Authors: Trisha Grace
“When I refused to listen to her, she threatened to let the whole world know my brother was twice committed to a mental hospital.” She took a gulp of water and sighed.
“There’s nothing wrong with being committed.” Chloe cleared her throat and fidgeted in her seat. “Anyway, I seriously doubt that would affect your career.”
“But it would affect my brother’s. He has bipolar, and he’ll be okay as long as he takes his meds.”
“I’m not judging.”
“Then you’re the first,” Nicole said. “If his company finds out that he’d been committed twice, they’ll dismiss him. I’m sure of it. He’s moved twice and just gotten a new job. And his kids; do you know what they went through when the children in their school found out?”
Chloe knew exactly how cruel children could be. “I understand.”
“But something she said got me thinking. The way she talked about the institute, it seemed as if she’d been there. So I went around asking questions. I didn’t think I’d get anything.” A corner of her lips hooked into a sly grin. “But I did.”
Nicole took another mouthful of water, then her eyes slitted again as she observed her. “If I tell you …”
Chloe licked her lips and leaned forward. “I see colors through sound. It’s a condition called synesthesia. Whenever I hear a sound, a color accompanies it.”
“Really?”
“Your color is of a mellow yellow.”
Nicole tapped the bottle against the table.
“Such tones usually produces dull white, silver, or gray.”
“That’s so interesting.”
She gave her a smile, then pursed her lips. “I’ve always seen colors from sounds. I even see colors when it rains. But with Rebecca, sometimes I don’t see anything.”
“Do you know when people lie? Maybe because everything she says is a lie.”
One of her shoulders twitched. “I can’t tell for sure that a person is lying, but the color will be different from when a person is speaking normally. But there’s a host of reasons that could affect someone’s color. I don’t even see a regular color with Rebecca. When she speaks, either the colors are weak or there would be nothing.”
“So you’re curious.” Nicole pursed her lips. “I may know why.” She walked toward the wardrobe and got down on one knee.
Chloe heard several beeps, so she assumed Nicole was taking something from the safe.
“Here.” She placed several pieces of paper on the coffee table.
“This is a medical record for …” She picked up the paper.
“Jill Adler.”
“Who’s Jill Adler?”
Nicole arched a brow. “Rebecca!”
“What?”
“I went to the hospital my brother was in and showed Rebecca’s photo around. The nurses were really helpful after I started taking photos with them.”
“How did you get the medical record?”
“A pretty girl can get away with a lot.”
Chloe laughed softly as Nicole blinked away.
“Do you see colors when I blink?” Nicole asked.
“No. I only see colors along with sounds.”
“So no sound …”
“No colors.” She smiled and turned back to the medical records. She glanced through the messy writings.
“She has schizophrenia and has been committed many times. It started when she was six. She had a relapse recently, which was why she took time off work while working as Christopher’s assistant.”
“Are you sure Rebecca and Jill Adler are the same person?”
“A hundred percent. I showed the doctor her photo. The doctor assured me that she isn’t dangerous as long as she takes her meds.”
“Why did she change her name?”
“I guess the record label wouldn’t have hired her if they knew she has schizophrenia. Even her own parents were afraid of her.”
“What do you mean?”
Nicole slumped back against the couch and folded her legs. “Give me your email address. I’ll send you everything the P.I. sent me.”
“P.I.”
“I may not have your synesth …”
“Synesthesia.”
“Right, but my gut told me that Rebecca is crazy and vindictive. I knew that once I stood up to her, I’d have to watch my back for the rest of my life. I wanted to make sure that I had more than enough dirt on her that would keep me safe.”
“And you’re just going to give them all to me.”
Nicole shrugged. “As an apology for forcing you to write that song for me. She always went on and on about Christopher, and I knew you wrote his first song.”
“That was why you blackmailed her.”
Nicole’s lips parted. “I call it payback.”
She didn’t care much about Rebecca, but she did want to help Ella. “Am I allowed to use the information to help someone?”
“If too many people use that information against her, I’m afraid it’ll stop working.”
