"He's an awful man and you know it." To the group he said, "We've checked him out with the other reporters. He's done stuff like this before, but I swear we didn't help him."

Stepping closer, Jock loomed over the two men. "He's threatening to destroy Kate and Dasher's careers, and he's planning to use your photos to do it. All because they love each other. And you're going to let him?"

Chaz looked down at his hands. "This was our last stakeout, I swear. We'd even talked about just lying and saying we didn't find anything. He's not that interested in you anymore, Miss Hoffman. Now it's all about Miss Pate. He talks like he can call all the shots from now on."

Shock must have registered on Kate's face because Dasher was instantly by her side with a hand on her shoulder asking if she was okay. She said, "He was always meaning to come after you, no matter what I did. Why does he hate you so much?"

From the front door, a familiar voice said, "I can answer that, Kate. Dasher is everything Joe isn't. She is respected, has A-list stars, and you're in love with her. She's on her way up, not clinging to the one actress who still gives him credibility. Worse, she's h.o.m.os.e.xual. In his mind, that's the only thing lower than he is. Besides, more than Dasher, Kate, he's coming for me." Greta Sarnoff entered, closed the door, and stood beside it.

After her dramatic entrance, she sat down and made deliberate eye contact with each person in the room. She lingered on the men, Chaz in particular. With narrowed eyes and a heavier accent than Kate had ever heard her use she said, "If any of this ends up in a rag, I'll come for you. I'm Russian, don't doubt me."

Chaz and Michael looked like two bobbleheads in their haste to agree.

"What rumors had you heard of this man Joe Alder?"

It wasn't really a question, more a command. Chaz didn't hesitate. "He used to be in the p.o.r.n business. We also heard he was weird with young girls."

Jock, who had finally sat down, started from her seat. "You knew the sonofab.i.t.c.h was a pedophile and you still worked for him?" The well-defined muscles in her forearms stood out as she gripped the chair arms. Kate thought she might hurl it at the men.

Chaz held up his hands. "Look, the job didn't involve kids. The rumors were just that-rumors. The money was so good we...I...took it. Mikey never wanted to do it. Please leave him out of it."

Michael inched closer to him and took his hand. "We did it. I went along. I'm so sorry. We'll give you all the pictures we've taken." He started rummaging through the cases and handing over the memory cards from each camera. Finally, he came to one and stopped. "This one is personal. I want to keep it."

"Show it to us or leave it." From her tone, Dasher was tired of being polite. Michael didn't bother to argue.

He shyly smiled and ran a slide show from the digital screen on the back of the camera. They all gasped when they viewed his female persona, who was gorgeous. Delicately boned and completely feminine, she wore a number of different outfits, from elaborate kimonos to rapper gear. In some she appeared childlike.

"What's her name?" Kate had seen drag queens, in fact some who appeared as likenesses of herself. This one was very well done.

Smiling and dropping his eyes, Michael said, "Mei-Lee."

Denny softly whistled. "Well, Chaz, I can see the attraction. She's hot."

He stared dreamily. "So is he." Michael hugged him.

"So, can we take this card with us?" Kate could tell that Michael was holding his breath.

"Yes, but I want to double-check the cases." Denny rooted around but came up empty.

Michael whispered something to Chaz, and Chaz squeezed his knee. "Listen, we're pretty sure Joe Alder is still involved in some shady stuff. Once, we made a delivery to his office late at night and saw some very scary dudes drinking with him. We took our money and got the h.e.l.l out of there."

Greta, who had been silent, nodded and said, "I'm sure what they say is true."

Watching her, Dasher said, "Greta, when we were at the directors' dinner you handled him with such ease. You told me you had dealt with men like him before. Do you actually know him?"

Overwhelming sadness filled her eyes and made Kate want to hold her. But Dasher was already on the way. She took her hand and all were silent. The gentle act of kindness made Kate love Dasher more.

Greta said, "I saw the film clip that Dasher told me about because Joe decided to send me a copy, too. I was thirteen, alone and starving on the streets in Russia. I was brought to the USA as an 'adopted' child by a couple, but really I was their slave, in every way. They made several movies with various men. s.e.x for food, you get the understanding."

The contents of Kate's stomach were threatening to rebel. She saw the same expression on everyone's face. Horror and revulsion, but more than that, compa.s.sion.

Thankfully, the pizza and beer arrived, and Kate immediately said, "I'll get it."

Denny raised her hand to stop Kate. "No. If someone recognizes you, we're all screwed. I'll get it."

