Read Front Man: The Complete Trilogy for Free Online Page B

felt the familiar
shape of her phone. It wasn't her alarm after all; the screen said
'Unknown Number.' Sara contemplated ignoring it and going back to
sleep, but she supposed it could have been work calling. 
"Hello?"
she mumbled.
    "Sara?" The voice was familiar, but
the line was bad.
    "Who is this?"
    "It's
Jack. Hey."
    Sara's tummy gave a little flip. Suddenly, she
felt wide awake.
    "Oh, Jack, hi! Did you get my messages?"
    Oh great, why did that have to be the first
thing out of her mouth? Way to sound needy, Sara.
    "I,
um, haven't been online for a few days, sorry. It's been kinda hectic
out here." Something in his voice worried Sara. She couldn't put
her finger on it, but he sounded a little...off. Had he been
drinking, she wondered? She hoped not. Sara liked to think she was
more than just a drunk dial.
    "No worries. Are you okay?"
    There was silence on the other end of the line,
until Sara thought they might have lost the connection. Then she
heard him let out a long breath.
    "No. No, I'm not, not really." His
voice cracked a little, sending a spasm of pain through Sara's
heart. 
    "Oh, Jack, what's the matter?"
    "I...Oh
man, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called. Just, I've been sat holed up
in this stupid hotel room for the last few hours, and I realized the
only person I really wanted to see was you. Oh god, that sounds
lame."
Sara
felt a little glow of warmth in the pit of her stomach, tempered with
concern for Jack
    "I'm here, Jack. Just tell me what's going
on."
    "Oh Sara, everything's just so fucked up.
I don't even know where to start...it'll be in the papers there too I
expect. Would you just...ugh, I'm sorry...have you got any plans for
the weekend?"
    "Um, no, was just going to have a quiet
one. Big week at work," Sara responded, thrown off by his sudden
change of subject
    "Look, I know it's a lot to ask. But would
you consider coming out here for a couple of days? I'll buy you a
flight, and I could have you back in time for work on Monday. I know
it's a long way and everything, I just...I really need to see you."
    "Where even are you?" 
    "Paris. France, not Texas."
    "Jack, that's...um, it's a long way..."
    "I
know, I'm really sorry for asking. I'll understand if you say no.
Just...please think about it."
Sara
looked down at her fluffy pj’s and the stack of DVDs that
constituted her weekend plans. She considered the pain in Jack's
voice, and the longing that tugged at her. And Paris...the city of
light...she had always wanted to see it.
    "If you need me, I'll come."
    "You
will? Oh my god, Sara, that is amazing. You can pick up the tickets
at the airport, I'll message you the details. I've got to go but...I
can't wait to see you."
    Before she even had a chance to reply,
he hung up. Sara stared at the phone in her hand for a moment,
wondering if that whole phone call had been part of a crazy dream.
Then her email alert went off, and she saw the flight details drop
into her in-box. Sara dashed for the shower. She didn't have much
time.

***

    The knock on the door made Jack jump.
He had been sat, staring out of the window at the rain as it fell
over Paris. The morning's brightness had turned to a grey drizzle, as
if Paris had picked up on his mood. The knocking grew louder.
    “Jack! Open this goddamn door
Jack, before I call hotel security. Come on man, we need to talk
about this.”
    “Go away.” Jack grabbed a
bottle of vodka from the minibar and took a long, bitter swig.
    “C'mon Jack, just let me in for
ten minutes. Then I promise I'll leave you alone.”
    Reluctantly, Jack went to the door, and
let his manager into the room. They sat awkwardly on the giant bed.
    “Jack, this will blow over, it
always does. “
    “They're saying I sold drugs to
kids. It's everywhere, Jared. Not just the rags, the real newspapers,
all over the internet...they're talking about a police
investigation.”
    “That's not going to happen Jack.
Not from one stupid little photograph. They're just speculating.
Anything to