With the profitsfrom the Yum Yums’ ad I bought two more houses in the area, flipped them, andsold them for a good deal of profit, so I was sitting pretty on a decent nestegg that will last me a while. This also allowed me to devote as much time aspossible to the club. I’m currently an enforcer for the Dogs of Fire Portland chapterworking towards my Captain’s patch.
For the next twohours, Flash and I shot the shit as we worked out. He was studying non-stop tokeep his grades up while he played football and I envied him in a way. He’dknown what he’d wanted to do from the second he’d come into the world, and hewas working hard to make it happen.
“Proud of you,kid,” I said, as we wiped down the equipment and turned off the lights.
“Thanks.” Hegrinned. “You comin’ inside or headin’ home?”
“I’m comin’ in,”I said.
Flash grinned.“Fuck yeah.”
I chuckled.“I’ll see you inside.”
He gave me achin lift and I dropped my stuff in the saddlebag of my bike before heading upto my room to shower. I didn’t leave a whole lot at the club since I had my ownplace, but I did leave a few things so I could stay overnight if I wanted toimbibe.
And tonight, Iwanted to imbibe.
Melody
“Who else hasseen this?” I asked,feeling my face flush with anger.
“No one. As faras we know,” Chip, my new head of security, said. “Besides the two of them, ofcourse.”
“How didyouget a hold of it?” I asked.
“Look, maybe theless you know about how we handle—”
“You can stopright there,” I said. “This ismytour. It’s my name on the marquee andit’s my name on the ticket. The label may be paying your salary, but I managemyself, which means I’m personally responsible for every performer, crewmember,and person in the audience over the next thirteen weeks. I may just look like ayoung woman to you, but I can assure you, I’ve been in the business all my lifeand know exactly how dark and deep the cracks run.”
Chip nodded.“The phones that were issued to the band at the start of tour rehearsal areproperty of the label. Therefore, Red Banana Records maintains access to allcommunications and recorded material contained on them.”
“You sound morelike a lawyer for the label than security,” I said.
“It’s gettingharder for me to tell the difference myself these days,” Chip said, a slightgrin showing through his silver moustache.
“We need to knowfor sure. Where the hell is Gill?” I asked, but before Chip could answer, I’dwalked off the stage and was headed for the band’s dressing room.
I was a ball ofrage. We’d spent months carefully vetting every single tour staff member andrun background checks on all of them, including the musicians, roadies, andtechnical crew members. Even the ones who’d been with me for years. And yet,this slime bag somehow squeezed through the cracks. Another predator waiting tostrike.
At least thistime I’d had a heads-up and could do something about it.
I busted throughthe dressing room doors hoping to see the whole band, but only finding mylong-suffering drummer, Rod Archer, on the floor doing his usual pre-show yoga.
“Where the fuckis Gill?” I barked out.
“Last time I sawhim he was talking to some fans,” Rod said, in between breaths, completelyunfazed by my dramatic entrance. Over the last twelve years, Rod had seen me atmy absolute bat shit craziest, and it would take a hell of a lot more than mystorming around backstage to break the flow of his chi, or whatever he calledit.
“What fans?Where were they?” I asked.
“I dunno. Somegirls. He was by that tent where we did the VIP meet and greet earlier.”
I groaned. “Bythepresstent?”
“I guess so,yeah.”
Great. Theabsolute last thing I needed was for the press to get a front row view of memurdering my new guitarist. Of course, if Doc Diamond was still my manager,Gill would already be in an unmarked grave before I ever knew there was aproblem. Then again, Doc would also secretly be pocketing an extra fifteenpercent of the tour’s profits.
“I’ll radio myteam,” Chip said, still a bit winded from our jog to the backstage area.
