He was startled when the room phone rang. “Hello?”
“It’s me, Kelly.”
“Hey.”
“Did you forget me?”
“Not likely,” he murmured.
He heard her yawning. “It’s nearly midnight.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Not likely,” she told him.
“Look, I’m really sorry. I can be there—”
“It’s all right. Sam is my big concern, but he’s here with me. Don’t worry about getting me.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“It’s all right. Honestly. I’m just going to go to bed. I’m really tired. Good night.”
The line went dead. He stared at it for several seconds, then rose. The information he had gathered from a ceaseless reading of Web pages raced like wildfire through his mind. But there was nothing he could do with it at the moment. And Kelly had called.
Liam was still up when he reached the house. And though Doug had been afraid he was going to feel like an idiot standing on the porch, Liam seemed to think it the most natural thing in the world that he had arrived.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize how late it had gotten. I’m surprised you’re still up,” Doug said.
“One of the twins decided I needed to do a little walking,” Liam told him with a shrug.
“I didn’t wake any of the kids, did I?”
“No, but if one of them does wake up, I might let you do a little walking.”
“Not a problem,” Doug told him.
Liam yawned. “Make yourself at home. I’m going up.”
“Actually, I’ve got a question for you.”
“Shoot.”
“Did you know that Mel Alton represented Dana Sumter twenty years ago, when she was just getting started?”
“No.” Liam frowned. “How did you find that out?”
“It’s on one of her Web pages.”
Liam looked sheepish. “I went through a lot of those Web pages.”
“There are dozens of them, and I found the info only on one. Also, she’s missing a year from her life. Right after high school. She got her diploma, but her college entry is listed a year later. And there’s no mention anywhere of what she was doing then. Waitressing? Seeing Europe? It’s as if she dropped off the face of the earth for that year.”
“I’ll see what I can find out. And I’ll tell them down at the station, see if they can find anything out.”
“Thanks. Let’s get some sleep, for now.”
“Yeah.”
Liam yawned again and started up the stairs. Doug followed. On the second-floor landing, Liam bid him good-night. Doug went into his own assigned room, hoping he’d see Kelly sleeping there. She wasn’t. He walked to the dividing door, opened it and tiptoed in.
Sam, who was at the foot of Kelly’s bed, wagged his tail. Doug patted the dog’s head, warning him to silence. “She’s sleeping, boy. I don’t want to wake her.”
And she was sleeping. Soundly, so it appeared. Even in sleep, she was a mass of contradictions. With her eyes closed, she looked young and very innocent. But the richness of the sweep of lashes over her cheeks seemed to hint at the seductress in her. Then there was all that hair—red, splayed out like a sheet of silk, deep and luxurious. She was wearing a simple T-shirt, but the soft cotton molded to her form. On Kelly, the garment was the most erotic lingerie ever conceived.
He hesitated where he stood, thinking that he should leave her be. He really didn’t want to wake her. “What do you think, Sam?” he whispered.
The dog wagged his tail again.
“You’re with me, huh? You think it’s okay?”
The tail thumped, so Doug silently slipped out of his shoes, socks, shirt and pants. He carefully moved back the covers and climbed in next to her. Sam adjusted, allowing him room. Doug lay in the darkness, studying her face. A few moments later, she moved, gravitating toward him. When she turned her back on him, he slipped an arm around her. She moved into the curve of his body, still sound asleep, and yet more comfortable against him. Soft, warm. He stared up at the ceiling, holding her, hoping that the warmth didn’t become too much. Then it didn’t matter. He was glad just to sleep beside her.
CHAPTER 17
Mel Alton met them at the sound studios. If he was surprised to see Doug escorting Kelly, he didn’t show it. Doug didn’t know a great deal about recording, but he was pretty sure that the place was state-of-the-art. The entry lobby was grandiose, with music symbols designed into the rich carpeting, lots of hardwood and a huge open ceiling overhead at the entry that allowed a view of the lofty studios on the second floor.
