Part 15:
*************************************************************************

Kevin rolled over and found the other side of the bed empty and then it
hit him, he was home in Kentucky and Alec was still at home in Orlando. He
yawned as he sat up in bed and took a look around his room, everything was
still the same as it always was. Everything there stayed the same while
everything in his life was changing drastically. He squeezed his eyes shut
as he leaned his arms against the window frame looking out at the Kentucky
forest surrounding the house, just once he'd like something to work out
like it should. And that one thing was getting Lou back for the hell he
was putting them all through.


Shan pulled the phone off the nightstand and brought it to her ear,
"Morning." she mumbled.

Brian laughed, "Hey sleepyhead, you still sound asleep huh? What time did
you get in?"

"Mmmm what time did you call?" she opened her eyes a little and glanced at
the clock, surprised to see it was only eight in the morning.

"Almost one I think. Didn't you listen to the message?"

"I heard it as I was walking in." she yawned rolling on her back. "What
are you up to today?"

"Trying to write some songs with some guys..."

"Mmmm..hey did you come across Kevin yet? He was supposedly going up there
to meet you."

Brian froze, "What?"

"Alec said he wanted to spend some time with you to reform your bond or
whatever and he decided to fly up and visit ya. I thought maybe he'd go to
Nashville but maybe he's waiting in Lexington."

"Well I haven't seen him yet."

"Oh well just wondered."

On his end he nodded, "You check on Lis?"

"Yep, she's lost without him I think...How the hell could he do that to
her B? I don't know I think my opinion of him's changed."

"Maybe there were circumstances..."

"Circumstances? How the hell can their be circumstances Rok? He has a wife
he's supposedly in love with but he can go out there and hop into bed with
any female he finds? Don't expect me to have sympathy for him."

Brian sighed, "All right."

Shan smiled, "Sorry I went off didn't I?"

"Kinda."


Howie sat in the meeting, Paul was droning on and on about the investors
sitting across the table while he nodded at the occasional pauses, he
flipped through the file in front of him showing their latest financial
records. His eyes scanned the numbers and he frowned to himself, they
didn't seem to match up with the paperwork he had at his office in
Orlando. An hour later Paul wrapped the meeting up and escorted the
investors out of the room, "You okay D?" he asked, sitting on the edge of
the table.

"Oh yeah, sorry Paul. I guess the fight with Ty affected me more than I
thought. Would you mind terribly if I took the files back to Orlando with
me? Your doing a great job from this end."

"Sure no problem, your not a necessity at these meetings anyway." Paul
stated. "Tell Ty I said hello and I'll make sure you have everything you
need before you leave the building."


Nick walked into David's office, a bit apprehensive of why he had called
him so suddenly. He thought it would take a couple days to find out
anything.

David smiled, "Relax Nick...I just need a couple more answers from you."

"Okay." Nick eased himself into the seat across from the desk. "What?"

He pulled out a folder and opened it, revealing the newspaper article. "I
need to know, have you seen it, is any of it true and do you have any clue
whoever it could be talking here? Then I'm going to need a list of
everyone on the last tour, roadies, road agents, flunkies, the band, the
dancers, security...sometimes someone might have said something to someone
that seemed out of character and sticks in their minds."

"I saw it, its basically a pile of lies...some of it seems to be based on
what Lou's blackmailing us with, the women, the parties...I have no idea
who'd give an interview like that. As for the list I'm gonna need some
time to compile it. Go through some books I have at home and everything."

"Sure, but if you could do that soon? I want to run some background checks
on these people as well...maybe there's a connection to Lou none of you
knew about."


Three, four, five...Alec counted the rings of Kevin's cell phone as she
walked around the house. After nine she was tempted to hang up but she
heard his voice. "Richardson."

"Hi stranger."

Kevin smiled into the phone, "Hi...was just about to call you."

"Why?"

"Let you know all is well and fine in Kentucky."

She frowned, "But weren't you going to go to Nashville?"

"I did but then I realized Bri was pretty well booked solid with meetings
so I took the next flight here. I'll catch up with him later." He hated
the lies he was telling her but right now it was the only way.


Lis sat in Nick's office, swiveling side to side in his chair. She froze
seeing him in the doorway. He smiled weakly at her, "Hi."

"You came to get some of your stuff huh?" she asked, her voice
emotionless.

"Yeah. I need some files out of here."

She nodded, "Well take whatever." her eyes followed him as he went to the
file cabinet in the corner and opened it, pulling some files out.

Nick opened the files and made sure they were what he needed, out of the
corner of his eye he glanced at Lis she was just sitting there staring
blankly at something on the desk. "You okay?"

Lis raised her eyes from the picture of them she had been looking at, "How
can I be okay Nick? Are you okay?"

He slammed the drawer shut. "No I'm miserable. And so are you so why...you
can't even look at me can you?" he asked seeing her looking at a spot over
his shoulder.

"No I can't all right?"

"Because you hate me."

She took a deep breath, "Because I hate what you did to us."


Lou looked at the pictures and smiled, "These my friend are great."

"Thanks Lou, I try my best."

"And no one saw you?"

"They didn't even know they were being photographed."

"Great." he leaned back in his chair, "You made several copies I imagine?"

"I did, four envelopes worth and the negatives are put away for safe
keeping."

"Well then, I'd say its time for Mrs. Littrell to get a rather large
surprise wouldn't you say?" he said with a grin, looking back down at the
picture of Cassie and Brian hugging.