Merrick: Harlequins MC (7 page)

“You just let us know what you need and we’ll make it happen.”

“Bus is here,” Patricia said as she stepped up.

“Thank you, Patricia. I’ll be right there.” Will turned his attention back to Merrick. “That’s what I like about you. No bitching, no arguing, just ‘tell me what you want’ and it happens. You might have a future in this.”

Merrick grinned. “I gave you my guarantee.”

“And you’ve kept—”

“Fuck!” Merrick barked and belted away before Will could finish speaking, running toward the bus as members of the cast and crew began to board for the ride back to the hotel. “Hey, stop!” he yelled as he ran.

Charlie turned, and seeing Merrick running toward him, dashed toward the bus, carrying something in a small knapsack. Merrick adjusted his path, hitting Charlie and taking him hard to ground just as he reached the bus.

Merrick jumped to his feet, winded from his run and the impact with Charlie. He hauled the other man up from the dirt and weeds of the empty lot as the cast and crew backed away. “What’s in the sack?” Merrick demanded, hauling Charlie toward the sack.

“Nothing,” Charlie gasped, favoring his left arm. “I think you broke my arm!”

“I’m going to break your fucking neck! What’s in the sack!” He scooped the bag off the ground from where it landed when Merrick hit him, and shoved into Charlie’s chest. “Open it!”

Charlie fumbled and began to open the sack and pulled out an eight-inch-tall replica of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards statue
. The golden statue was broken from its base. “You ruined it!” Charlie snarled as he held the Oscar replica out, shaking it in Merrick’s face. “I just wanted to give it to Poppy because I thought she was snubbed when she didn’t get a nomination for her role in
Fallen Petals
, and you ruined it!”

“You stupid shit! I thought you had a bomb or something!” Merrick snarled as he began dragging Charlie away.

Charlie cried out in pain. “My arm!”

“You’re lucky the only thing hurt is your arm! I should break your fucking neck!” he rumbled as he hustled Charlie along.

There were plenty of stories of crazed fans stalking famous people, and he was still coming down from the surge of adrenaline that had been dumped into his system. When he saw Charlie with the knapsack gripped to his chest as he ran for the bus, he’d really thought he was carrying a bomb or gun.

He reached the parameter and shoved Charlie through, snatching the lanyard from his neck with the pass on it.

“That’s mine!”

“Not anymore. You’re starting to piss me off, and trust me, you don’t want to do that. If I see you on the other side of the barricade again, or if you cause any more problems, you’re going to be eating through a straw. Have I made myself perfectly clear?”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No. I’m making you a fucking promise.”

“I’m going to write about this on my blog!”

“You go right ahead. It’s the Harlequins Motorcycle Club. Make sure you spell it right. Now get the fuck out of here. Now!” he barked when Charlie didn’t move. Merrick glared at him until Charlie slowly turned and began to limp away. “Stupid fuck,” he muttered as he turned and started back toward the production crew.

Will intercepted him. “How did he get through?”

Merrick held out the lanyard. The pass was obviously homemade, but it was good enough to pass a cursory glance. “One of your people probably passed him right through.”

“Where did he get this?” Will asked, taking the pass and examining.

“Probably took a picture of it with his cell phone or something.” Merrick took the pass and turned it over. “See, there’s no writing on the back.”

Will huffed out breath. “Damnit. Okay, change of plans. I’d like a few of your guys on set tomorrow. Beginning tomorrow, you have total control over security. I’ll clear it with Taylor. I’m glad it turned out to be nothing, but when you ran after that guy, I knew exactly what you were thinking, and it scared the shit out of me. I’ve been doing this for almost fifty years, and I never used to have to worry about bombs, crazy gunmen, or shit like that. Now?” He shrugged.

“We’ll make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.” He paused as Poppy and Blake walked up.

“How the hell did he get through security?” Poppy demanded.

“He had a fake pass,” Will said, fanning the plastic holder.

“Where’d he get that?”

“Looks like he made it.”

Poppy and Blake looked at each other. “What are you doing to make sure it doesn’t happen again?” Blake asked.

“Merrick is taking over location security.”

“He was already location security, and he got through,” Poppy sneered. “What if that guy had a gun? You remember what happened a couple years ago when that crazy guy came on set and killed Jade Ning. What about John Hinckley? He shot the fucking
President
to impress Jodi Foster. People are crazy, and you just let him walk onto the set? Isn’t that twice he slipped past you? And wasn’t he the one who was making all the noise earlier? You must have really impressed him.”

“Poppy, it wasn’t Merrick’s fault. One of our people let him pass. Merrick’s taking that over so it—”

“I don’t care whose fucking fault it is! If you can’t keep the location secure you should shut this production down until you can! I’m not willing to die for your fucking movie!”

“Poppy, calm down. These things happen,” Blake said, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Nobody got hurt and Will and Taylor are making sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“Don’t touch me!” she said, shrugging his hand off. “Things like this shouldn’t happen at all, not with all the crazy people out there. We’re in fucking Texas, for Christ sake, where every kid old enough to walk is carrying a gun! If something like this happens again, I’m outta here!”

