by Amy Briggs
“An incident? What kind of incident?”
“Miranda received a threatening package today, so the cops are on their way,” I explained, scanning his face for a reaction, but seeing none.
Palpable shock appeared to cross his face. “A threatening package?” he gasped. Pointing to the box in my hand, he asked, “Is that it?”
Quickly glancing down, I replied, “Yeah, this is it.”
“What’s in it?” His eyes were still wide with shock.
“It’s just a Voodoo doll, but she’s pretty upset about it,” I replied, still looking for a nefarious sign and coming up empty.
“Jesus, that’s creepy,” He scrunched up his face. “Okay, well I’ll leave her alone and say hi later, of course. If there’s anything I can do, please let me know?”
“Will do, Travis. If you see anything weird, anything at all that gives you a bad vibe, tell me, and we’ll get it handled,” I said authoritatively.
“You’re pretty good in bad situations, Ryan. Especially for a writer,” he replied.
“Thanks man, I guess it’s just shock, maybe. Someone needs to stay levelheaded, ya know?”
“Well, she’s lucky you’re around,” he stated, picking up his bag to leave.
“Thanks man, we’ll catch you later,” I said, waving goodbye as I left to go back to the girls. The dude just wasn’t my guy. It seemed like he had an affinity for the girls, Miranda in particular, but nothing creepy or fucked up about it, from our conversation, and he definitely didn’t show any of the tells of a typical liar.
The cops had just arrived, and they needed the doll and a statement. While I’d like to have sent the doll to my guys, the cops were probably going to want that too. Before I reached the girls, I took a few pictures of it, and sent it to my buddy, Caleb. He had worked for me for the last couple years, and while he couldn’t run any tests on the doll, he knew how to find out where things came from, and knew how to get people to talk. That’s what I needed. Some fucking answers.
After we talked to the cops, who were completely useless, I let Carmen and Ryan take me back to my room, not even thinking about the fact that we’d been using only one of the adjoining rooms until I slipped the key card in the reader.
I sucked in my breath as we walked in, prepared to be forced to confess what had been going on between Ryan and I. When I glanced around the room, the adjoining door had been shut, so there was no indication we’d created a suite of two rooms for ourselves, thankfully. Flopping down on the couch, I let out a huge sigh as Ryan and Carmen just stared at me like I had two heads.
“Why don’t you lay down for a while,” Carmen suggested.
“Because I’m not fucking tired. I’m angry,” I snapped at her.
“Whoa, I’m just trying to help.” She threw her hands up in surrender.
“I’m sorry.” I softened my tone. “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Someone is watching me, they know where I’m staying, and it’s fucked up. I just don’t know what to do.”
“I suggest we act normal,” Ryan said.
“What’s normal?” Carmen asked.
“Well, what would you normally do in New Orleans?” he asked in reply.
“Normally, in New Orleans, we go find some fucking delicious catfish to eat.” Carmen’s tone dripped with sarcasm, causing me to let out a small giggle.
“Well, then we go out and get some fucking catfish tonight.”
“Is that a good idea?” I asked, wondering what he was thinking.
“I don’t know, but does it make sense for you to stay holed up in your hotel room like a prisoner? Probably not. Yes, someone is out there. Yes, they’re watching you. But, if you’re not alone, he can’t do anything to hurt you. We will be with you.” Ryan gave me a small, reassuring smile.
“I like this plan,” Carmen said. “There isn’t anything more we can do, and no one has ever approached you. It’s just notes, and weird Voodoo shit… Speaking of, how do you feel? How’s your throat?”
“My throat is fine, thank you very much.” I rolled my eyes. I felt like the Voodoo was bullshit, for the most part. I didn’t know that much about Voodoo, so it wasn’t too scary, but I also didn’t want to push my luck either.
“Alright, well if it starts to bother you, tell me. Because there’s, like, a billion witch doctors in this fucked up town, and we’ll go get you fixed,” she said seriously.
