Sinful Sounds In The Dark

her fingers trembled so badly that the envelope slipped from her hand and fl

eaned forward, kneeling to retrieve the torn half

ouch between them felt suddenly thin, as though it offered

et this up?" she

ing script on yellowing paper. "'Do you hear her too?'" He read

"Who would do

ould be him, or someone working for him. Someo

small living area. Every reflection in the darkened window felt li

the tremor in his voice betrayed him

is to them, and why? Was it a warning-or a promise? And why would

o move. They'll keep sending things, leave clues, create distractions.

a shaky breath. "Okay.

ts." He paused, eyes scanning the spines of dusty records lining the wall. "I left clues in the old place-I buried them, hoping I might

y squared her shoulders. "

ut clearly worried. "Good. Because if

le. "You already do stup

dark and sudden

s against the spring chill. As they wove through wet streets, Lily's wet hair plastered to her face, she thought about the note's meaning. "Do you hear her too?" The question sounded

er the engine's rumble.

d light. "Every second I question, I

ket pressed against his side, her warmth beside him, steady and r

knuckles softly against

limbed three flights of stairs in near-darkness. Each step landed with a hollow echo. On the second-floor

pped a key from his pocket-one he'd taken years ago-and fi

he corner-dust caked over the ivory keys. Sheet music lay strewn across the floor, hal

ng space. A mattress leaned against the wall, stained and abandoned. Against another wall, a desk clutte

ing dust off the lid. "I haven't been here since-" His voice caught. He lifted a cassette tape from the f

de him. "What w

dusty speakers. Then Mara's voice-soft, trembling, urgent-fil

briel, if you find this.

ed): Listen to me,

, everything changes. He'll co

faint): Mara? Bab

Play our song, into that old ha

ghost of his younger self

of the piano. "Our song

nobody else knows it. When we played it together, Sebastian lost his temper. He nev

ession from the concert hall. A haunting phrase that rose and fell like a heartbeat, b

clicked off. Silence fell, so

rd this?" she

ere. I was on tour. This is the

opped. "So Mara r

night. He used it to blackmail her. Told her if she didn't play our song publicly, he'd

ropped. "And s

fore she could finish it. He forced her to sign, and then.

hroat. "He's sending us clues now

iate myself in public. He thinks if I don't, he'll expose eve

Then we finish it first. We

lt. "You think it's that easy? That I can walk b

was strong. "You have the gift, and yo

et was hidden in Sebastian'

let'