Special SO to nathonyac135 for the great tweets. Also, ortongirl, cora_cece3, Breanne_Tharp, germain30647102, andsmagic, hwngrl25, and ElyseWorth .. you guys have been so great tweeting and retweeting my story link... thanks! I read everyone's tweets, and I love them!

Hey, if I were to write a book, my own characters but kinda in a "Hollywood Heights" style.. would y'all read it? I'm kicking around an idea.

I hope y'all enjoy chapter 36,,, don't shoot the messenger; sometimes these characters tell me what they want to do. I can't help it. :) Feedback appreciated and enjoyed... thanks for reading!

AD

"Do you have anything to do with this?" Eddie asked before Tyler had even pulled back the chair to sit down. Eddie had gone over everything in his mind again and again. He couldn't see where Tyler may have been involved, but anything was possible. He owed it to Loren to follow all leads even if it meant sitting at the same table with the man who slept with his fiancée. Truth be told, he owed Tyler a debt of gratitude. If it wasn't for him, Eddie may have married Chloe, and that would have been a monumental disaster.

"What 'this' are you talking about?" Tyler asked suspiciously. "You called this lunch meeting, not me."

"What do you mean I 'called it?'"

"I got a call from my agent telling me that you wanted to meet me here to discuss a future project," Tyler said. "It took about twenty minutes for her to convince me that the call was legit."

"Who called your agent?" Eddie asked. Maybe this could be a lead. Whoever called Tyler's agent must have something to do with Loren's kidnapping.

"Jake did," Tyler said. "At least, that's what my agent told me."

"There's no way Jake called her," Eddie said pulling out his phone and dialing Jake's number.

"I figured," Tyler muttered.

"Eddie," Jake answered. "Have you found Loren?"

"No," Eddie said looking over at Tyler ordering a drink from the waiter. "But I need to confirm that you didn't call Tyler Rorke's agent and set up a lunch with him."

"Of course not," Jake said. "I know you can't stand that bottom feeder. But Eddie, as soon as all this is settled, there's something serious we need to talk about."

"Not now, Jake," Eddie said.

"Wait, what's this about?" Jake asked.

"I'll explain later," Eddie said. With that he laid his phone face up on the table and looked over at Tyler who had the same smug smile Eddie couldn't stand.

"So, what's this about?" Tyler asked. "I'm sure you have better things to do than sit here."

"Sitting here is the most important thing I can do," Eddie said.

"You've confused me," Tyler said.

Eddie sighed, "Maybe it's penance. Maybe someone's trying to punish me or get under my skin. Whatever it is, he's trying to push my buttons. There's no way I'm going to let him win a second time. I'm going to sit here until I'm told not to."

Tyler's drink had come, and he took a sip of it as he leveled a gaze at Eddie. Eddie didn't care. This kidnapping apparently had nothing to do with Tyler. Whoever was pulling the strings of this whole operation didn't know that Eddie couldn't care less about Tyler. Maybe the paparazzi would get a few pictures of them sitting together and spin some story involving Chloe, but it didn't matter. None of that mattered. The paparazzi, and TMZ, and all of the gossip rags could go to hell. Eddie just wanted Loren back.

"I think my time here is done then," Tyler said as he stood up. "Obviously someone is playing a joke on me, so I'll go."

Eddie looked at Tyler walking out of Rumor as his phone rang. He saw it was a blocked number and immediately he thought of Loren. Was she sitting next to him when he made his calls? Did she know what was going on outside? Was she okay?

"Hello," Eddie said.

"You better go get Tyler," the voice said. "I haven't told you he could leave."

Eddie looked around, "Where the hell are you, you bastard?"

"Really Eddie," the voice taunted, "You have bigger problems."

"How am I supposed to make him stay?" Eddie said.

"I don't give a damn," the voice said. "Get him back to your table."

With that the line went dead. Eddie jumped up and ran outside onto the sidewalk. He looked to his right and saw Tyler walker among a crowd of people. This block of Sunset was full of tourists and paparazzi all waiting to get a photo of a celebrity. Eddie ignored the screams and calls of his name as he ran Tyler down. People were grabbing his arm as he walked by, but he shrugged them off, focused on getting Tyler back to Rumor.

"Tyler," Eddie said.

