Page 70 of Jace 4Ever
I grimaced. “Jesus, Denis. How many other people were on set that day?”
“Eight. You, me, Marilyn, two electricians, a script writer, the medic and Bitsy, the girl he nearly killed. That was it. We close the set as much as possible when we do those pseudos.”
“Everyone else has been accounted for?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“I guess just keep looking for her,” I said. “But if she’s gone this long...”
“I want them to drag the East River. I know she lived near there.”
The laugh that escaped was bitter. “You’re not going to get the NYPD to drag the river for some random woman. They’re not going to want the work of what they find there. Can you imagine how many remains they’d find at Hell's Gate?”
“You are a morbid fucker,” Denis said. “But you’re right. They aren’t going to do it because of what they’ll find and how much they don’t want to deal with.”
“Look, Denis, I’m about to go take my seat at the Oscars. I gotta go. Just keep me up to date on what’s going on and have someone do a well visit at her house. She really could be sick if you were swapping sets this week.”
I could almost see him nodding at the other end of the phone. “Right. Well visit. I’ll do that. But you be careful, Jace. We might not be besties, but that doesn’t mean I want you dead.”
“Understood,” I answered. “I’ll call you when I get back to New York.”
“Who are you there with? How did you get into the Oscars?”
My laugh was low. “Just watch red carpet replays. Bye, Denis.”
“What’s going on?” Nelson asked, brushing against me.
“Marilyn is missing. And two camera men are dead. I don’t know what’s going on.”
Nelson did not look happy, and I honestly didn’t blame him. I couldn’t say I was thrilled either. “Is this because of that snuff film bullshit?” He kept his voice low.
“If they were really trying to snuff that woman, then yes. This is probably the mafia. That’s what the police were thinking was the reasoning for the attempt. The feds took her and put her in protective custody.” I looked at him. “Did you know that?”
“I wouldn’t know anything about anything unless you tell me.” He shook his head. “All I did was pick you up from the station. They won’t tell me what’s going on. Not even if I ask. I’d have to ask other people to circumvent the red tape I’d need to find out.”
I sighed. “They asked me if I wanted protective custody too, but I didn’t see how that would help anything...”
He spun me around and grabbed my shoulders. “Wait. They asked you if you wanted protective custody? Jesus, Jace. I didn’t realize you were in that much trouble.”
“I’m not,” I said. “I’m just someone who happened to be there.” Which was not the whole truth, but I didn’t want to go into protective custody. I really didn’t. There was no way they were going to come after me for just being there, and happen to have cut the power.
A long, thoughtful breath slipped out of Nelson and he dropped a kiss on my head. “Jace, I want you to come live with me.”
“What?” I gasped.
“Come live with me. It’s safer there. You’re there anyway. Just move in with me.”
“What about my brother? I can’t just leave him there.”
“Why not?” He cocked his head. “Has he ever done anything to help your ass? From what I’ve gathered, he barely pays the rent. For shit’s sake, you had to put a metal door on your room to keep him out.”
I pursed my lips and glanced down at my shoes. “I promised my dad I wouldn’t abandon him.”
Nelson shook his head. “Then we’ll figure it out. We’ll move him to a small apartment and we can pay for it. There are lots of decent places all over the city that aren’t nearly what you’re paying for that place and then you can say that we’ve held up your end of the bargain.”
“We?” My jaw dropped open. “Nelson, this isn’t your problem. This is mine. You don’t have to help me pay for him. If you help me find a place for him, I’ll pay—”
“Jace. Love. I have more money than I’ll ever use. I don’t mind helping you. I don’t even mind outright paying for him. If it frees you up from living with him in that apartment where you can’t even keep your privates private, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”
