Thrill! (63 page)

he said.

"Who were Summer's friends when she was here?"

449 "Guess I was closest to her,"

he said.

"I introduced her to a lot of people."

"Anyone in particular you can think oft'

"There was this one girl she kinda hung with - Tina."

"Do you have her number?"

"Got it somewhere."

"It's important, ]ed. I know she could still be in Chicago, but my gut feeling tells me she's here."

"When you find her, ask her to call me,"

Jed said.

"It wasn't like I was her boyfriend, only she did introduce me to Mr Barry, said she'd talk to him about putting me in one of his movies. I'm an actor, y'know."

Surprise, surprise.

"Now's not the time to discuss it, Jed,"

she said impatiently,

"Just give me Tina's number."

He did so, and Nikki immediately called.

"Ha! I knew you'd call!"

Tina crowed, before Nikki had a chance to say a word.

"Get your cute little suburban ass back here, Summer. I got &z/jrnews about Norman. Move it, girl!"

Nikki didn't need to hear any more, she quickly replaced the receiver without saying anything. Then she called Jed back.

"Sorry to bother you again, do you have Tina's address?"

"I got it written down somewhere, think she's in one of those high-rise buildings off Sunset. Oh, an"

Mrs B., while I got your attention, can you talk to your husband about maybe like interview- } ing me?"

\

"If you give me Tina's address, I'll take care of it next week,"

1 she promised.

He gave her the information and she ran back into the living room, where Sheldon was pouring himself yet another hefty brandy.

"Let's go,"

she said urgently.

"I think I've found her."

"Thank God!"

Sheldon responded.

"And then I'm taking her straight back to Chicago where she belongs."

We'll see about that, Nikki thought. Because this time I'm nt>t letting her go without a fight.

0^0 ^^Jfl ALISON SEWELL. The madwoman who'd stalked ^^flBI0k^ her for almost a year - sending letters, photos and gifts; turning up at her door; insulting anyone who got in her way.

Oh, God! This couldn't possibly be happening, this had to be some bizarre nightmare. Besides, Alison Sewell was in jail - locked up and out of her life. Lara had actually been in the court room when the judge had sentenced the crazy woman. She'd never forgotten the look of hatred that spread across Alison's face when their eyes had met for the briefest of moments.

The old house was filled with the noise of the relentless rain, howling wind, and the crashing of the surf as the big storm began whipping the sea down below into a frenzy.

Had she imagined the sound of Alison Sewell's voice? Maybe the storm was messing with her mind.

No. Impossible. She wasn't hearing things. The woman was actually in her house.

Get a grip, she told herself. If she is here, you can deal with it. Ask her what she wants. Tell her she's trespassing and that she has to eave immediately or you'll call the police.

Oh yes? With what'? Tour phone doesn't work. Tou're trapped ere"

awne -with an obsessed maniac. And nobody except Cassie knows ^here you are.

Alison?"

she called out, trying to keep her voice firm

451 and strong.

"Alison Sewell. Where are you? Can we talk?"

ft <& ft

Cassie left Granita feeling a lot better after stuffing down the whole smoked-salmon pizza and finishing off a full glass of red wine.

"Better get home before the storm hits,"

Wolf warned her.

Bain was now pounding down. She'd borrowed an umbrella from the front desk, and balancing the carton of food in one hand she managed to get into her car and stay comparatively dry. Lara would be wondering what had happened to her, but Cassie was sure she'd be pleased when she came back with supplies, including plenty of candles, a couple of extra flashlights and the special chicken dish from Granita.

Maybe when she got back, Lara would reveal to her what dastardly deed Joey had committed to be suddenly cast out in the cold.

She attempted to start the engine on the Saab. It coughed a few times and wouldn't turn over.

"Damn!"

she muttered, trying again. Fourth time lucky - the car started. She switched on her windshield wipers, the rain was so heavy she could scarcely see a thing.

She moved slowly out of the parking lot and headed toward the stop light on the corner. Her car phone rang, startling her.

"Cassie, my dear."

She immediately recognized Richard's voice.

"Richard!"

she exclaimed, wondering what he was doing calling her in her car at this time of night.

"Where are you?"

he asked.

"In my car, obyiously,"

she replied. i

"I was speaking to Lara and we got cut off. I thought she said I something about being with you."

<

Now it became clear. Lara was thinking of getting back wit" > Richard, and that's why Joey was yesterday's news. Of course! This was excellent, Cassie had always favoured Richard over Joey.

"

"I'm on my way back to Lara now,"

she said.

"I'm sure she tol

you the house has no power, no food, nothing. I went to the market to stock up. Looks like it's turning into a bad storm."

Richard thought fast. What house was she talking about?

"I trust you got everything you need,"

he said.

"I hope so,"

Cassie said.

"I was thinking,"

he added smoothly,

"that because of the storm, maybe I should drive out to be with you and Lara."

"Sounds like a great idea to me,"

Cassie said cheerfully.

"Then you'd better remind me how to get there."

"You came out with Nikki one day, when Lara was renting. You complained about how long it took to get there."

"That's right,"

he said, with a self-deprecating chuckle.

"And I still can't remember the way."

