“I have no idea.” Seth jogged down the stairs so he could check the kitchen for a note or anything else that might provide more information.

Cal trailed after him. “Anything?”

“No.” He slammed one of the drawers that had been left open, suggesting Tia had left in a hurry. “I hope she didn’t walk right into Kouretas’s hands, thinking she was helping me by doing so.”

Cal began jingling the change in his pocket. “How can we find out if she did?”

Seth scrolled through the many attempts he’d made to reach her on his phone. Should he try calling her again? Was she even getting his voice-mail messages?

He’d left her plenty, telling her not to let Kouretas get anywhere near her. He’d wanted to speak to her, to hear her voice so he could talk her down and explain. But maybe she’d be more likely to respond to a text.

Although he planned to tell her pretty much what he’d said in his voice mails—to stay away from Kouretas because it was all a ploy, and there was no way he wanted the paparazzo and the Iveys to get away with it—his wild accusations suddenly seemed less important than simply hearing that she was okay. Can you answer my calls? he wrote instead. Please? I’m worried about you.

He waited, but when he didn’t get a response, even to that, he started to search for Kouretas’s business card.

“What is it?” Cal asked when he came around the corner to find Seth searching the counters.

“Kouretas’s card. I had it here. I know I did.”

“And now it’s gone?”

The second Cal said that, the obvious occurred to him, and he groaned as he straightened.

“That doesn’t sound good,” Cal said.

“Tia must’ve taken it,” he replied. “How else would she reach him?”

The studio where she’d been told to go looked like an upscale warehouse. Tia’s stomach did a few somersaults while she was still out in the street. She’d disguised herself with her scarf, beanie and sunglasses, but she still ducked her head when she saw a group coming toward her.

After they passed, she walked in.

Despite being raised in a religion that eschewed physical beauty, she’d taken great pride in her looks. Since coming to LA, she’d learned they were extremely important, at least to some people. Now the accident was forcing her to decide just how important they were to her. Was she going to let the loss of her pretty face ruin her life?