“That was different.”
“Only in the details. He was your man and you stuck by him. Then, when he wasn’t your man anymore, you still didn’t want to see him hurt if you could help it. That’s how I feel about Trevor.”
“Okay,” Margot replied, “except one of those details you mentioned was he took a shot at you.”
“He missed. I’d say he missed on purpose.”
“Even if you’re right, that’s going way too far.”
“Maybe, but I’m not ready to throw him in jail for attempted murder. Not if there’s another way.”
“Okay, what exactly is that other way?”
“I think you know. I’ve heard it’s kind of a specialty of yours.”
“I’m not a thug for hire.”
“Okay, I get that. I’m not asking you to beat him up or break his legs, but it might help my cause if he thinks you can. It will make him more likely to listen to what I need him to hear.”
“You want me to deliver a message for you?”
“Yeah, a simple one. Tell him I’m sorry, but it has to be over.”
“You couldn’t tell him that yourself?”
“I’ve tried. I’m afraid of him though, and he knows it. I can’t meet him face-to-face, but you can.”
Margot really wanted to tell her to go away, but the thing she said about being afraid of her boyfriend struck a nerve. Her mother was in a similar situation with her father, only no one ever warned him off. Her mother lived afraid because of her father and then she died because of him. Margot didn’t wish that kind of abuse on anyway, even Cassie.
Margot thought it over for another second. She wondered if Cassie knew her past and was manipulating her. She decided to ask a few more questions before she made a commitment.
“Anderson and Cranston heavily implied the person harassing you left you a message about your show. I believe they wanted me to say something like: ‘I hear my name coming out your mouth one more time, bitch and I’m putting a cap in your pretty face.’ That sounds a lot like they’re talking about your show. Why would your old boyfriend care about the show unless he’s been on it?”
Cassie was quiet.
“You look like you’re trying to think of a lie.”
“It’s not the same person. The call, I think, was just a threat to try to get me to back off.”
“From whom?”
“I’m not sure. I might have said you, but you seem more a face-to-face person than a threatening call. Could be Harry Lee, or someone working for him. He certainly likes his name kept out of things. I’ve been dedicating a lot of time to the Masterson Hot Tub Massacre lately. I think it’s someone involved in that.”
“In my experience, Harry is more the tell-you-in-person type as well.”
“Which is why I’m less worried about that and more concerned with Trevor.”
“I don’t suppose you’ve made a list of all the people you’ve named in recent episodes?”
“I have, but—no offense Margot—I handed that one to the police. The only name I didn’t give them was Trevor.”
“Because you want me to handle that one?”
“If possible. If you don’t think he’s getting the point, then I’ll tell the police about him. Can you help me?”
Margot didn’t have it in her to say no. “I can squeeze it in, but I’m not cheap.”
“I can afford a day and honestly, it shouldn’t take that.”