by Mandy Baggot
Buzz didn’t say a word.
‘Listen, I’ve not spoken to Honor this mornin’ but she’s in the market for a new advisor … ’
Buzz shook his head. ‘You’re not seriously suggesting I look after her?’
‘She’s comin’ on the tour, Buzz. It would keep things neat.’
‘It would cause no end of issues. You’re two completely different artists.’
‘Are you sayin’ you can’t handle it? Or you just don’t want to? What is it you’ve got against her, Buzz?’
Buzz shook his head. Jared could see there was something he was holding back. Buzz was the best in the business at what he did and Jared wanted Honor to have the best if there was a chance.
‘I’ve got nothing against her.’ Buzz lowered himself onto the couch and took a deep breath. Jared had never seen him like this before. He was quiet, had suddenly become introverted. He watched him take a moment then raise his head to meet his gaze.
‘I was there … that night.’ Buzz’s voice was weak with emotion.
‘What?’ Jared leant against the wooden mantle over the fireplace.
‘I was there, in Illinois, at the concert, at her concert when that madman attacked her.’
Jared sucked in a breath, putting his hand to his cap.
‘I was meeting with the support act after the show to see about working with them. Honor was the best there was at that time. She had an unrivalled range and the ability to hold the crowd in the palm of her hand. I was in the very front row, about half a dozen seats away from … him … that guy.’ He paused to compose himself. ‘It was a small gig. Before anyone knew or could do anything about it, he’d got on stage and he’d cut her face.’
His fingers dug into his palms as raw rage manifested itself deep inside and swirled around, fighting to get up and out.
‘The band carried on playing at first. She didn’t even scream. The look on her face, the blood on her hands, her eyes so wide and innocent, so shocked.’ Buzz rubbed his hands over his face and took a breath. ‘I had my daughter with me, Jared. Lucille had a case she couldn’t pass over; I took Mona to that concert. A ten year old girl had to sit and witness something like that.’
Jared couldn’t hold it in any longer. He punched the wooden mantle with his fist. The force of the blow, together with the thickness of the wood split the skin at his knuckles. He didn’t feel a thing. Buzz had just described something he’d only read about on the internet. After he’d met Honor, when he’d found out what had happened to her he’d wanted to know everything, all the detail. But now, hearing it from someone who had seen it, made the true horror hit home.
‘Mona had nightmares for weeks. Kept asking me if someone was going to do that to her one day … if she sang, if she did a show at school,’ Buzz continued.
‘Stop,’ Jared ordered. He rested his hands on the mantle, facing the wall, his head hanging.
‘I feel for the girl, I really do, Jared. But it’s too close to home. I’ve put it behind me and … ’
‘What?’ Jared raised his head and slowly turned around. ‘What did you say? You’ve put it all behind you?’
Buzz didn’t respond.
‘You saw what he did. Your daughter saw what he did, and what? That makes you want to wash your hands of her and stay away? What sort of man are you?’
‘You’re responding emotionally, Jared. You’ve hooked up with her and you’re not thinking straight.’ Buzz got to his feet.
‘I’m the one who’s respondin’ emotionally? You’re tellin’ me you won’t represent her because you witnessed some guy sticking a knife in her face and it upset your family balance for a few weeks. What about what she’s been through, huh? You shouldn’t be retreatin’, you should be offerin’ her everything you’ve got.’
Buzz looked to the floor.
‘I don’t understand it, man. I don’t understand it at all.’ He shook his head and paced out the room towards the kitchen. He really needed a beer right now. He threw open the refrigerator only to be greeted by scores of bottles of Pure Nectar. He slammed the door shut and let out a grunt of annoyance. How was he going to work this out?
He caught sight of Buzz in his peripheral and straightened up, leaning against the worktop and folding his arms across his chest.
‘You’re really serious about her? This isn’t just a couple of nights and over and done like that waitress?’
Jared shook his head, his eyes narrowing, his expression set on mean. ‘Damn straight I’m serious. This ain’t nothin’ close to anything else. And I don’t care how that makes anyone else feel.’
Buzz nodded his head and then buttoned up his jacket, shifting his shoulders back. Jared watched and waited. How was this going to play out? Was this going to be some sort of stand-off position where neither of them would give an inch? He didn’t want to find himself another advisor. Buzz understood him … most of the time.
‘You were right. I was the one thinking with something other than the business side of my brain. And, if I’m honest, that’s how I’ve been thinking since the second you mentioned her name in conversation. That was unprofessional and … that was wrong.’
Jared’s gray eyes met Buzz’s ebony ones and he nodded.
‘Whatever you want to do I’ll support you, you know that. It’s always been a given and I don’t intend changing things … unless you want to,’ Buzz said.
Jared shook his head.
‘But if we’re going to continue working together you need to forewarn and forearm me so we make the most out of everything and avoid me getting calls from Davey Duncan at Countrified at six a.m.’
‘He’s got one hell of a nerve.’
‘Lucille’s never listening to him again.’ Buzz smiled.
Jared braced himself to ask the next question. ‘And Honor?’