She dug money from her pocket and stuffed it into the delivery boy's hand as the rest of them stretched or walked around the room.

Kate knew that now wasn't the time to lose her cool. She pa.s.sed beer and napkins around and they quietly continued their discussion, but with a decidedly less hostile bent toward Chaz and Michael.

Greta continued in a monotone. "One of the men in those films was Joe Alder. In fact, since it was in his possession, perhaps it was him in the one he sent us. I've blanked a lot of that time out of my memory and was heavily drugged anyway. He took a special liking to me. He must have recognized me, all grown up and filled out. Not his style, really, a fully developed woman. But he wants to control me again. For his own gain, I know."

Looking directly at Kate, she said, "Along with the video he demanded that I fire Dasher and sign with him. That's why I'm here. To tell Dasher I have to go."

"You'd work for Joe?" Kate couldn't believe it. She considered Greta one of the strongest women she'd ever met.

"Never. I'm leaving, disappearing. I've had an escape plan for years. Saved cash, an account in Switzerland under a different name, even the name of a plastic surgeon to change how I look. I'll die before I go back to him, to them."

"Greta, how did you get away when you were a child?" Kate was trying to put it all together.

"Ha. I walked away. By then I was fifteen and only good for work and keeping the younger ones in line. Then I lived on the streets, much easier in U.S. than Russia, wear clothes from the church bins, save every penny to buy fake identification. I work on films and get discovered by Dasher." The expression on her face changed from sadness to fierce pride.

"Now I could afford really good false papers. But I was also able to have my face, mostly my nose, changed. That was good because it was broken several times. And I got perfect American teeth." She flashed them for the group and they certainly were white.

Denny breathed, "Jesus."

Jock asked, "Why didn't he come after you before, if he recognized you?"

"Because I recognized him. I can tie him to child p.o.r.nography. But now he seems to think he's got all the chippies on his deck."

After exchanging a look with Chaz, Michael said, "Look, if it helps, we did stick around that night and took pictures of the guys leaving his place. We'll give them to you." He dug around and ripped out the padded bottom of a case and produced the card. Denny glared at him and he shrugged.

"We'll do anything else we can, just name it." He and Chaz both looked sincere.

Jock produced a flash drive from her shirt pocket and held it up. "A few of the Elysium members have discreetly hacked his-well, everything of Joe Alder and several of his aliases. He has money in a bunch of places that, according to the IRS, he's never declared. We can turn him in for tax evasion, if nothing else."

If Dasher was surprised by the information she didn't show it. She quickly said, "Before we do, he has to release Kate from her contract. Greta, if you feel you need to go, I understand. But with your help, we might be able to make it safe for you to stay and get Kate out, too."

She smiled sadly. "Of course. I haven't told my liubov, my dear Jason, about my past. I at least owe him that before I go. Who knows? It may make my leaving easy."

Dasher gazed across the room at Kate and smiled. "Or it may make it impossible."

Chapter Eighteen.

Tonight was the big night, on so many levels that Laurel and Stefanie couldn't keep track. The final week before the opening of the hotel had been a blur of last-minute details and planning. The additional preparations for their scheme to trap Joe Alder had been layered on top of everything else, and no one complained.

A few of the Elysium members were among the workers, adding some finishing touches to one of the smaller rooms off the main ballroom. It was rea.s.suring to see them there. The entire crew had been working eighteen-hour days, and Kate had joined them three days before.

Kate invited Joe Alder to the gala and he eagerly accepted because it was a hot-ticket item and, he thought, his crowning moment. He demanded Kate stay clear of Dasher until that night. He had also directed Greta not to drop Dasher as her agent until the night of the party. He obviously thought his plan was coming together perfectly, and his hatred of Dasher blinded him to anything more than his antic.i.p.ation of crushing her.

Greta made a quick and painful trip to Arizona to tell Jason the truth about her past, and he was so upset with Alder they were afraid he'd blow the whole deal by trying to rip Joe's throat out before they could spring the trap. Greta was ecstatic that he'd reacted that way. Kate suspected that no man had ever cared for her the way Jason did.

Finally, after Greta talked and pleaded with him at length, and Stefanie and Laurel threatened to have him banned from the event, Jason was on board. He would be Kate's escort. Joe was enjoying that part, too, because he had let Greta know that Jason would no longer be in her future. He was probably looking forward to a wonderful evening of playing dungeon master.

