Page 58 of My Rock Star Neighbor
He leans back.“Remember, I may be your permanent boss if she doesn’t come back.”
As if I could forget.This is not going well for me.But maybe it’s good that our animosity is out in the open and we don’t have to tiptoe around, pretending that we like each other.
“I look forward to sharing the full story with you when it’s more developed,” I say.
“It seems you have some time to do an article on the Chinese New Year parade while you ‘develop’ this story,” he says.“Here’s Sarah’s article.”
I scan it quickly.We have some similar items, like the igloos, but most of her ideas are more typical—and expensive, like a dinner for two at Le Rock on Rockefeller Center with a visit to the Top of the Rock observation deck.And she’s included Ella’s Café.
“Ella’s Café is closed.”I hand him back Sarah’s article.I’m surprised Sarah made such an egregious mistake and didn’t check her recommendations.But then, I’ve never been put head-to-head with her before.
“It is?”
“Yes, I went there on Saturday, and a sign on the door saidClosed for Renovations.”
“It’s good I had you write an article too, then,” he says.“Which one should we add from yours?”
That’s his response?
“Here.Check that the others are open.”He hands me back Nemesis’s article and walks away.
My mouth hangs open.This is how he envisions my role?Felicity has to come back.Or I really have to write a breakthrough story.Hayden clearly doesnothavemyinterests at heart.
But who is corrupt?Let’s hope I uncover some clues at the concert on Saturday.
I’m excited for Nick’s first concert under the MusEn label, and I’m relieved that it’s not that cold this late Saturday afternoon.A stage has been temporarily constructed behind the playground in the basketball court area.I’m escorted to the VIP pit.Up on the stage, Nick looks intent as he checks the equipment with Amira, who is dressed in a black hoody and black pants like a tech person.Nick and I stashed our own tech person disguises for later in the backstage area.
Nick’s threadbare jeans hang low on his hips, and his black T-shirt tightly defines his chest and his flat abs.I pull my own stomach in.He looks amazing.He also brought Mr.Muscle and another guy as security this time.Mr.Muscle is near me, apparently so he can get a feel for the crowd.
A few silver-haired people of importance sit in a row of chairs in the front, but most of the space is for standing.
I maneuver to a spot right by all three deputy commissioners.José’s girlfriend and Sayo’s family are also here.Nick is pointing at some cord that needs to be taped more securely on the stage to a tech person.
Our eyes suddenly meet, and he smiles.I wave back.Then he talks to another tech person and points at me.She nods, climbs down from the stage, and hurries over to me, weaving through the crowd.
“Nick wanted you to have this.”She hands me a baggie of only green M&M’s.
I hold it up for Nick to see, and he gives me a thumbs-up and then disappears behind the curtain to the backstage area.
More people join the expectant crowd.The MC strides out and announces a female pop group as the first act.Pommer is texting the entire time.Ward is chatting with his neighbor, an elderly woman who, based on their conversation, seems to be quite active in the neighborhood.The only one enjoying the concert is Galliano.Next to him, his daughter moves to the music.Her dad says something to her, and she shakes her head.
I move closer to them.
She says, “Dad, you can’t introduce me.I want to make it on my own merit.”
“I’mnot introducing you to the Parks Commissioner.Pommer is.And I told him he absolutely can’t mention that you’re my daughter.I respect your decision,” he says.“And there’s not much I can do, anyway.What does my work have to do with becoming a rock musician?”
“Are you investigating why I got that offer to play at those clubs?”she asks.“I appreciate the opportunities, but those owners seemed like they’d been forced to do it.”
“Yeah, I really don’t understand why,” he says.“I’m investigating.That inspector quit, and I can’t track him down.”
Hmm.He was saying he respected her decision to not use his influence, but he was still getting Pommer—such a fan of rock musicians, I think sarcastically, remembering his reaction to me being Nick’s girlfriend when I first met him—to introduce her to the Parks Commissioner, presumably to get her on the radar for future concerts.But most interesting was that she was suspicious of the offers to play at those clubs.And if he wasn’t the one behind those offers, then who was?Was he really investigating the offers?Did Demoraux really quit and disappear?That seemed like an excuse.Galliano was still the most likely party behind those offers.Are there two separate kickback schemes?
“Believe me, with the recent threats of cost-cutting and Commissioner Johnson warning us that they plan to reduce the number of deputy commissioners to two, I need to figure that out,” he says.
The deputy commissioners are competing against each other for their jobs?
Is that why the commissioner is so keen to do this series of articles on his department, so he can get some good publicity and, potentially, support in the public eye?And maybe forestall these cuts?