“Are you kidding me right now?” I asked, relatively annoyed.
“Yeah, I’m serious. You don’t mess around with Voodoo, sister. It’s fucked up shit,” she said.
“Okay everyone, relax. I’m pretty sure the Voodoo doll was just an attempt at being creepier than before. That being said, let’s all chill the fuck out and get our catfish tonight. Tomorrow, you do the show and we get the fuck out of here. We’re off to California next, and with any luck, this guy won’t follow. We managed to get through three cities without an incident before, so it’s possible that could happen again.” He didn’t seem convinced, any more than the rest of us, but I appreciated him saying that.
Carmen paced around the room like a caged animal, clearly debating what she wanted to say before she informed all of us, “Ryan, it’s not your job to babysit, Miranda. Listen, sister” - she turned to me - “I think it’s time to consider actual security on this tour.”
“I don’t want someone following me around all the time!” I shouted.
“Listen, this is getting fucking serious…” Ryan interrupted her.
“No, you listen! It’s my life. Am I a little shaken up? Yeah, I am. I won’t lie. This is getting fucking sinister, but I’m not going to have zero privacy because of some fucking weirdo.” I was angry, I didn’t want someone with me all the time, and I was tired of having this argument.
“I’m calling Dad!” Carmen shouted.
Ryan jumped in. “Okay ladies, let’s all calm down.” Carmen stormed over to the bed and sat down dramatically, while I crossed my arms over my chest, huffing. “Yeah, go to your corners,” he said.
“She needs to start listening, and stop being so stubborn,” Carmen whined to Ryan.
“Really? I’m stubborn? Hello pot, the kettle called to remind you that you’re both black!” I snapped at her.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Ryan said sternly, raising his voice. Both Carmen and I shut up and turned our attention to him.
“First of all, Miranda, I’m already with you almost all the time, so you’re not technically alone, and you do have someone following you around. Me. Second, your sister is probably right, you should have some kind of actual security on this tour. Nobody can force you, but it would probably give everyone in your family some peace of mind.”
“Exactly,” Carmen sneered, annoying me even more.
“Carmen, zip it,” Ryan snarled at her, making her shut up.
As he returned his attention to me, to continue his lecture, I stopped him. “Look, I’m not getting security right now. I don’t need it. Security wouldn’t have stopped a single thing that has happened. I’ve received some fucked up letters, some flowers, and now a macabre doll. Objectively speaking, whoever is doing this is just a fucking asshole. They haven’t come after me, and everything was all delivered anonymously. So, you can all just zip it. I’m never alone, so I’ll just keep it that way. And when we get back home to Nashville, we can talk to Dad about what the next steps are if this person hasn’t been found yet. That’s how it’s going to be.” No one was going to dictate how I was going to spend my time, regardless of their concern over me.
“Fine, Miranda. I’m not going to keep arguing with you. But if this gets any fucking weirder, I’m calling Dad. And as for you, Ryan, with all the big ideas. You can babysit her all afternoon. I need some air.” She used air quotes, meaning she was definitely going to go smoke.
Calmly, Ryan replied, “I’ll stay with her, and we’ll meet you in the lobby at seven so you can go get your catfish. Deal?”
Smiling slightly, she replie
d, “Deal,” and left.
Turning to me, Ryan gave me an expression that was somewhere between exasperation and aggravation. “Your sister is right.”
“What do you mean, she’s right?” I asked defensively.
“You’re being stubborn. Someone is trying to frighten you, and you should take it seriously,” he said.
“Maybe. But I’m not dealing with another person on this tour right now. Besides, that would definitely put a kink in what we’ve been up to,” I replied, fishing for a response.
“Nothing is going to drive a wedge between us, Miranda. You still don’t seem to get it.” He crossed the room to sit next to me on the couch. As he took my hand in his, he confessed, “I’m already trying to figure out how we can keep this going beyond the tour.”
“You are?” I asked, shocked. I felt those little butterflies floating around in my stomach, forcing a smile to form.
