CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE #2
I sucked in a breath. It was a long, narrow room. There was a chair set up right in front of a perfect, circular hole drilled into the wall the room shared with my dressing room. I didn’t want to, but I felt drawn to go in and look through the hole.
And wished I hadn’t. “Oh God.” I covered my mouth with my hand.
I felt sick. Anyone looking in would be able to see me doing anything.
Dressing, undressing, putting on makeup, anything.
I thought of the private conversations I’d had with Livy.
The kisses I’d shared with Edward. I felt so violated. I turned and hurried from the room.
Kelisha and Theo looked at me with sympathy. “I’m so sorry this happened under our noses,” Theo said.
“I don’t blame you. I blame whatever asshole did this,” I gestured to the room, fury starting to replace the feelings of horror.
Kelisha and Theo both blinked at me. They’d probably never heard me cuss before—I didn’t do it often, but when I did, I had good reason.
I pushed the door to my dressing room open so hard it banged against the wall. I stormed over to the wall where the hole was. How could I have missed it?
Then I saw it.
A picture of Nora and me from college hung there.
We were being goofy and holding up a huge black heart between us.
It was a prop from a modern production of Romeo and Juliet we’d danced in during our second year of college.
A circle the size of the peep hole, which was about the size of a half-dollar, had been cut in the center of the heart.
It was the perfect hiding place for the hole.
Now that I knew it was there, I could see it.
But I never would have noticed it if it hadn’t been pointed out to me.
I thought about how long it had been there.
Nora had given me the picture and hung it there for me as a surprise when I’d first been named principal dancer and gotten my own dressing room over two years ago.
Which, I thought, my face draining of color, was the same time she’d given me the tote bag with the tracker in it.
That had been her congratulatory present to me for being promoted.
Someone had been watching me for two years. And she’d helped them do it in retaliation for me getting the promotion she had wanted.
“It’s Monty,” I whispered. “He’s doing this.” I reached up to rip the picture down.
“Stop!” Kelisha cried, startling me. I turned to her, eyes wide. “We’ve called the police. I want them to see it just as it is.”
I nodded. Then something occurred to me. I pushed past Kelisha and Theo to get back to the closet. They followed me.
I flipped the light back on and looked around, careful not to touch anything.
“What are you looking for?” Kelisha asked.
“Were there any food wrappers, water bottles, Coke cans—anything like that?”
Theo shook his head. “Why?”
“DNA. Bottles or cans are best. The police could run a DNA test, and we could get a hairbrush or something from Monty and then we’d have him.”
I turned, getting worked up and excited over the idea. They were both staring at me like I’d lost it.
“There was nothing like that. I’m sorry,” Theo said.
“Hmm.” I was disappointed but not devastated. “Make sure no one else touches anything. I want them to dust for fingerprints…”
“This isn’t CSI, Cara. I’m not sure the police are going to be doing that.” Kelisha looked a little disturbed.
“Right.” I came out of the closet and leaned on the wall. I realized they were both watching me warily. “Sorry. My sister… she’s into true crime and all the detective shows. I’ve watched them with her since I was like eight years old.”
Theo’s eyebrows popped up. “Really?”
“Yeah. Other kids watched Phineas and Ferb and That’s So Raven. Livy had me watching Dateline and 48 Hours.” I shrugged when they looked kind of horrified. It was what it was. “I’ve seen all twenty-four seasons of Midsomer Murders,” I admitted. “And I can’t wait for the next season to air.”
“I don’t even know what that is,” Theo said, looking mystified.
“That’s probably not what we should be talking about right now,” Kelisha interrupted, seeming to sense that I was about to launch into an explanation of the show. “I think you might be in shock, Cara.”
Maybe she was right. I definitely felt shaky. “I… I don’t think I can dance here anymore.”
Kelisha gave me a sad smile. “I thought you would feel that way. I’ve already asked Mitzi Simmins to step into your role temporarily. I hope that’s okay with you? She did a nice job while you were at home.”
I nodded, hugging my arms tightly over my chest. “I guess this is it, then? I’m done here?” I closed my eyes. This was not how I had wanted to leave Charleston.
“It’s up to you. If you’d like to dance one more time, a final performance, I’d love to have you do it.
But,” she hesitated, “is it worth it? Can you take all the good memories you’ve built up over the past six years and remember how happy you were here before all of…
this?” She gestured to the closet. “If you can, I recommend you do that and forget about a farewell dance. I’m very worried for your safety.
” Her smile was tense, and I noticed bags under her eyes.
She was stressed and losing sleep over this, I realized.
I nodded. “Yes. You’re right. I don’t want to see the Harts. I don’t want to run into Monty or Nora. I guess… I’m finished.” I stood there feeling empty, not really knowing what to do next.
“I’ll be sorry to see you go,” Theo said kindly. He turned to Kelisha. “I’m going back to work. Please call me when the police get here.”
“I will,” she assured him. “Cara, don’t touch anything in there,” she said as I took one last peek into my dressing room.
“I’ll have it all packed up once the police are done.
I’ll text you when I’ve got it ready for you.
Then I’ll have some helpers put it in your car while we go over a few things.
” She paused to think about it. “I’m thinking the police will be done and we’ll have your belongings packed up and at the studio by early afternoon tomorrow? Will that work for you?”
I nodded. “Just let me know, and I’ll be there.” I gave her a quick, tight hug. Kelisha, not a hugger, stood awkwardly before giving me a pat or two on my back.
“See you soon,” I said, wiping away a tear as I walked out of the theater for what was probably the last time.
I cried all the way home. They were tears of sadness mixed with tears of frustration and anger. How had I been fooled for so long by Nora and her fucked up family? I thought about calling Livy or Edward, but everything felt so new, so raw. I needed to process all of it first.
