Fame, Fortune & Secrets (The Redemption Series: Book 2) Read online

  “I certainly hope not.”

  “You know I always liked the sex with you.”

  He smirked. “You always liked the sex with Sylvie.” The shock in her eyes amused him.

  “I suppose that’s going to cost me my life today.” She reached for the bottle.

  He took it from her and smashed it against the nightstand.

  “Don’t do it that way,” she whispered at the ragged glass.

  The fear in her eyes assured him she’d behave. The broken bottle reminded him of Cat’s plea, and he wondered how she coped with the daily nightmares he’d put her through. Was Debbie going through the same nightmares with her paintings?

  “Do yourself a favor and quit the drinking. You’ll end up like Sylvie.”

  He dropped the bottle, rose from his seat, and left the room.

  Glori

  It’d been two days since the big news, and I found Cindy alone on the patio, sipping her coffee, overlooking the gardens. I poured myself a cup and inhaled the scent of all those flowers.

  “Raphael sure gave those landscapers some good pointers on that garden, huh? The flowers are even more beautiful than the day we had Debbie’s party,” I said.

  “Oh I know. He’s so talented, so smart.”

  I could tell Cin was in a faraway place with her boyfriend, Raphael Dominguez. Then she snapped out of whatever fantasy was happening.

  “How’s everything with you today?”

  “Fine, I guess. Joe wants me to do an interview with Liz Anders tomorrow. He’s really milking all this publicity over the Weekly World Gossip thing. I can’t complain. People are flocking to buy the album, and it’s all you hear on the radio. Joe’s phone is ringing off the hook for interviews and stuff.”

  Cindy smiled. “I’m surprised you’re not bouncing off the walls, honey. This is what you’ve waited for—your whole life you’ve wanted to be a star. Well, I know it’s not happening the way you intended, but it sure is happening. You’ll be able to do whatever you want—movies, whatever.”

  “Yeah, I’ve worked—clawed—to get here, as long as I can remember.”

  “And now?”

  I sighed. “Now it’s just weird. I know the album was doing great before, but now I guess I’m feeling a little funny about this whole thing with David and Debbie. It’s like all this attention is happening because of their connection to us. We wouldn’t exist as a group—Paulo would still be writing music for his teachers, and Nita and Cat would probably still be home in Salzburg. And I’d still be scrounging modeling jobs and auditioning for bit parts. But instead we’re the hottest rock group in the world, cuz Debbie met David. Weird, huh?”

  Cindy chuckled. “It sure is.”

  “And you wouldn’t have met Raphael.”

  Cindy took a big breath and exhaled in a wince. “Glori, I can’t imagine my life without him. It’s like we’ve been together forever.”

  “Yeah, Cin, I know he feels the same way.”

  She smiled. “I know he does, too. That’s what’s so amazing. I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life.” She sipped her coffee. “So how about you and Alain? Has he talked to you about this scandal with David?”

  I raked my nails through my hair. “No. You know him, Cin. He doesn’t say a word about any of that stuff. He doesn’t say a word about anything. Do you believe he’s going to Salzburg with the other three to do that training job in another month? Big coincidence—that’s when we’re all supposed to end up there to do more recording, and so Nita and Cat can get ready for their weddings. They’re still under the illusion we can all live there and have a career in music. So anyway, you’d think Alain would figure—oh—Glori’s gonna be in Salzburg, I’m gonna be in Salzburg, maybe we could get a place together? That would be way too personal. I guess I’m just supposed to stay at his apartment till we both get on the same plane. Does that make any sense to you?”

  Cin had to laugh at the insanity, but I knew the look on my face stopped her.

  “Honey, it doesn’t make any sense. I know he has feelings for you. You told me he said he loved you before he left for whatever that horrible assignment was—when the Colonel said he’d be back in a body bag.” Cindy rubbed her eyes, probably to get rid of that awful memory. “And then he gave you that gorgeous diamond necklace for your birthday. You told me he grew up on the streets—no money—so that necklace had to have meant something. He doesn’t have money to throw around.”

  I put my head in my hands. “I know Cin. It had to have meant something. But I’m clueless—no idea what it meant. Happy, happy birthday, Glori?”

