Killing America's Sweetheart: A Natalie Miller Mystery (24 page)

I winced when he told me the story.

“I honestly don’t think he was going to shoot us, if anything he was going to kill himself. Damn, trigger happy newbie. I’m sure he’ll get a medal of honor for his duty, even if it wasn’t the right thing to do.”

“What happened to Simon?” I asked.

“He was shot by the bullet that was meant for you. He pushed you back and that’s how you ended up with a pretty nasty head injury. However, I think it’s much better than a fatal gunshot wound,” he said.

“How’s is he?”

“Simon? He’s doing better. He had to have emergency surgery to repair some of the damage the bullet did to him. It hit him in the chest and collapsed a lung, but the surgery was successful and he’s recovering upstairs in the ICU unit.”

Simon had taken a bullet meant for me. H
e risked his life to protect me. An unglamorous woman he barely knew, from small-town USA. He could have died. The thoughts were coming too fast and hard for me to control. My emotions were getting the best of me, and soon tears began flowing.

Zack rubbed my check with his hand, wiping away the tears.

“I guess I underestimated him,” he said. “Here I thought he was just another pretty face, but the guy actually has balls. I can respect that. I feel I even owe him.”

“Why do you owe him?” I asked.

“Because he saved you,” he said gently.

Immediately my feelings became even more conflicted.

“Listen, I’m here in an unofficial capacity. I told the sergeant about my involvement with Hannah, so I’m on leave. I’m probably going to have something put on my permanent record, but overall he doesn’t think it’s going to be a career ender, especially since the real perpetrator was discovered,” he said.

“I’m glad you confessed. I didn’t think it was right that you
withheld the information,” I replied.

“I know. I don’t know what’s happened to me. I feel like I’ve lost my way somehow, but I’m trying to repair the damage I’ve caused,” he said rubbing his face.

I wanted to believe that Zack was sincere and meant that he was trying to change himself, however I couldn’t fully trust him.

“What about Emma?” I asked.

He sighed heavily and said, “She’s pissed. And knowing her, that’s really bad. You were right; she does have an unhealthy attachment to me. I thought you were being dramatic, but now I see it. But, it’s still over. I can’t deal with her neediness and she’ll never get over me cheating on her.”

“Well, at least we know she didn’t kill Hannah,” I said trying to make light of the conversation.

“Oh, yeah about that, she finally told me that she was at some spa clinic in Sacramento. I guess it was an overnight appointment. Out of curiosity I checked it out and discovered it was a Botox and filler event. I never realized she had so much plastic surgery until now,” he said.

“You know, I don’t think she’s ever been cheated on. She’s alw
ays been the one the men cheat with, but as far as being scorned, I think it’s new for her. You’re probably lucky to have gotten out of there alive,” I said smiling slightly.

“It wasn’t my finest hour, that’s for sure,” he said.

“What are you going to do with all your free time now?” I asked lightening the mood.

“I’m not sure. But, I’ll figure something out. Both the
sergeant and captain said it’d be a few weeks to a month. Maybe I’ll start a new hobby? Or binge watch a TV series on Netflix. Mostly, I’d just like you to forgive me and give me a chance.”

Oh, no.

“I want a real chance with you. Not a one night stand and then go back to being in the friend zone. I want to try and make a relationship work, but I know I need to prove to you that I’ve changed and that I even deserve one.”

“Zack, I’m not sure that’s
a good idea. Maybe we’re not meant to be more than friends. Besides…” I said trailing off.

“What?” he asked.

“It’s Simon. I have feelings for him,” I admitted.

“Ah, so Mr. Hollywood is now my competition. That’s okay, I feel up for the challenge,” he replied sounding like his old self.

“I don’t want you to challenge him and it’s not a competition. I just simply admitted that I care about him and I want to see where that goes. And if we’re being honest then I guess I can finally say that you had many opportunities to take our friendship to the next level and you never did. Yeah, maybe I didn’t make it easy, but since you love a challenge you could have changed my mind many times. Instead you hooked up with Home Wrecker Barbie and America’s Sweetheart.”
              “You’re never going to let that go are you?” he asked sounding hurt.

“Oh, I will in good time, but it doesn’t mean I’ll ever forget. See the thing with you Zack is that
while I believe you really do care about me, deep down you’re ashamed.”

“What? What the hell are you talking about?”

“It’s simple really. See, we live in a small town where old school rules still apply. No matter how old we get, high school never really ends. I’m always going to be the lower class, awkward girl, who everyone is outwardly nice to, but privately they talk shit about. And you know, I’ve made peace with that. But you, well it’s not something you’re used to. If we were to get together your friends would be nice at first, but then after a while they’d say you could do better. That I’m not pretty, educated or thin enough. It would wear on you and eventually it’d break us down. I don’t want that. I understand my pecking order perfectly, and it’s nowhere near your class.”

“But Mr. Hollywood is?” He asked
angrily.

“He’s not from here. And he’s different,” I said quietly.

“I think you’re in for a rude awakening, Nat. Don’t be surprised if he’s even worse than you think I am,” he said getting up to leave.

“Zack, don’t be that way.”

“How can I be any other? I just poured my heart out to you and you tell me that I along with my friends are judgmental assholes,” he said gripping on to the door handle.

I was about to say something to try and ease my earlier words, but nothing came to mind.

“Look, I love you. I’m relieved that you’re okay, but I don’t think I can be around you anymore. I’m tired of this dance and if you don’t want to forgive me…then I need to stay away,” he said.

