Tonya Muir - Exposure Season 1

"Have you figured out nothing, Little Roo?" She kneels in front of me, smiling and trying to bring me out of my funk. "You don’t try to lie to Mama because she’ll catch you every time."

"Harper, when you tell them this, they are going to demand…"

"That we do whatever is necessary to keep you safe, and an explanation about why they weren’t told sooner. They love you, Kels, get used to it." She leans in, giving me a very gentle kiss. Staying with me after, our foreheads touching, she continues, "We’ll get through this together."

"He wants me, Harper."

"He can’t have you, Kelsey. I got dibs." She grins a little. She’s not making light of the situation, she’s just being supportive. It’s a wonderful feeling to know I’m not alone, because I’m scared as hell. "But, right now, we need to go fill in my family. My brothers are already downstairs. Papa called them the moment Mama told him there was a problem. Never accuse the Kingsleys of waiting until the last minute to get involved."

"Wouldn’t think of it." I try to smile, for her at least. I know I don’t feel like smiling.

I’ve lost track of how many women have died because they look like me. And he’s taken further action by stealing my car. Not that the car means anything, but, my God, he was that close to my home. Hell, for all I know he was stealing the damn thing while I was on the phone with Erik.

I need to call Erik and warn him. "Erik…," I whisper as we head down the steps. "I need to call Erik."

"Honey, Erik is fine. Bear went up to check on the condo after they found your car. He talked to Erik and filled him in. He’s okay."

"Thank God." I’d never forgive myself if something happened to him because of me.

We make our way into the kitchen. Mama immediately guides me to the table, placing a cup of tea in front of me, then places a kiss on my temple as her hand strokes through my hair. "Are you all right, ma petite?"

"I’m fine, Mama. Thank you."

She settles down next to me, never releasing my hand, listening intently as Harper stands behind me, filling everyone in on what’s going on. I block it out. I can’t listen to it again.

"I don’t see why you cannot simply stay here until this monster is caught," Mama says, bringing me back into the conversation. "Kelsey would most certainly be safe in this house."

"We can’t hide, Mama," Harper sighs, her hands massaging my shoulders.

Papa nods. "That’s the problem: once you start running, you never stop. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be extremely cautious. This one has plans, that’s for sure."

"Do you have police protection arranged?" Robie asks.

"Ever since they found the fibers, yes. One of my buddies is on the LAPD, and we have the head of the Threat Management Unit working on the case too. We just don’t have protection while we’re on the road. He doesn’t seem to follow us on our stories. He’s local and staying local."

"Makes sense, from his point of view," Jean mutters.

"It makes no sense at all," Mama disagrees. "Comin’ after this little one makes no sense at all." I feel her hand making broad strokes across my back. It’s very soothing. My own mother never touched me like this.

"Is the FBI involved?" Gerrard inquires.

"They are. But, we’ve never talked to them," Harper explains, taking a seat next to me and wrapping her arms around me. God, it feels good to be able to sink into her arms without worrying what the people around us are thinking.

"Why not?" Mama is indignant.

"The link between my stalker and the killer was only recently made," I tell her, trying to get involved, instead of sitting here like an idiot.

"Gerrard, can’t you do something?" Mama is almost acrimonious toward him with her request. I have to chuckle a little into Harper’s shoulder. That’s what he gets for being a judge.

"I will, Mama. I have some friends in the Bureau. I’ll give them a call and find out what I can." Gerrard excuses himself from the table and goes into the living room to make the phone call.

"I’d like to see him come down here and try something." Robie leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. "He’d have to go through every one of us to get to Kelsey then."

"Robie, don’t go all macho Cajun on me," Harper tells him. "This is one scary psycho and I don’t want any of us near him. For any reason."

"He knows I’ll come back to LA eventually. He doesn’t need to go anywhere. He can do it at his time on his own terms." I shake my head to help the shiver pass that runs down my spine at the mere thought of what he has in store for me.

Harper’s hold on me increases and she places a soft kiss to my hair. "Sweetheart, nothing bad is going to happen to you, I swear it. They’re gonna catch this sick son-of-a-bitch and lock him away for ever and ever."

"Amen," Mama intones. Guess Harper’s swearing is okay in this context.

I really like being a part of this family. I hope I live long enough to enjoy it.

<fade out>

Scenes from Next Week’s Must Read TV:

<fade in>

I head for the phone to call the police. I pick up the receiver and punch in 9-1-1. It’s when I wait for the operator that I realize the line is dead.

Oh shit!

I need my cell phone. Where is it? Where the fuck did I put it?

Purse. It’s in my purse. In the goddamn living room. God, I swear I’ll start picking up after myself if you don’t let anything bad happen.

Harper. Where are you? I need you.

<cut to>

"The management and staff of KNBC are deeply concerned for the safety of our colleague, Kelsey Stanton. We are giving the police our full cooperation and assistance in this matter. In addition, we are offering a reward of $100,000 to anyone who provides the police with the information leading to Kelsey’s safe return, and the capture of this violent criminal. We ask that anyone with such information contact our Crime Stoppers Hotline at 213-555-KNBC. KNBC staff will assist the police in answering and responding to all calls we receive."

<fade out>

 I hear the elevator doors slide open and glance at my watch. Harper isn’t due back for another two hours. I didn’t miss the buzzer, did I?

