Mr. Playboy: A Contemporary Christian Romance Novel (Shine Series Book 2)

by Trisha Grace

  Samantha watched Elena get up and head over to the female crew member. She was staring so intently that Sarah turned back to look as well.

  “She’s really fidgety when talking to Elena,” Samantha said.

  “Maybe because Elena’s a star.”

  “I doubt it,” Gina said and pinched her lips. “She’s one of the writers; she’s been around plenty of stars.”

  Samantha’s attention remained on Elena and the writer. “Do you know what they’re talking about?”

  Gina shook her head.

  When Elena made her way back toward them, Samantha’s gaze followed the writer.

  “I’m sorry,” Elena said and sat. “I just wanted to make sure she’s okay.”

  “What happened?” Sarah asked.

  “Spencer and I bumped into her crying the other day.”

  Samantha leaned forward and asked without looking over at Elena, “And which day was that?”

  “The day Spencer and I went out to dinner.”

  “The day Miriam was murdered.” Samantha turned to Elena then. “What did she say when you found her crying?”

  Elena blew a breath out of her mouth. “Something about me having everything and yet still stealing her things. But I don’t think she was specifically referring to me. I think it was like actresses in general.”

  “What was stolen?” Sarah asked, and Elena shrugged.

  “She ran away before I could ask.”

  Samantha nodded. “And what did you ask when you went up to her just now?”

  “I just asked if she was all right.”

  “That’s it?”

  “Yeah,” Elena said as a crew member came over and told Elena that she was up next on the set. She nodded and glossed through the script again before handing it to Gina.

  Gina sat in Elena’s seat. “I can try and find out more if you want.”

  Samantha was about to answer when a woman with her hair tied back in a long ponytail gave her a pat on the shoulder.

  “I thought I might find you here,” Jean said.

  “Did you call me?” Samantha turned back to look at the writer again.

  “Nope.” The woman stepped forward and extended her hand toward Gina. “Hi, I’m Jean. Sam’s producer.”

  Gina took her hand. “Gina, Elena’s assistant.”

  “Hi, Sarah,” Jean said before leaning on Samantha’s shoulder. “So, how’s the case coming along? Have you solved it yet? Oh.” She tilted forward. “Will you and Keith give Sam an exclusive interview? I’m—”

  Samantha shrugged Jean’s hand off her shoulder and shot her a glare.

  “I’d love to do that for her, but I’m not sure about Keith. I’ll ask him later.”

  “You can just ignore her if you don't want to,” Samantha said.

  “It’s the least we can do after all you’ve done.”

  Jean grinned and mouthed, Thank you. “So, any progress? Besides eliminating the detectives’ two main suspects?”

  “Do you know that writer?” Samantha asked Gina. “Do you think you can talk to her while I observe?”

  “I don't know her well, but she's seen me around the set. What do you want me to talk to her about?”

  “Just talk to her about what’s been happening.” Samantha stood, and Gina followed after glancing at her. The two of them strode toward the hallway the writer had walked into.

  Sarah and Jean shared a look, then Sarah hopped up and both of them hurried after Samantha and Gina, only to skid to a stop when Samantha turned around.

  “What are you doing?” Samantha asked softly.

  “I’m going to record the interview on my phone.” Jean waved the phone while Sarah pursed her lips. She didn't have an excuse.

  “We can't all go talk to her. She’ll freak the moment she sees so many of us.”

  Jean pinched her lips. “Fine, but …” She dug into her bag, then went up and pinned something onto the edge of Samantha’s collar.

  Samantha sighed. “Fine,” she said and half jogged over to Gina.

  “What’s that?” Sarah asked.

  Jean pulled out an iPad. “A camera.” She grinned. “We’ll be able to see and hear everything. Do you know any place we can go to watch this quietly?”

  “Come with me.”

  Chapter Twenty

  “Hi,” Gina said as they stepped into the writer’s room with four simple white tables and four black office chairs.

