Take Me As I Am (9 page)

“Then it must be a very special friend by the expression you had when I walked back in here.” John-Henry smiled.

“Yes. Yes, I actually think it is a very special friendship.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Now, that would be telling and I’m not saying…just yet anyway.” Jo chuckled before sipping on her beer.

“Well, tell you what. I’ll trade your information for mine. How is that?”

“How do you know I want your information?” Jo asked.

“Tell you what else. I’ll go first.” The older man pulled a beer for himself, came round to her side of the bar, and sat next to Jo.

“Sounds good to me.”

“I just received a call from a friend of mine in Nashville,” John-Henry said.

“So? Nashville is a thousand miles away. What’s that to do with me?” Jo picked up her beer bottle and rubbed a fingernail on the label.

“If you let me finish, Jo, perhaps you will get to know how it affects you.” John-Henry smiled and Jo nodded. “When you came here I was impressed by your singing talents obviously, or I wouldn’t have asked you to entertain the customers. However, what I didn’t tell you is that after that first week I started to record some of your sessions. You see, my friend is a record producer in Nashville, a small label called Trigon Records. He works with raw talented singers and songwriters.”

Jo knitted her eyebrows. “Yeah, so.”

“I took the liberty of sending him a tape of yours and he just called back.”

Jo was watching him with mild interest but inside her stomach churned.

“And?”

“And,” he grinned. “You’re not fooling me for one minute I can tell you’re interested.” He took a long slow swallow of his beer. “He wants you to get yourself there as soon as you can because he wants to hear you live. If he likes what he sees…well…I guess that’s up to you and him.”

Jo felt speechless. This was like a dream come true. She’d had the odd skirmish with record companies back in New York with her original band, but it had never taken off. This sounded too good to be true. Danvers was a hick town yet she managed to find not only a friend she could rely on, but also the chance at a dream. How did she get this lucky?

“John-Henry, why?” Jo watched the older man shake his head.

“Why not?” he asked.

“That’s not an answer and you know it?” Jo laughed.

“True, but then again, why should there always be an answer to every question? Some things you just have to take on faith,” John-Henry answered.

“I guess what I’m going to say next won’t come as a shock, then. I need to leave, John-Henry. I was going to stay until the end of the week but circumstances have forced my hand and I need to get out of town either later today or early in the morning,” Jo explained quietly.

“Does this haste to leave town have anything to do with the marks on your face?” He lifted her chin and looked closely at the half-shut left eyelid.

“Could be.” Jo shrugged. “I’m taking a friend with me when I leave.”

“Wouldn’t be the newly engaged Thea Danvers would it?” John-Henry’s eyes were tracking to the corner table where Thea had become engaged to George.

“Yes. That would be the friend and it’s the newly broken engaged Thea Danvers that will be accompanying me.” Jo grinned at the older man who smiled at her and winked.

“I guess you must be more of an attraction.”

Jo blushed at the inference but managed to control it. “No, hardly think so, but I suspect she enjoys the company more.”

Both of them laughed and drank from their respective beers.

“So, who do I see in Nashville?” Jo asked.

“Forgot to tell you that, didn’t I? Jack Wicklow. He’s one of the finest people I know even if he’s in the recording industry.” John-Henry laughed.

Jo looked at him skeptically. “Guess I’ll find out, won’t I? When’s the next bus out of here heading that way? Tonight? Tomorrow?” Jo took another long sip of the warming beer.

“Early tomorrow morning. Five a.m. to be exact. Think you can manage that?”

“Yeah, sure. Can I stow my things here? Thea thinks the bastard banker might lock us out.”

“Not a problem.”

“Since the bus comes so early, I can only do one set. That’s assuming you want me, that is?” Jo glanced at him knowing the answer.

“I want a last session from you and the customers are going to be devastated,” he said. John-Henry lightly tapped her on the shoulder and nodded toward the entrance where Sheriff Smith was coming in.

Jo had seen the expression on sheriff’s faces numerous times in other towns. He was going to ask her to leave town. Probably just as well she was already leaving.

†

Thea looked out of the window of the room that faced the small neat drive leading up to Daisy’s single story home. Had anyone told her twenty-four hours ago, that she would be leaving her home, her motel, and contemplating the drifting life with a virtual stranger, she would have laughed in their faces. Facts spoke for themselves and there she stood, waiting for Joanna to escort her back to what was now the bank’s motel for her final night. She considered the motel her home along with the town founded by her ancestors.

The nerves she felt only hours earlier when she had felt totally bereft of hope in the future were now those of excitement at the prospect of what lay ahead. It wasn’t what she had expected but it was far better than existing in a marriage of convenience and being miserable.

Joanna had said she wouldn’t be more than half hour, but already an hour had passed. After what she termed a disagreement with
something
and the injuries she had sustained, Thea worried that the
something
might come looking for her again.

As she watched for Joanna to appear, she gasped and held her hand to her mouth. The portly figure of George was striding, if you could call it that—rolling might be the better adjective—up the drive toward the house.

Damn, the sooner I’m out of this town the better.

Thea rushed out of the room toward the kitchen where Daisy, who had shown her nothing but love and understanding from her childhood, was. Daisy insisted she listen to her heart. She had, and now that man coming to Daisy’s home was the outcome.

“Daisy, George is about to make his presence known,” Thea said quietly. She hadn’t wanted to startle her while she was placing a roast in the oven.

Daisy stood to her five-foot stature and smiled in compassion. “Thea, don’t worry. I’ll get rid of the silly man.” She chuckled while moving toward the front door. “He surely can’t take
no
for an answer, can he?”

