Chapter 8

Three days later, Lucas was talking with Jorge Ortiz, one of PE’s camera techs, who was showing him the new thermal imaging camera the crew had just received when he heard, “Lucas!”

Paul Hourton charged towards him with an expression as dark as a thundercloud.

Lucas signed the delivery slip and handed the clipboard to Jorge, who left them. “Yeah, what’s up?”

Paul rubbed the back of his neck. “Look man, we’ve got a problem.”

“What’s that?” Lucas’s brow furrowed in concern over Paul’s agitated attitude.

“Your boy, Tyler, is causing problems with the locals. Apparently, his ex and his son live here in Phantom Horse. I understand he’s accosted them two or three times.”

Lucas’s eyebrows shot up. Tyler could be a hothead, but he’d never caused trouble at any of their filming locations before.

Paul sighed and glanced out across the river. “Last night he ... well, he broke into Samantha Gladstone’s apartment ‘cause he wanted her to—” Paul made air quotes with his fingers. “—convince Violet Snow to forgive him and forget his wrong doings.”

Fury swept through Lucas, and he stared at the ground, trying to get his temper in check. His jaw clenched as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well?” Paul prompted, his hands fisted. “You gonna let the bastard go or what?”

Lucas’s eyes shot up to Paul’s. He understood why his friend was so angry, but he couldn’t just fire Tyler without assessing the situation completely. There were legalities he’d have to deal with.

Unlike Paul, who owned his outfit, Lucas had to run everything past his bosses on the PE show and their network. Not to mention that firing Tyler would screw things up with the show. “No, I’m not going to cut a crew member loose in the middle of an episode. We can’t spare him right now. You know that. It’s been hard enough with you gone for the past three days.”

While he didn’t begrudge Paul the time off, it had put them behind schedule.

Paul pursed his lips. “Well, then we need to establish some rules with personnel.”

Lucas chuckled. “Like what, Hourton?”

“Like, no interacting with locals unless you are specifically assigned to interview that person.”

Lucas gave Paul a sardonic look. “So, you’re gonna stop seeing this Samantha Gladstone?”

Paul blinked. “I-well. No.”

Lucas ground his teeth for a moment at Paul’s double standard. “My mom always said, ‘what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.’”

“What does that mean?” Paul glared at Lucas.

“It means, Hourton, if you’re going to run around with Samantha, a local and a key witness to our investigation, then you can’t expect the other personnel to... ‘not interact with locals unless specifically assigned to interview them.’”

Paul’s stare said that he thought Lucas was being obtuse. “Hart, this could be a serious liability issue. If Violet Snow or Samantha Gladstone should file a lawsuit against us ‘cause we’re responsible for the conduct of our personnel while we’re in their town, shooting their story’ ... Surely you get this.”

Lucas looked away and then back at Paul. “Look, this is the first time I’ve heard about this. Apparently, your boy, Alan, bailed Tyler out, otherwise I wouldn’t have known anything about it. Let me look into what happened. Right now, I’m not sure it’s any different than what you’ve been doing with a local. And we’ve got Alan scheduled for voice over recordings today. That means Tyler will be recording it. Let me talk to Tyler and keep him on a probationary period just until I can figure out just what our liabilities are.”

Paul gritted his teeth. “If you think Tyler and Alan is the team that keeps this production on the air, think again. But you’ll find out for yourself. I’m just a phone call away.” Paul took a step to leave, then came back.

Lucas lifted his chin as Paul got in his face. “I tell you what. You talk to Adcock, you figure out PE’s responsibilities to the public, and take your time doing it. But know this: I will not work with Tyler Adcock, ever! If he were on API payroll, he’d be cut today, this minute. And I’ll make sure the local police chief knows that I am not working with PE as long as Tyler is on your payroll. That way when you get charges brought against you, API will not be held accountable. Because I warned you.”

Paul jabbed an index finger into Lucas’s chest. The only reason Lucas didn’t shove him away was because he didn’t want to create any more of a commotion in front of the crew than Paul already was. Lucas kept his head instead of letting anger cloud his judgment. He didn’t want to end a friendship and damage the show by shooting off his mouth.