Tyler stopped and turned. He stole a quick glance at the numerous flash bulbs going off around them, but kept his attention on Eddie.

"Let me buy you another drink," Eddie said with a smile. "We do have some business to discuss."

Eddie's heart caught in his throat as Tyler paused for a second considering the offer. He was either doing that or posing for the cameras. Regardless, Eddie had to have Tyler's help, even if Tyler didn't realize it.

Tyler only nodded as he walked side by side with Eddie back into Rumor. Their table was still waiting as they sat down in an uncomfortable silence. The waitress, surprised, returned and took Eddie's drink order. Eddie decided he needed some alcohol to calm him down.

"So what's the business?" Tyler asked.

"I can't tell you," Eddie said. "But someone is watching us, and they want us to sit at this table together."

"Does this have anything to do with you being at Chloe's earlier today?" Tyler asked.

"How do you . . . oh, let me guess," Eddie said. "There are pictures out already."

"Yeah," Tyler said. "Some free advice, man, stay the hell away from her."

"Ironic that you're giving me that advice," Eddie said. "I'm straight as far as Chloe's concerned." He paused before he asked, "Are you?"

Tyler took a long drink. Eddie knew instantly that Tyler was still in love with Chloe. He felt sorry for him. Chloe was like a cancer that attaches itself to a healthy organ then sucks the life out of it.

"You should take your own advice," Eddie said. "She'll do nothing but ruin her."

"We have history," Tyler said. "It's a history that I don't share with anyone else."

"So that makes it special?" Eddie asked. "Take a good look at your history and see if it is. I bet you can find holes in it. You don't have to know someone a long time to have a connection with them."

"Like you and that high school girl?" Tyler asked.

Eddie started to get angry, but Tyler said, "Sorry, I meant Loren. What's going on with you two anyway? Did you cheat on her?"

"Of course not," Eddie said.

"But she did leave you, right?"

"What do you know about that?'" Eddie demanded.

Tyler pulled out his phone and scrolled through it until he found a picture of Loren. He turned the phone to Eddie who read the TMZ headline, "Has Leddie broken up?"

"Oh," Eddie said as he calmed, "No, we haven't broken up."

"Really?" Tyler said. "Then what is this headline about?"

"What?" Eddie grabbed Tyler's phone out of his hand. There, on TMZ, was the headline that caused the cold hand of dread to squeeze his heart, "Is Loren Tate Missing?"

"Do you know where they went?" Mitchell asked as he and Mel walked into Nora's house in Tarzana.

"No," Mel said with a straight face. "They were here when I left." She didn't want to divulge too much to him.

Mitchell nodded as he asked, "Where did you tell them you were going?"

Mel turned towards the kitchen as if to make coffee. She had to hide her smile. Why was he asking specific questions?

"I told them I was going home to see my parents. Coffee?" Mel offered as she headed for the machine.

"I'll take some water," Mitchell said as he sat on the couch.

Mel reached into the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water as she thought about her next move. The others should be back soon or should at least call if they found Loren.

"So what happens now?" Mel asked as she walked back to the couch and handed him the water bottle. "I mean, do we let this play out?"

Mitchell chuckled, "Let what play out?"

"This whole kidnapping thing," Mel said. "At what point is it gonna stop?"

Mitchell's smile held no humor, "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. I'm as concerned about Loren as anybody. I hope she comes back safely."

"Oh," Mel said as she sat on the arm of the couch next to him. "I understand."

"What?" Mitchell asked.

"That you can't actually admit that . . . well, you know," Mel said. "And you have absolutely no reason to trust me. But you should understand this," Mel leaned in closer and continued, "I would move heaven and earth for Loren. I will not rest until she's back safe."

"I believe you," Mitchell said. "It's actually quite touching that you love your friend that much." He leaned towards Mel and said, "I wish I had a friend like that."

Mel raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"So, what's going on with you and that Ian guy?" Mitchell asked.

Mel shrugged, "We've been thrown together because our best friends are dating."

"That's it?" Mitchell asked.

"Yeah," Mel confirmed. "He sees me as nothing more than some high schooler . . . a hanger on to Loren."

"He's a fool then," Mitchell said.