He felt Buzz’s intake of breath as well as heard it. ‘I think it should be her decision. Larry Welt is a great guy. He knows the industry almost as well as I do and they have history. I don’t know what’s gone on with them but … ’
‘But if she asks? If she wants you to?’
‘If she asks and she wants to, I’ll be there.’
Before he had time to say anything else or backtrack, Jared clapped Buzz into a bear hug, slapping his back.
‘Alright, don’t crease the suit! Have you any idea how much dry-cleaning costs these days?’
Chapter Twenty Eight
Now they had hit clear road, Jared was going way over the limit. All the road signs were flashing by her like blurry shapes, unrecognizable. He accelerated harder and the bike roared on faster until all she could think about was the rush and all she could feel was the wind whipping around her clothes. Her heart was pounding, her eyes watered despite the helmet and her fingers dug into the leather of his jacket as he took them on a thrill ride.
By the time he’d parked up outside the Gear Records building all she felt was exhilaration. They’d just had total, mind-spinning, uncomplicated fun. She pulled off the helmet and shook her hair loose.
‘If the police had caught us you’d have been arrested! Going way too fast and you weren’t wearing a helmet!’ She couldn’t hide the laughter in her voice or the color in her cheeks as she got off the pillion, playfully slapping his arm.
‘It would have been worth it.’ He grabbed hold of her hand and spun her back to the bike, gathering her into him.
His lips hovered over hers, the fine hairs of his stubble just tickling the skin above her top lip. He was teasing her, because he knew how much she wanted him. She shifted her upper body back just an inch or so. She could play this game. She couldn’t help but snicker.
‘What?’ he questioned, his gray eyes searching hers.
‘Nothing.’ She swallowed as he continued to look at her. The heat from his body was radiating into hers. She could feel herself straightening up, parts of her glowing, becoming more aware. She pressed herself against him, her torso meeting his, her breasts molding to his chest.
‘We’re about to go into a serious business meetin’ in there.’ He didn’t take his eyes off her.
‘I’m about to go into a serious business meeting. You can go get coffee and wait for me,’ she replied, putting a hand to his cap.
He flinched slightly. ‘Damn, you’re not gonna let me come in?’ He sat back a little, put his hand to his hat, distancing himself.
He could see she’d noticed. She let him go, folded her arms across her chest in defense. He was a first grade tool.
‘Do you ever take it off? Apart from changing to a bike helmet?’
The question was blunt and to the point. He didn’t want to answer. He didn’t really know what he should say.
‘I mean, you must shower sometimes.’
He tried to keep himself relaxed but the tension had already started to creep into his arms and was travelling a path across his shoulders.
‘Jared?’ She had a concerned look on her face now and he didn’t want that.
‘Hey, I shower … it’s just my thing, you know?’ Now he just sounded plain stupid.
‘Your thing?’ she queried. ‘An image thing?’
‘No, nothing dumb like that.’ This wasn’t going well.
‘Then what?’
He shrugged, leaned forward and got off the bike. He leant against it, his fingers tucked into the belt of his jeans, his eyes on the floor. He wasn’t stupid enough to think this would never come up. But he couldn’t tell her why without telling her what he’d done and he wasn’t ready for that. Things needed to be settled. She needed stability in her life, routine, to know where she was headed.
‘I like it, OK? Doesn’t it make me look a little sexy?’ He smiled at her, pulled the peak down over his forehead and fixed her with his best look.
She didn’t look convinced. He changed the subject. ‘So, you sure about goin’ in there on your own?’
‘Sure. This is the new Honor Blackwood. More confident, more determined, more … ’
‘Damn hot,’ he interrupted.
A blush hit her cheeks and she straightaway reached for her hair, pulling a section down over her scar. He leaned off the bike and moved toward her. ‘Don’t do that.’
‘What?’ She averted her eyes as he reached her.
‘You’re beautiful. All of you. The whole thing. Even this part. How many times do I need to tell you that?’ He put his index finger to her scar and traced the line of it. ‘This might have changed you but it also made you.’
She pressed her lips against his and he wound his hand into her curls, coaxing her head forward to deepen the kiss, her mouth opening. The sweet, pure taste of her filled all his senses. He didn’t want to let her go, ever.
She put fingers to his jaw and eased him back with a softer kiss. ‘I should go in. I don’t want to be late.’
‘I’ll go order some Pure Nectar and get photographed somewhere. Call me when you’re done.’ He ran a hand down her hair, caught hold of her hand and squeezed it in his. ‘Good luck.’
He watched her cross the sidewalk and push open the glass door. Once inside, she turned back to look at him, waving a hand.
She was glowing, from her toes to her teeth and all the parts in between. The meeting with Gear had been nothing like her get together with Micro. Flynn Fisher had been there singing her praises to the chief-executive and then a You Tube video of her performance at Kelsey Rio’s had been played on the plasma TV to the whole team in the room. To begin with she’d let Flynn Fisher do the talking and that reminded her of how much she’d relied on Larry before. Larry had led discussions, he’d known what to ask, what to look for in the detail, what information needed passing on to her lawyer. She was a singer, not a business mogul, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t learn. And she wanted to. She’d spent so long living on the back foot it was time to stand on her own two to prove to herself more than anyone else, that she could do it.
