Page 140 of One Last Shot

Except, hadn’t Oaken said that finances were in the tank over at Grizz Productions? Certainly, as his partner, Reynolds had insurance on Mike.

Her gut tightened.

Especially when a car pulled up outside and Reynolds Gray got out.

She set down her butter knife as he walked inside.

“Hey, Boo,” he said. “I didn’t realize you were back.”

“Yes,” she said quietly. She walked over to the table, met him there, her hand on the pack. “How’s Mike?”

Reynolds looked as Hollywood as always in pressed dress pants, an oxford, his hair slicked back, aviator sunglasses on his head. “Good. Better. I just came from the rehab center. He’s up and starting to walk. With help, of course. It’ll be a while before he’s out with any more celebrities, but thankfully we haveThe Sizeup. And lots of good buzz.” He winked and reached for the pack.

She was too late to grab it back.

He turned to go outside, and shefollowed him.Stop.

But she couldn’t limp fast enough.

He was outside, the trunk open to put the pack in by the time she made it through the doors. Panic, maybe anger, pushed the words out. “I know it was you.”

He looked at her, lowered his glasses. “What?”

Okay, slow down. Because suddenly, this might be a bad idea, standing out here in the parking lot, alone. “I mean... I know what you did onSurvivor Quest.”

He cocked his head. “What did I do?”

“You rigged it. You made Misty win.”

He raised an eyebrow. “That’s a sore loser talking, Boo Hoo Kingston.”

Her mouth gaped. “Yeah, well... I know about the parachute too.” And why that came out of her mouth, she didn’t know.

Especially when he took a breath, his mouth a tight line. “Is that so.”

She swallowed.C’mon, Echo, be done in the bathroom.

“You won’t get away with it,” she said.

“I already have, Boo,” he said. Then he grabbed her arm. And she had to blame her knee and the fact that she had zero balance and still hurt, and frankly, he’d simply surprised her.

But just like that, he pushed her into the trunk, swept up her legs and rolled her in.

Shut the trunk door.

Blackness. And it happened so fast, even her scream was a beat behind.

And here he was, at it again. Oaken stood outside Mike Grizz’s rehab room, letting Huxley adjust his mic under his shirt.

“Walk into the room one more time, Oaken,and just smile at him. You’re old friends, and you saved his life. We want to capture the happy ending.”

Oaken had really thought the whole malarkey was over. He’d finished shooting, the show in the can. And then Goldie had called him and said they wanted a final shot forGo Wild with Grizz.

Even then he might not have gotten on a plane, but... well, his dad’s words kept rolling around his head, the part about trusting God for the happy ending.

So yes. Here he stood, outside Mike’s room at Premier One Rehab in Anchorage, his thoughts on when they might wrap up so he could head over to Air One.

Surprise them all.