Page 100 of The One for Forever

I laugh. “Sure, but murdering your husband to make it happen is alittleextreme.” I turn to the other woman in the room. “You know all about it, Kendall. You’ve known for a while that Pete Diamond saw her leave the spa that day. He made me think he was going to tell the truth, then perjured himself on the stand. Fooled me completely.” I say this with a touch of admiration in my voice. But I can’t fully hide the bitterness.

Amber claps. “Are the claws coming out, Quinn? Go ahead. Talk freely. No cameras here, right?”

“I’m just saying, it can’t be a surprise to Kendall. She knows all about what really happened the day of Thompson’s murder. In fact, she contacted me anonymously weeks ago. Claimed to have eyewitness evidence against you, Amber. And Kendall is the one who told me Christian had sent Pete Diamond off to Nevada. What I can’t figure out is whether Kendall was working with Pete. Did she know Pete would set me up?”

Kendall has flushed red. She eyes the door, but Rex is blocking it.

Amber’s perfectly symmetrical eyebrows have shot toward the ceiling. “Really? I haven’t heard a word about this. You were helping Pete, Kendall?”

“Well, I…not exactly…”

“No wait, I remember now.” I tap a finger on my chin. “Pete said he decided to lie to meafterI contacted him. Pete didn’t breathe a word about Kendall when he was bragging to Derek about getting you acquitted, Amber. Besides, Pete had no reason to bring her into his scheme. Kendall didn’t have anything Pete could’ve wanted.”

Kendall’s jaw tightened. “I wasn’t working with him, okay? I can’t stand Pete. He’s obnoxious and crass. And has a big mouth.”

“Which is how you found out that Pete had key evidence against Amber. You both worked for Hayworth Productions, and you overheard him say something. Maybe he didn’t notice you hanging around, eavesdropping? I can imagine people tended to overlook you because you were just Thompson’s assistant.”

Kendall huffs, glancing at the wall.

I’ve been spelling out my theory to check her reactions, but I think I’m on track so far. “You found out Pete had lied to the police about Amber’s alibi,” I say, “and that upset you. Because you really did care about Thompson. He was your mentor. One of the few industry people who saw your potential and took you seriously.”

“Of course I cared,” Kendall whispered, eyes on the rug. “I loved him like a father. I didn’t lie about that.”

Amber is watching and listening, her eyes narrowed. Rex continues to block the door.

“So you decided to contact me anonymously,” I say. “You followed me the night of the lawyer gala and left that note inmy purse. You wanted to tell me about Pete. But you were also nervous. Afraid of Pete or Amber retaliating against you.”

“Is that true?” Amber asks.

Kendall says nothing.

“But then,” I continue, “Christian fired you for sharing your opinions too loudly. You were suddenly out of a job.”

“It was completely uncalled for,” she snaps. “After all I’d devoted to that company.”

“You were blacklisted. Terrified you’d never work in Hollywood again. So you cut off contact with me and held onto your info about Pete. You knew it could be valuable. You didn’t want to burn the last bridge you had left.”

“But I gave you a hint about him when you came to LA,” she points out.

“I guess so. Out of guilt, I’m assuming? But I probably would’ve tracked Pete down anyway. He was on my list of suspects for being the anonymous witness. I was wrong, obviously.” I shrug. “If you’d told me what you knew, he never would’ve tricked me. But then again, Amber might’ve been convicted. And you would’ve lost your shot at a job directing her life story.” I grin at Amber. “Let me guess. Kendall came to you with the idea for the movie? Convinced you that she had the right vision because she’d trained at the feet of Thompson Hayworth, yet she was a young woman rejected by Hollywood, just like you?”

“That’s pretty much it, yep.” Amber stands up, hands on her hips. “You’re sneakier than I realized, Kendall. But you know what I say?So fucking what.” She sneers at me. “If you wanted to talk so you could spring that bombshell, it didn’t work. I have no problem with a woman using the assets she’s got. That’s what I did. I’m not ashamed of anything I’ve had to do to make it.”

Amber is triumphant, but Kendall seems to be deflating. She looks ill at having the truth spoken aloud. “You really don’t feelbad at all?” she asks Amber. “Even a little? I mean, you must wish there’d been some other way. Right? Thompson was a good man.”

The actress snorts. “He was a boring old man who could barely get it up anymore. It hardly took much effort to crack his skull.”

Kendall flinches.

“You don’t mind admitting it in front of us?” I ask. “That you really did kill him?”

“Why shouldn’t I? I’ve already been acquitted. My lawyer Derek explained everything. It’s double jeopardy. I can tell you anything I want, and it doesn’t matter.”

“But it’s still bold of you, considering the innocent image you’ve created in the media,” I point out. “What if I’m recording everything you say?”

“Like you’d have the balls. Recording people without their knowledge is illegal in California. And inadmissible as evidence. I know all about that. You work for the government, so you have to play by the rules.”

I glance at my fingernails nonchalantly. “But I’m not the one who’s recording it. You are. You’re live streaming this entire conversation to your three million fans as we speak. On your own phone.”

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