Rose

Chapter Seventeen

The guys did two encores and the stadium shook with the sound of applause and cheers.  It was a great night and the guys were tired but elated.

"Can you believe it?  Seventy-five thousand people and we rocked every one of them!  Damn, we are good!" exclaimed Jake.

"Yeah, we really had 'em eating out of the palm of our hands," said Josh.

"My arms are tired but it was a great workout," said Daniel.

And Sam just kept smiling, he had no words.

Josh made his way to the dressing room and dried the sweat from his body with one of the numerous towels there.  Jake, Daniel, and Sam followed suit.  Josh was expecting Rose to be there but she hadn't yet made an appearance.  The guys kibitzed with the crew and each other, their road manager, and a few fans.  They had a meet and greet soon, then those that wanted to party would go to the hotel.

Josh waited at the dressing room door, taking the compliments and raves as the people filed by him.  He wandered in and they did the meet and greet, and then people started to break into groups and head for the party.  When the guys were the only people in the room, except for a few roadies and their tour manager, Josh said, "I'm going to check the sewing room.  Something's not right, Jake."

"Yeah, I feel it too.  Come on, I'll go with you."

They headed down the hallway and ran into a  security team, who were checking for stragglers and turning out lights.  As a unit, the four entered the sewing room.  "Rose?  Are you here?" Josh called.  He rounded a trestle table Rose and Violet used for working...and found Violet who was just beginning to come to.

"Violet!" he exclaimed and immediately dropped to his knees beside her.  "Over here," he called.  One of the two guys on the security detail was already on his walkie talkie calling for help.  The other said, "Don't move her, help is coming."  Josh stood up and looked frantically around.  Where was Rose?  And then, he spied the card.  As surreptitiously as he could he slowly backed to it and took it.  He motioned to Jake.

Everyone was busy with Violet, for the time being, so no took note of Josh and Jake huddled in a corner.  Josh took out the note and found it addressed to "The Boyfriend and Twin."  He looked at Jake.  Only one person had ever referred to them that way.  "He's back," said Josh.

"And it's a good bet he has Rose," said Jake.

Josh went cold.  He actually shivered.  "What does the note say?" asked Jake.

Josh opened the piece of cardboard and found an address and four words.  'Come alone or else,' it read.

"Jesus," Josh breathed.

Jake was silent for a time, and then he said, "Should we call the cops?"

Josh shook his head in the negative.  "He says to come alone.  We can't risk her life.  Jake, he's crazy!"

"Calm down, I have an idea.  Come on, this will involve Daniel and Sam too."

At ten they were all four driving to the address on the card.  Josh had borrowed a roadie's car, and he was driving.  Jake was on the passenger side and Daniel and Sam rode low in the back.  Jake asked, "Okay, you got it straight now?"

"Yeah, but our friend has a gun.  Jake, I really don't like this..." Sam said and Daniel chimed in, "Me either."

"All I need is Daniel's strong arm to throw something and a fast roundhouse from Sam.  You don't know martial arts, but you do know self-defense."