"It's been so long. Whatever happened to you?" he asked, pulling her inside. Zach was completely forgotten, but he didn't mind. He loved seeing her this happy.
"It's a long, ugly story I won't go into right now."
The man looked at Zach, then back at the bruises on her face. Suddenly, Matt stood, his fists balled up tightly by his sides. Zach saw his intent before the man had a chance to get to him. With his hands up, Zach took a step back. Ella shot out a hand and stopped him.
"It wasn't him. I ran into some trouble. Zach saved me. Zach, this is Matt."
Matt looked unsure at first, but then seemed to relax. He stuck his hand out. "Matt Ferguson, manager for Dean Johnson."
"Zach Harper, Castle Investigations. Friend of Ella's."
Matt nodded, apparently willing to believe them for now.
"Where's Dean?" Ella asked.
"Right here," the tall Elvis look-alike said, coming from a door on the other side of the room.
Ella jumped up and ran into the man's arms. Dean scooped her up and spun her around. "It's so good to see you. What the hell happened to you? You were performing with me one day, and gone the next."
"Long story. But look at you! You were amazing out there!"
"You liked the show?"
"Liked it? I loved it. I can't believe how good you've gotten."
"I'll never come close to matching your talent."
"Oh, hush."
"It's true."
"He's right, Ella. Best voice I've heard in twenty years," Matt piped in.
"Well, those days are behind me."
"Really? Because I've got a couple of numbers I could use some help on tonight. Can I get you to sing with me?" Dean asked.
"What? I couldn't!"
"You already look the part," Dean said, eyeing her up and down. Zach tamped down the need to beat his chest and drag her out of there by her hair. This was about Ella, not about him or his jealousy.
"I couldn't possibly. My face," Ella said, lifting a hand to her cheek and the bruises that were a rainbow of colors.
"That's what makeup is for." Dean opened the door he'd just come in through and hollered out, "Hey, Marge! I'm sending someone in for hair and makeup, but you've only got fifteen minutes. Can you do it?"
"Can I do it?" a scratchy female voice said from the room. "How dare you insult me that way!"
Dean laughed and pulled on Ella's hand. "Go get some makeup on. I'll meet you on stage. We'll do a couple of the numbers we did in Vegas."
Without waiting for an answer, Dean lightly shoved Ella through the door. Just before it closed, she poked her head out.
"Zach!" she called out. Zach had turned to walk away, but spun around at his name.
Ella rushed over to him. "Do you mind?"
"Do I mind? Why in the world would I mind?" He drew her in for a hug, loving the way her body felt against his. "Go. Do your thing. I'll be in the audience cheering you on."
Ella beamed at him and then squealed, running back into the room for hair and makeup. Zach walked back to the hallway, but before he got to the door of the auditorium, Matt stopped him.
"What's the deal? With her?" he asked. Zach read concern in his expression and decided he would provide a little information without breaking Ella's trust.
"She got caught up with some bad people. When she escaped, they didn't like it too much. I'm working to make sure it never happens again."
Matt nodded. "I'd heard rumors. But when I went to find her, it was as if she’d disappeared. As if Ella had ceased to exist."
"In many ways, she had."
"You care about her." It was a statement. Not a question.
"I do," Zach replied.
"Good. Keep her safe." He slapped Zach on the back in a congenial manner, and then turned to walk back to Dean's dressing room.
When he reached the door, Matt said, "You can watch from backstage. Better view."
Zach nodded. He was glad he'd been able to get a message to Matt that Ella was there. He'd hoped that they'd pull her on stage, but he hadn't known for sure that they would. He knew that, as a partner, he might not be the best thing for her. He might not be able to keep her. But he could do this for her.
He walked up the steps to the stage and found a chair that was out of the way. One of the stagehands was rushing around. The big guy who'd let him in walked over and shook his hand.
"Where's the girl?" he asked.
"She's going to be performing with Dean."
"Nice. You can sit here until things get started. Then, feel free to watch from there." The guy pointed to a place near the stage with a perfect view.
"Thanks," Zach said.
"Anytime."
The man walked away just as the lights lowered. Dean walked up the steps to the stage, his guitar strapped to his back. Behind him, still backstage, was Ella. Her long blonde hair flowed to the middle of her back and had a little lift around the crown. The bruises were covered up by makeup, and she looked as if she'd walked off the front of a magazine. She was gorgeous. And extremely nervous, if the fear in her eyes was any indication.
Zach stood and walked over, taking her hands in his.
"You ok?" he asked.
She nodded vigorously, then swallowed loudly. Zach smiled.
"I'm fine." She cleared her throat. "Really. Just fine."
"You're going to be amazing."
Her gaze had been on the stage, but suddenly she turned it on him, her eyes wide with fear.
"Zach, I haven't performed with my clothes on and without that silly, fruit-covered headdress in years. What if they don't like me? What if all I'm ever going to be good for is taking my clothes off?"
Zach squeezed her hands more tightly, then released one to take her chin in his hand. He firmly turned her face to fully meet his gaze.
