Part 29 (1/2)
”Now that my secret is out and I've been totally honest, I expect the same from you. What's up with Clarence?”
Heather turned away. ”Clarence who?”
”Don't get coy on me now. You want to play Francesca, don't you? Tell me about what's going on with Clarence.”
Heather pivoted and seemed to search his face for something.
Ross pushed her closer to the cliff. ”I promise that if I have anything to do with a SpyMatrix sequel, I'll use whatever influence I have to get you the part of Francesca. How about that?”
Why not promise something that would never have to be delivered.
”Now, will you tell me what's going on?” Ross said.
”Are you jealous?”
”Why wouldn't I be?” he hedged. Jealousy was something Heather would understand.
”Oh, baby, don't worry. Clarence is just the guy who's helping me retrieve some embarra.s.sing photos,” Heather said. ”Once I get those photos, Playboy wants them. It'll cause a huge scandal...and give me a b.u.t.tload of publicity. Not to mention the money Playboy will pay.”
”Why would Clarence help you?”
She waved a dismissive hand. ”He thinks he's in love with my sister.”
”Why did Clarence get his agency operative to try to break into my car?”
”Sweetie. You weren't being cooperative with information about the sequel, now were you? Clarence thought you might have some information in your car. I wanted confirmation of the sequel.”
”I'm still not clear on why Clarence is involved.”
”Like I said, Clarence is in love with my sister. He'll do anything for her,” Heather said. ”And I've promised my sister a share of the spoils of all this. She'll do anything for money.”
A trait that ran in the family, apparently.
”Who has these photos right now?”
Heather directed her gaze to the side. He knew she was about to evade. ”A Russian guy. Walnikov. Olinov, Rostinov... something like that.”
Kubikov.
”Why would this Russian guy deal with Clarence?”
”That's the funny thing about it,” Heather said with excitement.
Ross seriously doubted anything could be funny about this situation.
”When he contacted the Russian's representative, Clarence didn't use his own name. He used the name Stephen Dagger and the rep seemed to think he was you. Isn't that funny?”
”Hilarious.”
Suddenly, pieces of the puzzle started to fit together.
”And is this Russian going to just give your valuable photos back?”
”Clarence has something the Russian wants.” Heather frowned as much as the Botox in her forehead would allow for. ”But there's been a little trouble with the Russian. Clarence promised to straighten it all out.”
b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l. Clarence had involved Ross with the Russian mob.
”Oops.” A shadow of concern pa.s.sed behind Heather's eyes.
”Oops, the Russian?”
”No.”
There was something besides the Russian to oops about? b.o.l.l.o.c.ks.
”I did something I shouldn't have last night. There's somebody I need to call right away.”
”Who? What else is going on, Heather? Tell me.”
”Oh, I need to call that reporter guy. Stewart Milton. You're not going to get mad or anything are you? Promise you won't be mad.”
Ross knew she meant the American-mad like angry. ”I promise I'll go mad if you don't tell me what is going on.”
”It's just that I got jealous about you being at that motel.” Heather bit her lip. ”I traced the phone number on my caller ID from when you called last night.” Heather trotted to her handbag on the sofa, opened it and reached inside. ”Anyway, Milton happened to call me for a quote about you and the Stooges woman.”
”Mo,” Ross said intently.
”Yes, Mo. What kind of name is that? Anyway, I'm afraid I was a little indiscreet. You're not mad are you?”
”Of course not.” He was angry, but not crazy-yet. ”Are you saying that you were the source for that story about Mo and me at the motel?”
Giggling, Heather punched the keys on her cell. ”It's okay. I'll call him and retract my information. He won't dare print it without me as a source.”
What had he done? The scene with Mo played in his head. Why hadn't he given her the benefit of the doubt?
”And I get the part right? I mean I deserve that role right?”
”Right. You'll definitely get what you deserve,” Ross said, using all his acting ability to keep a calm demeanor. His right hand was fisted so tight, he lost feeling in his fingers. ”Now where is Clarence? I'd like to speak to him.”
”He called right before you got here and he said he was at his apartment.”
”Wha, wha, wha,” the voice of the client sitting in front of her droned on.
”Uh huh,” Mo replied when there was a pause. She swiveled in the office desk chair in a one hundred eighty degree arc, gazing up at the ceiling tiles, as she tapped the eraser end of her pencil on the pad in front of her.
She heard the guy but her mind didn't really register the meaning of the words. She couldn't think of anything but Ross, the mistrustful mushroom head.
”Wha, wha, wha, wha, wha.”