Chapter 3:

Trish

I sat there nervously twiddling my thumbs while I waited to talk to Trish. I don't know why, but ever since Nick has been gone, I have felt animosity towards her. Maybe it was because she was the last person to see him. Maybe it was because I was jealous, whatever the case, I was angry at her. Joe too! How could someone who is trained in everything from the martial arts to boxing, be so easily taken down?

"Are they going to fire him?" I asked Howie as he entered the suite.

"Not sure, If I was them, I would" He said as he grabbed a bagel and sat down on the couch next to me. He knew what I was talking about because we had brought it up earlier. Joe seemed like a nice enough guy but he didn't do his job. He was having a meeting with the heads of security today. We recommended that he be fired.

"I heard some people talking before and they think this is all a publicity stunt." Howie said, disgust evident in his voice.

"What? That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard!"

"Yeah, they said they heard it reported on MTV. Supposedly, someone from Jive told them that Nick is doing this for publicity. You know, since his album is coming out soon." I was so angry I thought I was going to spit!

"I hate those idiots over there!" Howie just nodded his head in agreement. I really did hate them. I also wouldn't be surprised if Jive really did do that. Hell if it would sell more records, they might have even kidnapped him themselves! AJ came into the room looking tired. I think it's been awhile since we have not been tired. I know all of my nights have been totally restless.

"Hey guys what's up?" He said grabbing a cup of coffee.

"Nothing much just rumors" He looked at me and smiled.

"Oh are you talking about the MTV thing? I heard that today. They think it's odd that Nick was kidnapped and nobody asked for a ransom." He then laughed,

"who knows maybe this is the biggest prank Nick has pulled on us EVER!" Howie laughed but I didn't find it the least bit funny.

Truthfully it scared the crap out of me that they haven't asked for a ransom. It scared us all. That's what everyone was expecting at first. A call asking for ten million dollars or something. The FBI came in and wired all our phones. After the first week, they started to fear the worst. We had explained to them about the crazy calls we had gotten and a profiler was brought into the case. He didn't make us feel any better. He figured that it was someone so obsessed with Nick that he would never want to give him back. Not for any dollar amount in the world. So, we started to offer money to anyone else who might have seen or heard anything. That meant going public with the story. We were all divided on what we should do. Kevin and I thought the more people who knew Nick was missing the better it would be. Howie and AJ thought just the opposite. That it might anger Nick's captor. In the end, we decided to go public. It hasn't done much good. Just upsetting our fans.

The door to the room security was having their meeting in opened and out walked Joe. I never really got a good look at him up close. He looked awful. He had two black eyes that were starting to heal but you could still see the bruising. He was walking slightly bent over. I heard that he was thrown down a flight of steps. After seeing him I believed it. I suddenly started feeling bad that we had requested he be fired. He walked over to us and I kept my eyes down. Feeling ashamed.

"Hi guys" He said in almost a whisper. The three of us looked up at him and could tell despite his tall brooding frame, he looked like he had been crying.

"I just wanted to say that I am so sorry for letting this happen" Howie stepped in before he could finish.

"Joe, don't blame yourself, you did all that you could." He said patting the tall man on the arm.

"No, seriously, I didn't do my job. Nick wa...is my friend and I let him down. He might be dead because of me!" I wanted to say I KNOW! IT IS ALL YOUR DAMN FAULT!!! But I only gave a sympathetic smile. AJ asked the question playing on everyone's mind

"So what's next for you? Are you staying on with us?" Howie shifted nervously at the question.

"No, I was just fired. They said the door is always open somewhere else, but I understand why you wouldn't want me back" AJ was just about to protest but Joe continued on, "AJ it's okay really, I just wish you guys the best! When you find Nick tell him I'm sorry okay?" Howie embraced the large man.

"Will do buddy now you take care of yourself!"

"I will" He said and then he walked out the door. We all just kind of looked at each other not knowing what to say when in SHE walked. Looking as tired as the rest of us.

"Hey guys" She said as she approached me and gave me a huge hug. She then
went down the line and did the same to all of us.

"How are you all holding up?" Trish asked hesitantly. We all just kind of shrugged.

"Could be better I guess, and you?" D asked, "How have you been?" She started to cry. I mean not cry more like ball her eyes out! I pulled her close to me. Tears forming in my own eyes. Suddenly my hatred turned to understanding.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take. I think about him constantly." She said wiping her eyes with a tissue. I took a tissue and did the same.

"Trish, we just have to believe he will be okay." I held her tight to me while she wept.

"I know, I'm trying Brian but it has been so hard." I pulled her over to the other end of the room so we could talk privately for a minute.

"Trish, I was wondering if Nick had mentioned anything to you about receiving threats?" She looked a little surprised by the question. Her body tensed up.

"Um, no just that maybe AJ might have been getting threats from some guy..why do you ask?" I was disappointed.

"What about calls or letters that seemed odd? Did he get anything out of the ordinary?"

"Brian I wish I could help but I honestly don't recall Nick mentioning anything to me." I just nodded my head without saying anything. Then as she walked away I had to ask.

"Trish?" She turned around.

"Yes?" I walked over to her and was in ear shot of the other three guys.

"What was his demeanor when you saw him last? Was he happy?" My voice almost broke when I said that and the rest of my band mates looked down at the floor.

"Honey, he was so happy! He was glad that you guys had worked out your differences."

"Thanks" I said from tear filled eyes.

"You are welcome" she said and walked out the door hesitating briefly before continuing out.

When Trish left the room I looked over at AJ and Howie and they had the same look of total sadness on their faces.

"She didn't know anything"

"Yeah we heard but maybe something will come to her later, you know maybe being back with the four of us will help her remember something" Howie said with a sound of hope in his voice.

Kevin entered with our management and reps from Jive so that we could really discuss what would happen now that the public was aware of Nick's disappearance. Kyle, one of our manager's waved us over to the table but before we reached it Kevin pulled me back.

"Hey, is everything all right? You guys look like you received some bad news. You didn't did you?" I looked up at him and simply said, "No, we are sad because we still have NO news" He shook his head letting me know he understood completely and we walked over to start our meeting.

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