Real Time (18 page)

Ron left the booth and Kate turned back to the studio. They were laying down backup vocals because Christian had not yet appeared this morning. Kate didn’t want to admit it but things went a lot faster when the band was here doing stuff and their lead singer was late. Sometimes she wondered if he really was forty because Christian acted like a petulant two year old most of the time.

Since it was lunch time and Christian still wasn’t there, Kate dismissed the band for a couple of hours. Randy, the lead guitarist said he would go see if he could figure out what was delaying their lead singer. Kate nodded in approval and went out into the hall. Arlan was there talking to Nick, which didn’t surprise her. Nick was funny about things being out of the ordinary and Kate running the sound board for Ron – that would be out of the ordinary. Kate walked up and didn’t say anything while they continued their conversation.

“You’re a bundle of surprises, love,” Nick said turning to her. “I had no clue you knew how to work a sound board.”

“Ron’s been teaching me,” she confirmed. “I didn’t want to take a session because you want to leave in three weeks or so. You hold the record for the shortest recording time and I didn’t want to start something I couldn’t finish.”

“You good to run this while he’s gone?” Arlan asked. “I can call Tony or Patrick back.”

“I can do it,” she assured them. “I did most of the tracks on Marlena St. Clair’s album we finished last week. And there won’t be much work to do if Christian Long doesn’t get in here.”

“Trouble?” Nick asked.

“Nick, he’s a pain in the ass. I have no idea how he ever worked for you - not with your attention to detail.”

“He wasn’t into drugs then. This is the last record we have under contract. I’m breaking even, barely, with his music and have no interest in extending it. Don’t tell him that – I’ll lay it down to him when his manager comes looking for the next contract.”

“I told the band to get lunch and disappear for a couple hours. Randy said he’d go try to find Christian. I was just going downstairs to get something to eat. Either of you want to come with me?”

Arlan declined but Nick agreed it was a good idea. They had a cafeteria on the second floor of the building so people didn’t have to go out into the city for lunch if they didn’t want to. And it allowed Nick to be free to roam the building with no chance of fan encounters or press barrages. They walked down to the elevator and Kate pressed the button for the second floor.

“Do you like doing the recording, love?” Nick asked.

“Its new and challenging,” she admitted. “I could do this part time if you needed me to. I’m still a musician at heart.”

“I was just thinking we could open up Studio Four when we got back, if you were going to run the sound board. Good sound engineers are hard to come by.”

“That’s what Ron said. He told me the last two couldn’t cut it.”

“It pays more than session work,” Nick said teasing her.

“Oh sure,” she said laughing as they got on the elevator together. “Bribe me with a new job.”

“Did it work?”

“I’ll run some of it for you, Nick,” she answered. “And, for the record, you don’t have to pay me either. Since I’m taking work for Michael, I’d rather spend his cash than yours.”

“Not going to get any argument from me, love. Sure that’s what you want to do?”

“I’m sure. Besides, I’m going to be really selective about what I take from him and it will cost more than his usual prices.”

Nick laughed as they exited onto the second floor. The cafeteria was at the east end and Nick had spent a small fortune to get good food and a nice eating area in place. This was one of the many changes that happened once Nick took over as a half partner, putting his finances in to make it happen. He did the same thing in the New York studio, as well as the one in Britain, both on a smaller scale since both were just recording sets with some offices for the public relations folks. All the main corporate offices were in Los Angeles. In the other two locations, he did a survey of the employees and made a contract with their favorite fast food restaurants to open up in their building. Job turnover came to a screeching halt after that.

Kate put together a salad from the salad bar and Nick got a hamburger from the grill. They sat at a table toward the back of the eating area, to keep Nick out of the way. He wasn’t bothered by crowds here, like he would be in a public restaurant, but old habits die hard. Kate didn’t mind – she was just happy to spend time with him because this was rare, even with them working in the same building. Kate tried to stay out of his office as much as possible to give him the space he needed to run his business. The important people that ran the studio knew they were married but a lot of the lesser employees – mail staff, general office people, did not. Kate got a few bad looks here and there but didn’t let them bother her. Nick was a good looking man and there wasn’t much she could do, especially since he was well known.

