Page 32 of Legally Yours

“Ready and raring. The venue is almost ready, and I’ve got the models coming in at four. Make up and dress fitters are already in back setting up the dressing area.”

“Are you leading or anchoring the show as our premier model?”

“Anchoring. Fewer emergencies near the end so I can handle the front. Once I go on, it’s celebration time. No more fires to be put out.”

“Good thinking. Is this where I tell you to break a leg?”

Cassandra smiles at my wit. “Yes, and if we’re lucky, I’ll break two and Anderson goes stratospheric.”

We both laugh. Cassandra gives me a light hug. I wish for more, but I know this isn’t the right time. I head back to the office to put out any financial fires. The next time I enter the ballroom, I’ll be in my tux, ready to shine to prospective clients, just like the show.

After Cassandra’s last to-do is checked off, the ballroom is left alone. I see Emma walk in with a strange man, seemingly taking advantage of the vacant room.

“Listen, will this be enough for you to do what I ask?”

“Yep, more than enough, lady. How do you want me to sabotage the stage?”

“Can you go up into the lighting rack and loosen one of the heavy klieg lights? But link it to a backstage rope, so that’ll only fall when the rope is pulled?”

“For this amount of dough, I’d send the light to the moon. What you want done is easy. Will only take me a few minutes.”

“Perfect. Now, pay attention. I do not want to kill anyone. I just want it so a certain model can’t model anymore. You get my drift?”

“One hundred percent, lady.”

“Oh, and one more thing. I need you to deactivate all the CCTV cameras in this room, too. Front and backstage. Got it?”

“Sure. That I’ll do for free.” The rigger flashes an evil smile, and my blood runs cold.

I know it’s my wife she’s talking about.

* * *

Emma smilesand wipes her hands together. I know this because I catch her and the rigger on my laptop. Downing all the CCTV cameras in the place is moot, as I have secret cameras installed front and back of the stage. Nothing will be left to chance, not when it comes to this show and to my wife.

All week long, I had a feeling David or Emma, or both, would try something. Boy, I can’t believe I was right.

I gaze down at my multiple screens. I see the rigger climb to the lighting grid and see which klieg light he loosens. It’s the one right over the end of the catwalk. I watch Emma on another screen. She’s watching the rigger do his thing and by her expression, she’s loving every devious minute of it.

“Well, well, Emma. Looks like it’s time to teach you a little lesson. You’re trying to maim my wife so she can no longer model. Then, my dear, you’re going to have to pay. One way or the other, my friend. You’re going to pay.”

My secret monitoring system pays off, right in front of my eyes in real time. I hit the replay on the footage to make sure I’ve seen and heard correctly. Sadly, nothing surprises me. I got every action and every word.

I knew this could be a risk David and Emma might take. Turns out my intuition hit the mark. For Cassandra, I’m heartbroken. I can’t believe it has come to this.

I expect this from David. It shocks me, however, that Emma goes this far. Power, money, prestige, something has got to her and made those things more important than her friendship with Cassandra.

I know this will come as such a shock to my wife. But better knowing than not in the end. My secret cameras have already saved the agency and Cassandra. All that’s left is payback, and payback is always a bitch.

28

CASSANDRA

“Almost time.”

I peek out behind the stage curtain and see the ballroom is packed. Celebrities, social media influencers, fashion scouts, modeling big wigs, and paparazzi fill the room. Champagne flows in sparkling flutes at the many mini bars and a pianist at a baby grand plays easy listening tunes for the right ambiance.

Everything is going to plan, I assure myself. I hold my heart in my throat but know I’ve done all there is to do to make it a stellar hit. The Master of Ceremony, Anderson’s Promotional Director, takes the mic as the fashion show begins.