15. Violet

15

VIOLET

It's hard to get out of bed the next morning, but the faster I get through the day, the sooner I can be back here with Kane.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Kane asks as I get ready to go to the set.

"Yes, I'm already taking Liz. It would be odd to take a friend and a new boyfriend."

"I guess," he pouts. "Maybe I'll try to meet with Adam, the security guy that Zoe was working with, and see what he's found out. I want this over."

I kiss him and grab my shoes. "Me too, Kane. I feel better with you and bodyguards, but I want to live like a normal person. Tonight, I want to talk to you about something I've been thinking about doing after this movie."

"Something good?"

"I think so." I hope he feels the same way. I want him to be on my side when it comes to the future.

"Okay, I'll be here when you get home."

"I'll text you the gate and door code so you don't have to be let in and there's a car in the garage if you want to use it."

"I'm like a kept man, huh." He leans back on the pillows with a smile. "I could get used to this."

"Really?" I give him my most deadpan look. "Maybe I want to retire, live in a small cabin and have babies."

"Let's go," he answers, and I don't think he's kidding.

"We'll talk tonight." I kiss him one more time and head downstairs. Liz is waiting in the kitchen with fresh coffee.

"You ready to head to the set?" she asks.

"I guess."

"Hard to leave with a sexy man in your bed?" she asks with a laugh.

"Yes, but I'm ready to get this over with." I pour coffee into a travel cup, and we head out to the hired car that will take us to set.

"It'll seem like I'm in your trailer most of the day. There are lots of eyes on you when you're on set, but I'll be around. Don't look for me, just know that you're protected," Liz assures me as we arrive on the lot where the movie is being filmed.

"I believe you. I feel good about today, maybe it's the endorphins from really good sex but I don't have that jumpy scared feeling this morning."

"It's the sex, but I'm glad you're happy," Liz answers.

We head into my trailer and my good mood starts to plummet. Red roses are on the table, they look like the ones the stalker has sent before. I checked, but there's no card or letter attached.

"Could they be from Kane?" Liz asks.

"No, he knows about the other flowers and how I hate red roses now. They used to be my favorite, but now they creep me out."

There's a brief knock on the door and it opens as Zoe walks in. She seems shocked to see Liz but recovers quickly.

"Pretty roses. Who are they from?"

"I don't know," I tell her. "Can you find somewhere else to put them? I don't want them in here when I get back."

"Why?"

"They just remind me of the others from the stalker. Not a fan of red roses anymore."

"Okay, seems like a weird reason to get rid of a gift."

"I don't even know who they're from. They could be from the stalker for all I know. I want them gone, Zoe."

"Yes, boss," Zoe says as she picks up the flowers. "I'll do it right now. You need to get to hair and make-up."

"Thank you."

Zoe leaves, Liz watching her go with a critical eye. I start gathering my script to look over while I'm in hair and make-up and a bottle of water from my fridge.

"I'm going to go, is there anything you need?" I ask Liz.

"No, I'm good. Can I ask you how long you've known Zoe?"

"We've been friends for like ten years. Why?" That gut feeling is back and more persistent than before.

"It's just a feeling. She seems concerned and has done all the right things, but there's something in the way she looks at you when you aren't paying attention to her. I'm probably wrong, but is it okay if I look into a few things?"

Should I admit that I wondered about Zoe myself? I start to say something when there's another knock at my door and I'm told by a PA that I need to hurry to hair and make-up.

"Look into her and let me know if there's anything. We've been friends forever and she's Kane's sister, so be discreet."

Liz nods and I trust her to do what she says, but my stomach hurts thinking that something could be off with Zoe. Of course, I've started a relationship with her brother, so maybe that's what it is and we're both reading more into it.

I sit through hair and make-up for an hour and head to set. There are several scenes we're trying to get today and I'm exhausted by the time we are done. I'm sitting in a chair to the side of the filming area waiting to hear if I can leave for the day when I hear someone yelling.

I turn toward the sound and see Liz with Zoe. Shit, did she find something? I run over to find out what's happening.

Zoe's shaking a paper in Liz's face. "I found this in your bag."

"What is it?" Liz calmly asks.

"It's one of the stalker letters, why do you have it?" Zoe looks over at me.

"Why does it matter if she has it? She's helping with the investigation into who's stalking me."

"I'm investigating and don't need help. You were supposed to stay out of town until I found him."

"And were you going to find him? Were you even looking for a stalker or do you already know who was writing the letters?" Liz asks.

"What do you mean? Are you accusing me of something?"

"Oh my God," I say under my breath. "Zoe, were you doing this?"

I look at Liz and can see it on her face. I sit on the ground, my legs no longer able to hold my weight. "Do you have proof, Liz?"

Liz nods and shows me several pieces of paper, but the tears falling from my eyes make it impossible to read them.

"I've called Kane to come here, Violet. He'll be here soon," Liz whispers as she helps me stand. "I also called the police."

"The police?" I whisper.

"Yes, she's threatened lives and is a danger to herself and others."

I look over at Zoe. "Why? Can you tell me why you'd torture me like this?"

Zoe looks like she's going to deny it and then a vicious smile crosses her face. "You always get what you want, even things you don't care about. Your story of how you got your first television show because you auditioned for extra credit? I auditioned for that show and didn't get the part because you did. My parents wouldn't take me for another audition until I was eighteen. Then you got the movie that I made it to callbacks for. You get everything that should be mine."

"Zoe, I've never meant to hurt you. I didn't know we were going for the same parts. I'm so sorry that you didn't get those parts, but it's not my fault."

"Yes, it is. You were doing something to make them give you the part." Zoe starts pacing back and forth. "Now, you're trying to steal my brother. I know the only reason you're sleeping with him is because he's another thing you could steal from me. I thought he'd be off limits to you and you wouldn't think I was leaving the letters since I was helping you hide with my brother for protection."

"I am not sleeping with him to steal him from you." I'm so angry now I want to slap her across her face. "I'm madly in love with Kane and I can only hope that he feels for me a fraction of what I feel for him."

"I'm in love with you too, gorgeous."

We all turn when we hear Kane's voice. I run into his arms. I don't know how this is going to go, but I can't lose him. I can lose everything else, but not him.

"Zoe, what was the endgame with this plan?" Kane gently asks his sister.

"With Violet out of the way, I would get the parts that she'd try to steal from me. Then once my career had taken off her stalker would disappear. She would've been gone too long to get her career back or maybe not want to come back."

"All of those vile things you wrote and making me afraid to be in my own home was to try and steal my job?"

"Yes, and I kind of succeeded. You told me last night you didn't want to make any more movies."

Kane turns to look at me. "Is this the cabin, baby thing?"

"Later," I assure him and turn back to Zoe. "I don't know what to say. I thought you were my best friend, like a sister, and can't believe that you felt that way about me."

The police walk in, and Liz talks to them. I'll have to sit for questioning and give over all my evidence, but I can do that in the comfort of my home, and it doesn't have to be this second. She has enough evidence for them to hold Zoe. Kane asks that she be evaluated for psychological issues, and I agree that's best.

Kane offers to drive me home and since I no longer need a personal bodyguard, I say yes. There's a tension between the two of us that wasn't there before, and I'm afraid that might be something that love can't conquer.