Betrayal (35 page)
Authors: Danielle Steel
Tallie made a short and moving speech about the extraordinary producer he had been, and the honor it had been to work with him. “His memory will live on with us forever, like his work. Never
lost,
never forgotten, never far from our hearts. Sleep on, sweet prince. Go gently into the night. You will be much missed.” She spoke with astounding eloquence, and held the Oscar she was going to send to Angela Morissey for their son, and when she left the stage, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. It had been a noble farewell, despite what he had done to her. Jim admired her more than ever as he listened, and when she returned to her seat again, he put an arm around her and held her close. She was a remarkable woman. And Jim felt like the luckiest man in the world. Max was crying as she beamed at her mother.
It was a glittering evening, and Tallie was besieged by the press as they left. She was still clutching her Oscar and Hunt’s, and Jim’s hand. And Tallie thanked everyone who had been involved.
The three of them went to two of the after parties that night, and after the second one, Tallie told Max they were leaving and she’d send the car back for her. Max was having a great time with a bunch of young people she knew, and a handsome young actor who was flirting with her. She was the belle of the ball, and Tallie looked happy as she left on Jim’s arm, still holding both Oscars. A last rush of photographers took their picture as they left, and she heaved a sigh of relief as she leaned back against the seat in the car and Jim smiled at her as they drove off.
“That was some evening,” he said in awe, “and you were
amazing
,” and then he kissed her. “I’m so proud of you, Tallie.” For an instant she thought of her father. He would have been proud of her too, but now Jim was here. He was a blessing she hadn’t expected, after all the losses. And now the Oscar, which would give her even
more
credibility as a director. She was grateful for that, but she wasn’t thinking of her career as she looked at him.
“I was proud of you tonight too,” she said, looking at him. “Thank you for coming with me.” He didn’t know what to say to that. What could he say? He loved her modesty and simplicity, her integrity, and the woman she was. He kissed her again, which told her more than he could with words.
“Thank you” was all he said, and she kissed him back. And when they got home and she got out of the limo and sent it back for Max, she looked at Jim and laughed.
“The coach just turned into a pumpkin, and the coachmen into mice. I think I like it better this way,” she said, and he laughed at her.
“I know you do. I love you, Cinderella.”
“I love you too,” she said as they wandered into the house. They were still talking about the evening as they walked up the stairs together. It had been an incredible moment in her life and a great honor, and the best of it was that all the liars and frauds were gone. A good man had found her at last.
Epilogue
A WEEK AFTER
the Academy Awards, Brigitte Parker was sentenced to eighteen years in prison. Based on the recommendation of the probation department’s pre-sentencing report, the judge refused to run her sentences concurrently, and ran them consecutively. She received a six-year sentence for her embezzlement from Tallie Jones and twelve years in the state system for the murder of Hunter Lloyd.
Tallie Jones was able to reclaim about a third of what she lost, from the sale of Brigitte Parker’s possessions. The proceeds of the sale of her home on Mulholland Drive went to the Internal Revenue Service for income tax evasion.
A year later, Tallie Jones and Jim Kingston were married on the beach in Hawaii, accompanied by their children.
A year after that, Victor Carson married a twenty-three-year-old Russian trade show model in Las Vegas.
About the Author
Danielle Steel
is on the of the world’s most popular and highly acclaimed authors, with eighty international bestselling novels in print and 600 million copies sold. She is also the author of
His Bright Light
, the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death. She lives in California and Paris.
To discover more about Danielle Steel and her books visit her website at
www.daniellesteel.com
And don’t forget to join her on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/DanielleSteelOfficial
Also by Danielle Steel
HOTEL VENDÔME
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
44 CHARLES STREET
LEGACY
FAMILY TIES
BIG GIRL
SOUTHERN LIGHTS
MATTERS OF THE HEART
ONE DAY AT A TIME
A GOOD WOMAN
ROGUE
HONOUR THYSELF
AMAZING GRACE
BUNGALOW 2
SISTERS
H.R.H.
COMING OUT
THE HOUSE
TOXIC BACHELORS
MIRACLE
IMPOSSIBLE
ECHOES
SECOND CHANCE
RANSOM
SAFE HARBOUR
JOHNNY ANGEL
DATING GAME
ANSWERED PRAYERS
SUNSET IN ST. TROPEZ
THE COTTAGE
THE KISS
LEAP OF FAITH
LONE EAGLE
JOURNEY
THE HOUSE ON HOPE STREET
THE WEDDING
IRRESISTIBLE FORCES
GRANNY DAN
BITTERSWEET
MIRROR IMAGE
HIS BRIGHT LIGHT:
The Story of my son, Nick Traina
THE KLONE AND I
THE LONG ROAD HOME
THE GHOST
SPECIAL DELIVERY
THE RANCH
SILENT HONOUR
MALICE
FIVE DAYS IN PARIS
LIGHTNING
WINGS
THE GIFT
ACCIDENT
VANISHED
MIXED BLESSINGS
JEWELS
NO GREATER LOVE
HEARTBEAT
MESSAGE FROM NAM
DADDY
STAR
ZOYA
KALEIDOSCOPE
FINE THINGS
WANDERLUST
SECRETS
FAMILY ALBUM
FULL CIRCLE
CHANGES
THURSTON HOUSE
CROSSINGS
ONCE IN A LIFETIME
A PERFECT STRANGER
REMEMBRANCE
PALOMINO
LOVE: POEMS
THE RING
LOVING
TO LOVE AGAIN
SUMMER’S END
SEASON OF PASSION
THE PROMISE
NOW AND FOREVER
GOLDEN MOMENTS*
GOING HOME
* Published outside the UK under the title PASSION’S PROMISE
For more information on Danielle Steel and her books, see her website at
www.daniellesteel.com
TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS
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First published in Great Britain
in 2012 by Bantam Press
an imprint of Transworld Publishers
Copyright © 2012 by Danielle Steel
Danielle Steel has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781409092827
ISBN 9780593063101 (cased)
9780593063118 (tpb)
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About the Book
Tallie Jones is a Hollywood legend. An ambitious and passionate film director, her award-winning productions achieve the rare combination of critical and commercial success. But she has little interest in the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles, instead focusing intently on her work and family.
She has close, loving relationships with her daughter, her elderly father and Hunter Lloyd – her co-producer and partner of four years. Completing her trusted circle is Brigitte Parker – Tallie’s best friend and devoted personal assistant. They've been friends since film school, and Brigitte’s polished glamour and highly organized style provides a perfect balance to Tallie’s casual appearance and down-to-earth approach to life.
However, as Tallie is in the midst of directing her most ambitious film to date, small disturbances start to ripple through her faultlessly ordered world. An audit reveals worrying discrepancies in her financial records, which have always been maintained by her trusted accountant, Victor Carson. Receipts hint at activities of which she has no knowledge. Someone close to Tallie has been steadily helping themself to enormous amounts of her money. Her once safe world of trusted associates is suddenly shaken to its very core – and Tallie is in shock, trying to figure out who has betrayed her among those she trusts and holds dear...
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