Midnight Reunion

I stretched out on my leather sofa as I listened to his surprising words. “I’d like to meet with you tomorrow. I’ll be in town after three. I have a proposition for you.”

Obviously, I agreed to meet him, though I had no idea what he would have for me, but the next day when he arrived, I buzzed him through the gate. The drive wasn’t that long, so I could see him from the front windows. He got out of his sedan and walked to the door, where I opened it. “Miami.” He stuck his hand out, so I shook it. He wore a silvery gray short-sleeved button-up with white slacks and a Breitling watch that sparkled in the sunlight. His tan was golden, and his hair was perfectly cut and styled, refusing to fade in the Florida humidity. A nice-looking man, but a little older than my tastes. I could appreciate that hot package.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Hicks?” I showed him past the entry and stairs and into the open living room kitchen area. I gestured to the seating area, where he sat in a club chair before answering.

“Please. Call me Coleman.”

“Coleman…” I sat across from him on the same leather sofa where I’d been the night before when he’d called, but unlike the previous night, I was dressed in more than a bathrobe. In fact, I wore a pair of loose linen pants in white with my best loafers and button-up shirt. The sleeves, like his, were short. I hoped the blue-green color brought out the blue in my eyes. Impressions were important.

“I have a proposition for you, as I mentioned. Well, for you and Midnight Hunt.”

“Midnight Hunt doesn’t exist.”

“I disagree.” Before I could protest further, he shook his head, and not one lock fell out of place. “No, listen. Hear me out.” He held up a well-manicured hand—the one with the fancy watch. “You may think you’re finished, but I don’t. In fact, if Midnight Hunt were to reunite, say at the upcoming Rocktoberfest, it might be an excellent opportunity for all of you. Or some of you.” He shrugged as if to say he’d get someone else if I wasn’t interested. Or maybe he was simply brushing past the fact that out of all of us, Jinx had been the one to find success. He was a star in his own right and didn’t need a damned thing from Midnight Hunt. Or from me. He’d made that perfectly clear. But the reverse was not true. Not at all.

I cleared my throat. This could be a good thing, but it sure as hell wasn’t going to be easy. “I’m always up for, you know, whatever. That’s not the problem.”

“Then what is?”

“Jinx. Maybe the other guys.”

He waved me off. “You can play without them. Get replacements.”

That was when I laughed. “Uh…funny.”

“You don’t have some kind of exclusivity contract, do you? I mean, Jinx went on to do some fine work without you.” It sounded like a dare, but he was barking up the wrong tree. It wasn’t about me and what I would do. It was about Jinx.

I didn’t want to explain it, but if I wasn’t clear, the conversation would be short. Might be short anyway. “Midnight Hunt is the people in the band. Or was. We ended when Jinx left because, without all four of us, there is no Hunt. Understand? It’s not like Van Halen. It’s like Led Zeppelin. Get it?”