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“Can someone speak English?”
“That day by the pool, Tera was entirely too condescending and confident. When Jewls told me about your conversation at the spa, I called a contact at the television station. We went to lunch and I plowed her for information on Tera. All of it is interesting.”
“They called me and Addie next,” Carson boasts. “We did recon on Tera before she left Chicago.”
I rub my temples, trying to get over why they are all talking like we’re trained investigators.
“Whatever happens tonight will lead us to the next steps. We decided it was time to bring you into the mix.”
Jewls and Harley sit up front, looking cool and calm and very much in control. Carson resembles the excitement of someone sitting on a tremendous secret.
Girls’ night out my ass.
“Perk up, Rowan, we got this.” Carson’s spark does nothing to help my anxiety.
“What is this, exactly?”
“Tera is making a name for herself at the station and not in a good way,” Harley starts.
“Wait, we should back up,” Carson interjects. “First, Tera has always loved the spotlight. It’s a part of her personality.”
“Knew that the first time I saw her,” I mumble, recalling her leaping into Ford’s arms.
“She aspired to model or act, but her parents insisted she finish college first. She saw the benefit of being on television and majored in journalism. After graduation, she expected the jobs to come easy. Undoubtedly, she didn’t imagine having to prove herself in the industry. Her resume doesn’t even list all the positions she held the first three years out of college.”
“Weren’t you estranged then?”
“Yes, but we saw each other occasionally. It wasn’t until the night of the charity function we revived our relationship.”
“The night you met the boyfriend and thought she’d changed?”
“Exactly. That’s where Addie and my recon comes in. We went back through Tera’s social media and tracked down a few old friends, casually mentioning Tera’s move, blah blah bah. Turns out Tera had changed when she met Collin. She was completely in love.”
“That’s a good thing, right?”
“Sure, it helps he’s mega-wealthy and well-connected. He’s some kind of tech guru and helped get her the interview for the television position here.”
“Then he dumped her?”
Carson’s face twists and Harley jumps back in. “My contact at the station said they hired Tera as an assistant to an assistant. Very entry level.”
“Everyone has to start somewhere.”
“Yes, but this is where it gets interesting. Tera made it clear she’s vying to be on air. There are whispers inside the studio. She’s working on something big that’s sure to get her noticed and promoted.”
“Like what?”
“That’s what tonight is about. Collin is speaking at a dinner engagement. We’ll happen to run into him.”
“We’re stalking the ex-boyfriend?”
“It’s not stalking; it’s gathering intel,” Jewls corrects me impatiently.
“What do we gain from running into him?”
“Hopefully, he’ll remember meeting me. I’ll strike up a conversation and drop Tera’s name in the mix.”
“Where do Shayla and Addie come into this?”
