“Because you just passed out, and it seems like a good idea.”
Joy rolled her eyes, already feeling better. She was sure the combination of the vision and her lack of sleep was what had done her in. “Fine. There’s a bag of chocolate in the pantry behind the flour cannister.” She heard Hope rummaging around in the kitchen as she knocked softly on Kyle’s door. When he didn’t respond, she cracked the door open and found him passed out on his back, his face slack with sleep. She let out a sigh of relief and sent a text for him to find in case he woke while they were gone.
Chapter Six
“It’s a freakin’ circus out here,” Hope said as she pulled her SUV to a stop a few blocks from Carly’s rented home.
Joy peered out of the window at the dozens of paparazzi lined up outside her costar’s home and groaned. There were a lot of things she loved about the acting business, but the lack of privacy wasn’t one of them. It honestly made her second guess her decision to be a part of the business. Not that the photographers were lined up outside of her home, but she’d been in the press enough to get an inkling of how invasive it could be. She could only imagine what Carly was going through at the moment. She pushed her door open. “Come on. There’s no use trying to wait them out. It’s not going to get any better.”
Hope followed without comment. It didn’t take long before cameras were shoved in their faces. They all started shouting at her at once.
“Joy, why did the police hold you at the station last night?”
“Ms. Lansing, do you have a comment about Harlow’s disappearance?”
“Can you tell us where the investigation stands?”
“There are reports that Carly Preston is having a nervous breakdown. Can you confirm that allegation?”
Joy grimaced and did her best to ignore all of them. When they got to the sidewalk leading to the front door, two large men wearing all black, one bald and the other with dark curls, stepped in to block their path.
“Ms. Preston isn’t expecting any visitors,” the bald one said.
“Can you please tell her that Joy is here and that I have information she’s going to want to hear,” Joy said.
“I’m sorry. No visitors,” Baldy said again.
Joy gritted her teeth. “Look. I’m sure Carly doesn’t want to see anyone. I tried to call her, but she’s either turned her phone off or thrown it in the ocean, because it’s going straight to voicemail. I’d have left a message, but her box is full. I’m a friend and fellow actor who’s in the same movie she’s in. I’m the one who was with her last night when she found out her niece had been abducted. I now have more information that she needs. I’m willing to bet my entire paycheck for the movie we’re making that if you turn me away, she’s going to be livid when she finds out later. Trust me. You want to at least let her know I’m here.”
The two guards stared at each other for a moment, until Curls shrugged and said, “I’ll go speak with her.”
“I think that’s a great idea. Joy Lansing.”
He didn’t acknowledge that she’d spoken; he just turned on his heel and strode up to the front door.
Baldy eyed Joy and then Hope. His gaze lingered on Hope’s lush figure, and his lips curved into a half-smile. “You’re a sexy one, aren’t you?”
Hope rolled her eyes. “What is this, a pick-up bar?”
He shrugged. “I don’t get out to bars much these days. And I’ve found it pays to just take the opportunities when they present themselves.” He winked at her and held out a business card. “Give me a call if you’re ready for me to rock your world.”
Joy blinked at the man, totally taken aback by his hubris.
Hope just shook her head. “Nice try, but I’m engaged.” She smiled sweetly at him. “And besides, that pathetic display of frat-boy egotism never did work on me.”
“Pathetic?” the guard growled as he shoved his card back in his pocket. “You’re a little bitch, aren’t you? I think it’s time you took your friend here and left before I throw you off the property.”
“Go ahead and try it,” Joy challenged, her patience completely gone. “I’ll have you arrested for assault and battery, and then I’m quite certain Ms. Preston will have you blacklisted from your security job.”
“No one threatens me, you little—”
“I think you better step back, Gary,” Curls said from behind him. “Ms. Preston is eager to speak with them.”
Baldy scowled but did as his partner said. He narrowed his eyes at Joy. “You better watch yourself. Just because you’re a friend of the movie star, it doesn’t mean you’re hot shit.” He looked her up and down. “In fact, you’re not hot at all. There’s not much to work with, is there, Mikey?”
Mikey cleared his throat and shrugged as he shoved his hands in his pockets, clearly uncomfortable.
“Listen you little toad—” Hope started.
Joy grabbed Hope’s hand and tugged her toward the front door. Leaning in, she whispered, “Forget about him. He’s not important.”
“He’s a jackass,” she said, raising her voice to make sure he could hear her.
“He is, but I don’t have the energy for this.” Joy really didn’t care what Baldy thought of her. She was used to men ogling Hope with an interested eye. She had the classic hourglass shape that seemed to be so pleasing to men and women alike. Meanwhile, Joy was tall and willowy without much shape at all. She didn’t have any body issues. She knew she was pretty in a classical sense; she just didn’t have the type of body that Hope had.
“Right,” Hope said. “But if I run into him again, he’s going to get junk-punched.”
Joy snickered. “I hope I’m there to witness it when his eyes roll to the back of his head and he looks like he’s going to vomit.”
“Well, that vision certainly cheered me up,” Hope said with a laugh.
Joy knocked on the door.
A few seconds later, the door cracked open, and Carly, who was hiding behind it, said, “Hurry and get in here before the cameras go off.”
“Too late,” Joy said. They’d been snapping ever since she and Hope arrived. The pair walked in, and Carly quickly shut the door. “I won’t be surprised to see Hope and me on the front page of the gossip rag tomorrow.”
Carly grimaced. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”
Joy waved an unconcerned hand. “Don’t worry about any of that. We have more important matters to discuss.”
“Let’s go in the other room.” Carly led them into her expansive kitchen and waved at the breakfast table. “Have a seat. I’ll get you something to drink.”
“Carly,” Joy said. “I had another vision.”
She froze. Then she slowly turned back around, her eyes wide. “About Harlow?”
Joy nodded. “I saw where she is.”
“Where?” Carly rushed over to her and clutched her arm. “We need to go get her.”
“I don’t know where exactly. I just saw the room she’s being held in.”