’re going to keep seeing each
other, we can’t keep it under wraps. We have to be out in the open.’

‘I got a hunch you’re not a hot dog and movie kind of girl,’ he said. ‘Too many people bugging you for your autograph.’

‘I think you’re forgetting.’

‘What?’

She couldn’t help smiling. ‘My famous disguise.’

‘Oh,’ he said, grinning. ‘
That
’ll be a kick, going out with you in your wig and glasses. I can just see me taking you over to Quincy’s and saying, “Hey, meet my new girlfriend. She’s a little strange.”’

Lissa started to laugh. ‘There
will
be problems,’ she warned. ‘However,
I
think we’ve got a lot going for us.’

‘I dunno,’ he said unsurely. ‘You’re famous, you live in a different world from mine. And now there’s this baby thing.’

‘We can deal with it, Michael. I promise we can. And as far as
we’re
concerned, well, you’re not like Gregg. He wanted everything from me, even expected me to make him a star. We did not have a healthy relationship. But you and me—’

‘I hate to interrupt,’ he said, ‘but I can hear someone hammering at the door.’

‘I put a “Do Not Disturb” on the phone
and
the door,’ she said. ‘Who would dare disturb me?’

‘I’m sure someone’s knocking,’ he said, getting out of bed and reaching for a hotel robe. ‘I’ll go take a look.’

‘You have a great butt,’ she said playfully. ‘Why is it that men always have better butts than women?’

‘Hey,
you
’ve got nothing to complain about,’ he said, walking through the living room to the door of the suite.

Somebody
was
banging on the door and calling, ‘Lissa! Miz Roman, I have to speak to you. It’s Danny! It’s urgent!’

Jesus! Here he was in a robe and Danny was outside the door.

He hurried back into the bedroom. ‘It’s your assistant,’ he said. ‘Should I see what he wants? He’s yelling about it being urgent.’

‘What can be so urgent?’

‘Who knows? Maybe you’d better go yourself.’

‘You’re right,’ she said, jumping out of bed and reaching for her own robe. ‘If Danny catches you here, he’ll tell everyone. You stay put, I’ll be right back.’ She hurried to the door and flung it open. ‘Danny,’ she said crossly. ‘What the
hell
are you doing here? It’s late and I was asleep, and in case you haven’t noticed, there is a “Do Not Disturb” on my door. This better be
very
important.’

Danny almost fell into the living room. ‘It is,’ he said. ‘Somebody’s threatening to kill Nicci.’

‘S
he’s awake,’ Little Joe said.

‘How do you know?’ Eric asked.

‘’Cause I took a gander through the peephole.’

‘What’s she doing?’

‘Sittin’ on the mattress,’ Little Joe said, scratching his head. ‘She’s pretty,’ he added. ‘What’s her name?’

‘It doesn’t matter what her name is,’ Eric said guardedly. ‘You’d better get some sleeping pills down her. We need to keep her sedated.’

‘How’m I supposed t’ do that?’ Little Joe whined.

‘Your problem,’ Eric snapped. ‘That’s what you’re getting paid for.’ He was so sick of this group of losers. And glad that he’d made the decision not to pay them. They didn’t deserve shit.

Arliss had gone to pick up food. Big Mark wouldn’t return until later when he finished work. Davey was due back any minute.

In the meantime, Little Joe better take care of her, because Eric sure as hell wasn’t going anywhere near her. He didn’t want her picking
his
face out of a line-up if it ever came down to it. ‘Get moving,’ he said to Little Joe. He wanted him out of the way before he made the second phone call. If any of them suspected the kind of ransom he was demanding, they’d want more.

Not that it made any difference, because what they were getting was absolutely nothing.

Nicci couldn’t believe that Saffron would pull a stunt like this. It was the most bizarre thing she’d ever heard of. And any moment now, some horny stud dressed up as a prison guard would come walking in and start taking it off.

Damn! This was
so
not a good idea. She was freezing cold and starving hungry, and she could cheerfully
murder
her inventive friend. This was
way
over the top.

When the door was pushed open, she was prepared. It could be George fucking Clooney or Brad fucking Pitt, and she’d tell them to put their fucking clothes on and get lost, because she’d
had
it.

It wasn’t George or Brad, it was a short, pop-eyed man, in brown trousers and a sickly maroon sweater. And he looked nervous as hell.

‘Jesus!’ Nicci said. ‘If you dare take one item of clothing off, I am
so
kicking you in the balls!’

The man’s expression was stunned.

‘Tell Saffron the game is
over
,’ she said, getting up and heading for the door.

Little Joe was galvanized into action. He might be short, but he was strong. He stopped her at the door, blocking her way with his sturdy bulk.

‘Get out of my way,’ she said threateningly. ‘I don’t care
how
much Saffron is paying you, the game is
fucking
over!’

‘That’s not nice language for a girl,’ Little Joe said. ‘You go back over there.’

She attempted to push past him.

‘Get back over there,’ he repeated, his eyes almost popping out his head.

‘Don’t you fucking tell
me
what to do,’ she said angrily. ‘I’ve had enough! Doesn’t anyone understand English?’

