Ken and Louis sat in the darkness of the screening room in stunned silence. They had just watched for the first time the day’s rushes of Jac’s final scene and they were speechless with awe. They both sensed they had observed something special, a portrayal of a woman’s descent into madness as her troubled conscience gets the better of her mind and Jac had made it sympathetic viewing.
‘Wow.’ Was all Louis could say as he sank back into the deep chair. ‘I must admit Ken I did had my doubts when you suggested her for the role but she’s really surpassed herself here.’
Ken stroked his beard feeling pleased with himself and his judgement. ‘She’s good isn’t she.’
Louis almost tore his neck from his shoulders as he turned to face Ken. ‘Good! Good! She’s bloody brilliant and you know it. I should have trusted your instincts about her. Ken it’s a wonderful performance. And she’s been nothing but a true professional on the set as well.’
Ken gave him a gratified smile. ‘So I was told by friends that had previously worked with Jac. I was told to watch out for her. They said she was very talented and that she worked hard and they had nothing but good to say about her. Plus I found I liked her when we met at a premier of my last movie. And believe me, it helps to like your co-stars, it makes for a good working environment.’
‘Well if she doesn’t get an Oscar nomination for this I’ll eat my hat. Especially after all the drama in her personal life that she’s had to cope with while filming.’
Ken shifted forward in his seat and looked at the floor. ‘Actually Louis she’s worrying me, she looks very fragile and delicate at the moment. Lizzie told me she barely had to touch Jac’s face at all for this scene. What you see is on film is mostly natural. She looks all done in but still she toughed it out and if she gets that Oscar nomination it’ll only be the recognition she deserves.’
‘Well her scenes are finished now, at least she might be able to get some much needed rest, maybe she can get away for a break.’
‘It’s not rest she needs Louis its some peace of mind, and until they catch this maniac she won’t even get that.’ Ken sighed.
****************************
Gideon carefully opened the door of the apartment, Carlos off to one side James the other as a precautionary measure. Even though the building was under heavy security each visitor was still scrutinised and cleared before they could access the penthouse apartment. But even then, no chances were taken with any cleared visitor as the bodyguards were the only ones allowed too open the door and they did so with extreme caution. I felt like I was under protective custody, and in a sense I guess I was.
‘Hello Detective Malroney. Kevin and Jac are in the kitchen. You know the way don’t you?’ Gideon waved his hand in the direction of the kitchen. ‘Go on through’.
‘Hello Guys. Everything Ok?’ Steve asked them adjusting the files he had under his arm. He was pleased to see they were vigilant. ‘I’ll go on in then. I think you three might like to hear the latest news as well.’
James stepped outside and took a quick look about the hallway. Satisfied everything was above board he shut the door locking it behind him and followed the others into the kitchen.
I was perched on the bench top laughing at something Kevin was telling me. He stood beside me leaning back against the counter using his hands expressively to tell his story his own eyes glowing with amusement at his tale. Then I jumped startled in surprise because I had not noticed Steve appear in the doorway and I scrambled quickly down causing Kevin to reach out and steady me. He threw me a concerned look but I took a steadying breath thinking that I really needed to stop being so jumpy.
‘Sorry Steve, you startled me.’ I explained as Kevin let me go.
‘It’s ok Jac, it’s understandable. I popped by because I wanted to bring you both up to date on the investigation so far.’
‘Pull up a chair Steve.’ Kevin told him. ‘Would you like a cup of coffee? Tea?’
‘Coffee would be great thanks Kev. Just black please.’ He added at Kevin’s raised eyebrow of inquiry.
I went to make it, but Kevin waved me to a chair. ‘I’ll get it babe, you want a refill?’
I nodded and pulled out a chair sitting down ready to hear what Steve had to tell us. Kevin made tea and coffee for everyone as we all gathered about our big kitchen table.
Steve opened a couple of the files he brought with him. ‘The good news is we have a start on the stalker’s profile. At the moment it’s just a preliminary report from the FBI.’
