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In the roped off area in front of the stage, Jamie stood off to one side. With a wary expression, she surveyed the crowd of people making their way into Barnett Park. The large wooden stage had been erected only for this event, and it appeared to Jamie that everyone in Orlando had turned out for the concert.


There had been a lot of publicity for the event, which was promoted as a special concert to raise money for the Boys' charities. Only those in the Boys' inner circle and the Firm knew the truth, that the concert was a trap to catch Ashley.


Two young fans approached the rope where Jamie was standing and asked her if she was Kevin's wife. Both girls appeared to be under fourteen years of age, so Jamie relaxed, smiled and nodded. She made some casual small talk with them, and one of the girls asked breathlessly, "Could you do me a favor?"


Jamie nodded again, and was presented with two Beanie Babies. "Can you make sure Nick gets these? And can you tell him how much we love him?"


Jamie smiled and said, "I think so."


"D'ya think we can meet him too? Could you take us backstage?"


At that, Jamie shook her head, "Sorry, that I can't do." The girls looked disappointed, but nodded before wandering off, looking for another way in.


"So, what do you have there?"


Jamie whirled around, and relaxed once she saw Leighanne's smiling face. "Oh, some presents for Nicky from a couple of fans who wanted a personal introduction."


Leighanne laughed lightly, "You are such a soft touch, Jaim."


"Hey, I remember what it's like to be fourteen and wanting to meet your favorite band. And you do it too, sometimes."


"Yes, but my life isn't the one being threatened at the moment."


Carlos stood behind Leighanne and overheard the last bits of their conversation. "Give me those toys, Jamie. I'll take them back."


"I can do it, Carlos. It's no big deal," insisted Jamie. Carlos reached out and took them from her.


"I need to take them to the dogs first, though. There's extra measures being taken today, if you hadn't noticed," he chided.


"The dogs?" asked Jamie, puzzled.


"The ones from the Bomb Squad," replied Carlos matter-of-factly, before spinning on his heel and walking away with the toys. Jamie turned a wide-eyed expression back to Leighanne.


"B-b-bomb? I didn't even think. . . Oh my God, Leighanne, what am I doing?" she whispered.


Leighanne wrapped one arm around Jamie and said softly, "Taking back your life."





Because the concert was a quickly planned one-time event, the set up was different than usual. Borrowing the stage from "A Night Out," five stools and microphones were set up on the stage over oriental rugs, with the basic band instruments directly behind them. No pyro, no cables and harnesses to fly over the crowd, no second stages were set up anywhere. Just a simple layout to show off the simple harmony of their voices.


Kevin stood off on the side of the stage, peering out into the crowd. Quickly locating Jamie, he let out a deep breath. AJ was standing next to him, making faces at Amanda and a couple of fans who spotted them in the wings.


"You okay, bro?" asked AJ.


"Yeah."


"You don't sound too sure about this."


"I really don't like this, Bone. I've had this weird feeling in my gut since we've planned this, and it's not going away."


AJ clapped one hand on his shoulder to reassure him. "It'll be fine, Kev. It's just a concert."


"Just a concert," Kevin repeated. "I could lose her again today you know."


"Yes, you could," replied AJ seriously. "Then again, you might not, and you'll have to put up with her for the next fifty years. Man, just think of all those credit card bills."


Kevin smiled faintly, "I would gladly pay them if it meant Jaim was going to be safe, and this woman would be someplace where she can't hurt any of us anymore."


"I'll remember that. You wanna pay Amanda's and mine too?"


"How 'bout ours?" piped up Brian, joining them. Howie and Nick joined in with theirs.


"I'd like to have some money when this is over, so I'll pass. But thanks for the offers," said Kevin.


"Are you okay?" asked Brian.


"No, but that doesn't matter."


"We'll get you through this. We'll do it the way we do everything, together."


Kevin looked at his cousin, and reached out to grab his shoulder. "Thanks."





As fans approached the roped area, Leighanne watched Jamie interact with them. If it was someone under 18, Jamie was very friendly, laughing and talkative. But once an older fan approached, Jamie became quiet, almost cold, making the minimum of polite conversation that she could get away with. Only Leighanne could tell how nervous these older fans made Jamie.