‘This is n-not a game,’ Little Joe stammered.

She made another move to push past him. This time he shoved her so hard that she fell back across the room.

‘You’d better stay quiet,’ he warned, his eyes still popping alarmingly. ‘Eric won’t like it if you make a fuss.’

She picked herself up, shocked. ‘Who’s Eric?’

‘The boss,’ Little Joe said. ‘We do what
he
says, an’ you do what
we
say.’

‘Where’s Saffron?’

‘There’s no Saffron,’ Little Joe said. ‘You’re our prisoner, but not for long.’

‘Your
prisoner
?’ she said, feeling fear for the first time. ‘What
is
this?’

‘You’ve been kidnapped,’ Little Joe explained. ‘And when they pay, Eric will let you go.’

‘
What
?’

‘Don’t be nervous,’ he said, staring at her exposed strip of stomach between her brief tank top and low-rider jeans. ‘You’re pretty. Nothin’ to worry about.’

‘Oh my God!’ she gasped, suddenly feeling dizzy. ‘I think I’m gonna throw up.’

Brian reached Evan, who was not at all happy to hear from him. ‘What do you want?’ he said nastily.

‘I’m looking for Nicci,’ Brian said.

‘Very funny,’ Evan said.

‘No, really. Is she there?’

‘Of course she’s not, and I can’t talk now.’

‘Why? You in bed with Abbey?’

‘None of your business, Brian.’

‘Hey, you should be thanking me–I’m calling to give you a heads up. Nicci’s probably on her way there.’

‘What’re you talking about?’

‘Saffron came by to pick her up for her bachelorette night and she was gone. We think she’s on her way to see you.’

‘Christ!’ Evan said. ‘Are you serious?’

‘Unless you know where she is.’

‘Shit!’

‘Call me when she gets there,’ Brian said. ‘Saffron’s worried.’

‘What’s
she
worried about?’

‘In case Nicci’s
not
on her way to you. We don’t know where she is.’

‘She probably flew to Vegas to see her mother.’

‘No. She was with me all day. When I took her home she was all excited about her night out with Saffron.’

‘What was she doing with
you
all day?’

‘We had breakfast, that’s about it.’

‘Breakfast took all day?’

‘We drove to Santa Barbara.’

‘Jesus Christ, Brian,’ Evan complained, ‘do you think you can keep your hands off
my
fiancée?’

‘Sure. I’ll keep my hands off her, when
you
keep your hands off Abbey.’

‘Fuck you,’ Evan said.

‘No,’ Brian said. ‘Fuck
you!
’ And he slammed down the phone. A few minutes later he called Saffron. ‘She’s not there,’ he said. ‘She could be on her way.’

‘I’m phoning Lissa in Vegas,’ Saffron said. ‘I got a bad feeling, Brian.’

‘D’you want me to come over?’

‘Yeah–I’m still at her house.’

‘I’ll be right there.’

‘Cool. I’ll see you in a minute.’

Patrick arrived at Belinda’s and headed straight for the bar.

‘What do you think?’ Belinda asked. ‘Is it time to call a lawyer?’

Patrick was chuckling to himself as he fixed himself a Jack Daniel’s on the rocks. ‘You sure know how to pick ’em,’ he said.

‘What’s
that
supposed to mean?’ Belinda inquired, wondering why her ex-boyfriend was in such a jovial mood.

‘I’ve just come from the police station,’ Patrick said, downing a shot. ‘Guess what Gregg was arrested for?’

‘What?’ she asked curiously.

‘Attempted rape.’

‘Rape?’ she said blankly.

‘Yup,’ Patrick said, laughing aloud. ‘Your boyfriend was caught with his pants down.’

‘Who was he trying to rape?’ Belinda asked, shocked.

‘Remember that personal shopper you fixed him up with?’

‘Deidra?’

‘She’s the one,’ he said, happily swigging Jack Daniel’s. ‘Seems your boyfriend attacked her in the dressing room at Barneys. Can you friggin’ believe it?’

‘No, I can’t,’ she said, sitting down on an overstuffed couch.

‘Yeah, she ran out of the dressing room screaming rape, an’ someone called the cops. She pressed charges, an’ now he’s in jail. I’ve got a photographer on stand-by and the story is all set to go. Forget about that crap with Lissa’s diary. This is bigger and better.’

‘Better than twenty-five grand?’ Belinda asked.

‘Sure,’ Patrick said, sitting down beside her. ‘You’ll make plenty, ’cause I’m cuttin’ a deal for you to tell everything.’

‘What is
everything
?’ she asked, alarmed.

‘Bedroom details of your life with this loser.’

‘I can’t do that, Patrick,’ she said, thinking of the ramifications. ‘I’m a public figure, I’m on TV, for crissakes.’

‘Here’s the sweet thing,’ Patrick said, edging closer. ‘The story won’t come from you. It’ll be a series of quotes from a close friend, someone who’ll come up with all the details. So,
you
’ll be clean,
we
get the money, an’ the story
flies. I’ve already spoken to Deidra–I’m buying her story, too. This is
very
sweet, darlin’.’

‘Patrick,’ Belinda said admiringly, ‘you’re such an operator.’

