Changing the Script

by Lee Winter

  “That so?” Sam drawled. “Then, Ms. Levitin, I suggest you prove it.”

  The kiss she received made Sam’s toes curl.

  CHAPTER 29

  Clearing the Air

  The next evening, Skye and Alex spent a few hours at Te Wharariki pub, breaking bread, imbibing the house red, and picking apart a fraught and muddied thing. Friendship was sometimes like that.

  “Did you really think,” Skye was saying, as her knitting needles clacked enthusiastically, “that I would ever mean you harm? You inspire me. That’s one of the important things in life, really. Love, laughter, and inspiration. And, hopefully, grandbabies, if I can somehow put that thought into Summer’s head without her noticing. But my daughter’s far too smart. I’m worried she’ll tumble to my scheme. I might have to work on my eldest girl instead.”

  “So many schemes, Skye. And I know you had a hand getting Summer together with Bess.”

  “I’m a serial meddler, it’s true. But the thing is, I’ve found two stubborn people sometimes need to be pushed a little onto a path that makes most sense for them.”

  “The path you’ve figured out, though.”

  “Of course!” She smiled. “What other path is there?”

  Alex chuckled. “You’re impossible.”

  “So everyone keeps telling me.”

  “Well, it has worked out. I forgive you.”

  “Thank you, Alexandra. I do feel badly over how I upset you both. I promise when we were planning all this, we envisioned it playing out quite differently. I can offer some reparations to you though.”

  “Oh?”

  “Bess once told me once how much you loved my dear friend Jean-Claude Badour’s butterfly movie.”

  “She did?”

  “The graceful, morphing watercolor effects especially.”

  “Oh, right.” Alex nodded. “Yes, genius.”

  “He’s offered to have his art effects person, his cousin, Amelie, do them for the start of Shezan, too, if you want. I sent him the opening page of the script and photos of the scenery a few months back. And Amelie sent her concepts back to show how it might look. I’ve only just received them.” She put down her needles and reached for her phone.

  Alex sat up straight. This was phenomenal. Presumptuous as hell, of course, and there might be some pushback from the studio, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t budging on this. Amelie Badour’s art had been the best thing about Jean-Claude’s eccentric little movie which had won multiple international honors.

  “Oh, he was happy to offer. See, it tickled his fancy, sprinkling some French fairy dust over Hollywood’s ‘worst’ movie. He’s contrary like that. And he’s absolutely fine if you say no to his offer, but he thought the otherworldliness of the setting might suit it at the start. Here, see?” Skye passed over her phone, cued up to the artwork.

  Alex held her breath as she stared at the gorgeous watercolors. They were arresting, startling, sumptuous. Her eyes soaked in the images, picturing how it would look on the big screen. She felt a rush of excitement and relief. “That’s…fantastic.”

  “Yes. It is.”

  With this, Shezan would be stunning. Alex would give their editing team in Auckland a head’s up on this immediately. “I’ll have to spin this to Quincy. It’s…unorthodox. Well, for a fantasy flick.”

  “So tell him Amelia’s doing it for next to nothing. She’ll be displaying the artworks in her gallery whether you use them in your film or not.” Skye’s gaze drifted over Alex’s shoulder. “Now then, I believe someone’s here for you.”

  Alex turned and her pulse jumped. She hadn’t seen Sam in here for dinner since the saboteurs had been unmasked.

  Sam squared her shoulders as though preparing for battle, and headed toward them. As she waded through the patrons, several smart-ass comments and guffaws were tossed her way about Sid having to matchmake his standoffish sister. Alex winced at Sam’s cold, unimpressed expression.

  “Time for my exit.” Skye patted her hand. “Oh, and before I go, a little advice, from one who’s spent years loving her own proud, strong, silent type? The stoic ones need more love than they pretend. That ‘tough’s’ only skin-deep.”

  “I know.” Alex grinned. “Thanks, though.”

  “Good luck.” She rose and left the table, taking her knitting with her.

