CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX #2
“Me too,” she admitted. “There’s just something about the way he looks at people…
” she stopped talking and shuddered. “I don’t want him hanging around the studio or the theater anymore.
” She sighed. “But it’s very difficult to tell our largest donors, by far, anything they don’t want to hear.
I can’t just walk up to Garrison Hart and tell him his son and his daughter’s boyfriend are no longer welcome here.
” She paused, thinking for a minute. “The Hart family is very used to getting their way.”
I had witnessed that myself. Repeatedly. But I wasn’t sure exactly where Kelisha was going with this. And then she made me very aware—and a little scared.
“I told police I was afraid Eric had tampered with the lights and that the Harts might be involved. They laughed it off. I’m pretty sure they thought it was so ridiculous that they didn’t even look into it.
Or they already knew it was Eric, but Garrison told them to forget about the incident.
Either way, the official report lists it as an accident.
” She looked angry, but her face softened when she looked at me.
“I’m not sure how safe you are to tell you the truth.
You and I both know the ballet you were performing that night centered around you dancing on that area of the stage. Only you.”
I’d been trying not to focus on that particular bit of information. Hearing her say it out loud forced me to think about it. I wanted so badly to think the lights were an accident. But I wasn’t certain, and I was no longer reassured by the police report.
She flipped through a calendar on her desk. “With Monty’s obsession with you and Nora’s dislike for you, I was worried about your safety before the incident. But now I’m really very concerned. Do your parents know what’s been going on?”
I made a nervous face. “Um… no. But some of my siblings know, as well as my boyfriend.”
“Have you heard from any of the companies you sent showreels to?” She looked hopeful.
I shook my head. “Only Savannah. And that’s only an hour closer to home. It’s not what I’m looking for.”
She nodded. “I’m sure you will. Just keep your wits about you in the meantime. I’ll be watching out for you, too.”
“Yes, ma’am. And thank you. And…” I hesitated. “I wanted to let you know that I’m leaving at the end of the season whether or not I have a place at another company.”
She nodded at me, and I could see some of the stress leave her pretty face. “I think that’s wise.”
I stood to leave, but before I could get to the door, she called me back again. She was still looking at the calendar. “How would you feel about going home for a week or so?”
My eyebrows shot up. “You’re that concerned?”
She nodded. “There are a few other issues that have come up that I’m looking into. You don’t need to worry about that right now. I think getting you out of here for a while might give me time to try and figure out exactly what’s going on. And… I’m just worried about you.”
Kelisha was not the touchy-feely type. Her being worried about me had me more scared and upset than Edward’s concern, Nora’s jealousy, and Monty’s creepiness combined.
I told her the truth. “I guess I feel like if I leave, the Hart family wins. And,” I admitted, “I’m afraid Nora will take my place. And I won’t get it back. I don’t think I could handle being here for the rest of the season if I had to drop back to soloist…”
“What if I can guarantee that won’t happen?”
“Well, I still feel worried letting my spot go even for a short time, but if you think it’s for the best…” I let my voice trail off.
“I do,” Kelisha said. “Besides, you won’t miss many performances.
Go home for the next week.” She went back to the calendar and studied it, arms crossed.
“In fact, go home today and don’t come back until next Wednesday.
That way you’ll only miss one performance.
That gives us a full ten days to let things cool down over here.
It gives me a chance to insist the police should look into things a bit more thoroughly.
And it will also give me time to decide if I’m just being paranoid, or if there’s really something to be worried about.
And I think it’s high time you made your parents aware of what’s going on. ”
I winced inwardly but agreed with her plan.
I thanked her for her concern and left her office.
I wasn’t excited to tell my family the things that had happened.
Neither my parents nor the Whittakers would take this well.
I was afraid they’d want me to come home immediately, and I wasn’t ready to do that yet.
So far the evidence I had pointed to Monty being a potential stalker, but not a dangerous one.
Nora didn’t like me, but that didn’t mean she was going to physically hurt me.
Eric Hightower was creepy, but he barely even spoke to me.
All he did was stare. And the lights falling could have just been an accident.
I wasn’t ready to change my life and run away based on any of that.
Of course, going home wouldn’t be all bad. I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling as I bolted from the studio through a side entrance to avoid questions from Nora.
More time with Edward? Sign me up.