Page 7 of Professional Consult
Clint wasn’t kidding. She fought like a bat out of hell, kicking and stomping all over my polished work boots.
I still can’t believe he asked me this favor after maintaining mutual radio silence for years. Like I have nothing better to do than cater to the Lexi Dashs of the world and their ‘method acting’ techniques. This is an embarrassing waste of resources, even if it gets us that free playground Clint promised.
Damn Clint for knowing every weakness I have.
Barb slides into the passenger seat. “That was easy enough,” she says in a tone laced with sarcasm.
My chair jolts. I look over my shoulder to see a wild-eyed Lexi kicking the back of my seat, looking more like a pouty princess than a hardened criminal.
Barb clears her throat and mumbles, “Has Clint offered to cover any damages?”
I grip the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white, furious with myself for not being able to resist my younger brother. I guess I didn’t fully compute what he was asking of me. It seemed so simple: take Lexi Dash into custody so that she can experience what it’s like to be a criminal. But something about being in the middle of this doesn’t feel right.
The entire way back to the station, my seat jerks as a stream of constant insults ranging from mild jabs to sailor approved cuss words pours from her mouth. I have to hand it to her. For as small as Lexi is, she’s a battle-axe with an edge so sharp, she’s likely to take a man’s head off. She really puts up a fight, and her tongue is spicy for America’s Sweetheart.
I stop at a light and look back at her. So maybe battle-axe was an exaggeration, but she sure could give an annoying paper cut.
Her eyes are no longer angry. They’re afraid, with fat tears welling at the rim.
She’s good.
“Th-that bag d-didn’t belong to me,” she stutters out.
It takes a true master of the acting craft to switch from hot to cold, angry to afraid, and Lexi Dash could teach a class on it.
Not that I should be surprised. She’s been acting for two decades, and the span of her career is lined with awards, making her one of the most highly sought after actresses of our time.
When Clint first asked me to consult for his newest gig, I laughed in his face. What could I teach Lexi Dash? I told him my work was at Pond Spring, but his insistence didn’t stop there, and he asked if Lexi could come out. After I said no again, he sweetened the deal, promising to come out himself to help build a playground.
How could I say no to that?
And now, here I am, escorting Lexi Dash to the police station so she can see what it’s like to spend the night in police custody.
“I-I want to call my l-lawyer,” she says, her voice so dazed, I almost think she’s not acting.
“There will be time for that back at the station.”
“Fuck!” Her shrill voice rings from the backseat and I feel my seat jolt again.
I have to roll my eyes because while she is doing an amazing job of getting into character, it seems so unnecessary.
I pull into my assigned parking spot and turn to Barb. “Get ready for booking.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
The paparazzi my brother told me to wait for arrives, and I allow him to get into position, mad as hell that I’m catering to such scum. That Lexi—freaking—Dash is so vain, she has to capture this shit show on film, so one day she can use it to exploit my town for her own personal gain.
But the person I should be most mad at is myself.
I exit the vehicle and suck in a long breath, trying to get ‘in character’ for what needs to be done next. Inwardly, I chuckle, because while Lexi Dash is experiencing what it’s like to be a criminal, I’m getting a glimpse of what it’s like to be an actor.
And while I hate it, I’m committed to the job I accepted.
I open the door and bend to withdraw Lexi from the car, but instead of being fear-filled as she was just moments before, she charges me, beating me with her head.
This bitch has lost her damn mind.
I place my hand flat across her chest to force some distance between us.
