Mr. Ross chomped on a cheeseburger slider. "I don't want to say his name here. But he manages Fhur Room now."
"How do you know that?"
"Your old man used to live in 'L' 'A'. I know a lot of people."
Aaron talked to Shawn on stage and Dillion sat with Grace, drinking a beer. Rob, Keith and Jamie stood at the bar, drinking shots, each with a cute girl by their sides.
Shawn played "Zoom Shine" by J.J. Gooding, shifting the record on the turntable.
Mr. Ross ate a cupcake hungrily, smearing vanilla frosting on his face.
The older man in the black suit whispered something to Ray Loftstead and walked backstage. Ray approached the table.
"Ray Loftstead, nice to meet you," he said, shaking Mr. Ross' hand. "I manage new talent and this is?"
"This is my son, Ryan."
"Your son . . . interesting. Does he sing?"
"Not yet, but I'm going to train him."
"Fabulous. When he's ready, have him sing for me. I love new singers. Nice to meet you, Ryan."
Ryan smiled nervously and Ray left, going backstage.
"See, your old man's a lucky charm."
"Dad, I don't like that man."
"Hmm, okay," he said.
---
Ryan dozed off in his hand and Mr. Ross drank a cup of coffee, nibbling a sugar cookie.
---
Shawn and Grace carried the DJ equipment into the back of a white van parked in the gated lot outside.
"Thanks, Shawn," said Mr. Osgood. "You did great. Aaron will call you." He handed Shawn a check.
---
Shawn drove on the freeway and Grace slept on his shoulder.
Mr. Ross sat in the back with Ryan.
"Can you tell me the man's name now?" asked Ryan.
"Devon Levine."
"Why did you want to wait to tell me?"
"He's got a bad rep and I don't like him."
"He was talking to Ray."
"I know, but I wanted to make you a star."
---
Ryan turned the light off in his room and scanned it. Then he fell asleep.
---
Miss Aldridge made French toast and sausages and covered the plates with plastic wrap on the kitchen table. Ryan walked in the kitchen, wearing blue pajamas.
"Ryan, the bus will be here soon. I got 'a go. I made breakfast." She kissed him on the cheek and headed out.
Ryan ate breakfast next to Grace sadly and then he let it all out.
---
"You think the ex-manager of Dar Tenian sent you a mimlock?" asked Grace.
"Ray came to see me after he talked to him."
"Why would Devon Levine want to kill you?"
"I don't know. Dad knows him."
"So?"
"Maybe he wants revenge for some reason."
"I don't know about that," said Grace.
---
Ryan typed "Devon Levine" in the search engine on his tablet and several articles appeared. Ryan read "Dar Tenian and Levine Split":
After three years of managing the Hard Rock phenomenon Dar Tenian, manager Devon Levine left a courthouse in Los Angeles angrily, claiming front man, Adam Dar Tenian unlawfully terminated his contract.
Mr. Dar Tenian appeared in court with his attorney, complaining that Levine laundered money from performance venues, arenas and stadiums by altering revenue from sponsors and ticket sales. He dipped into the band's share of profits, taking forty percent off the top instead of twenty.
Mr. Dar Tenian hired a personal accountant and after recalculation of funds, he concluded that Levine edited the books.
Levine filed for a countersuit against Mr. Dar Tenian, accusing him of breach of contract. He's also counter-claiming punitive damages.
Ryan turned his tablet off.
---
Later that day, Mr. Ross pulled into the driveway and Ryan hopped in.
"Your old man can't sing, but I've seen good bands in my day."
"Like who?"
"When I dated your mom in 'L' 'A' , we saw Dar Tenian a lot."
"Did you get free tickets?"
"No - no, we didn't get free tickets."
"Did you bring Aunt Marianne?"
"No. Why do you want to know about her all of a sudden?"
"I don't know."
"Well, Aunt Marianne did her own thing."
"She lived with Mom in 'L' 'A'?"
