Page 41 of Vinny

Grinning, he touched his lips to her forehead. “I know, babe. You’re a helluva lot stronger than you even know. But we’re tired, so let’s take a little break.”

She cocked an eyebrow as she looked at the men around the table. “Hmmm, you expect me to believe that a group of former Special Forces soldiers are tired from sitting at a table?”

Laughter rang out as they shook their heads. “All right, Tiger. We’ll keep going,” Vinny said. “But how about we order some lunch.”

Several minutes later they began looking at the list of people she knew who had been in LA with them.

“I just don’t see why it had to be someone I know?” she complained.

“Well,” Gabe answered slowly, watching her reactions. “Your harp is always in your possession except for a very few minutes and even then it is close by. So thatwould indicate that someone close to you could have had the opportunity.”

“Yes, but what about motive?” she retorted. “Why would someone want to do this to me? I’m nobody. I’m not a threat to anyone.”

“We don’t know that anyone did it specificallytoyou. It may have just been that you were the convenient carrier,” Jobe replied.

She leaned forward, rubbing her temples, trying to force back the slight headache that was building. The men shared a look again. Just then, Sherrie appeared carrying barbecue sandwiches and chips from a little restaurant down the street. Her eyes scanned the room seeing the look on her husband’s face, she quickly moved over to the table.

“Hey everyone! I hope you don’t mind but I brought lunch over figuring ya’ll needed a break.” She looked at Gabe and said, “You may want to go help Jennifer. She’s lugging up the drinks.”

Gabe hopped up to find his wife as the others spread out the food. Annalissa looked at the lunch, realizing how hungry she was. As they ate, talked and laughed, she also realized how different this group was. They needed each other, but there was no pressure. No trying to force one or the other to do something for them.How unlike my life this is. Someone is always pushing or pulling me to do something.

As the meal was finished, she looked at Tony with renewed determination on her face. “All right. I’m ready.”

The others recognized her steely resolve and noddedas they pushed the empty plates to the side. Jennifer and Sherrie quietly cleaned up the table, but both stayed close wanting to hear what their new friend had to say. Tony and Gabe grinned, knowing their wives were nosy.

She looked at the list of people that had been around her harp and asked, “What do you need from me?”

“We have the list, but I’d like you to just talk about each one. Who they are. What they do. What your impressions of them are. Even what you know about them. Just talk and we’ll listen and take notes. You may say something without even realizing it that we find useful.”

Glancing to the side to see Vinny’s concerned expression, she squeezed his hand. “I’ve got this, Vinny. I’m okay.” Seeing his reassuring smile, she began.

The first name on the list was Todd Levine. “Todd’s my manager. My father hired him a year ago to chart out my career. He was supposed to take the shy harpist and turn me into a public figure.” Seeing the incredulous looks from around the table, she shrugged. “I know it sounds ridiculous. Most symphonic musicians are very anonymous. But sometimes a principle player is supposed to be the show-stopper. That was supposed to be me. So Todd took me in hand, hired a make-up artist and stylist to design for me and to travel with me. He schedules press releases and photo shoots.”

She looked down at the file with Todd’s name on it. “I hate it,” she confessed. Looking up quickly, she said, “Not him. I don’t hate him. Well, I don’t exactly like him either, but I don’t hate him. I just don’t like being onshow. I love playing the harp in front of an audience, but not the forced status that is shoved down my throat.”

“Tell us what you don’t like about him,” Gabe prodded as Vinny moved his hand again to rub her shoulders.

Screwing her face up in concentration, she said with a half-hearted shrug, “He just doesn’t listen.” Looking around, she realized that for the first time, she did not hate talking about herself. This seemed like she was talking to friends…not the press judging her every word.

“I know I’m an introvert. I’m shy. That doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with me that needs to be fixed. I’m not some poor little girl that needs someone to lead me around. It’s just very hard for me to stick up for myself when someone is determined to overrun me. Todd has a job and he’s determined to do it. What I want doesn’t matter to him.”

They had been joined by Lily and BJ, who were busily typing in searches as she talked. The others were jotting down notes, but Vinny just kept his hand on her shoulder, listening as he took in what she said. Smiling up at him, she looked at the next name on the list.

“Okay, Gordon Fisher is my agent. He does the actual booking of the concerts. He works with Todd, but he’s actually the one who makes the arrangements with various symphonies or shows. He makes the arrangements as to which cities I will play in and then has his staff make the arrangements.”

“So Gordon is the one who actually decides if you will play in LA or New York or wherever?”

“Yes,” she said slowly, understanding the implication. “But that doesn’t make sense. He represents other musicians and bands. Believe me, if he wanted to move drugs, he’d have lots of better opportunities than me. I don’t travel much and certainly don’t tour. I’m located here with the Richmond Symphony and just travel as a feature musician for certain venues.

“Next is Sharon Turner and Parker Williams, my makeup artist and stylist.” Stifling a giggle, she said, “Parker is my one true friend on the trips. He’s funny and nice. He actually listens and keeps Sharon in check.”

“How so?”

“She wants to do makeup for movie sets and I know she wishes that I would travel more. She used to apply the makeup with a heavy hand, making me feel like a drag queen, but Parker is the main stylist, so he pulls her back. She’s fun to talk to and understands that I don’t like crowds. She and Gordon seem to get along really well, but I don’t know about Todd. I think he irritates her too.”

“And Parker?” Gabe prodded again.

“He knows how I want to look and he works with that. He listens to what I like to wear and the colors that I like. Sometimes I think that if he wasn’t on a trip with me, I’d lose my mind. I definitely know it’s not him because he really likes me.”

---