Rock Star Down (The Psychic Registry) (10 page)

"But having a
bunch of kids, being a housewife?"

Silverman shrugged, "People
get bored, they change the channel. Either way,
Jaqui's World
doesn't
last forever."

"So you didn't
voice your personal reservations to Jaqui?" Nathan asked.

"Listen, Miller.
Jaqui doesn't care what some middle-age mensch thinks of her personal life. My
job is to make her look good, to make her look interesting. She tells me what
she's doing with her life and I come up with ways to tell it on TV."

"Rock's death is
pretty interesting. Plus Jaqui doesn't lose any fans for divorcing a
sympathetic husband," Nathan said.

Silverman shook his
head, disgusted, "I'd have
nothing
to do with such a thing! And if
I knew anything at all— You know, you people can be pretty smug, judging me! But
I've got my family to think about, a business of my own, a future to make. Rock
was a good man, and I would have called him a friend if it weren't for the fact
that I knew his wife meant to betray him and I was too busy planning out how to
get it on video!"

The guilt, the
self-loathing. The anger and grief. It was enveloping him, pulling him under. "Maybe
you would've had a change of heart?" Nathan offered.

But Silverman shook
his head, "No, I was going to screw that man on television. See, while I
figured that Jaqui was schtupping some asshole in LA, that wasn't going to be
part of the show. But poor Rock and Vanessa? They wouldn't be so lucky."

"Rock and Vanessa
were having an affair? You're sure?" Nathan asked.

"Sure I'm sure.
Vanessa
loved
Rock. That poor girl is devastated, but it's all bottled
up right now," Silverman lamented.

"Who else knew
about the affair?" Nathan asked.

"No one, far as I
know."

"Do you think
Vanessa could have killed Rock?"

Silverman shrugged, "I
don't know. I
hope
not, I really do. But love makes people crazy
sometimes."

"Maybe Rock was
calling it off, looking to reconcile with Jaqui? Vanessa stood to lose a lot if
the relationship with Rock fell through."

Silverman nodded, "I
know."

They both thought it
over, independently, and together, in Nathan's case.

Nathan asked, "Anything
else?"

Silverman shook his
head, then added, "You go easy on Vanessa."

"I can't make any
promises," Nathan replied. "But if she didn't kill Rock…"

"Maybe people don't
need to know about her indiscretions," Silverman finished.

Nathan shrugged.
Secrets had a way of coming out, usually at the worst possible moment for the
ones holding them. "That might not be possible."

Silverman let out a
deep sigh of resignation, "Can't say I want to hear that. But justice for
Rock is what matters most. The rest of us can fend for ourselves."

Nathan agreed, but
sometimes justice left a bit of wiggle room. He closed down his read on
Silverman, then he extended his hand and the producer took it and returned a
hearty handshake. "Keep the Vanessa thing under your hat, at least until
the investigation is complete."

Silverman nodded; he
wasn't going to tell. "I might be out of work soon, so if you change your
mind about that show?"

Nathan smiled, "If
I do, you'll be the first to know."

Silverman returned the
smile and nodded to Archer and Laurel before he rose from the bench and trod
back into the house.

Nathan was staring at the stone and
mortar beneath his feet, remembering the day that Rock and his friend James
laid down the patio. It was a spring day, but the sky was overcast, and the air
cool. Still, the pair was soon sweating from their toils, carefully working on
their hands and knees until the circular patio was complete. Hours of work
reduced to thirty seconds of time-lapse video.

But Jaqui loved it.
Her Rock had made it for her. And it was usually sunny in the garden. It was
the thing she would miss most about the house.

"Nathan?"
Laurel asked.

"Yeah?"

"You want another
iced tea?"

"No. Just give me
a minute?"

"Alright, Nathan."

Laurel and Archer were
talking with each other, but he could tell they both had one eye on him. So he
closed his eyes and thought of his parents, Douglas and Anne. He imagined their
faces, ebullient and proud as he raised the state championship wrestling trophy
above his head. Their hair not yet tinged with grey. His life and theirs still
filled with so much promise and so few worries… Nathan opened his eyes and
looked down at his hands.

"My name is
Nathan Miller. And I'm going to find out who killed you, Rock Franklin,"
he whispered.

"What's that?"
Archer asked.

"Let's get back
to work," he told them.

Carlota informed them that Vanessa was
resting in the guest room on the second floor so they sent the housekeeper to
ask if they could chat with her. Carlota returned shortly and escorted them up
the stairs to a bedroom overlooking the street where they found Vanessa seated
in a bay window peering out the lace curtains, watching the throng below. She
dismissed Carlota with a smile and a nod, but did not directly acknowledge
Nathan or the others. Laurel checked that the hallway was clear and closed the
door behind them.

There was only one
chair in the room, a solid wood seat with a high back that was paired with an
equally handsome roll top desk; Nathan moved the chair close to Vanessa and sat
down. Archer and Laurel stood in the background, but didn't crowd the pair.

Archer spoke as Nathan
was settling in, "Miss Scott, would you like to have an attorney present
while we talk?"

Vanessa finally looked
at Archer and it was clear to Nathan that she'd been crying. Then she shook her
head.

