Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies (An Adams Grove Novel) Read Free Page B

“What are you doing that’s so damn important you can’t give me two hours for the party?” He waved his wiry arms around as he spoke. “Don’t tell me you’re tired. I don’t want to hear it because these gigs weren’t in the plan when we set up the tour—the profitable part of your schedule. These little shows are barely worth the gas in the two buses to get here.”
    “You get your cut no matter what, so don’t worry about it.”
    Arty pushed his hand through his hair. “Yeah, but I’ll never understand why you do it. Look, what’s one more day? Just come and make a short appearance; hell, even just an hour, that’s all I ask. Besides, the publisher for your coffee-table book is going to be at the party and it wouldn’t hurt for you to give them an update on that barbecue book project you’ve got on the back burner with them.”
    “You’re way better at that kind of talk than I am. That’s why you get paid the big bucks.” Cody stood up and poured another glass of water from the pitcher in the refrigerator. “Look. I’ve got meet and greets to do. Is that all you came for?”
    Arty shrugged. “Yeah. Waste of good time.”
    “Hey, I could’ve saved you the trip with a phone call.”
    “Fine. So where are y’all going to be after the Virginia Beach show?”
    Cody wasn’t about to get into this with him. “I made plans to drop in on an old friend.”
    “Anyone I know?”
    He turned his back on Arty. “We’re not having that conversation. It’s personal and you never like who I like anyway.”
    Arty laughed. “That’s because you have a lousy track record. They’re either gold diggers or…”
    “They dump me. You can say it. They dump me because I work too much or whatever, but that’s my problem to deal with. Not yours. Besides, I already know this one.”
    “You’re going to look up someone who already didn’t work out. That’s just stupid.”
    “People change.
I’ve
changed, and I’m not getting any younger.” Truth was he’d looked up his first serious gal, Lou, a while back. Although recently he’d put off getting back together with her for so long he wasn’t sure if it was even a good idea anymore, but that wasn’t the point.
    “It’s a mistake. Don’t do it.” Arty shook his head. “You never listen though.”
    “Don’t worry. I’m not as tenderhearted as I was back then.”
    “You say that now. You know if this mystery someone came looking for you, she wants something.”
    “Thanks for the vote of confidence there, buddy. But that’s where you’re wrong. This time I went looking for her.” Cody stood at the door of the bus and nodded toward Annette. “Found her, too, with a little help from my friends.”
    “You did this?” Arty glared at Annette. He looked like he was going to pop a vein. “You’ve heard the stories about Cody when his heart’s broken.”
    “It was a long time ago, Arty.” She ripped a sheet of paper from her padfolio and handed it to Cody. “Here are the rest of the details you need for the week.” Then shehanded him a stack of glossy photographs. “These are for the meet and greet.”
    “Thanks, Annette.” Cody hugged her and she turned to leave.
    “Annette, give me a call tomorrow. I need to talk to you.” Arty slung back the rest of his drink and muttered as she walked off the bus. “She really ought to mind her own business.”
    “I asked her to help me, Arty. Don’t give her any shit. It’s going to be fine. It might not even go anywhere.”
    “Damn right it won’t. You need to leave the past in the past.”
    “Couldn’t agree with you more. She and I haven’t even talked about the past, and I’m fine if we never do. But we have been talking and I think we’re going to give this another shot now that things aren’t so crazy like they were when I first got into the business.”
    “Which one is it? Let me guess. The brunette from Florida. What was her name?”
    “I’m not telling you.”
    “No. No. I