Highway Song: A Smokey's Roadhouse Novel (29 page)

The afternoon
’
s meetings were just to introduce us to the various people who would be responsible for seeing to it we succeeded at least well enough to pay the label for our advances. Amy continued to be withdrawn, but we had no privacy to talk about whatever was bothering her.

By the end of the day my head was spinning. Who knew Marketing, Publicity, and Promotion were enough different to each need their own set of people? We hadn
’
t thought about videos, and we didn
’
t know we
’
d be slotted into a strict release date to coordinate with the parent company
’
s other label
’
s releases. Cole nailed it when he
’
d finally had enough.
“
I just want to play, man. When do we get to play?
”

That, the last department of the day explained, would happen after we
’
d gone through an extensive planning program with them, designed to get us a single hit as quickly as possible. The Product Development department existed to
‘
break
’
us into public awareness, all in coordination with the other departments we
’
d met with today. We
’
d be working with Product Development, or Prodev as they shortened it, most closely. And there was a lot of work to do before we got to play.

The moment the door to our hotel room closed behind us, Amy threw herself into my arms.
“
I can
’
t do this, Rex. I
’
m so sorry. I have to leave.
”
She was sobbing so hard I could barely understand the words. Even when I made out what she was saying, I still didn
’
t understand.

“
What? Why, Amy? What happened?
”

“
The tax forms. Rex, I can
’
t give them my Social Security number. I haven
’
t used it for years. I
’
ve worked under the table since I took this name, and I didn
’
t even do that legally. I have to go.
”
She started to pull away from me. Half-convinced she
’
d bolt out the door if I let her loose, I tightened my hold on her.

“
Wait. Just wait a fucking minute and let me think.
”

When she relaxed a bit, I loosened my hold.
“
Promise me you
’
ll wait until I can figure it out,
”
I said.

“
I can
’
t promise that, but I
’
ll stay tonight,
”
she said. The defeat in those words stabbed me in the heart.

I couldn
’
t imagine losing her now, just when everything was coming together for us as a band. Aside from the fact she was essential to our new sound, I had a personal stake in keeping her with us. In my panic to keep her in check, I blurted out what I
’
d been withholding for days.

“
Amy, you can
’
t leave. I love you.
”

Amy

T
he words froze me in place. What wouldn
’
t I have given to hear them when it might have made a difference? But who was I kidding? No matter what had gone before, what I faced now was insurmountable. If I gave my social security number, they
’
d know the name on the contract was false. That alone would raise questions. I didn
’
t know if the cartels had their fingers in the music recording business, but what if they did? What if someone knew the name Amanda Bruno, and that she was a fugitive from cartel justice? And what about the consequences of Rex knowing my real name?

Even as I moved back into his arms for a long kiss, my mind wouldn
’
t let go of the problem. Rex had managed to convince me that the likelihood of a bloodbath at a big concert venue was so small as to be laughable. But what about a bloodbath in the studio? Would that be any less devastating? No, and certainly not when it would be my friends
—
people I knew and had shared experiences with
—
who would pay with their lives. It was out of the question.

In my distress, I
’
d forgotten Rex had invited Mark to come by. After a few murmured words of mutual love, Rex had stepped away from me and was pacing the floor with a worried expression on his face when the knock came at the door. As soon as Rex answered, Mark took in the tension in the room in one glance.

“
It
’
s a bad time. I
’
ll just leave.
”

With a swift glance at me, Rex answered,
“
No, Mark, come in. You may be able to help.
”

Before saying anything else, he had Mark take a seat in the one chair in the room, and offered him a beer from the courtesy fridge.

“
Mark, I need to ask Amy a quick question. Don
’
t go away, we
’
ll be right back.
”
He herded me into the bathroom and closed the door.
“
Remember, he knows almost all of it already. Are you willing for me to ask him for ideas? And the other guys will be here any minute. What about them?
”

“
Not Chad. I don
’
t know him well enough yet. Mark
’
s okay. If the others beat Chad here, them too.
”
Time was short, so I didn
’
t try to explain further. We went back out, finding Mark still seated where Rex had put him, but looking ready to leave at the slightest provocation.

