Part 4 (1/2)
”Yep. Population seven thousand-a mill town in northern California that's seen better days. There was always talk of closing down the high school and busing us over the hill to Ukiah.”
”So your small-town roots kept you in the Bay area instead of L.A.”
”More or less.” He didn't say the drug scene in L.A. had almost taken him down when he first started out in the music business. Berkeley gave him the distance he needed to maintain a normal life.
She felt more of a rapport with him from that point, their small-town backgrounds overcoming some of the s...o...b..z dazzle that had been rat tl ing her since she'd boarded the opulent private jet. Although, being alone with Johnny Patrick in this tiny little s.p.a.ce was definitely a factor, too.
But she found herself relaxing as they compared small-town memories and exchanged brief histories of their families-he had a mom and dad who lived in Napa now, a brother in Colorado.
”We get together on the holidays,” he said. ”At my place or in Napa-in the ski season we're more apt to go to my brother's place in Denver. He has kids; they're younger than Jordi, but they all get along. How about you? Do you go home on the holidays?”
”Pretty much. My folks and brother and sister operate a tree farm, so Christmas is a big deal. Once the trees are s.h.i.+pped in early November, everyone relaxes and starts baking. The whole family cooks, and Thanksgiving and Christmas are one gargantuan feast.”
”You cook, too?”
”'Course. I make candy.”
His brows rose. ”No kidding.”
She smiled. ”It was a matter of taking what was left on the seasonal menu. Not that making candy is oppressive in any way. But my dad makes the sausage and smokes the bacon, my mom handles the Scandinavian coffee breads and lutefisk, my older sister opted for the Christmas cookies before I was big enough to complain, and my brother makes the best egg rolls and scalloped potatoes in three counties. And actually, it helps to have an engineering degree when it comes to candy making. It's a very precise art. The rest of my family are biologists and wing it more than I do.”
”So you're odd man out.”
”Like the houses I build,” she quipped. ”Tell me, are you in step with your family?”
He laughed. ”Not really. My dad worked in a mill and listened to baseball on the radio, not music. My mom's a librarian, retired now, and her idea of music is hymns. My brother's a math teacher. But no one ever gave me any grief for taking the route I did. Even when things were sort of rocky.” Those days when he was partying so hard he forgot what day it was, for instance.
”How did you get your own label?”
”Probably the way you started your own business. I just went for it.” He grinned. ”I had a garage band that was pretty d.a.m.ned good, for starters.”
”How did you know they were good?”
He slumped back in his chair and gave her that practiced smile-the one he could turn on and off effortlessly. ”It's a gut feeling. Believe me, a music degree from Berkeley isn't the key, although I don't discount it. But mos tl y, I learned by trial and error.”
”When did bodyguards enter your life?” So maybe it wasn't a good segue, but those guys were intimidating.
His eyes widened for an almost imperceptible moment, and then he smiled. ”They bother you?”
”Well, sort of.”
”Barry and Cole are just along for backup.”
”That's what I was afraid of.”
”You're not in any danger.”
She frowned. ”Then what does backup mean?”
”Just general a.s.sistance,” he calmly said, apparently picking up on the bristle in her tone. ”Like sometimes they help me out when I go to some red carpet thing; they get me through the crowds. Or if I'm out clubbing, which I rarely do these days, they help keep...” He hesitated.
”The women away?”
His lids lowered fractionally, and for a brief moment he considered lying before he decided against it. ”Yeah... sometimes.” And then he got back to the subject at hand. ”I don't have Barry and Cole around much-occasionally for outside work. Or for times like this. A little extra muscle never hurts.”
”They're on your payroll, though.” She could tell the men were comfortable with each other.
”I have lots of people on my payroll. Look, I'm sorry they make you nervous, but I'm not exac tl y sure where I'm going to find Jordi, or with whom. I'm playing defense and bringing them along. I hope it's not too much of a problem for you. But you're perfectly safe; you have my word.”
This probably wasn't the time to argue about their varying definitions of safety. Bottom line, he had to consider his daughter's safety. ”Sorry I brought it up,” she murmured. ”I'm good with the program.” What could she say? Let me out at thirty-five thousand feet?
”With luck, we'll pick up Jordi within a few hours and head right back. I'm figuring on a short trip.”
But his expression had changed when Jordi came into the conversation; he was clearly distressed. ”Here I am being difficult about your bodyguards and you're worried sick about your daughter,” Nicky said, feeling guilty as h.e.l.l. ”I'm really sorry.”
”Forget it.” He tried to smile but didn't quite manage a credible one. ”I keep telling myself there should be some crew on board who'll keep an eye on Jordi-that she's okay and not frightened. But I don't know...”
”I'm sure she's fine. Jordi's such a sociable child. She can get along with anyone.” Plat.i.tudes all, but gritty reality wasn't an option.
”Here's hoping.” His current mood wasn't upbeat, though. Lisa had screwed up so many times he wasn't relying on her to act like a grown-up today. ”Look,” he said, ”I'm going to check our course time with the pilots.” He came to his feet. ”Thanks for the conversation,” he said, both polite and oddly detached.
”You're welcome. I wish I could do more.”
”You can do some fast talking for me once we get to Paris and start looking for Jordi.” He paused at the door. ”You know, be diplomatic and pushy at the same time.”
”I'll do my best.” This wasn't the time to say she wasn't sure she was adept at either one.
”Sleep if you can.” He opened the door. ”I'll wake you before we land.”
She hadn't realized she was tired, but only moments later, she was in bed and sleeping.
Being on show for so long must have been fatiguing.
Meanwhile, Johnny checked on the pilots, chatted briefly with Barry and Cole, and put in a last call to Lisa's a.s.sistant, grimacing as she gave him the same answer she had the last time he had spoken with her. As far as she knew, Lisa was on her way to Paris. From there, she didn't have a clue.
He and Mandy Ingram had a strained but working relations.h.i.+p. Her loyalty was to Lisa, of course, but she knew as well as he did who took care of Lisa when she needed help. When the drugs took over or a boyfriend was making unreasonable demands, ex-husband he might be, but he was the one who was always called on to do the heavy lifting, should it be required.
But nothing was required right now.
Because everything was in f.u.c.king limbo-including his daughter's whereabouts.
Swearing softly and then not so softly, he began pacing.