Howie pushed the end button on the cell phone, Leighanne’s cries still echoing in his ears. She had sounded so upset and hysterical Howie did not know what to do. He had begged her to call her mother or a friend and talk it out, anything to keep her occupied until he could find out more information, but she had been inconsolable.
“So you know Nick and Brian?” Mo asked.
Looking over at Mo Howie could tell the man had said something but he had not been listening.
“I’m sorry did you say something?” He asked the cell phone still clutched tightly in his hand.
“I said, so you know Nick and Brian?”
“I know a Nick and Brian.”
“Yeah, me too, I know a Nick and Brian, but I doubt if they are the same guys that you know.” Mo sort of laughed to himself while Howie just ignored him. Leaning forward Howie asked the driver how much further until they reached the address. Craning his neck to look out the window the driver seemed to be lost.
“I’m sure that the Nick and Brian I know aren’t the same guys you know.” Mo continued the conversation he and Howie had been having despite Howie’s obvious lack of interest.
“The Nick and Brian I know aren’t from around here. They’re from Florida.” Howie’s head snapped up at the mention of Florida as Mo continued on. “Two stupid little fucks, my Nick and Brian. One’s a big guy and the other one is sort of little and both of them are as dumb as rocks.” Mo laughed again flipping out his wrist to check the time.
Howie’s jaw dropped open ever so slightly and his mouth went dry as the interior lights of the car gleamed off of the shining sliver and stunning blue cobalt blue of the Rolex watch on Mo’s arm.
It had been a few years back while on tour in Europe that Howie and Brian had gone shopping and Brian had picked out the special design Rolex, custom made by a jeweler in London. Brian had called the brilliant timepiece the “indulgence of a lifetime” and as far as Howie knew he had not taken it off his wrist since the day he’d purchased it. Looking at it now on Mo’s wrist gave Howie a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. His eyes quickly shifted to the Kentucky hat on Mo’s head, again to the Rolex and finally to the gold wedding band perched on his pinky. Brian’s gold wedding band. Before Howie could say another word Mo’s fist shot out plowing into Howie’s face, his head rocketing back into the window making him see stars as his cell phone fell from his grip to the floor below.
At the sound of Howie’s head hitting the window the driver turned. He started to say something but it was too late, Mo had already scrambled up between the seats, hands around the driver’s neck. One quick snap and it was all over as the driver slumped down dead in his seat and the car veered off of the road.
Mo grabbed the wheel and spun it hard right coming to an abrupt stop as it rolled down a hill and crashed into a tree. Kicking the car door open Mo pushed the driver’s body to the ground before he crawled out behind him. He moved quickly grabbing the driver under both armpits as he dragged him around to the backseat and opened the door.
The kid in the back was passed out cold lying on the floor. He must have rolled off of the seat when they made impact with the tree, which worked out just fine for Mo. Hefting the dead body up onto the seat he laid it down and slammed the door shut. Then climbing back into the car he turned the key in the ignition.
“C’mon.” He growled as the car sputtered and died. Trying it again Mo pushed the gas pedal to the floor, the car roaring and dying once more. Climbing out Mo pulled open the now dented hood from the collision with the tree and checked the engine. Fiddling with a few things he climbed back in the car, twisted the key and gave it the gas, the car coming to life as he popped it into drive and slowly started his way back up the hill. Giving it one last surge of gas he burst up onto the road, the car weaving over the median almost colliding with an oncoming white van that swerved to miss them. Then wiping the sweat from his brow he readjusted the rearview mirror and headed for his apartment.
* * *
Dan Fortis, a reporter with the local news crew, was on his way to another boring live remote about recycling when he and his cameraman were almost sideswiped by a burgundy towncar that came out of nowhere almost plowing head first into them.
“Stupid son of a bitch.” Dan yelled as the cameraman cranked the wheel to the right to avoid being hit. “Pobably some drunk on his way home from a night of partying.” Checking his watch Dan was early to the remote, as always. He had begun getting tired of the same old live remote. They always sent him to craft fairs or restaurants or places where boring commentary was given over his lame attempts at jokes. He wanted something to sink his teeth into, a hard hitting story that would get him some notice but so far all he was, was the morning news clown.
“Hey check that out.” As they continued down the road his cameraman Roger pointed to the glow of red and blue lights coming from the wooded area up ahead to their right. “Must be something big going on?” From the looks of it there had to be at least two dozen police cars and that was just what they could see from the road.