He planted a quick kiss on her cheek. ‘Takes one to know one.’

‘Fix
me
a drink,’ she said, with a smile. ‘I never thought Gregg was a keeper. He
was
good in the sack, though.’

‘’S good as me?’ Patrick asked, with a cocky leer.

‘According to
you
,’ Belinda said, still smiling,
‘nobody’
s as good as you.’

He snickered. ‘Listen,’ he said, ‘here’s the problem. If you bail him out, he’ll try t’ come here, an’ I don’t think you want that. So you gotta act like the disgusted girlfriend an’ dump him. We’ll stash his luggage at a hotel. I’ll spring him, an’ tell him the bad news. In the meantime, you’d better change your locks.’

‘He doesn’t have a key.’

‘Always knew you were a smart one.’

‘This could be another hoax,’ Michael said, pacing around the room. ‘Like the death-threat letter.’

‘You think so?’ Lissa asked hopefully.

‘We’ll soon find out,’ he said, desperate for a cigarette. ‘Where is Nicci tonight?’

Lissa tried to think clearly. ‘It was her bachelorette party, so she’ll be out somewhere with Saffron.’

‘You got Saffron’s number?’

‘No, but Kyndra will have it.’

‘Okay, we’ve got to stay calm here. Danny, have all calls re-routed to this room.’

Danny nodded, white-faced.

‘Lissa,’ Michael continued, ‘you have to realize that this could turn out to be nothing. The important thing is finding Nicci and talking to her.’

‘Yes,’ she said weakly. ‘I understand.’

‘She’ll be fine. I’m sure of it.’

‘What if she’s not?’ Lissa asked, starting to panic. ‘What if somebody’s got her?’

‘It’s unlikely,’ Michael said. ‘Danny, get on the phone and find out Saffron’s number. Use line two. Meanwhile, I’ll try reaching Nicci. You have her number?’

Danny nodded.

‘Lissa, I want you to take a few deep breaths and try to relax. I’ve dealt with situations like this before. The main thing is to stay in control.’

Danny was already on the phone to Kyndra, getting Saffron’s number.

‘The man who called told Danny he’d get back to you in fifteen minutes,’ Michael said, glancing at his watch. ‘That’s in approximately four minutes’ time. I’m putting you on speaker-phone, Lissa. You’ll listen to what he has to say, and we’ll take it from there. Can you do that?’

‘You’re almost sure it’s a hoax, aren’t you?’ she whispered, her face pale.

‘Yes,’ he said, trying Nicci’s cellphone.

A girl’s voice answered.

‘Nicci?’ he said, relieved.

‘Who’s this?’

‘You don’t know me. I’m Michael Scorsinni–your mother’s security. She wants a word with you.’

‘This isn’t Nicci, it’s Saffron.’

‘Saffron, can you put Nicci on? Lissa wants to speak to her.’

‘I don’t know where she is.’

‘Isn’t she with you?’

‘No, she’s not, and I’m kinda worried.’

‘About what?’

‘Well, I’m at her house–we were supposed to go out tonight–and when I arrived to pick her up, she wasn’t here. Brian thinks she might have flown to see Evan, only
I’m not so sure ’cause she didn’t take her purse an’ she never goes anywhere without her credit cards and phone. I’m on her cell now. I heard it ringing an’ I ran to pick up. Something weird is going down.’

Michael felt a sinking in the pit of his stomach. This was no hoax. Something bad had happened. ‘Keep that phone with you, Saffron,’ he said. ‘We’ll get back to you.’

‘Do you know where she is?’

‘We’re finding out.’

‘Who was that?’ Lissa asked, as soon as he put the phone down.

‘Saffron…Now, don’t get alarmed.’

‘Where’s Nicci? Why isn’t she with her?’ Lissa asked, the colour draining from her cheeks.

‘Saffron thinks she might’ve flown to see Evan.’

‘How do we find out?’

‘Where is he?’

‘On location in Utah.’

‘Danny,’ Michael said, ‘check the airlines. See if she was booked on a flight.’

‘Why would she run out on her own party?’ Lissa asked. ‘She was looking forward to it, that’s all she’s been talking about.’

Michael shrugged. ‘Beats me.’

Danny was totally confused. What with the threatening phone call, and now coming in and finding Lissa and Michael in their robes, he didn’t know what to make of it all. ‘I’ll go check the airlines,’ he said, leaving the room.

When the phone rang, Michael put it on speaker and handed the receiver to Lissa. ‘Stay cool,’ he mouthed.

‘Hello?’ she said.

‘Is that Lissa Roman?’ a muffled voice asked.

‘Who is this?’ she asked, as calmly as she could.

‘I’m calling about your dear daughter.’

‘Where is she?’

‘Don’t worry, she’s safe, and she’ll
stay
safe as long as you come up with what I want.’

‘What
do
you want?’

‘Two million dollars,’ the muffled voice said. ‘Cash. And I want it within twenty-four hours or Nicci dies. And…if you call the FBI, the cops, or anyone else, she dies anyway. I’ll get back to you with instructions. You’d better start getting the money together. That’s if you ever want to see your daughter’s face again.’