  “Hey, stranger.” Alex smiled warmly as Sam arrived. “Fancy seeing you in here.”

  Sam sat and looked about, wariness in her eyes. “So we’re still the topic of conversation in here,” she grumbled. “I thought if I avoided the place for a while, they’d move on.”

  “You really do hate being the center of attention, don’t you?” Alex asked with amusement.

  Sam’s eyes narrowed. “Only when I’m the focus of their annoying stunts. And, knowing this bunch of troublemakers, another could be around the corner any minute.”

  “Well, right now, they’re busy working out whether or not you’ll murder Sid as the sabotage scheme’s mastermind. And if so, method of dispatch.”

  “Jury’s still out. That man gave me so many damned headaches.”

  “Not just headaches, though.” Alex pointedly traced the cuff on Sam’s shirt with a trailing index finger.

  “No,” Sam conceded, humor lacing her tone as she looked down to study that roaming finger. “Which is why he still lives.”

  Gina bustled over and placed a beer on the table. “On the house. Sid’s delighted to see you back in here and says he’s paying for all your drinks tonight.”

  “Generous of him,” Sam said dryly.

  Gina smiled. “He also says to remember he’s the boy who found your lost stuffed bunny toy. Rescued it from Mr. Harper’s half-feral cat.”

  She bustled away.

  “You had a stuffed bunny?”

  “I can neither confirm nor deny.” Sam took a sip of beer.

  “By the way, I had a great time last night. And breakfast was…delicious.”

  “That was my pleasure. Literally.” Sam’s cheeks reddened. “I think we should watch more Shakespeare. I liked how it ends.”

  “With panoramic, rising master shots?”

  “That, too.”

  Alex snickered.

  Sam’s gaze returned to wandering the room, her jaw tightening.

  Alex followed her eyes, seeing locals quickly look away, talking in hushed tones.

  With a sigh, Sam said, “It’s still hard. I’m trying to focus on why people did this, not how.”

  “Skye wasn’t wrong when she said motives are everything.”

  Gina reappeared and placed a plate of garlic bread in front of her. “This one’s from Kev. Wants you to remember the time he washed your socks nine times to get the red out from being left in the machine with those sports shorts.”

  “He made my socks red to start with! Those were his shorts!”

  “I’m well aware. But unlike Sid, he doesn’t have a deep stockpile of favors you owe him.”

  “True.” Sam grinned.

  Gina laughed and left.

  “By the way, Kev told me the other day he loved working on your film,” Sam said.

  “Even though I fired him?” Alex’s eyebrows lifted.

  “Well, you re-hired him when his motives turned out to be pure.”

  “Mmm. Well, that and he has a forklift license.” Alex smiled.

  “So he’s decided his career’s in lighting now. Some job he heard about from the crew beckons in Wellington. He even tried to convince me to ask you to write him a reference.” She shook her head. “I know, I know—the cheek of him!”

  Alex almost choked on her beer. “He broke a light in his first week and hid another one that delayed production for hours. But this is his calling?”

  “Apparently.” Sam grinned. “Trust me, it’s still a better effort than h
e’s contributed at some of his other jobs.”

  “Well, to be honest, he was a pretty decent lighting PA. And he may have had a hand in helping us get together. I might just give him that reference after all.”

  “Go, Kev.”

  “God, that smells divine,” Alex peered at the basket of bread.

  “Dutch is an amazing cook. You should see the gastro-pub menu he’s been working on.” Sam tore off a chunk and the rich, buttery garlic bread sent up a plume of steam. “Try some.”

  Alex took a bite and her taste buds did a happy jig. “I’m in heaven.”

  “Not yet, but soon.” Sam drained her drink and set the empty beer glass slowly down on the table. “Maybe, you’d enjoy a walk? To…my place?”

  “Why, officer, what are your intentions?”

  “Strip search, ma’am. I’m quite sure I need to be thorough with your kind. Who knows where you’re hiding contraband.”