"Yeah, roommates."
"How did you meet Mom?"
"Funny story - I lived in the apartment nextdoor and I slipped the newspaper under the door every Sunday after I read it. Your mom was always looking for work. She thanked me for helping her find a job at Pacific Islander Hotel. We dated. Then I got laid off from the shoe store and I couldn't pay the rent. Your mom and Aunt Marianne put me up at their place."
"Where did Aunt Marianne work?"
"At a hair salon in Hollywood. I got a job at a pet store and helped them pay the rent. The landlord never knew."
"Does she still work there?"
"No. She got hired at a better place."
Ryan sat down on a brown couch in Mr. Ross' apartment and he sat in a brown, leather recliner. He played "Who I Am" by Dar Tenian on low volume on the Smart TV app.
"Rye, you can't sing sitting down. Get up."
Ryan walked toward the television nervously.
"Okay - Rye, sing at the TV like your life depends on it. Pretend a prison guard at Alcatraz shoots bad singers. Go."
Ryan concentrated on the lyrics, singing them like a birthday song.
"Your voice is barely coming out of your mouth," he said. "Open your mouth wide like you got big words to say."
Ryan sang the song again, opening his mouth wider.
"Hmm. Your timing is off. Sing in sync."
Ryan sang "Who I Am" again.
"Much better. Now sing it like that again."
"I'll be tired, Dad."
Ah-ah, real singers don't complain. Are you the real deal or just a Dar Tenian fan?"
Ryan hesitated.
"Well?" he asked.
Ryan took a deep breath and cleared his throat. Mr. Ross played the song and Ryan sang in time, opening his mouth wide.
"Now that was a work-out. Sing it again and breathe in time."
"Can I get a drink?"
"No. Your brain is fresh. Go."
Ryan sang the song again and breathed more. The sound and delivery of his voice changed.
"You're on your way, buddy," he said. "I hear the improvement. Sing it one more time and I'll buy you a cappuccino at Sippers."
Ryan sang "Who I Am" again and felt exhausted, but his voice altered in a powerful way.
"Practice that way," said Mr. Ross. "You're getting good."
He and Ryan headed down the stairs and walked into the lobby.
"Oops, I left my wallet upstairs," said Mr. Ross. "It's on the coffee table. Just grab it for me." He handed Ryan the keys.
He hurried to the elevator, pressing the button and the doors opened. No one stood in the elevator and he pressed the "2" button. The doors closed and the strange man with crazy eyes appeared behind him.
Ryan gasped, pressing the "stop" button and heard a machine noise, feeling the elevator halt. The man disappeared and Ryan pressed the "2" button. The elevator rose up and stalled. Something cracked above with a pop.
The elevator dropped fast and landed on the garage level forcefully, throwing Ryan against the doors. He passed out on them.
The lights above exploded and the ceiling gave, dumping hard plaster on him. Electrical wires dangled overhead.
The doors opened and Ryan drifted out of the elevator unconsciously, resting on the parking lot, cement in the garage.
The "1" button lit up on the elevator and the doors closed slowly, bumping Ryan on both sides. They opened again and closed, hitting him. He woke up and crawled out. The elevator doors closed tightly.
An elderly man, holding a small Poodle approached Ryan nervously.
"You alright, son?" he asked.
Ryan groaned. The elevator doors opened again and the man gaped at the debri and wires inside it.
"The elevator's busted," he said. "Want me to call you an ambulance?"
"No," muttered Ryan and the man walked up the handicap ramp that led to the upper level. Mr. Ross rushed past him.
"What the hell happened?" he asked.
"The elevator fell," mumbled Ryan painfully.
"Are you hurt?"
"Kind of."
"I waited for you. The elevator was stuck and I took the stairs. My apartment door was locked and I couldn't find you."
"I was here," said Ryan.
"This elevator was inspected six months ago. If you claim injury, I can sue this place. Is anything broken?"
