by Nancy Naigle
A newfound sense of strength came over her. She relaxed against the fine leather, basking in the knowledge she was doing everything she could think of to find Jake.
The driver looked at ease as he maneuvered through the traffic, then parked in front of the hotel. Kasey was greeted by a concierge who escorted her to Cody Tuggle. As they passed through the lobby, the concierge introduced himself as David Allen. He was so proper she didn’t dare ask if those were his first and middle names, or first and last, though she wondered. He told her the bellman would retrieve her bags and deliver them to her suite. She hadn’t expected this level of opulence in décor or service.
David Allen led her to a private elevator and punched in the code for the penthouse. When they reached the top floor, they stepped into a marble sitting area with a skylight overhead and faced a set of huge double doors. David Allen pulled a gold key from his suit pocket and twisted it in the lock.
Kasey entered the grand room. White marble floors glistened as bright as fresh Aspen snow. Carpeted areas sectioned off the space with pile so deep her high heels sank, making it hard to keep balance. She followed through the huge space toward the hum of conversation. An impromptu interview area had been arranged at the far end of the room—two large black leather chairs and stage lights that burned so bright she sensed the sizzle from yards away. Near the interview area, Cody sat with a paper cape tucked into the collar of his white shirt. A pretty blonde dabbed his forehead with a sponge.
“You made it.” Cody said, leaning to dodge the woman who was now coming at him with a huge makeup brush. “I was getting worried.”
Kasey hadn’t considered that her little detour would be noticed by anyone but the driver.
Cody spoke to a dark-haired woman who then crossed the room to greet Kasey.
“He’ll wrap up in just a little bit. I’m Annette. I run the publicity campaign for his tour.” She extended her hand.
Kasey accepted the handshake and introduced herself.
Annette’s dark hair swung across her shoulders as she spoke. “Cody filled me in on your son. I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine....”
“Thank you.” Kasey took in a deep breath.
“He’s getting ready to do an interview with the local TV affiliate. You’re just in time. He said you’d have a picture. We’ll get them to show it at the end of the interview, and Cody will explain the situation. I hope it helps.”
“You don’t know how much this means to me.” Kasey took a manila envelope out of her shoulder bag and handed it to her.
“It won’t hurt Cody’s reputation any either. I have a hard time getting him to do interviews. He’s always hell bent on staying off camera, but then paparazzi just make up stuff about him. That’s never good. You’re in the biz. You know.”
“All too well,” Kasey said.
Annette tugged the photographs out of the sleeve.
“They’re all the same. I made fifty copies.” Kasey had taken the picture after a long day at a picnic. Jake had been sweaty and dirty—all boy—and clutching his Bubba-Bear to his chest.
Annette took in a quick breath and her eyes went glassy. She rubbed her fingers under her nose. “He’s adorable,” she said in a compassionate tone.
Tears teased the rims of Kasey’s eyes. She couldn’t let that start. Not here. Not now.
“Thank you for all your help.” She excused herself before she lost control.
Kasey poured herself a glass of water and filled a small plate with food from the huge spread that had been laid out for the crew. She took a seat and watched Cody and the television host. Cody looked nervous. Stiff. He’d been the same with her on the photo shoot at first.
Once the interview got going, he loosened up and the real Cody came out—charming and full of humor. Toward the end of the interview, Cody asked the host if she would do him a favor.
“Of course,” she gushed. “Anything for you, Cody.”
Cody shifted gears—from playful musician to sentimental man.
He cleared his throat and leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees and forming a steeple with his fingers. Kasey guessed that the cameraman was zooming in on him.
“Bad things happen all the time. Usually to really good people. I have a friend, a real nice lady; she’s had a rough time. Long story short, her son is missing. We’re going to flash a picture for you. If you’ve seen this child, please call the toll-free number below, or contact the station here.”
Kasey held her breath. She might as well because her throat was suddenly so tight that no air could pass through it.
Cody looked her way, then repeated the phone number and the description of Jake.
She tilted her head and mouthed the words, “Thank you.” A dormant strength awakened inside her, a welcome feeling that she really wasn’t alone in all of this.
“If your tip brings this little man home to his momma, I’ll pay a generous reward for the lead.”
Why hadn’t I thought of that?
The producer called from the side, “Aaaaand, that’s a wrap.”
Cody thanked the interviewer, then the entire crew, appearing much more relaxed since the camera had stopped rolling. He made his way over to Kasey.
“The segment will air across the Nashville area on the six o’clock news,” Cody said. “Don’t worry about the reward. I’ll pay it.”
“You’re doing enough just getting Jake’s picture out there,” Kasey said, still amazed by his generosity.
He grabbed an Orange Crush from an ice bucket and twisted off the top. He took two long swigs. “Those lights are hot.”
“You’re changing the subject.”
“Yeah. I’m the star. I get to do that.” He winked. “Did you want to change before we go over to do the sound check?”
“You always get your way?”
“Pretty much.” Cody picked up a white phone from the bar and, in what seemed like less than a minute, the concierge was back to escort her to her quarters.