  I sat back in my chair and focused on the flower garden. “Anyway, the sex is great. And I’m at his place every night, so he’s probably not screwing anyone else. And my career is goin’ good finally. So that’s enough for now.”

  Cindy shook her head. “Glori, you always have a funny way of accentuating the positive.”

  I got up to pick a small bouquet and inhaled deeply. I laughed out loud. “This is what you call real aromatherapy, Cin.” Then I got serious again. “You think Debbie’s gonna be okay?”

  “I don’t know, honey. I hope so. I had such great hopes when she married David. And she looked fantastic when she got back from Austria. But this scandal? I know David loves her. I hope that’s enough.”

  “Yeah, I hope so Cin. Now we really know why that goofy helicopter pilot—Tony Cooke—kept callin’ him Cupid at their wedding party. The way Nita talks, David’s slept with a lot of women, never really had serious girlfriends—sounds kind of like a sex addict to me. Heck, with a body like that—six and a half feet of muscle—what girl is gonna complain about too much sex? And from that Weekly World Gossip story, it sounds like he’s pretty talented with women in that department.”

  Then it hit me, and I had to laugh at myself. “Yeah, I oughta know about these secret agent guys. I got one that doesn’t talk to me either. But man, he is good in bed.”

  Cin shook her head. “I just hope Debbie can cope as well as you can.”

  “Yeah, I’m not so sure she copes. How could she with all the shit that’s happened to her? Nita’s a doctor—she should know—she said Debbie’s just burying her feelings. That’s why she got anorexia, I guess. She never could put a sentence together to talk to anyone. But she is better about that since she met David. I think the shrink in Salzburg really did help, too.” I took a long whiff of my bouquet. “But let’s face it, Cin, she’s seen first hand what he does for a living, and it isn’t pretty. That was awful scary that night he shot all of Albert Santoro’s bodyguards outside the restaurant. I can’t get the picture out of my head—all those dead guys on the ground. And they all had these bullet holes right through the head. He sure knew what he was doin’—our man Cupid.”

  Cindy coughed on her drink. “Glori, I’m still trying to forget that night.”

  “Yeah, Cin, imagine if that was just a few days before your wedding. Debbie never said a word about reconsidering. She just told everyone what a hero David is.”

  “Well, she was right. They were drug dealers, and they probably would’ve shot him if he didn’t get them first. They all had guns in their hands. I saw them myself.”

  “Yeah, well I can’t imagine what their conversation is when he gets home from work. ‘Honey, I’m home.’ Oh, wait—no.” I mustered a thick accent that sounded nothing like David’s. “He says, ‘Sweetheart, I’m home,’ and he hangs up his holster on the bedpost.”

  Cindy burst out laughing. So I kept refining my act.

  “And she says, ‘So how was your day, honey?’ And he says, ‘Fine Sweetheart, shot three hundred bad guys and overthrew ten enemy governments. Then I took out a bunch of terrorists.’ And then what would she say to that? ‘Oh David. My hero! You’re wonderful.’ Nothin’ left to do but go have sex, huh?”

  Cindy wiped tears of laughter. “Leave it to you, Glori. But there may be a ring of truth to what you say. I hope they can work their way through all this mess.” />
  “Did Raphael say anything about it? He knows David as good as anyone. They’re like brothers.”

  “He didn’t really say much. I think he was embarrassed for him. I also get the feeling he’s worried for him and for Debbie. He told me he knows David is crazy for her, but he’s afraid Debbie could break under the strain of all this publicity. And he was really upset by George’s reaction.”

  I snorted. “Yech! Old George is a real SOB. Of course, we’ve known that since day one. But that shit about burning in hell—in front of the whole family and everyone—what an asshole. And poor Cat—it’s like she takes everything personally. Cisco told us she never even sleeps anymore.”

  “That’s awful. Cat’s been under a terrible strain. Being so close to David, then having him disappear with this job for three years—turn up almost dead. Then suddenly she becomes an acclaimed lyricist and pop star engaged to a financial whiz. The whole thing is unbelievable.”

  Debbie

  David had called to say he’d be very late. I told him not to worry, and Nita and Cat made sure I’d eaten every crumb of my dinner. He seemed happy to hear it. There was exhaustion in his voice, and I didn’t want to add to his problems.