Thea waited behind the kitchen door for Daisy to get rid of the intruder. There was no doubt about it—that is exactly how she viewed the man now—an intruder. She listened to the conversation.

†

Daisy opened the door and looked at the man whose face held determination. “What can I do for you, George?”

“It’s Mr. Andrews to you and I want to see Thea. Don’t tell me she’s not here, because I know she is and I have news that she might be interested in,” he said in a condescending tone.

“I can’t believe that there is anything you have to say to Miss Danvers that would possibly be of interest to her,” Daisy said.

“Well, at least you didn’t bother to deny she was here,” George bit out. “I demand to see my fiancée immediately.

Daisy laughed. “George, why would I bother? You have spies everywhere. If you want to know anyone’s whereabouts, you will know. You have known Miss Danvers whereabouts for years and everyone knows it. There are names for people like you and I’m sorely surprised her daddy didn’t use them on you.”

“Tell Thea I want to talk about her friend. It will be in both their interests.”

“I will do nothing of the kind. Why should she believe you or anything you might have to say? You don’t intimidate me, or Thea for that matter, so go away.”

“If Thea doesn’t come and talk to me, her friend might end up in jail. I’m sure she wouldn’t want that if she could prevent it. What do you think about that?” George said.

†

Thea was convinced that it was a ploy of George’s to get her to talk to him but if it meant there was any danger of Joanna being jailed and she could prevent it well then it wasn’t an issue. Hadn’t she said she would protect Joanna?

“I’m here, Mr. Andrews. You had better come inside.” Thea moved around the door into the small hall and gave Daisy a weak but grateful smile.

“You sure, Thea? I don’t mind telling this sorry excuse for a man to get out of here,” Daisy retorted.

“I’ll be okay.”

Daisy moved aside.

“Don’t think I’ll let you get away with that remark. You’ll pay. Count on it,” George whispered.

“Mr. Andrews, don’t you dare,” Thea threatened.

With a scowl followed by a nod, George tagged along behind Thea to the small sitting room and the door closed behind them.

Thea walked to the window and waited for the man to say whatever he came for. The sooner he did, the faster he would be out of her sight. She never wanted to see him again for rest of her life.

“My dear, surely I’m not that abhorrent to you. After all, it was less than a day since you agreed to marry me and we shared our first kiss to seal the promise.”

Thea flinched at the memory. “Say what you have to say and then please leave. I have things to do before I leave town.” Thea refused to rise to the bait.

“I wanted to clarify the situation between us, Thea. I know you have a nervous disposition and I’m sure that now you have realized that your rather hasty words this morning should be retracted.”

His arrogance surprised Thea. “You said that Ms. Lackerly may be in trouble and I could help. That’s the only clarification that I need, Mr. Andrews.” Thea could feel her simmering anger reaching a level that was ready to boil. She hadn’t been happy to know that for years he knew her whereabouts. To her, that was a total invasion of her privacy along with stalking, which was illegal.

George smirked. “Ms. Lackerly was in an altercation with an employee of mine. I have convinced him to agree not to press charges for assault.” He paused. “For the moment, that is.”

Thea raised her eyebrows.
So that’s how Joanna received her injuries. George sent one of his goons to make their mark on her.

“Who exactly would that be?” To stop her fingers from moving in agitation, Thea threaded them together in front of her.

“You met him at our engagement. Tony Reed.”

Thea virtually choked on the laugh that bubbled up at the name. “That’s preposterous. Who in this town would believe that?” she asked. “Everyone in town knows he fights with anyone at the drop of a hat. Who would believe that Joanna would attack him?”

George looked down at the tip of his highly polished shoes, smiled, and then looked her directly in the eyes. “Sheriff Smith, for one. He’s seeing your
friend
as we speak. I can, of course stop any of this from escalating if you would work with me on the problem.”

Thea couldn’t believe her ears. This was ridiculous. Tony and Joanna had an altercation at the bar, but Joanna would never assault the man. Would she? What did she really know about her new friend? Not a great deal. However, she knew that Joanna wouldn’t have picked the fight. She knew it in her heart.

“What exactly do you want from me, Mr. Andrews?” she asked absently.

“I want you to tell your friend that you’re staying in town and tell her to leave without you.” George smiled sweetly. “The earlier, the better.”

Thea turned back to face the window, seeing the afternoon sunlight gradually disappearing round the house. “That’s all?” Thea asked in a stronger voice.

“Well, my dear, I want you to reconsider your earlier words,” he said in a sickly, reassuring voice. “We can work on that after your friend leaves town.”

Thea heard his tone but didn’t believe it for one minute. Still there was a question of the sheriff arresting Joanna and locking her in jail. It looked like George could fabricate enough of a case to do that. Sheriff Smith was a nice man, but everyone in town knew he was in George’s back pocket. Joanna didn’t have a chance.

“I need to speak to Ms. Lackerly and tell her myself.” Thea’s voice sounded desolate even to her ears.

“Oh, no. I don’t think so, Thea. That woman might convince you otherwise,” George blustered.

Angry green eyes focused on him and Thea inwardly grinned when he opened then shut his mouth. “If you want me to co-operate, Mr. Andrews, I suggest you let me see Joanna, and we meet alone.” Thea spoke with quiet authority. She fixed her face with a look that let Andrews know she wasn’t going to give in to any external influence from him at this point.

“As you wish, my dear.” George turned toward the door to leave.

Thea continued to look out the window and said nothing more. What was there to say? She heard the door click shut and the low mumble of voices as Daisy probably showed him out of the house. She watched the banker walk from the drive to his waiting car and the drive all of three hundred yards to the bank.

Her mind was so preoccupied that she failed to hear the door open.