Out Of Focus: An Adams Grove Novel Part 11

"Oh, no, nothing like that. You spoke to the police earlier this week about a package."

His smile faded. "Yes. The one the lady sent to the courier in Virginia?"

"That's the one." Thank G.o.d, he remembers. "Do you remember what she looked like?"

He studied her. "Yes. Yes, I do."

Her heart raced, and she prayed she wouldn't screw up anything the police had already done. Was he going to answer?

His face softened. "I remember her because, you see, she was wearin' one of them fringy coats. Kind of looked like a hippy from back in the sixties. She'd have been a looker back then, but you're too young to know what I mean by that. She was tallish. Long, straight brown hair. Said she was just pa.s.sing through."

"You're sure?"

"Positive. Why do you ask?"

"I'm Kasey Phillips. The package was sent to me."

He wagged a crooked finger toward her. "No, young lady. You are not the lady that sent that package."

She nodded. "Oh, I know. Do you think if I sent an artist over, you could describe her well enough for them to sketch a picture?"

He tapped his finger to his temple. "Mind like a steel trap. I can do that."

"Excellent," she said, her voice jumping as high as her hopes.

"You seem pretty excited about that. Mind me askin' what this is all about? Police wouldn't share much."

"No, sir. I hope you can help me." She told him the story of the accident and Jake's disappearance.

He reached across the counter and patted her arm. "I'm so sorry."

"Me, too. I pray for any lead that might help me. Mr.... Where are my manners? I'm sorry. I didn't get your name."

"Lightner."

She grabbed a business card off the counter. "I'll have someone call and set up a time to come by as soon as possible, Mr. Lightner."

"That'll be fine. I hope I can help." His brows wiggled again. "I bet you're a wonderful mother."

She pressed her hands to her heart. Her eyes welled. "That's a nice thing for you to say. Thank you." She shook the card his way as she backed out of the store. "I have someone waiting on me, but we'll be in touch."

He waved goodbye, shook the paper open, and turned his attention to the morning news.

Back in the limo, Kasey couldn't contain her excitement. She thanked the driver so many times for stopping that he rolled up the window between them.

She dialed Von and pa.s.sed along the news. Once he finished fussing at her for going to the courier service, he agreed to arrange for a sketch artist to visit Mr. Lightner and follow through with the lead.

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 pa.s.sed 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 decor 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 s.p.a.ce with pile so deep her high heels sank, making it hard to keep balance. She followed through the huge s.p.a.ce 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 h.e.l.l 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 gla.s.sy. She rubbed her fingers under her nose. "He's adorable," she said in a compa.s.sionate 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 gla.s.s 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 pa.s.s 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 cla.s.s 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 a.s.sured 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. G.o.d'll let you know when it's time to do otherwise."

It was the first time she'd heard him reference G.o.d, 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 a.s.sailed 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 pa.s.sed 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.