Either she was
innocent, or she knew she was caught. But which one would it be?

Nathan reached out and
took her hand, as well as her mind into his own. "I know you're hurting
right now and I know why."

Vanessa's eyes grew
wide with fear.

"But it's
alright. You don't have to be afraid. You come clean with us, it'll ease that
burden you're carrying," Nathan said in his most soothing voice.

"If you already
know? Then why?" Vanessa asked.

"Because we need
to hear it from you. And your confession will do you good," Nathan told
her.

She nodded and sighed,
"I'm not a bad person." And she thought of her first time with Rock:
how she should have stopped him, but didn't; how she loved finally being taken
by him, after so much longing; how she couldn't wait to do it again. But that
was all gone now…

"You loved him,"
Nathan said.

Vanessa sniffed, "We
loved
each other
." She'd never felt such love before.

"When did it
start?" Nathan asked.

It started the day
that they met. But it was already too late. He'd been swept away with Jaqui.
And why not? Jaqui always held the spotlight. Next to her, Vanessa looked
plain. But then things changed.
They changed
. "A couple of months
ago."

"Did he know what
Jaqui was planning?"

"I didn't
tell
him. But he could see what was happening. He knew Jaqui. She finds a way to get
what she wants, always has. She came back from LA and she was so excited, she'd
let things slip in front of him."

"How'd he find
out about the cheating?" Nathan asked.

Vanessa gave him a
confused look.

She didn't even
know.

Nathan told her, "Rock
confronted Jaqui over her cheating while in Hollywood."

That bitch! She couldn't
wait until she'd actually left him? But who was she sleeping with? "Was it
with the director?"

Nathan figured he was
well past keeping confidence. And Vanessa's insistence was difficult to resist.
"She considered it a cost of doing business. But she didn't confess to
Rock. Then he got killed—"

"And now you're
wondering if
I
killed him
?"

"You met with him
that day, didn't you?" Nathan pressed.

Vanessa nodded, but
she couldn't answer as the tears crested and the sobbing stole her voice…

They'd arranged to
meet at the studio, following his recording session. In the mixing suite they
made love on the sofa. He was so strong.
He owned her with his touch.
His
rough hands were everywhere, but she loved the feeling of contrast against her
supple flesh.

And his weight,
pressing against her, anchoring her in place. How she loved it, being held
still as he took his pleasure. The slow, wet grind, honing their flesh. And
then he hammered away, using her as an anvil. And she met his ardor with her
own. Then she forgot herself and cried in ecstasy.

That's what Rock did
to her. She was both lost
and
found in his arms. Finally, so safe. She
let it all go.
And it was the best.

She was so happy. But
terrified, too. Rock hadn't given up on Jaqui, not completely. But she couldn't
just wait around for Jaqui to leave Rock. Their circumstances had changed and
she needed him to make a decision sooner rather than later. Wasn't it what he'd
always talked about with Jaqui?

So she just told him.
And he said nothing at first, which worried her so, but then he smiled and held
her tight. And that was that. It wasn't a decision any more. It was just Rock
and Vanessa. And the baby.

"Oh boy,"
Nathan sighed.

Vanessa took some time
to compose herself, which was good for Nathan, who was also on the verge of
bawling. He released her hand so she could tend her tears and the pressure of
her emotions relented significantly. Nathan took some deep breaths and tapped
on his acupressure points, then he refined his read on Vanessa as she'd calmed
herself.

He already knew the
answer, but he had to ask to be certain, "You didn't kill Rock, did you?"

She hadn't and she
shook her head, "He was alive when I left. Alive and so very happy."

"Any idea as to
who did it?" Nathan continued.

"I
thought
that Jaqui did it," Vanessa shrugged.

Nathan shook his head,
"Yeah, well. They only give me the tough ones."

"I'm scared,
Detective," Vanessa added. "Who can I trust?

Nathan shrugged, "Trust
yourself
, Vanessa."

He meant that she
should keep her mouth shut—

"Just let us sort
this thing out first, alright?" Nathan told her.

She was relieved, but
also disappointed. She'd have to keep her secret for now. But how could she
begin to tell them? How could she tell Jaqui? She'd already lost Rock. She
couldn't bear to lose her little sister…

Nathan let the read
fade. He felt like he needed a stiff cocktail but he'd have to settle for a
soft drink and a really big sandwich— Maybe a Reuben? And a couple of dill
spears… Too many people in his head and it seemed like they were all hungry.

Nathan replaced the
tall wooden chair at the desk and crossed to the door. "Let's get some
food, huh?" he mentioned to his companions.

Archer and Laurel
queued up next to him. "
What's up
with Miss Scott?" Archer
whispered.

"Oh, she's
pregnant," Nathan said.

"What?"
Archer and Laurel exclaimed, both glancing back at Vanessa, still seated in the
bay window.

Archer shook her head,
but she was grinning.

Laurel swiftly crossed
the room and said to Vanessa, "Congratulations, sweetie." Then she
re-crossed the space just as swiftly to follow Nathan and Archer out of the
room. With a wave and a smile, Laurel closed the door, leaving Vanessa alone
with her view. Although she wasn't
really
alone.