  Alex laughed. “I appreciate the thoroughness. Of course, if we leave together, all these rubberneckers will have their theories about us confirmed. Well, the ten who didn’t already know, I mean.”

  “That horse bolted days ago. Curse of a small town. I’m glad I’m leaving it.”

  Before Alex could answer, Gina arrived with another beer. “From Sid. He wants you to remember that time he turned up at the Wild Boars compound and wailed on a bunch of bikies for you.”

  Sam snorted and twisted her head around. Her eyes lit on her brother, who gave her a hopeful look and cheesy grin.

  Grabbing the beer, Sam turned to Alex. “Give me five?”

  “Sure.”

  Sam headed for Sid’s table, which was close enough for Alex to eavesdrop.

  “Fine.” Sam slid the beer over. “You win.”

  “Forgiven for meddling?” He looked so pleading that Alex almost snickered.

  “Yeah, yeah. Drink up. This one’s on me.”

  He chuckled. “Um, pretty sure I paid for it, but.”

  “I know. Okay, shove over.” She slapped the booth seat. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something. And I think you’ll thank me.”

  Five minutes later, she headed back to the table and stopped in front of Alex. “Come home with me?” She held out her hand. The gesture was simple, bold, and could not be mistaken for anything else.

  Sam Keegan willingly indulging in a PDA in front of all these people? Alex hid her surprise and took her hand. “Any time. So are you still going to do the thing before we go? If you’re leaving Ika Whenu for good, it’s time.”

  Sam hesitated. “I suppose I should. I’m just psyching myself into it. Facing the rabble head on is a solid plan. But wanting to? Not so much.”

  “You’ll be great.” Alex squeezed her hand.

  Inhaling deeply, Sam nodded. “Time to clear the air.”

  Sam’s heart was in her throat as she reviewed the pub. What had possessed her to do this? Now was a fine time to suddenly decide she should stare down the demons and ghosts that still stalked her in this town.

  Who faced off an entire bikie gang?

  Right.

  Sam climbed onto a table…one of the sturdier wooden ones that had been known to serve as an impromptu karaoke stage from time to time. She held up her hands. “Everyone? I need a minute.”

  Sam’s authoritative tone caused the hubbub to die down immediately. Although she was well aware it might not have been the tone so much as the rare sight of her actually inviting attention.

  Sid pushed past bodies to get closer, frowning. Gina stopped wiping the bar, her eyes widening in astonishment.

  Suddenly all Sam could hear was the pounding of her heart. She licked her lips. Right, then. “I have an announcement, and I thought it’d be better you heard it from the source for the first time in Ika Whenu history.”

  That earned a round of laughter.

  “You’re on with the director!” a wag called from the back. “Yeah, we know already! We got eyes!”

  “No, that’s not it. Although”—Sam’s gaze darted to Alex, and her lips curved up the faintest amount—“I’m not denying it.”

  That earned a few whistles and cheers.

  “Knew it!” Quincy intoned dryly.

  With a deep breath, Sam continued: “First, I’m no longer going to be your police officer. I’m leaving.”

  This time there was no laughter. She’d expected at least a couple of cheers for that. Instead, crickets. Then the chorus of complaints began.

  “Why?”

  “No!”

  “But you stopped the drugs!”

  “Is this because of the video?”

  “We could protest! They can’t fire you!”

  “Hey!” Sam lifted her hands to quiet them. “Yes, the video started it, obviously. They took Ika Whenu station off me, so I resigned because I didn’t like what I was offered instead. All the protests in the world won’t change that. Senior Constable Murray Snell’s your man now.”

  “Murray’s a dick!” someone called out.

  “Murray is not a dick.” Sam sighed. “And he’s sitting right over there.” She pointed at her replacement, now trying to melt into the wall. “Pro tip: Don’t call your new cop names, hey?”

  That caused a few snickers.

  “We want you back, though!” someone else called.

  “Well, you don’t get me back because…here’s the news. I’m going overseas. Time to see the world and maybe explore my work options, too.”