He looked about our expectant faces and continued ‘ They say Caucasian male aged between twenty five to forty. They think probably more like early thirties. This guy has acute intricate knowledge of the workings of all if not most surveillance equipment, bugging, phone tapping, surveillance cameras, counterfeiting security passes, the knowledge how to go undercover and underground with the ease of a trained operative. All this type of specialised insider know how points to some sort of CIA, MI5 background. The FBI think that it’s more probable MI5, which would probably make the stalker an Englishman.’
‘Why an Englishman Steve?’ Kevin asked intrigued before I could frame the question.
Steve hissed air between his teeth before answering. ‘Well just working on the pattern and structure of the phone calls really. They began when Jac first arrived in America alone and unaccompanied, even though she had friends in the acting community here, not many of the public knew of her.’ Steve shifted in his seat looking around at everyone before continuing.
‘Jac was basically an unknown actor here in America, but in England she had a much higher profile as an actor and also because of her aristocratic family ties. The Ryecrofts are a well known family throughout England because of her father’s financial empire and also because he’s a peer of the realm. Plus then, if you take into account the fact of her notoriety with the Fleet Street tabloids where she was rarely out of the headlines for one reason or another, again she has this raised profile in England. So they are surmising, the stalker followed Jac to America. Here in the America the FBI think, by being alone she presented a more vulnerable accessible target, but for one thing.’
Steve paused for effect. ‘A certain trip to England to promote her latest movie and a sudden unplanned and unexpected marriage to another high profile celebrity that generated a lot of bad press. And this just might have tipped the scales with the stalker’s thought processes, driving him to bring forward his campaign of phone calls and intimidation. But then he realises that you do love one another and it’s not just a publicity stunt, so it drives him crazy and spurs on his desire for Jac and the need to get even more so. So he steps up his plans after the failed kidnapping attempt.’
‘So the murders of the security guard and Eric was just another step in his plan?’ I asked softly with a shudder, horrified still at the lengths this man would go to just to get at me.
I reacted by pushing back my chair with a scrape that grated on my ears. I needed out of here all of a sudden. Their deaths still affected me greatly. I felt bile rise in my throat and thought I would be sick as everything threatened to close in on me as I again thought of those close to me and who could next pay the price of this stalker’s attraction to me. I walked over to the sliding door that let to the roof top garden and opened it so I could breathe some fresh air. Standing in silence leaning against the door’s frame, I breathed in the cool air I tried to still my racing mind. I felt a light touch on my shoulder and turned to find Kevin facing me a tender but exasperated look on his face. He took hold my hand and turned to the others.
‘We’ll be back in a minute just excuse us for a bit.’ He said before dragging me upstairs to the roof garden.
‘Kevin what on earth are you doing?’ I spluttered astonished by his actions as I pulled against him trying to make him stop. But to no avail, he continued up the stairs dragging me in his wake. He stopped and turned me to face him as we stood amongst the greenery of the garden.
‘You’ve got to stop this Jax.’ He said as he placed his hands on my shoulders.
‘Stop what?’ I said as I played with the buttons on his shirt finding them suddenly interesting.
‘You know.’ he said and I looked up at him waiting for him to finish. He sighed. ‘Stop thinking that this guy’s gonna jump out of every shadow and harm one of us.’
‘One of us?’ I said obtusely ignoring the obvious.
‘Shit Jax, me then, Sue, Kerry, anyone of us. I know that’s what’s been on your mind lately and you’re making yourself ill worrying about it. You’ve got to stop jumping at shadows.’
I wanted to be angry with him but found I couldn’t be instead I just felt frightened.‘I can’t help it Kevin. Every time I close my eyes or I stop and think, it’s all that consumes me. If it was only me he just waged his war against maybe I’d cope better.’ I shuddered visibly. ‘God Kevin if I was to lose you now I’d just die. I really don’t think I’d cope.’