  Gina pulled out one of the chairs and sat, and Samantha smiled politely when the writer glanced over at her.

  “I’m Gina, Elena’s assistant.” She cocked her head to the side. “This is Samantha Levette.”

  “You’re the host of Private Investigations. I saw a couple of episodes on TV; I loved it.”

  “Thanks.” Samantha moved over to the dark blue couch and sat in the middle of it. “And you are …”

  “Angela Bailey.”

  “Elena sent us to check on you. She’s worried, and she thought perhaps you would talk to us if you didn’t feel comfortable talking to her.”

  “I’m all right.” Angela turned to her laptop screen. “Thanks for checking on me.”

  Gina shrugged. “It’s nothing. We have to look out for each other, especially after what’s happened. Things have been crazy, huh? Who would’ve thought Miriam was pregnant?”

  Angela cracked an awkward smile, but she didn’t turn, not even a cast a polite glance, over to Gina or Samantha. Her fingers remained over the keyboard; her eyes were on the screen, but she didn't type a single letter.

  “Elena said that Sarah, Keith’s girlfriend, was the detectives’ suspect for a while. But I think they’ve cleared her for now. I wonder who could’ve done it. Do you think it’s Keith?”

  “It must be.”

  “Must be?”

  Angela stretched her and relaxed her fingers. “He was here the night Miriam was murdered, and he’s the father of her child. Who else could’ve wanted her dead?”

  “But I heard she was seeing someone, possibly one of the crew.”

  “That’s nonsense.” She swiveled the chair toward Gina. “Miriam would never date a member of the production staff. There’s no way.”

  Gina was about to reply when Samantha interrupted. “I’m sure the detectives knew what they were doing when they looked into Keith.”

  “Exactly.” Angela rubbed her hands down her jeans and slumped back against the chair.

  “Elena mentioned that you said you lost something or something was stolen from you.” Samantha smiled and waited while Angela’s fists curled against her jeans.

  “Oh, did I?” Angela turned back to her laptop, and her hands resumed their rigid positions over the keyboard. “I can't remember what I said.”

  “Too upset, perhaps.”

  “Yeah.”

  Samantha nodded. “What were you upset about?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Angela, are you seeing anyone?” Samantha got up and pulled another office chair closer, sandwiching Angela between Gina and herself.

  The muscles along Angela’s jaws twitched. “I’m sorry, but that’s none of your business. I’m busy. I—”

  “Then let’s get straight to the point.” Samantha pulled the chair closer and shifted Angela’s chair so they were face-to-face. “Why are you lying to us?”

  “I don't know what you’re talking about.” Angela tried to turn her chair away, but Samantha reached out and grabbed the armrest, preventing Angela from moving away.

  “Why were you crying that night? What was stolen from you?”

  Angela squirmed in her chair. “Are you interrogating me?”

  “I think you know something about Miriam’s murder, something you’ve been keeping to yourself.”

  Angela put her hands on the armrests and tried again to move the chair, but Samantha had locked her arm, making sure Angela wasn't going anywhere.

  “What are you hiding, Angela?”

  “Nothing!” Angela looke
d over at Gina in utter panic. “I had nothing to do with Miriam’s death.”

  “But you know who is behind it,” Samantha pressed.

  Angela brushed the back of her hand against her face as tears fell.

  The door opened, and a guy in jeans and a teal T-shirt and black jacket stepped in. “What’s going on here?”

  Samantha sighed quietly.

  “Angela.” Gina put her hand over Angela’s. “If you know something—”

  The man grabbed Angela by the arm, pulling her to her feet. “Why are you harassing her?”

  Gina glared up at him. “We’re not harassing her.”

  The boyfriend? Samantha thought.

  “This isn't the pantry. If you’re looking for a place to gossip, go elsewhere.”

  Samantha gave the guy a head to toe scan. “You? Why would Miriam go from dating Keith and Spencer to you?”

  The man clenched his fists.