  “LAPD!” someone suggested.

  “Marines!”

  That caused a roar of laughter.

  “Motorcycle stunts!” came a familiar gravelly voice. “In Hollywood!”

  A series of awed ooohs sounded.

  “Yes, fine… I may try some motorcycle stunt work, too, thanks to someone who shall remain nameless for suggesting it.”

  Breaker Bob mock saluted his worn blue beanie, looking pleased as punch.

  “Assuming I don’t break anything major, I’ll be back here on the regular to make sure you’re not all getting up to mischief.” Sam’s gaze slid over to her family.

  Gina looked so proud; her hand floated to her heart, and her eyes glistened. Sid grinned from ear to ear and gave her dual thumbs up. Kev merely nodded, as if to say, duh, of course my sister will now be a Hollywood stunt rider.

  Her announcement brought the house down.

  “I see you approve,” she drawled when they finally stopped cheering. “How nice that me putting myself in mortal danger amuses you.”

  “If you’re in mortal danger, you ain’t doing the stunt right,” Breaker Bob shouted.

  She laughed. “You’d know. How are you still walking?”

  The room burst into laughter once more.

  This time she joined in. A sense of camaraderie washed over her as she truly felt these people were laughing with her, not at her. “Now, while I won’t miss you people at all,” she teased, aiming for arch but ending up just sounding fond, “especially the way you corner your police officer at all hours for your missing horses, angora goat, and duck concerns—”

  “Hey, that was an emergency!” came a cry from the back of the room. “Quack Sparrow’s a working duck.”

  “Sure he is,” Sam continued dryly.

  The room roared with laughter again. She lifted her hands once more for quiet. “But don’t think I’ve left you without backup. Policing’s a big job, a draining one, even in a small town like this. So, I’m proud to announce that my brother, Sid, will have yet another new job—”

  Laughter sounded at that in-joke.

  “—as Ika Whenu’s first non-sworn, Authorized Officer. As an AO, he’ll fill in on minor stuff at the station, and take charge of anyone who’s gotten their sorry asses arrested. Sid’ll also be trained to become a proper police officer down the line,
with some high-level supervision, to make sure he doesn’t circle all the wrong answers on his exams again!”

  The room broke into laughs, the loudest coming from Sid. He was the first to admit that his lack of academic focus had sunk him when he’d tried to become a cop even though he’d aced all the practical stuff.

  “It’s in New Zealand Police’s interests to help him pass this time because…are you ready?” She lifted her eyebrows. “Next year, the new face of the police force will be Sid Mahuta.”

  The roar was deafening.

  Sid raised his arms like Rocky.

  “I know, I know,” Sam said. “The mad bastards in charge think he’d be a great man to front their campaign to get more people signing up, since he’s already internet famous. Personally, I don’t know how they’ll cope having to see his ugly mug on recruitment posters at HQ, day in, day out, but far be it for me to tell the Police Commissioner how to do his job.”

  Sid preened. “He should be so lucky to be as pretty as me!”

  More laughter filled the room.

  “And if you don’t behave with Sid or Senior Constable Snell, I should warn you. Sid’s going to be getting a dog, recently acquired from a bunch of arrested bikies who shall remain nameless.”

  Sam grinned with satisfaction. Sid and Gina had agreed to each adopt one of Dino’s remaining two Rottweilers after the animals passed a Council-mandated, vet-run behavior-modification course. Gina had been delighted with the extra security for her pub, especially given her expansion plans and extra tourists who’d be on their way, and it gave Sam peace of mind for her safety.

  Suddenly Sam felt nostalgic. “It’s been an honor to be your police officer. I’ve known most of you all my life. I admit we didn’t always see eye to eye.” There was a sobering silence. “I’m sorry if I’ve been hard to know because of that. It’s been pointed out to me recently…” her gaze drifted to Gina, “that maybe you’re not all sitting around waiting for me to screw up so you can laugh at me, and maybe you do want the best for me.”

  Claps and whistles of agreement hit her powerfully.