Dark clouds threatened, making the bright oranges, reds, and yellows of the remaining fall leaves stand out in sharp relief. How could it be so pretty when I was feeling so awful? I parked and got out of my car just as a cold, misty November rain drizzled down from the thick storm clouds.
Well. That was more like it.
I didn’t even hurry to get out of the rain. It matched my mood too well. I slowly walked over to my mailbox, wondering how many more times I’d even be here to check it. There was no reason to stay in Charleston now. As much as I’d loved the city over the years, I was anxious to leave.
I fumbled through the mail, surprised to see a large, padded manila envelope. I frowned at it. There was no return address. I turned it over to see if there was one on the back, but there wasn’t.
It started raining in earnest, and I had the sense to hurry up the familiar brick stairs and fumble with my keys to get inside my townhouse.
I opened the seal on the manila envelope carefully, not sure what was inside. And once I saw the contents? I was glad I’d waited to open it until I’d gotten inside.
They were black and white, dated photographs of Edward and a tall, blonde girl.
They had been taken a couple of days after I’d left Wixby to come back to Charleston after the break when the stage was being repaired.
It was easy to see they’d been taken outside of Edward’s house.
There were pictures of the two of them talking and laughing.
Pictures of them hugging. Pictures of them kissing.
Pictures of Edward holding her door open as he helped her get in her car.
I gaped at the images. They couldn’t be real. But it was Edward. There was no doubt about it. I looked closer at the girl. She looked familiar to me. And then it hit me like a sucker punch. I knew this girl.
It was Sara MacAllister, the girl Edward had been with after his father died. She looked like an older, more put together version of the girl I’d seen with Declan’s old summer hookup right before I’d left to go off to college. I didn’t want to believe it, but the proof was right in front of me.
Edward hadn’t been honest with me. Things weren’t over between him and Sara MacAllister after all. Or had he just started back up with her when I wasn’t available?
Oh God. I dropped the package, the pictures falling out and scattering all over the floor. I leaned against the bar counter and tried to catch my breath. Why was all of this happening?
Edward had done it once again. He’d chosen another girl over me while I was out of town. And it was the same damn girl he’d picked before.
He’d cheated on me clear as day this time.
Last time it had been a gray area. He’d been with her so soon after our relationship that I had found it difficult to believe he hadn’t been carrying on with her while we were together.
I’d believed Edward, finally, when he’d told me that wasn’t true.
But I didn’t anymore. Now I felt sure he’d been hooking up with this girl behind my back the summer before college.
And he was now, too. Edward was a cheater.
And I’d been fooled by him twice.
The pictures left no doubt. He’d made such a big deal about us being exclusive. He’d told me he was in love with me. He’d eaten dinner with my parents and assured them he wasn’t the same guy who’d hurt me before. He’d told Declan he’d never hurt me again. He’d watched me fall in love with him.
He’d made me believe he loved me.
Why? Why would he do this again? Why not just say ‘hi’ to me at that stupid ballet season kick-off party at the Harts’ and then move on? Did he just need to prove to himself how thoroughly in love with him I’d been? What an easy target I was?
Had he just wanted to see if he could sleep with me again?
I closed my eyes. I felt like I was going to be sick, and I ran to the bathroom.
Afterwards, I launched myself onto my bed.
I was glad I hadn’t tried to dance tonight despite finding out I’d been spied on in my dressing room.
There was no way I’d have been able to dance anyway, but especially not now.
I tried to think about anything other than Edward and Sara MacAllister, but the only other thing my brain kept coming back to was the peephole in my dressing room wall.
God. What a horrible day. I sat up, trying to wipe the tears from my face but they just kept coming. I’d wanted to pack today so that I’d be ready to leave town tomorrow after talking to Kelisha.
But now I didn’t feel up to it. I walked around my townhouse to gather things up, but I just ended up sitting on the couch, looking at the photographs. I started to call Edward, but I was crying too hard. I resorted to texting him.
Me: Sara MacAllister
There was a pause where the three little dots kept appearing and disappearing. He was trying to think of what to say.
Edward: What about her?
Coward. He wouldn’t just admit it. I texted him a few of the pictures.
Edward: Where did you get those?
Me: Does it matter?
Edward: Let me guess. The Harts, right?
Me: We’re done.
Edward: What? No, you can’t be serious!
He tried to call me. I couldn’t answer. I was almost hysterical.
Edward: Why won’t you answer your phone?
Me: I’m crying too hard to talk
Edward: Baby, please believe me. Those pictures are a set up! You have to believe me. She showed up here out of the blue several weeks ago. It was really weird. And then she kissed me, but I promise I didn’t kiss her back!
Me: Why didn’t you tell me?
Edward: I should have. I didn’t think it was a big deal, and I thought it might hurt you to hear about it, especially since it’s her.
Me: Well, feel free to get back together with her. We’re over.
Edward: I was done with her the summer we were nineteen. I haven’t even seen that girl around town in months and months. Then she shows up out of the blue and throws herself at me and someone sends you pictures of it? Come on, Cara! Doesn’t that seem strange to you?
Edward: Cara?
Edward: I can’t believe this. This is how little faith you have in me?
Edward: Don’t do this
Cara: Lose my number
Edward: I’m coming to Charleston. I’m not going to let that family ruin us.
Edward: I love you, and I always will
I blocked his number. Edward Ashton had broken my heart twice.
I couldn’t believe I’d let him back in. How could I have been so stupid?
So gullible? Well, never again. I would die an old spinster before I trusted a guy ever again.
Or at least that’s how I felt right now.
I called both Declan and Olivia to tell them what had happened, but they could barely understand me through my tears.
I laid on the couch, sobbing. That’s where I finally fell asleep.