The air between them suddenly carried an electric charge. Mel blinked just to remind herself to breathe. Mitchell reached up and gently placed his hand on the side of Mel's face. She knew that Mitchell Witten was a big Hollywood star. She remembered going to see Senior Ditch Day about a hundred times with Loren. Loren could recite every line Eddie had in the movie, while Mel had been zeroed in on Mitchell. He had Hollywood good looks and was charming.

His blue eyes held a basic question in them that Mel interpreted. Part of her wanted to indulge in the fantasy of kissing a Hollywood star. When would she ever get the chance again? His lips were chiseled perfection as were his boyish good looks. His tongue ran across his bottom lip in anticipation of a kiss. She leaned down and closed her eyes, waiting for the moment when their lips would touch. A small part of her brain screamed that she needed to remember he could be involved in her best friend's kidnapping. That was thrown by the wayside for now. She had to convince him that she was on his side.

His lips gently brushed hers, and she allowed her body to give in to the feeling. His hand moved from her cheek to run through her hair. He gently pulled her towards him, and she ended up sitting on his lap. The kiss deepened, and Mel didn't fight it. Instead she gave in to the feeling.

His lips gently pried hers open, and she was invaded by his tongue. Her body shivered as he tilted his head and deepened their kiss. Her mind didn't register anything around her except for her heartbeat which had sped up and was pounding a sharp rhythm in her chest. It wasn't until she heard keys in the front door that she jumped up and turned away from Mitchell. Her hands went to her cheeks as she tried to cool the heat that had crept through her body.

The front door opened, but Mel only heard voices and footsteps. She forced her hands to her side as her back was to the door.

"Mel," Nora said. "Oh, hi Mitchell."

"Nora," Mitchell said standing up. Mel turned and instantly became worried. Nora looked tired and sleep deprived. The stress of her only child missing was starting to fatigue Nora. This had to end soon. "What's the latest information?"

Mel locked eyes with Ian. She was hoping the guilt didn't show on her face. She kept repeating in her head over and over that everything she did was for Loren. A slight blush rose to her face when she thought about the fact that seconds ago her lips were locked with Mitchell's.

"Have you been here long?" Ian asked Mitchell.

"No, I just arrived," Mitchell said. "Mel's been entertaining me."

Mel gave a halfhearted smile and was about to turn when she noticed Nora's hands.

"Those are Loren's shoes," Mel cried. "Where did you find them?"

"At a rundown apartment," Nora said. She wiped a tear from her eye as Max rubbed her shoulders. "She had been there, but he must have moved her for some reason." Nora started to cry, "I'm sorry. I have to . . . " Nora walked back to her bedroom with Max following.

"Where's Trent?" Mel asked.

"He said he had to go home for a few and would be back," Ian said. He motioned to the bedroom, "I think this may be too much for her."

"I'll make her some tea," Mel said as she walked to the kitchen. She was glad for something to do. Her hands were still shaking as she grabbed a cup from the cupboard. She needed to rein in her emotions immediately. Anything to keep her mind off of the two men sitting in the Tate living room.

"Don't you think it's weird that Trent hasn't called you once since he's been in Vegas?" Adriana asked Vivian.

They had been sitting in the living room watching TV. Adriana's energy level had been zero lately. She was getting bigger and more uncomfortable. Being around her mother wasn't helping. Adriana didn't know what she expected when she asked to stay with her. She knew that the problems between them wouldn't be fixed in a day, but it seemed as if they were not getting anywhere. They had never had a real conversation.

"He has business there," Vivian said. "That's how we keep this roof over our heads."

"And you think it's worth it?" Adriana asked. "You put up with it?"

"I let you stay in my home," Vivian said, "And this is how you talk to me?"

"You don't know what I overheard the other day," Adriana said.

Vivian looked up from her magazine and turned her full attention to her daughter, "I'm sure whatever you saw or heard wouldn't shock me."

"So you know he cheats on you?" Adriana asked.

"He does what he needs to do," Vivian said. With that she gave her full attention back to her magazine.

Adriana grabbed a couch pillow and hugged it to her chest. She didn't know what to do next. Should she tell Loren that Trent was scheming against her mother? It was really none of her business, but it bothered her that Nora could get hurt. She had always been nice to Adriana.