“Kelly, Doug, good morning,” Mel said cheerfully. He grinned at the receptionist. “I’ll take them up from here, Sheila.”
“Sure thing, Mr. Alton,” Sheila told him.
An elevator took them up to the second floor, where they went to the green room. It was supplied with bagels, croissants, coffee, tea and a machine that made cappuccinos, espressos or lattes at the press of a button.
“What do you think?” Mel asked.
“Nice place,” Doug said.
“I have to admit, very impressive,” Kelly said.
“Marc Logan started it about three years ago, mainly to service his own label. I don’t think he ever intended to make money on music, he was just one of those people who had always been an armchair musician. When the studios were completed, though, they came into high demand. It’s strange, some people just have the knack. Logan got into this for his own amusement, but he’s already making money. Go figure,” Mel said. “Croissant, anyone? This whole spread is for you, Kelly.”
She arched a brow. “Aren’t the boys in the band due in?”
“They’re not on call until twelve. Kelly, you don’t need to sing with people, you know that. They’re just laying your tracks this morning,” Mel explained. He turned to Doug. “She’s still a theater girl at heart. She was just a baby when she started on Valentine Valley, but before that, my girl was in a major production of Annie.”
Doug looked at Kelly, arching a brow. “Live theater.”
“It will always remain my favorite venue in the world,” she informed him coolly.
“I didn’t know you’d done live theater,” he said.
“Well, we all have pasts, don’t we?” she inquired politely. “What I’d really like right now is tea with lemon. Anyone see tea bags?”
“Right here,” Mel told her. “And the hot water is…there.”
As Kelly made tea, Doug helped himself to juice and coffee.
“Kelly, Ally called me about your return to Miami. The island is booked as of Thursday, so I thought a flight out tomorrow or Wednesday would give you a few days to get there and relax.”
“I booked our flights,” Doug said. “We’re out of here tonight.”
Mel stared at him with surprise. Despite the reserve and distance she had put between them since finding out about his past, Kelly hadn’t seemed irritated that Doug had taken the matter in hand, nor annoyed that they were going so quickly. Maybe she thought that he would ease off once they were in Miami.
“You made the arrangements?” Mel said to Doug.
“I happened to be online and checked flights. Kelly is bringing Sam, you know. He had to be booked as well. It seemed to make sense to move down there. I want to bring Kelly into my studio, Moonlight Sonata, and let her work with Jane and Shannon. They can give her more of a feel for hand and arm positions and movements.”
“Oh,” Mel said. “Well, that makes sense, I guess.” He cleared his throat. “Kelly only flies first class. It’s in her contract.”
“I know that,” Doug told him.
“Well, naturally, turn in your receipts and you’ll be reimbursed,” Mel said.
“Right,” Doug said.
“Wait a minute. I don’t have a hotel booking until—”
“It’s all right, Mel,” Doug said. “Kelly wants to stay with friends of mine. My brother and
sister-in-law, actually.”
Kelly shot him a questioning glance.
“Oh?” Mel said worriedly. “Kelly, contractually you’re entitled to the best accommodations, you know. I can make some calls—”
“Mel!” Kelly said. “I’ll be fine. I want to get to know these dancers, to better understand how they can be so perfectly sharp in their movements, how their hands move…The more time I get to spend with the real thing, the better.”
“But—” Mel began.
“Shannon holds a number of championships for smooth dancing—that includes the tango,” Doug said, stepping in quickly.
“I see.” Mel looked at Kelly, then smiled. “So, you do think I steered you in the right direction, doing the video.”
“Absolutely. But if I’m doing it, I’m doing it right, Mel,” Kelly said.
“I’m sorry to say, but I can’t be there that early. And I can’t stay all the way through,” Mel said.
“Hey, you’re tops already,” Kelly said, offering him her warmest smile, one filled with years of affection that Doug suddenly found himself envying. “You go above and beyond. I know you have other clients, but you hold my hand very well.”