Merrick had been standing silently listening to Poppy bluster. “I think you should be thankful even one person wants to be around you,” he said softly.

She stared at him, her mouth hanging slightly open with her eyes wide, then drew her hand back to slap him. He caught it before it could reach his face and slowly forced it down as she tried to jerk her hand away.

“That wouldn’t be in your best interest,” he replied just as softly, holding her eyes until she looked away. He released her hand and she jerked it back.

“Don’t you ever touch me again!”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I have no interest in touching you.”

Again she stared, her eyes hard. “You’re horrible!” She turned and stomped away toward the bus.

“You’re welcome!” Merrick called after her. “What a bitch,” he muttered just loud enough for Blake and Will to hear.

Blake began to laugh, Will joining in before Blake slapped Merrick on the shoulder then turned, the two men still laughing as they walked toward the bus.

“Pass.” Merrick said as Poppy stepped up.

“You fucking well know who I am!”

“You want in, show me your pass.”

“Fuck you!”

He smiled at her. “I thought you didn’t want me touching you. Either show me your pass or step aside.”

“Just show him your pass,” Paul said stepping up behind her, holding his card so Merrick could see it.

Merrick gave his head a nod, and as Paul stepped around Poppy, she tried to step pass with him, but Merrick took he by the arm. “No pass, no entry. You wanted a secure location, you got it.”

“I’ll have you fired for this!”

“Go ahead, but until you do, you have to show your pass.”

“Poppy, for Christ sake, just show him your pass,” Danielle said holding hers out for him to see. “I’m glad he’s being thorough.”

She glared at him as Danielle stepped through, then Blake flashed his pass and was admitted.

“I don’t have mine,” she finally muttered.

“Set aside please. I need Taylor Goode to the check point to sign in a cast member,” Merrick said into the walkie. He spent a moment checking IDs and comparing those he didn’t immediately recognize to names on a clipboard before passing them in, then when there was a break, took a thick marker and wrote
Poppy Landrieu
on a white card and slipped it into a holder.

“Who is it?” Taylor said as he approached. “Poppy!” he said loudly when he saw her standing to the side. “Why did you stop her?”

“You’re the one who said anyone who didn’t have their pass or wasn’t on the clipboard was to only be admitted by you or Will. She doesn’t have her pass, so that’s what I’m doing.”

“I didn’t mean Poppy, or one of the stars! Jesus H. Christ on a popsicle stick, what’s wrong with you?” he shouted, staring at Merrick as if he’d grown another head.

“You set the guidelines, I’m just following them.”

“Yes! Let her in!”

“Taylor, I need to see you!” Poppy said as she grabbed the lanyard and holder from Merrick as she passed.

Merrick smiled. He knew the shit was about to hit the fan now, which was why he wanted to be the one checking IDs the first night, for situations just like this.

“Good for you,” the man he’d seen working the camera said as he stepped up and showed Merrick his pass. Merrick said nothing, kept his poker face, and passed him through.

***

“Merrick, I can’t have you harassing Poppy. It has to stop.”

“What are you talking about? I haven’t been harassing anyone.”

“The water. Grabbing her yesterday. Making her wait this morning because she forgot her pass. And of that ring any bells?”

“You said we had access to what food and water we needed. You’re the one who said anybody who didn’t have a pass or wasn’t on the list could only be admitted by your or Will’s say so. And if she’d slapped me, I would have punched her into next fucking week, so be glad I caught her hand.”

“Why are you being such an asshole?”

“I’m not being an asshole. Why is the only person here who seems to be having a problem Poppy? Have you ever asked that? Why do you put up with her shit?”

“Because she’s the goddamn star of the movie, that’s why!”

“So? ‘She’s the star’ doesn’t cut any shit with me. If you want me to run security, fine. You tell me the parameters and we’ll follow them. But I’m not going to let anyone, not you, not Will, not Poppy Landrieu, bully me into letting them ignore the rules. You don’t like it, then find someone else.”

“You don’t understand—”

“No, you don’t understand,” Merrick said, cutting him off. “You agreed to let me run security. Either get out of my face or find someone else. Those are your only two options.”

“You can’t talk to me like that! Who do you think you are?”

“I’m the guy who solved your fucking problem, that’s who. Now you’re standing here questioning me.”

“Get off my production!”

Merrick nodded. “You got it. I’ll send you a bill.” He shoved the clipboard into Taylor’s chest and handed him his location pass before he walked away to collect his men. As he spoke to each man, they dropped their lanyard where they stood and began to file away. When everyone was at their bikes, they rumbled to life like distant thunder before they rode out as a group.

***

Poppy watched as Merrick and the rest of the Harlequins pulled away on V-Twin thunder, a weight settling into her stomach as the heavy roar of their bikes faded into the night. This wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted to put that fucking Merrick in his place, sure, but she didn’t think he would actually quit. Or had he been fired as she’d demanded?

