She was being paid to report the story—and lately, she was being paid very well. While part of her job involved uncovering the truth, the way Trena saw it, no one was ever as innocent as they seemed—herself included.
It was the first day of filming her newly announced televised news show, In-Depth with Trena Moretti, and though she was plagued with the usual nervousness that came from being a perfectionist, she was mostly focused on how improbable such a moment might’ve seemed just a few months earlier, back when she’d first arrived in LA fresh from a devastating heartbreak and looking to rebuild her life.
Practically from the moment her plane had touched down at LAX, Trena’s star had taken off on the sort of awesome trajectory she never could’ve imagined, and she had Madison’s disappearance to thank.
Her interviews with both Ira and Aster, along with the connected stories she continued to break thanks to Detective Larsen, her source in the LAPD, Trena had become the face of authority on the one story that showed absolutely no sign of abating.
The longer it took to solve the mystery of Madison Brooks, the better it was for her.
It was job security—akin to having a good insurance policy.
“Did they ID the bones?”
Trena peeked an eye open and regarded Jasmine through the mirror. “They’re not Madison’s,” she said. “That’s all I can say for now.”
Jasmine nodded, though her lips jerked in a way that barely contained her excitement at being handed such a juicy piece of insider gossip. Trena assumed the moment Jasmine was finished arranging Trena’s curls, she’d run off to a corner and text all her friends with the news.
Well, they’d find out soon enough anyway. It was one of the big reveals for tonight’s show. Besides, she was pretty confident Jasmine wouldn’t hesitate to credit her as the source. And more than anything, Trena liked taking credit. Liked the power that came from revealing lies and dispelling secrets.
The important thing was not to give it all away at once. Like any good storyteller, Trena worked hard to build just the right narrative pace to lure the audience in. Then she held them captive and kept them riveted with the spattering of bombs she dropped along the way.
At this point, there was no doubt she knew more about the case than Detective Larsen. After all, she had the kind of intel and resources he couldn’t even begin to penetrate with his meathead ways.
Layla had wasted her one permitted phone call to connect with Trena, having no idea that Trena wasn’t the least bit surprised by the news, that she’d stood right there when Larsen had forced his way inside Aster’s apartment and scared her little brother Javen into revealing their whereabouts.
And more—so much more—none of which looked good for Aster, who could now face the death penalty for multiple homicides among other crimes, while Layla, Tommy, Ryan, and Javen were charged with aiding and abetting and accessory to the crime.
Maybe Trena would break the case. Wouldn’t that provide an exciting boost for the ratings? After all, there was so much more to it than anyone yet realized . . . and she was so close to fitting all the stray pieces together.
Funny how she’d been seconds away from firing Priya when the girl finally came through. Had Priya been holding the intel all along—just waiting to see how far she could push it? Trena certainly suspected as much, yet in light of the reveal, she was inclined to let it go.
Turns out Madison spent those shadowy months between the West Virginia house fire and her move to Connecticut living with a certain Eileen Banks, who Priya revealed was Paul Banks’s mother. As it also turned out, Paul Banks was first on the scene the night Madison’s parents died. None of which, on the surface, seemed to ring any alarms. But for Trena, who could smell a cover-up from a decade away, it was a potential game changer she was quietly looking into.
Still, there was no need to rush the reveal until she was absolutely sure there was no stone unturned. She was so far ahead of the game, she could afford to milk it until she was confident the audience belonged entirely to her.
After all, Hollywood was a binge-and-purge culture, where celebrities were expelled as quickly as they were consumed. Now that she was on her way to the top, Trena didn’t plan to be discarded and forgotten anytime soon.
“Beautiful,” Jasmine said, nodding approvingly at Trena’s luxuriant curls, before leaving her to a few minutes of silence to look over her script.
ANNOUNCER: Tonight—the first of a multiple-part investigation going deep inside the secret world of Hollywood nightclubs, the teens hired to promote them, the stars who frequent them, and how it all might have led to a missing celebrity. This is In-Depth with Trena Moretti.
[Cut to clips of Hollywood Boulevard, the Night for Night facade, a billboard featuring Madison Brooks, and a dead and barren Joshua tree]
TRENA MORETTI: Good evening and welcome to In-Depth. Tonight, join us as we take you behind the velvet rope for a deeper look into what really happened to A-list celebrity Madison Brooks. While there have been over 215 reported murders in Los Angeles County this year alone, there is no denying that the Madison Brooks case is one of the most controversial, most talked-about crimes the world over. While many strive for a spot on the coveted guest list, few will ever get to experience what really goes on inside the gilded walls of Hollywood’s most exclusive hot spots. It’s a secret world of privilege and wealth, its doors carefully guarded by bouncers well trained on who to let in, and who to keep out.
Tonight, you’ll hear from club owners, self-described nightlife impresarios, bouncers, bartenders, and promoters who worked alongside Aster Amirpour, Layla Harrison, and Tommy Phillips, who were recently charged for their involvement in the Madison Brooks case. You’ll also hear from those closest to former teen heartthrob Ryan Hawthorne, who’s also been implicated in the crime.
There are those who view the clubs as no more than a fun, uninhibited space where one can freely express oneself and blow off some steam. While others will paint a much darker picture, claiming that the world of nightclubs is not nearly as innocent as it seems. They say it’s a dangerous, drug-riddled, crime-ridden world that’s run by adults who prey on the young.
BRITTNEY LANCASTER (from video): I worked as one of Ira Redman’s club promoters right alongside Tommy Phillips, and let me tell you, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. That world is totally corrupt, and I’m lucky I got out when I did.
[Aerial shot of Ira Redman’s Unrivaled nightclubs lined up along Hollywood Boulevard]
TRENA MORETTI: You’ll meet the critics.
MATEO LUNA: My older brother Carlos collapsed outside a club and died. They dumped him there like trash, so they wouldn’t have to deal with him. Those club owners don’t give a crap about the kids who are making them rich.
[Footage of police cars swarming outside Night for Night, zooming in to examine the line of crime-scene tape surrounding the terrace where Madison disappeared]