Page 72 of Love: Take Two

I shelve questions about my client's potentially high-profile relationship status for now and focus on the swirling in the pit of my stomach. Something is definitely not right. If the owner had pictures and nothing else happened, he'd cash them in right away. He wouldn't sit on them…unless he had another reason to want to keep things quiet. Like maybe trying to destroy evidence before going to the cops? Could security cameras have caught what happenedinside?

I stand abruptly, startling Yong-rae.

"Tabitha was right. Don't take any calls from Pinnacle until you talk with Awa. She's the best in the business, and I trust her to have your back. I've got a feeling the owner is hiding something, and she has the resources to find out what it is."

"OK," Yong-rae replies, still looking forlorn. "And you think I'll still have a job after all this?"

I turn to him on my way out the door, my face grim.

"I won't sugarcoat it—this is bad. When you add this to how you started on the film, I'd be surprised if Pinnacle doesn't consider you in breach of your contract."

Yong-rae gasps. I feel for him, but I also truly believe this'll all be resolved in his favor. I have to.

"I know it's hard, but try not to freak out. Let me handle the calls with Pinnacle and you connect with Awa. We'll get to the bottom of this."

Yong-rae nods morosely, obviously not sharing my optimism. That's fine. It's my job to have enough for the both of us.

I run down the stairs of the dated tenement building; a cab pulls up within seconds. I'm dialing before we pull away from the curb, and Awa answers on the first ring.

"Awa, hey. Did you get anything else from Tabitha?"

"Unfortunately, yes," she answers, her tone bitter. "That asshole tried to drug her?"

"That's what Yong-rae said, yes," I answer. I shake my head, even though she can't see me. "But I think there's more to it. He said this happened last Saturday. So why didn't the owner come forward with the pictures sooner?"

"Uh…" She considers my question. "Actually, I don't know. You'd think he'd take it straight to the tabloids."

"Exactly!"

"So then what's your theory?" she asks.

"I think you don't sit on pictures like that unless you have something to hide. I think it's not this owner's first time pulling this shit. And Ihopethey have security cameras inside that caught what Yong-rae saw."

"Maybe," she says, her voice doubtful. "But if your theory is correct, he would've destroyed those before going to The Post."

"Not if they're, like, kept off-site or something." Awa hums, skeptical, but I forge ahead. "I don't know, OK? I've seen a few episodes of 'Law & Order', but I'm not a lawyer.Youare."

"Notthatkind of lawyer," she insists.

"I told you; you're still better than most of the lawyers out there. I know you could handle a subpoena or something. Demand the tapes. Or put a gag order on the owner until we find out more."

She laughs quietly, and it's like a balm to my frayed nerves.This night started off so well.

"That's not exactly how it works, but I'll get the ball rolling. I'll call Yong-rae and get him under a temporary retainer, then I'll make some calls. But Noah?"

The lightness of her tone is gone. I know I won't like what comes next.

"Until this is all settled,howeverit's settled, you and I can't be seen together."

My heart drops.

"Oh."

"I'm getting serious pressure from my partners to distance myself from Yong-rae; they're pissed I already agreed to represent him. And what if Pinnacle replaces him? I can't afford to risk even the appearance of a conflict of interest by dating—" She clears her throat. "I mean,sleepingwith my client's agent."

And here I was about to declare my love for her. She thinks we're just sleeping together. This night could not get any worse.

When I stay silent, she adds,