Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 78227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Jesse and I head to our room, and I take the bathroom first. I shower, washing all the stage makeup off my skin, and go to bed.
I listen to the sounds of the shower, but before Jesse emerges from the bathroom, I’m asleep.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
BROCK
My phone buzzes.
It’s early, but I’m already up, of course. Up with the sun, ready to go to work, and it’s been a few days after dealing with everything.
It’s Rory. My heart pounds at the sight of her name on my phone’s screen.
“Hey, sweetheart,” I say into the phone.
“Good morning.”
“God, I miss you.” I rake my hand through my hair. “Feels like we haven’t seen each other in years.”
“It’s been a few days,” she chuckles, “but I agree. I miss you too, Brock.”
“I wanted to come surprise you again, but some weird shit is going down here.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s been strange here too. We’ve had two agents show up, both of whom only wanted to get laid.”
“What?” A spike of jealousy shoots through my gut.
“Yeah. Don’t worry. I’m a one-man woman now.”
“You’d better be.”
“I am. It still surprises the hell out of me, but I am.”
“Are you kidding me? Me too. I was the biggest Rake-a-teer of all. But no longer.”
“You better not be.”
“Never again.” I sigh. “Send me the information for your venue tonight.”
She gasps. “You’ll be there?”
“I can’t make any promises, baby. But I’m going to try. I’m going to try like hell.”
“It’s a cute little bar in Grand Junction. They have a great sound system according to Jesse. Dragonlock has played there before. But it’ll just be a concert. A performance. No chance of anyone being there to see us.”
“Hey, there will be people there.”
“Yeah. They’re sold out, in fact.”
“That’s great!” But my excitement is short-lived. “Except I can’t get in, then.”
“Are you kidding me? I’ll get you in. I’m with the band.”
I roar into laughter. “Are you saying I’m a groupie?”
“You’d better be my groupie,” she says.
“Always, sweetheart. And who cares about agents? You’ll have a sold-out audience who paid to hear your angelic voice.”
“Yeah. I’m trying to look at it that way. We do this for them, and for ourselves. Not to get famous, right?”
“You don’t have to be famous to make a living.”
“True enough. I would love for the band to get to a point where Jesse and the others don’t have to do any part-time work.”
“What about you?”
“I’m feeling hot and cold on it, to be honest. I gave up my opera dreams years ago, but this program you want me to put together… It’s got me thinking. I still love opera. I still love musical theater. But I also love rock and roll.”
“Are you interested in being a full-time rock singer?”
She sighs. “Brock, I just don’t know.”
“Well, you don’t have to decide today, sweetie. All you have to do today is sing your heart out tonight. Because whoever hears you will fall in love with you.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“Well… The only one who’s truly allowed to be in love with you is me.”
“And vice versa. Don’t you forget it, either.”
“Sweetheart, I’ll never forget that.”
After a few more “I love yous,” we end the call.
Off to work for me, but my head isn’t in the game. After a couple of hours, I let my assistant know that I’m done for the day. Then I drive into town.
To Doc Sheridan’s residence.
I assume Pat’s still house-sitting, because as far as I know, Doc and Brittany are still in Wyoming.
I knock on the door.
No answer.
I pound this time. “Lamone! Open up!”
Again, no response.
I check the doorknob, and it’s open.
So I let myself in.
“Lamone, I know you’re in here!”
Pat comes out of the kitchen wearing a T-shirt and jeans, no shoes.
“I can bust you for breaking and entering,” he says.
“You said come in,” I say.
“I did not.”
“Funny. That’s what I heard.”
He raises a hand and then, apparently thinking better of it, drops it to his side.
“Well, now I’m telling you to get out.”
“I don’t think so. You invited me in. So we’re going to have a little chat.”
“I can’t imagine what about.”
“About a few things. About what you did to Rory and Callie, and all the evidence you may still possess.”
“You’ll never find it.”
“Yeah, I think I will. Because your little girlfriend? Brittany Sheraton? She ratted you out like a canary.”
Pat drops his jaw.
Yeah, I’m bluffing, but he’s buying it.
“My father and I paid a visit to Brittany and her dad in Wyoming. We found out some interesting stuff.”
“Hey, man. I don’t have anything to do with what they’re up to.”
“Really? That’s not what I hear.”
“The bitch is lying.”
“Then I guess it’s your word against hers.”
“No one will believe her. She’s nuts, man.”
Brittany is not insane. Sociopathic, maybe, but not insane.
But I can see why he wants to play that card.
“Here’s what I don’t get, Pat… If you think you’re a Steel, and you think you’re entitled to a part of our fortune, why would you take part in such heinous activities on our property?”