Chapter 8

"Looks like you've lost your touch, sis," Lindsey sneered. "I thought he'd be following you back here with his tongue hanging out."

"It's still early. Besides, an easy prey is no fun at all."
"Just give him time, Linds. I'll have him in the palm of my hands soon enough." Nina had sat back down at her table and was eyeing the two as she toyed with her glass of wine.

"The thrill is in the hunt.....although it would be even better if I had a more worthwhile opponent." Nina touched up her lipstick.

"I don't know, Nina. That one looks like she could give you a run for your money."

Nina snorted. "I can take care of her."

*****

"So, what do you do, Madison?" David was trying to edge in on Richie's new found interest.

"I'm an assistant director at a private preschool and also handcraft silver beads." Madison had nearly given up on trying to get some meat out of the crab. "One I do for the love of it and the other to keep from starving."

"And which is which?"

"Guess."

David reached out and took a closer look at the bead on her necklace. It was a silver rectangle with intricate details of a wing. The quote inscribed on it read: "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free."

"You made this?"

Madison nodded.

"Wow." David was impressed.

"It's Michelangelo," Madison offered.

"What is?"

"The quote. I don't think I can express the sentiments of an artist any better."

Richie tried to wrestle the conversation back to him.

"Do you make glass beads, too? I met a guy once who made some incredible ones."

"No way. You need a blow torch for that...you know, fire."

There's that reference to fire again. Richie wondered about that but said nothing.

"Do you have other beads with you? I'd like to see them." David was ignoring Richie's glaring looks, taking satisfaction in knowing that he was getting irritated while trying to act nonchalant.

"Are they up in your room?" David tried, again.

That does it. Richie had had enough.

"I'm telling."

David looked up at him, feigning innocence. "What are you talking about?"

Richie was flustered. He couldn't very well stake a claim on someone he'd just met. He leaned back and casually draped his arm over the back of Madison's chair and glared at David through slitted eyes.

Madison battled with her crab.

Across the room, Nina was watching the entire exchange, a glint of contempt skimming just below the surface.

*****

"Come on, Maddie. It's going to be fun."

The girls had decided on having dinner out and then checking out some night spots. They were giddy that some of the band members had asked to join them.

"You guys go and have a nice time, Joanie. I'm spent."

"What about dinner? And are you going to just sit around until we get back?"

"I'll just order some room service. And my friends will probably call," she lied. She just wanted Joanna off her back so she could rest.

"Fine, but you don't know what you're missing."


Joanna and her new found friends made their way down to the lobby. They were dismayed at finding Nina and Lindsey waiting there with David and Tico.

Just then, Hugh and a couple of the crew joined them.

"Ready, girls?"

"What about Richie and Jon? Aren't they coming with us?" Nina looked at the men trying to decide if they were worth her presence.

"Nah. They had some stuff to go over. Come on, the car's here."

A slight scowl flitted across Nina's face. "Pity. I could have shown them a good time."

Kris raised her brows and leaned in close to Joanna and Patti.

"Now we know why some mammals eat their young," she whispered, sending the two into fits of giggles.

Nina turned around and glared at them with scorn but continued to walk out behind the men.

Outside, a few fans had gathered hoping for a glimpse of the band. As soon as Nina saw them, she sidled up to David and slid her arm into his, causing him to look at her in surprise.

Joanna shook her head, "will you look at that? She wants those girls to think she's a part of the inner circle."

Secretly, Joanna couldn't fault her. She was trying hard herself to suppress the gloating feeling she felt as she walked past the fans and got into a limo with the members of Bon Jovi.

*****

Madison got a can of Coke from the minibar and plopped down on the bed with the book. She was going over the photos and re-reading some of the chapters for any clue to jump out at her. Only now it wasn't just the mystery of the pendant that was on her mind. She couldn't shake what that man on the plane had told her.
What secret? It's just a novel. Isn't it?

She leaned back and closed her eyes for a minute.

Jarred awake by the ringing of the phone, she realized that she must have dozed off. An hour had passed by.

"Hello?"

"Hi, darlin'. I was just sitting around in my room wondering what you were up to."

"Who is this?" she asked through a sleep clouded fog.

"I'm hurt. I rescue you from starvation and you can't even remember my name."

She giggled, leaning back on the pillows. "Richie?"

"That's better."

She couldn't help it. "The guitar player, right?" she teased.

"Keep it up, smartass, and it'll be the last time I fish out a piece of crab for you." His laughter was infectious.

"I hardly ate any. Couldn't get the damn meat out."

"You should have asked me."

"Hmmm, you were too busy playing one-upmanship with David."

Though Madison couldn't see, Richie flushed red wondering if she had sensed his possessive behavior.

"Anyway, you were saying...?"

"Wondering what you were up to."

"Having a can of Coke, trying to read this book and falling asleep. Yup, that about sums it up."

"Have dinner with me?"

"Well, I was planning on ordering room service..."

"Aw, come on. The food here sucks."

"No, it doesn't! This is The Four Seasons, for god's sake."

"Will you please stop trying to shoot down my attempts to ask you out?"

Madison laughed. It's been a while since she had laughed so much.

"What did you have in mind?"

Richie had a few things in mind but decided that it was too soon to reveal them.

"Do you like sushi?"

"Love it!"

"Good. I'll pick you up in an hour."