Mel smiled at her. “’Cause you’re the sweetest, kid.”
The door to the little room opened and Marc Logan entered, grinning from ear to ear. “Miss Trent! Mel…” He frowned as he looked at Doug, as if he’d forgotten his name.
“O’Casey,” Doug said.
“Right, right. Sorry, Mr. O’Casey. I hope you’ve all found everything you need.”
“It’s a lovely layout, thank you,” Kelly told him. “These are fantastic studios. I had wondered why you weren’t recording in Miami, since there are so many top-notch studios there. Now I know.”
“Oh, we’re going to be this big in Miami, too,” Logan said cheerfully. “But, since you actually live out here in L.A., and I’ve got this…well, here we are.”
“You brought all the musicians to me?” Kelly asked.
“They may be the next hottest thing on the chart,” Logan said, “but right now you’re the lead player.”
“I don’t mean to diminish my own importance, Mr. Logan—” Kelly began.
“Marc, please.”
“Marc. But I’m sorry to say, the entire world does not watch soaps.”
Logan came forward and took Kelly’s hands. “You, my dear, are simply a dream come true. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
“Well, thank you,” she murmured, drawing back. “I’m flattered. I hope I live up to your expectations.”
“Oh, you will. You will!” Logan assured her. “Well, if you’re ready, you’re set up in nine. Gentlemen, you can watch from outside, of course.”
“Outside” meant beyond large sheet-glass windows. Within the room, there were huge pieces of equipment and rooms within rooms. Logan brought Kelly in and introduced her to the people working the equipment. She was given several sheets and placed in one of the recording booths.
“This shouldn’t take that long, it’s just backup,” Mel told Doug. “And Billy Oddhan, the fellow in there with the beard and really long hair, is one of the best. Logan may be the money, but Billy’s the real producer, the guy who knows how to mix everything. Often you listen to CDs that are just great, but when you see the group live, they’re horrible. That’s because a good producer makes the sound.” Mel snapped his finger. “The producer is the real talent.”
He wasn’t expecting an answer and Doug didn’t give him one. Instead, he watched as Kelly was directed, as she listened through her earphones and was given visual cues.
“I’m not getting even a hint of what she’s doing,” Doug told Mel.
“They’ve got her doing backup, undertow and the chorus. She has a few lines and a few sung syllables,” Mel explained. He pointed into the studio at the massive music machinery. “It’s really something the way they can take the best bits from each recording and splice together the best version. She’ll lay the chorus several times for them, do a line by line if they want and be done. Actually,” Mel said ruefully, “I could have insisted we be in there. We could have been in the booth with headphones, too.”
Mel sounded a little irritated. Time to strike, Doug determined. “How come you never mentioned that you were Dana Sumter’s agent at one time?”
Mel seemed to turn to stone. Heartbeats of silence ticked by. Then he turned to Doug. “I represented her for all of about two minutes. And I haven’t seen her since.”
“Oh?”
“I wasn’t high enough on an A-list ladder for her at the time,” he said. “She hired me and fired me in the same week.”
“But you might have mentioned it,” Doug persisted.
Mel waved a hand in the air, obviously angry. “This is Lala Land, remember? Thousands come out here hoping to make it big, but for those who get a foot in the door, it’s really not such a big place. I’m willing to bet half the people out here in the business wind up connected with one another in some way. Even if it’s brief or by a few degrees of separation.”
“I see,” Doug murmured.
Mel frowned, looking at him. “Like hell! There’s no one more worried about Kelly than me. And to prove it, I’m going to see that no one fires your ass for being a presumptuous upstart.”
Doug inclined his head.
“Hell, and I had liked you!” Mel muttered.
Doug stared through the glass. “We’re both looking out for Kelly’s best interests, right?”
“Absolutely. And she knows that about me.”
Doug stared at him again. “But I wasn’t in California when Dana Sumter was killed. And I wasn’t on the set when Kelly had the ‘accident.’”
