There’s a certain surreal quality to being aware everyone in the world knows about the darkest, hardest things that have happened to you. I know that Kim and I are going to handle this. I know that we’re still doing better than we were before we started shooting this movie, because being with her through anything is better than being without her.
Ivy, though. I don’t think she did it—I don’t know where my daughter would have learned to simultaneously disable the monitoring software, set the webcam to surreptitiously record, upload the whole thing to the internet, and also cover her tracks.
Then again, she did want to know what Kim and I knew that she didn’t. You can Google how to do basically anything, and Ivy’s too smart for her own good.
Still, if she found out she’d taped us having sex, I would have expected her to freak out, but not put it online. It’s not like I’ve been great at predicting Ivy’s behavior these days, but the other stunts she’s pulled weren’t exactly the workings of a criminal mastermind.
I find Russ from security inside the trailer. He’s already heard about the video and is on the phone with someone I’m guessing is with legal.
“Mr. Pless just arrived,” Russ says. “I’ll call you back.”
I hand him the laptop. “The video must have been taken on that. It’s my daughter’s laptop. We had tracking software on it to keep tabs on her, but it’s been disabled.”
Russ nods. “Do you suspect your daughter of making the tape?”
I sigh. “No. But I don’t have proof she didn’t, either.”
Russ opens the laptop. “I’ll get Jo on this, see what she can find. It was in your trailer?”
“Kim’s,” I say. “Kim’s assistant Aaron set up the computer, so he had access, but so did everyone in wardrobe and makeup and anyone who happened by.” I stop, thinking of anyone particular who might have it out for us.Troy isn’t pleased with anyone, but I’m not going to accuse the director on the set of his own movie.
“All right,” Russ says. “I’ll ask around and see if anyone saw anything. I’ll get you a report by the end of the day.”
By the end of the day. Because the internet moves at light speed, but regular investigations move at a crawl. “Okay.Thank you.”
“I’m sorry this happened on my watch, Mr. Pless,” Russ says. “I’ll get to the bottom of it.”
“It’s not your fault,” I tell him. I feel like it’s mine for putting that computer there, for not thinking that we might be recorded, even in our own trailers. But what are we going to do?The hotel staff could just as easily have recorded us there. Or any of our assistants back home. Nowhere feels safe, and I hate that this is happening to my family.
I take a deep breath, heading back to the beach.The stunt people are rigging up a crane that is going to suspend Kim over the sand in some spell cast by Guidepost.They’re scheduled to shoot her half of the scene first. I don’t come in until later, but I still head in that direction. I need to find Ivy. Aaron is charged with keeping an eye on her whereabouts, and I need to ask him whether he saw anything in the trailer.
It’s security’s job, but I can at least try.
On the way over, I text Marguerite to warn her to keep Lukas inside today.The press is going to be whipped into a frenzy, and even with security on their tail, I don’t want them getting swarmed. When I arrive where they’re filming, I find Kim standing under one of the enormous sun shades, holding a VitaminWater and looking like she’s about to cry.Troy stands over her, and while I can’t hear what he’s saying, I can tell by his body language that he’s pissed.
Enough. Nothing that’s happened has been Kim’s fault, and I’m sick ofTroy taking it out on all of us, but especially her. I jog up in time to hear the tail end ofTroy’s rant.
“—not about you,” he says. “I know this is hard for you to understand, but we’re making an actualmoviehere, and there are millions of dollars on the line.This isn’t the time for you and Blake to get kinky in your trailer and get it leaked all over the internet.”
“Troy,” I say in a warning tone. BothTroy and Kim turn, andTroy looks like he’s about to lay into me. “Back off,” I tell him. “It wasn’t Kim’s fault about the video, and it wasn’t mine, either. We’re more upset about it than you are, so just leave it alone.”
Troy glares at me. I’ve challenged his authority on his set, which is a big faux pas, even for an actor as well-paid as I am. But I’m done listening to him bully my wife—myex-wife—and I’m done letting him make us scapegoats for things that are out of our control.
“Blake,”Troy says. “You’re not in this scene. Step away, and let us work.”
“I will,” I say in a low voice. “When you do.”
Kim looks surprised, and I half expect her to snap at me for treating her like she can’t take care of herself, but she actually looks relieved.
Troy doesn’t say anything, just stalks off across the sand, and I let out a slow breath.
“I’m sorry,” I say to Kim, though I’m not even sure what I’m apologizing for.
“No,thank you,” Kim says. “I know I should have told him off myself, but I feel so bad for the timing of all of this.”
I put an arm around her. “Have you seen Aaron and Ivy?”
“No. Do you want me to help look for her?”
