Finding Forever (55 page)

Sunday service. Not long ago Brooklyn Brant had insisted she wouldn't be caught dead in St. Francis Catholic Church on a Sunday. But that was before she had chased a deadline that turned deadly. Before two sources—Simone and Beckett—were murdered. Before the primary focus of her investigation leaped to his death. Before she had gone from being regarded as the loner blogger-girl and object of Twin Oaks pity, to achieving the kind of hometown hero status befitting the daughter of the city's most hallowed fallen hero. Before she and her mom had obliterated the walls of secrets between them and grown closer, though the mystery surrounding her father's last days, and his death, remained an obsession for Brooklyn. But now was a time to give thanks.

Those previous evenings of Saturday Mass solitude also came before her groundbreaking report on what the media had come to call the “Coachella Cult.” It dominated the mainstream media and elevated Brooklyn from “teen celebrity blogger” to “investigative journalist.” Brooklyn's investigation, including the several follow-up reports that revealed the entire scope of Peter Kensington's twisted pursuits, set off an aftershock of arrests, media scandals, and sweeping investigations, among them:

       
•
  
The arrest of the Kensington Clinic staff on charges ranging from kidnapping to child abuse

       
•
  
An ongoing FBI investigation into the apparent murders of Simone Witten and Beckett Collins

       
•
  
A grand jury probe into the alleged bribery scandal involving a half-dozen politicians and law enforcement personnel with personal and financial ties to Kensington

       
•
  
The forced resignation of Mayor Luis Suarez for directing court and police officials to fabricate cases against innocent celebrities

       
•
  
The firing of
STARSTALK
's editor Emily Lamont, who had received millions of dollars in bribes from Peter Kensington in exchange for publishing false stories he requested

       
•
  
A California Attorney General investigation into possible crimes committed by Superior Court Judge Ronald Opin and employees and executives of Hollywood production companies, law and publicity firms, and talent agencies who knowingly assisted Peter Kensington's illegal activity

To Brooklyn's left sat Holden, who had begun going to church with Brooklyn, if only to thank God for not letting either of them get hurt while investigating. Brooklyn smiled as she held hands with her mother to her right, who had provided just enough assistance in the form of legal research to give Brooklyn the confidence to publish her initial report.

Upon learning of the illegal activity her daughter had uncovered, her mom had vetted the story for any legal problems on the condition that Brooklyn had to directly tip off law enforcement about the Coachella Vista video shoot, which led to the raid.

Several days later, Taylor Prince reached out with a phone call to thank Brooklyn for saving her. She had invited Brooklyn to come down to L.A. and hang out—maybe they could get to know each other and be friends—but Brooklyn graciously declined.

“The worst thing a journalist can do is become part of the story,” Brooklyn explained. “I was just doing my job.”

“You know,” Taylor said, “I never really appreciated celebrity journalists as real journalists. Sure, they publicized my projects, informed fans about my comings and goings,
kept me in the public eye. But the media mostly really just bugged me. I always thought they were a necessary evil. Like agents.”

“Reporters are a necessary evil because there is evil that needs to be exposed.”

Brooklyn had once fantasized about meeting Taylor. Yet over the last few weeks Brooklyn had fully transformed from a fan-blogger into a full-fledged reporter. “Thanks for the offer to hang out, but between school and my blog, I'm pretty busy.”

“I understand,” Taylor said. “But can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“When I was away, did Simone say anything I should know?”

Brooklyn considered the question. “She told me that if you weren't an actress, you wanted to be a journalist, which I thought was pretty cool.”

Taylor sighed. “Yeah, I guess being on the other side gave me an appreciation for the power of the pen—for good and bad. I doubt I will ever be a journalist, but with your permission, I would like to play one.”

“You don't need my permission for that.”

“Actually, I do.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to play
you
! I want to produce and star in a movie about the uncovering of the Coachella Cult.”

“Seriously?”

“Totally being serious!” Taylor said. “I can't think of a more important story to tell. Of course, I'd pay you for the rights.”

Stunned, Brooklyn felt as if she were in a movie starring herself.

“And I already have a title:
Finding Forever
.”

