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Under the Lights: A thrilling, second-chance romance duet. (Bright Lights Book 1) by Tia Louise (24)

24

“Hope is like a bird that senses the dawn and carefully starts to sing in the darkness…”

Lara

Dancers and crew members are stirring and arriving as we sneak in through the back door the next morning.

Roland leads me down the dark passage to my room, looking around before pulling me inside. We dash into the narrow space, and I’m amazed. It looks exactly the same as it did before. No signs of blood, no signs of any disturbance.

“What did you do?” I ask.

He lets out an exasperated sigh. “There’s no place to bury a body around here, and it was too far to drag him to the river by myself.”

“So?”

“I did the next best thing. I scrubbed everything clean and put him in his bed. Once you’re away, I’ll tell Gavin, and we’ll have someone come and dispose of the body.”

I swallow the knot in my throat. “Will Gavin go along with that? It’s his brother. I can’t believe he’d just… do nothing.”

“What can he do? For all we know, someone sneaked in and attacked him. Plenty of people hated Guy, and Gavin won’t risk a police investigation here. Too much is at stake.”

Then he gives me a reassuring smile. “Try not to worry. It’s almost over. You’re almost free.”

I hug myself. “I wish I could believe that.”

“Freddie will be here soon to take you away. Then you’ll be safe.”

“But what about passports?”

“I’ve already told you. I’m on it. Now pack.”

I follow him to the door. He slips through it, and I slide the bolt behind him. That ache is back between my shoulder blades as I walk to my bed stacked with the clothes we pulled from the closet. I look down at the floor that was once covered in blood. Now it’s spotless. No trace of my crime here.

Dropping into the chair before my mirror, I lay my head on my hands. I changed everything last night when I raised that pin. I inhale a shaky breath and look at myself. The haunted look is back, but Roland is right. I have to prepare us to leave.

Freddie gave me money to buy a suitcase. I tucked it in an envelope and left it for Roland. Now I go to my closet and run my hand down the jeans and old shirts I’ve worn for years. His sister will see right away that we have nothing, but I hope she’ll chalk it up to my commitment to fame, my limited time.

A tap on the door causes me to jump. I step to it and listen, although I have no reason to be afraid. Am I expecting ghosts?

“It’s me,” a small voice says.

I quickly pull Molly inside and hug her to me. “Were you okay last night?”

She nods stepping out of my arms. “Evie gave me this suitcase for our things. Armand picked it out.”

“That’s lucky.” I take the large case. “It’s plenty for our shabby wardrobe.”

Molly frowns. “When do we leave?”

I glance at the clock and see it’s after ten. “Not long now. Freddie said he’d be here at noon.”

She nods, but her movements are as robotic as I imagine mine are. It’s going to take a while for us to heal. Hopefully we can find a way to pick up the pieces in Paris.

I put my arm around her shoulders. “We’re almost there,” I say, giving her a squeeze. “Just a few more hours.”

* * *

Our suitcase is packed and everything collected. I take one last look around my small room, and then drop to my knees. Spreading the drapes on my dressing table, I pull out the basket hidden there. From under the discarded stockings, scrap material, and ribbons, I take Freddie’s barrette, the remaining money from the purchase of Molly’s shoes, and the diamond bracelet.

The golden locket is in a silk pouch, and the last two items are my mother’s pen and the tiny perfume bottle. I hold them in my hand a moment before turning to tuck them into my suitcase.

“Here,” I say, holding the diamond bracelet together around my wrist. “Help me.”

Molly’s eyebrows rise. “It’s beautiful.”

“It was a gift. From Freddie.”

She nods. “It’s going to be a different experience having money.”

I stand and take her hand.

“Let’s go,” I say, leading her from the room.

Together we walk up the passage, through the maze of boxes and discarded scenery, through the wings, and onto the stage. The dancers, who, for all these years have been our strange family wait to embrace us both. Tears spill over as I hug Rosa then Evie.

“It’s your happily ever after, yes?” She smiles through her misty eyes.

I nod back. “If only there was one for you.”

