I got up and found her at the front door, “She’s sleeping. I don’t know if I should let you in. I‘m not sure she wants to see you.” It was James and my heart was suddenly in my throat.
“It’s OK, Josie,” I told her. I was afraid of what he might say, but I needed know. Josie let James in. He looked tired.
“Get dressed, we need to settle this,” he demanded. I expected a hug or an explanation, not an order.
“Tell me what’s going on,” I replied but he refused to talk. He only told me to get dressed and come with him and then his eyes looked at Josie. I assumed he didn’t want to talk in front of her. I went to do as he asked and Josie followed me to my room.
“Are you sure? What if that bitch was telling the truth?” Josie asked.
“I trust him. I have too. I’ll be fine, thanks,” I told Josie and hugged her. She stayed with me protectively as I threw on a comfortable jogging outfit and tennis shoes. I brushed my hair and then went to leave with James. Josie followed me to the door and watched me leave. She was a good friend and I felt bad about thinking she had broken her promise. I followed James out to the parking lot. He didn’t have his truck, instead driving a mid-sized rental car. Something was up but I was at a loss to see it.
James was quiet on the way to wherever he was taking me. I asked him what was going on and all he said was, “You’ll see.” He wasn’t helping to ease my conspiracy theories but I tried to reserve judgment. Traffic was hell and it was slow going but I could tell we were headed downtown. After nearly an hour, we got off the freeway and drove directly to the Roland Talent Agency. James parked in the loading zone in front of the building, apparently his favorite spot to park, and then James got out of the car, came around to gather me and tugged me by the hand towards the front doors.
“What are we doing? I was fi…,” I began to say but James looked back at me as we hurried into the lobby.
“Trust me,” was all he said.
~12~
Up the elevator we went and James was still quiet but his hand held mine fiercely. I still wondered what his role in this was but I was getting the feeling he was pissed off and not at me. The vein above his temple twitched as it did the day I met him. The elevator opened and we walked briskly through the reception area, past the vapid receptionist as she asked, “May I help you?” We left her behind and then walked through the offices. Peter caught sight of us and I could see the puzzled look on his face as James and I walked by. I looked at him and shrugged.
James led me into Victoria’s outer office and he stopped in front of her secretary and asked, “Is the Fraulein in?”
“If you’re referring to Ms. Roland, she’s in but occupied,” the woman answered giving the standard response. James turned and pulled me with him as the secretary called after us, “You can’t go in there!”
We burst into Victoria’s office and found her on the phone, her long legs and high heels propped on her glass and metal desk. “I need to go,” was all she said and hung up the phone. “So, my little fib has been exposed. Oh well, it doesn’t matter,” she said. I expected James to go off on her, blow up and lose his mind. I half expected him to wring her neck. As much as I hated to admit it, I would have liked to see that. Instead, he calmly approached her desk.
“I suppose it doesn’t. Vicky, you’re fired,” James said. I looked back and found Peter and a couple of other employees standing in Victoria’s outer office watching and waiting to see what might happen.
“Fired? How original,” Victoria answered and then stood and walked around the desk towards me. She stopped and asked, “Who’s going to represent your horrid band now? This slut?” Victoria said and I suddenly felt Peter behind me. He obviously sensed something was about to go down and was there to support me or hold me back, I wasn’t sure which. I looked at him and he shook his head. Good thing because I was about this far from punching the Fraulein in the face.
“Actually, yes. Simone is the band’s agent. I saw the contract she negotiated and she’s a hell of lot better than you ever were, Vicky. I asked you to assign her to the band for several reasons, not the least of which is that you suck as a talent agent, not to mention as a human being. Samuel’s agency died with him. This mess is all on you. You can take your piece of shit agency and shove it up your squeaky, tight ass, Vicky,” James said calmly but with force. I had no idea how he’d seen the contract but then I looked back at Peter and he nodded. I smiled at him.