Page 95 of Not Another Rockstar
Phoebe turnedthe page to keep reading, but a couple of sheets of paper fell out from the back of the journal. She picked them up, only to find they were printed-out messages from Anita.
Anita: How could you do this to the others? You’re going to ruin everyone and everything they’ve built for your own selfish desires.
Anita: I know what you’ve been doing with the make-up artist. If you don’t end it, then I’m going to tell Phoebe. She doesn’t deserve to be treated this way, and I don’t like to see you so unhappy.
Anita: Drinking isn’t going to solve your problems. You’re just making life harder for yourself. Everyone would be better off without you!
The soundof barking told her Axel had probably got distracted by Bart in the garden en route to his studio session. She wanted to show him the texts, and see if he knew Anita had treated Cillian like this.
When she stepped out into the sun, there was no sign of Axel.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked, seeing Bart chained up against the wall.
He was trying to pull himself out of his collar, barking at her.
“Where’s your dad?” she asked as he lay down at her feet, whining until she undid the chain.
It wasn’t like Axel or any of the others to chain him up—Bart was well-behaved in the studio. They only attached the long chain to his collar when the gardener came because he hated the lawnmower.
Her phone buzzed. It was an email with a video file from Lena; Isaiah was also CCed in. Bart jumped up on her, and she nearly tripped over him as she tried to watch the video. The quality wasn’t great; she suspected the security guard had recorded the screen on his phone. The LouderTech logo on the wall revealed the location, but judging from the lack of people in the office and the dim lighting, it was filmed after hours.
Phoebe stopped at the door to the studio when she saw a hooded figure walk through the cubicles and leave the same generic envelope Sheen had given them on Sheen’s desk.
“We can play later after I’ve talked to your dad,” she said to Bart, trying to calm him.
A message from Lena came in.
Sorry about the footage being so rough! I should have checked the quality before paying him. There is no face, but Sheen WAS telling the truth about someone leaving the envelope on his desk. From the silhouette, I think it could be a woman! This was left on his desk on Thursday, the day before the accident!!!!!
Phoebe wanted to reply, but she rewatched the video instead, desperate to see if she could make out any other details. The person never looked up, but then, when the culprit left the cubicle, she saw them. The red-bottomed breakneck heels. Her stomach dropped.
“Anita.” The name caught in her throat.
Sheen was telling the truth.If she’d had breakfast, the rose bushes would have got some extra nourishment.
“Axel?” Phoebe called out as she opened the studio door, even though it was a waste of time with the sound-proofing in the booth.
Had Anita planned the accident because she thought Cillian was ruining the band? She had sent him those threatening messages; she felt sick at the thought that Anita had been the one to identify Cillian’s body.
She doubted Axel had seen the messages at the back of the journal, or they would have fired Anita long ago. She scrolled through her phone to find Isaiah’s number, wanting him to find Anita before she made a run for it—if she hadn’t already. Now it made sense why Cillian was drinking so much—he was being intimidated and harassed, and who’d feel sorry for him, considering what he’d done? Anita played a great game.
“Please answer,” she begged as Isaiah’s phone rang out.
She turned down a small hall to the production room and opened the door, only to drop the phone when she saw Anitastanding over Axel in the booth. His hands and neck were bound with thin wire, and he had a gash on his eyebrow. She crouched down, not wanting to be seen, and fumbled with her phone again, only to get Isaiah’s voicemail.
“Anita, help, studio,” was all she managed to send before she heard the click of the booth opening. She didn’t dare look up.
Anita found her anyway.
“Like a coward hiding, while the man you claim to love has a gun to his head.” Anita fisted her hair and smacked her head against the floor.
Disorientated, Phoebe tasted blood as she bit her tongue on impact. She glared at Anita, her blood chilling as she saw the gun in her hand.
“You don’t need a gun,” Phoebe fretted.
“I needed to protect myself, and this is just a little extra motivation to get you to listen.”
Anita dragged her into the booth, and she could only hope that Isaiah would see the message and come to the house as she asked. She wondered where Anita had even managed to get a gun, but it was her job to be resourceful.
