As if Allison would agree, and then Divine wouldn’t shoot her, and then Allison wouldn’t tell anyone the psycho witch had pulled a gun on her?
“Were you behind the Sticky Notes Stalker?” she asked to distract the woman and hopefully the police would get here, or someone would notice them, or Allison could escape somehow.
Divine chuckled darkly. “No, but I hired the man who imitated the sticky notes and attacked you.”
“Why?”
“It’s worked in the past for me and my mother when someone who lacks experience and fortitude is competing for a role we want. Hire someone to look like a stalker and scare the wimpy, newbie actress away.”
Allison’s spine tightened. She was no wimp. “Well it didn’t work this time.” She jutted out her chin.
“Oh, didn’t it?” Divine pushed harder with the gun and turned her down an alley. They reached a sheltered spot between buildings and Divine yanked the gun up and shoved it into her forehead. “Your choice now, Allison. You either rescind the role or I shoot you and get the role the easy way.”
“You’re not going to get away with murdering me,” Allison said in quick pants. Having cold metal pressed against her forehead with a crazy woman’s finger on the trigger was petrifying.
“I’ve gotten away with worse,” Divine said, her eyes cold and calculating. “You should meet my clean-up guy. He’s fabulous at making bodies disappear.”
Allison’s heart tried to thunder out of her chest. She believed Divine. Murder and making bodies disappear. Horrific. It was sad, disgusting, and terrifying all at once.
“If I rescind the role,” she stalled as she heard the sirens growing close, men jumping out of vehicles, shouts. Maybe they had come for her. Divine either didn’t notice or didn’t think it would affect her plans as she didn’t even flinch. “What’s going to stop me from turning you in after you let me go?”
Divine smiled silkily. “First of all, I’m the best actress I know. No one would believe you over me.”
Allison wanted to laugh. Divine was the most dramatic loser she knew, not the best actress. How could this woman be Birch’s sister?
“Second of all: Fear. You’ll know me or my man can come for you at any time. Whether I pull the trigger, or anotherstalker, I’m still a shoe-in for the role. ”
“What if I hire security?”
“Security is easily bypassed and sadly without this role I don’t think you have the means,” Divine sneered at her.
“My brother is a billionaire and hired your brother to protect me the past week and a half.”
Her eyes narrowed but she nodded. “I saw the pictures on social media. I think Mother encouraged the story to blow up to get some attention. Birch is impressive,” she admitted, “but he has to go back to active duty soon. No way would he give up his career for an actress, especially not a pathetic one like you.”
Allison heard a holler that made her heart leap. “Ally! Ally!” Birch’s voice was out on the street, still not as close as she would have liked but the horrified look in Divine’s eyes gave her even more hope.
“Rotten news for you,” Allison said, “Your brother despises you and trusts me. Birch!” she yelled at the top of her lungs as she dropped straight to the ground and knocked as hard as she could into Divine’s legs.
Divine tumbled on top of her and the gun went off. Allison and Divine both screamed as it hit the building closest to them and ricocheted off, missing them both. Allison grabbed Divine’s hand that was holding the gun, digging her fingernails in, and trying to pry the gun from the woman’s fingers. Divine clung tenaciously to the gun and slammed her free elbow into Allison’s jaw. Allison’s head snapped back and she cried out in pain.
“Ally!” Birch’s voice sounded closer.
“Birch!” Allison yelled back, praying he would get here before Divine could fire the pistol again. She gave up on wrenching it from the woman’s hand and focused on digging her fingernails in and shoving Divine’s hand toward the ground so the gun wasn’t pointed at her or Birch.
“Ally!” Birch ran up to them.
Divine shoved the pistol into Allison’s hand, jumped up, and raced to her brother. “Birch!” she screamed, throwing her arms around his neck. “Oh, thank you for coming. Allison Bradford tried to kill me!” she shrieked, pointing to Allison who held the pistol.
Allison set the pistol on the ground and stood, staring at Birch. “She’s lying,” she said calmly. “She hired the copycat stalker to attack me and she was just threatening that if I didn’t give her my role inThe Crusadersshe would shoot me.” She studied him, willing him to see the truth. They’d only known each other a little over two weeks. Would he believe her or his own conniving sister?
“Birch.” Divine sighed dramatically. “She’s lying. Would I ever do something like that?”
Birch’s eyes swung from Divine to Allison a few times. Allison’s gut churned and she prayed he would see the truth in her eyes.
He pulled Divine’s arms from his neck and pushed her toward the policeman who’d rounded the corner with him. “Yes, you would. Arrest her, please.”
Divine shrieked and cursed and flailed. It took several policemen to restrain her and haul her away.