Time Out of Mind (Suncoast Society #43)(5)

“When do I meet the client?”

“After you talk to Clark. You still want to do it, then he’ll arrange everything.”

Fifteen minutes later, Clark Waterford arrived and the four of them, including Leigh, were talking in Tilly’s office. Clark had brought a folder of paperwork with him as well.

“Since Tilly gave you the basics, I’ll fill in the rest. We’re looking for at least a ten-week contract, with the possibility of extending that time into the US concert tour schedule as needed. All expenses paid up front via you having a credit card, no reimbursement necessary. We’d like you to take him out of LA, secretly, and basically stash him somewhere for the next two months, sit on him, work with him, until he’s ready to be brought back the week before the concert for final rehearsals in Chicago. That means you’d escort him to Chicago, stay with him until at least the first concert. Preferably longer.

“Depending on how he does, we might need your services up to two months after the US concert tour starts, when they take their first break for three weeks before flying overseas for the European leg. Maybe even after.”

“That will cost you extra, if I’m traveling overseas.”

“Understood. I did my research on you after Tilly told me you’d agreed to hear us out. You come highly recommended.”

Doyle had a few questions. “He only needs a week to rehearse in Chicago?”

“They’ve had preliminary rehearsals already, before he was finally forced into rehab. Plus they’re doing a lot of greatest hits numbers on this tour. They’re overdue to release a new album, and how he does on this tour will tell the band whether or not they want him to be a part of it. He’s the lead singer and a guitarist, but they have a second guitarist. And this guy wrote most of their songs, even arranged them. But the band has already lined up a fill-in, if needed, if he can’t be kept sober.”

Clark sighed. “And he must be kept sober. Nothing, not a drop. That’s their condition for letting him stay part of the band.”

“Drugs?”

“No. Doesn’t even smoke because of his voice. He was actually doing okay, always ready for the tours and studio sessions, until everything broke about his previous manager last year when their tour ended. That kind of f*cked him in the head and he started a fast downward spiral.”

“Aren’t tours usually crazy?”

“Not this band. They have a public image, but in private they’re actually clean and sober, all of them. I mean, recreational drinking on occasion, but they were smart. They all pledged as part of their agreement when they first started that the others could vote someone out for addiction. In fact, this guy is the only one of them who’s ever had any kind of substance abuse problem. You have no idea how freaking rare that is in this industry, but it’s why they’ve been around for years and are so successful. They work their asses off.”

“Now you’ve told me everything except who he is.”

Clark looked at Tilly, as if needing additional assurances from her.

She nodded. “I wouldn’t have called him in if I didn’t trust him.”

That’s when Clark told him.





The baby was dozing in her carrier, which was propped in a high chair, while Doyle, Tilly, and Landry sat in a booth at the sushi restaurant. Cris was on his way, delayed in traffic.

Doyle was still processing, still couldn’t believe what he’d heard earlier.

Or the payment Clark had agreed to, presuming they got the client to agree. Which, Clark assured Doyle, the man would because otherwise, he’d literally be ruined financially.

Doyle would potentially make in a couple of months what he’d easily make in a couple of years at The Compound, including bonuses if he had to stay with the tour and go overseas.

Tilly grinned. “You’re still wearing that oh, crap, shell-shocked stare, dude.”

“I know.” He sipped his water. “That’s because I am.”

Landry smiled. “And yet, you still said yes.”

“Because it’s good money, and maybe I can help.”

Tilly sighed, staring at her order list she was filling out. “Well, if anyone can wrangle him, you can. I’ve never met him in person, but I love his music. I have all their albums.”

Doyle would be meeting Clark at Tilly’s office building at ten that evening. Clark was going to swing by the man’s condo and pack clothes and other essentials he would need, and then pick him up from the rehab facility and immediately deliver him to Doyle.

Clark assured Doyle that he would lay down the law to the man.

When Doyle finished dinner with Tilly, he would go home and pack to leave again. One of the benefits to living in a tiny apartment and having no pets or plants. He had a cleaning service who’d bring in any mail—which would likely be junk mail anyway—and who’d clean out the fridge for him.

But Doyle would be driving out of LA with his new client immediately that night. Clark was taking care of renting a vehicle for them.

Their destination wasn’t even finalized yet. Clark had left that up to Doyle. Doyle knew the man needed to be secretly spirited out of LA immediately and was to be kept as far from craziness as possible while Doyle worked with him to help him hold on to his sobriety. The stakes for the guy were extremely high. If the man relapsed, it could mean more than just bankruptcy.