“You heard the chief,” Lindsey said. “Let’s clear the area.”

She saw Milton and Ms. Cole standing by the side of the stage. Her gaze met Milton’s and he gave her a small nod of understanding. He turned and whispered something to Ms. Cole. She nodded and together they began to encourage the cast and crew to leave the stage.

Lindsey heard the EMTs talking about Adrenalin and a defibrillator, and she could hear them give one another commands, but she didn’t turn around. Not until after the last of the cast and crew had gone through the door, did she turn back to the stage.

She saw one EMT, listening through a stethoscope to Robbie’s chest. The seconds stretched into minutes, which felt like hours. Finally, he sat back on his heels.

He looked grim as he glanced at his watch. He turned to Emma and said, “I’m sorry, he’s dead.”

13

“What?” Violet cried. “No, there’s been a mistake. He’s just unconscious. Check him again.”

“Ma’am, I’m sorry,” the paramedic said. He looked at Emma and said, “We’re going to need to move him now.”

“Of course,” she said.

“No! Robbie, no!” Violet cried. She looked as if she’d launch herself at his body, but Emma caught her by the arms and held her.

“Violet, it’s no use,” Emma said. Violet let loose a desperate, keening cry and collapsed into Emma’s arms.

Lindsey couldn’t catch her breath. She could feel her heartbeat rushing in her ears and closing out all sound, as if it could drum out the paramedic’s words. It couldn’t be true. He couldn’t be dead. But there was no denying the still, lifeless form of Robbie Vine.

She tried to speak, but her throat was raw, as if her vocal chords had been severed and couldn’t push out the words.

She cleared her throat and tried again, “Violet, I’m so sorry.”

Emma glanced up and waved her over. When Lindsey knelt beside them, Emma handed Violet over to Lindsey and said, “I’m going to have to interview everyone. No one leaves.”

“I understand,” Lindsey said.

The paramedics loaded Robbie onto a stretcher. Violet reached out and gripped his lifeless hand in hers for just a moment. Lindsey found herself staring at Robbie’s handsome face. She saw flashes of him smiling, laughing and teasing her. When they draped a sheet over his head, she wanted to yell for them to stop. Like Violet, she simply couldn’t believe that a spirit as bright and vibrant as Robbie’s could have been extinguished.

Instead, she leaned close to his covered head and whispered in a voice that was rough with unshed tears, “Good-bye, merry wanderer of the night.”