  I went to bed with my photo album and some scrapbooking supplies, but it was an awkward place to work, so I reviewed my honeymoon photos. My eyes started to close.

  The Bainbridge patio looked like one of my watercolors, the flower garden a riot of color, slowly fading at the edges. The night was getting warmer. The buzz of the party goers—louder. The colors—fading.

  That helicopter pilot, Mr. Cooke, looked like a cartoon of a man. His toothy smile overtook his face. As he talked, he became just a toothy smile. A loud toothy smile with a British accent.

  I ducked behind the shrubs. I shouldn’t have been listening, but I couldn’t come out now. I’d have to make sure I stayed hidden. Yes, just stay hidden.

  Why was I here anyway? Why would David want to marry me? I was fat and stupid. And the helicopter pilot was shocked when he saw me. He told his friend he couldn’t understand why Cupid would marry a shy stick of a girl like me. Not Cupid.

  Why did he keep calling David that name? The green of the shrubs was melting now. Where would I go? The helicopter pilot would see me. Everyone would see me.

  Cupid? Who was my husband, really? Why would he want me when he could have any woman? Every woman. How could he love such a fat, stupid girl?

  The shrub was gone. Sylvie Mason was laughing at me. Darla Wilde was laughing at me. They were right there laughing. They were all laughing. Everyone at the party.

  Vivid red washed up over my feet. Was it oil paint? It covered the patio, lapping up over the hem of my celestial blue gown. Oh! It was blood.

  Daddy’s finger wagged in my face. “I told you… I told you…”

  “No!” I woke up writhing. “Feel the feelings—” I had to catch my breath. My heart hammered in my chest. I clasped my ring. David loved me. He saved my life. He didn’t want another woman. Maybe Cupid did, but not David. David wanted me.

  I couldn’t let that hideous voice win. I knew it to the depths of my soul. David loved me, only me. I was lovable. I was worth saving. I was worth marrying. Say it thirteen times.

  Then Grammy’s face filled my mind, and I inhaled the scent of heavenly flowers. God loves me. David loves me.

  Glori

  I was in my element—but I felt nervous about the first major interview of my new career. Fortunately, the Bainbridges offered the use of their patio. It was home to me, and they were my true family.

  Exotic flowers of every description, brought in to the garden for Debbie’s wedding party, provided a gorgeous backdrop. The cameraman discussed the setting with reporter Liz Anders of Gossamer Magazine This Week. A makeup artist applied the finishing touches to accentuate my green eyes.

  While we waited for the interview to begin I took a seat by Cindy and twisted a lock of my hair. The long, frustrating process of grasping for opportunities was over. The path was clear for my climb to superstardom. This was the moment I’d waited for all my life. My twenty-fifth birthday had just passed. It was going to be an extraordinary year.

  My voice was a whisper. “This is so cool, Cin. One minute I’m tryin’ to eek out a living doing swimsuit modeling jobs. The next minute I have my own song and a music video!”

  Cindy’s lilting laughter wafted across the patio. She squeezed my hand. “I’m so happy for you, honey. I know you’re going to be a sensation. It’s funny the way things work out. I mean, you fought for every audition you could get, all those little acting jobs, waiting for your big break in movies or TV. And you end up doing a song and a music video. My friend the rock star.”

  We fell into peals of laughter.

  “Yeah. Not bad for a girl that can’t sing, huh?”

  Satisfied with the backdrop and the lighting, Liz finally sat down to interview me for her weekly entertainment show. She began with my least favorite topic.

  “Glori Coulson, your father is the acclaimed Hollywood director, Don Coulson. How has your dad helped you in your career?”

  I couldn’t help it, I rolled my eyes, and Liz tried to stifle a giggle. “Well—my dad—has always been—encouraging. But he’s pretty much a believer in making it on your own. As a matter of fact, I was this close to getting a fantastic part in one of his new movies, and he’s the one who said no.”

  Liz looked at me with a quizzical sympathy.

  I explained, “Yeah, he said they needed more of a name.”

  “And your Beachcomber Magazine cover?”

  “Well, he’s half responsible for the way I turned out, I guess. But I got that cover on my own.”

