All That Glitters/Part 25
All That Glitters/Part 25
As soon as he cleared Customs, Brian headed for the nearest telephone to
call the hospital. "What do you mean he's not there?" Brian demanded. It
had been hours since he received the news of Mary Wild's death. His nerves
were already strained to the breaking point, and finding out that Curt was
apparently nowhere to be found didn't help.
"I'm sorry, sir, but our records show that Mr. Wild was notified at
approximately 4 am. We have had no further contact with him."
"What about his father?" Brian was truly grasping at straws if he
seriously thought that Curt's father would be receptive to a phone call
from his son's lover.
"His father is upstairs. You know, making arrangements." The voice on the
other end sounded strangely compassionate, and that was nearly Brian's
undoing.
"Could you put me through?" Brian asked hoarsely.
"We don't like to disturb the family when--"
"Please?" Brian whispered. He was desperate to know where Curt was. Worse,
what Curt was thinking to disappear like this.
The woman made a noncommittal noise and the phone hummed for a few
seconds. At first Brian was afraid that they had been disconnected, but
all too soon a familiar voice filled his ear.
"What the hell do *you* want? I asked the hospital to notify you because
it was what *she* wanted. That doesn't mean *I* have to speak to you."
"Please...I'm very, very sorry for your loss, Mr. Wild, and I wouldn't
blame you if you hung up right now, but..." Brian felt at an
uncharacteristic loss for words.
"What is it?" For a moment, Brian imagined the gruffness faded, just a
little, and he pressed his advantage.
"It's Curt--"
"What about him?"
"He's gone, sir--"
"That's about what I'd expect from that little--"
"Please," Brian forced his voice into a more normal tone, but it was
taking energy he couldn't afford. "Have you seen him since--"
"No," Harold Wild said flatly. "He hasn't been anywhere near here
since...last night...before..."
"I need to find him. Do you have any idea where he would go?"
"What makes you think he wants to be found?"
Brian squeezed his eyes shut and told himself not to think about that very
real possibility. "I'm w-worried about h-him--"
"And you think I'm not?"
I know you're not, Brian thought, but he managed to keep from uttering the
words.
"He's still my son, you know. Whatever he is. And she...she loved him. I
guess that has to count for something. Seeing him again made her happy."
The older man said something else under his breath, too low to catch, but
it sounded suspiciously like, God knows I couldn't.
Brian swiped at the corner of his eye. "He thinks no one cares," Brian
whispered.
The older man laughed, but it was a harsh, bitter sound. "Maybe no one does.
You sure as hell weren't here."
I know, Brian thought, clenching the phone cord even more tightly. "Do
you...do you have any idea where I could look for him?"
"You came all the way back from England to find him?" Curt's father
sounded incredulous.
"Yes."
"Why?"
Brian took a deep breath. Baring his soul to complete strangers every
fucking day of the week when he sang was hard enough. But this...
"I love him."
"You sure?"
"Oh, God, are you going to help me or not? I can't stand not knowing if
he's..."
"He wouldn't kill himself," Curt's father said, but he didn't sound
entirely convinced. "I mean, he's got you and--"
"He doesn't know that! He thinks..." Brian shuddered at the possible
aftermath of Jerry and Mandy's treachery. "My manager called him and told
him..."
"Told him what?"
"Things. Lies. He told him that I wasn't coming back. He told him that I
was staying with my wife because...she's having a baby. Don't you see? He
thinks he's got *nothing*."
"Sounds like he's right."
When Curt's father hung up the phone, Brian couldn't believe it. He
smashed the receiver against the wall and watched as two security guards
approached slowly.
*****