Chapter 10
Genevieve sat in the passenger seat of Abe's car, staring at the glass doors of Esplanade Studios.
The professional rehearsal space that had felt so promising an hour ago now seemed to mock her.
Through the windows, she could see other musicians setting up for a session, their faces bright with the same excitement she'd felt before that devastating phone call.
"I keep thinking about what my agent told me," she said. "A major sponsor requested the change. Someone I've never met, never even heard of, can just decide my career isn't worth their investment."
Abe shifted in the driver's seat to face her fully. "Tell me what you're thinking."
"I'm thinking about how powerless I am in all of this." Genevieve twisted her hands in her lap. "My agent books the gigs, but he can't control the sponsors. I'm too far down the chain of command to have any say in these decisions. I only feel the effects of what people with real power decide."
"That has to be frustrating."
"It's terrifying," she said. "What if this happens again?
What if Jason convinces other sponsors that I'm too much trouble?
What if venue owners start seeing my name and thinking I bring drama with me?
" Fear had been building in her chest since the phone call.
"I could be blacklisted without ever knowing why.
One day I'm performing at respected venues, and the next day no one will book me because some shadowy sponsor thinks I'm a liability. "
Abe reached over and took her hand. "Jason doesn't want you blacklisted everywhere."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because that would defeat his purpose," he said in a calm voice. "Think about it. He expects you to capitulate to the pressure and join forces with him. If he destroys your reputation completely, he will have to undo all that damage later. That would be disadvantageous to his ultimate goal."
Genevieve felt a small measure of relief at his reasoning. "So, you think this was targeted specifically because of how important the House of Blues performance was?"
"I think Jason is strategic," Abe said. "I'm starting to figure out how he thinks. He plans ahead. He's calculating and conniving. Everything he does serves a purpose. It's always about how he can get what he wants, and in that way, he's predictable."
"Predictable how?"
"He'll keep pressing until you give him what he wants, but he won't completely destroy what he's trying to possess." Abe squeezed her hand. "You're valuable to him. He wants to control your career, not end it."
Genevieve took a shaky breath. "My next performance is at The Spotted Cat Music Club. It's completely different from the House of Blues."
"How so?"
"The Spotted Cat is tiny, maybe holds a hundred and fifty people on a good night.
It's this intimate little club on Frenchmen Street where locals go to hear authentic New Orleans music.
There are no corporate sponsors involved, and no major industry presence.
It will be an audience of music lovers and tourists who stumble in looking for the real thing. "
"That sounds like it would be harder for Jason to influence."
"That's what I'm hoping," Genevieve said. "The venue doesn't announce their lineup with much advance notice, either. They're more casual about it, sometimes just posting the acts on social media a day or two before. And my performance schedule is confidential. Only my agent would know the details."
Abe nodded slowly. "That is a different setup, but I won't assume anything when it comes to Jason."
"I don't know how I'd handle another cancellation," she said. "The House of Blues was supposed to be my breakthrough moment. If The Spotted Cat falls through too…"
Her phone buzzed with a text message. She glanced at the screen and saw Cadie's name.
"She's still upset," Genevieve said after reading the message. "This is a big deal for her too. The whole band was counting on that exposure. She wants me to come over."
"That's a good idea," Abe said, starting the engine. "Tell her I'll drop you off now. I need to meet with Gabriel and review where we stand." As he pulled away from the curb, his voice had an edge. "I'm done with taking what Jason dishes out. It's time to turn the tables and go for his throat."
*****
Cadie's apartment reflected her life as a working musician.
A baby grand piano dominated the small living room.
Sheet music and lead sheets covered its surface.
Guitar cases leaned against one wall, and a keyboard stood on a stand near the window.
The walls were decorated with vintage posters from famous New Orleans jazz clubs and photographs of legendary musicians.
But today, the creative chaos didn't mask Cadie's distress. She opened the door with teary eyes and pulled Genevieve into a fierce hug.
"I can't believe this happened," she said, then walked to the couch. "I've been pacing around here for an hour. I'm furious."
