Murder at Castle Rock (14 page)

Thirty minutes later, the rockers were in their places on the stage, preparing for sound check. I watched with bated breath as Bobby worked to tune his rental guitar. Becky had sent the only red Gibson electric guitar that Rockin' Rentals had in their inventory. As far as I could tell, it looked exactly like Bobby's. I was relieved when he murmured, "She's a beaut, just like my Whiskey. I'll have her purring in no time." I owed Becky big time!

As the band began testing their rental gear, I spotted Stone walking back inside through the front entrance, tossing his cigarette butt behind him and pulling off his coat. I cringed as he shook the raindrops off right next to one of our expensive new speakers. I hurried over to grab his coat before he could do any damage. I reached the threshold into the entrance hall and nearly bowled someone over.

"
Oof!
Sorry!" I looked up into Tim Scott's narrow face, and my anger from yesterday came flooding back. "What are
you
doing here?" I asked, my voice frosty.

Tim was unfazed by my hostility. "Good afternoon to you too, Miss Grace." He flashed me a politician's smile. "I'm here for my interview with Bobby—it was promised to me, remember?"
Oh…right.
I'd forgotten he was coming back to reschedule his interview with Glitter and the band. I secretly hoped that Bobby would send him packing again, for good this time. I wasn't in a very forgiving mood.

At least Tim's arrival meant that Tony might be here too. As if on cue, he came strutting through the entrance. He walked up to where we stood and casually slung one muscular arm around my shoulders. I blushed. Tim looked from Tony to me, comprehension dawning on his face. He smirked, but I ignored him. I was glad to see Tony again.

Stone came to lean in the doorway next to us, his wet khaki coat draped over his arm. A puddle began forming on the floor where his coat still dripped.
Sigh.
Yet another safety hazard.

"Hey, Stone!" Tim greeted him. "I was just telling Miss Grace here that I'd really love to sit down with Bobby after sound check if possible. Think you could pencil me in?"

Shawn sidestepped me to talk to Tim, and I called out to Reese and Bronwyn at the bar. "Would one of you mind grabbing a mop and getting this cleaned up, please?" Reese reached over the counter and grabbed a mop. He joined our circle and began sopping up the puddle as Bron smiled adoringly at him.

Stone grimaced as he realized that he was the source of the mess. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine, Shawn. We'll get it cleaned up. How about I find somewhere to put your coats?" I lead Tim, Tony, and Shawn to the back hallway. I opened the employee storage closet, which was halfway down the hall and across from Kat's office. Reese's tan trench coat was already placed on a hanger, with Bronwyn's and Kat's hoodies hanging on the metal rack next to it. "You can leave your coats here." I gestured to a few empty hangers. The men deposited their coats in the closet, and I led them back down the hallway and into the Dungeon.

"You know, if it's still raining when the show starts, you could bring your equipment inside and set up in here during the show," I offered to Tony. I gestured to an empty table along the back wall. I wasn't above using the rain as an excuse to bring my new eye candy inside so I could flirt with him for the rest of the night.

"Cool!" Tony flashed me a toothy grin. "Maybe I can buy you a drink later, as a thank you."

"I wouldn't object to a drink." I beamed at him.

Tim ventured over to the stage, waiting for a chance to corner Bobby. Tony, Shawn, and I joined Bron and Reese at the bar. We watched the band rehearse a few songs and spot-check a few others. Not one to mingle with the commoners, Princess Cocaine Candy of Snortsalot chose not to join us at the bar. She perched herself on the edge of stage-left, openly ogling Jared as he jammed on his rental bass.

I caught myself staring a little too hard at his bulging biceps and fast fingers. I spun around on my stool and began checking the bar's liquor inventory before Tony could notice me drooling over Jared. While Evan Williams, Jack Daniels, and Jim Beam were no comparison to the tall drink of
yum
that was Bobby's bass guitarist, I reminded myself of three things: One
Jared was with Candy. Two
If his standards were so low that he'd date that piece of groupie trash, I was better off leaving him alone. Three
It felt like there was something happening between Tony and me, and I wanted to see where it went.

The side door opened, and Kat stepped through from the hallway. Her wet hair was plastered to the sides of her head, and her shoulders sagged under the weight of her grief. Still, she looked considerably better than she had the day before. She gave me a weak smile as I hopped off my bar stool and headed toward her. "You hanging in there, chick?" I asked, giving her a hug.

"Uh huh. One day at a time, right?" She hugged me back and reached around me to brush her damp hair out of her eyes.

"It'll get easier," I agreed. "Still, if there's anything I can do to help with the service arrangements—or once you're feeling up to a night out—just say the word. Anything you need, I'm your gal."

"I know." Kat heaved a tired sigh. "Thanks, Ame. I'm just not feeling like myself again yet. I'm going to take it easy in my office tonight and get some work done. I'll be fine as long as I don't run into Lau—" Kat's voice cut off. Her eyes grew wide as she shifted her attention to something behind me. I turned to see Laura Holly entering the Dungeon from the main entrance and timidly approaching Reese at the bar.
Uh-oh.