Adriana got up and went to her room. She had a lot of things to think about. On top of everything, she knew she couldn't stay in this house much longer. The motherly affection was overwhelming her to the point of bitterness. But where could she go? She didn't want to go back to the Sanders' house. Adriana still wasn't sure what to do about Phil. Her life was a mess, and she saw no way to fix it.

"Who did you just call?" Chloe asked as Raymond came back inside.

"Are you spying on me?" Raymond asked.

"Classic transference," Chloe said. "You don't want to answer my question so you make it about me instead of about you. I'm the master of manipulation, Raymond, just ask my ex. It won't work on me. Tell me who you called."

Raymond sighed. "Do you really want to know? Be careful how you answer that question, because sometimes we may think we want an answer, but as soon as we get it, we're sorry we asked in the first place."

"Again, you're stalling," Chloe said. "This," she said as she motioned between them with her hand, "Is not going to work if we're not honest, and you can start by telling me who you were talking to."

"I was talking to a contact of mine," Raymond said. "I had something to sell to the tabloids."

Chloe thought for a second and then she shook her head, "No, you didn't tell them about Eddie out here, did you?"

"They already had a picture," Raymond said, "They would need a source to come up with a good story. I gave them one."

"How could you do that to him?" Chloe said. "He has never done anything to you."

Raymond turned and walked into the bedroom.

"Answer me," Chloe said. "What is it about Eddie Duran that angers you so much?"

"Drop it, Chloe," Raymond said.

Chloe took a step back at Raymond's strong tone. He had never spoken that forcefully before. A silent warning sounded in her head that something wasn't right. Even Raymond's demeanor changed. He didn't seem to be a model trying to get a big break anymore. There was something more . . . significant in what he was doing. Chloe couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew that she had to do more research into her "husband."

"Fine," Chloe said. She picked up her suitcase, placed it on the bed, and started to unpack.

"So what are we going to do about our living situation?" Chloe said. "Are you moving in here? Am I moving to your place?"

"I'll leave some stuff here," Raymond said.

"Leave some stuff?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah," Raymond said. "I mean, you didn't think we were going to live together, did you?"

"I don't . . . I mean, I – " Chloe was interrupted by a knock on her door. She was hoping it wasn't a paparazzo. There had been enough of them today already.

Chloe opened the door and sighed, defeated. She knew this was coming.

"Hi, darlin'," Jackie said. "I heard a funny little rumor – "

Raymond came up behind Chloe and held out his hand to Jackie, "You must be my new mother in law."

Loren tried for the third time to hop across the room. Her legs were tied at the ankles and her hands were still tied behind her back. She kept falling over, but she was determined to do something. Santos had said that he needed to go, and Loren convinced him to get her some food too. He took his bag with him, but there was a desk and cabinet in the corner. Maybe there was something there that could help her.

Loren made it over to the desk, but she lost her balance and fell across it. The edge pierced her abdomen and slightly knocked the wind out of her. She took a few deep breaths, determined to continue. Turning, she used her hands to grab the handle of the desk and pulled out the drawers. She saw nothing but piles of papers. Tears of frustration rolled down her cheek.

She looked down at the papers and saw the name "draw deyor, inc." It was on several of the papers as if it was a company name. She angled her hands so she could shuffle through the papers even though this did nothing to help her escape. Maybe she could find something to use against Santos.

For some reason the name "draw deyor" looked familiar. As she continued to dig, she came across a logo with that name, but it was upside down. She stared at the logo for a few seconds when realization struck her.

"Oh my God," she cried. "'draw deyor' backwards is 'Roy Edward.' That was Mitchell Witten's character's name in Senior Ditch Day. His name was Eddie. Oh my God, he's behind all of this."

Loren frantically looked around. She needed a phone now more than ever. She had to warn Eddie. Mitchell had infiltrated Eddie's inner circle, and he knew every move they were making to recover her. Mitchell must be the one calling the shots and telling Santos what to do.

"Something's gotta be here to help me," Loren cried as she hopped around the desk. She lost her balance several times and ran into the desk, but she didn't care. She had to get back to Eddie.

"I have to tell him," Loren said. "He needs to know."

"What is that, sweetheart?" Santos asked from the doorway. He was holding a brown paper bag with food and had the backpack across his right shoulder. "What do you need to tell me?"