Chapter
1
I suppose there are
gurus all over the world who could tell me how to relax and what I need to do
to get myself in a calm, peace-filled state where my mind is open and all the
answers flow toward me like lotus on a pond. If one of those masters happened
to be in front of me at this moment, I would reach out, put both hands around
his neck and shake him over and over screaming, “Why is everything so hard?!!!”
But, there are no
gurus here. Just Jim and I standing in the lobby of the Four Seasons
while he tries to explain to me how he lost August and what the plan is for
finding the young addict in a huge city we can’t possibly canvas effectively.
“ I thought you and your guys were supposed to stay with him,” I
say, running my hands through my hair and pulling it back. “How could he
possibly get away?”
“ We were packing everything up. He just slipped by us. He’s like a
little blond kitten. He just squirms away,” Jim sighs. I don’t know what he
does for Marcus when he’s not babysitting errant authors, but I can see this
assignment is pushing him to his limit.
“ Someone has to be accountable for that kitten,” I scold. I can’t
bear the thought of seeing August strung out, needle stung or dead. He’s too
young, too beautiful of a soul to endure much more. “It is your responsibility,
right?”
“ This isn’t about blame, Ms. Miller. We just need to find the kid.”
“ It isn’t about blame? It’s easy to say that when it’s your fault.”
“ Where’s your credit card?” Jim asks directly. I open my purse and
dig the platinum Eliott House card out of the bottom, trying to hide the breath
mints and Kleenex that insist on sticking to everything I pull out. Holding it
up for Jim to see, I realize he wasn’t really asking about the card, but
reminding me of my own lapse in good judgment that nearly resulted in the
writer’s death.
“ I’m sorry, Jim,” I say, nodding. “How do we find him? Dagney Van
Der Vine is in the lobby. We can’t go running around screaming his name and
hoping he comes home”.
“ I’ve got Chris and Talbot on the street, checking every alley and
bar in the neighborhood. Chloe’s circling the area he went to last time in the
cab he took with your card. DeLong is getting his kit ready for anything, and
Mr. Eliott has been apprised. I need you to look around the hotel. Van Der Vine
and Davis are both used to seeing you here. Act like you’re looking for ice or
a gift shop or something.”
Nodding, I take
off, still holding the strange note from Chloe in my hand. What dark secrets
about Marcus does she want to tell me, and why now, when it was going so
well? I take the elevator to the top floor, intending to work my way
down. Jim’s right. This was Marcus’s floor and my presence won’t be
noticed. Turning the corner, I am filled with the desire to find August,
and the fear of what I will see if I am too late.
I notice a white
flash of hair down a side hall, and take off around the winding hallway to cut
him off before the elevator so he can’t get away. I sense his motion and jump
into the hall in front of him.
“ AHA!” I shout full of adrenaline, my sweat-stained hair clinging
to my head.
“ Huh?” A deep resonant rings out, then adds, “HAH!”
“ Oh, gosh,” I say out loud when the fog clears from my eyes and I
realize this isn’t August, but the blond intern following Jordan Davis down the
hall.
“ Looking for someone, Ms. Miller?” He asks, a curious smile curling
the corners of his mouth upward.
“ I was hoping to find Marcus, but I guess he’s already left. I’m
surprised to see you still here,” I say, trying to play off the fact I look
like a crazed track star running circles on the top floor.
“ I was about to say the same thing about you. Marcus left two days
ago, I assumed you’d be with him.”
“ Why would you assume
1
I suppose there are
gurus all over the world who could tell me how to relax and what I need to do
to get myself in a calm, peace-filled state where my mind is open and all the
answers flow toward me like lotus on a pond. If one of those masters happened
to be in front of me at this moment, I would reach out, put both hands around
his neck and shake him over and over screaming, “Why is everything so hard?!!!”
But, there are no
gurus here. Just Jim and I standing in the lobby of the Four Seasons
while he tries to explain to me how he lost August and what the plan is for
finding the young addict in a huge city we can’t possibly canvas effectively.
“ I thought you and your guys were supposed to stay with him,” I
say, running my hands through my hair and pulling it back. “How could he
possibly get away?”
“ We were packing everything up. He just slipped by us. He’s like a
little blond kitten. He just squirms away,” Jim sighs. I don’t know what he
does for Marcus when he’s not babysitting errant authors, but I can see this
assignment is pushing him to his limit.
“ Someone has to be accountable for that kitten,” I scold. I can’t
bear the thought of seeing August strung out, needle stung or dead. He’s too
young, too beautiful of a soul to endure much more. “It is your responsibility,
right?”
“ This isn’t about blame, Ms. Miller. We just need to find the kid.”
“ It isn’t about blame? It’s easy to say that when it’s your fault.”
“ Where’s your credit card?” Jim asks directly. I open my purse and
dig the platinum Eliott House card out of the bottom, trying to hide the breath
mints and Kleenex that insist on sticking to everything I pull out. Holding it
up for Jim to see, I realize he wasn’t really asking about the card, but
reminding me of my own lapse in good judgment that nearly resulted in the
writer’s death.
“ I’m sorry, Jim,” I say, nodding. “How do we find him? Dagney Van
Der Vine is in the lobby. We can’t go running around screaming his name and
hoping he comes home”.
“ I’ve got Chris and Talbot on the street, checking every alley and
bar in the neighborhood. Chloe’s circling the area he went to last time in the
cab he took with your card. DeLong is getting his kit ready for anything, and
Mr. Eliott has been apprised. I need you to look around the hotel. Van Der Vine
and Davis are both used to seeing you here. Act like you’re looking for ice or
a gift shop or something.”
Nodding, I take
off, still holding the strange note from Chloe in my hand. What dark secrets
about Marcus does she want to tell me, and why now, when it was going so
well? I take the elevator to the top floor, intending to work my way
down. Jim’s right. This was Marcus’s floor and my presence won’t be
noticed. Turning the corner, I am filled with the desire to find August,
and the fear of what I will see if I am too late.
I notice a white
flash of hair down a side hall, and take off around the winding hallway to cut
him off before the elevator so he can’t get away. I sense his motion and jump
into the hall in front of him.
“ AHA!” I shout full of adrenaline, my sweat-stained hair clinging
to my head.
“ Huh?” A deep resonant rings out, then adds, “HAH!”
“ Oh, gosh,” I say out loud when the fog clears from my eyes and I
realize this isn’t August, but the blond intern following Jordan Davis down the
hall.
“ Looking for someone, Ms. Miller?” He asks, a curious smile curling
the corners of his mouth upward.
“ I was hoping to find Marcus, but I guess he’s already left. I’m
surprised to see you still here,” I say, trying to play off the fact I look
like a crazed track star running circles on the top floor.
“ I was about to say the same thing about you. Marcus left two days
ago, I assumed you’d be with him.”
“ Why would you assume
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