moment he had thought he was going to vomit. But he also knew there was no going back and told someone, he couldn’t even remember who now, that he was there to see Derek.
Alex had set the packet down on Derek's desk. After Derek read Jessica's letter, Alex told him that while Jes' guess at the murderer might be correct, Alex believed the murderer was someone from his own past and he wanted to help put him away for good. After listening to Alex's story, Derek had called the Chief and asked Alex to repeat his story for him.
The Chief and Derek stepped into the hallway outside of Derek’s office, but not out of earshot of Alex. The Chief had point blank asked Derek, “Do you believe him?” Derek had answered, “Oddly enough Chief, I do.” The chief had ordered analysis of the letter and an immediate background check on Alexander James Howard.
Alex knew at that moment he could trust Derek.
Chapter Four
Derek heard the telltale chime of the outside door opening. With a grunt, he began to leave the hall and headed towards the front, knocking on Alex's door as he passed. A young man with a nervous smile on his face was walking around the reception area with his hands behind his back. He looked as though he was in his early twenties, with curly dark hair. He was dressed to impress; the impeccable suit was dove gray, double breasted and obviously tailored. The ensemble was complete with a matching pale gray shirt, dark blue silk tie and what could only be genuine Italian loafers.
Derek was suddenly conscious of the casual khaki pants and short-sleeved button up he wore from the local big box department store. Derek held out his hand with a greeting. “Hello, I’m Derek Stewart, how may I help you?”
The young man smiled to reveal a mouth full of perfectly white straight teeth, ‘the showbiz smile’, as Alex called it. As he took Derek’s hand, Derek noticed he had a firm handshake. He spoke, “Hi, I’m Tracy Shepard, I'm here for an interview.”
To say Derek was surprised would be the understatement of the century, but he managed to hide his shock well as he swept his arm toward the hall he had just paced the past forty minutes. “Certainly, come on back to the conference room and I’ll get my partner.”
Derek guided him left down the corridor and took Tracy right into a generously sized conference room where a large oval table dominated the space. Comfortable chairs surrounded it, and Derek indicated Tracy should sit anywhere and then disappeared to find Alex.
Alex was skeptical as soon as he saw Tracy sitting there, ‘a pretty boy’ Alex thought to himself. Alex could tell by looking at him that Tracy was born into a world of wealth and prestige. He would make quick work of this one, and as much as he didn’t want to, he supposed they would either have to hire one of the previous hopefuls or worst case scenario, they would just have to call an agency to find someone and Derek would have to accept it.
Alex took the resume the young man handed him, and got right down to business. “So, Tracy, are you waiting to get discovered?”
Tracy smiled easily, “No Sir, if I wanted to be in the music business, I would already be there. My parents were both in it, as well as my sister. I’ve been around the industry my whole life and it is not what I want. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket and I have no desire to go to law school—what my sister did and what most agents do these days.”
Derek leaned forward after Tracy had answered all of Alex’s probing questions; he could not help but to shake his head subtly, with a glimmer of a smile on his face. For some reason he felt really comfortable with this kid. Derek noticed that the instant they met. He had good instincts for people and his instinct told him Tracy was who they were waiting for. “Tracy, what experience do you have?”
“Well sir, I've been working in my Mother’s office since I was old enough to
Alex had set the packet down on Derek's desk. After Derek read Jessica's letter, Alex told him that while Jes' guess at the murderer might be correct, Alex believed the murderer was someone from his own past and he wanted to help put him away for good. After listening to Alex's story, Derek had called the Chief and asked Alex to repeat his story for him.
The Chief and Derek stepped into the hallway outside of Derek’s office, but not out of earshot of Alex. The Chief had point blank asked Derek, “Do you believe him?” Derek had answered, “Oddly enough Chief, I do.” The chief had ordered analysis of the letter and an immediate background check on Alexander James Howard.
Alex knew at that moment he could trust Derek.
Chapter Four
Derek heard the telltale chime of the outside door opening. With a grunt, he began to leave the hall and headed towards the front, knocking on Alex's door as he passed. A young man with a nervous smile on his face was walking around the reception area with his hands behind his back. He looked as though he was in his early twenties, with curly dark hair. He was dressed to impress; the impeccable suit was dove gray, double breasted and obviously tailored. The ensemble was complete with a matching pale gray shirt, dark blue silk tie and what could only be genuine Italian loafers.
Derek was suddenly conscious of the casual khaki pants and short-sleeved button up he wore from the local big box department store. Derek held out his hand with a greeting. “Hello, I’m Derek Stewart, how may I help you?”
The young man smiled to reveal a mouth full of perfectly white straight teeth, ‘the showbiz smile’, as Alex called it. As he took Derek’s hand, Derek noticed he had a firm handshake. He spoke, “Hi, I’m Tracy Shepard, I'm here for an interview.”
To say Derek was surprised would be the understatement of the century, but he managed to hide his shock well as he swept his arm toward the hall he had just paced the past forty minutes. “Certainly, come on back to the conference room and I’ll get my partner.”
Derek guided him left down the corridor and took Tracy right into a generously sized conference room where a large oval table dominated the space. Comfortable chairs surrounded it, and Derek indicated Tracy should sit anywhere and then disappeared to find Alex.
Alex was skeptical as soon as he saw Tracy sitting there, ‘a pretty boy’ Alex thought to himself. Alex could tell by looking at him that Tracy was born into a world of wealth and prestige. He would make quick work of this one, and as much as he didn’t want to, he supposed they would either have to hire one of the previous hopefuls or worst case scenario, they would just have to call an agency to find someone and Derek would have to accept it.
Alex took the resume the young man handed him, and got right down to business. “So, Tracy, are you waiting to get discovered?”
Tracy smiled easily, “No Sir, if I wanted to be in the music business, I would already be there. My parents were both in it, as well as my sister. I’ve been around the industry my whole life and it is not what I want. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket and I have no desire to go to law school—what my sister did and what most agents do these days.”
Derek leaned forward after Tracy had answered all of Alex’s probing questions; he could not help but to shake his head subtly, with a glimmer of a smile on his face. For some reason he felt really comfortable with this kid. Derek noticed that the instant they met. He had good instincts for people and his instinct told him Tracy was who they were waiting for. “Tracy, what experience do you have?”
“Well sir, I've been working in my Mother’s office since I was old enough to
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