"You listen to me. You are talented. You are so much more than what Bruno and Tobias made you out to be. Go out there and show them what you've got. You can do this."
Ella nodded her head. "I can do this. I can do this," she repeated to herself. A mantra she was trying to pound into her mind.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Ella Flores," Dean called from the stage. The crowd applauded as cheers went up. Ella hugged Zach tightly.
"Promise me you'll be right here?" she asked.
"Always," he said. Her eyes widened at his promise, but, at that moment, it felt right. He knew he had no business promising her forever. He was broken. She deserved better. But he couldn't help himself. He wanted to be there for her—to be the one cheering her on.
Ella let go of him and approached Dean on stage. The band played a few chords and then paused as Ella's voice rang out in the auditorium.
The entire place went quiet. You could hear a pin drop. As she worked her way down the scale of notes, the piano made a tinkling sound, and the band came back in. The crowd went wild. Zach peered around the corner to see them on their feet.
For Ella.
She glanced back for a moment, the smile on her face worth a million bucks.
He'd done that for her.
Maybe it was possible. Maybe he could fight his demons so he could continue to be there for her. Maybe it wasn't all just a dream out of reach.
Maybe he could love her forever.
Chapter 16
Ella finished the last song as the audience got to their feet. The applause was loud enough to make her eardrums pound.
Zach, Matt, and Dean had given her a gift—the gift of self-confidence. The gift of having her dreams back.
Zach had known, even without her telling him, how much performing meant to her, and then he'd gone out of his way to make it possible for her to get back on stage. This time, on her own terms. She'd never be able to repay him for that.
He was the kind of man a girl could fall in love with. The kind of man a girl could see forever in. A partner.
If only…
If only she were a different person. Could she even give him what he needed? She w
as broken. Men had used and abused her for years. She wasn't even sure she could have children of her own. Wouldn't a man like Zach want children?
She knew she was disease-free. She'd gotten checked in New York City. But multiple rapes and continuing sexual abuse had left her scarred. And the doctor had told Ella that pregnancy might be a crapshoot for her. It was possible, but they wouldn't know more until she was ready to explore that option.
Zach deserved more than a broken woman who wasn't even sure she knew how to be intimate with a man. A woman who didn't know if she would ever feel completely safe.
Feeling as if time had stood still for a few moments, she brought herself back to the present, as the applause died down and the curtains closed. Dean scooped her up and pulled her tightly against him.
"You were freaking amazing," he said in her ear.
Ella beamed with the praise. It had felt amazing.
"Thanks," she said back.
Zach rushed forward, and when Dean put her down, he picked her up.
"I had no idea. I mean, I had heard about your performances, and I'd seen video, but nothing could have prepared me for that. You were truly mesmerizing."
The compliments meant more than he'd ever know. Ella squeezed him tightly as tears ran down her face. Finally, he put her down, and she wiped her eyes as they made their way off stage.
Matt met her at the bottom of the steps. He hugged her, then pulled back.
"Please tell me you're going to start performing again. Ella, that talent—the world needs it." His voice was sincere, as were his eyes. She wondered what Zach had told him about her predicament.
"Thanks, Matt. I'll think about it. Right now, there're some things I have to take care of."
He nodded as if he completely understood. And maybe he did. "Just promise me I'll be the first person you call when you're ready to get back into things."
"I promise," Ella said, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."
Matt squeezed her hand. Dean walked up and clapped him on the back. "You want to get some grub with the band?"
He directed the question to her and to Zach. Ella shook her head. "I think I've had enough excitement for one night."
Dean looked disappointed for a moment, but, true to his personality, he shrugged it off within seconds. The man never seemed to let anything get him down. He'd always been happy, jovial. Constantly in the middle of things. He had been one of Ella’s first friends while performing in a group act when she'd first landed in Vegas. She'd known then that he had talent that would surpass them all. It was cool to see that she'd been right.
Even so, Ella couldn't help the tiny niggle of jealousy that clawed at her gut. She often wondered what might have been, but she tried not to dwell on it. It wouldn't help her future. She had to keep going. Move on. That's the way life was.
Zach took her hand as she said goodbye to Dean, Matt, and the band. Tonight had been a boost to a very crappy few years.
And she had Zach to thank for it.
His arm wrapped around her shoulders as they walked back to their table, and Ella leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
"For what?" he asked.
"For tonight. For arranging that meeting. I have no idea how you knew what it would mean to me, but you knew. I can't thank you enough."
"It was my pleasure. You deserve all the good things in life, Ella. If it's in my power to give you those things, I will."
Ella heard the promise in his voice, just as she'd heard it before she'd walked on stage. But she couldn't dwell on that right now. She had to find a way out of the mess they were in. Not only with Tobias and the files, but with The General as well. There were things that Zach still didn't know. And when he found out, he wouldn't be so willing to give her good things.
She wouldn't blame him.
Zach sat at the table, taking a sip of the beer that he'd left behind. Ella figured it was warm by now.
"I'm going to go to the restroom. I'll be right back," she said, before sitting down at the table. She walked briskly to the restroom, pausing to say thank you to those in the audience who recognized her.