Dasher had purchased disposable cell phones for Greta, Jason, Kate, and herself. She confessed that she felt like a paranoid idiot, but she wasn't about to take a chance. Her future with Kate was riding on the way this night went. With the anonymous cell phones, at least they could talk to each other without worrying about being overheard.

Every night before the opening they called and brought each other up to date. Dasher went about her business and stayed in touch with the other plan details through Jock or Denny. She met secretly with Chaz and Michael twice to map out their part. Today they'd held a brief dress rehearsal to make sure everyone knew where to go and what to do, and to run a final equipment check.

Alder told Chaz and Michael to get into the event, no matter how they had to do it. He wanted them to photograph Dasher and Jason when they got the good news. Chaz a.s.sured Joe he had an "in" and left it at that. Chaz was scared to death because Michael had been a.s.signed a risky role, but Michael insisted he could do it. He told Kate and Dasher that Mei-Lee would be honored.

Laurel and Stefanie had been working with Elysium members to nail down the other details. The connections that these women had, both legal and, as they said, extralegal, amazed them. A team of three would be working in Los Angeles while the event was occurring. Although all were curious about who the "three" were, they agreed that the less they knew, the better.

By nine o'clock the gala was in high gear: champagne was flowing, and the hors d'oeuvres were plentiful. Dignitaries from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and even Washington, DC, turned out. Many of the women were members of Elysium, but no one but the other members knew that.

Dasher and Greta watched from the security room, waiting until the right time to join the party. Kate arrived wearing a stunning gown that was all but transparent, and the crowd was appreciative. She was on the arm of Jason, who wore his tuxedo beautifully but seemed to have lockjaw. He plastered a smile on his face and seemed to be searching the crowd.

Dasher saw Laurel elbow Stefanie to go calm Jason down. He appeared to be distracted, probably with worry about Greta. Dasher could relate. Stefanie, wearing a graphite-colored woman's tux by Armani, tailored to fit her larger b.r.e.a.s.t.s, walked over and gave him a big hug, probably noting his wooden posture as she held him in her arms.

She whispered something in his ear and Dasher guessed it was about breathing, because she saw his body relax a bit and he pulled back to look at her. "Okay, thanks, sis." Dash could read the words on his lips from ten feet away.

Taking Kate's arm, he laughed with her about something and they proceeded to the ballroom. Stef and Laurel kept working the room, checking details and greeting guests. Dasher was scanning the entrance.

Five minutes later Joe Alder and his date, evidently the woman he had been trying to transform into Kate through plastic surgery and implants, swept in. Joe still looked like a sweaty pig, though a sweaty pig in a tux. Dasher found herself pitying the woman he brought with him. She was at least ten years younger than Kate and so painfully thin that her fake b.r.e.a.s.t.s didn't go with her frame. Dasher had thought her appearance odd before, but now she found it disturbing.

Joe waved at Kate and she must not have bothered to hide her granite-eyed expression when she saw him. He was chuckling at the glare and waved to Jason, too. Kate must have felt Jason's biceps tighten because she yanked gently on him. He turned his head away from Joe and faced her. Whatever he said, Kate nodded her agreement. Dasher found Greta and they made their entrance moments later. The attention was on Greta, for which Dasher was grateful. Greta was smiling, signing autographs, ignoring both Alder and Jason, and looked like she was enjoying every minute. Dasher admired the focus it must have taken to carry off her role.

Dasher stared at Kate for a long while. This was the scenario they had rehea.r.s.ed and the only part of the plan that allowed her to stay sane. As if she could have done anything else but look at Kate. Then she caught sight of Joe Alder watching as he laughed and chomped faster on his ever-present unlit cigar. She could tell he loved every minute of her performance.

Chaz and Mei-Lee entered the room and Joe immediately lost interest in Dasher and his own date, for that matter. Dash turned and was impressed to see that Mei-Lee had made herself look like a young teen. Chaz was nervously patting her hand. When he caught sight of Joe, Joe motioned them over and overtly flirted with Mei-Lee.

Michael played the part of a shy teen flawlessly. She ducked her head, stood awkwardly, and played with her hair. Joe was practically drooling. Chaz introduced her as his brother's daughter, then excused himself to get them something to drink, only once glancing furtively over his shoulder. Joe evidently told his date to get lost, too, because within a minute he was talking to Mei-Lee by himself.

She giggled and batted her eyelashes at him, dusting an imaginary speck from his ill-fitting jacket. He gestured toward a door in the corner of the ballroom and took her arm, propelling her in that direction.