But she shakes her head. “You’re the star. In the end, you’re the one to ride off in the carriage with the handsome prince.”

I choke back another surge of emotions and try to smile.

“Take care of you,” I say. “Thanks for the suitcase.”

“Armand has ten of those cases.” She kisses my cheek, and with a brief hug, Molly and I continue to the front of the stage and then down the short flight of stairs and into the house.

We walk up the aisle to the bright lobby where Freddie waits in a pale gray overcoat. A stocky man wearing a wrinkled suit stands near him. I don’t recognize him, and he regards me with curiosity. I look away, at Freddie’s smiling face.

He steps forward to take my hand. “I trust you had a relaxing evening?”

I answer quickly. “I couldn’t stop thinking of you and our exciting trip.”

He kisses my cheek. “Roland gave me these.” He holds up navy blue booklets with PASSPORT stamped on them in gold. “He said they were in the safe.”

My jaw drops, but Gavin joins us in the lobby. “Best of luck in your new life.”

Rage simmers just below the surface of my skin, but I hide it for Freddie’s sake. “I’ll never forget how you took me in and gave me my start.”

He bows slightly, then turns to the small man watching us. I hope never to see his face again, and I can’t help wondering what will happen when he learns of the body in the salon under the theater.

“We’re almost finished here, Detective Landry.”

“I’m supposed to question everyone who was in the theater the night of the disappearance,” the strange man growls. “Otherwise

“I can assure you, Lara and Molly know nothing of your business.”

My pulse beats faster as I wonder what the stocky detective is investigating, but Freddie is back, taking my arm.

“As soon as you’re ready, dear.” He carries my suitcase out to the waiting Towncar.

I follow him quickly, anxious to get out of here.

Molly is right beside me, and despite her hollow eyes, her pale skin is bright. Her smooth curls glow with auburn highlights in the sun.

“A limo,” she muses. “You’re wearing diamonds. All we need is a little dog.”

I give her a tight smile and take her hand.

Freddie touches my lower back. “Ready?”

“Oh—wait.” I leave them and jog to where Roland stands near the back doors of the house.

He’s watching from afar, and I know, like me, his tears are waiting to be shed in solitude.

“You did it,” I say.

“I told you I would.”

Our eyes hold each other’s for the last time. I blink back the tears. “I have a phone. You promise to keep in touch?”

“I’ll be waiting for your first text.”

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“It was always my pleasure.”

I step forward into his embrace and hold him a few heartbeats longer before letting him go and walking slowly to the waiting car.

“Now,” I say, and Freddie helps me inside.

My eyes drink in the buttery leather interior of the small limo taking us to the New Orleans International Airport. My stomach is fluttery to be leaving here, not knowing what awaits us in a new country where we don’t speak the language and our only friend is this man who thinks we’re something we’re not.

The car rumbles quietly forward, and Molly spins in her seat to look out the back window. My eyes are fixed on the man sitting in front of me as the soft strains of classic jazz surround us.

Freddie reaches for my hand. “It won’t hurt my feelings if you shed a few tears. I know it’s hard to say goodbye to the people you know and love.”

“You’re always so kind to me.”

“Only because I adore you.” Freddie gives my hand a squeeze. “And I really do think you’re going to adore Paris as well. Perhaps I can make you happy there the way you’ve made me happy here.”

“Perhaps.”

“Annemarie’s already planning to take you shopping,” he continues. “Make a list of everything you want to do and see.”

Molly finally turns around, and for the first time in two days, she slips her small hand into mine. Her head is on my shoulder, and she speaks quietly.

“Lara loves diamonds. And she wants a little dog.”

Freddie laughs. “I can’t wait to get to know you better,” he says, tapping the end of her nose lightly.

His gesture fills me with an emotion I’ve almost forgotten.

Hope.

The car hastens our departure, and I look down at the small hand holding mine. She’s safe now, and perhaps one day we’ll learn to forget the things that happened here. Maybe one day we’ll learn to never think about this place, ever again.

There’s no reason for ghosts to follow us across the Atlantic.

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