Part 77 (2/2)

school and arrange security. Once she's settled, and safe, we'll go to

California and begin rehearsals. Fix up the tour, Pete, and make it a

long one.” He took a hard pull of whiskey. ”We're ready to rock.”

SHE DOESN'T WAnt to go back.” Brian watched Emma wander around the

rehearsal hall with her new camera. He'd given it to her during their

tearful goodbye at Saint Catherine's Academy for Girls in upstate New

York.

”She'd barely been there a month before this spring-break thing,”

Johnno reminded him. But he felt a twinge for the little girl as she

snapped a picture of Stevie's Martin on its stand in the corner. ”Give

her a bit of time to adjust.”

”It seems all we do is adjust.” It had been eight weeks since he'd

walked out on Bev, and he still ached for her. The women he'd taken

since were like a drug, the drugs like women. Both only eased the pain

for moments at a time.

”You could call her,” Johnno suggested, reading his partner's thoughts

with the ease of a long relations.h.i.+p.

”No.” He'd considered it, more than once. But the papers had been full

of their separation, and his appet.i.te since. He doubted if he and Bev

would have anything to say to each other that wouldn't make things

worse. ”My concern now's for Emma. And the tour.”

”Both'Il be smas.h.i.+ng.” Johnno glanced over, giving a pointed look toward

Angie. ”With a few exceptions.”

Brian merely shrugged and began to noodle on the piano. ”If she

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