“Then do me a favor. She has several photos of my friend, Ella.” Chloe paused; she wasn’t willing to give her more details.
“That’s the person she blackmailed to get my song?”
Chloe nodded. “I know if you were to say anything, Rebecca would—”
“I’ll do it for you. I’ve already done it once; I can do it again.”
“But what if—”
“Don’t worry about me. I can handle myself.”
“Nicole …”
“Chloe, I managed to blackmail a serial blackmailer. Give me some credit.”
Chloe laughed softly. She gave Nicole her email address, and they exchanged numbers. “If you think anything is wrong and you need help, give me a call right away.”
“I will.”
She pursed and released her lips. “Has she ever mentioned anything about Christopher?”
“Just that he’s protective of her. I think she has a major crush on him.”
Protective of her?
She knew Christopher was probably just being nice, but that didn’t remove her jealousy.
“She’s still crazy at times, even when she’s on her meds. Sometimes, I find her mumbling to herself. And she says the meanest, sometimes craziest, things when she thinks I can’t hear her.”
“Nicole, maybe—”
“But she won’t hurt me. I said that to remind you to be careful.”
“Me?”
Nicole pinched her lips together. “I know you’re older, and it probably isn’t my place to give you advice. But you look like a nice person, the sort who won’t ever use such information to your advantage.” She paused for a moment and smiled. “I don’t think you even know what you’re really doing here. After reading the P.I. report, whatever you want to do, please be careful.”
“If you have all this on her, why are you still doing the concert tonight?”
“Because I gave the organizers my word. Whatever unhappiness I have is with Rebecca, not the organizers.”
“Very mature,” Chloe said and looked at the envelope with the song she’d written for Nicole. “You know, I’ve only written love songs so far.”
“Well, I haven’t met the love of my life.” Nicole gave her a small smile. “Maybe I’ll call you when I do meet the guy. Will you write me a song then?”
“I’ll write you a song then, but I’d love to write you a song now.”
Throughout the whole conversation, Nicole had shown how strong, mature, and wise a person she was.
“A song about growing up, about being strong.” She could almost hear the tune.
“Seriously?” Nicole grinned.
“I’ve never written a non-love song before. But if you’re willing to take a risk—”
“Have I not proven the length I’d go to get a song from you?”
Chloe laughed and nodded. “I know I’m older, but your strength is inspiring.”
“Well, Chloe, if you make the decision that from today onward, you’ll respect your incredibly talented self enough to stand up for yourself and love yourself, you’ll get stronger.” Nicole paused and smiled. “My mom told me that once. I’ve never been able to get it out of my mind.”
“Your mother is a wise woman.”
That line was definitely going into the lyrics.
Chloe sat in the lobby reading the P.I. report that Nicole had sent her. She looked up when she noticed a shadow growing on her iPad. “Jason.”
She flipped her iPad over and placed it down on her lap.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m waiting for Christopher. They’re discussing details on his next single.”
“That I’m promoting.”
She frowned. “You’re fast.”
Jason took a seat next to her. “A friend called in a favor.”
“Rebecca?” She regretted it the moment she said her name.
She was being paranoid, not everything had to do with Rebecca.
But when Jason’s eyes slitted, she realized she was actually right. “What does she have on you?”
“What does she have on
you
?”
“Nothing. She blackmailed someone into asking me a favor.” She leaned back and looked up at him. “What does she have on you? I knew something was wrong with her.”
“Chloe, stay away from her.”
“She’s only a personal assistant.”
“Chloe.” Jason took her hand. “I know what happened between us, and I’m sorry. But you have to trust me on this. Leave Rebecca alone. I know she might be working with Christopher again, but you stay away from her.”
“Why? I have nothing to hide. I’m very proper, remember?”
Jason winced. “Yes, but—”
“What does she have on you?” she repeated her question, slower this time.
Jason sighed. “I owed some people some money.”
“So?”
“I might’ve taken some money from the company to pay them.”
She gasped. “Jason!”
“I know, I know. You won’t tell my grandfather, will you?”
“You have to put the money back. If the accountants find out, you may go to jail.”