“Pull over.” Dan ordered his hand on the door.
“But we have to get to recycling remote.”
“We’re early anyway, and besides it could be something big, it could be the chance I’ve been waiting for.”
* * *
Forces of nature seemed determined to keep Nick and Brian from making it to shore. The wind howled and the waves were angry as Brian continued holding tightly to Nick, his arms now locked beneath Nick’s armpits as he struggled to keep the blonde head from disappearing beneath the waters surface.
“Jesus you’re heavy.” Brian muttered as he pulled Nick up once more. “You eat to many freaking Twinkies.” He waited for Nick to laugh but Nick’s body was dead weight in his arms.
“You know I can’t do this without your help. I sacrificed everything for you but if you won’t help yourself then fuck you.” When he got no response Brian simply let go of Nick, wondering if the old saying “sink or swim” was really true. Thunder crashed loudly overhead as Nick sunk below the water and did not reappear.
“Shit.” Diving under the water Brian could see Nick’s lifeless body twisting downwards, his eyes closed arms outstretched. And he realized, as he dragged Nick up again, that he was thinking about that stupid Monopoly game. He finally remembered what had happened after Nick had thrown the pieces and the board all over the hotel room. The two had been doubled over on the bed laughing tears rolling down their faces when Nick yelled out,
“You won okay. , I give up!” Instead of finishing the game and losing to Brian Nick had just given up. Brian had known Nick long enough to know that whenever he was faced with difficult things he always took the easy way out. And now here Nick was facing the most difficult challenge of his lifetime and just like that night with the Monopoly game Nick was giving up.
* * *
Dan slid out of the unmarked white van, which they had parked, off to the side of the road in the shadows. Zipping up his dark blue jacket and placing Roger’s black baseball cap on his head as he walked quickly down the side of road and into the woods.
There was a lot of activity going on, he could see groups of officers roping off a perimeter with crime scene tape. He could also see more officers standing by police cars that were staggered all over the dirt road that cut through the center of the woods. Pulling his cap down lower he jammed his hands in his pockets and tried to look as if he belonged.
* * *
Officer Park finally found Sergeant Cox working the outer perimeter of the crime scene in the woods where the two bodies had been found. He was speaking to one of the other officers and pointing to where he wanted the crime scene tape as Park walked up.
“Sergeant, can I speak with you for a minute?” His Sergeant shot him a dirty look as he waved the other officer away and stepped off to the side Park following.
“I understand you have a problem with following rules Park. You know you could have gotten yourself killed coming down here without your partner or backup.” Cox reached for his radio turning it down just enough so that he could still hear the mumbling hum from dispatch.
“If I would have followed my instincts in the first place and pulled over when I saw that truck that kid in the woods would still be alive.”
“Maybe, maybe not. You don’t know that for sure. Besides if you would have saved that one, “ The Sergeant hitched his thumb in the direction of the ambulance that was pulling out onto he road with Brian’s body inside. “Then the other one at the warehouse would have died. You had to make a choice.”
“And what if he dies too Sir?”
“Then you did your best Park and that’s all you can do.” The two men stood silent for a moment and then Park spoke again.
“Sir, we have no information on the identities of the victims or the man who appeared to be the shooter. Martin said that you spoke to dispatch before you sent us out on the call.” Cox nodded.
“That’s right. Dispatch radioed us that there had been a call from a man on a cell phone. He told them he had information that a friend of his was in trouble and in need of assistance. After we sent you on the call we got another call back from dispatch, they said that the call could be some sort of prank call but that the caller said his friend was the member of some singing group called The Backstreet something or other.”
Dan Fortis stood ten feet from where Park and Sergeant Cox were speaking, his ears perking up at the mention of the popular boy band. Moving in a little closer he picked up a piece of the yellow crime scene tape that had dropped to the ground and pretended to secure it to a tree trunk.
Sergeant Cox reached down for his radio calling into dispatch and within seconds he had two names. Howie Dorough and Nick Carter. Dispatch had done some research and these names were indeed the names of two of the members of the singing group The Backstreet Boys. Whether or not these were the two young men whose bodies had been found at the scene at this point was anybody’s guess.
“Park get on the radio to headquarters and see if you can round up any family members or friends who may know something about this Carter and Dorough. Where their staying, if they’re married, if they have families, whatever you can find out. If those the victims are high profile we need to get on this before the press picks up the story.”
