“Are you fucking kidding me?” He closes his eyes as if in pain.
“Something wrong?”
“She went with her brother. Dammit. He’s almost as clueless as her. No, on second thought, he’s worse… Musicians.” My pal says it as if it explains everything then glances at me for some kind of understanding.
I dated a few singers so I take a shot in the dark. “Not always logical?”
“Not even close. She lives in the clouds. Don’t get me wrong. She’s an angel. That’s what drew me to her… Tell me, what’s your take? Was Cal murdered?” He studies my face as I wait in line to pay for parking and swipe my credit card.
“I don’t see how it could be an accident.”
A damn fine lawyer and an even better poker player, Andy doesn’t twitch. “Did she mention all the shit that’s been going on between her and Cal?”
“Not much.” I’m dying to ask more but unless he hires Suds and Sam, it’s none of my business.
“It’s not true. Not any of it.” He sighs.
“Sorry, pal. Not following you.” I ease onto the Belt Parkway where the fast lane comes to a sudden halt and I slam on the brakes.
“You’re probably the only one on the planet who doesn’t know. Everyone thinks Sienna has been having a torrid affair with Calvin Peat. It was her publicist’s idea.”
“Huh.” While not exactly a brilliant comeback, Sam’s recently made it known I should hit pause before letting my mouth run on.
What I wanted to say is if someone ever made it sound like Sam was two-timing me with a coworker, I’d break his neck.
A shaman to the core, Andy reads my mind. “There was nothing I could do except sue and that’d just give the fake affair more momentum. I was hoping the story would eventually die down, and now this.” He rubs his eyes. “What a fucking shit show.”
His phone chirps and he thumbs back. “She says she’s staying put but the police have already called multiple times. I told her not to say anything until we get there. If Calvin was murdered, she’s their number one suspect.”
“Agreed.”
“Hey. Thanks, for everything.” As the traffic clears, the sun comes out from under a cloud and he smiles for the first time.
“Know how I met her?”
“Wasn’t it in the ER?” I heard the story a while back but my pals and I were drunk at the time.
Chuckling, he closes his eyes. “Yeah. She was totally looped on pain killers. She actually propositioned me as I tried to explain I was there to represent her.”
“No shit.” I picture his pretty gal in a hospital gown giving him grief and grin.
“She doesn’t like me to repeat what happened, but hell, she was feisty. And independent. She fired me hourly and I was working pro bono. You see, back then, my sister-in-law ran a group for abused women. Mel isn’t a woman you say no to. Thank God. Otherwise I never would’ve met my wife and now, I can’t imagine being without her.” His voice cracks so I politely keep my eyes forward.
“I get you, bro.” A few months ago, I wouldn’t’ve but now, I’m about as pussy-whipped as they come. Hell, I feel for the guy. He sounds just like me whenever Sam gets herself into a jam.
“Fuck. I should’ve been here with her but I promised my brother I’d talk to a kid about a football contract. Jesus, Lord have mercy. I only left her alone for a few hours.”
.“You can’t go second guessing yourself. Whatever happened, we’ll figure it out.”
“Yeah. I know.” He lowers the mirror and straightens his tie. “Did you know Sienna was married before me?”
“I read somethin’ about it. He was some rich fuck-wad, right?”
“Ah-huh. The bastard faked his own death and left her penniless. And, as if that wasn’t enough, he came back from the dead and murdered his own brother and she was a witness.” He sighs. “No doubt, it’ll all come out again if there’s a trial.”
“Let’s not go there.”
Andy frowns. “It’s inevitable. I called the DA. The police have Calvin’s amplifier and think she modified it.”
