Chapter 42
The buses pulled into Phoenix around two in the morning and took them to the hotel. They all piled off the buses carrying their bags and headed into the hotel. Linda went over to check the crowd in while they stood off to the side trying very hard not to be recognized.
Kevin was holding Tyler and had his face buried in her hair as she said, "I wonder if Kryss, Fiona, and Sonja are here yet."
"We’ll find out in a minute," said Brian. "Here comes Linda."
Linda came over and handed them the keys. "You’ve got the three
penthouses on the top floor and the rest of the group has the floor under
you."
"What about Fiona?" asked Nick.
"All three of them are in the penthouse straight across from the elevators."
Brian, Howie, and Nick broke for the elevators followed by Kevin, Tyler, AJ, and Lex. It seemed like the elevator was in slow motion and Nick was getting extremely anxious. He was dancing around the elevator.
Kevin was tired and extremely irritable as he said, "Nick! Stop it! You aren’t going to make it go any faster doing that."
Tyler looked up at Kevin, "’Boo’, you’re just tired. Don’t fuss at Nick."
They got off the elevator and went to the penthouse that Linda said the girls were waiting in. They found Sonja sitting on the couch with her knees pulled to her chest and she was crying. Brian went to her and she melted into his arms. He stroked her hair as he held her as the others looked on.
Howie looked around the room and asked softly, "Where’s Kryss?"
A bedroom door opened and Fiona came out. When she saw Nick, she ran into his arms and began to cry as he held her close. Tyler and Lex looked at each other not knowing what to think.
Howie was beginning to get worried because Sonja and Fiona were both extremely upset and there was no sign of Kryss. Again, he asked, "Where’s Kryss?"
Sonja looked up and through the tears she said, "She’s in that bedroom."
Howie looked in the direction Sonja was pointing and then headed towards the room. Tyler pulled away from Kevin to go with Howie.
Kevin grabbed her hand, "Baby...."
"I can’t let him face this alone."
Kevin and Tyler followed Howie to the bedroom where they found Kryss curled up on the bed in a fetal position. She wasn’t crying and she wasn’t asleep. She was just staring at one spot on the wall. Howie went to her and sat beside her as Tyler turned into Kevin’s arms.
Reaching out, Howie put his hand tenderly on Kryss’ waist. "Kryss, it’s me."
Kryss started crying and got up so that Howie could hold her. They sat together on the bed, Kryss in Howie’s arms crying as he stoked her hair. He talked softly telling her that everything would be okay.
Tyler looked at Kevin, terrified. "Something horrible has happened, Kevin."
"I know, baby," said Kevin. He was thinking how grateful he was that Tyler wasn’t there for all this. "Come on. Let’s give them some time alone."
Tyler and Kevin went back out where Sonja and Fiona had calmed down and were talking to the others.
Brian looked up and asked, "Where’s Howie?"
"With Kryss," said Kevin.
"Sonja, what the hell happened?"
Sonja started to explain, "Mr. Eisnor brought a group of men to our offices first thing yesterday morning and they were looking for Tyler. When they didn’t find her, they went to Mr. Burton and they closed the door. Around ten, when they were suppose to start the auditions for the new shows, Mr. Burton sent word that Fiona and I wouldn’t be handling them and not to go."
"I was suppose to audition," said Lex. "They told me I couldn’t audition for ANY of them so I quit."
"Well, after lunch, Fiona and I were called into Mr. Burton’s office where Mr. Eisnor and two other men were still with him and we were released from Disney."
"Did he offer any explanation?" asked Tyler.
"None. He did tell us that you had already quit, Ty, so when we cleaned out our stuff, we got yours too."
‘Thanks."
Lex asked, "What about Kryss?"
"She hasn’t said anything since yesterday. She was the one who found Mr. Burton though, around three yesterday. He shot himself, through the head."
"OH WOW!" said Nick.
Tyler leaned against Kevin as she asked, "Who were these people?"
Sonja said, "We don’t know."
Fiona then said, "If you and Lex hadn’t already quit, you would have been fired too."
"Anyone else get canned?" asked AJ.
"No, not that we know of," said Sonja.