Back downstairs, they found Silverman
and Carlota sitting at the kitchen table. Silverman had a laptop open, but it
was pushed to the side. It appeared they were chatting over coffee but their
conversation had halted upon Nathan's approach. Silverman glanced expectantly
at Nathan, who answered him with a shake of the head. Silverman's expression
betrayed his relief and Carlota easily read their transparent exchange.

Carlota huffed, "I
could have told you she didn't do it."

Nathan smiled, "Any
ideas, then?"

"Well, we don't
have a butler," Carlota said.

Silverman jumped on
it, "You're like a butler, Carlota."

"True, but I
never been to the studio. And if I'm going to kill anybody, it'd be you Mister
Silverman, making me wear this damn outfit! You try cleaning a toilet in a
skirt!"

"Careful Carlota,"
Silverman chuckled. "The police might not think you're joking."

She scoffed, "Who
says I'm joking?"

Nathan glanced about,
then asked, "Where's everyone else?"

Carlota answered, "Miss
Jaqui is upstairs with Mr. Holdgren and Rachel."

Silverman added, "And
since you put the kibosh on today's big scene, I've got Natalie and the crew
outside shooting more interviews and B-roll. We've probably got enough the last
couple days, but she needs the practice and I ain't paying those guys to sit
around and eat all day."

"Would you like
something to eat, Detectives?" Carlota offered, with not the most
enthusiasm.

Nathan shook his head,
"No, thank you, Carlota. But I think that Vanessa could use a bite."

"Okay, I go check
on her then."

"Oh, and Carlota,
could you see if Rachel is available now? Tell her it won't take long,"
Nathan added.

Carlota rose from the
table and left the room. Nathan looked to Silverman, "You chums with
everybody around here?"

Silverman nodded. "Part
of the job, you could say. But Carlota, she's good people," he said, then
added, "And what about you, Miller? You're pretty chummy yourself."

"Part of the job,"
Nathan replied, with a shadow of a grin. "So tell me, where can a guy get
a good sandwich around here?"

Silverman held his
laughter as he explained to Nathan how to get to a deli called
Sebastian's
,
located within short driving distance. Nathan raised a skeptical brow at the
name, but Silverman assured him they were "legit."

"You're heading
out then? We calling it a day, or are you coming back later?" Silverman
inquired.

Archer shrugged, "We
have other angles to pursue."

Silverman didn't look
convinced, "Anyway, we're going to resume shooting tomorrow with Jaqui and
the principals. I was hoping that Miss Comfort could make an appearance,
perhaps share some of today's developments for the camera as well as bring us
up to date on anything new?"

Laurel was now looking
a little overwhelmed by the notion, but Nathan nodded in agreement. "I
think that's a good idea," he said.

Silverman scrutinized
him more closely, "So congenial now, Miller? What are you up to?"

Nathan held up a
halting hand, "Nothing, yet."

Silverman shook his
head, incredulous, "Nothing,
yet
, he says. Alright, Detective. You
just cue me when you're gonna bend us over. Just do me that courtesy? So I know
where to point the cameras."

Nathan smiled and gave
a nod.

Silverman relaxed and
waved them off, "Alright, Detectives, get going. Some people still gotta
work around here."

Nathan, Laurel and Archer left the
dining room for the piano room. And that was where Jaqui's personal assistant,
Rachel Long, found them. Miss Long, despite her name, was barely of average
height, Nathan noticed. Although she was young and reasonably cute, her hair
was woefully short and she didn't wear any makeup, though she could certainly
benefit from some. But worst of all, she wore black tribal spikes in her ears
in place of traditional earrings. Nathan figured she was littered with
ridiculous tattoos as well, but he wasn't about to go looking for them.

"So you're the
psychic," she said, looking Nathan over and betraying a roll of the eyes.

Nathan had already
tuned-in to her thoughts, though he did so with some trepidation as untidy
bodies often bode for untidy minds.

"I'll be brief,"
Nathan said.

"Good, cause I
don't have a lot of time," she replied.

How charming, he
thought. Maybe he should string her along for a while? But then again, he was
tired and hungry. The sooner he was through with her the better.

Archer was less
amused, "You might want to check that attitude, Miss Long. Otherwise you
might need to clear your schedule for the day."

"Sorry,"
Rachel said, "I've been as busy as heck, and people are so upset, you
know? And it seems like all the crap keeps landing on me."

What she didn't
mention was that she hadn't been able to hook up with her girlfriend in nearly
three weeks and she was worried that it was going to fizzle out. Which wouldn't
be so bad, if she wasn't so damn horny.
The blond was sexy. A bit of a girly
girl, though.

Nathan caught her
stealing glances at Laurel and Rachel smiled bashfully and gave a shrug.

"Sounds like you
need a break," Nathan said. "So…?"

Rachel shook her head,
"I didn't kill Rock. He was a really nice guy. He helped me get this job,
you know?"

"How'd that come
about?" Archer interjected.

"My brother was
an engineer for
Mother Mary
. I needed a stable gig and he introduced me
to Rock at the studio one day," Rachel said.

"How long ago was
this?" Nathan asked.