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Chapter Eight:

Jackie felt the tension in the air the second she entered the hospital room. The Archers weren't looking at each other and Sean seemed to be more preoccupied with his phone than usual. What had happened?

A duster was shoved into her hand.

"Clean," Kristy ordered.

She wasn't used to doing maid's work but she dusted corners without complaint. She mopped the floor and washed the windows. Old flowers were thrown out and replaced with new ones. In the end, she finally got up the nerve to ask about Lila's condition.

"None of your business," Jacob Archer spat out.

Jackie wanted to point out that technically it was her business as Lila employed her as her assistant. But Jackie knew what a hornet's nest looked like and to not poke it with a stick.

"Report to Tara in the morning," Kristy said. "Lila's office needs cleaning."

Tara was Lila's personal secretary. She had not been in since the attack.

"Yes, Ma'am," she said and waved as she left.

Sean followed her.

"I could use some air," he said.

As usual, she took the stairs. Sean followed her closely. She was down a flight when Sean rammed his arm into her neck.

"Who the hell is Spencer?"

Jackie was just irritated. "There are cameras here you dummy."

"They don't work," he growled. "They're working on replacing them. Who is Spencer? I know you know."

"What's it to you?"

"Lila woke up asking for him before falling into a deeper coma. Now who is he? You may not act like it Jackie, but you're devious. I know you went digging and found out."

She quickly weighed her options. Lying would protect the genius agent from the hot head. But the genius agent had friends. Jackie didn't. If the truth came out, he'd go after her.

"Spencer was Lila's boyfriend for all of a year ten years ago," she said. "I found the post-breakup letter in one of her Julliard yearbooks."

He dropped her and she massaged her throat.

"She wanted to see her old boyfriend, instead of her fiancé. That bitch. Her own parents looked pissed."

The nastiness in his voice propelled her courage.

"Why'd you lie to the cops about the location of the picnic?"

"Because it was a very open spot and I thought it made me look like an idiot for suggesting it."

He then leaned in to look at her.

"Do you think I had something to do with it?"

"You did just nearly collapse my windpipe."

"You think I enjoy being in this hospital day in and day out? Lila's a pain but I don't want her dead. I want to get married, play football, have some kids with her, and win the Superbowl a few times."

Jackie never thought he had things planned that far out.

"Okay," she said. "Do you know Dylan Drake?"

"Yeah he's a fan of mine. He likes to follow Lila to make sure she isn't cheating on me. I told him to knock it off but I guess he didn't listen. Now they're looking for him."

"Well this has been fun," she said nervously. "I'm going home for some Netflix and wine."

He snickered. "I knew you didn't have a life outside of Lila."

"See you later Sean," she said quickly walked down the stairs.

She walked into the parking garage and saw a shadow move. In one quick move, she pulled out her pepper spray.

"Why didn't you use it on Sean?" Tony asked coming out of the shadows.

"Are you the reason the cameras don't work?" she asked.

"The new ones are there, but no one is going to check them for Sean threatening an assistant. The new cameras are also easy to highjack with the right smart phone."

"So, what are you following me?"

"More like shadowing you," he said. "I know where you are but I don't interfere."

"That makes me feel so much better."

"Dylan Drake was being paid to follow Lila. He stabbed her but he did it for someone."

"How do you know that?"

"I once took Dylan out for drinks and he quickly spilled how he was being paid and had to memorize a bunch of sports stuff to make it sound like he was following Lila for Sean."

"Do the police know about all this?"

"Who do you think gave them his name? I have been extremely cooperative."

"So, who paid him?"

"Lorenzo Bianchi, Diego's stepfather. I tried telling the police about them and then they looked up what happened to my dad and started shutting me out. They thanked me for the photos and the info but told me to stay away from 'law enforcement stuff'"

"What happened to your father?" she asked softly.

"A couple years after failing to salvage his paparazzi career he dived into a bottle and my mom kicked him out when he became violent. A few days before my nineteenth birthday they found out he had died of alcohol poisoning."

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't be. It's not your fault. Now how about I teach you how to hack Lila's business computer? She keeps all her real secrets there. I'm certain of it."