Gear’s legal team had looked over the contract her lawyer had sent them and both were certain there was an easy way to get her out of it. Nothing was standing in her way of a brand new start with a different record company. Jared’s record company.
As she came out the elevator she saw him outside, leant up against the bike, checking his phone. Seeing him there, waiting for her, made that glow increase, warming her insides, heating her heart. She rushed to the door.
‘Miss Blackwood,’ the receptionist called.
Honor turned.
‘A gentleman left this for you.’ She held a package out over the desk towards her.
It was a small oblong parcel wrapped up in gold paper. Honor didn’t move.
‘What did he look like?’ she asked.
‘Hmm now, I guess about six feet, jeans, plaid shirt. He just looked like a regular guy. Touch of Johnny Cash about him maybe.’
As Honor stared at the package in the receptionist’s hand all she could think about was what Mia had said that morning about Simeon Stewart and what she had said in her confident reply. Was she wrong? Was this him? Was he stalking her with gifts to let her know he knew where she was and that he was watching and waiting?
A shiver ran over her body and she looked to Jared outside. She didn’t know what to do.
‘Are you OK, Miss Blackwood?’
‘Yes, yes, I’m fine. I guess I’d better open it, huh?’ She moved towards the counter and took the parcel from the girl.
Sliding her fingers under the paper she ripped it open, parting it to reveal a box of Reese’s Pieces. They were her favorite candy. Although she didn’t think anyone really knew that. Would Dan remember that? Had she told him when they were together? Was this Dan’s way of trying to make things up to her? Was it really his style? Or was it something more sinister? A thought struck her.
‘The man … the man who delivered these … did he look like this?’ Honor called up Google, tapping away to bring up a news report of her attack, a report she knew had a photo of Simeon Stewart attached to it. She found it, zoomed in and turned her phone to the receptionist, her heart pounding. She could put this to bed once and for all when she got a negative.
‘No … at least I don’t think so. I didn’t really look that hard. I just took the package.’
‘Could you just look a little harder and try?’ She didn’t want to sound desperate but if she knew for sure it wasn’t the guy who maimed her she could cope with anything else.
The receptionist squinted her eyes and focused on the photo, putting her fingers to Honor’s phone as she held it. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t think it was him but I can’t be sure.’
Honor took back her phone and nodded. She picked up the chocolates and headed for the door. All the positives had been stamped on again. What had she done to deserve getting kicked back down every time life threw her something good?
‘How did it go?’ Jared asked, studying her as she approached.
‘Really well. They’re going to get me out of Micro’s contract and I really liked the team.’ Only a flicker of enthusiasm was evident in her tone.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘I think we need to go to the police.’
Chapter Twenty Nine
She’d been gone almost a half hour and he was starting to get antsy. He’d offered to go into the interview room with her but she’d insisted on doing it alone. Half of him was glad. Although sitting in the waiting area was like being an animal at the zoo, being stared at by everyone, it was a step up from being enclosed in a room with a detective and a recording device.
All that was going through his mind was the thought that if he hadn’t left her at the Gear offices he would have been in reception when whoever it was dropped off the chocolates. It could be Dan Steele or the shit that attacked her. Whichever one it was, if he’d been there he could have nailed his ass.
He checked his watch again. He had a shoot for his new video later. They were heading off into the woods and an abandoned barn to record night footage. But if she needed him to stay with her he’d rearrange. Her s
afety came before anything else. He’d promised her that from the first moment he’d met her and feeling the way he did now, there was no way he was backing up on that promise.
‘I understand your concern, Miss Blackwood, but I can confirm that Mr Stewart is currently complying with all the terms of his parole.’
Since when had he become Mr Stewart? She had gotten so used to him being called nothing more than ‘the accused’ it felt wrong for him to have his name back.
‘Why are you trotting out a line from a manual? I’ve told you about the flowers and the owl and now the chocolates. All I’ve asked you to do is look into this. I’m not accusing him of anything; I just need you to rule him out.’
The officer tapped his pen to his notepad and leveled his gaze at her. ‘Rule him out of what, Miss Blackwood? What crime has been committed? As far as I’m aware, it isn’t illegal to send chocolates in the state of Tennessee.’
She saw the smirk on his mouth and she knew this was a waste of time. She felt anger smart at her insides and she drew a slow breath in. ‘I want this noted down and reported officially. I want your name and your number. I want you to file whatever paperwork you have to file so that if this lunatic comes back and puts me back in the emergency room I can make sure I know who to sue.’
She got to her feet and headed for the door.
‘Miss Blackwood, hold up a second.’
She paused, her hand on the doorknob.
‘I’m just trying to keep a level head here and work on my instincts as a police officer who’s been investigating crimes like this for over ten years.’
‘Well, ten years ago I wasn’t given a split second to work on any of my instincts because “Mr Stewart” got up on stage and sliced my face open.’ She pushed her bangs back and showed him the scar she hated so much. ‘So I know chocolates don’t seem threatening to you, but to me it means someone’s giving me attention I don’t want and if it’s him I want to know about it now rather than when it’s too late.’