Kevin sighed and pulled me into his arms so his chin rested on my head, I could feel the roughness of his goatee against my cheek. We stood together quietly for some seconds before his fingers tilted my chin up so I had to look at his face
‘Jax, he is waging his war against you and he’s succeeding. He’s fighting dirty don’t you see that? Every time he destroys a piece of your mind or your confidence he’s taking away a little bit of you. Have you looked in the mirror lately?’ He asked trailing one gentle finger across my face. His bright green eyes were troubled. ‘Look at the shadows he’s put in your eyes. I miss that ready smile of yours and the way you’d find the silliest thing funny. I miss your laughter, how you’re so carefree and such a free spirit. I miss my lighthearted wife and I want her back.’ His hands captured my face and added fiercely. ‘God I love you so much Jax, I hate what he’s doing to you, he’s destroying your spirit.’
I stared up at him startled. ‘Oh Kevin, I never thought of it like that, but he is isn’t he?’ The look on his face turned my heart over. His green eyes flickered expressively, they were so easy to read now I knew what was in his heart.
‘Yes babe he is, and while I’m asking you to try and push him to the back of your mind, I’m not asking you to take any silly risks by ignoring his menace. He is a threat and until he’s caught he’ll be a worry. But I’d like you to try to stop worrying about everybody, it’s taking all your energy. It’s you we are all concerned about Jax and rightly as well. At least promise me you’ll try?’
I reached up and placed a kiss on his lips. ‘You know I can deny you nothing.’
Interest flickered on his face and his lips tugged upwards in a smile. ‘Nothing?’
I smiled and touched his face gently with my fingers. The look in his eyes stilled my heart. ‘No nothing. Let it be known that Kevin Richardson has tamed the wild Beauleigh blood that runs through my veins.’
He smiled tenderly his eyes shining with amusement and his lips hovered temptingly above mine as he whispered with a raised eyebrow. ‘Tamed my lady? I think not. Nothing could tame you and I wouldn’t want to try. Let’s just say we both have met our match.’
And with that he found my lips and kissed me breathless but I returned his kisses with equal passion. When he raised his head I wrapped my arms about his neck to steady myself and laughed softly. ‘God when you kiss me like that you have me where you want me.’
He grinned and kissed my nose, his arms still wrapped tight about my waist. ‘It works both ways Jax. Now I think we should go and hear the rest of Steve has to tell us, what do you reckon?’
‘Ok, and I promise I’ll try to keep all this in perspective Kev.’
He placed a light kiss on my lips. ‘Good girl. Now lets go back down.’
With Kevin holding my hand I followed his lanky frame back downstairs and as we entered the kitchen I took note of the patient look on Steve’s face as he read his notes quietly. On the other faces a look of patient resignation was the order of the day, and all three body guards eyes turned towards us both as we entered the kitchen. Carlos with the advantage of a longstanding friendship with Kevin said with a smile ‘Ok guys the love birds are back’
As I walked by I kissed his shaven head and smiled. ‘Lucky you are my favourite Backstreet bodyguard or I’d make you put up with me full time to give Gideon and James a break.’
He laughed and said to Kevin as he looked over at him shaking his head. ‘See I said you’d met your match with this one.’
Kevin pulled a face as he sat down making a grab for me and pulling me onto his lap. ‘Yeah and don’t I know it. Ok Steve we’ve had our heart to heart. We’re sorry for the interruption but we just needed to have a quick talk.’ He wrapped his arms about my waist.
‘Not a problem I hope Jac?’ Steve asked.
‘No, more like me needing to get some perspective Steve. Kevin has pointed out to me that I’m channelling my worries and fears in the wrong direction. I’m sorry for the interruption, you’re doing a good job here.
He smiled slightly. ‘Well it’s not me really, it’s mostly the FBI’s work.’
But I shook my head. ‘ No Steve, you’ve put in a lot of hard work and hours into finding non existent clues and you deserve a lot of credit for it. I really do thank you.’
‘I’m just trying to do my job Jac, besides I want this man locked up behind bars and off the streets. I believe he’ll slip up. And he may have made his first mistake. We may have our first hard evidence.’
‘Was this the news you wanted us to hear?’ James asked.