Once they finished, Nick went back to his office and Kate returned to Studio Two. She was surprised the band was back and even more astounded to see Christian with them. But what she didn’t like was how Christian was looking. She had seen that look before in her eight year career and knew he was about to crash. Kate picked the receiver off the wall behind her and asked the operator to find Arlan and send him over. Arlan usually had a radio headset for these kinds of things and she knew he would get there reasonably fast. She tried to ignore the state Christian was in and opened the microphone into the studio to see what they wanted to do. Christian mumbled something and fell off the stool to the floor. Arlan walked in at that moment and ran into the studio. He bent over Christian, making it was apparent he wasn’t breathing. Kate saw him radio for help before he started performing CPR. She was frozen in place, watching the scene unfold in front of her. Two of the employees who were EMT certified came running into the studio. Arlan turned over the CPR to one of them and came into the booth with Kate.

“He’s not breathing,” Arlan said. “Did you call Nick?”

“No. I didn’t know how you wanted to handle it,” she said, moving out of the way as the paramedics came in the room. Nick was right on their heels.

“What the bloody hell happened?” Nick asked.

“He collapsed,” Kate told him. “I came back from lunch and he was sitting there, looking really green, like he was going to be sick. Then he fell.”

“This isn’t the first time,” Nick said in an even tone. “I don’t look forward to calling Trent and telling him that Christian overdosed
again
.”

“Looks like they got him breathing,” Arlan observed. “He wasn’t before the EMT’s came in.”

The paramedics put Christian on a stretcher and walked it through the sound booth, out of the room. Kate could see the rest of the guys packing up their equipment - it was now a waiting game to see if Christian would survive. Nick said something to Randy, who nodded, and the band walked out of the studio. Kate started turning off the equipment and Nick left without saying anything else.

“I still don’t know Nick very well,” Arlan started. “What will he do next?”

“Christian’s brother, Trent, is his drummer; Nick will call him as next of kin. Their parents are dead – Christian raised Trent through his teens and got him the job with Nick when he went off to start Great Escape. After that, your guess is as good as mine. Nick is mad, no doubt.”

“Michael always vocalized his... displeasure. It’s been difficult learning to read Nick’s silent moods.”

“Good luck with that. We’ve been married almost two years and I still have trouble with some of them. This one is easy though.” Kate’s tone was definite.

“How so?”

“He’s mad because Christian is being an idiot. Nick has high standards and I know he wouldn’t have put up with the drugs back then. So this behavior has been relatively new. I can tell you this, though, Arlan,” Kate said confidently. “If he is angry with you, you will know. Trust me. “

“I hope so. Guess I’ll go up and see what he needs me to do.”

“I’ll finish shutting things down and then I am going to take off. Let Nick know when you go up there?”

“Sure thing,” he assured her.

* * *

A
rlan went back out, heading for the elevator and pressed the call button with a sigh. He selected the button for the fifteen floor once getting inside and rode it to the top. The scenery was beautiful with the floor to ceiling windows but sometimes the height made him a little dizzy. He stopped and confirmed with Terry that Nick had come back and then knocked on the office door. Arlan heard him call out and walked into the office, closing the door behind him. Nick was on his cell phone.

“I’ll go down to the hospital and try to talk to him,” Nick was saying into the phone. “I offered him rehab the last time but he wouldn’t take it.”

Arlan assumed he was talking to Christian’s brother, Trent. He went and sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk while he finished the conversation. Nick talked for another couple minutes and then sat down facing Arlan. “I hate having to make that call,” he said.

“Sounds like this isn’t the first time,” Arlan observed.

“First time here at the studio, but not the first time. Christian has overdosed three times in the past year.”

“This time was almost his last. He wasn’t breathing when I originally went into the studio.”

“Trent is fed up. He said if Christian doesn’t go to rehab and kick this addiction he’s done with him,” Nick told him. “I don’t blame him, mate.”

