The Dead and the Dreamer

***

After the meeting with Frank, John drove over to talk with Brad. John let himself in through the back door.

Brad looked up from his calculator and papers spread across the bar. "What's up, John?"

"This case."

Brad went back to work on his bills and tabs. "I got some news for you if you're interested."

"Don't tell me."

"All right I won't."

"Another turn down?" John finally asked.

"You told me not to tell you."

"What do those record companies in Nashville want from us?"

"Don't worry about it. Just keep trying. We've only been pursuing this seriously for about a year now. That's really not all that long when you think about it."

John found himself a stool and propped his elbows on the corner of the cool bar. He was getting tired of always trying and never succeeding. He would love for Joyce to hear his name on the radio and wish that she had stayed with him. Not to rub anything in her face, but to let her know that he had been on the right track all this time. "Lt. Grimm didn't know anything about the cut brake line."

"You kidding?"

"No. And I didn't tell him that I saw it for myself."

"That's strange."

John looked at himself in the mirror behind the bar and noticed more lines on his face.

"I might have something," Brad said.

John looked over to his friend.

"A company has stepped in and bought one of Michael Gallager's studios."

"How could that happen?"

"They have the money. Simple."

"I thought that after his death his businesses would be tied up with lawyers for at least a year."

"Well, what can I tell you? It happened."

"Where'd you hear this?"

Brad smiled. "Do I really need to tell you that?"

John knew what his friend meant. The bar was a regular haven of information and small talk. Brad probably heard about it before the lawyers did. "What company was it?"

"I think Taylor Time Entertainment. They're out of Pennsylvania but working their way down here."

The name triggered something in John's memory. He sat and stared into the mirror for a few seconds. "Taylor was the name of Tammy's new manager. Hank Taylor I think it was. The little weasel made it clear he didn't like investigators meddling in his business. Where did you say they're based?"