Chapter 20

"Libby, I'm fine, really."

Jasmine leaned back in her chair and lifted her glass of sweet tea. She took a long drink of it, pleased to see that her hands weren't shaking. Her cousin, Liberty McCoy, was sitting across from her giving her the fisheye.

"You sure don't look fine to me."

"But I am. Look." She held out her hand, forcing it to remain steady. "Not even a tremor."

"You can't fool me, Jasmine Grey. I've known you too long. You always put on a good front."

Jasmine leaned forward. "I'm doing as good as I can, Libby, and that's the truth. I get better every day."

The women were sitting out on Jasmine's back patio, one of the few places in her new home that had any furniture. A soft breeze was blowing, tickling the leaves in the big oak tree whose branches hung over the patio. Two jackrabbits raced through the tall grass and in a grove of trees white tailed deer munched on the wild shrubs growing there. The scene was so peaceful she wondered if she'd ever want to leave it again, especially considering everything that had happened.

But she wasn't lying to Libby. Three weeks after that terrible night her nerves had settled down and she was able to sleep through the night. Mostly.

"Carson must have been a raving maniac."

Jasmine nodded. "And then some. After all, he checked Cobra's references himself. He says he's nailing every one of their hides to the wall."

"Maybe you should take some more time off, Jas. Give yourself some room."

"I've got all the room I need. Anyway, I'm anxious to get onto writing the new material. I've got songs just buzzing around in my head."

Libby sighed. "You always were stubborn. So what's on the agenda? You gonna spend a bunch of time settling into your new house?"

"Uh huh." She took another sip of her tea. "If it wasn't for the tour I'd never have been able to buy it." She grinned. "But I guess I do need more than a bed and a dining room table."

"I feel a shopping trip coming on." Libby winked. "I love spending other people's money." Then her face turned serious. "Truth to tell, though, Jas, I'm so excited to have you living so close to us, even if it is one county over."

"It's a lot closer than Austin," Jasmine pointed out.

"True that. So about that shopping trip."

Jasmine was about to answer her when her cell rang, with Carson's name on the readout.

"Hey, Carson. What's up?"

"Well," the man drawled, "I've got good news and bad."

Jasmine's hand tightened on the phone. "Let's have the good first."

"You knocked it out of the park on the tour, darlin'. I've got a file folder full of requests for you."

"Really?" She almost squealed the word.

"Yes, ma'am. You're a hot commodity. So hot, the record label wants you back in the studio ASAP."

"Ohmigod!" She could hardly believe it. "B-But I don't have all the material I need yet."

He laughed. "Then you best get to writing. I planned to come by and see you one day next week so we can talk over all this stuff."

Could she do this again? She'd worked so hard just for this very thing.

"That'll be nice, Carson."

"I don't suppose I could talk you into coming to Austin."

She sighed. "Not yet, okay? But soon."

Since her return, except for closing the deal on the house and getting the few pieces of furniture she'd hardly ventured out. She knew it was silly. Cobra was nowhere around here but she kept expecting him to jump out at her any minute. Carson's next words only exacerbated that feeling.

"Ready for the bad news?" he asked, his tone even.

"Oh, god, I don't know. It's about Cobra right?" The iced tea threatened to bubble itself back up in her throat.

"I'm afraid so."

She swallowed hard. "I thought he appeared before the judge that following Monday. That's two weeks ago. What happened?"

"It's a bailable offense and the judge in my opinion set the damn bail too low." Jasmine cold hear the anger in his voice.

"He made bail?" She sat up straight. "But how? He blows all his money."

"Apparently he had enough for the ten percent. The hearing was set for today. I sent someone to court so I'd have a report."

"And?" She wasn't sure she wanted to hear.

"It appears he jumped bail."

Each one of his words felt like a hammer against her heart.

No, no, no, no!

She wanted to throw the phone across the patio or jump up and scream, or something. Then the fear began to creep through her.

"So wait. You're saying he's out there somewhere and no one knows where he is?"

"Take a breath, Jasmine." Carson's voice was low and even. "I've got a private investigator on it. We'll find him."

"Before he finds me?" Hysteria was about to take over.

"He has no idea where you are. If he looks anywhere it will be Austin but you don't even live there any more. And hardly anyone knows where your new house is."

Jasmine sat there clutching the phone, trying to figure out what to do next.

Carson cleared his throat. "Listen. Why don't I come down tomorrow? We can talk about what I've got going for you, look at possible replacements for Cobra so we can start rehearsals, and you can get to work on some new material. It will keep your mind occupied and not dwelling on that asshole."

"Carson, I don't know if I can concentrate enough to work. Or if I even want to get back to it."

"We'll talk tomorrow. Are you okay for tonight?"

Was she? Would she be okay by herself tonight? Yes, damn it, she would.

"Yes," she said at last. "What time tomorrow?"

She hung up and glanced over at Liberty who was staring hard at her.

"What's up?" she asked. "And don't give me any shit about nothing's up."

"Carson's coming to see me tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I heard all that, but I want the bad news. It's about Cobra, right?"

"Yes." Jasmine tightened her grip around her glass.

"Well? Give."

Jasmine swallowed. "Okay. It seems he jumped bail and no one knows where he is."

"Well, damn, Jasmine. That's not good. And here you are all alone out here."

"I am, but he also doesn't know where I am," she reminded her friend.

"At the moment." Libby frowned. "But you need to discuss some kind of security with your manager tomorrow."

"I'll be fine," she insisted. "Hardly anyone can find this house as it is, anyway." The last thing she wanted was people getting in a tizzy over this. They had their own lives. She'd talk to Carson about it. Yes, it made her uneasy, but she wasn't any scared little girl afraid of her own shadow. She'd be damned if she let Cobra turn her into one."

'I've got an idea." Libby snapped her fingers. "Come home with me for tonight."

"What? Jasmine stared at her. "I can't do that."

"Why the hell not?" Her cousin leaned across the table. "I've got a guest room and plenty of food."

"And a family to take care of," she reminded her.

"Oh, for goodness sakes." Libby slapped her hand on the table. "Aron will chew my ass out if I leave you here alone."

Jasmine knew she'd probably be a lot better off-at least feel a lot better off-if she spent the night at the McCoys' place. But what about tomorrow and the day after and the day after that?

"I appreciate the offer but I'll be fine." She giggled. "And tell Aron no ass chewing except in private."

"Jasmine!" Libby fanned herself with her hand. Then she sighed. "Okay, but you really need to think about getting some kind of protection. At least an alarm system."

"It would only protect the house," she pointed out. "With all the deer and other animals out there on my six acres some four footed critter would be tripping the sensors almost on an hourly basis."

"At least it would be better than nothing."

"Libby." Jasmine put as much patience into her voice as she could. "I live out here in the middle of noplace on six acres. I only have a cell phone, no landline, so I'm not easy to find. And if someone did break in, it would take forever before security got someone out here so how would it help?"

"At least discuss it with Carson tomorrow, okay?"

She nodded. "I promise I'll do that."

"What are you going to do about going back on tour again?"

Jasmine sighed. "The first thing I have to do is get a new bass player. That's Carson's job and I don't know how long it will take. I'll know everything better after I meet with him."

"You call me as soon as he leaves, you hear?"

Jasmine nodded. "I promise."

Libby sighed. "Okay, then. I'd best be getting on home. I'm calling you tonight to check on you, though."

Jasmine grinned. "I'll look forward to it."