Page 86 of Catch
Chapter Fifty
LOXLEY
“We won’t take nofor an answer,” Miles repeated as we walked into the building where my music label resided. “And I will be right here every step of the way.”
After leaving Harmony Haven, we drove the couple of hours up to Nashville. I wouldn’t agree to step foot on a stage again until we hashed things out, starting with ensuring that Sam would no longer be a problem. He had been calling my phone non-stop since I left Chattanooga with Linc. Eventually, I turned the phone off and started the process of getting a new number.
When we reached the seventh floor labeled "Tune Town Records," I practically had to be pushed out of the elevator. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to put my foot down; it was that I wasn’t the confrontational type. Having Miles squeezing my hand as we approached reception made it easier to breathe.
“Hi,” I said to the man behind the desk. “I’m?—”
“Loxley Adams!” He stood abruptly, scurrying down the hall to announce my arrival before quickly returning. “Boy, have we been looking for you.”
Heels clicked rapidly down the corridor, and Mrs. Davis, the Vice President of the A&R department, stopped short when shesaw me. She’d been a driving force behind pushing me to my breaking point, alongside Sam.
“Ms. Adams,” she grated. “In my office. Now.”
“Actually,” I said, lifting a finger to stop her, “I need to speak with the Vice Presidents of every department present, including Mr. Dunne.” He was the president of Tune Town Records, and he needed to hear everything I had to say.
Without waiting for permission, I walked past Mrs. Davis and led Miles into a boardroom I’d only been in a handful of times. Quietly, we sat and waited as those I’d requested trickled in with curious gazes. Once everyone was seated, I turned to Mr. Dunne.
“I was never sick,” I said evenly, stealing a quick glance at Miles for strength. “Sam pushed me to my breaking point, and I ran.”
The room buzzed with murmurs of shock. Mr. Dunne’s surprise seemed genuine, making me wonder if he truly had no idea what had been going on. The only person who didn’t look surprised was Mrs. Davis and I tilted my head at her. “You already knew that, didn’t you?”
“What is going on here?” Mr. Dunne demanded, his sharp tone cutting through the murmurs. It wasn’t directed at me but at the room.
“You have been—” Mrs. Davis began, rising from her seat with an expression that suggested she might slap me.
“Careful,” Miles warned, his calm tone like steel. He stood as well, his presence commanding.
“Who are you?” Mr. Dunne asked, eyes narrowing.
“Officer Brooks,” Miles replied. “Well, I was. Now, I’m her partner in all this, and the one who will never let Sam Moreno touch her again.”
Mr. Dunne’s jaw tightened. “What are you saying?”
I stood, taking a deep breath before recounting everything: the phone call Sam took to extend the tour without my knowledge, the unbearable pressure they’d put on me, and the control they’d wielded over my life. Mrs. Davis’s involvement was no secret to anyone now.
Miles added, “It looks like Sam and Mrs. Davis were skimming off the talent—small towns, low-key gigs. All they needed was Loxley and the band to go along, and they could keep her making money indefinitely.”
Mrs. Davis shouted, “Sam told me she agreed!”
I slammed my hands on the table, making everyone jump. “Sam told you he had me under control. He never said I agreed.”
Mr. Dunne pinched the bridge of his nose, frustration evident. “You’re fired,” he said to Mrs. Davis. Then he looked around the room, daring anyone else to confess. “Everyone else out.”
Once the room cleared, leaving only Miles, Mr. Dunne, and me, he sank into his chair.
“I’ll keep the dates Sam and Mrs. Davis booked,” I said. “I don’t mind performing.”
“This is not how things have been explained around here,” he muttered, his frustration palpable. “I’ll launch an investigation. Into everything.”
“You should,” I said. “It’s long overdue. And I’ll finish these tour dates with Miles by my side. But when they’re done, I want to leave Tune Town Records. I can’t trust this company anymore. Sam exploited me, and I won’t work under those conditions again.”
Mr. Dunne nodded solemnly. “I’ll speak with the legal team to arrange a release. Sam Moreno and Suzie Davis will face termination and legal action. That, I promise you.”
I glanced at Miles, who gave me a reassuring nod. Knowing Sam and Mrs. Davis would be held accountable gave me somepeace, but I couldn’t stay with Tune Town. Too much trust had been broken.