Quarters. Excuse me. Talk about first class treatment.
Kasey stayed close to Cody on the tour, jetting from city to city and staying in constant contact with Riley for updates. She became a part of the group in no time flat. They even had her wearing a tour do-rag of her own by the time they arrived in the third city.
She found it easy to get caught up in the excitement that filled the arena when Tuggle hit the stage. Every show sold out, and she’d gotten creative with the concert shots, even perching high among the lights in Austin, Texas.
Cody had been right. She couldn’t have followed along in her RV, even if the tour stops had been on the east coast. The pace was too fast, the crowds intense. Women cried when they saw Cody Tuggle on stage and swooned when he grabbed the mic and sang. Traveling with Cody turned out to be easiest for Kasey because they were gone before the crowds finished cheering, miles away while the fans still held lighters in the air, begging for an encore.
Within a week, they’d played Nashville and three cities in Texas. They’d drawn a full house in Beaumont, Austin and Corpus Christi, but tomorrow night’s show in San Antonio had sold out in record time. They added a second show the following night to accommodate the demand. The added date meant a tricky travel timeline as they moved east, but the road manager assured them they could squeeze in another show.
In each city, Cody used his stardom to get the word out about Jake. The radio and television stations were open to helping out. Kasey had never felt safer with so many people on her side working to find her son. In San Antonio, the local radio show even put Kasey on the air. They activated their Country Super Star Alert system. The 800-line had received some calls, and Von and a team of specialists ran down all the leads. So far, nothing had panned out, but at least they were trying. Riley kept Kasey up to date with daily reports.
After the final song at the second San Antonio show, Kasey and Cody were whisked away to catch the jet. There was no time for any of them to wind down after this show. Even
the band had to move out in a hurry.
On the private jet, Cody sat in his usual spot—a large reclining seat that had been supersized to fit his huge frame. She strapped herself into one of the seats in the front of the plane where Annette and the road manager liked to go over their plans.
After a smooth takeoff, Kasey stared out the window as the lights of the city dimmed beneath them. Cody strummed his guitar. She could just barely hear him humming over the white noise of the plane.
The flight from San Antonio to New York was long compared to the little hops they’d made over the past week between the Texas cities. Kasey downloaded images to her laptop and worked on them for a while until Annette stretched out on the couch. Afraid the clicking and typing on the computer would bother her, Kasey shut it down for the night. She took a novel out of her bag, moved to the other side of the plane, turned on a single overhead light, and pulled a plush velour blanket over her legs. She snuggled into its warmth and read while Cody strummed a soft melody behind her.
Lost in the novel, she never heard Cody put down his guitar or move through the cabin until he sat in the seat next to her.
“Can’t sleep?” he asked.
“Winding down. You?”
He reclined the seat and rested his hands on his stomach. “I’m always geared up for a while after a show. Music is what I always wanted to do. Even as a kid. It’s like living a dream every time I set foot in front of those folks and share my songs. Sometimes I think my heart will just burst from the happiness I feel.”
“They sure love you.”
His blue eyes narrowed. “No news yet? About Jake, I mean.”
She shook her head, holding her raw emotions in check. “No. They’ve had some calls, but nothing that’s turned into a lead. Yet.”
He patted her arm. “It’s still early, and we have a lot more towns.”
“Needle in a haystack. That’s what if feels like sometimes, but I can’t give up,” she said.
“You’ve got your head on straight. If you still feel he’s out there, he is. Go with your heart. God’ll let you know when it’s time to do otherwise.”
It was the first time she’d heard him reference God, but she could tell by his tone it wasn’t the first time he had.
“I’m sure you miss your husband, too.”
A tumble of emotion assailed her. “You can’t begin to imagine.” She’d never forget a single detail of Nick’s face, the love in his eyes. “We were soul mates. We hadn’t even known each other long when he asked me to marry him.” Kasey paused. “Why am I telling you all of this?”
Cody shrugged and leaned back. “I have that effect on all the girls.”
“I bet.” Kasey laughed and continued, “He married me even though I was pregnant with another man’s child. He loved that baby as if he were his own, with never so much as a word that he wasn’t.” A thoughtful smile curved her mouth. “We were the kind of couple that never had to say a word to know what the other was thinking. Nick gave my life meaning.”
“You were lucky.” Cody’s voice was gentle. “Smart to recognize such a rare blessing and hang on.”
She turned to him. A look of sadness passed over his features. “That sounds like experience talking.”
His brow wrinkled. “I’ve made some mistakes in the past. Left some pretty special people behind in my pursuit of a music career.”
“Sounds like you didn’t leave the memory behind.”
“Memories.” The beginning of a smile tipped the corners of his mouth. “They won’t keep you warm at night.”
“You got that right.” Her reborn zest for life comforted her. “They say people come in and out of your life for a reason. Thank you for being here for me now.”
“It works both ways,” he said. Their eyes locked, but neither of them moved. Cody reached up and clicked off the overhead light. “We better get some rest. Tomorrow’s another big day.” He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.
She couldn’t take her eyes off him.