"No."
"Can you walk?"
"Do I have to?"
"Want me to call an ambulance?"
"No."
"I'm getting the car. Did you get my wallet?"
"No," said Ryan with a moan.
"Give me the keys."
"They're in my pocket."
He grabbed the keys and headed to the car in the garage. He pulled up beside Ryan and helped him sit in the front seat.
He drove back to the parking spot and Ryan closed his eyes.
"I'm getting my wallet and bringing you to Kerns Walk-In Clinic."
---
Mr. Ross rushed into the clinic and left Ryan in the car. Then he brought out a wheelchair.
---
He parked on the street in front of Everett Towers and Ryan got out. He supported Ryan's back and helped him walk into the lobby down a hallway.
Ryan wore a sling over his right shoulder and Mr. Ross carried his coat. Ryan held a pink and white take-out cup in his left hand.
"What happened to him, Jack?" asked a maintenance man.
"Ryan had a little accident. The south elevator dropped him. He sprained his shoulder bad."
Ryan sipped the cappuccino.
"I'll call Rita and let her know."
"I might sue Everett Towers."
"For what?"
"Child Endangerment."
Mr. Ross held Ryan up and the north, elevator doors opened.
"Sleep on the couch tonight and I'll bring you home tomorrow. Your mom will kill me for letting you go in the elevator by yourself."
"I was too tired to take the stairs, Dad," said Ryan.
"Well, yeah, I know you were. Cover that sling with your coat and take it off without your mom knowing."
"Okay."
Ryan sat on the couch in the apartment and took a prescription bottle from his coat pocket. He read it.
"You already took one. Don't get any ideas," said Mr. Ross.
Ryan left it on the coffee table and Mr. Ross made a call on his smartphone.
"He practiced like a trooper today," he said. "He sounds good. I wore him down. He's sleeping on the couch. I'll bring him home tomorrow. Sure." He handed Ryan the phone. "Your mom wants to talk to you."
"Hello?"
"Ryan?" she asked.
"Yes?"
"Are you sure you want to stay the night at your dad's?"
"I'm sure."
"l'll make him drive you. Don't let him be lazy."
"I want to stay, Mom."
"Okay."
---
Ryan rested on the couch, listening to Mr. Ross fumble around in the kitchen. He placed a bowl of hot macaroni and cheese on the coffee table.
"That's all I got, Rye. Eat if you can."
He watched a basketball game on TV and fell asleep in the recliner. Ryan used the bathroom and slipped into the bedroom.
He turned the desk lamp on and opened the top drawer, finding a pen. Then he opened the drawer on the left, taking out an old, address book.
He sat on the edge of the bed, looking through the book for "Higgins Drive", "Grove Road" or "Mayer Street".
Someone named Alex Peter Young lived on two hundred and eighty-seven Grove Road in Chicago. Ryan wrote the address and phone number on a post-it note on the desk.
"Rye," called Mr. Ross.
Ryan stuffed the note in his jeans pocket and shut the lamp off. Then he tossed the address book and pen in the drawer. He jumped on the bed and stretched out, closing his eyes.
"Oh, you want my bed? I can stay in the chair."
"No, Dad. I'm just resting."
"Suit yourself." He went to the bathroom.
---
Ryan fell asleep on the couch.
Early in the morning, Mr. Ross drove Ryan to Pancake Spoon and the waitress seated them at a large booth near the windows.
"Hope you brought your appetite, Rye. The pancakes are 'all you can eat' every Sunday before eight."
---
Troy and Luke walked in and the waitress brought them to the first booth. Ryan and Troy sat back to back.
"Are you boys waiting for someone?" she asked.
"No," said Luke. "It's his birthday today and I'm getting him pancakes."
"That's sweet," she said.
They ordered and Ryan peeked at them quickly. He whispered, "That's Troy. He didn't see me."
Mr. Ross nodded, dousing his pancakes with syrup.