“Yeah, I am. I know we live in different states and whatever, and I don’t know what this is exactly, but it’s definitely not a summer fling to me. It never was. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were going to hook me,” he grinned, squeezing my hand gently, which softened my demeanor.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” I said softly.
“Baby, it’s okay.” He pulled me in for a hug, holding onto me tightly, before letting out a sigh.
“How did I get so lucky, that you’d happen upon our tour, and this would happen? It’s so funny how strange life works. I mean, what if they sent some other writer,” I asked, thinking about how fortunate I’d become. Stalker or not, Ryan ended up here with me, he had a calming influence, and always seemed to say the right thing, no matter what.
“I don’t think that would’ve happened. It was meant to be me,” he said, stroking my hair. “Now listen, why don’t you lay down for a bit. I know you’re a little tired, because I know for a fact you didn’t sleep much. Then we’ll go out and have a nice dinner.” He winked at me.
“Alright, alright,” I giggled a little. “Will you lay with me?”
“Of course I will, baby,” he said, kissing me softly before leading me to the bed, where we slept. At least I certainly did, wrapped up in his arms.
While she napped, I thought long and hard about what I needed to do. There were no two ways about it; it was time for me to come clean to her dad. I needed to tell him what had happened. With the notes and shit, yes, but I also needed to tell him how I felt about his daughter. I couldn’t keep lying to everyone; it was going to make her unsafe, and I could do my job better if I were being honest. Well, if it didn’t get me fired. I was truthful with her about my feelings, none of that was a lie. In fact, when we got to San Francisco, I wanted her to stay with me at my house instead of a hotel. Truthfully, I knew I could keep her safe there, but I also wanted to invite her into my life. Really invite her in.
I resolved that I’d call Mark the next day while the sound check was going on. That way, I wouldn’t be interrupted and I could just say what needed to be said. I knew he was probably going to fire me, and I’d already asked Caleb if he would be able to take over for me if that were to happen. When he asked why, I just told him that I may need to come home for some personal shit and we left it at that. It made me sick to my stomach to think I’d have to leave her, but I couldn’t keep doing this if it was going to hurt her, and if I couldn’t do my job effectively. While I didn’t think my feelings for her were affecting how I did my job, my lack of honesty was going to fucking infuriate her when she found out, and I knew she’d find out eventually. She’d probably never speak to me again.
She took a nap for about two hours, and when she woke up, we just laid in bed, talking for a while, as if what had happened that morning was nothing but a bad dream. I treated it like the last time I’d be able to lay with her like that, taking in her smell, her laugh, and her soft touch. I spent that time memorizing everything about her, knowing I’d be ripped away after my confession to her father.
She asked about my family, and I told her about my mom and how close we were. She told me how she and Carmen used to put on shows for their parents in the living room, and sometimes her parents would join in. I couldn’t get over the image of a tiny little Miranda singing and dancing as a child. It had to have been absolutely adorable. Of course, I pictured a little girl with flaming red hair, and I didn’t even know what Miranda’s natural hair color was. It made me realize that I needed to know more. Observing was all well and good, but I wanted to know everything about her. I wanted my memories of her to be of all the moments we shared, and all the things she let me in on about her life.
That evening, we got ready for dinner, and she seemed to have recovered from the drama. We met up with Carmen in the lobby, who had come back to the hotel to check on her sister. She had been out having afternoon cocktails with the guys, who were meeting us at the restaurant. It was just a short walk from the hotel, and I hung back, looking for anything suspicious, while the girls chatted on the way. I didn’t want Miranda to feel like a prisoner, but she was far less safe out in public, and I didn’t want to take any chances.
The guys already had a table for us, and we sat down, Carmen on one side of Miranda, with me on the other.
“Hey writer, would you come with me to the bar to get a drink?” Carmen asked.
“The waitress will probably be by in a minute, can’t you wait?” Miranda scoffed.
“I’d like one now, and I’d like the writer to join me,” Carmen replied tersely.