“It’s a bad deal all around,” Arlan agreed. “My oldest got mixed up with crack for a while. It was a hard time getting him to go to rehab and even harder to keep him clean. “

“Christian’s biggest problem is he has no family support. Trent is all he has.”

“That’s what Kate said. Oh, and she said to tell you she was leaving for the rest of the day.”

“I might follow her after I get done at the hospital. I told Trent I would meet him there in an hour,” Nick told him.

“Nothing going on here that you need to stay for, Boss,” Arlan acknowledged. “Call me if you need anything.”

“Thanks.”

* * *

N
ick drove down to Cedar Sinai Hospital where the paramedics had taken Christian. Trent was in the waiting room and came over when he saw him. Trent was trying to be angry but Nick could see the anguish in his eyes. He reached over and pulled the man into a hug, knowing how upset he was. Trent clung to him for a moment, breaking away and looking determined. Thankfully the news of Christian’s overdose hadn’t leaked to the press yet - there were no reporters hovering around.

“Doctor thinks he’ll be okay,” Trent said.

“He got lucky, mate,” Nick said softly. “He was dead on the floor of the studio.”

“I am just so tired of this, Nick,” Trent said, raggedly. “This is all the stuff he used to say he would kick my ass for if I ever did, and here he is.
Again
!”

“I know,” Nick agreed. “But I can’t force him go to rehab. He has to want to go and you know it.”

“Will you talk to him? The doctor said we could go in but I was waiting for you.”

“Sure,” he answered, putting his arm around his shoulders as they walked toward the emergency room. Trent gave his name to the nurse at the desk and she let them both in, cautioning them to only ten minutes and telling them what room he was in. When they got to the doorway, Trent turned away – Christian look awful. Tubes were running everywhere and he looked like he had been in a fight. Nick didn’t say anything, letting his temper set in, so he could hold his self-control in front of Trent. Christian turned his head as they walked in.

“Trent,” he said in a raspy voice.

“You have to quit doing this, Chris,” Trent began, a tear rolling down his face.

“I know,” he admitted. “This one scared me.”

“It should have, mate,” Nick broke in. “You were dead for about ten minutes on my studio floor.”

“I’ll clean up, Trent,” he said, as his brother leaned over to hug him. “I promise.”

“I’ll pay for it, Christian,” Nick said. “
If
you’ll go.”

Christian looked at Nick over Trent’s shoulder. “You don’t have to do that, Nick. This is my problem - I’ll deal with it.”

“I already promised Trent. Yes or no?”

Christian nodded. “I’ll go. Set it up and I’ll go straight from here.”

One of the emergency room nurses entered the room and informed them their time was up. Trent gave his brother another hug and walked out of the room. Nick looked at Christian and no words were spoken –the look on Nick’s face meant business. He met Trent in the hallway and made their way back out into the waiting room. Nick pulled out his cell phone and called Terry, asking her to get the center director for the rehab center in Malibu on the phone and call him back. His cell rang in about two minutes – Terry was always prompt when he was requesting something. Nick answered the phone and she connected the two men. After he explained the situation with Christian, the rehab was able to get him a spot as soon as he was released from the hospital – which would probably be a couple days. Nick asked for a pen and a piece of paper from the nurse at the desk and wrote down the information Trent would need to get him admitted. Nick thanked the director for his discretion and ended the call.

“Here you go. This is the place I’ve wanted to get him into,” Nick said. “I think it’ll suit him.”

“I have no words, Nick,” Trent said. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Nick told him. “Let me know if you need anything. I’m going to disappear before the reporters show up.”

“I’ll be there Monday to start going over the tour stuff,” Trent confirmed.

Nick waved as he walked out of the emergency room. He saw a news van pull up and a reporter jump out and head inside. He couldn’t help but think how lucky it was he had escaped without being seen. Climbing into his BMW, he headed for his house. The car had Bluetooth and he could make hands free phone calls from the steering wheel. He called Kate to let her know he was on his way.

“Hello.”

“It’s me, love,” Nick said.