This man, who shouldn’t have a burden in the world, was helping carry hers.
An angel. A guardian angel. I pray Jake has one, too.
New York City whooped it up big with the country band. Who would have thought a bunch of city folks could get down country-style? But they did. Since the band wasn’t leaving town that night for the next show, they treated the sold-out crowd to a good old-fashioned jam session as the encore. Kasey wasn’t sure who was having more fun, the band or the fans.
The band was in good spirits from the impromptu jam, and Annette was thrilled that Cody had come to her about doing a couple extra guest spots while they were in town—something he rarely did. He wasn’t big on self-promotion, preferring his music to stand on its own. Yet he seemed to think that helping Kasey was a worthwhile way to use his celebrity. He did all three morning shows for the networks, and even two late night shows.
The next morning, Kasey sat across from Cody watching for his reaction to the latest set of proofs.
“You gonna get that?” he asked.
“Oh. It’s me?” She dug in her purse for the phone. “I never get calls in the morning.” Kasey’s heart pumped as she flipped open the phone.
“Hello?” Please be a lead, she prayed.
“Your grandmother is in a hell of a tizzy.” Jeremy spit out the words like pellets. “You better call and explain to her soon, else I’m liable to just leave. She’s driving me crazy.”
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing, until your grandmother picked up those gossip papers at the grocery store. There you were, right on the cover.”
“Me?”
“Well, you all tucked down in the arms of that rock star.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Oh. My. God. She mouthed to Cody.
“The picture was bad enough, but the article all but has you cheating on Nick while you were married, and offing Jake to be with Cody Tuggle.”
Blood pounded in her temples. Was this Grem just trying to get attention again? “You better be kidding, and if you are your joke is not funny.”
“You haven’t seen it?” His tone made it clear that he wasn’t kidding.
“Which one?” Her jaw tensed.
Cody’s eyebrows rose.
Kasey pressed the speaker button on her cell and held the phone so Cody could hear.
The sound of papers shuffling came from the other end, then Jeremy said, “The one I have here is The Insider. She has another one in the other room. Does it matter?”
“If The Insider is running the story, everyone else will have it by the end of the week.” Kasey’s temper rose, and Cody’s nostrils flared with fury to match. “Tell Grem to quit reading that trash. You know none of it is true.”
“Yeah, like that will happen,” Jeremy said. “You know how she loves that celebrity gossip.”
He was right. “Tell her the story’s not true. I’ll call her when I cool down. I appreciate the heads-up.” She threw the phone in her purse and dropped her head into her hands.
She glanced up at Cody. His lips were thin with anger. They exchanged a knowing look, a been-there-done-that-and-this-t-shirt-sucks kind of look.
Kasey said, “Houston, we have a problem.”
Chapter Twelve
“What should we do?” Kasey hoped Cody would have an answer.
Cody reached for his phone. “I’ll call Annette. She’ll know who to contact.” Before he could dial her number, she called him to tell him the same news. They spoke while Kasey lugged out her laptop and brought up the internet to search for the article.
It was easy to find. It splashed the front page of their website.
Unfortunately, the angle of the photo used on the cover of The Insider made Cody and Kasey appear a bit snuggly. It was just the other night. Cody had been shielding her from a heavy crowd of screaming women as they ran to the limo after the show in New York.
She twisted the laptop screen toward Cody who was
still talking to Annette.
He winced.
The article was pure smear—anything to hike sales. Cody’s reputation made profitable news, only this time she was caught right in the middle. She called Von to warn him and see if he could help insure it wouldn’t hinder the investigation.
Annette ran damage control, and Von tried to keep the investigation from getting sucked into the mayhem. At noon, the Southampton County Sheriff was scheduled to make a statement to the press on Kasey’s behalf. She was thankful for their willingness to publicly support her and dispel the nasty rumors. The focus could then return to their quest to find Jake.
The morning was supposed to have been leisurely, but they’d spent just about the whole time doing damage control until the driver came and whisked them away to the airport to head to the next city.
On the plane, Kasey second-guessed joining the tour and every move she’d made.
Once they were in flight Cody stepped behind her seat and rubbed her shoulders. “Don’t worry. The crisis will blow over before we land in Connecticut. If it doesn’t, I’ll clear the air in the next interviews. Annette is a miracle worker when it comes to stuff like this.”
“I’m so sorry. If I’d just taken the bus with the guys, this wouldn’t have happened.” Kasey put her laptop aside.
“Don’t be silly. Besides, I like having you with me.” He squeezed her shoulders, then came around and sat next to her. “You’re a special lady.”
“I think you’re pretty special, too,” she said. “I don’t know what I did to deserve such a great friend, but I sure am thankful for you.”
“No, I mean really special.” He held her gaze. “I’m so relaxed around you. I can be myself. You don’t even seem impressed by me. I like that.”
Kasey laughed. She was impressed all right. Impressed he could be this down-to-earth with women falling at his feet every day.
“Seriously,” he said. “Not just anyone can adapt to this kind of lifestyle, or fit in with this group of assorted nuts I consider family.”