“
We
’
ve got a situation we need to run past you before the others get here,
”
Rex began. Without pausing for an answer, he explained my dilemma.
“
Do you have any ideas?
”

Mark didn
’
t speak for a moment, but his eyes took on a faraway expression, as if he were thinking hard. Then he responded.
“
I might. The thing to do is get your identity established under your chosen name, Amy. A good documents forger might be expensive, and I don
’
t know where to find one. But I know someone who might. Take a couple of days to set up.
”

Rex regarded Mark with evident surprise.
“
I didn
’
t know you had criminal contacts,
”
he said, only half in jest.

“
I
’
m not comfortable with that. It
’
s true I haven
’
t paid taxes in years, but I
’
ve never made enough money to owe any. So far I haven
’
t done anything actually illegal. Isn
’
t using someone else
’
s social security number a federal crime?
”

Rex shrugged, and Mark looked blank.
“
I don
’
t know,
”
they answered in unison. It was almost comical. Before we could discuss it further, a heavy knock on the door told us Cole had arrived. When Rex answered, it turned out they were all there, including Chad. My situation would have to wait for further discussion.

Instead, Rex closed the door and cleared his throat.
“
Mark, we
’
ve had a meeting, and we
’
re taking you out to a nice dinner. We feel shitty that things went down the way they did, and to make it up to you in part, we want you to accept this check as severance pay, so you
’
ll have time to get on your feet.
”
With that, he handed Mark the check he
’
d prepared for half of the advance they
’
d been given.

Mark
’
s mouth dropped open as he registered the amount of the check.
“
Guys, I can
’
t take this! It
’
s too much, and you
’
ll need it to get established.
”

They
’
d discussed this possibility on the van ride to the hotel, and even Chad chimed in when Rex said,
“
One, two, three
…”
and they chorused,
“…
we won
’
t take no for an answer.
”

Mark couldn
’
t hide his smile, when he said,
“
Okay, then, but I
’
m taking you all to dinner.
”
We left it at that.

Later, when Mark was the last to leave our room after we all returned to the hotel, he reminded us of my dilemma.
“
Let me know if you want me to check out what I suggested,
”
he said. He kissed me on the cheek and gave Rex one of those ridiculous man-hugs, where they bump chests and then try to knock the breath out of each other clapping each other on the back.
“
You know how to reach me,
”
he said, in lieu of goodbye.

Now that the excitement was over and the others gone, exhaustion overtook me. I sat down on the bed abruptly, too tired to undress even. Rex sat beside me and put his arm around me.

“
You can
’
t leave, sugar,
”
he said.
“
We
’
ll figure it out.
”

His hand stroking my back had its usual effect of drawing me in for comfort, but his kisses had a different purpose. Before long, my lips were on fire, and I
’
d found the energy to wriggle out of my clothes while Rex shed his. For the time being, I could forget I had a problem as Rex made love to me, and I responded as only a desperate woman could. With his lips at my throat or surrounding a nipple, and his fingers making me ready for his cock, I couldn
’
t think of anything except how much I
’
d miss this when I had to leave.

TWENTY-ONE

Rex
 

B
y morning I thought I had a solution, if only Amy would trust me to help her make it right. Her concern was for security in the Perseid business office. Mine was to keep her out of trouble with the IRS. I thought hers was just a little too paranoid, but if I could set her mind at ease, I
’
d go along with it until I could have it checked out.

Assuming if Mark had criminal contacts, he also had a way to hook me up with a private investigator, I started by calling him.

“
Dude, I
’
m sorry to bother you with this when you
’
ve got your own shit to do.
”

“
It
’
s okay, Rex. It won
’
t take long. I
’
ll get back to you with a number soon. What time are you due at the studio?
”
he asked.

“
The van is picking us up at nine.
”