‘Yeah, I wanted to let you know that they had finally made a start on the profile, which by the way has been sent to Scotland Yard for them to follow up on as well. This might just turn into an international manhunt, if as we think the stalker is British. It’s better to be prepared for all eventualities. And’ he left us hanging expectantly ‘We have some DNA samples from Eric’s body, that is the first hard clue we have. It seems when Eric put up a struggle he scratched at his attacker’s face. We’ve analysed the skin tissue found under Eric’s fingernails. This is the stalkers first slip up and it’ll go a long way to helping identify him when we catch him.
‘I’m glad you say when.’ Said Kevin as he shifted my weight to another leg. I went to move off but he held me tight. ‘I like your confidence Steve.’
Steve blew air out through his cheeks. "I dunno about being too confident, but I’ve a good track record with getting my man. I do admit to having my bad days worrying about this case, but now we seem to be getting somewhere I feel a bit better about it. It’s not much but it’s more than we’ve had so it’s a start. You know another piece of the puzzle. Anyway I better go I’m waiting for my counterpart in London to call me back. Jac if by any chance you have to go back to England I’ll get Chief Inspector Bowden to meet you. He’s the detective in charge of the British end of the case.’
I considered this. ‘Steve could you get him to brief my father then, it’ll probably be easier as Daddy is based in London. Would he mind keeping him up to date?’
‘Sure thing, I can’t see why not, well I have to go, i'm late as it is. I’ll be in touch.’ He stood gathering his reports and Kevin and I walked him to the door. Gideon opened it and stepped into the hallway first, giving it the once over.
‘Ok Steve the coast is clear. I’ll walk you down.’
Steve turned and shook hands with us. ‘Keep up the precautions won’t you and don’t get complacent. See you both soon.’
James and Carlos closed the door behind them and James said. ‘Ok I’m running another bug scan and security check. ‘Vigilance is our catchword.’
‘Hang on I’ll help you’ Carlos offered leaving Kevin and I alone looking at each other.
‘Well it’s news.’ I said with a shrug of my shoulders.
‘Yeah it’s a start babe.’ He reached over and took my hand and led me down the hallway. ‘Now come on in here I need your opinion on something.’
I brightened interested ‘ On what?’
He smiled at me. ‘You’ll see.’
He led me into the lounge where he sat down on the piano stool pulling me down beside him.
‘ Now I want you to listen to this, I’ve been working on it for a while now. You’re the first person to hear it.’
I watch his long fingers skip skilfully across the keys and listened him play a lovely piece of music.’
I listened enthralled till he finished. ‘Oh Kevin that was absolutely beautiful.’
He smiled shyly. ‘Do you like it? Honestly?’
‘Oh Kevin it was wonderful, truly it was.’ I leaned over to kiss him.
‘ It’s for you Jax. I wrote it for you and when all this is over and done with I want you to marry me again, but this time I want us to do it properly with our family and friends there.’
‘You do?’ I said amazed.
‘Yeah I do.’ He grinned and my heart flipped as it always did when he smiled at me. ‘Call me an old fashioned romantic, but I want to see you walk down the aisle towards me.’ He looked downwards to the floor and then back up at me, and his eyes were alight with laughter. ‘But this time I’d like to be able to remember it and the occasion. And then I want this piece of music played as we dance together. So what do you reckon to that idea?’ he said with his soft drawl more evident than normal as posed his question.
I wrapped my arms about his neck and touched my lips softly to his. ‘ I think that’s a very special idea baby, I love it’.
Again the smile lit up his eyes and he kissed me back. ‘Good then. It’ll be something for us to look forward to won’t it?’
Carlos and James having finished their checks caught sight of the couple by the piano and looked at each other. James said thoughtfully. ‘Boy those two sure do care about each other don’t they?’
Carlos sighed. ‘Yeah they sure do. I just hope everything works out ok for them and that they get the chance to live a normal life together without this nut ruining it for them.’
‘Well I guess that’s up to us to see he doesn’t.’ James said with determination.
‘Yeah you got that right.’ Carlos said ‘Come on, let’s leave them be, they don’t get enough privacy with us around them all the time. Did Kevin leave that coffee on?’
‘Well only one way to find out, let’s go have a look. If not I’ll make us some more.’