Page 16 of Hollywood Undercover
Chapter 7
ALEXANDRA was disorientedby the shrill ring of the house phone line. It woke her up from a sound sleep at the crack of dawn. She stretched across the bed and reached for the phone. In her groggy daze, she over-reached, and stumbled to the floor with athump.
“Hello?” she answered,groaning.
“Alexandra?”
“Yes. Is that you, Rosa?” She recognized the woman’svoice.
“Yes. It’sme.”
Rosa Charles was her father’s executive assistant, and very likely his secret significant other. It was unusual for Alexandra to get a call from her, especially at this hour. She looked at the clock on the nightstand next to the bed. It was six thirty in themorning.
“I called Dad earlier. I mean last night, I called. Nobodyanswered.”
“Alexandra,” Rosa saidagain.
“Yes?” She pulled herself up to sit. Alarm bells were going off. Rosa sounded on edge. “What is it, Rosa? Did Dad ask you to callme?”
“No, he didn’t. Actually, he told me not to call. I just…well, I saw you were trying to get in contact with him last night. I had to call you to let you know what’s going on. Your father…he’s very ill,love.”
Her heart dropped and a cold dread tickled down her spine at the grave tone the woman used to deliver the news. She was instantly aware that whatever illness Rosa was talking about, it wasn’t some minor virus or commoncold.
“What happened to him?” Her voice trembled and her hands shook so much, she was sure she would drop the phone. She steadied the receiver with two hands and leaned back against the bed frame tolisten.
“He has a very bad case of pneumonia,” Rosa explained softly. “He can’t shake it, and things aren’t looking good. You father made everyone promise not to tell you, but now he’s taken a turn for the worseand—”
“Why didn’t he want me to know? How could any of you keep this from me?” She heard the alarm and fear blend into her angry tone as she cut Rosa off. She couldn’t believe what Rosa was telling her, but it was more important to find out what was going on. “Hold on. What do you mean he’s taken a turn for theworse?”
“It’s hard to say. The doctors are doing everything they can. They may not be optimistic, but I thought that maybe if youcame…”
The phone went silent as Alexandra processed the dire prognosis. Rosa may have been quietly waiting for her to react. None of this made any sense. She tried telling herself it was just pneumonia. People got pneumonia all the time and came out just fine. Her heart raced. She could almost hear the thunderous beats rattling her ribcage. With a breath that was too hard to suck down, she focused back toRosa.
“I’m coming home,” she said. “Tell my dad I’m coming home. Tell him to hold out for me. I’ll be there before the end of theday.”
The phone clattered as it dropped to the night table. Alexandra moved with frantic energy as Rosa’s words repeated in her head—the doctors weren’t optimistic. She might as well have told her he had mere hours left, because it felt like time was of the essence. She grabbed her smartphone from the edge of the bed to find Rick’s number. She had to let himknow.
“There’s been a change of plans, Rick,” she said to him when heanswered.
“Baby, you see what time it is? I got a wife, you know. What’s this about a change ofplans?”
“Rick, Dad is really sick. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but I’m leaving on the next plane out. I just called to tell you a month might not cutit...”
She couldn’t hold it in anymore. Her body shook as shesobbed.
“Whoa, Alexandra,” Rick said, his tone transforming from sarcasm to sober. Her dad was his close friend too. “Maxwell’s introuble?”
“I don’t know,” she said softly. “Rosa called. He’s in thehospital.”
“Oh, no. I’m sorry hun. Can I do anything tohelp?”
“You can, Rick. I don’t want the media getting wind of this. I need…myfamilyneeds privacy, and we both know they won’t respect that. Even at the hospital. They’ll find a way to get toDad.”
“Absolutely. Discretion is paramount,” Rick whispered. “I already had the media hounds set up to cover your Riviera vacation. That should give you some space for awhile.”
Alexandra paced nervously with the cordless phone, and stopped in front of the mirror. One hand raised into her long purple hair. She had let it grow for years. And now, it fell to the back of her knees. It was part of her signature look. Anyone who saw that hair would instantly recognize her, no matter what she tried to do to hide from the media. Looking at this conspicuous mane, she knew what she had to do, and that Rick would neveragree.
“I’m cutting my hair,” she shouted, almost surprisingherself.