"Stay on the Pacific Coast Highway for about half an hour until you reach Point Dume Road. Then you make the first turning on the left past that, and it's way down. There are no other houses so you can't miss it - just look for the big gloomy house at the end. I can't imagine why Lara bought it."

"Nor can I,"

he murmured.

"Please come soon. I know I'll be glad to have a man in the house tonight."

"Uh . . . Cassie, since I got cut off from Lara, I didn't get a chance to tell her I was coming, so why don't you leave the door open and I'll surprise her."

"Can I ask you something?"

Cassie said.

"I know this is very forward of me, but are you and Lara getting back together? Is that what this is all about?"

"You guessed it,"

he said.

"I knew something was going on when you spent all that time m her trailer this morning,"

Cassie said, quite delighted. Tm so Pleased. Of course,"

she added, a touch guilty,

"I feel sorry for Wlkki, she's a nice woman, but in my opinion you and Lara always belonged together."

"You're very smart, Cassie."

"Thanks, Richard. We'll see you soon."

"Don't forget - it's a surprise, so not a word."

453 "-"^^i"---"-""" I SSSr-Sai-SKSS

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, But he wasn t penc

used most women for sex or whatever he wanted from them. Then Lara had come into his life, and she'd made him aware that it was possible to care for another person and to have no ulterior motive.

Yes. He would tell her the truth. That she made everything special. She was his life, his true love, his soulmate. He'd throw himself on her mercy and hope she could forgive him.

It wasn't like he wanted anything from her. All he wanted was to be there for her, by her side, ready to support and protect her in ever}"

way.

Traffic had slowed to a crawl. He attracted the attention of a cop standing in the middle of the road.

"What's happening?"

he asked.

"Big accident up ahead,"

the cop said.

"I don't advise you continuing on this road unless you live here."

"I do,"

he lied.

"OK, take it easy."

Til do that."

He switched on the radio. Billie Holiday was singing the blues.

"Good Morning Heartache'. Very suitable.

He couldn't wait to reach his destination. His love. His future.

ft is &

Alison could hear the bitch calling out to her. Yes, Lara Ivory remembered her name. And so she should. She'd been her loyal friend, but that wasn't enough. No. Lara Ivory had seen fit to betray her.

Of course Lara remembered her name. Soon everybody would know her name.

She started thinking about what photographs she had of herself.

Which one would they put on the cover of Time! There was that

snaP Uncle Cyril had taken of her and her mother when she was

""leteen. She hated it, but if they cut her mother out it wasn't so

ad-And she was younger then, prettier.

*ou were never pretty, a voice in her head taunted her. Tou

ere ilways the ugly girl. Always the slob. Nobody liked you. Nobody

nted to spend time with you. Sewer ... the Dump ... Big Boy

hateful nicknames came back to haunt her.

455 People would think she was pretty when she was on the cover of Time. People would look at her in admiration when her picture adorned the front of Newsweek. TV would get into the act, too. Hard Copy would run stories on her. Inside Edition would speak about her. Prime Time. Dateline. Even Sixty Minutes.

She'd be more famous than anyone in the world. The media would cover her case for months.

Alison Sewell would be right up there, along with Charles Manson, Mark Chapman, and the rest of them.

Alison Sewell. The first woman to gain such a distinguished honour.

"Alison. Why don't you come here, we can talk."

She heard the bitch's voice again.

"Don't worry, Lara,"

she called out.

"I'm coming right now. I'm coming to slit your pretty little throat."

^^^^Jjl THE CAB driver couldn't seem to keep quiet. ^^flJjj^P^^*

"Damn American weather,"

he kept mumbling.

"Damn California. Damn riots. Damn fires."

Summer huddled on the back seat. She didn't want conversation, all she wanted was to shiver her way into oblivion.

"What's wrong with you?"

the driver demanded, twisting his head.

"In my country - girls - they no run at night by themselves. This no right."

"Where are you from?"

she forced herself to ask. Maybe if she got him talking about his country, she could tune out while he blathered on.

"Beirut,"

he said proudly.

"Beautiful place, till the bombing. Those bastards took everything, a man's pride, his home, those bastards took it all. Damn terrorists!"

"How long have you been in America?"

"Too long."

"Aren't we going the wrong way?"

she asked, peering out the window.

"Shouldn't you have taken Coldwater Canyon?"

"I go Sepulveda. Weather bad for canyon. Big flooding."

He §aye a hacking cough before continuing his litany of complaints. Everything in LA too much. Flooding, fires, riots, car-jackings.

* hey put gun to my head one day. Those bastards!"

"That's awful,"

she said, not really caring at all.

There was a red light ahead. Her cab stopped just in time as fte car in front of them smashed into the back of a Cadillac Banding at the stop light.

457 |l|

"You see, you see,"

her cab driver shouted excitedly.

"American maniacs!"

The driver of the Cadillac got out of his car, screamed at the other driver, and ran up to the cab driver's window.

"You see that?"

he yelled.

"You're my witness."

"No see nothing,"

her driver said, staring straight ahead.

"Nothing."

Then he manoeuvred his cab around the two cars and drove on.

"How long before we're at the address I gave you?"

Summer asked.

"In this weather? With lousy American drivers? Don't know."

"If you hate Americans so much, why'd you come here?"

she asked, fed up with his complaining.

He let out a crafty laugh.

"Good thing about America - money

- money - money!"