Page 5 of What She Saw

“And then I came along.”

She grinned. “Lucky me.”

Joe rubbed his hand over his scraggly beard. He looked older than forty, but he liked to think he still had game. The tattoos that covered his arms showed life experiences like Laurie’s guitar case.

“You’ll wow the crowds,” he said.

“You think so? You haven’t heard me play.”

“You have an energy. A vibe. The producers call it the ‘it’ vibe.”

“Thanks. I’m hoping to wow the crowds.”

“Anyone willing to walk down a road with a guitar in this heat wants fame.”

“It’s all I’ve wanted since I was a little girl,” she said.

“You ever been onstage before?”

“A few times. None of my gigs have been much to brag about. Coffee shops, high school talent shows, and a small church festival. But you got to start small, right?”

“Yeah, you do.”

Joe slowed the van. Laurie looked toward the trucks hauling stage equipment as he nosed the truck toward the festival entrance, which funneled into an open field. She shifted in her seat, tightening her grip on the guitar.

Joe took a right turn into the main entrance. The setting for the festival was beautiful. A bright-blue sky provided a backdrop to rolling hills. An old gray farmhouse sat nestled among a collection of oak trees, and beyond the house, plump gray clouds lurked as if trying to decide whether rain was worth the effort.

The truck rolled and belched as it moved down the dusty road. Joe rounded a corner away from the farmhouse. Ahead were more trucks and workmen hoisting the lights of a fifty-foot stage outfitted with sound equipment. He parked next to a collection of vans and small trucks. All were open and being unloaded.

“There’s so much happening,” she said.

“Controlled chaos. This is the calm before the storm.”

She sat a little straighter. “I can’t wait.”

He rested his massive, inked forearms on the steering wheel. He stared at the people unloading boxes, setting up vending stands, and hanging Mountain Music Festival T-shirts and posters. “In the light of day, it always looks like a bright, shiny penny. But night is coming. So be careful, Laurie.”

“My dad split when I was ten. I learned how to handle myself. I’ll be fine, Joe. Not my first rodeo.”

“A regular sage,” he quipped.

“I’m young, but I’m not stupid.”

“That’s good. Keep your thinking hat on, Laurie. I’ve worked Rafe Colton events before. They always get crazy.” He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to caution her. “I’ve seen girls like you get eaten up.”

Her smile told him his warning flew right past her. “Thanks, Joe. I promise to be careful.”

“There’s a hamburger vendor setting up,” he said. “I bet you could pick up a few hours of work, and they’ll feed you if you’re hungry.”

“Thanks. I’ll do that.”

He reached for a rumpled receipt on the seat and scribbled a number on it. “This is my number. After the festival, if you have questions, give me a call.”

She stared at the bold numbers as she reached for the door handle. “Why do you look so worried, Joe?”

“Like I said, I’ve worked this kind of event before.”

“You’re a nice man.”