Chapter 51
“ A ny change?” I ask Alex as I quietly tiptoe into Harmony’s room.
“None, unfortunately.” He exhales heavily after I give him a kiss on his whiskery cheek. Releasing Harmony’s hand, he carefully tucks it under her sheet. “Mike went back to the hotel to take a quick nap. You taking your turn?”
“Yeah,” I reply.
“How did it go at the police station?” He stands and stretches.
“Awkwardly.” I wrinkle my nose.
“Did you see Bo?” He hones right in on my second biggest concern.
“Briefly.” I nod tightly. “But only from a distance.”
“How is he?” Alex asks.
“He looked terrible.” I shake my head.
“I imagine so. This situation is awful all around. And I’m sure he feels responsible.” He rubs a hand across the blond stubble on his jaw. “I believe that boy has more of a tender heart than he wants most people to know.”
Bo isn’t a boy anymore. “Why do you think that?”
“If he weren’t sensitive”—he narrows his blue eyes—“why would it hurt him so much that his parents don’t understand him?”
“You’re right.” I pin my bottom lip between my teeth. Obviously, Alex listens and intuits a lot from what I’ve shared. Bo is sensitive. He just covers it with animosity and bluster.
“I don’t think he’d be such good friends with you,” he continues, “if he didn’t feel things deeply like you.” One of his brows rises to a point-made height. “Being alike is probably one of the reasons you two bonded so tightly.”
“That bonding was in the past,” I correct him.
“Is it really?” He searches my eyes and presses. “If it’s in the past, why did he rough up someone for hurting you not just once but twice?”
“He beat up Mark again?” I ask. Slowly cobbling the clues together, I recall the blood on Bo’s lip and his vague explanation.
“Yes,” Alex confirms. “I called the station. Used some celebrity clout to find out what his charges are.”
“Mark’s father is the chief of police.” I gnaw on my lip harder.
“That’s an unfortunate complication.” Alex winces.
“Bo’s in a lot of trouble.” I twist my hands together. “I think they’re trying to pin a drug charge on him.” Or worse if Harmony doesn’t get better, but I’m not going there. She will get better.
“It’s no surprise he looked terrible. He’s probably scared to death.” His gaze narrows. “So what are you going to do about it?”
“What can I do?” I pose the question mainly looking for advice because it’s Bo, and despite all the insinuations, I know in my heart he isn’t responsible for what happened to Harmony.
“Excuse me.” A nurse knocks on the glass door and steps into the room. “There’s a man at the nursing station asking to see Harmony, but he’s not on the approved list.”
“Who is it?” I ask. No way am I talking to Mark or allowing him anywhere near Harmony.
“Carson Reeves,” she replies. “If he doesn’t leave, they’ll call security.”
“Isn’t that Bo’s bandmate?” Alex asks, shooting me a questioning glance.
“The lead singer.” I nod. And Bo’s close friend. One he might do practically anything to protect.
“You should go talk to him.” Alex gestures. “I’ll stay here with Harmony. Don’t rush back. Your parents will be here soon to take a shift.”
“Okay.” I leave, quickly making my way down the short corridor to the nursing station where Carson is standing. He frowns when he sees me.
“How is she?” he asks in a concerned rasp. He doesn’t look any better than Bo and he’s wearing the same jeans he had on at the after-party. His shirt is wrinkled to hell and his inky black hair is tangled as if he’s been repeatedly running his worried hands through it or…the gears in my head grind to a conclusive halt…like he hasn’t showered since swimming in a lake.
“It was you. You were swimming with Harmony,” I breathe, connecting all the dots.
His ice-blue eyes widen.
“Peace,” my dad calls, and I slowly turn my head, watching my parents and Bo’s stride toward us. “Who is this?” My dad aims his narrowed gaze at the guilty man beside me.
“Carson Reeves,” Bryan answers before I can. “The lead singer of Bo’s band.”
“How’s Harmony?” Mom lets go of my dad’s hand and grabs mine.
“There’s no change,” I reply, tears pricking my eyes. “Alex is with her right now.”
“I’ll go relieve him.” She squeezes my hand once and walks away, moving like her bones are made of glass. Then she stops, turns around, and walks right back to me. “I love you.” She throws her arms around me and hugs me tight. “I don’t want you to ever forget or doubt that.”
I nod. I can’t speak. Emotion is balled up in my throat. And it’s not just because of how worried I am about Harmony. It’s seeing how hard this has hit our mother.
Mom eases back to look at me. “You do doubt it.” Tears that match mine shine in her peridot eyes.
On the outside, the unflappable Shaina Bentley-Jinkins, world-famous actress, looks as immaculate as always. Her hair and makeup are flawless. She looks beautiful in a fitted fuchsia blazer and flattering navy slacks. But behind the facade, her turbulent eyes tell a different story.
“Your mother’s agent called us earlier,” Dad informs everyone. “You should know that the media has gotten ahold of the story.”
“They’re delving into Tempest’s past.” Bryan shakes his head sadly. “I saw the feature on Carter Besille’s talk show. They’ve interviewed several of Harmony’s friends and a couple of Shooting Star fans. Drug use was referenced.”
“They smell blood in the water.” My mom moves to my dad’s side, tipping her pain-filled gaze up to him.
“Predictably, they’re circling like sharks.” He throws his arm around her.
“This is terrible,” I say and notice the color draining from Carson’s face.
“Media is outside.” Dad looks at me. “They’re blocking the main entrance.”
“Administration asked us to use a different door from now on.” Bryan and my dad share a glance.
“Okay.” I nod.
“Melinda is on her way from Vancouver.” My dad refocuses on me. “She wants us to craft a statement. All be on the same page about everything.” He tilts his head as he studies me. “She mentioned Shooting Star being under your jurisdiction this summer and needing to talk to you.”
“All right.” I nod.
“I heard you spoke to the family lawyer today.” His light brown eyes narrow in concern.
“Yes.” I hug my arms around myself. Everything seems to be happening fast. My mind is spinning and suddenly so is the room. Am I supposed to be acting as a Black Cat representative when Melinda arrives or as my family’s? Shouldn’t I be exempt from work given the circumstances?
“Bo and I met with legal counsel today.” Bryan comes closer to me, his gaze locking on mine. “With the media and the police involved, it’s only a matter of time before everything comes out.”
“I understand,” I say, but I’m not sure I do. What’s he hinting at? Does he know that it was Carson not Bo who went swimming with Harmony?
“Bo will need you as a friend now more than ever,” Bryan confides low. “He won’t talk to me or his mother.”
“We got him the best lawyer we could.” Lace’s voice shakes and her amber eyes fill. “But he won’t discuss the case with us. All his lawyer will say is that Bo is refusing to implicate a friend.”
They do know it wasn’t Bo.
Lace shifts her gaze to Carson. Bryan looks at him too. Carson drops his gaze. Shifting his weight, he appears extremely uncomfortable.
They know exactly who it was and so do I.
“With the assault hearing tomorrow,” Bryan says, “plus, a potential perjury charge”—he returns his gaze to me—“Bo will likely be convicted.”
“Having a record will ruin his life.” Tears slip from Lace’s watery eyes.
“I’ll talk to him,” I offer. Because in the end, I know Bo. If our roles were reversed, and he knew I was making a big mistake, he’d do the same for me.