“W-wait aminute,” Gill stuttered. “All we’ve done is text. And she told me she waseighteen.”
“Bullshit!” Ishouted. “Chip has access to your messages, and he showed them to me. All ofthem. You knew Carrie’s age, what school she went to, and exactly where shelived. In fact, you were planning on meeting her when we play our last show inSavannah.”
“You can’t readmy texts!” Gill protested. “That’s fuckin’ invasion of privacy.”
“No,” Chip said,holding up the phone. “This is a felony committed with the aid of companyproperty.”
“You fookin’piece of shite. I bloody vouched for you,” Puddin’ growled before lunging atGill.
Fortunately forGill, Chip was a step ahead of Puddin’ and got between them before he could doany damage.
Puddin’s hardliving past was the stuff of legends. Legends that rarely made it past the ageof twenty-seven. He’d come up during the Britpop scene of the 1990’s andquickly made a name for himself as not only a top-notch bassist, andsongwriter, but a top-notch junkie and hellraiser. Fortunately, he’d gottensober seven years ago and turned his life around, which was when I firststarted working with him. I loved him dearly and only knew him as a kind andgentle man. I’d never seen this side of him but understood exactly where hisrage was coming from.
“It’s okayPuddin’,” I said, placing my hand on his chest to calm him as Chip placed Gillin a bear hug.
“You’re fired.Effective immediately,” I said to Gill. “Your tech will pack up all your gearand it will be shipped to your address along with your final paycheck. I’dsuggest you spend it on a lawyer.”
“This iscomplete bullshit,” Gill protested. “I’m gonna sue you for breach of contract.I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You can explainthat to the police,” I said. “We’ve already contacted the local authorities aswell as the Ben Hill County PD.”
“You’re afucking crazy bitch,” Gill snarled as he struggled to free himself.
“You have noidea how crazy I can get,” I snapped. “I’m gonna make it my life’s mission tomake sure you go to jail for this. And, if you ever so much as look at one ofmy fans again, I’ll burn you to the goddamned ground.”
Just then, thedressing room door opened. “The police have arrived, sir,” Blue Three said.
“Looks like yourride is here,” Chip said, moving Gill towards the door as he continued to raindown curses.
The dressingroom door slammed shut, leaving me alone with my remaining band members.
“I’m sorry,love. I swear I had no idea—”
“Pud, I swear,if you finish that sentence, I’ll fire you as well,” I said.
He nodded.
“Andy. Can youcover Gill’s guitar parts tonight?” I asked.
“Of course,boss. I’ll do my best.”
“Good. Becauseif we go down in flames tonight, this tour is over before it’s begun.”
Rod’s eyeswidened. “Does Harmony know about any of this?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“What are yougoing to tell her?”
“Absolutelynothing. Harmony isn’t my tour manager anymore. This is my call and my problemto solve.”
“TGZ will be allover this story by the morning,” Rod said.
As if anyone hadto school me on the way The Gossip Zone operated. Those bastards nearly ruinedmy life once, and I’d be damned if I’d ever fall prey to them again.
“Let’s just getthrough tonight’s gig and then I’ll figure out the replacement guitaristsituation. Until then, everyone keeps their mouths shut on the matter, okay?”
Rod chuckled.
