That’s when Jess had known that Ben couldn’t keep her mother safe.  She’d called him and told him he knew what the right thing to do was, and that if he didn’t take care of it, she would.  Days before, he’d told her that this was real life and she couldn’t direct them like actors on her stage.  He was right about one thing, this was real life.  And it seemed to be getting more real by the minute.  Was it possible that she had been wrong?

Chapter 10

Paparazzi

Jess’s phone began ringing at 7:00 a.m.  God, what was it?  “Hello?”

“Jess.  It’s Jer.  Look I know I woke you, but I’ve been fielding calls half the night.”  It was her agent and what the hell was he talking about?

“Some paparazzi got you at Long Beach getting on the Lucky Bets jet with some tall dark and handsome George Clooney type.  They checked the flight plan and found out you went to Kansas.  I’d guess they’re all going to be descending as soon as commercial flights can get them there today.  I just wanted to prepare you.  What the hell’s going on anyway?”

“Look Jer, thanks for the heads up.  It was just a family friend.   I had a few days and wanted to come home.  You know, I cut my visit short last month because of the audition.”

She wasn’t sure why, but she didn’t want to tell him about the stalker breaking into her condo.  It was why she hadn’t called the police.  She didn’t want the publicity.  Actors were changed at this stage of a movie all of the time, even principals.  She didn’t want any reason for the producer to decide she was too much trouble.

She ended the call with her agent and called Ben.  “I need Joey’s number.  Paparazzi got shots of us at Long Beach.  What’s Lucky Bets?”

“It’s the casino Joey manages in Vegas.  I suppose they’ll be tracking him down and that’s why you want his number.”

“Yeah, I just want to warn him.  You know, I think the call should come from me.”

He gave her Joey’s number.  “You do know it’s like the middle of the night there, right?”

She groaned. “Hey, I’m still on L.A. time.  Believe me, I know. And here I thought Vegas was a 24x7 town.”

She dialed the number Ben had given her and to her surprise Joey picked up on the first ring.

“Bellini.”

“Joey?  It’s Jess Parker.”

“Toots.  What, you ready to go back to lala land already?”

“No, I’m calling you to let you know some paparazzi took pictures of us at Long Beach airport.  My agent called me this morning.  He knew it was the Lucky Bets jet.  The press didn’t know who you were, but I imagine it’s only a matter of time.”

“Toots, are you that famous?”  What the hell?  He knew she was an actress and that she’d just gotten some big role, but paparazzi chasing him down, come on.  He wished he hadn’t been dragged into this.  And he would have argued with Ben when he’d called yesterday except he’d played the trump card.  “She’s family,” Ben had said, and a Bellini would do anything for family.

Jess shook her head, this was just exasperating.  “Well, since the announcement of the Harts in Time role, the stalker isn’t the only person who’s been following me around.”

“Fine. I’m calling for the jet.  I’ll be there in about three hours.  Meet me at the airport.”

And she was listening to dead air.  What was he coming for?  And what was she supposed to do with him? She hit redial.

“Toots. I appreciate that you miss me, but I’ve got things to do here.”

Lord, this man was infuriating.  Miss him, hell.  All she wanted to do was warn him that the paparazzi could be looking for him

“Joey, why are you coming?  What are you going to do here?  My agent says the paparazzi are on their way to Kansas.”

He laughed.  “Subterfuge, Toots.  I’m going to be Pauli.”

And once again she was listening to dead air.

Jess was shaking her head.  It still made no sense, Joey was going to be Pauli?  Who would believe he was Pauli?

She got up and went to the kitchen.  Jamie was sitting at the breakfast bar.

“Hey, Jams.” Jess had called him Jams since he was a baby.  Depending on how she felt, over the years she’d added any fruit that jam or jelly could be made from and occasionally because his name was Jamison, she called him whiskey.

“Sis.  How and when did you get home,” Jamie responded as he continued eating.

“Got in last night.  Ben sent his brother, a limo and a jet for me.”

Jamie shook his head.  “Where did his brother get a jet?”

“Well, it seems his brother Joey, who is Pauli’s twin, manages a casino in Vegas.  Joey seems to have a jet at his constant disposal.  He’s flying back here from Vegas this morning.  Should be here around 10:30.”

Jamie stopped eating and looked at his sister. “You okay?”

“Yeah.  Ben’s got someone in L.A. looking into it.  I don’t have any appearances for a while, so I’m staying here.  But, my agent just called and said the paparazzi got shots of me and Joey at the airport.  He says the paparazzi are coming to Kansas as soon as commercial flights can get them here.  Joey plans to beat them here.”  She ran her fingers through her hair.  “It’s too early for me to think about it.”

She opened the fridge and got a Dr. Pepper.  She dropped two slices of bread into the toaster.  Peanut butter toast and Dr. Pepper.  Just what she needed.

“Jams, don’t talk to strangers today, okay?”

“Jess, you know I’m old enough to know that.  Oh, you mean reporters and paparazzi.  Yeah, okay,” he said as he put his breakfast dishes into the dishwasher.

“Stay out of trouble,” he said, as he picked up his book bag.

She looked at the peanut butter toast she’d just made, there was no way her churning stomach could keep that down.  She handed it to Jamie.

Jess was sitting at the breakfast bar drinking her soda when Lane came out of her room.  Lane didn’t usually eat breakfast, which was good because she was experiencing what she now knew was morning sickness.  She wasn’t actually doing much vomiting, just experiencing constant nausea.  She also knew, from past experience, that the doctor was going to cut her back to one caffeinated item a day, so she was going to start now.  She also suspected that diet drinks were no longer allowed.  It looked like herbal tea was in her future.

“Mom, I know you need to get to work, but there are a couple of things I need to tell you.  Ben sent his brother Joey to get me in L.A. because I have a crazed fan who broke into the condo.  The paparazzi got pictures of me and Joey at the Long Beach airport, and they’re descending on Kansas.  Everything’s okay.  I’m safe here at home.  Did you know Pauli had a twin?  Anyway, Joey manages a casino in Vegas and he’s flying back here and I need the Escalade to pick him up at the airport.”

Lane looked at Jess.  She shook her head hoping to clear some of the confusion.  Her daughter had called Ben because she had a crazed fan?  He’d sent his brother and a private jet to get her?  Of all the days to go cold turkey off of caffeine.  She needed to get to work.  She still had to figure out how she was going to avoid telling Meg what her doctor appointment was about.  Since Meg was dating her son Jake, there was no way she could tell Meg the truth.  Meg would tell Jake, Jake would tell Jamie and no doubt one of them would tell Ben.

Lane closed her eyes. “Okay.  I’m going to work.  You know where the keys are.  Keep me posted.”

Maybe Lane should have gotten all worked up over the news, but she needed to concentrate on one thing at a time, and right now she was concentrating on not throwing up.

Chapter 11

The prosecution rests

The prosecution had spent six weeks presenting their case.  Ben and Sal planned to wrap up the defense in just a few days.  The prosecution had put forth that Senator Eric Harold had discovered that the child his wife carried belonged to another man.  That he killed her and intended to kill the child, because divorcing her would ruin the family values platform, upon which he hoped to move to the national political level.