“You say it now, but these people are ruthless,” Harlow warned. “If they think there’s even a morsel of truth to us being a couple, your life will be under an intense microscope. Your past, present job, our previous relationship. To be honest, I have no doubt reporters are digging stuff up as we speak.”
“Again…”
She slowly stood, nodding her head toward the outer area of the station where she could hear Caleb’s crew talking and laughing. “Fair enough. I will give you one piece of advice, speaking from experience.”
“Fire away.”
“Talk to your co-workers and anyone you’re in close contact with on a regular basis. Give them a heads-up they might be approached by the nosy news. What you—and they—say can and will be used against you, twisted and distorted beyond belief.”
“I will. Thank you for the warning.” Caleb escorted her out of the building and to her bike. “Before I forget, did the woman you spoke with yesterday ever send over the commercial of Cheyenne?”
“She did.” Harlow tried her darndest to keep a straight face and failed miserably.
“It was bad?”
“Awful,” she said. “I would be shocked if it airs.”
“I’m curious.” He shifted his feet. “What is it about?”
She pursed her lips. “Pharmaceuticals.”
“For prescription drugs?”
“Correct.”
“What kind of prescription drugs? Cheyenne is picky about her appearance. Let me guess…cosmetic enhancements.”
“Not even close.” Harlow struggled to keep from laughing while the visual of Cheyenne bicycling in her revealing attire popped into her head. “It involves the lower extremities, more along the lines of the digestive system.”
“She’s advertising new weight-loss drugs.”
“Not quite. Gastric Flare Syndrome tablets.”
Gastric flare?” Caleb stood there speechless, staring at Harlow.
She patted her backside. “You know…problems down there.”
“I see. So, you think there’s no chance of it being aired on the small screen?”
“I mean, it’s possible but based on several factors including her revealing clothing which, by the way, I’m shocked Robert allowed her to wear, along with her odd actions I’m guessing it’s on the way to the trash bin, if it hasn’t already been scrapped.”
“I was going to say your ex should’ve given her some pointers on how to put her best foot forward but, knowing Cheyenne, she ignored him or threw a temper tantrum until she got her way.”
“Personality traits that will work against her if she’s trying to break into the biz.” Harlow swung her leg over the side of the bike. “If they decide to air it, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks. By the way, Jim and I had a long talk about his investigation this morning.”
“Did you come up with anything new?”
“No, although he made a comment. It got me to thinking about Lottie.”
“What about her?”
“She does a lot of digging around Wynn Harbor Inn, even finding historical artifacts she’s donated to the fort. I wonder if she’s come across anything that might be a clue.”
“Good point.” Harlow’s gaze was drawn to Fort Mackinac, towering over the downtown, nestled above the trees, the limestone walls running the length of the rocky bluff. “It’s been years since I’ve visited Fort Mackinac.”
“Same.”
