Link
Link nursed his beer in Isabel and Thomas's kitchen while Tommy anxiously made phone calls trying to figure out if Sasha was behind the tape. Isabel breezed in and out of the kitchen, at times pacing the room listening to her husband's clipped accent on the phone and other times wandering into the family room, seemingly to check on her stepson. The doorman had already called up to inform them that the paparazzi were parked outside the building.
He had so hoped that Madison would be there when he arrived. And now he had no idea where to look. Isabel had only been able to tell him that Madison said she wanted to go away for a few days and hide from the press and attention. Apparently even Isabel didn't know where her sister was. What did surprise him was Isabel's acceptance of him. Shouldn't she have wanted his balls too? She just seemed comfortable with the thought of him with her sister. He explained things to her as best he could and confessed his deep affection for Madison. Affection seemed like such a small word, but he wasn't ready to utter those other words yet.
His own cell phone had been going off every few minutes, leaving him frustrated. He would have turned it off if he hadn't had the tiniest flicker of hope that one of the calls might be Madison—even if she was calling just to cuss him out—so he kept it on and checked the caller ID at each of the rings. There had been calls from his manager, his lawyer, and now, calls from Guitar God Magazine to nag him about the interview he had scheduled for tomorrow. The call that really set his blood pressure soaring had been from his father congratulating him on getting so much free publicity. His old man was thrilled that each news story included a line about Link being scheduled to go back to the studio and record Becket’s sixth album. His father had gloated in his message that he thought for sure they’d be asked to play the Grammy’s again next year. In fact, the damn coot even had hopes for a Super Bowl performance. How could that man not understand how unimportant all that was to him right now? All he cared about was talking to Madison and begging her forgiveness. Not forgiveness for the tape or the sex, but that she got dragged into a mess because of his fame.
When a cell phone let out a peep and a vibrating noise, he reflexively looked down at his own device. Nothing popped up on the screen. He swung his head to the side to see Isabel tapping buttons on her iPhone and letting out a sigh. He watched her type some sort of response and waited with bated breath. Her face gave little away. Finally she returned his gaze and pursed her lips in contemplation. She rested a hand on her swollen belly and watched his face carefully.
"If I tell you where Madison went, and you go there and she wants you to leave, do you promise to do what she wishes?" Isabel asked him sternly.
"Of course, I just really want the chance to apologize and try and make this right any way I can. So please, please tell me where she's gone," Link pleaded with her, hoping she’d take mercy on him and break her own sister's confidence.
Isabel let out a sigh and reached for a paper and a pen. "I can't believe I'm doing this." She seemed to be talking more to herself so he didn't respond. "She's gone to the old cabin on the Connecticut and Massachusetts border, part of the Appalachian Trail. It's a place my dad used to take us when we were kids. I'll warn you, there's no electricity and at least a two-mile hike to the log cabin from the road. Are you sure you want to go after her?" Isabel watched him.
"Absolutely, please. Just give me some directions and I'm there. Okay, maybe a flashlight too." Link was on his cell phone to Jay requesting a supply list that probably had his bodyguard questioning his employer’s sanity. Hell, at this point Link was questioning his own sanity. He’d grown up in the suburbs and moved to the city early on. He didn't know anything about hiking, camping, or the outdoorsy-type life. Were there bears in the woods this time of year? What about mountain lions or coyotes? He could only hope that Madison had arrived at the described cabin before darkness fell. Based on the directions Isabel provided, it looked like he wouldn't make it there until close to midnight. His first camping trip was shaping up to be a doozy.
* * * *
Within the hour Jay had dropped Link’s Range Rover off with the requested supplies packed in its roomy cargo hold. Link gave Jay the next few days off and told him roughly where he was going just in case. Obviously Jay had a sense of humor since he had thrown in a fishing pole and tackle box. Link wasn't sure he'd even know how to hook a worm. He wasn't sure he’d even find worms, even this late in spring. Didn't they come out only in the summer?
He made one last call before pulling out of the garage. He needed to let his manager know that he’d be blowing off the interview and be away for a few days. Bethany was apoplectic at the thought and basically screamed at him for the entire four minutes of the call. She basically told him that he was crazy and he needed to stay and ride the whole mess out in New York, not go chasing after a girl.
He hung up on her.