Serial Novel: Falling in Public, Ch. 24
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Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23
Falling in Public
Chapter 24
Eddie paced in the living room, wondering how Vince could be so calm. It was nearly noon, and there was no sign of Holly at all - even her agent hadn't heard from her. He'd slept fitfully after Vince had finally rescued him from Holly's dressing room at the studio and he'd given a statement to the police. The guilt was almost overwhelming, though he knew there was nothing he could have done differently.
Except sending her away yesterday morning.
"There has to be something we can do," he said, stopping in front of the tall glass windows that overlooked the pool. "Maybe we should hire a private detective. Do you know any--"
"The police said they'd call as soon as they had something," Vince said. "You've got to calm down, Eddie. You have a show in two days - you should be rehearsing with the rest of the band."
Eddie turned around in time to see Vince point the remote at the TV. The noon news came on, and he froze as Holly's face appeared in the small box to the left of the newscaster.
"Turn it up," he said, snatching the remote from Vince's hand and raising the volume as fast as he could. Her face was as white as the sheet pulled up over her t-shirt, and the resigned weariness in her eyes made him long to hold her. The newscaster was talking, and he tried to focus on her words.
"--for more on this story, let's go right to our field correspondent live with Ms. Saunders at this very moment."
Holly's face grew larger for a moment until the camera panned out to include the face of a young reporter, leaning far closer than he needed to, in Eddie's opinion.
"Ms. Saunders, please tell our audience what happened yesterday, and where you've been since then." The camera zoomed in on Holly again. She blinked and looked offscreen for a moment before she spoke.
"Some men tried to kidnap me. I was shot in the leg, but I'm being well cared for by..." she paused, glanced offscreen again and then sighed, "by Sean Winston and his staff. Sean and I are...um..."
"It's okay Ms. Saunders," the reporter said with a sly grin. "We all got the press release this morning." He turned and looked into the camera. "Ms. Saunders and Sean Winston have been hiding a secret love affair, it seems. And as soon as she's well enough, she'll move into Winston's mansion." He looked back at Holly. "Should we be looking for a wedding date soon?"
The horrified look on Holly's face was all Eddie needed to know. He turned off the television and tossed the remote onto the coffee table. "None of that is true, dammit. Did you see her face? Something's wrong, Vince - and I'm not going to just sit back and let it happen. Winston's going down." He moved toward the door, but Vince was there first, and grabbed his arms tight.
"Nothing is exactly what you're going to do," he said, holding up a finger when Eddie opened his mouth to argue. "You go racing over there now, your career is over, I guarantee it. This has to be handled very carefully. Understood?"
"Who the hell cares about my career?" Eddie pushed his agent aside, striding quickly to the back door. "I need to see her." He pulled open the door and got half-way down the steps before his phone rang. Not looking at the display, he answered it on the way to the car, stopping short when he heard the familiar voice.
"Eddie? This is Holly."
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15|
Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23
Falling in Public
Chapter 24
Eddie paced in the living room, wondering how Vince could be so calm. It was nearly noon, and there was no sign of Holly at all - even her agent hadn't heard from her. He'd slept fitfully after Vince had finally rescued him from Holly's dressing room at the studio and he'd given a statement to the police. The guilt was almost overwhelming, though he knew there was nothing he could have done differently.
Except sending her away yesterday morning.
"There has to be something we can do," he said, stopping in front of the tall glass windows that overlooked the pool. "Maybe we should hire a private detective. Do you know any--"
"The police said they'd call as soon as they had something," Vince said. "You've got to calm down, Eddie. You have a show in two days - you should be rehearsing with the rest of the band."
Eddie turned around in time to see Vince point the remote at the TV. The noon news came on, and he froze as Holly's face appeared in the small box to the left of the newscaster.
"Turn it up," he said, snatching the remote from Vince's hand and raising the volume as fast as he could. Her face was as white as the sheet pulled up over her t-shirt, and the resigned weariness in her eyes made him long to hold her. The newscaster was talking, and he tried to focus on her words.
"--for more on this story, let's go right to our field correspondent live with Ms. Saunders at this very moment."
Holly's face grew larger for a moment until the camera panned out to include the face of a young reporter, leaning far closer than he needed to, in Eddie's opinion.
"Ms. Saunders, please tell our audience what happened yesterday, and where you've been since then." The camera zoomed in on Holly again. She blinked and looked offscreen for a moment before she spoke.
"Some men tried to kidnap me. I was shot in the leg, but I'm being well cared for by..." she paused, glanced offscreen again and then sighed, "by Sean Winston and his staff. Sean and I are...um..."
"It's okay Ms. Saunders," the reporter said with a sly grin. "We all got the press release this morning." He turned and looked into the camera. "Ms. Saunders and Sean Winston have been hiding a secret love affair, it seems. And as soon as she's well enough, she'll move into Winston's mansion." He looked back at Holly. "Should we be looking for a wedding date soon?"
The horrified look on Holly's face was all Eddie needed to know. He turned off the television and tossed the remote onto the coffee table. "None of that is true, dammit. Did you see her face? Something's wrong, Vince - and I'm not going to just sit back and let it happen. Winston's going down." He moved toward the door, but Vince was there first, and grabbed his arms tight.
"Nothing is exactly what you're going to do," he said, holding up a finger when Eddie opened his mouth to argue. "You go racing over there now, your career is over, I guarantee it. This has to be handled very carefully. Understood?"
"Who the hell cares about my career?" Eddie pushed his agent aside, striding quickly to the back door. "I need to see her." He pulled open the door and got half-way down the steps before his phone rang. Not looking at the display, he answered it on the way to the car, stopping short when he heard the familiar voice.
"Eddie? This is Holly."
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