“Of course.” I got up and followed Carmen to the bar. Fortunately, I could still see our table, so I didn’t have to take my eyes off Miranda at all.
“Alright Ryan, I’m ready to revisit the fact that you’re definitely my sister’s bodyguard now,” she said bluntly, the moment she set her elbows on the bar, trying to get the bartender’s attention.
“What?” I replied, knowing that after tomorrow, it wouldn’t matter, and debated coming clean.
“After the way you handled things this morning, I’m one hundred percent convinced. I’d appreciate the decency of your honesty. I’m not going to tell Miranda,” she said.
“If what you were saying is true, and I’m not saying it is, why would you keep that secret?” I asked.
“Because my sister is in danger. And for some reason, she continues to pretend this isn’t a thing. My interest is in keeping her safe, even if it means that you’re lying to her about what your job really is,” she replied matter-of-factly. “We can address the fact that you’re also fucking her later.”
“That’s a lot of observations and conclusions, Carmen,” I replied.
Ordering us both a shot, which I refused, she turned to face me. “Cut the shit, Ryan. If that’s your real name.” She took one of the shots, and after making sure I didn’t want the other one, slammed that one back too. “It would make your job easier if I was in on it.” She stared at me, awaiting my reply.
“Okay, Carmen. You got me. I was hired to watch and protect your sister. I’m on Royal protection duty, but part of the arrangement was that it was undercover. And my real name is Ryan,” I confessed.
“My dad?” She grinned.
I nodded.
“That son of a bitch. I’ll give it to him; it probably would have stayed on the down low if you hadn’t fallen for my sister,” she laughed lightly.
“Excuse me?” I said. I hadn’t fallen for her. Had I?
“I thought we were past the bullshit, Ryan,” she replied. “You’re obviously in way over your head, or your heart, or whatever here. I see the way you look at her. A bodyguard doesn’t watch his client with that intensity…like she’s on the dessert menu.” Carmen laughed at me. “You think you’re good at this, but you’re no undercover pro. I’m sure you’re very good at your job or my dad wouldn’t have hired you, though, so here’s what we’re gonna do.”
I listened intently as she explained her perspective. “You keep doing what you’re doing, and I’m going to find ways to m
ake sure that you’re with us, or with her, at all times. We gave you the slip in Chicago for breakfast, but that was before things started getting so fucked. I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen again, and you keep her safe on this tour.”
“You got yourself a deal,” I replied, smiling while she ordered herself a beer.
“I would like to remind you of the fact that I will still stab you in the heart if you break hers though.” She pointed her beer bottle at my chest.
“I’d never do anything to intentionally hurt her. You know when she finds out about this - and she will find out - she’s going to be furious.” I looked at Carmen for comfort in the moment.
“Well, she has to forgive me because I’m her sister. As for you, I suggest you keep your lies to a minimum, and I’ll do what I can to help you when the time comes. After the tour is over.”
I didn’t have the balls to tell Carmen the plan would very likely all go to shit the next day when I called their dad. “Your dad doesn’t know anything is up with Miranda and I.”
“I figured as much. I’m guessing it was a surprise to both of you, knowing her. But she looks happier than I’ve ever seen her, and she’s got a fucking psycho Voodoo bad juju-loving stalker. So, that says something,” she said, half-chuckling.
Not entirely sure what else to say, but catching Miranda’s questioning expression from the table, I said, “We should get back. I presume you and I have an understanding now?”
Grinning, she replied, “Why yes. Yes, we do. Here’s to keeping my sister safe. And whatever the fuck else you two do in your adjoining rooms.” She chuckled as we walked back to the table.
That Carmen was smarter than I gave her credit for. She had been doing some observing of her own, and I had to give it to her. If I didn’t know that it was time to come clean, I would have enjoyed sticking it out the rest of the tour. I appreciated her candor with me, regardless.
When I sat down, Miranda leaned over and whispered to me, “Is everything alright?”