Where's Charles?

A couple of days after the Ballroom date in West Hartford, I knew that the only chance I had to get this band back on track was to get us back into the recording studio as soon as possible. We had the support of many New England radio stations, and just because we had made a mistake in our choice of songs for our second record didn't mean that had changed. I knew we had many potential hit records in our repertoire, and with radio airplay, re-establishing momentum through audience interest would naturally create a demand for the band to appear in concert, and that would overcome all the problems we were currently facing...even the sabotage. The music business is like any other business...if a product is "hot" and has the ability to make money for people...that product will find a way to the market...no matter what the obstacles may be. I knew there would be someone out there who would be able to pick up the ball, and I knew a new record was the best way to make that person show up. I was getting ready to make a trip to East Hartford to pay off my outstanding studio bill, and to set up a recording session to begin that process when Bruce came home and told me he had just heard some disturbing news from Mark Brett. These guys were both  Avalanche crew, and very close friends of mine, and I trusted both of them completely. Mark was especially close with Charles, from all the time he had been a roadie with the Chicago band Charles had played in before Avalanche. Mark had told Bruce that he had heard Charles and Nick were in New York for the weekend...to audition for a job with a new band. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I had not been told Charles was even considering this...by Charles or anyone else, and it came as a real shock to me. I couldn't understand how Charles could even consider that, after nearly three years of hard work, and the amazing potential the band still had to succeed. I got on the phone and called his house, and got Bonnie, who said Charles wasn't home, and that she didn't know where he was. And for two days, my only thought was...where's Charles...and what is he doing?