She handed off her Martin to Tye Slocum to fit with the new saddle, slugged down another iced tea and picked up her phone. Debating a moment, then a moment longer. Finally she did something she couldn’t have imagined until today.

Kayleigh Towne called Edwin Sharp.

“Hello?” He still sounded a bit groggy.

“Hey, it’s Kayleigh.”

“Well, hi.”

“Are you in the hospital still?”

He laughed. “Didn’t think I’d really hear from you. No. I got sprung.”

“How you feeling?”

“Sore, sore, sore.”

“Well, I hope you’re well enough to come to the show,” she said firmly. “I got you a ticket.”

There was silence and she wondered if he was going to refuse. But he said, “Okay. Thanks.”

“I’ve got it now. Meet you for lunch?”

She could have left it at the will-call window but that seemed petty, considering what he’d done for her. She’d reconciled with Sheri; she could do the same with Edwin.

He said, “I’m supposed to go see Deputy Madigan to give them a statement, but that’s not till two. I guess. Sure.”

He suggested a diner he’d been to. She agreed and they disconnected. Kayleigh headed for the stage door, glancing at Tye Slocum, who had already destrung her Martin and was filing away on the new bone saddle, as lost in his task as a sculptor completing his masterwork.

Her eyes then rose and looked into the murky heaven of the convention center. Kayleigh had wakened that morning at her father’s house, thinking that the concert was the last thing she wanted. She’d even considered using the smoke from the fire at her house as an excuse to cancel, reporting that her throat still stung, even though it was fine. But once she’d arrived here, greeted the band members, tuned up and walked out onstage, her attitude changed completely.

Now she couldn’t wait for the concert. Nothing was going to stop her from giving the audience the best show they’d ever seen.

Chapter 68

THE CASE WAS over.

But one consequence of that resolution for Kathryn Dance was that a greater problem loomed.

One she’d have to face soon and she’d decided today was the day.

She’d had a decadent brunch of huevos rancheros and was now back in her Mountain View Motel room, on the phone with her website partner, Martine, discussing the songs she’d recorded of Los Trabajadores. She’d emailed them to the woman and they’d spent hours deciding which of the two dozen they’d make available on their site.

The decisions were hard; they were all so good.

But from time to time, as the women spoke, that Greater Problem intruded, the one Dance was now resolved to deal with: the question about the men in her life. No, that’s not correct, she reminded herself. There was only one man in her life—in that way. Jon Boling. That he was close to ending the relationship was irrelevant. She had to keep Michael O’Neil out of the equation for the time being. This was between her and Boling.