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Chapter 17

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WHEN THE CAR FINALLY stopped after a long period of time. She heard the car door open and the coolness of the air hit her skin.

The blindfold was removed.

Dana gasped. “You are so dead. My boyfriend is a cop!”

Okay, where did that little white lie come from?

Wishful thinking isn’t it, Dana?

Well, she knew Troy was going to have them for dinner if one little hair on her head was out of place, that’s what he’d told her once—so she wasn’t completely lying about her boyfriend being a cop. He was a friend of hers who happened to be a boy—well, a man.

Thomas sighed deeply. “I’m sorry for my unconventional ways.”

“Unconventional ways? What are you doing?”

“I wanted to speak with you alone.”

“Gee, I wonder why Gigi would ever break up with you? Where am I?” Dana looked around.

“On a movie set. I’m in town filming a project.”

“You’re filming a movie here in Berry Cove?”

“On location.”

She found herself outside a trailer. There were film crew and staff everywhere and some extras. She saw a huge stage light, some cameras and props around the area. It was surreal.

“I had to stage that little thing by the café because I’ve heard about you. You’ve got the curiosity itch. I knew you’d try to follow me.” He grinned.

Dana felt sheepish. Maybe Troy was right. And Dana was getting to be predictable in doing the unpredictable.

“You could have spoken to me at the café.”

“It wasn’t the best place. Besides, I had to get back here.”

Dana frowned. She hugged her arms around her chest, her lips pinched together.

“I loved Gigi. I really did. But I didn’t kill her new lover as much as I wanted to see him dead.”

“Is that what you kidnapped me to tell me? That you’re really a nice guy?”

He grinned.

“You’re a smart mouthed one, aren’t you?” he teased her.

“Smart enough to know that you’ve made a big mistake, taking me here like this.”

“Very well. I also have another motive.”

“You do?” Dana’s heart squeezed in her chest.

“Yes. I ...”

The director shouted “Action!” and the characters on the set got into their roles.

Shh. We must be very quiet,” Thomas whispered.

Dana had never been to a movie set before. “Wow,” she said.

The guy was surprisingly nice to her.

“I like your blog,” he then told her in a low voice, as they both watched the action happening before them. “Almost a hundred thousand followers on Instagram and Twitter. For a small town girl, not bad.”

“Thanks,” she replied, not believing this was all happening. She’d been kidnapped by a giant who had enough money to back a movie production—and he’d been stalking her online?

“I’d like to make you a deal.”

“A deal?” she echoed.

When he’d said earlier that he wanted to speak with her...she had no idea why? Until now. This was all about money and control. That was why Gigi didn’t want to be with him. This man was all about power and control.

“What kind of deal?”

“I would love to produce a short film based on one of your riddles. I’d like you to write a full length novel or even a short story based on your riddles for me.”

“Oh, kind of like Agatha Christie’s Ms Marple series?”

“Exactly. You are fantastic.”

Dana remembered what Gigi said about him being a control freak. She never mentioned kidnapping, too.

“One condition. Did you kill Carlos? Or have him killed?” Dana asked pointedly.

“Do you think I would tell you the truth?”

“I just want to read your expression.” She felt safer asking him in an open environment with staff around and extras.”

“No. Like a said before, I wanted to but I did not go through with it.”

He didn’t go through with it? What the heck does that mean? Did he try to? Was he the one driving that van that killed the lawyer thinking it was Carlos?

“Cut,” the director yelled. “Telly, get that stunt back here.”

The director fumed as he walked up to Thomas. 

“We need a new stunt double for Maxine. She can’t do this on her own.”

“You know money is not an object.”

“I miss, Gigi. She was good to work with. She did her own stunts and everything.”

Thomas chuckled after the director walked away fuming.

“He’s right. Gigi was good at everything, except driving. The woman should have her license revoked,” he teased.

Dana’s spine tingled.

“I have to go now. I’ll give you my answer later.” Which would be a resounding ‘no.’ She would be terrified to do business with a shady character like that—even if he was a movie producer.

“I’ll have one of my men drive you back.”

“I’ll grab a cab, thank you.”

Dana walked away from him and took out her cell phone and called a cab. She then hung up and called Detective Troy.

She hoped it wasn’t too late.