  Right on target. “Miriam must’ve questioned herself as well. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have tried to trick Keith into thinking the baby was his. She even lied to her sister, insisting that the baby was Keith’s. Was that why you killed her? You were in love with her and thought she was in love with you?”

  “No!” Angela shrugged out of the man’s grip. “He wasn't in love with Miriam. It was a mistake.”

  “Was that what he told you?”

  “Shut it,” the guy snapped at Angela and yanked her back.

  Samantha nodded slowly. “Did Miriam make you angry as well? She must’ve laughed in your face.” She took a step closer to the guy. “Did you think she’d really admit the baby was yours? Did you think she’d get together with you—a mere crew member? Did—”

  The guy lurched toward her, grabbing her neck and pushing Samantha back against the wall. One of her hands gripped his while extending the other palm out, telling Gina not to step forward. “This is what you did to Miriam, too.”

  “Yes,” he spat through clenched teeth, his veins throbbing along his temple.

  “Craig, stop it!” Angela grabbed at Craig’s arm, but he only tightened his grip around Samantha’s neck.

  Keith took a minute to scan the larger-than-usual crowd on set, searching for Sarah, before heading to his dressing room. He took a step back when he opened the door, surprised to see Jean in his dressing room.

  “Hi, again,” Jean said. “Sorry to make use of your room.”

  Sarah waved him over.

  He nodded and went over to join them on the couch, sitting next to Sarah. “What are you watching?”

  “Samantha and Gina are talking to one of the writers.”

  “And that’s so important be—”

  Sarah put her finger to her lips. “I’ll explain in a minute.”

  He almost laughed at how serious she looked. He watched the screen half-heartedly. He’d been up all night, and he wasn’t interested in watching Samantha go all FBI-mode on the poor writer for whatever reason.

  But the live feed piqued his interest when the guy entered the room. “That’s the guy I saw in my room after talking to Spence and Elena.”

  “Here?” Sarah asked.

  Keith nodded. He leaned forward, frowning as he tried to listen to what was being exchanged. When the guy attacked Samantha, Sarah and Jean gasped.

  “It’s okay,” Jean said after a moment. She took a deep breath. “Sam’s trained in Krav Manga. She can take care of herself.”

  Still, Keith couldn’t just sit and watch while the guy strangled Samantha. “I’m going over there.” He got up and ran out of the room, then sprinted straight toward the writers’ room.

  He flung the door open, hooked his elbow over the guy’s neck, and yanked his hair back. “Let go of her.”

  Samantha rubbed her hand against her neck. “You thought Miriam was in love with you, didn’t you?”

  “She was.” The guy leaned forward, but Keith held him back. “She was just too vain to admit it. I would’ve given her my everything.”

  “Too bad your everything wasn’t enough for her, Craig.” Samantha glanced over at the woman next to him. “It was enough for Angela. If only you’d seen that.”

  Angela dropped onto the couch, sobbing, and Gina went over and put an arm around her shoulders. “It’s all right, Angela. Everything’s going to be all right.”

  Keith pushed Craig into a chair just as two studio security guards came into the room. “Did—”

  Samantha gave him a light shake of her head and cocked her head to the side.

  Keith had so many questions, but Samantha had done a superb job thus far. Who was he to question her? So Keith swallowed his questions and followed Samantha out of the room.

  “Let him simmer in his guilt for now. If he comes to his senses now, he may just change his statement before the police get here.”

  When they turned the corner, Sarah was outside his room and ran straight toward him.

  “Was that a confession?”

  “Shh …” Samantha said while he extended his arm for Sarah to fit against his side.

  He tugged her close, squeezing her against him, and gave her a peck on the hair. The timing of Craig’s confession couldn’t be more perfect. Now that he and Sarah didn’t have to worry about being suspects in Miriam’s murder, they could finally move on.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Once news of what had happened in the writers’ room spread, all work came to a standstill. Gina brought Angela back to Elena’s dressing room while Sarah, Keith, Samantha, and Jean remained in Keith’s dressing room.

