Page 71 of A Scottish Highland Hideaway

I gestured to Ezra to take a seat. “Please, Ezra.”

Ezra fingered the brim of his hat in both hands. “I want to know what’s going on right now or I’m leaving.” He eyed Zach again and then cast me a withering look. I was definitely still in the bad books, maybe even more so now.

I straightened the cuffs of my jumper and nodded at Zach to speak.

“I understand you have two daughters that you only recently found out existed.”

I snapped my head round. What?!

“Zach!” I hissed. “What are you doing? You said you would keep the girls out of this.” Dread pooled in my stomach. How could I have been so stupid! I’d trusted him. I couldn’t believe this!

Ezra’s expression mirrored mine – absolute horror and shock. “Did you do this?” he asked me, icily. “Did you tell him?”

“No.” I blanched under his gaze. “Zach found out about them on his own.” I glared at Zach.

Zach jumped in. “That’s true, sir. Bailey’s gone to great lengths to protect you.”

Ezra drank in my concerned expression. His head whizzed from me to Zach and back again. “Then what the bloody hell do you want?”

“Yes, what the bloody hell are you doing, Zach?” I ground out, firing blazing looks at him again.

Zach was quick to answer. “Please, Bailey. Hear me out. It’s not what you think.” He transferred his attention back to Ezra. “You made some revelations in your book about the time you spent as a fashion model at the beginning of your career, is that right?”

Ezra let out an exasperated sigh. “What of it?”

“You’ve also named and shamed certain individuals in the TV and film industry. There are some big hitters from the past listed in there.”

Ezra straightened his shoulders. “Well, at least you’ve read my memoir, if nothing else,” he said, dryly. “And those bastards deserved it. Everything I’ve said in that book is true.”

“I’m sure it is,” nodded Zach. “That’s the problem.”

“What do you mean?”

“It appears you’ve upset a few people in your autobiography and they want to draw attention away from your book, and damage your reputation and credibility in order to cast doubt on your claims.”

A slow burn of apprehension took over Ezra. “Meaning?”

“Meaning they’ve no qualms about getting to you through your daughters. I’m trying to warn you about what these people are capable of. Believe me, I’ve no intention of writing anything about your daughters.” Zach gave me a soft smile. “I promised Bailey I wouldn’t.”

A wisp of breath caught in my throat. The way Zach was looking at me…

He faced Ezra again. “And as for the recent unfortunate event you were said to be embroiled in…”

Ezra’s expression twisted. “Not guilty,” he said. “Malicious gossip, that’s all.”

“Yes, sir. I’m sure of that.”

Zach filled me in. “Mr King was accused of stealing the script of the next Brad Janson movie. It went missing while Ezra and several high-powered Hollywood executives were dining out in London a few months ago.”

Ezra’s face was like granite. “I would never do such a thing.” He sighed. “I’ve been up for a few parts in a number of his previous movies, but I never quite hit the mark, despite my experience. I’ve never liked the man, but in this industry, you have to try and stay professional wherever you can, otherwise it bites you on the derrière.” Ezra shrugged. “I thought it strange Janson didn’t want to involve the police when the script went missing.”

Zach nodded. “That fits. One of the executives tipped us off about what happened. Everybody in attendance that night was keen to portray Mr King as the guilty party, including Brad Janson.” Zach paused. “But I’ve since discovered that Mr Janson isn’t who he says he is.”

Ezra’s brow furrowed. “Interesting.”

Outside Flower Power, the winter night was wrapping itself around everything, enveloping us with a surprising sense of camaraderie.

“Mr King, in your career, have you ever come across a man by the name of Kenneth Braid?”