Paul shook his head. “You think everything is hunky dory with your camera man and Alan?” He clenched teeth. “Go ahead and shoot your schedule, man. Call me when you figure out it don’t work that way.”

Paul blew an ear-splitting whistle through his thumb and forefinger. “Can I get everyone to come over here, for a minute?”

The API and PE teams were intermingled, but at Paul’s whistle, the teams began making their way over to their respective bosses.

Once everyone had quieted, Paul cleared his throat. “Lucas and I have made a decision that affects all of you. So, I’m giving you fair warning. I’m backing off until some things get settled. As owner of API and co-director of PE, it’s Lucas and my heads who might be on the chopping block, not yours. So, continue this investigation, do your best, and I’ll be back as soon as I feel we’ve got our differences worked out.”

Lucas crossed his arms over his chest, remaining silent as he glared after Paul, who simply walked away, effectively dumping the whole mess in Lucas’ lap. Then, turning back to the crews, who were gazing at him with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, Lucas took up the reins and got down to work.

That night, Lucas lay on his bed, pleasantly buzzed, letting his mind drift. Some people did their best thinking in the morning or late at night, but Lucas did his when he was half drunk. He’d had four shots of good bourbon and his brain was now relaxed enough to work through all the issues Paul’s desertion had caused.

Not just that, but API’s spokesman, Alan, had turned into a blithering idiot without Paul there. He needed to talk to Paul about that, too. He couldn’t have—

A knock on his door interrupted his train of thought.

“Go the hell away! I told you that I was working!” he shouted.

They knocked again and he opened his eyes. With a growl of frustration, he got off the bed and went to the door, prepared to rip into whoever was on the other side of it. Yanking it open, the angry words he’d been about to hurl died on his lips.

Leanne stood in the hallway. Her eyes were dark with fury and her luscious lips pursed. God, she was gorgeous. “Hey, honey. I wasn’t expecting you tonight, but I’m glad to see you. Come on in.”

Leanne marched past him and looked around her Grandma’s room for a few moments before turning to him. Her breath left her as she took in Lucas’ half naked form. Old jeans hung low on his trim hips and his muscular back flexed as he shut the door. Hunger stole through her as he walked towards her. How was she supposed to stay angry at him when he looked like something out of a Magic Mike movie?

Then she thought of Sammy and Vi and her resolve returned. “Why didn’t you fire Tyler? How could you keep him around after what he did to Vi and to Sammy? Don’t you have any consideration? Or is your precious show so important to you that you’re willing to keep an abusive man around just so your schedule doesn’t get screwed up?”

Lucas just looked at her.

“How can you be so cold-hearted, so callous about what Tyler did?” She shook her head. “I’m really questioning whether you’re the type of man I thought you were. Someone honorable and decent. Maybe you’re just a good actor.”

He turned to the dresser where a bottle of whiskey and a couple of glass tumblers sat. Her anger burned even brighter when he nonchalantly poured two fingers into each glass.

“Say something, damn it!”

Lucas downed half of his glass before answering her. “First off, at the risk of sounding like some B movie from the fifties, I’d just like to say that you’re magnificent when you’re mad. The way your eyes flash and the flush in your cheeks make you even more beautiful, if that’s possible.”

That took the wind out of Leanne’s sails a little. “I’m pissed at you and you’re complimenting me?”

His lopsided smile made her traitorous heart beat faster. “Yes, I am. Secondly, I did fire Tyler today and sent him packing.”

Her anger-filled sails fell completely flat. “You did?”

Lucas nodded and tossed back the rest of his drink. “Yep.”

“Oh. But why didn’t you do it right away? Paul said that you acted like what Tyler had done was okay. I mean, he was even at work, just like nothing had happened,” Leanne pressed him.

Lucas held out the other glass to her. “I think you need this.”

“What? I don’t want it,” she said.

“Aw, c’mon. You have to catch up to me,” Lucas said. “You’re six behind. I think.”

The strange way that he was acting and the slightly glazed look in his eyes added up to her. “Are you drunk?”

He considered that for a moment. “Getting there.” He came closer and held the glass up. “C’mon, sweetheart. If you have a drink with me, I’ll explain it all to you.”