“I owe everything to you. Y’all made my dream come true and without you, I wouldn’t be standing here today. Rescheduling my tour dates upset a lot of folks. I’m truly sorry. I’ve never canceled a show before, but I had a good reason to do so. Tonight, I want to share that reason with you.”
I glance at the side stage, meeting Rust’s eyes. He grins and I know what he’s thinking. How could an accidental murder lead to all of this?
Caleb steps next to Rust, putting a hand on his shoulder as he nods at me. He gives me a thumbs up and I assume that means he took care of the footage. Erin peeks out from behind the guys, mouthing “You got this!”
I turn to the audience. “Tonight, I’m putting an end to the abuse I have experienced at the hands of my talent manager, Rex Dalton.”
The crowd falls silent. The band stops playing. An enraged cry comes from off-stage as Rex rounds the corner like a bolt of greased lightning in a tacky silk suit andsnakeskin boots. He dashes straight at me, thin lips pulled into a grimace.
My first instinct is to run, but I plant my feet and lift my chin.
This pathetic man has ruled my life for long enough. I won’t let him scare me offmystage. This ismymoment of truth,myfight for freedom—and I got backup.
Before Rex can step onto the stage, Rust and Caleb catch him. They grab his arms, holding him back. Rex looks like a caricature. Spittle flies from his mouth as he shouts unintelligible words, his sallow skin turning beet red.
I speak into the mic. “Rex Dalton, the very man supposed to have my best interests at heart and support my career, built his empire on manipulation and blackmail. He forced me to change my looks into a woman I didn’t recognize, he had me drugged, humiliated, and even put out a hit on somebody close to me.”
Murmurs rise as people exchange confused looks, recording me with their phones. In a few hours, these clips are gonna be everywhere on the internet and that’s exactly what I want.
I hold up a hand. “But I know these are serious allegations. So don’t take it from me. Take it from Rex Dalton’s friend and secret business partner, celebrity gossip expert Gideon Wolfe, better known as the infamous Night Wolfe.”
I step aside and Wolfe’s face appears on the video wall.
“My name is Gideon Wolfe, but I publish my work under the pseudonym Night Wolfe in the ‘Gossip Grove’magazine. On this USB stick, you’ll find evidence of my identity as well as my affiliation with Rex Dalton. Rex and I had a special arrangement which we both profited from, but recently, the weight of my conscience has become too heavy.”
Sure,his conscience. More like the desire tosave his own fucking skin. Now that the dust has settled, I’m pretty happy that Rust misunderstood my instructions and put the scumbag in the ground.
The video cuts before Wolfe continues.
“Rex would tip me off where to find his talents in compromising, dangerous situations or instruct me to fabricate them. While I made a profit from my pics and articles, he utilized my work as disciplinary actions for artists he judged rebellious. He also used my articles to cull singers who didn’t earn enough.”
“Traitor!” Rex howls off-stage. “Wait until I get my hands around your scrawny neck, Gideon!”
Good luck with that, I think and smile.
Wolfe’s recording keeps playing. “On multiple occasions, Rex Dalton asked me to drug singers to create fake scandals, but he didn’t stop there. Most recently, he asked me to kill a man by the name of Rustin McAllister, who he deemed a distraction to Tally Creed and a threat to his control over her.”
Gasps filter through the crowd. Rex struggles and Caleb patronizingly pats his rage-reddened cheek.
The video skips to the end of Wolfe’s confession. “Knowing of Rex’s devious schemes, I have kept recordings of all our phone calls and copies of our correspondence via email and letter. Copies of that data can be found on this USB drive, too.”
The screen cuts to black.
“Tally, you ungrateful whore! I made you a star and this is how you repay me? You’re gonna regret crossing me!” Rex shouts. “You can’t hurt me! The Dalton is invincible!”
The crowd boos.
I step up to the mic, grinning. “Hmm, I think the police is gonna be real interested in that data. Actually,they’re already on the way. My friends called them. I hope you look good in orange cause you’ll be wearing it for a long, long time, Rex.”
Erin strolls along as Caleb drags Rex further into the void of the dark backstage area.
It’s done. It’s over.
I’m free.
Tears blur the faces of my cheering fans and I feel like I’m about to sprout wings.
They believe me. They’re on my side.