“That's pretty cool,” Brooklyn said. “I'd be honored.”

“I've been wanting to ask you . . .” Taylor's tone turned serious. “Is there anything else you can tell me about Simone,
anything she said or did before she died?”

Brooklyn paused to think. “Actually, she said she felt guilty about not protecting you better the night of your birthday party.”

“It wasn't her fault,” Taylor said. “I was the one who insisted on not having security. I wish I could do that whole night over again.”

That call between Taylor and Brooklyn had happened almost two weeks ago. Brooklyn now sat listening to Father McGavin, just as she always had. She felt a sense of peace and calm she hadn't experienced since her father's death. But she didn't feel total closure. Brooklyn prayed for the loved ones of those who died.

“There is life after death,” Father McGavin said. “And it is forever. It never stops. Death marks a new beginning.”

Brooklyn also felt that the end of the Taylor Prince investigation signaled a beginning for her.

As the congregation stood and sang its closing hymn, Brooklyn looked forward to getting back and checking her
Deadline Diaries
email inbox, which was now filled with tips from sources sharing click-worthy Hollywood news, misdeeds, frauds, and scandals. And Brooklyn couldn't wait to shine her light of truth on as many of them as her growing journalistic confidence—and faith—gave her the inspiration to investigate.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Legendary college basketball coach John Wooden once said: “I think the teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession.” My personal experience confirms this to be true.

As such, I want to express my gratitude to some especially influential mentors who shaped my future during my undergraduate days at Colgate University: Walt Shepperd for giving me my first on-the-job training in investigative journalism at the
Syracuse New Times
, English professor Don Snyder for inspiring me to envision a writing life after hockey, sage Gary Ross for his wise advice, my hockey coaches Terry Slater (RIP) and Brian Durocher for believing in me, and New Hampshire pilgrim John Friberg for being a superb academic role model to this dumb jock.

Back in 1994, the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism's MVP Sam Freedman, also an accomplished author, told me, “There's no such thing as ‘writer's block.'” This book, as well as my others, may never have been completed on time if I hadn't repeated Sam's sentence mantra-like to myself as I stared at a blank computer screen.

To every teacher out there helping a young writer find their voice, I thank you for waging the front-line battle to ensure a future where storytelling exists in more than 140 characters.

I have learned something valuable from every good, bad, and so-so teacher I have ever had, including my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. McGraw, who frequently made me stand in a corner for talking too much (
E! News
viewers know that lesson clearly didn't stick).

But teachers don't just exist inside classrooms. In their unconditional love of life, hockey, and their dad (not necessarily in that order), Jackson and Chloe teach me so much about the power of positivity. My mother's passion for reading and my father's unrealized passion for writing impacted me in subtle yet profound ways.

I am appreciative of my longtime editor at Running Press, Lisa Cheng, for allowing me to be a student in her How to Write Fiction class. In creating yet another brilliant cover, RP's Teresa Bonaddio has taught me to leave cover art design to a pro. Similar kudos to Valerie Howlett, Seta Zink, and the rest of my Running Press posse.

To lit agent extraordinaire Michael Bourret, and Ashley Mills and her team at CAA, you are all my Ari Golds (minus the diva behavior, of course).

Without my
E! News
and
E! Online
family providing me a front row seat to celebrity theatre and a daily platform to spew on-air monologues about all things Hollywood, I would not have the inspiration to write the
Deadline Diaries
series.

I haven't forgotten about you, the reader. I am forever grateful that book after book you have been there for me . . . and are never shy about tagging
@kenbakernow
on social media.

Finally, a note of appreciation goes to the real star of this book show, Brooklyn Brant. Like all great characters, both real and imagined, I didn't find you as much as you found me. Thanks for reminding me (and hopefully teaching others) why a journalism career is such a privileged and worthy adventure on which to embark.

Ken Baker
is an E! News Correspondent. He is the author of
How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love
and
Fangirl
, and his memoir,
Man Made: A Memoir of My Body
, is the inspiration for the upcoming film
The Late Bloomer
. He lives (and writes) with his family in Hermosa Beach, CA. You can follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat
@kenbakernow
.