Taking a deep breath, she held her head up high. The standard security would just have to do. The Harlequins had gotten the crowds under control so now the production company should be able to handle it. She turned and walked back toward the crew where Taylor had called together the heads of each department and was talking to them.

“You what?” Will’s voice carried. “I can’t believe you fired them before the river shoot. Taylor, you have to get them back.”

“I’m not calling them back,” Taylor said as Poppy stepped up behind the crew to listen. “They’ve been nothing but a pain in the ass since they got here.”

“How?” Boggs, the director of photography asked. “Because Poppy didn’t like him? This production was a fucking train wreck until he got here and got control of the crowds. We’ve made up a full shooting day since you hired him. I’ve spoken to him a couple of times, when I wanted to change an angle or something, and he has been nothing but accommodating and polite. He’s gone out of his way to make this shoot easier for us. So tell me, Taylor, exactly whose ass has he been a pain in?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Taylor said. “What’s done is done. We’ll take over the crowds like before.”

“When we couldn’t get shit done?” Asher, the Giraffe operator said. “Why don’t you come out and hold the boom mic in the hot fucking sun for a while as we wait for the crowds to quiet down, and do that ten times because they ruined the take. Then you tell me ‘what’s done is done.’”

“It’s my decision and I’ve made it. Now, We’ve got a full night of shooting ahead of us, so let’s get to it.”

Poppy ducked her head and tried to slip away but Paul intercepted her. “Good job, Poppy. I hope you’re happy.”

“Why are you taking that asshole’s side?” she flared.

“Because you’re acting like a spoiled brat.”

“He was being an asshole!”

“No, he was treating you like everyone else. I’m glad to see someone who wasn’t tiptoeing around you like they were walking on eggshells. I’ve been doing this for forty years, so let me give you a little advice: you’re one of the most talented young actresses I’ve seen in a long time, but I don’t care how good you are in front of the camera, if you are big enough pain in the ass behind the camera, nobody will hire you. Think about it.”

“Poppy, you’re needed in makeup,” Leslie said, walking up.

Poppy stared at Paul a moment then turned to Leslie. “I’ll be right there.”

***

“That’s right, Jafet, at the bend near the El Pico Treatment plant. The nearest road in is, let’s see…” Merrick paused at he looked at his notes. “Here it is. Go in on Minerales Annex Road, which is off Mines Road. They’ll be setting up at first light. Get there early for a good view. They’ll be there all day.”

“Okay, but you owe us one,” Jafet said from the phone. Jafet Hernandez was the President of the LRLs, the Low Riders of Laredo. The LRLs were strictly legal, but they had helped get the party started around the production. The Harlequins had been providing security for their bi-annual shows, ever since a guy flashed a gun in an argument several years ago.

“They told me they wanted local flavor in their movies. You’re just helping them out.”

Jafet chuckled. “I don’t know about this first light shit, but yeah, it’ll be cool to go watch them film. Maybe I’ll get my uncle’s boat and go out on the river and watch from there. I’m not going to have to worry about you showing up and knocking heads am I? I heard what happened.”

Merrick grinned. Brand B should have good crowd watching them work tomorrow. “I bet they would like that and, no, you don’t have anything to worry about. They decided they didn’t need security anymore.”

“Like the first time.”

“Just like the first time.”

“I think we can help you out, then.”

“I appreciate it, Jafet.”

“Don’t worry about it, bro. You’ve been helping us out; we’re just returning the favor.”

“Your next two shows are on us.”

“Been a pleasure.”

“Same here,” Merrick said and hung up. He sat the phone aside and took another pull from his beer. There was probably going to be fifty or sixty people at the shoot tomorrow, not counting however many showed up on their own. With the LRLs and Rolling Thunder, the car stereo enthusiasts there, it should be an interesting day for Brand B.

Merrick sighed as he toed his boots off. It had been a hectic few days. Tomorrow he would catch up on his paperwork for Capra Framing and his sleep. Granted not all the production crew had to be at the location at the same time, and his people did, but he didn’t realize just how long the days were when shooting a movie. The night shoots, like tonight, where they were shooting inside the mall while it was closed, were the real ball busters.

The club didn’t need the money, and it wouldn’t bother him a bit if Brand B just packed up and went home.

His phone rang and he picked it up. “Sonya. What’s up?”

“I just found out you were home. Want some company?”

Merrick grinned. “Are you offering?”

“No, dumbass. I just called to see if you wanted company because I needed to come feed your goldfish.”

He chuckled. “Sure. Come on over, but I need to get some sleep tonight.”

“Okay, but since you don’t have to go do the security stuff tomorrow, is there any reason you can’t fuck me in the morning?”

“None at all.”

“Good. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

He hung up and grinned before he shook his head. He didn’t know who he was kidding. Sonya wouldn’t be here an hour before he was fucking her. His grin grew wider as he got to his feet, drained the last of his beer from the bottle, and chucked it into the trash. He moved back to his room, switching off lights and stripping for his shower as he went. He could sleep when he was dead.