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"The private detectives we hired to get to the bottom of Khloe's stalker case. They've dug up a number of interestingtidbits."
Where Bernie's face remained the ugly purple, Khloe couldn't help but notice Natalie's complexion turning chalky white in the limo's interior lighting. Her sixth sense was piqued as Trevor's hand fell on her leg, squeezing her gently through hergown.
Natalie stammered, "We didn't authorize any privatedetectives."
"And why is that, exactly? I mean, not that we needed your permission, but I would have thought it would be the first thing you'd do to protect your paycheck." Trevor's grip on her thigh tightened as Khloe internalized what he'dsaid.
Khloe confronted her agent. "Wait a minute. Bernie, you told me that the studio was going to hire private detectives to work the case to keep it on the down-low from thepress."
It was Trevor who responded, not the older man sitting across from her. "The studio did authorize it. They even cut a twenty-five thousand dollar retainer check they were told was needed to secure the very best security firm inL.A."
Khloe relaxed slightly. She'd panicked, surely misunderstanding Trevor's words. For a second there, she'd thought the Kaplans had lied to her. Then she replayed Trevor's words again in her head, and the uneasy flutter in her tummy turned to a full-blownchurn.
"So if the studio paid for an investigation, why did you say you didn't authorize it? And what exactly have they dug up?" Khloe pinned Natalie with her glare, recognizing Bernie had gonemute.
The older woman across from her went on the attack. "Investigations like this take time. Unlike your nosy bodyguard here and that heathen of a man you've been degrading yourself with, Missy, we don't interfere and try to tell the professionals how to do their job. I trust that they'll call me as soon as they have a lead or other important information they need toshare."
Trevor leaned forward so far that Natalie shrunk back, leaning against her husband as she listened to the bodyguard'sresponse.
"I've been pressing you for updates for days. Until today, I was annoyed by your apathy, but things are falling into place. It's a good thing I wasn't holding my breath waiting for an update since it will never come, will it,Natalie?"
"How dare you! You're an employee. I'm Mrs.Kaplan."
Trevor's bark of a laugh filled the otherwise quiet car. "That's rich. I think you have your priorities a little out of whack there, lady. You have a few bigger things to worry about than what I call you. The only reason I haven't gone to the police with what I know already is that, as you've pointed out, I'm much more than a bodyguard to Khloe. First and foremost, I think of her as my friend, which is why I'm confronting you here, in the privacy of thelimo."
"Trevor, why does it feel like I'm the only one here who doesn't have a fucking clue what you guys are talkingabout?"
Ricky spoke under his breath. "You aren't the only one who'sclueless."
Trevor pressed on, addressing the Kaplans. "Are you going to tell her, or amI?"
Bernie finally found his voice again as he growled. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but you're fired. When we get to the Marriott, you have ten minutes to get your things from the suite and then you'regone."
Khloe's heart raced. She hated conflict, which was just one of the many unique qualities that set her apart from most of her Hollywood peers who thrived on stirring up trouble and demanding things of the people around them. There was no way she was going to sit on the sidelines of this battle,though.
"Trevor is my employee, not yours. He isn't going anywhere except where I go." She paused, feeling the clamp of her friend's grip on her thigh before confronting the older couple. "You have exactly thirty seconds to start telling me whatever the hell secret it is that you've been keeping from me or it will be you who has ten minutes to clear your things out of our suite when we get back to theMarriott."
Natalie shouted, "You little bitch. After all we've done for you. The risks we've taken to get you the publicity you need to move into the highest echelon ofcelebrity."
"What risks? I'm the one getting the threats! I'm the one whose life has been turned upside down by one of the kooks your publicity stunts has fleshed out. Don't think I don't know that you've been planting tidbits about the stalker case with your press contacts. Almost every single interviewer today asked me about it, and they all seemed to have information that I know we didn't release to the wider press corps. You know I didn't want any part of using the criminal case to get negativepublicity."
"You are so naive. There is no such thing as negative publicity. Do you have any idea how hard it is these days to compete with the glut of information online? How impossible it is to get a story trending on Twitter and Facebook? I apologize for nothing I've done in the name of doing my job of promotingyou."
"I never asked for an apology. I'll settle for thetruth."
"You don't want the truth. You want the impossible. You want to just magically wake up and be America'sSweetheart."
"You don't know the first thing about me, Natalie. Do I want to make it big? Sure. I'll give you that. But I don't want to be known for wearing the most exclusive gown or making the biggest splash when I enter a room. Those may be nice perks, but what's always been most important to me is that I get quality roles. That I continue to hone my craft and become a sought-after actress. And not because I'll make more money, but because producers and directors want mytalent."
Bernie found his voice. "Wake up, Khloe. Hollywood and New York City are full of talented artists, just like you. You know what most of them are doing? Waiting tables. It takes a lot more than talent to make it in show business and you know it. If you'd get your head out of your ass, you'd see how good Natalie and I are at makingsuperstars."
Trevor cut her off as she opened her mouth to reply. "I'd like to ask a few questions about just how low you would stoop to make those so-called superstars? Let's start with Robby Goldberg. Care to share how you got that asshole into the limelight? I mean it's not like he has an ounce of the talent that Khloedoes."
It was Natalie's chest that puffed out proudly this time. "Exactly, and yet we were responsible for his being nominated for a People's Choice award last year. The fans lovehim."
Trevor scoffed. "The fans don't love him. They pity him. They feel sorry forhim."
"Whatever. The only thing that matters is he's getting more offers now than he can possibly handle. He's a householdname."
