Chapter 39

FROM THE WINDOW, she could see the flash from his camera as he took pictures of his shrine. Coming to Fresno, she realized, would be a pilgrimage to Edwin Sharp.

More sweat spreading on hands and forehead, heart pounding in vivace tempo.

Steady girl, you can do this. Think of everybody at risk.

Think of Mary-Gordon, think of Sheri.

He’s a rabid coyote. That’s all he is.

She paused. No, don’t do it. Get the hell out of here! Before you fuck up your life forever.

But Kayleigh Towne decided:

I can do this, I can do this. For my sister, for Mary-Gordon, for anyone else who’d be at risk.

For me.

Your shadow …

She stepped out onto the loading dock and looked toward Edwin. He turned, that skewed smile contorting his face. She gave a cautious nod and looked down at the asphalt, crumbling and cracked and sprouting dry weeds. Another brief nod. As if shy, as if uncertain.

As if innocent.

“Well, lookit this.” He glanced behind her and around. No Darthur Morgan. “You’re alone?”

“Yeah. Only me.”

“Where’s Darthur?”

“Up the street. I gave him the slip.”

He said, “Good.” He looked up at the theater. “You know, I wish that concert of yours’d been recorded…. Thirteen years old and you had the whole house in your hand. Nobody cared about the other students. It was just you. Only you, Kayleigh.”

The show had been written up in one of the tiny local papers. He must’ve read about it there.

Edwin followed her inside.

“We’re thinking of filming a concert here.”

“A video. Cool! Excellent. When?”

“We don’t know yet.”

“Like re-creating your first concert? That’d be so neat. You’ll have to do ‘Walking After Midnight.’ Like you opened with back then.”

Jesus. He knew that too?

Edwin studied her again. “Wow, you’re looking spec-tacular today. Your hair … it’s so beautiful. After your voice, your hair’s probably my favorite part about you.”

Kayleigh struggled to remain placid as she recalled his request to send him a lock of her hair. From her pillow would have been best. Oh, Lord …

“I don’t have much time,” she said.

“I know. They’re always watching you.”

They?

He put his hands on his hips and smiled. His jeans were tight. She thought about the incident outside her house, tapping out the music, or doing something else? He peered down at her adoringly from under those overhanging brows.

Kayleigh Towne wondered if she was going to be sick.

“Oh, my God,” he whispered. “Hearing your voice on the phone? It just made my whole day. My whole year! I was sitting at Earl and Marge’s having dinner and feeling kind of bad. Then to hear you. After all these months, finally hearing you.”

“That’s a good diner.”

“The pies looked nice. I like cherry pie, if there’s milk with it. But I cut all that out.” He patted his belly. “Staying trim, you know. Mr. Today. That’s such a great song. I hope it becomes an anthem for women. Don’t settle for abuse, don’t settle for less than you deserve. You know what I mean?”