Not Talented in Hollywood: Not in Hollywood Book 3 Read Free Page B

viable suspect and he needs to come down to the station
with us to answer some questions.”
    Holding up her hand she pointed at Crystal and me.
    “You two are just going to make things harder for him if you
get in the way.”
    “It’s okay” said Edwin as he stood up.
    Crystal gripped his hand.
    “I’ll be fine, I didn’t do it. I just need to sort this
out.”
    Crystal and I stood up and gave him a hug. The uniform
officer came and took him away and Crystal started organizing a lawyer on her
phone for him. Ramos pulled me aside.
    “I need you to do something” she said.
    “What?” I asked unused to Ramos speaking to me without an
interrogation room being involved.
    “Whatever is going on between you and Griffin, I need you to
fix it.”
    “I’m pretty sure that is none of your business, and I’m
absolutely sure it has nothing to do with this case, or the fact that you have
just taken my friend into custody for something there is no way that he did,” I
said feeling a bit annoyed.
    “Actually, it is my business. This thing the two of you have
going on was fun to watch when it started. I’ll admit that I enjoyed the way
you shook him up, but whatever you did is not funny anymore. It’s messing with my
days.”
    “So, it’s all about you is it?” I said gritting my teeth.
    “When it makes my life difficult it is, now fix it” she
said.
    “There is nothing to fix” I said, “and I would really
appreciate you keeping out of it.”
    Turning around I stalked towards Crystal.
    “What’s wrong?” she asked. I raised an eyebrow at her.
    “I mean other than the fact we found a dead body and Edwin
is up to his neck in it” she amended.
    “Nothing else important. Have you managed to get a lawyer
for Edwin?”
    She nodded. “My dad’s criminal lawyer is going to meet Edwin
at the station. He’ll make sure he doesn’t do or say anything that’s going to
get him in any more trouble than he is already.”
    I could see the tension in her as she held herself stiffly.
Crystal is one of the strongest people I have ever met and I know her well. In
that moment I could tell she was barely hanging on. If there is anything that
frustrates her, it is being unable to help someone she cares about. As much as
she would deny it to anyone, I knew that she cared about Edwin very much.
    “Do you want to go down to the station and wait for him?” I
asked gently.
    “No, I know that would be hard for you, what with Griffin
there and everything” she said but I could see that she wanted to.
    “It doesn’t matter. This mess with Griffin is my fault, not
yours and not Edwin’s. I’ll deal with it, but if you need to be there I’ll take
you.”
    Crystal flung her arms around me, and I knew that it was
just as much to hide the tears in her eyes as it was a gesture of gratitude.
    “Please, I need to be there. I don’t ever want him to think
that he’s alone.”
    “He’s not alone” I said hugging her back. “He’s got us, he
could never be alone.”

Chapter Four
    Sitting in the police station waiting area, I was glad we
had come. Crystal sat there gnawing impatiently on her lip. I had never seen
her like this. Crystal was the product of a marriage between a big time
Hollywood casting agent and a Las Vegas showgirl who hung around long enough to
get pregnant and guarantee herself a big payday. Crystal’s mother had used her
as a bargaining chip for ever increasing payments from her father in exchange
for custody, all the time ignoring her daughter in favor of a fast moving line
of husbands. At last count Crystal had seen her way through nine stepfathers.
As a result Crystal had every right to be a bitter person twisted by the
mercenary nature of her mother. Instead she had ended up a warm, loving person
who adored her father and was fiercely loyal to her friends. On the flip side
of that, she did not cope well when anything threatened those she cared about.
Of course, in reality, not many of us do. When