not come from the neighborhood in which Platinum lived.
As the sidebar continued, Kiley felt a sharp tap on her shoulder. She turned; the colonel and Susan had moved in behind her. “Just what exactly is going on here, McCann?” demanded the colonel. “Serenity is lying and we all know it. Did you talk to her about this? It's a mockery of our country's legal system.”
“I can't control what she says up there, sir,” Kiley pointed out.
“Well, I can tell you one thing—when that little miss gets home, I'm going to teach her a few things about telling the truth and respecting authority. We'll see how she talks after she'sspent a few weeks at my boot camp! Excuse me. I need some nonperjured air.”
With another of his patented scowls, he edged away from Kiley and his wife. Kiley was left looking up at Susan, who looked … how, exactly? Sad. No, more than sad. Defeated.
Susan slid in next to Kiley. “Can I tell you something?”
Kiley nodded.
“If you repeat this I'll deny I ever said it,” Susan began. “But …I actually think that, in some ways, the kids were better off with my sister. I know she can be crazy and … erratic. But I also know she really loves her kids. And she lets them
be
kids.”
How could it be, Kiley wondered, that Susan and Platinum were sisters? Susan was so passive and Platinum was so … not. Kiley couldn't say she was fond of either of their personal styles, but if she had to choose one? Well, she'd choose Platinum. Minus the drugs and alcohol.
Judge Terhune rapped his gavel and asked for a half hour recess. He wanted to see all the lawyers in chambers. Susan skittered off to find her husband, snaking her way through the crowd. As Kiley waited patiently to get out the rear doors, she felt a hand on her elbow and heard a familiar slimy voice behind her.
“Hi, Kiley. How are you today?”
It was Spencer Lacroix, the tabloid editor. He wore a black suit with a white T-shirt underneath, and shades. Kiley hated people affected enough to wear sunglasses inside.
“I'm fine,” Kiley replied, moving forward with the crowd.
Lacroix leaned close, breathing on Kiley in a way that she found repulsive, but clearly he didn't want to be overheard.“Have you got an answer for me?” he asked. “You ready for a sit-down on your boss for big bucks?”
Kiley was jostled by a woman's oversized purse. She leaned as far away from Lacroix as she could.
“Our cover story's almost complete,” he went on. “We just need a little inside information.” He flashed a copy-paper-white smile. “The truth, baby, and nothing but.”
Right there in the corridor, with people streaming past them on both sides, Kiley made her final decision.
“I don't want anything to do with you or your sleazy magazine.” She made a beeline for the elevator, but Spencer kept up with her, weaving through the crowd.
“Maybe you'll change your mind when you hear about the new feature I have planned anyway, all about a virginal little good-girl nanny for Platinum who got her job via a reality show that tanked. She's come a long way from her childhood with an alcoholic father and a loony mother. How she hooked up with her supermodel boyfriend—we're still working on that angle.”
Kiley swallowed hard. FAMOUS MODEL HAS AU PAIR GIRLFRIEND WITH THUNDER THIGHS. The
Universe
had probably already gotten close-up photos of her with a telescopic lens, pictures in which her upper legs would look like cottage cheese even without Photoshop. But that was nothing compared to having this slimeball write about her parents. That was
private.
She was a
private person
. How dare he threaten to write about her family?
Kiley knew instinctively not to let Lacroix see that he was getting to her. Willing herself to project cool, collected energy, she shrugged. “A story about me won't sell any papers.”
He grinned, that too-familiar glint in his dark eyes. Not exactly the response she'd been hoping for. “Think it over, kiddo.You
As the sidebar continued, Kiley felt a sharp tap on her shoulder. She turned; the colonel and Susan had moved in behind her. “Just what exactly is going on here, McCann?” demanded the colonel. “Serenity is lying and we all know it. Did you talk to her about this? It's a mockery of our country's legal system.”
“I can't control what she says up there, sir,” Kiley pointed out.
“Well, I can tell you one thing—when that little miss gets home, I'm going to teach her a few things about telling the truth and respecting authority. We'll see how she talks after she'sspent a few weeks at my boot camp! Excuse me. I need some nonperjured air.”
With another of his patented scowls, he edged away from Kiley and his wife. Kiley was left looking up at Susan, who looked … how, exactly? Sad. No, more than sad. Defeated.
Susan slid in next to Kiley. “Can I tell you something?”
Kiley nodded.
“If you repeat this I'll deny I ever said it,” Susan began. “But …I actually think that, in some ways, the kids were better off with my sister. I know she can be crazy and … erratic. But I also know she really loves her kids. And she lets them
be
kids.”
How could it be, Kiley wondered, that Susan and Platinum were sisters? Susan was so passive and Platinum was so … not. Kiley couldn't say she was fond of either of their personal styles, but if she had to choose one? Well, she'd choose Platinum. Minus the drugs and alcohol.
Judge Terhune rapped his gavel and asked for a half hour recess. He wanted to see all the lawyers in chambers. Susan skittered off to find her husband, snaking her way through the crowd. As Kiley waited patiently to get out the rear doors, she felt a hand on her elbow and heard a familiar slimy voice behind her.
“Hi, Kiley. How are you today?”
It was Spencer Lacroix, the tabloid editor. He wore a black suit with a white T-shirt underneath, and shades. Kiley hated people affected enough to wear sunglasses inside.
“I'm fine,” Kiley replied, moving forward with the crowd.
Lacroix leaned close, breathing on Kiley in a way that she found repulsive, but clearly he didn't want to be overheard.“Have you got an answer for me?” he asked. “You ready for a sit-down on your boss for big bucks?”
Kiley was jostled by a woman's oversized purse. She leaned as far away from Lacroix as she could.
“Our cover story's almost complete,” he went on. “We just need a little inside information.” He flashed a copy-paper-white smile. “The truth, baby, and nothing but.”
Right there in the corridor, with people streaming past them on both sides, Kiley made her final decision.
“I don't want anything to do with you or your sleazy magazine.” She made a beeline for the elevator, but Spencer kept up with her, weaving through the crowd.
“Maybe you'll change your mind when you hear about the new feature I have planned anyway, all about a virginal little good-girl nanny for Platinum who got her job via a reality show that tanked. She's come a long way from her childhood with an alcoholic father and a loony mother. How she hooked up with her supermodel boyfriend—we're still working on that angle.”
Kiley swallowed hard. FAMOUS MODEL HAS AU PAIR GIRLFRIEND WITH THUNDER THIGHS. The
Universe
had probably already gotten close-up photos of her with a telescopic lens, pictures in which her upper legs would look like cottage cheese even without Photoshop. But that was nothing compared to having this slimeball write about her parents. That was
private.
She was a
private person
. How dare he threaten to write about her family?
Kiley knew instinctively not to let Lacroix see that he was getting to her. Willing herself to project cool, collected energy, she shrugged. “A story about me won't sell any papers.”
He grinned, that too-familiar glint in his dark eyes. Not exactly the response she'd been hoping for. “Think it over, kiddo.You
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