I, Porn Star(124)

Eventually, it was his own deputy who proved instrumental in putting him away.

Turns out, the FBI had their eye on what was going on in Getty Falls for a while. Sadly, none of the cops were willing to stand up to Clayton. Not until Deputy Rick Daniels stepped into Clay’s shoes and decided he never wanted to take them off.

Daniels convinced a few key people to come forward with the promise of immunity from prosecution. After that, Clay’s corrupt empire started to tumble. He’s now behind bars for fraud, prostitution, racketeering and kidnapping. There were a few dozen minor charges thrown in too, but suffice it to say, he won’t be breathing free air for at least thirty years, which is fine by me.

For myself, the FBI decided not to press charges after I confessed to what happened at The Villa. As it turned out, Ridge Mathews wasn’t the golden boy Clay made him out to be. He was dishonorably discharged from the army for raping an underage girl in Iraq. And with Clay having already documented his death as accidental, the authorities were happy to let the matter rest in return for my testimony.

Now that the danger is behind me, I know I have to come to terms with killing a man.#p#分页标题#e#

Being here, in Vancouver, with Petra, helps me a little in thinking I did the wrong thing for the right reasons.

Petra waves from across the field. I smile and wave back, and my soul settles a little bit. She canters over with Winnie, her favorite mare, the newest gift to arrive at the farm.

“Are you sure I can’t tempt you into riding with me?” Her light green eyes blaze with enthusiasm and happiness.

I wrinkle my nose in mock horror. “Uh, no. After falling off three times last week, I need a huge ego boost, and several layers of padding before I’m tempted to try again.”

She laughs and trots off again.

“Breakfast in half an hour,” Paul shouts after her.

As they discuss what to have for breakfast, the phone in my pocket buzzes.

My heart wobbles, but I make no move to reach for it.

I know who it is. I also know it’s time to change my number. Again.

Four times in three months. Each time, it takes about a week before he discovers the new number. I probably shouldn’t bother.

Maybe it’s a game we’re playing.

Maybe this is destined to be my life.

When the buzzing continues, Doris glances over at me. “Everything okay?”

I nod.

She doesn’t push.

We drift into the warm, sunny kitchen for breakfast, then I head upstairs to take a shower. In my room, I sit on my bed and take out the phone.

Fifteen texts from Quinn, the first one dated five days ago, two days after I got my latest phone. The texts aren’t requests for communication or pleas to be heard. They’re bite-size letters, detailing his life, past and present.

Sometimes he calls me Lucky. Sometimes Elly. Other times Elyse. I guess I’m all those to him. He never calls me Firecracker. Maybe that time is over for him.

Regardless of how he addresses me, the information is inexhaustible. At first I didn’t want to read them.

What he did was unforgivable. I don’t care that I was partly responsible for my epic downfall, Quinn and Q manipulated me with the cunning and talent of Machiavelli.

I can never trust him. And I can’t entertain the idea of being with someone I don’t trust.

The phone buzzes again. I glance at the screen and read the latest message.



6 July: Elyse,

Delilah was charged today. Yesterday Maxwell was formally charged with manslaughter. The DA is ecstatic. She doesn’t have to wait for Maxwell and Delilah to divorce before compelling her to testify against my father. Delilah also finally confessed to lacing Mama’s anti-depression pills with Benzo over a six-month period when she was Mama’s assistant. Those were the pills Mama took that day. The day my life changed forever. I should feel vindicated. Triumphant. Avenged. I feel nothing. I don’t even hurt anymore. But my cracks keep growing. But it’s fine. I’m fine. I’m fine.

Quinn.



I hate myself for the lurching of my heart. Just as I hate myself for scrolling through, reading his other texts…



3 July: Elly,

I wanted you to see me. You saw me. A part of me wishes you would forgive what you saw. A part of me hopes you never forgive. He destroyed her just to gain more power and money. The Blackwood billions and the thirty billion inheritance from her family clearly weren’t enough. How greedy can one man be? He called me from jail last week, asked to see me. I went because I needed to tell him why. Needed to not leave him with a sense of righteousness that he’s free of guilt in all this. I sat across from him. And I told him my plan all along was to humiliate him in the worst possible way. Make him want to kill himself like he made her kill herself. If that didn’t succeed I was going to kill him myself. But…Elyse…when it came down to it, I couldn’t kill him. I was a coward. That’s why he’s still alive. He’s breathing and she’s not. That kills me, Elyse. But I take solace in one thing. I’ve destroyed the one thing he loves. The Blackwood name. No one will ever speak of it with pride or awe again. That too was my plan. It was the right thing to do. FOR THE GREATER FUCKING GOOD.#p#分页标题#e#