Free To Love and to Cherish by Gina Robinson Page B

implausible. But I was the more reliable witness. With better references and a bigger fan club. And Kay, if she didn't back out of her story.
    I came directly to the point. "Why have you been sending me texts trying to extort money from me?"
    Her eyebrows shot up. She was overacting. "I wasn't trying to extort anything from you. I was just trying to warn you. You aren't really married to that girl. Maybe you think you are, but you aren't.
    "I don't know what you told her. But she's taking advantage of you. Now that I know who you are, I see why. It's your money she wants. And who wouldn't?" She paused to study me again.
    "I can get you out of your marriage. I mean, you had to have married without a prenup." She pointed between her and me. " We didn't have a prenup. You got a lot of money you stand to lose. I could come in and testify that your so-called marriage wasn't legal. None of it. Because I knowingly signed a fake name. Even in Nevada that won't stand up. Then you'd be free and clear. No money lost. Long as you don't press charges against me. And I make a little something, I'm good."
    I sighed. I wasn't about to tell her the real arrangement Kay and I had. "There are all kinds of crazies in this world and you're just another one of them. Do you know how many threats I get? How many girls claim they've slept with me? Or secretly married me? I have a file full. In fact, some of them might even leak to the press."
    I took a deep breath. "Let me tell you a story, a true story. There is a girl. Her name is Macy. She stole my wife's purse, her phone, her credit cards, and her identity. And charged an ungodly sum to them that I had to pay off. All that is irrefutable. The evidence has been turned over to the police. This girl, Macy, has a long history of stealing identities. She'll probably to go to prison when the prosecutor gets through with her.
    "But it's all white-collar crimes. Nothing violent. Nothing threatening. It could go worse for her if we decided to turn over the drugged drink that's now in our lab's possession. Or I decide to press charges for drugging me."
    I leaned forward and stared deep into her eyes. "Look. In a way, you did me a favor. I'm willing to forget about the drugging and that ten thousand dollars you took from me. And I will. As long as you never mention this marriage shit again. No more threats."
    Her eyes flashed with anger again. "Am I being held prisoner here?"
    I indicated the door. "You're free to go anytime. Have been the entire time." I held out my hand. "But first, I want my friend's money back."
    Her eyes were fierce, but there was fear behind it. She handed over ten thousand dollars. I counted it. I held out my hand again and wagged my fingers at her. "There's more."
    She handed me another thousand. She had another four or five of Dex's money. But what the hell? I let her have it as a goodwill gesture.
    Our eyes met. She knew she wasn't fooling me. She could consider it hush money. I didn't care.
    "Are we done here?" she said.

Chapter Seven
    K ayla
    I was on my way from the Reno airport to the hotel Justin always stayed at when I got a call from Britt.
    "Kayla, you won't believe this." She was excited. "I just saw a promo for Sunshine Sheri's show tomorrow. She's doing an entire show on deluded, nutcase women who make up crazy stories about celebrities and wealthy men. Things like how they slept with them and had their baby. Totally untrue crap that some of the actually believe.
    "And get this—she said she has an entire file on crazy claims made against Lazer Grayson and Justin! Sheri's promo piece says there are at least a dozen women who've tried to blackmail Justin saying he secretly married them!
    "And then I saw a teaser for the nightly news with the same theme—crazy women who make outrageous claims to get money from rich men."
    My heart stopped for a second. Until the full implication set in. What was Justin up to?
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    J ustin
    Dick's team tailed Macy when she left. The