Stefanie swore as he hurried toward the wrong room. Suddenly Denny, dressed in a silver gown that fit her tall frame like a second skin, and Jock, who had on a gorgeous woman's tux, were at that door, snuggling close to each other. Mei-Lee said something and they changed their course, Joe shrugging and laughing amiably with her, but staring contemptuously at the couple as they walked by.

Once Mei-Lee had him inside the correct room, Stefanie started monitoring the live feed from the room on her cell phone, and Laurel signaled the small group to gather outside the door. Chaz was right behind Kate, beads of sweat on his forehead. Bouncing on the b.a.l.l.s of his feet, he said, "We have to get in there. No telling what he'll do if he finds out she's a man."

"Wait, Chaz. Almost ready." Stef watched the screen intently, held up three fingers, then two, then one. "Go!"

Laurel slid her master card key through the lock and they spilled into the room. On cue, Mei-Lee turned to the camera, yanking off her wig and top, revealing herself as a man.

Joe Alder evidently forgot that his pants were around his ankles as his mouth flew open, the cigar dropping to the floor. His p.e.n.i.s deflated, but not before the special high-quality camera placed high on the wall next to the door caught the entire scene.

Joe screamed, "What the f.u.c.k are you doing in here? Get out!"

Greta boldly stepped forward. "Why, Joe. I didn't know you were gay. Interesting."

Looking completely confused he stuttered, "What are you talking about? I'm not some f.u.c.king f.a.g." He seemed to notice Mei-Lee as Michael for the first time. "What the f.u.c.k?"

Greta growled, "What's the matter, Joe? Isn't he young enough for you?"

His face started to turn a nasty color of red. "You. I'll have that f.u.c.king video of you going viral in another hour."

Dasher stood beside her. "Maybe you should pull up your pants before you do that. There's really not all that much to see."

While wrestling his pants to his waist Joe growled, "I'll ruin both of you. Watch me."

"I think we've watched enough. Just remember, if that video goes on the Internet, so does the one we just took of you having s.e.x with a man. That ought to go over well with your business a.s.sociates."

Joe's eyes showed surprise but his mouth twisted malevolently. He fumbled for his cell phone in his jacket pocket and finally held it up. "All I have to do is press this b.u.t.ton and I send my computer the instruction to release Greta's video. I planned to have you watching anyway."

Holding up her own phone, Dasher said, "Tell you what, we'll do it together. You release yours and I'll release the one we just took of you and your boyfriend. Ready? Set? Go!"

"Wait!" After a beat Joe yelled, "You b.i.t.c.h!" and pressed the b.u.t.ton on his phone.

He watched the screen go blank and started swearing. "What did you do?"

Kate had been waiting for this moment. "All of your files are gone, Joe. Everything on your hard drive, any films you had hidden, they're all gone."

"You can't..." He started stabbing at his phone with no success.

"Even if you have something stored in a place we haven't found, every time it appears on the Internet, it will be deleted and the video of you and your friend will be inserted. The marvels of the electronic age. Wonderful, yes?"

"You can kiss your career good-bye, Hoffman. I'll make sure you never work in this town again."

A deep baritone rumbled from the back of the room. "You're such a cliche, Joe. And about that." On cue the group parted to reveal Jerry Pate with Mimi on his arm. And although he attempted to gently hand her to Dasher and Kate, she stayed by his side.

Looking handsome and distinguished in his tuxedo, he pulled a set of papers from his inside coat pocket, three sheets at the most. "This is a statement releasing Kate Hoffman from her contract with you. Sign it."

The expression on Joe's face transformed from confusion to disbelief to refusal in two seconds. Kate held her breath. This part meant the most to her and Dasher, and it was up to Jerry to carry it off.

Now he and Joe were squaring off. Joe looked ready for a fight.

"I don't have to sign a f.u.c.king thing. Hoffman is mine. That d.y.k.e you call a daughter will never get Kate."

Before anyone could move, Mimi Pate reached out and slapped Joe so hard his jaw seemed to wobble on his face. "Don't you ever, ever say another thing about our daughter again." Her handprint clearly visible on his face, he simply stared.

Kate glanced at Dasher. Simultaneously they stepped up to Mimi and each took an arm to stand protectively beside her. She was trembling, but had a grim smile on her lips. Kate then watched in amazement as Jerry seemed to grow in size, if that were possible.

Jerry took a few steps toward Joe. "If you ever want to get one of your so-called clients into a film again, you'll sign this now."