Mel stared at him with tremendous dignity. “I swear to you, I would never hurt Kelly. Ever!”
“Glad to hear that,” Doug murmured.
“If you think my representing Dana Sumter all those years ago could possibly mean anything, I’ll make sure myself that Kelly knows,” he said.
Doug studied him. “It may seem minor, but we’re all in the dark here, aren’t we?”
Kelly came out as they were facing off with each other. She emerged with Logan, the man once again telling her how pleased he was to have her aboard. Logan looked at Mel, grinning. “She was an ace. I knew she would be. I don’t actually watch television in the daytime, but Lance told me about your stint as a night club singer on the show, Kelly. I knew we had a winner.”
“Well, thank you,” Kelly murmured.
“She’s my girl!” Mel said proudly. He flashed a glance at Doug.
“I think the boys in the band should be showing up any second, if you want to wait around a bit, have more coffee or something to eat,” Logan said.
“Actually, I’m taking my dog on the plane tonight, so I’d like to get to the airport early and spend some time with him,” Kelly told him. “I hope you understand.”
“Of course, of course. Thank you, Kelly. Have a safe flight. Mel, take care. And you, too, Mr….”
“O’Casey,” Doug said.
“Mr. O’Casey. Hell, you’d think I could remember that!” Logan gave them all a wave and disappeared back behind the glass windows.
Kelly went on tiptoe and gave Mel a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for being here.”
“You’d be my one and only if I were a little richer,” Mel told her, then said, “Kelly, did you know that I once represented Dr. Dana Sumter?”
She cocked her head, an ironic smile on her lips. “You and half the agents in the state! Why?”
“I just wanted to make sure you knew. Doug seemed concerned.”
Kelly looked at Doug. She seemed truly puzzled. “Some people stay with one agent forever. Some, like Dana Sumter, go through them like…”
“Like toilet paper!” Mel said softly. He turned to Doug, as if he’d proved his point, then smiled suddenly, glad of Doug’s intrusion. “Doug, take care, and take care of my girl.”
“I intend
to,” Doug assured him.
As they departed the studios, Doug asked, “Did you really know that about Mel?”
“That Mel represented Dana once? Not really, but I did know that she had been with dozens of agents. And I mean dozens.” She changed the subject. “I’m staying at your sister-in-law’s?” she inquired as they headed for his rental.
All right, Doug thought. So he’d table the discovery for now. Kelly truly seemed to think nothing of it. And now that Liam knew, the police would certainly be on it. There was nothing else he could do now until he found out just what Mel had been doing the night Dana Sumter was killed.
“Doug. Hey, Doug! Are you with me?”
“Sure, sorry! Are you staying with Shannon, right? In a way. She has a place on the beach, but she and Quinn like to be on his boat, down at the marina. I’ve been living in her place. Nice house, near the beach, with a yard. I was thinking about Sam, as well.”
“So I’m staying with you?”
“Is there a problem?”
“Well, there are always problems,” she murmured. “But at this point…fine.”
When they reached his car, he opened the passenger door for Kelly. As she sat, he noted a car tearing into the lot. A rental. A foreign car. A dark gray sedan. And as he watched, Lance Morton emerged from it.
Had the vehicle rushing down the street the other day been black or dark blue, dark green…or dark gray?
The roses were on the porch when they arrived at Kelly’s house. It was a beautiful arrangement, but an odd one. Half of the roses were a stunning, brilliant red. But the other half were…black.
“An admirer?” O’Casey asked her, frowning.
She shrugged. “I don’t know.” She reached for the flowers.
“No, don’t touch them,” he said. He stooped down and picked up the vase, looking for the florist’s card. There wasn’t one. Just a note. It wasn’t handwritten, but typed. “Bloodred roses for a bloodred beauty,” he read to Kelly, looking at her.
She shrugged. “Well, there’s no threat in that, is there?”
“No, but what are they doing here?”
“They’re for me?” she suggested dryly.