Leighanne could also hear the whispers of the people around them. "She's such a bitch, look at her, thinking she's better than us because she's married to a Backstreet Boy. . . She's nothing special. . . If I were her, I would treat the fans better, Kevin's not going to like this once he hears. . . She acts just like Nick's ex-girlfriend, and she was a major bitch. . ."


She sighed, wishing she could explain to these women just what kind of person Jamie really was. But she couldn't, knowing that the wrong word could endanger them all.


Finally, there was a moment where they were alone together. "Jaim, you need to be more careful with the fans."


Jamie looked at her quizzically, "What do you mean?"


"I mean, you're only being nice to the little ones. The others are talking about you as if you are a bitch."


"But I am a bitch. I'm a lawyer, remember?" Jamie smiled.


"You know what I mean. I know you're worried, but you can't be so blatant about it."


"So what should I do, ignore everyone? That won't help." Jamie sighed loudly. "I can't help it, Leigh. Any one of these women could be Ashley, and I have to let her get close enough, but I'm afraid. Today is not a good day to die."


"I know, I'm sorry. But she'll be caught, and you'll be fine. In the meantime, the fans will still think you're a bitch. And trust me, you don't want that reputation."


"I don't, but right now, that's not my biggest concern."


"I know, but you still need to think about it."


"Just one of the prices of fame, eh? And it's not even me who's the celebrity in my family. How have you put up with this all this time?"


Leighanne smiled, "I'm really the wrong one to ask. I'm an actress remember? I'd like to think most of it is from my work, not this ring on my finger."


Jamie smirked, "You just keep thinking that."


"You are a bitch," Leighanne pouted.


"Yup, and usually proud of it."


"Guess I'll put up with it then, since you're family."


"Thanks," Jamie said dryly. "But I was trying to get you to go away. You've been here with me long enough. Go talk to the others."


"Why?"


"When the psycho comes for me, I don't want you or anyone else near me. Why do think I was standing here alone to begin with?"


"But you're never by yourself at concerts. Try to remember what you're doing, you're trying to give the impression that everything is normal."


"My motivation for the scene?" Jamie's lips quirked into a half-grin.


"Hey, being an actress comes in handy for things like this every now and then. And this is one of the greatest acting jobs of your life. How to show the world you are not deep down terrified."


"But I am deep down terrified, I wouldn't be human if I wasn't. It shows that much?"


"Not to anyone but me, I know you too well. But everyone else thinks you're a bitch, remember?"


"So, is this a good thing? I'm getting confused."


"You've been hanging around Nick too long then," said Leighanne, giggling.


Jamie sighed again, "Leighanne, the point is you need to go away. Brian will have my head on a silver platter if anything happens to you. As will AJ and Howie. Notice how Amanda and Alissa are smart enough to be on the other side?"


"Are you implying I'm a dumb blonde?"


"I'm not implying anything. But if the shoe fits. . ." Jamie laughed.


"You are a bitch," Leighanne repeated with a smile. "And don't worry, I'm a big girl too. I can take care of myself. Besides, you don't think Kevin won't kill all of us if anything happened to you?"


"I know he will, and that's why I'm trying to distance myself from all y'all today. That way he can't blame anyone but me for my stupidity."


"This is Kevin, he still will blame us," Leighanne said.


"I was hoping you wouldn't remember that." They looked at each other before bursting into giggles again. "Thank you Leigh. I appreciate what you're doing."


"And what's that?" she asked with an innocent look. Jamie raised her eyebrows.


"Trying to keep me calm and sane while some psychotic woman tries to figure out the best way to end my life."





Standing some yards away, partially hidden in the treeline, a solitary figure watched Jamie and Leighanne. She couldn't hear what the pair were saying, but she could see that they were laughing.


"Yes, laugh now while you still can, you tramp. But nothing is going to save you now," said Ashley to herself. "Not from me, and not from my destiny. Kevin and I will be reunited today."


She watched as Jamie and Leighanne hugged each other, still laughing. "So you just keep laughing, because very soon, I will be hearing you cry and beg. You will beg for my mercy, but I have none, not for you. And I will be the one laughing then, now won't I?"