Page 140 of Bishop's Queen

She shrugged again. “Buddy, I just take orders and deliver. I don’t tell them shit.”

“Already on it,” Parker advised in Bishop’s ear.

Only half of what Bishop thought was an appropriate amount of security and law enforcement for this type of event hovered nearby.

Jay walked to the middle of the podium and stood awkwardly between the actor and actress who tittered and stepped back. “Good evening.” The entire auditorium lulled quiet. Eerily so, almost as if they recognized him as not quite a B-lister and couldn’t figure out what kind of career suicide was about to happen during this prime-time production. “I have a story for you.”

“I would’ve guessed he had a political statement to make,” the woman with the headset mumbled.

“No. He’s insane,” Bishop said.

Ella propped herself up, leaning on him. “Oh… God.” She sniffed, her breaths catching. “What is Jay doing?”

Bishop’s enemy was close. He had a gun on his hip, one on his ankle, and a knife on his side. He was armed to the teeth, but the weapons didn’t matter. The deadliest things on him right then were his hands.

“Let’s not stop the show.” Jay played to a captive audience. “Have you met Eco-Ella? Ella Leighton? If not, you shouldn’t waste your time. I spent years with her.Years. And what do I have to show?Nothing.”

The woman next to Bishop shifted. “You’re Ella Leighton?”

“Tonight’s Ella’s big night,” Jay continued, gesturing with his hands. “Every night is Ella’s big night. But this is Ella’s very big night.”

“Everyone’s on the same page now,” Parker said in Bishop’s ear.

A second later, security must have received the message from the network producers to cut Jay off. En masse, they started onto the stage at once, circling him.

“Hold on now.” Jay smirked. “There’s a loose piece missing somewhere. Part of the game unaccounted for. Or do you have it under control, Bishop?”

Loose piece?

Bishop’s pulse stuttered at his name. He glanced about, having no idea what the lunatic was referring to, but he stepped closer to Ella.

“Ah, Eco-Ella fans,” Jay said as Bishop lost sight of him to security. “Maybe you don’t know who Bishop is. I think it’s time for you to meet him—”

The sound system cut off, but several security guards abruptly jumped away from Jay.

Ella went limp against Bishop’s side. He took his eyes off the stage to help her. “Sit back down, El.”

“Heads up,” Locke said. “Tara’s gone. Who the hell knows where? Piss-poor timing for her to go missing.”

“What the fuck?” Parker growled. “Nothing’s coincidence now. Searching this huge-ass place.”

“Missing how?” Bishop asked. Because if there was aloose piecemissing, andTara was MIA…

A few security officers simply walked off the stage as though they weren’t paid enough to deal with the headache Jay caused. What was wrong with them? Watching Jay’s arrest might be a career highlight for him if the officers would go on and cuff the dickhead. Then Bishop could go back to helping Ella.

“I’m sweeping everywhere,” Locke said.

“Facial rec’s running,” Parker added. “This place has too many people, tunnels, and—Tara walked off with Jay just about the moment Ella went onstage. Wasn’t a pleasant conversation between friends.”

Bishop bet not. Tara was likely to throw a right hook if she got fired up.

More security peeled back. Jay was left standing center stage, holding what looked like a remote.Motherfucker!

All hell broke loose in the auditorium. Silence erupted into a chaotic war as famous people jumped out of their seats and rushed to every exit.

Bishop stared at the madness. “Are you seeing this?”

“Damn it,” Parker growled. “NYPD should have a bomb squad on standby. But goddamn it!”

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