“Did none of you read her file?” Kelsey asks quietly again, her eyebrows pinched and her frustration evident.
“Never mind,” I say, mimicking her quiet tone. “You can tell us your reasoning later. If Kelsey says she needs to go instead of you two, then we do it her way.”
I mean it, I really do. But a huge piece of me, the one that wants to protect the people I love, hates letting her put herself in danger. Even if it’s her job. Even if she’s smart and capable.
Nash looks ready to protest again, but Kelsey anticipates it.
“Just Carter and I go in,” Kelsey says to Weston and Nash. “If it is Bennie, she doesn’t do well with men. You two stay here and guard the rear. Do not come in unless called or you hear gunfire, understood?”
“Gunfire?” Nash asks, his face draining of color slightly.
“It seems very unlikely,” Kelsey says. “So don’t come in.”
Weston and Nash both nod their agreement, though I can tell they’re even more apprehensive about the decision now than they were before Kelsey’s statement.
“You cover me,” Kelsey whispers, handing me the key so I can unlock the door and push it open while she slips in.
“I’d feel better covering you if I had a gun,” I respond with equal quiet as I slip into position. Letting her go in first has my heart squeezing, my anxiety ratcheting up. I won’t be able to shield her from whatever is inside. Hell, I won’t even know what’s inside until after it’s already a threat to Kelsey.
“Well, you don’t. Welcome to the other side of security.” With that, she nods her head, indicating it’s time.
I slide the key into the lock as quietly as possible, not wanting to alert anyone inside. With a nod, I pull down on the handle, pushing the door open just enough for Kelsey to fit.
Kelsey slips into the dressing room, and I follow directly behind her, leaving the door open as I slide through. She’s calm as her eyes sweep the room. Everything is exactly as it’s outlined in Jaxon’s rider for dressing room requirements. The extra-long couch, large enough to fit his frame in case he needs a nap, is stretched out against one wall. An empty hanging rack stands opposite, suggesting Jaxon has already changed into his concert outfit. A wall of mirrors surrounded by lights reflect images of Kelsey and me, but no one else.
Jaxon’s not here.
Kelsey nods her head toward the bathroom, where light is streaming from under the closed door.
We silently move toward it, Kelsey nodding at the handle to indicate we utilize the same maneuver as before.
She holds up a finger, then two, and as she lifts the third, I push down on the handle—only to find the door locked.
Shaking my head, I mouthlocked.
Key?she responds.
We both look at the lock, realizing this is one that just uses a pin key, rather than the regular jagged keys you find on most doorknobs.
Kelsey squints one eye, thinking, before raising her hand and knocking on the door.
“Jaxon?” she says, her tone pleasant, like an assistant making sure their boss isn’t dying of food poisoning or something. Which, for all we know, Jaxon might be.
The dream of this being an intestinal parasite–caused incident is quickly crushed when a quiet, feminine murmur reaches us. The voice isn’t loud enough to know what’s being said, but it’s clear Jaxon’s not in there alone. Unfortunately for the part of me that wants this to be something mundane like a last-minute backstage hookup, it seems unlikely with all the tech problems, plus I know he wouldn’t want to risk invoking the ghost of Izzy so close to a performance.
Kelsey pulls a bobby pin from her hair, using her teeth to pull the little plastic drops at the end off.
“I’m a bit busy,” Jaxon’s voice says, his tone neutral.
“Oh,” Kelsey says, straightening the bobby pin and pulling another from her hair. “Well, it’s about time for you to go on.”
She hands me the pin, indicating I should use it to unlock the door. I nod my agreement, impressed by her quick thinking.
She counts again, but this time, she starts talking to Jaxon as she holds up two fingers. “What are you up to?”
“Getting a haircut—”
I push open the door, and Kelsey slips inside. Following on her heels, I shove my way in, my heart leaping when the woman, Bennie, whirls around, throwing something large and metal directly toward Kelsey’s heart.
