among a row of small houses converted to businesses whose front yards served as parking lots. Unlike the other shop owners, Martha had maintained the lovely flowering shrubs that lined the foundation of the house. With rocking chairs on the front porch, the place still looked like a home. Amber doubted the owner, who continued to live in the house as well as to operate her business, knew Kyle Adler any better than she did, but no stone could go unturned.
Amber sighed. She still found it incredible that the facts she needed to find were to clear her name. How had this happened? Her gaze settled on the driver as he shut off the engine. How had he handled the situation when his life was turned upside down? At some point she wanted to ask him about Lacy James. There had been endless speculation about the relationship between the star and her bodyguard in the media after her death. Sean had never acknowledged or denied they were lovers. Ultimately her death had been ruled an accidental overdose. But not before Sean had been crucified by the media. Unfortunately, being targeted by the media was only the tip of the iceberg where Amber’s troubles were concerned.
“We going in or what?”
Amber blinked and turned away from the scrutiny of his blue eyes. “Yes.” She grabbed her bag and reached for the door. As usual he was out of the car and waiting for her as she emerged.
He closed her door. She said, “Thank you.”
As they moved toward the shop, rather than dwell on how Thrasher’s slightly odd behavior had rattled her, she tried to remember all she could about Sean. She’d heard about his disappearance from Hollywood. At the time, no one seemed to know where he’d gone. She had vaguely wondered if he’d returned home, but then another local story had come along and she’d forgotten all about the disgraced bodyguard and the deceased pop star. Funny how fate had a way of bringing things and people back around. Maybe she’d have the opportunity to get the real story from him. His side should be told.
He reached for the door to Martha Sews but hesitated before he opened it. “I don’t give interviews, Amber.”
Clearly she was wearing her every thought on her face for all to see. It was the only explanation for how everyone seemed to read her mind lately. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Part of my job is to recognize what a person is thinking before they act.”
She would have disagreed with his conclusion, but he opened the door for her to go inside. It wasn’t as if she could refute his statement. She had been wondering about an interview. She was curious about the man charged with her safety. His credentials should be of concern. Except he worked for Jess Burnett, and that said it all.
Annoyed now, as much with herself as with him, she struggled to pull off a smile for the lady who emerged from the back of the shop to greet them. “Martha, how are you?”
“I’m just fine, Amber. How are you this lovely afternoon?” The older lady frowned. “Were you scheduled to pick up your dress today and I forgot?”
Amber had almost forgotten the dress herself. “No. I think that’s Friday.” How had she let the dress slip her mind? She had a huge fund-raising event on Friday night. Assuming she wasn’t in jail.
Martha nodded as she glanced at Sean. “It’s always nice to see one of my favorite customers. What can I do for you and your friend today?”
“Actually...” Amber stalled. She surveyed the retail side of the shop. Martha sold all sorts of vintage items as well as one-of-a-kind scarves and handmade jewelry. If Amber recalled correctly, most of the items were on consignment. The extra income tided her over when the alternations were slow. Amber doubted that happened very often anymore. “My friend—” she wrapped her arm around Sean’s “—needs a vintage bow tie for a fund-raiser we’re attending.”
“I see.” Martha beamed. “Does your friend have a name?”
Amber put her
Amber sighed. She still found it incredible that the facts she needed to find were to clear her name. How had this happened? Her gaze settled on the driver as he shut off the engine. How had he handled the situation when his life was turned upside down? At some point she wanted to ask him about Lacy James. There had been endless speculation about the relationship between the star and her bodyguard in the media after her death. Sean had never acknowledged or denied they were lovers. Ultimately her death had been ruled an accidental overdose. But not before Sean had been crucified by the media. Unfortunately, being targeted by the media was only the tip of the iceberg where Amber’s troubles were concerned.
“We going in or what?”
Amber blinked and turned away from the scrutiny of his blue eyes. “Yes.” She grabbed her bag and reached for the door. As usual he was out of the car and waiting for her as she emerged.
He closed her door. She said, “Thank you.”
As they moved toward the shop, rather than dwell on how Thrasher’s slightly odd behavior had rattled her, she tried to remember all she could about Sean. She’d heard about his disappearance from Hollywood. At the time, no one seemed to know where he’d gone. She had vaguely wondered if he’d returned home, but then another local story had come along and she’d forgotten all about the disgraced bodyguard and the deceased pop star. Funny how fate had a way of bringing things and people back around. Maybe she’d have the opportunity to get the real story from him. His side should be told.
He reached for the door to Martha Sews but hesitated before he opened it. “I don’t give interviews, Amber.”
Clearly she was wearing her every thought on her face for all to see. It was the only explanation for how everyone seemed to read her mind lately. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Part of my job is to recognize what a person is thinking before they act.”
She would have disagreed with his conclusion, but he opened the door for her to go inside. It wasn’t as if she could refute his statement. She had been wondering about an interview. She was curious about the man charged with her safety. His credentials should be of concern. Except he worked for Jess Burnett, and that said it all.
Annoyed now, as much with herself as with him, she struggled to pull off a smile for the lady who emerged from the back of the shop to greet them. “Martha, how are you?”
“I’m just fine, Amber. How are you this lovely afternoon?” The older lady frowned. “Were you scheduled to pick up your dress today and I forgot?”
Amber had almost forgotten the dress herself. “No. I think that’s Friday.” How had she let the dress slip her mind? She had a huge fund-raising event on Friday night. Assuming she wasn’t in jail.
Martha nodded as she glanced at Sean. “It’s always nice to see one of my favorite customers. What can I do for you and your friend today?”
“Actually...” Amber stalled. She surveyed the retail side of the shop. Martha sold all sorts of vintage items as well as one-of-a-kind scarves and handmade jewelry. If Amber recalled correctly, most of the items were on consignment. The extra income tided her over when the alternations were slow. Amber doubted that happened very often anymore. “My friend—” she wrapped her arm around Sean’s “—needs a vintage bow tie for a fund-raiser we’re attending.”
“I see.” Martha beamed. “Does your friend have a name?”
Amber put her
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