Everyone thought about that and Brian said what they were all thinking. "It looks like they were going after the five of you."
AJ said, "If Pearlman weren’t in jail, I’d say he was behind all this."
They all looked at AJ because the same thought had crossed their mind too.
Kevin said, "You know, he does have partners in his business. Maybe that isn’t so farfetched as it sounds. He could be controlling things from prison."
"And now he’s going after ALL of us?" asked Sonja.
"That’s a possibility," said Kevin.
"How are we going to find out?" asked Fiona.
"I don’t know," said Kevin.
"What about the funeral?" asked Tyler.
"We don’t know any details," said Sonja, "but I’m not going back for it."
"Why not?"
"I think the best thing for all five of us to do right now is stay away from Orlando. Someone is obviously trying to hurt the guys THROUGH us and canceling a show is just giving them what they want."
Brian said, "Sonja’s right. Maybe we should stay away and let The Firm look into it for us."
"What about Mr. Burton’s family?" asked Tyler. "He was a good man and I for one feel like I should be there."
"Send flowers and call but, Tyler, if this is Pearlman, then YOU are walking into his trap," said Sonja. "AGAIN!"
"I don’t care..."
Kevin cut her off as Kryss and Howie came into the room. Kryss looked extremely pale and her eyes were bloodshot from crying. Howie was practically carrying her. Kryss had an envelope in her hand and said in a whisper, "Tyler, this is for you."
Kevin took the letter and handed it to Tyler. She immediately recognized the handwriting as Mr. Burton’s and she looked at Kryss. "When did you get this?"
"He sent it to me around two. I was going up to ask him why he was giving it to me because I didn’t know you had quit. As I was walking down the hall to his office, I heard a gunshot."
"Are you going to read it?" asked Nick.
"Yeah. I guess so," said Tyler as she opened the envelope.
"Baby, why don’t you read it out loud?" suggested Kevin.
"Okay," she said. Then opening the paper,
"Dear Tyler,
I’m so sorry that it had to end this way. You were always such a faithful
employee who did an excellent job. I want to explain what’s going on but I’m
not sure there is anything you can do to change it. Mr. Eisnor has hired Mr.
Overton and Mr. Taylor to take over your job and they have brought in their own
staff. By now you know that Fiona, Kryss, and Sonja have lost their jobs and if
you and Lex hadn’t already quit, you would have been fired. Questions were
asked about your so-called frequent absences. I tried to explain that you were
all very efficient in your jobs and always made sure that everything was taken
care of before you left. They didn’t want to hear it though.
Along with taking over the theaters, they are also going to do a complete audit
of the books, and Tyler, they aren’t going to like what they find. I can’t
face the rest of my life in prison and the humiliation that it will bring my
family.
Tyler, please, don’t come back to Orlando alone or for my funeral. I don’t
know who these people are but they aren’t who they present themselves to be. I’ve
always thought of you five as daughters and I wish the best for you along with
Howie, AJ, Nick, Brian, and Kevin.
All my love,
Mr. Burton."
Tyler put the letter back in the envelope and looked around at her friends. Each guy was holding their girlfriend close to reassure them. She looked up at Kevin as she began to cry and he took her in his arms.
It was close to fifteen minutes before anyone said anything. It was Kevin who finally said, "I think we need to let The Firm know about all this."
Howie asked, "Tyler, do you still want to go to the funeral?"
"Yes, but I’m going to listen to y’all and Mr. Burton."
Brian said, "It’s late, guys, and the girls have had a rough day. I think we need to get some sleep."
"Brian’s right," said Kevin. "Tyler and I are going to take one of the other penthouses. We’ll see the rest of you in the morning."
Kevin had his arm around Tyler as they followed AJ and Lex out and they went to their own penthouse.
Kevin and Tyler went in and got changed for bed.
Nestled in Kevin’s arms with her head on his chest, Tyler asked, "What now?"
"We’ll let The Firm handle this," said Kevin. "Until it’s over, we’re going to stick together."
Tyler yawned, "I feel so safe in your arms, Kevin. Please don’t let go."
"Never, baby," said Kevin softly as he kissed her tenderly.
