Chapter Eleven
CHAPTER ELEVEN
As Brody watched Annie lift her glass and take a drink he felt a cold chill ripple through his body. It was almost impossible to fathom. Yet thinking about the snide, arrogant man he’d just encountered he could easily imagine him being a tyrant. But a murderer?
“I know. It’s hard to believe,” she murmured as if reading his mind. “I lived it, and it’s hard for me to wrap my brain around it too.”
“Thank God you got away,” he muttered, moving his arm around her shoulders. “No wonder you were so scared and came into town wearing that wig.”
“If he’d found me he would have dragged me into that limo and flown me back to his mansion of horrors. And there’s something else. Over this last month, when we’d go out, I think he was spiking my drinks. He probably wanted me to appear wasted so if I said anything—”
“People wouldn’t take you seriously,” Brody muttered.
“Exactly. But he needn’t have bothered. Nobody would have believed me anyway. He’s so warm and friendly, everyone loves him. He’s a real life Jekyll and Hyde.”
“Annie, what we’re dealin’ with here is an obsessive freak. If he can’t have you, he doesn’t want anyone else to either, but you’ve made it clear you have no interest in him. The problem is, I have a very bad feelin’ he hasn’t chased you here to take you back. He wants to make sure you don’t tell anyone he’s a complete psycho.”
“Brody, you’re right! He wants to find me to shut me up, just like he did Patty Henderson.”
“Do you remember anything about the cause of her accident?”
“Apparently she was under the influence—oh, my God! He must have drugged her before she took off. Maybe he even told her she could leave knowing whatever he’d given her would kick in.”
“Damn,” Brody muttered. “You could be right. From everything you’ve just told me, I honestly believe he’d be capable of something like that.”
“But what happens now? I can’t hide forever.”
“You’re safe here, at least for the moment, but you’ve been through hell. You need to take some time to relax and unwind.”
“You’re right, I’m strung out. That drive was exhausting, and not just because it was so long. I was watching the rear view mirror as much as I was watching the road.”
“I bet you were. Speakin’ of which, I need to get that car over to Hank’s place. But, Annie, I need to tell him why so he’ll be prepared on the off chance someone asks him about it. You don’t have to worry, he’ll keep quiet.”
“I know he will. In fact, I’d really like to see him, but not his new girlfriend. She can’t know I’m here. We don’t know anything about her.”
“I agree. Okay, I’ll call him and ask him to pop over.”
As he moved his arm from around her shoulders and reached for the phone, Bella padded across the room and jumped on the couch between them.
“She missed you too,” Brody remarked shifting to give his dog space.“She can see how upset you are.”
“I thought about you a lot sweet girl,” Annie said softly as she hugged her. “You are so special.”
“Hey, Hank, it’s me,” Brody declared, speaking into his cell phone. “I need a favor. An important one. When you have a minute can you drop by? Just you though. I need to speak to you alone.”
“I hope he hears that message soon,” Annie remarked. “I wasn’t worried about having the car here but now I am.”
“How were you able to get hold of it without Geoff knowing?”
“A struggling guitar player I know buys cars needing work, fixes them up and sells them for cash. I made the arrangements with him when I ran into him at a party. He’s one of the only people I know who doesn’t like Geoff. He waited for me behind the building where the band and I rehearse. I pretended to go to the ladies room, but slipped out and there he was. I paid him and took off.”
“We need to find a way to thank him when all this is over. What’s his name?”
“David Forrester. He was close to Patty. She wanted him in her band but Geoff wouldn’t allow it. I’m definitely going to help David if I can ever get free of my management contract.”
“You will,” Brody said grimly. ”I don’t care what it takes, you will.”
“I hope so, and I hope Hank shows up soon. I wouldn’t put it past Geoff to send one of his goons back here to do more snooping.”
“Hank will be busy with his horses like I should be. I’m hostin’ a clinic here this weekend.”
“You are? What will you be teaching?”
“I’ll help people with whatever they need, but it’s advertised as, Learn to Speak Horse.”
“That sounds fantastic. I wish I could watch.”
“You can. I’ll be videoing the whole thing. You can sit right here and see it live on my computer.”
“Really? That’s great.”
“Would you like to take a trail ride tomorrow?”
“Yes, please. That would be wonderful. I haven’t been on a horse since I left here.”
‘That’s criminal. Why not? You’re such a great rider.”
“You think so?”
“Absolutely. Surely there must be decent barns in and around Nashville.”
“There were, and I did look, but my days were always so full. Rehearsals, writing new songs, social events, it was endless, and of course Geoff was always watching over my shoulder.”
“Gettin’ back in the saddle will do you the world of good.”
“I agree, one-hundred percent. I can’t wait.”
“Hold on, that’s a text,” he muttered as his phone beeped. “It’s Hank. He’s drivin’ through my gate right now. He sure will be surprised to see you.”
“How much do you think we should tell him?”
“A short version of the truth. You had to get away because your manager is a manipulative bastard and you’re scared of him.”