HEADLINE ✓

TRACK 41

With (NO) love, Tyler-Jane

HOUR ONE

"Did he kill her?"

Jeff had been pacing around the living room this entire time and finally stopped moving once he heard my question. "No," he answered quickly. "At least, not in the way he thinks he did."

"In what way did he kill her then?"

Jeff looked down at his phone and acted as if he hadn't heard me.

"I think I have a right to know."

He scoffed. "You have a right to nothing. May I remind you why you're even here in the first place?"

"Because you know my value," I spat back as I got up from the couch. "How do you think he would react if he got out of treatment and I wasn't here anymore? Do you honestly think he would take it well enough to go perform on the tour you've been planning for the past few months?"

The muscles in his jaw tensed at the sound of my words. He knew I had a point and that felt really fucking good at this moment.

"Well, when he's all better in two weeks, why don't you ask him that yourself?"

"Six weeks."

Jeff took a step towards me. "Excuse me?"

"He needs six weeks."

"That just isn't possible-"

"Six weeks in an actual facility. Two weeks to readjust being home. A lightened performance schedule until the end of the year. And you have to answer my questions now. Or I walk."

"Are you really trying to bargain with me right now?"

Separated by only a few inches, the tension in the air grew thick. "I'm not bargaining - I'm telling you how it's going to be. Think of how much damage I could do to your little brand with everything I now know. I'm sure the press would have a fucking field day over it."

"Do you really expect me to think you would hurt him like that?"

I narrowed my eyes at the man in front of me. "Do you really want to risk it?"

"Fine," he gritted through his teeth. "You got what you want. Happy?"

A rush of satisfaction flew through me, yet I forced myself to keep it all inside, not wanting to break the solid poker face I had been able to achieve this entire time. "Almost," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "I still need my answers."

"You have five minutes to ask your questions and then we are done here." Jeff held up his watch and started the timer. "Go."

"Did he kill her?"

"You already asked me that."

"You said not in the way he thinks he did. So, how did he then?"

Jeff stayed silent, appearing lost in thought as he looked to the side. Or, maybe he was only trying to waste the precious time I had on the clock.

"I want my time back," I snapped.

"I'm thinking of how to answer you."

"What if you do that for every fucking question? How do I know-"

Jeff stopped the timer and tossed his watch onto the table. "There. Problem solved. Happy?" He mumbled something incoherent under his breath before letting out an annoyed sigh. "I'm sure you can find out how she died in the police report just like everyone else. I wasn't in the room when it happened."