  The detectives came by soon after and took all of their statements and a copy of the recording Jean had made. Once the detectives got what they needed, they gave all of them a lecture before telling them to go home and leave the police work to the real professionals.

  In the end, they all ended up at Elena’s place, except for Gina who decided to take Angela home.

  They sat around the house. Samantha, seated by the dining table, was going over emails on her laptop. Jean was next to her, on the phone, discussing the next recording of Private Investigations.

  Elena was seated on the single chair, reading while Sarah and Keith sat on the couch.

  The television, set to a news channel, played in the background. Sarah wasn’t sure if anyone was paying any attention to the news. She wasn’t. The only time they’d all perked up and focused on the television was when news of the police making an arrest at the studio was broadcast. Even Samantha and Jean stopped what they were doing and stood behind the couch to watch the news.

  But there wasn’t anything in the broadcast that they didn’t already know, so Sarah’s mind wandered and everyone resumed their previous activities.

  Sarah wasn’t sure what Keith was thinking about, but Samantha’s words kept replaying in her head. It was enough for Angela. If only you’d seen that. If only … If Craig hadn’t chosen Miriam over Angela, perhaps none of this would’ve happened. Miriam and her innocent child wouldn’t have lost their lives.

  She glanced over at Keith and remembered something he’d once asked her before they got together: if he’d lost everything, would she still answer his call?

  She cracked a smile. She would then, and she would definitely do it now.

  “Detective Wilkes.” Samantha walked into the living room, her phone pressed to her ear. “Yes. He did?”

  Sarah studied Samantha’s face while she listened attentively to Detective Wilkes. She pulled in her lower lip to keep herself from asking questions.

  “That’s great. Thanks for letting me know.” Samantha paused for a moment before continuing, “Yeah? Oh?” She laughed softly. “Okay. Thanks again for calling me.” She ended the call, and her lips morphed into a brilliant smile.

  “He confessed?” Sarah asked.

  “To everything.”

  She squealed and gave Keith a hug. “It’s over.”

  “Yeah, it is,” he said and kissed her hair.

  She got up and went over to give Samantha a
hug. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”

  “Do you want to know what happened to your hand?” Samantha asked, and Sarah took a step back.

  She frowned. “Why do I feel that I won’t like the answer?”

  “You crawled into the taxi, told the driver to take you to the airport, then proceeded to break the bottle when you swung your hand toward the door. The bottle broke, and the wine spilled onto the car’s floor. There wasn’t a lot of it left, but you still made a mess. The driver kicked you out despite you cutting your hand while trying to pick up the glass shards.”

  “Wow.” That was all Sarah could manage, and everyone laughed.

  “So what did Craig say?” Elena asked while Sarah returned to the couch.

  “He gave a DNA swab to Miriam so he could prove he was the father of her child. But after the news broke about Miriam claiming the child was Keith’s, he realized Miriam was never going to admit the child was his. He strangled Miriam in a fit of anger when he couldn’t convince her that he was good enough to be the father of her child. After that, he panicked. He dissolved Angela’s sleeping pills in a bottle of water before putting the bottle in Keith’s dressing room. Then he hunted around the studio for a knife and stabbed Miriam.”

  “And placed the knife in Keith’s room,” Sarah said.

  Samantha nodded. “Somehow in his head, he thought that was enough to shift the blame to you.” She glanced over at Jean. “Now that our work here is done, I should be heading home.”

  “Now?” Jean asked. “You just solved a case. We should celebrate.”

  “I didn’t do much.”

  “You solved the case. And …” Jean looked over at Keith. “Her payment can be having you and Sarah on her show for an exclusive interview.”

  Keith grinned and nodded. “Yes. Because I’m sure Sarah would love to be on her show.”

  “Gina’s on her way here,” Elena said, looking at her phone. “Let’s order something good for lunch and celebrate.”