  Liz responded with a brief chuckle. “So how did you come to meet Paulo Clemente and his band? How did they choose you to sing Living One Minute at a Time?”

  I raked my nails through my perfectly tousled hair. In my hesitation I saw Cat’s face. She somehow knew all about me, as though she’d seen me and Alain in an intimate moment. Cat had written our life together in a song.

  I remembered to breathe. “I met Paulo, Cat, and Nita through my friend, Debbie. She and her parents heard one of Paulo’s demos and sent it to Doug Bainbridge. Of course, he was amazed. They’re so talented. And one day, I was at the studio, and Doug asked me to sing the lyrics. I just happened to be sitting at the piano. Paulo played, and I sang the song. It was magic, at least for me. I guess Doug agreed, and he had me record it and do the video.”

  Liz smiled. “That sounds like a Cinderella story.”

  “Yeah.” I laughed and nodded.

  “Will you be a regular with the band, Glori?”

  “Yeah! Doug, and our manager, Joe Harris, thought I’d be a fit. I can do some of the songs and sing backup, too.”

  “I love your dancing. I was watching you rehearse for your second video, Private Party. You were awesome.”

  “Thanks.” I gave her my movie star smile.

  “And on your first video, I thought it was very imaginative. It’s a very emotional, moving song. And the video really conveys the feeling. I imagine you drew upon your acting skills for that one. Did you have creative input as well?” Liz asked.

  I nodded. “Yeah. I did have some input, yeah.”

  “What are your plans now, Glori?”

  “Well, I’m gonna do some appearances with the band—mostly TV and some radio. And I’m working on the next video, and my song Private Party is gonna be on the next album. Right now, though, we have to let everyone know about our first album, Divine Intervention. It’s really phenomenal. And I’d say that even if I didn’t have a song on it.”

  “You’re right, Glori, it’s a masterpiece—and I don’t say that too often. It blew me away. I couldn’t believe this was the music of a sixteen-year-old boy. He’s incredible. And Cat is fantastic. Her lyrics are so beautiful—words and music that will be in people’s heads forever.”

  I remembered to plug the concert. “Yeah, and we�
��ll only be doing one concert in the L.A. area. At least for a while. It’s sold out, though.”

  “Yes, those tickets are long gone. I hope you’ll be on tour soon. Thanks for talking with me, Glori.” Liz grabbed my hand as a thank-you-and-we’re-done move.

  Joe Harris must have had it timed to the minute. He showed up on the patio with Paulo, Cat, Nita and Eduardo. After the hellos, he took Liz aside, waving his cigar as he spoke.

  “Now I know you want to delve into these kids’ personal lives, Liz, and you know Cat and Nita are gonna be married this summer to Paulo’s older brothers. But like I said before, the details of Nita’s fiancé’s life are off-limits. I can tell the way you’ve been checking him out, you’re thinking of going for it. And no questions on David and Debbie Lambrecht. That’s off-limits, too.”

  I watched Liz blush as she tried to resume a professional tone. “There’s no denying all of those guys are heartthrobs. The female fans are going to be interested to know about them. This secret agent angle only makes it more delicious. I can’t imagine you’ll be able to keep any kind of lid on this Sylvie Mason connection.”

  Joe gave a major frown to Liz. “Look honey—”

  Liz pushed on. “I can tell just by watching them, they’re so protective of their women, and Eduardo won’t be letting Nita out of his sight. I’ve seen that during their concert rehearsals. He’ll be forced into the spotlight. And frankly, he’s a very outgoing, talkative guy. He’s always smiling and joking from what I can see. He’s someone that could be a real plus in publicizing the group. But if you don’t want me to mention him, I won’t.”

  Joe heaved a heavy sigh. “Like I said a million times already, the guy’s in a sensitive job, and they really don’t want him to have any more publicity. So if you have to say something to your viewers, just tell them Eduardo works for an international law enforcement agency and leave it at that. Okay?”

  Liz shrugged. “Okay, Joe. I’ll concentrate more on the others, but I can already tell you that’s going to be tough. Paulo and Cat are so shy. That leaves Nita. Thankfully she’s easy to talk to—and it’s certainly unusual to have an emergency room physician making a transition to rock star!”