Finding her stash of notebooks would be a good start.
The desk was modern, sleek and white—exactly the sort of desk Layla might choose for herself. The top drawer didn’t offer much more than a stack of sticky notes, some paper clips, and a book of stamps. The side drawers revealed a tube of hand lotion, a pricey lip balm, and a pile of hair bands.
Layla ran her hands underneath and all along the sides in search of secret compartments. Realizing she was reenacting every spy movie she’d ever seen, she stepped away and surveyed the room. If she had important documents she didn’t want anyone to find, she’d store them in a place no one would ever think to look.
The bookshelf was tightly packed, though it was obvious from the pristine condition of the individual book jackets that Trena harbored a real affection for her collection. She’d never choose to deface one.
Magazines, on the other hand . . .
There was a stack of Vanity Fair and the Hollywood Reporter, a few in particular that appeared especially lumpy and thick.
Pulling them from the stack, Layla claimed a space on the rug and spread them all around. Arranging them by the dates on the cover, she started with the June issue of Vanity Fair and immediately confirmed that her hunch was correct. The pages had been torn out and replaced with meticulous notes Trena had kept on Ira’s Unrivaled Nightlife contest, including a rundown of the rules and the names of those who were cut—there was a full dossier on every one of them.
Layla was tempted to see what Trena had written about her, but not wanting to waste time on something with the potential to upset her and throw her off track, she pushed the magazine aside and moved on to September.
She rifled through the papers. Trena’s writing was loopy and wide, and at times it was hard to make out every word. Most of it consisted of stuff Trena had already told her, and Layla was ready to give up when she came across a photocopy of an old news clipping Trena hadn’t mentioned.
After skimming it, Layla knew why.
She reached for her phone and took a quick pic. Trena was on her way to Ojai, which meant there was no hurry to leave. But now that Layla had found what she needed, there was no reason to stay.
“Find anything?” Javen moved into the office and glanced over Layla’s shoulder.
She briefly considered telling him, but decided the less he knew the better.
“Well, I’ve got something,” Javen said. “It’s an address, in Ventura County. A different one from where I sent Trena. According to Google Maps, it’s about an hour’s drive.”
Layla hoisted her bag on her shoulder and went to stand beside him. “You actually sent her somewhere legit?”
“I sent her to a tiny parcel of land with a trailer on it.” He shrugged. “This, on the other hand, is a house. And from what I’ve seen, it’s the sort of place Madison would choose to hang out.”
“And if I run into Trena while I’m out there?”
“Out of my jurisdiction. I’m just the hacker. Though you should know, the only side I’m taking is Aster’s, and mine, of course.”
“Duly noted,” Layla said.
She was heading for the door when he called, “Oh, and before you go, can you bring me my Postmates? Pretty sure it was just delivered.”
FOURTEEN
FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND
For the first time in a long time, Madison Brooks was having fun.
Maybe not fun in the usual pampered, VIP sort of way with all the highly coveted freebies and perks regularly showered on a star of her caliber. But she was out on her own, free to move about as she pleased. After weeks under lock and key, that alone meant everything.
She was also taking the first meaningful step toward revenge. The thought was enough to coax that world-famous grin to her face.
Though she still felt guilty about Blue, Madison knew her beloved mutt would be well looked after. Despite whatever suspicions she might have about Paul, he had a code he’d never deviate from. Paul would kill a human without a second thought, but when it came to animals, he would do no harm. He considered them sacred, and far superior to most people he knew. Madison tended to agree.
She cruised up Hollywood Boulevard and headed toward Sunset. The day was bright and sunny, another scorcher in the making, and it seemed like everywhere she looked she caught a glimpse of her face.
The billboards for her movie were still up. According to Paul, it was the biggest hit of the summer. There was even talk of an Oscar nom for best actress, which meant she’d probably be up for a Golden Globe too.
Of course, she was featured on Trena Moretti’s In-Depth billboards as well. Only on those, Trena’s picture was bigger, leaving no doubt that she was the star of her show.
So much had changed since Madison had been taken. While the frenzied news coverage she’d received didn’t surprise her, it was odd to witness firsthand the sort of cottage industry that had grown in the wake of her disappearance.