Dan heard the names as plain as day and was well aware of who Howie and Nick were from his time spent doing cheesy entertainment reports a few years back at a news station in Tulsa. Turning to walk away he was planning on casually making his way back to the van when he bumped into an officer carrying a roll of crime scene tape.
“Sorry.” Dan muttered keeping his eyes down to avoid eye contact.
“No problem.” The guy said as Dan kept moving.
“Hey wait a minute.” Shit. Stopping Dan turned the brim of his hat still low over his eyes.
“Do you guys need anymore tape over there?” Dan shook his head giving the guy the thumbs up.
“Nope we’ve got plenty.”
“Okay.” The guy turned and walked down the hill. Smiling Dan made his way back through the woods to the van his heart pounding in his chest as he walked around to the driver’s side and pounded on the window.
Roger was slumped down in the seat, eyes closed, half-asleep when Dan banged on the window scaring the shit out of him.
“Wake up you fat fuck.” Dan yelled as Roger opened the door. “We got a story man, and it’s a good one.” Grabbing Roger’s arm Dan pulled him from the truck climbing over the driver’s seat to grab his microphone and earpiece.
“Get the camera and meet me around the back of the van. We’ll use the woods for the backdrop, and I want to make sure we can get all the flashing lights in there for dramatic effect.” Roger followed Dan around to the back of the van.
“We’re supposed to be doing a live remote about recycling.” Roger said, opening the back of the van doors to get out his camera equipment.
“Yeah well, plans have changed. Dan tossed the black baseball cap to the ground and shoved the earpiece in his ear. Once Roger had everything set up he gave him the signal that everything was a go and Dan then heard the familiar static as he connected into the news studio, followed by the sound of Anna one of the morning news anchors in his ear.
“And now we will be joining Dan Fortis on a live remote from The Adams Recycling plant where he will be giving us tips on recycling. Dan….” Roger pointed to him, as the red light on the camera flashed on and Dan was live.
“Thanks Anna. This is Dan Fortis and I am live from the scene of a gruesome double homicide that has taken place in this wooded area off of I95.” Dan could hear the shuffling of papers and the voice of his news director calling him every name in the book as he continued on, “The victims appear to be Nick Carter and Howie Dorough two members of the popular boy band The Backstreet Boys.”
* * *
Colette was lying on the bed in the hotel room drifting in and out of sleep as the t.v. played on in the background. The words seeped into her subconscience like some sort of horrible nightmare.
“The victims appear to be Nick Carter and Howie Dorough…..”
Sitting up she rubbed her eyes and walked to the t.v, staring into the eyes of the young reporter on the screen
“At this point we don’t have a lot of details to report. What we do know is that the two were shot somewhere in these woods behind me……..”
* * *
Word of the shooting spread like wildfire, and within the half-hour it was being reported on every station from CNN to MTV. Pictures of Nick and Howie along with old footage from their music videos as well as the Millenium and Black and Blue tours played behind the reporters as they went over and over the vague details they had about the shooting.
Kevin was on vacation, well that was if you could call it a vacation. He had made plans to rent an old fishing cabin in Bear Lake Utah for the whole month figuring it would be a nice place for Kris and him to relax and spend some time together. Kris had been sweet about his idea, telling him she loved him dearly but smelly fish and boring scenery were not her idea of a vacation. Instead she opted for a more upscale retreat at a posh spa in Arizona. So they had lovingly gone their separate ways to relax with an agreement to meet in Maui at the end of the month for some romantic one on one time.
Kevin was sitting in the livingroom of the cabin fiddling with some fishing lures and bait when he saw the news about the shooting on the small black and white t.v. that sat on the coffeetable. At first it had been a muffled hum in the background until he heard the names Nick Carter and Howie Dorough. Looking up he expected to see them at the opening of some club or hanging out at a charity event. Instead he saw images of the band flash across the screen, as a Teletype ran across the bottom of the screen in white capital letters……
NICK CARTER AND HOWIE DOROUGH OF THE BAND THE BACKSTREET BOYS HAVE BEEN SHOT AND KILLED IN LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA DETAILS AT NOON
Kevin reached forward in slow motion, his head spinning as he turned up the volume knob on the t.v. He listened quietly while the gray haired news anchor reiterated what Kevin now already knew. Dropping the lures and bait to the ground fell to his knees and began to sob.