“We’ve apprehended Miss Tonriverdi in the parking lot. You might want to wait back here for a few minutes,” explained the officer calmly.
“I need to get back to my truck,” began Jake. “I need to be somewhere by five.”
“Mr Power,” interrupted the officer. “She’s been caught vandalising your truck.”
“What?”
“She’s damaged the paintwork. We need to get it photographed by forensics before you can move it.”.
“Shit!” growled Jake, dreading to think what she had done to his beloved truck. “How bad is it?”
“She’s scored the paint with her keys. Written some profanities.”
“A respray job?”
The office nodded.
“Great. Just fucking great!”
“I’m sorry, sir,” apologised the officer sincerely. “Can you get someone to come pick you up? If you leave your keys with me, we can get the truck dropped off to you when forensics are through with it.”
“I don’t have much choice, do !?”
“No, sir.”
Hauling the truck key from his jeans’ pocket, Jake said, “Drop it off to me at JJL, will you?”
“Sure,” replied the officer with a smile. “Didn’t want to say before but I love your music. Been a Silver Lake fan since you played my cousin’s wedding in Dewey Beach.”
Finding himself smiling, Jake said, “Thanks. Been a while since we played weddings. Kind of miss those days sometimes. Life was simpler then.”
“I was at the show for Rich in Baltimore,” continued the officer. “I’ve no idea how you guys got through that one.”
“Makes two of us,” agreed Jake. “In fact, Miss Tonriverdi was there too. She was on the guest list. Helped herself to my towel and my shirt.”
“Jeez.”
“Yeah,” sighed Jake, noticing a second officer approaching. “Someone’s lookin’ for you.”
“My partner.”
“Ok. I’ll go over to Applebee’s and call someone to pick me up,” said Jake. “I’ll be there in about a half-hour or so. If it’s safe to collect my own truck, come fetch me please.”
“Will do, Mr Power.”
“Thanks.”
He was almost halfway down his second sweetened iced tea before Grey joined him at the table in Applebee’s.
“Sorry. Traffic was backed up on the highway,” apologised the bass player as he signalled to the waitress. “Unsweetened iced tea, please.”
Turning his attention back to his bandmate, Grey asked, “What the hell happened?”
“She broke into the studio house. Trashed my gear,” explained Jake, staring down into his glass. “She must have followed me out here. Cops have been searching for her. Apparently, she’s trashed the paint on the truck.”
“Christ!”
Jake nodded, “I hope they keep her in custody this time. She’s breached her bail conditions with this stunt.”
“Did she see you?”
“No idea,” sighed Jake as Grey’s drink arrived. “Cop stopped me on the way back from the stores. He promised to drop the truck off when they’re finished with it.”
“How long will that take?”
“No idea,” repeated Jake wearily. “But I need a ride back to JJL. Jim’s expecting me at five, with food.”
With a laugh, Grey observed, “Well, you’re going to be late.”
“No change there,” laughed Jake. “Christ, what a fucking mess!”
“What you meant to be recording tonight?”
“No idea,” replied Jake. “But it better be something hard and heavy. I need to get this shit out of my system.”
“Bugs, Ghost and Fear of the Unknown?”
“They would work for me.”
Reviewing her diary, Lori realised that she had two days left to finish Garrett’s album cover if she hoped to meet her October 10th deadline. Despite all that had been going on, she had tried to focus on the design at night but still felt that it was far from finished. She had worked late into the night to finish off the detailing on Melody’s hand.
Now, in the fresh light of day, the design, fortunately, looked more complete than she’d appreciated. Just as she was about to make a start, Lori heard a car approaching the house. A glance through the window informed her that it was police.
“Good morning, ma’am,” greeted the officer when Lori opened the front door. “Can we come in for a few minutes?”
“Sure,” said Lori warmly. “Can I fetch you both a coffee?”
“No, thanks,” answered the female officer. “We just want to check a few details and update you on the current situation.”
“Has something else happened?”
“Let’s take a seat,” suggested the male officer.
Having shown them both into the lounge, Lori took a seat on the rocking chair, instinctively putting a protective hand over her rounded belly.
“Miss Tonriverdi was arrested at the Tanger Outlets and detained in custody,” began the female officer.
“When?”
“Monday and the judge revoked her bail yesterday in court,” explained the other officer. “She broke into Mr Marrs’ house. Vandalised the property. She followed Mr Power to the outlets the following day and damaged his truck. Our colleagues picked her up in the parking lot.”
Lori sat silently processing the details she’d just been given.
“We checked the cell phone that we collected from you for fresh messages,” continued the officer. “There were three more since we last spoke.”
“What did they say?”
“Same sexual content as before,” replied the policewoman. “Three fresh unknown numbers were used. We searched her apartment before we came over here and believe we’ve found the cells she’s been using.”
“So, now what?” asked Lori, feeling surprisingly calm.
“She’ll be held until a trial date is set. We will need to hold onto your cell until then.”
“Ok,” replied Lori. “I’ll get it back after the trial though?”
“Of course.”
“Thanks,” she sighed, her voice ringing with resignation.
“We really just wanted to reassure you that Miss Tonriverdi won’t be coming anywhere near you or Mr Power any time soon.”
“Thank you.”
“We believe Miss Tonriverdi was on the guest list when Silver Lake played at the Rams Head in Baltimore on August 30th,” began the officer, her
