“What?” I ask, my tone sharper than it should be.
She shakes her head. “I’ve just never seen you angry.”
“I’ve been angry plenty. I just don’t waste time on shit I can’t fix. But this? I’m going to burn them to the ground for spewing that shit about Aria.”
My assistant grins. “Okay, tell me what to do.”
I scrub my hand over my face. “I need to get back to Aria before anything else. Call Henrietta and see if she can get her on the phone. After that, stall the reporters outside. Tell them I’m coming, and I’ll issue a statement.”
“Where are you going?”
“Looting the props department.”
Sandra’s eye twitches. “Right, I’ll add bailing you out of jail to my afternoon list.”
“You’re going to get the best Assistant’s Day gift ever this year,” I promise as I turn and backtrack toward the studio. We passed a wardrobe room with the door propped open on our way in.
I slip inside, shutting the door behind me once I’m sure it’s empty. I find a Dodger’s baseball cap and shove my hair under it. Mirrored aviators and an oversized windbreaker that may or may not be from an 80’s costume party complete the disguise. It’s not a great look, but it’ll keep me under the radar for a bit.
Peeking out the door, the hallway looks empty, so I slide out and head toward the front of the building. I walk right out the front door and hail a cab. He does a double take when I give him the address in Santa Monica but doesn’t say anything.
My heart leaps when my phone buzzes in my hand, but it drops just as quickly when it’s Sandra.
“Okay, they’re waiting outside for your appearance, and I talked to Henrietta, but—” There’s a long pause, and the roller coaster my heart is riding hurtles along at breakneck speed.
“But what?” I growl.
“Aria’s gone.”
“What?” I heard her; I just don’t believe it. “Tell her to check again. Maybe she’s on a hike with Bubbles or—"
“I did. Bubbles is here in LA getting groomed today, and Carson… I’m so sorry, but Aria’s car is gone too.” The coaster dead ends at a brick wall, bringing my heart to a violent stop.
“No.” My blood turns icy. “She really left?” There’s a long silence, and I can tell she doesn’t want to confirm it.
“I’ll call Henrietta back.”
“No. See if you can find out where she might have gone. Anywhere she might…” A memory races to the front of my mind, one from our early phone calls. She was talking about the dogs she walked and the park she took them to.It might be one of my favorite places on earth.
“Wait. Just… go pick up Bubbles. I’ll call you later.”
“Did she text y—"
I hang up before she even gets her question out. Oh, lord am I going to owe her big. I make a mental note to send Sandra and her wife on a really great vacation after all of this blows over. For now, she’s just going to have to put up with me.
“Hey, I’m sorry. Can you head toward Paramount instead?” I ask the cabbie. He sighs, but flips the car around, slinging me across the backseat. “Thanks,” I say once I get myself upright again.
He makes a snorting sound in his sinuses. “Don’t thank me, it’s going to cost you. Where in Paramount?”
“I don’t know yet, hang on.” I call up John and thankfully he answers on the first ring.
“Holy shit! Have you seen what they published—”
“Yeah, I know. I need you to get me in touch with Aaron.”
“Yesterday’s jam over here,” he grumps. “Hang on, you’re in luck.” Muffled sounds come through and then, to my pure relief, Aaron says hello.
“The dog park that Aria likes in Paramount, what’s it called?”