She turned down the hallway for the bathrooms, catching sight of two Elvis impersonators at the end of the hallway. Memphis was crawling with them these days. Fortunately, there wasn't a long line, so she waited her turn, then washed her hands. She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. Excitement lit her eyes. The bruising was barely visible. Her color was high. She looked alive for the first time in years.
So maybe she'd give it a shot once she got out of this mess with Tobias. Maybe she could make a living singing. She wasn't sure what the outcome would be, but Matt had slipped her his card after the performance. She might just use it.
After thanking a few of the ladies in the bathroom for their kind words, she exited into the hallway, distracted by the praise and the thoughts running through her mind. It was almost too late when she realized that the two Elvis impersonators were following her.
Fear struck her, until she remembered the guys from earlier that day. She stopped abruptly and turned to face them.
"Look, guys, I gave you the autograph earlier. I've left that life behind, and I'd just like to enjoy my time with my friend in Memphis."
The two Elvises looked confused, exchanging looks. That's when she realized that they weren't the same guys from earlier that day.
"Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else. My bad."
She turned to go, when one of the guys reached out and grabbed her arm.
"I said I'm sorry," she said, raising her voice and pulling on her arm.
"Shut up, bitch. Give us the files," Elvis Number One said.
Files? They were after the files. Well, damn. How had Tobias found her here? There was no way there could be a tracking device on her. There was nothing to track. And why wouldn't he just leave her alone and let her get to Arizona and turn the files over there?
The other Elvis grabbed her arm, and the two pulled her towards the emergency exit door at the end of the hallway.
Nope. Not going to happen.
Ella dug her heels in and jerked backwards, catching the two men off guard. She freed one hand, while the other remained in Elvis Number One's grasp. Ella jerked hard, but the man was too strong. The other Elvis, momentarily stunned, hurried to regain purchase.
But before he could grab her arm again, Ella balled up her fist and swung, catching him directly on the nose. Blood spurted from his face, and the man covered it with his hands.
"You stupid bitch! I'll kill you for that!" he shouted through his hands.
"Shut up, or you'll attract attention," Elvis One said. "Let's go."
Ella struggled as Elvis One pulled her towards him. She screamed as he dragged her towards the back door. Where was everyone, anyway? Moments ago, the hallway had been full of people. Now, it looked like a virtual ghost town.
The sounds of a band gearing up floated towards her. Another concert had started. That's why no one was around. She thought that maybe if she screamed again, someone would hear her and come running, but before she could, Elvis One pulled a gun out from behind his back and pointed it right at her head.
"Let's go," he said again.
Ella had no choice but to follow.
They pushed through the emergency exit door at the end of the hallway, and out into an alleyway behind the building. The evening had turned cool, as the late fall weather had a way of doing. Even though they were in the South, the evenings could have a bit of a nip to them.
Ella shivered from fear or the coolness, she wasn't sure which. Elvis One still had his gun pointed at her head as he pulled her to a car waiting at the end of the alley. She knew that if she got in that car, she might never get out of this thing alive. But there didn't seem to be a way out of this mess.
"I don't have the files on me," she tried. If she could get them to release her to get the files, then maybe she could get help from Zach
.
"We'll take you to get them," Elvis Two said, his nose still pouring out blood. The man needed a tissue.
"That's not necessary. Just let me go, and I'll get them and give them to you. I don't know why Tobias won't just wait for me to bring them to him."
They reached the car, and Ella's fear ratcheted up several notches. Elvis One opened the door to the back seat and gave her a slight shove. Ella toppled a little on her heels but braced herself against the door.
Elvis One had clearly had enough and pushed her harder. "Get in the car."
"Wait, I just need to—"
He grabbed her around the waist and shoved her into the back of the vehicle. Ella scrambled across the back seat, heading for the opposite door. She opened it and pulled herself through the opening.
Elvis Two was there in a flash, pushing her back inside the car.
"No, you don't," he said and slammed the door. Both doors were shut as the men moved to the front to get in the car. Elvis One slid into the driver's seat, and Elvis Two opened the passenger side door.
Damn it! She had to get out of this. But how?
A bang sounded, and Elvis Two grunted, then clutched at his neck as he stumbled away from the car.
"Dammit!" Elvis One said as he opened the driver's side door and got out, gun drawn.
Several more loud bangs went off, followed by the sound of metal pinging off the car. Ella ducked down into the floorboards, wondering who in the world was shooting at them.
A loud thump hit the car, and Ella raised her head to see Elvis Two lying across the windshield, his lifeless eyes open in surprise.
Muffling a shriek of terror, Ella pushed open the door on the driver's side and crawled out onto the asphalt. Elvis One was crouched behind the wheel of the car, his attention riveted on whoever was shooting at them. If she was going to get away, now was her chance.
Ella crept to the other end of the car and peeked around the back end. She couldn't see anything but a dumpster and the brick wall of an adjoining building. Looking behind her at the end of the alley, she saw that they were only a few feet away from the street. Surely someone had heard the gunshots, and the police would be coming soon.
Castle Investigations Box Set Page 88