ONE MONTH LATER

It was nearly Thanksgiving…
tomorrow to be exact, where had the time gone? My apartment was looking pretty good, since I had so much free time on my hands now. Cleaning and keeping a tidy abode was easy when you didn’t have anywhere to be. The psychic detective business was not really booming. But, to be fair we really hadn’t done much in the way of advertising. Since being released from the hospital, all I really wanted to do was sleep and lay low. I guess I was a bit depressed. My emotions were rocked and I felt like I needed time to myself to recover. I hadn’t seen much of anyone, with the exception of my mom. There was no way she’d let me hibernate for a month without checking up on me. Almost daily she came by, bringing me trashy tabloids, books and food. She really was a wonderful mother.

It was nearly 8
pm and I was just putting the finishing touches on my famous macaroni and cheese casserole, when there was a knock at my door. Honey immediately came running from her bed and began barking in alarm.

“Shh! Honey!”
I said, trying to calm her. Ever since the night of the shooting, she’s been a bit on edge, barking at any noise or sound.

I looked through the peep hole and my s
tomach did a flip flop. I slid the security chain off, unlocked the door and opened it.

There standing unde
r the illumination of the porch lamp, was Simon.

“Can I come in?” he asked with a smile.

I moved to allow him entry.

“How are you?” I asked feeling slightly uncomfortable. What was I supposed to say to him? It had been a month since I last saw him, and that was not a pretty memory.

When I was finally able to walk on my own, I went to visit Simon in the ICU. When I got there I found him looking close and intimate with Bebe. Maybe intimate was too strong of a word, but comfortable might be better. They were clutching hands, and she was stroking his face. Not really the actions of two platonic exes’. I didn’t stay long after witnessing the touching reunion.

“
I’m doing well. Everything is healing nicely,” he said as he made his way over to the futon.

“Would you like something to drink?” I asked trying to remember my manners.

“No, thank you. I’m good. How are you Natalie?” he asked with concern. “I thought I might have seen you sooner, but you never came by.”

“Oh, well I didn’t want to intrude,” I
said feeling the tension rise in my neck.

“Intrude on what?
I’ve been bored out of my mind; I could have used some intrusion.”

“Sorry. I just thought you needed time alone,” I said not knowing what else to say.

“Yeah, well you might have been partially right. I did need time to think, and sort things out. I spent a great deal sifting through scripts. There’s a few that I’m really interested in, but…” he said trailing off.

“But, what?” I asked curious.

“Well, remember that night when I walked you to your car, I told you I’d talk to you in the morning, but well, that didn’t happen. Anyhow, I came to discuss the matter now.”

Okay, this was interesting. I’d nearly forgotten the conversation. With everything that happened since, especially seeing him with Bebe, that discussion was kind of pushed to the back of my mind.

“I think you are an extraordinary woman. I’ve never met anyone like you. The time we spent together really meant a lot to me. I don’t let a lot of new people into my life, but you are different. I like you and I feel safe with you. I don’t have any fear that you are after me for some ulterior motive,” he said trailing off.

Well this was quite a speech. I don’t think any man has ever said so many complimentary things to me before.
I felt myself softening and my tension began to melt.

“Come sit beside me,” he said patting the futon.

With a deep breath, I walked over and sat next to him. He smelled good. That spicy citrus scent that he wore made me think of so many impure thoughts.

“Natalie,” he said taking my hand. “I think you are an amazing woman, and I’d like to get to know you more. What that being said, would you consider being my personal assistant?”

I think the blood rushed from head, because I suddenly felt faint and cold. Personal assistant? As in fetches dry cleaning, coffee, walks dogs and everything else?

What the fuck?

“I know you and Karen are working on the psychic detective business and I think it’s an excellent idea. However, I know it takes time to build clientele, so in the mean time I thought you might consider working for me.”

Here I was daydreaming about a relationship with him and he wants to offer me a job? Oh, just kill me now. My psychic abilities are shit. Did I read too much into his actions? Was he simply being polite to me and I mistook it for something else? H
ow on Earth could I be so wrong… again? This is exactly why I hate having abilities. They are shit when it comes to me, but great for others. What an idiot I am. I’m pining away over someone who clearly only sees me as a good confidant and nothing more.

“What do you think? You’re so quiet, did I say something wrong?” he asked with concern.

“No, I just wasn’t expecting a job offer. What exactly would being your personal assistant mean?”

“Nothing too diffi
cult, really. I would love it if you’d read through some of the scripts that I have piled up at the house. I have a few meetings next week down in LA with my team about a couple of projects I’m in negotiations for. I’d really like it if you’d accompany me on that trip, so I could show you around and introduce you to the others that you’d be working with.”

“Who are the others?” I asked my mind beginning to spin.

“My agent, manager, publicist and a few friends. Just people who I am tight with, the ones you’ll need to know in order to help me out.”

Wow. He really was offering me a pretty nice job. Even if it wasn’t exactly what I had been expecting, I’d be foolish to pass it up.

“What do you say? Does it sound like something you’d like to do?” he asked.

Honestly, I couldn’t afford to not do it. Even though he had paid me 20k for my work on the Hannah Gold case, it
wasn’t going to keep me going forever. Sooner or later, I’d have to find a job, and rather than flip burger, become a barista or a temp, being a personal assistant sounded much cooler and better paying.

“I’d love to.”

“Brilliant! I was hoping you’d say so,” he said giving my hand a warm squeeze before releasing it.

“When do I start?” I asked as he stood.

“Next week? I really want you to come to LA with me, so I can show you the lay of the land down there,” he said moving closer toward the door.

“Sounds good,” I said.

“Great. Well I’ll let you get back to your baking,” he said opening the door.