"I know. I'm sorry this happened."
"Don't you dare apologize," Cadie said, then sat on the worn leather sofa.
"This affects me too, but not only personally.
We're a team, Genevieve. Your success is my success, but more than that, you're my best friend.
I hate watching someone systematically destroy what you've built.
" She gestured expressively with her hands as she spoke, a habit Genevieve had noticed intensified when her friend was emotional.
"The whole band was counting on that gig. "
"I agree that this would impact everyone else." Genevieve sat at the other end of the sofa. "We were all going to benefit from that performance."
"That's another reason why this is so infuriating." Cadie stood and paced. "It's not just about you. Jason is hurting multiple people to get to you. It's so unfair. You've done nothing wrong, you're incredibly talented, and you work harder than anyone I know."
Genevieve curled up in the corner of the couch, drawing her knees to her chest. "What if he does this to The Spotted Cat too?"
"He won't," Cadie said with more confidence than Genevieve felt.
"The Spotted Cat is different. It's owned by a local family who've been running it for twenty years.
They book acts based on talent and audience appeal, not corporate sponsorship.
It's the kind of place where real musicians go to hear real music. "
"But what if Jason finds a way? What if he has more reach than we think?"
Cadie stopped pacing and sat back down, taking Genevieve's hands in hers. "Then we'll figure out something else. We'll book our own venues if we have to. We'll play in coffee shops and bars that don't care about sponsors or industry politics."
"That's not the career I've been working toward."
"I know," Cadie said softly. "But your music is too important to let some idiot silence it. The House of Blues would have been amazing, but it's not the only path to success."
They sat quietly for a moment, the weight of uncertainty hanging between them. Finally, Cadie said, "How do we fight someone with so much power?"
"I don't know," Genevieve said. "Abe feels that Jason is predictable because everything he does serves a purpose. But I feel like I'm playing a game where I don't know the rules."
"What does Abe think will happen next?"
"He's meeting with Gabriel's team to review their investigation.
They've been digging into Jason's background, trying to find evidence of illegal activity.
" Genevieve took a breath. "I could tell that he was pretty fired up when he dropped me off.
I'm starting to know him. He tried to appear calm for my sake, but he was furious . "
"Good," Cadie said. "You need someone in your corner who's willing to fight for you."
"I just hope he doesn't do anything dangerous."
Cadie studied her friend's face. "You're falling for him, aren't you?"
"You can tell, can't you?"
"I've known you for years. You can't pretend otherwise." Cadie's expression softened. "He's different from the others."
"Abe is very different," Genevieve said. "He doesn't see my music as competition or a hobby I should outgrow. When he looks at me, I feel like he sees all of me, not just the parts that fit into his idea of who I should be."
"That's rare," Cadie said. "Really rare."
"I know it is. Which is why this whole situation with Jason feels so unfair. Just when I find someone who might be right for me, this chaos erupts and threatens everything."
"It won't last forever," Cadie said. "Jason can't keep this up indefinitely. People like him make mistakes, and when they do, they usually make big ones."
Genevieve hoped her friend was right. But as they sat in the small apartment, surrounded by the tools of their trade, she couldn't shake the feeling that Jason's mistakes might hurt more people before they brought him down.
*****
During the drive, Abe tried to focus, but rage simmered beneath the surface. He'd maintained his composure around Genevieve because she needed his strength, not his anger. She was already devastated enough without seeing him lose control.
On his way to Guardian Investigations, Abe allowed himself to feel the full force of his fury.
Jason Thornton had crossed lines of decency and legality.
The man was systematically destroying the dreams of a woman Abe was falling in love with, and that made it personal in a way that went far beyond his duties as a detective.
The image of Genevieve's face when she'd received that phone call was branded in his mind. He witnessed her hope draining away, replaced by devastation and fear. She'd worked hard to build her career, and Jason was destroying it, piece by piece, to satisfy his twisted need for control.
Abe reached the Guardian Investigations office and took the elevator to the fourth floor. He forced himself to breathe deeply and remember the task at hand. He needed information and strategy.