Page 135 of Fame and Obsession

“How can you be sure this is going to work? Maybe we’re just wasting time. Maybe all this stress is just going to end up giving us both heart attacks.”

Scooting my chair away from the laptop, I fold my arms over my belly and look up at him. “For God’s sake, will you stop pacing? You’re the one who’s stressing me out. This is going to work. Faith’s a pro, trust me.”

Pausing, he narrows his eyes. “How do you know that? You haven’t talked to the woman in three years. She could be a fugitive with a rap sheet a mile long.”

I laugh. “A rap sheet? Do you hear yourself? Now who’s acting like De Niro?”

My joke goes over about as well as I expected it would. Clenching his jaw, Julian turns away, his body coiled as tight as a mattress spring.

Standing for the first time since I started working on the fake website and blog, I stretch and walk to the window where he stands brooding. Slipping my arms around his waist, I kiss his shoulder. “Come on, she’s done this kind of thing most of her adult life. This is going to work. Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I trust you,” he says on a rough exhale. “I don’t trust some crazy bitch who’s already broken into your apartment and office while trying to kill you. What if this backfires? Security obviously hasn’t prevented shit, and as much as I’d like to, I can’t be with you twenty-four seven. I can’t concentrate knowing you’re vulnerable.”

It’s the most unstable I’ve ever seen him. Julian is always so self-assured and cocky that the anxiety-ridden basket case standing before me knocks me off-kilter.

Vivian’s funeral is in two days, and he still hasn’t made any mention of wanting me there or not… And I’m sure as hell not going to invite myself.

If he wants me there, I’ll be there to support him. Admittedly, there was no love lost between Vivian and me, but I’d never wish death on anyone—especially not like that.

Although Julian had been officially cleared as a suspect, the police still have no other leads. Vivian’s murder has been a classified as a dead end. The killer is free and clear to come after me now.

The thought send chills up my spine.

But this isn’t the time for emotions. It’s important I focus on analytics and keep a level head. I sure as hell can’t count on Julian to do it. Ever since I told him about the baby, his inner caveman has been amped up to an eleven.

When eyewitness claims put me and Vivian in the same vicinity at the Ralston party, naturally, I was called in for questioning.

I stayed calm. Julian, not so much.

He hit the roof—at least until I assured him Gage verified I’d been with him at the time of her death, and that I’d been cleared as a suspect.

Only then, did he stop breaking things.

But he still hasn’t calmed down, and right now, his anxiety almost has me second guessing myself. That is, until his phone rings, diverting my attention.

Staring at the caller ID, we exchange cautious looks.

Finally, Julian answers, hitting the speaker button so we can both listen. “Detective Hough, you’re on speaker. Just wanted you to know up-front.”

“Nice, Bale. Always a good thing to let the police know they’re being recorded by dual parties.”

Julian rolls his eyes. “Don’t get your panties in a twist. Nobody’s recording shit. I have Phoebe here so she can fill you in on what we discussed earlier.”

“I still can’t agree to any of what you two are doing.”

“No one said you had to agree,” Julian says. “You just have to help with the processing.” He frowns as if the harder he stares at the phone, the more agreeable it will make Jaxon Hough to our idea.

Finally, the voice on the other end of the line sighs. “Fine. As long as you both know that legally, I can’t approve of what you’re doing. But, because you have a stalking file on case with us, Bale, whatever information you gather, I’m able to run as evidence.” Hough’s voice drops an octave. “As long as it’s on the up and up. Don’t do this illegally. Otherwise, it won’t hold up in court, and we’re back to square one. Except she won’t be the one in jail—you guys will. Am I clear?”

“Very.” Julian pins me with a potent look filled with warning.

“Run the logistics by me one more time,” Hough concedes.

I’ve run the logistics so many times I want to run myself into a brick wall.

After a lot of prodding, I convinced Julian that setting the entire thing up at my place was the logical thing to do. His house was too impractical. People came and went at all hours of the night, and we needed complete privacy. Gage threw up a surprise roadblock, standing by his pledge to never leave me alone in the apartment. However, I assured him Julian would stay by my side. After an intense argument, he agreed to stay at Parker’s place.

Julian remained quiet the entire ride to my apartment.

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