"—Laura," Kat finished. Tears welled in her blue eyes.

"It's okay, girl. Why don't you go on back to your office?" I slid one arm across her shoulders and gently guided her back into the hallway. "I've got everything in here under control."

Kat sniffed and offered me a tearful thank you before hastily walking toward her office. I stalked back to the bar to find Reese and Laura already in each other's faces.

"How could you?" Reese thundered as he towered over Laura, his hands clenched in fists by his sides. His eyes flashed with fury. "You're nothing but a lying, cheating bitch!" he fumed.

Laura shrank away from him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, baby! I'm so sorry! We just kissed! It meant nothing, I promise. Now he's dead, and I feel so awful!"

Shawn, Tony, and Bronwyn had inched away from the two of them, no one eager to cut in and break up the lovers' quarrel. Bobby and the band even stopped their sound check mid-song to gape at them. Candy's eyes lit up, and she rubbed her hands together with excitement. I wasn't surprised—I'd pegged her for a drama queen from the get-go. I noticed that Tim Scott was also eyeing them both with interest. Great—more dramatic fodder for his stupid show. I had to stop them.

I wedged my way between the pair and put a hand on Reese's shoulder. "Now's not the time, honey," I said in his ear. "Save it for after your shift." I gave him a gentle nudge backward, and he stormed off to the corner of the bar. "Holly, you're late," I said, turning to Laura. I narrowed my eyes at her. "I ought to fire you after what you did to Reese and Kat." In fact, I would have canned her on the spot if we weren't already short-handed behind the bar. I made a note to post a job opening online the next day.

Laura's eyes bulged. "Ame, please," she begged. "I need this job. And you don't know the whole story. Everyone has it all wrong!" Her tone was shrill and panicked, as if she were on the verge of hysterics.

A pang of guilt stabbed at me as I took in her appearance. Laura looked pitiful, almost as rough as Kat. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was pulled back in an unkempt ponytail. This was the first time I had ever seen her show up to work sans makeup and without every hair perfectly in place.

"Look," I said, lowering my voice. "I'm sorry you're having a rough time. You can stay for now, but just save the soap opera bullshit for after work, okay? We're all hurting, and you being here is making things worse for Reese and Kat." I blew out a breath. "Go ahead and start prepping behind the bar, and keep your head down. Don't even go near Reese. If you have something to say to him, it can wait until you're off the clock. And you owe Kat a major apology, too." I glared at Laura. "How could you do this to them?" She had fooled around with my best friend's husband, and it was my duty to hate her for it.

"It's not what you think," Laura whispered. Her lips quivered, and she let out a small sob as she turned away from me and hurried behind the counter. I noticed Tim Scott making his way toward the bar, his gaze locked on Laura. There was a glimmer of hungry curiosity in his eyes.

Reese.

"Leave her be, Scott," I warned, stepping between him and the sniffling bartender.

Tim flashed me an innocent
who-me?
look. "What? I just wanted to order a drink from this lovely lady here." He sidestepped around me and took a seat at the bar. "Excuse me, Miss, but could I trouble you for a pint of Sam Adams?" he coaxed.

Laura brushed a tear from her cheek and squared her shoulders. It was time to make some tips. Mustering up a fraction of her normal charm and fake accent, she aimed a half-smile in his direction. "Coming right up, darlin'," she said.

I watched their interaction through narrowed eyes. The last thing Kat needed was  Tim snooping around, digging up more drama for his broadcast and thrusting her ill-fated marriage into the spotlight. I sighed with relief when he slid a ten spot across the counter to Laura and made his way over to Shawn. "So, about that interview…" Tim began. He sipped his beer and gave Shawn an expectant look.

Stone took a long pull from his rum and Coke. He glanced at his watch, frowning. "It'll have to wait until after the show," he said gruffly. "Doors are opening soon, and Bobby and the guys have gotta get back to the green room. I don't think there will be enough time before they take the stage. You can come back to the green room after the show, or I can schedule a block of time for you to come by the hotel later this week."

Tim scowled. "Fine." He sighed. "Bobby wins again." He vacated the stool next to Shawn and stalked over to Tony and me. "Alright, Tony, let's nix the broadcast for now. We'll set up
if
I get to speak to Bobby after the show," he added with a hard look in Shawn's direction. "Just bring me a recorder so we can grab some sound clips, and you can just hang around and enjoy the show."

"You're the boss." Tony hopped off his barstool. He brushed my arm and our eyes met. "Be right back, doll face," he whispered. I enjoyed the view of his backside as he dipped out of the room.

Reese and Bronwyn left to take their posts out front. Reese glared hard at Laura as he passed. Bron shot her a look of disgust and then trotted after him. Laura's face crumpled, and she ducked behind the bar to dab at her eyes with a cocktail napkin.

I almost felt sorry for her as she crouched there, sniffling. If Parker and Kat had kept their marriage a secret from everyone, Laura couldn't have known about it either. Still, there was no excuse for her cheating on Reese. She'd managed to wrong two of my close friends with just one kiss. Reese