"Erik, hon, are you expecting someone?" I call across the hall to his room. Since he’s leaving for a well-deserved vacation in the Bahamas, it might well be his most recent ‘personal assistant.’

God, I’m glad I’ve never seen anyone’s name in quotes like that about me. I’d have to give up women. Well, maybe. Actually, that article really pissed me off. With everything that’s going on in my life right now, we don’t need the stress of some ass trying to ‘out’ Erik.

Even Harper, who is so out, agrees with me. In order to help the public image, while she went to The Rio to play cards the other night, Erik and I made an appearance at a trendy restaurant in Hollywood. We were followed, of course, very discreetly, by a couple of Bear’s friends on the force. Harper had her cell phone on at the game, despite the usual protocol, in case anything happened while we were out. Apparently it did little for Harper’s concentration and she lost close to a hundred dollars.

I made it up to her later.

Erik comes down the hallway and signals for me to be quiet. He pushes me back in my room and pulls the door closed.

Somehow, I don’t think it’s his new boyfriend.

I head for the phone to call the police. I pick up the receiver and punch in 9-1-1. It’s when I wait for the operator that I realize the line is dead.

Oh shit!

I need my cell phone. Where is it? Where the fuck did I put it?

Purse. It’s in my purse. In the goddamn living room. God, I swear I’ll start picking up after myself if you don’t let anything bad happen.

Harper. Where are you? I need you.

Erik. Are you all right? Why are you playing hero? Isn’t that why there’s a cop sitting in my foyer? Why isn’t he doing something?

Or can’t he?

Suddenly my claustrophobia rolls over me. I gasp, clutch my chest and try to remove the boulder, which must have landed on it. My heart might explode any moment.

I press my ear against the door and listen. All I hear is the blood pumping in my body. How do they get this to work in the movies? Jesus. This is bad.

I can’t leave Erik out there alone.

I pull the door open and listen again.

Nothing.

I step out and peek down the hallway.

Nothing still.

That’s good, I suppose, but it feels really bad. I just need to get to my cell phone. I’m gonna chain that thing to me in the future. I’m sorry for every bad thought I’ve ever had about it in the past.

I move down the hallway slowly, cautiously. Erik’s door is closed and I don’t even want to open it. Who knows what could be behind it?

When I reach the end, I see Erik’s stocking feet sticking out by the couch. No, no, no. This can’t be happening. God, let this be a dream, please.

I race to Erik and drop by his side. I see the little red dart sticking out of his shoulder. Pulling it out, I check him for a pulse.

He’s alive, thank God.

Okay, that’s good. Now, I just need to find my cell phone and we’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. We’re going to be fine.

I move over to the chair and dump the contents of my purse. Where in the hell is my phone? I know it was in here. I know it.

"Looking for this?"

Oh God.

I turn and see him standing there, holding my cell phone in his hand. A thousand thoughts come to my mind, but none make it past my lips before I hear the ‘puff’ noise and feel the stab. I look at the dart sticking out of my thigh.

It’s almost like it’s in someone else’s body, that’s how unreal this whole scene is to me. This is just a nightmare. I’ll wake up soon in Harper’s arms. Everything is going to be just fine.

I reach for the dart to remove it. If I take it out, the nightmare will end, I know. My vision is already cloudy and the room is spinning.

Harper, I’m sorry.

* * *

I press the buzzer.

I know the old guy who runs this thing is slow, but this is ridiculous. I mean, doesn’t he realize I want to get upstairs to Kelsey? I hated leaving earlier today, but I had errands I needed to run. And my Harley had to be driven. What use is all that power if I only have it sit in my garage all the damn time? I need to get Kels a leather jacket and a helmet so we can go out cruising together. It may be the only way she can have her hands on me in public.

I snicker. Kinda like that godawful movie ‘Grease 2’ which starred Michelle Pfeiffer and that flash-in-the-pan Maxwell Caufield. He was some geek loser until he got himself a bike, something I never suffered from. I think the big song about him was ‘Cool Rider.’ Oh, did I want to give Michelle a ride when I saw that movie.

Now I have my own cute blonde. And, oh, do I want to give her a ride.

I buzz the penthouse again and wait … again.

What the fuck is wrong with this guy?

Crap. What if something is wrong? Terribly wrong.

Kelsey.

I snag my cell phone off my belt and speed dial Bear’s number. Come on, buddy, have your cell with you. And have it turned on.

"Brice here."

Two of the sweetest words I’ve heard today. "Bear, Harper. I’m standing down in the lobby of Kels’ building and I’m not getting a fuckin’ answer upstairs. Don’t you have a man up there?"

His voice is immediately alert. "Yeah, we do. Let me try and reach him. Hold on." I hear him grab his radio and try to get through to the cop stationed in the apartment.

I know there won’t be an answer.

Even as I wait for Brice to confirm my fears, I am moving to the security desk where the guard has just returned from his rounds. I rap on the wood. "Do you have a key to the service elevator and the fire door to the penthouse?"

My question surprises him and he blinks at me. "Yeah, but…"

That’s all I need to hear, buddy. "Give them to me!" I bark.

"I can’t."

I reach across the desk and grab him by the front of his shirt, pulling him to me. "Give me the fucking keys!"

I see him reach for a small ring at his side and I snag it before he can.

"I’m calling the cops!" he protests.

"So am I, shithead." I release him and run to the service elevator.