“I know.”
She rolled her eyes. “Which is why you’re doing her bidding.” She shook her head and looked away. “How did she find out?”
“She must have gone through my files while I was out of the office.”
“How much do you owe?”
“Over a million.”
Her eyes widened. She thought she could help, but she didn’t have a million dollars.
“Yeah, I know.” He stretched his legs forward and slumped back against the wall.
“You need to talk to your grandfather. I know he has the money; he can put the money back for you.”
“After killing me, that is.”
“If he does, you deserve it.”
He ran his hand through his hair. “They said it was a sure-win. I didn’t want to miss out on the business opportunity, so I borrowed money from some people whom I should never have messed with.”
“Jason, I’ve never said this out loud because I didn’t want to behave as if I’m your mother, but your so-called friends are horrible people. They only hang around you for your money.” She sighed softly. “I can talk to your grandfather for you.”
“Really?” He perked up and took her hand. “I’ll be forever indebted to you.”
She rolled her eyes.
“That’s why my grandfather adores you and wanted me so badly to marry you.”
She laughed, that explained a lot.
“Is everything all right?”
Chloe looked over and smiled at Christopher. When she noticed he was staring at Jason’s hand over hers, she pulled her hand from under Jason’s and stood. “We were just talking. Hi, Rebecca, I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“I was Christopher’s assistant. Now that he’s back, I’ll be his assistant again.”
“What about Nicole?”
Her eyelids twitched. “Nicole will be fine. I heard you’re writing a song for her.”
She clenched her jaws and forced a smile. “It’s in progress.” She walked over to Christopher, who took her hand and pulled her behind him.
“Thanks for being here, Rebecca. We should go.” He nodded in Jason’s direction, and they headed off.
Chloe got into the car and pulled the seatbelt over herself.
“Is everything all right?” Christopher asked as they pulled out of the lot.
“I don’t know.”
“Has it got something to do with Jason?”
Chloe studied his expression for a minute. “It has nothing to do with Jason. He wasn’t asking me to get back with him. He was concerned.”
“About?”
“Rebecca.”
Christopher frowned. “You still don’t see any colors from her?”
“Nope, and it isn’t just that,” she said. “Remember how I was working on a song as a favor to my friend?”
“Because a Rebecca blackmailed her?”
She nodded. “Because this Rebecca blackmailed her.”
Christopher laughed and shook his head.
“You don’t believe me.”
“It isn’t that.” He cast a glance at her. “I’ve worked with … Rebecca for years. She’s been a great assistant.”
“I’ve spoken to Nicole Lane, and she confirmed that the Rebecca who blackmailed Ella is this very Rebecca.”
His head swayed left and right.
“And when I started talking about Rebecca, Jason got all worried. He kept telling me to stay away from her.”
“And because Jason says so, it … must be true.”
Chloe sighed. “I only brought him up because my words aren’t enough for you.”
“That’s not true.”
“No? So you believe Rebecca is the blackmailer.”
“I believe that’s what you’ve been told, but I’m sure there’s more to it.”
Chloe nodded and continued to tell him about Nicole Lane and the conversation she had with her.
“Do you hear how crazy it sounds? Changing her name, blackmailing people …”
“You’re very protective of her.” She licked her lips and nodded. “Never mind.”
“No, Chloe—”
“No, it’s fine. You’re right, it’s crazy. I have an idea for a song. If you don’t mind …” She reached into her bag and pulled out the noise-canceling earphones. “I’d like to work on it before the inspiration slips away.”
She put on her earphones and turned to her phone, but she wasn’t working on any song. She downloaded and continued reading the P.I. report.
When they got back to the house, she got out and headed for the door without waiting for Christopher.
“Chloe.” Christopher took her hand and gave her a small smile. “I’m sorry. It isn’t that I don’t believe you.”
“It’s all right. I’m just tired, and I want to rest.”
“Of course.”
She smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He leaned in, and she tilted her face to the side.
“Goodnight.” She went in and closed the door, then headed straight to her laptop. She had finished reading through the report, but certain parts caught her attention.