The words came out of his brother’s mouth, but the voice was his father’s. The man who had always hated him and tanned his hide with a belt every chance he got.
Linda stepped out from the gloom, gleaming in her long, white bathrobe. “Let him be. He’ll learn from his mistakes soon enough.”
Instead of Linda’s, his mother’s voice echoed around them. Always prim and proper. Never smiling at him and holding him the way she did Rodney. Averting her eyes every time he stepped into a fricking room.
Rodney’s white fingers, which had rocked the microphone so many times, wrapped around his throat. The cold from them seeped through Jack’s blood, burrowing into the very marrow of his bones.
“Please, man. I’m sorry for what I did.” He gulped as bile crept up his throat. His voice already sounded raw and shitty from all the singing he’d been doing. “Please forgive me.”
But Rodney shook his head, and his fingers squeezed harder until Jack couldn’t breathe anymore. Until he sank into that sticky, black quicksand himself. As his life ebbed away, he mustered all his strength for one last breath.
As soon as he took it, his eyes flew open. He was in a dark room, not the swamp. Instead of the eerie light, the clock radio displayed bright blue numbers.
It was a nightmare. Just a lousy, stupid nightmare.
He staggered out of bed, shivering and sweating. Even the sheets stank of it. The house was so quiet his ears buzzed. No one there but him and maybe some old ghosts. Glad to be home instead of on the road, for once, he dug into the sock drawer of his dresser for some blow.
He planned to snort enough to stay awake for a week straight because he never, ever dared to fall asleep again.
* * *
In her blue sheath dress, Dee stood with her fingers and toes crossed. It was election night! She’d rented a large conference room at a virtual office to await the results with her supporters.
Ma clutched her arm. “You’re going to make it, baby.”
“I hope so,” Dee said. After being fired and finding out Rodney was probably really dead, she had to win something.
She’d paid for a rental car so her parents could drive here to share her special moment. They owned only one dressy outfit apiece, and they wore them tonight. Rhonda and Ted, of course, were here, too. Everyone except Rodney. Hopefully, he was here—in spirit, at least.
Ted rushed over to tell her she was leading against her opponent.
“How much longer until we know?” Jeremy asked.
“We’re waiting to hear from one more ward,” Ted replied before hurrying off again.
Adele cocked her head as she studied him. “He’s a fine looking man. I bet he’s got money, too.”
“He’s too polished,” Dad said, scowling. “Makes me kind of uptight.”
“You’re just from different worlds,” Dee explained. “He really helped me with my campaign.”
Ma nudged her. “The way he looks at you, I think he wants to help you with more than that.”
“I suppose he’d be a good catch,” Jeremy agreed. “Personally, I liked Rodney better. I could really rap with that guy.”
“May he rest in peace,” her mother murmured.
“And the winner is,” her campaign manager announced. “Dee Dobson!”
“Oh my God! Oh my God! Really?” Her knees gave out, knocking her onto her butt.
Shouts filled the room. The loudest ones burst forth from her own lungs as she stood again. She hugged her parents, and the three of them danced in a tight circle.
“You did it, girl,” Dad exclaimed. “You really did it!”
Ma wiped away tears with both hands. “Baby, we’re so proud of you.”
They melted into the crowd, and, suddenly, Ted stood in front of her. The indigo dress shirt he wore set off his eyes. Before she could stop him, he locked his arms around her and kissed her. She should push him away, but she felt like a limp rag. The buildup of the election results had used up her adrenaline. It felt so good to be held again. To be loved by a real, live man instead of chasing after a ghost.
Until a flashbulb went off in their faces, reminding her of Rodney and each of their appearances in the media. But, with Ted, there’d be no scandal because he was perfect for her.
And for the first time, she finally felt as if she’d moved on.
Chapter Nineteen
Rodney passed another day helping out on the boat. Bubba took more and more naps lately. Despite not having proper medical care, Rodney’s ankle was healing, and he could even put a little weight on it. He was starting to feel a little restless. Because of his healing or Dee’s showing up here to look for him?
He’d stopped worrying about Jack going after her for knowing his identity, at least. Highly intelligent, she was smart enough to keep it to herself. Besides, if she’d leaked the information, he would’ve heard about it by now.
When Karen and Timothy came home, he felt like an eager puppy, practically salivating for one of those papers and news from the outside world. He grinned when she handed him a thick one.
“A Washington Post,” he exclaimed. “Hey, thanks.”
As usual, he sat on the deck to read it and started flipping pages. His heart skipped a beat when he saw his own face looking back at him. Or close to it. Breeze had played at another racial rally and had been pretty vocal about which side they were on. Jesus. Jack was aligning himself with every hate group in the country. Maybe even the world. Did he do it for money, pleasure, or both?
With Rodney gone, his brother was going hog wild. And with all the partying and drugs Breeze was doing, they acted as if the accident had never happened. Or maybe they were trying hard to forget it. He didn’t miss that hedonistic lifestyle, throwing around money like water, but he missed using the spotlight for good.
He’d built the band from the ground up.
