Chapter 12 - The Blue RoomPolice entered the studio before Graham could move Anna.
He fired once into the ceiling.
Then ran through a rear corridor.
Charlotte went after Anna.
Lena shouted,
“Leave her!”
Charlotte ignored her.
Mia watched the feed until police ended the call.
Then the van door opened.
An officer said,
“We have Anna.”
Mia was out before June could stop her.
She ran.
Across pavement.
Through the studio entrance.
Past officers.
Then—
“Mom!”
Anna turned.
For half a second she didn't move.
Then she dropped to her knees.
Mia crashed into her.
Anna wrapped both arms around her daughter.
Mia cried into her shoulder.
“You came back.”
“I tried.”
“You were gone.”
“I know.”
“You said twenty minutes.”
Anna broke.
“I know.”
Mia hit her chest with one small fist.
Not hard.
“I waited.”
Anna held her tighter.
“I'm sorry.”
“You came back.”
“Yes.”
Charlotte stood several feet away.
Watching.
Her face was unreadable.
Anna saw her.
Everything inside her changed.
She stood and moved Mia behind her.
“Don't come near her.”
Charlotte looked hurt.
“I helped bring police.”
“You helped Graham find us.”
“Years ago.”
“You found Mia.”
“She was starving.”
“And you saw an opportunity.”
Charlotte's jaw tightened.
Mia watched both women.
The old friendship was still there.
Buried beneath hatred.
Charlotte said,
“I didn't hurt her.”
Anna laughed without humor.
“You hugged her.”
Charlotte looked confused.
“What?”
“You do that.”
Anna's voice became quieter.
“You make people feel chosen when you're deciding how to use them.”
Mia remembered the rooftop.
Finally found you.
She hadn't heard it.
But now she could imagine it.
Lena approached.
“Graham escaped.”
Anna closed her eyes.
“Of course.”
“How?”
“Service tunnel beneath the studio.”
Charlotte looked toward the floor.
“You knew?”
“I knew Julian built one.”
“You could have mentioned that.”
“You could have not brought my child into a Sterling house.”
Lena interrupted.
“Save it.”
She looked at Anna.
“We need the full story.”
Anna stared at Mia.
“Not here.”
They moved to a secure location.
Hospital first.
Anna had dehydration, bruising, and a healing cut on her arm.
No serious injuries.
Mia refused to leave the room.
At 4:30 a.m., Anna finally talked.
“Charlotte was driving the second car.”
Mia looked toward June.
Charlotte wasn't present.
Anna continued.
“Julian left the studio with evidence.”
“About Victor?”
“Yes.”
“And Graham?”
“Yes.”
“Charlotte?”
Anna hesitated.
“Yes.”
Mia's stomach tightened.
“What did she do?”
“She moved money for Victor.”
“Stole?”
“She told herself it wasn't stealing.”
That sounded like Charlotte.
Anna continued.
“Julian discovered Charlotte had authorized shell companies that stripped musicians of royalties.”
“Did she know?”
“At first? Maybe not all of it.”
“And later?”
“Yes.”
Mia asked the hardest question.
“Did Charlotte kill Dad?”
Anna closed her eyes.
“I don't know if she meant to.”
Mia stopped breathing.
Anna explained.
Charlotte chased Julian through Laurel Canyon.
She tried to force him to pull over.
Graham had already tampered with Julian's brakes.
Charlotte didn't know.
At least Anna believed she didn't.
“When Julian couldn't slow down, Charlotte pulled beside him.”
“Then?”
“She moved into his lane.”
June whispered,
“Oh God.”
“Julian swerved.”
The guardrail.
The canyon.
Mia's eyes filled.
“Charlotte made him crash.”
Anna cried.
“Yes.”
“Then she lied.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't police know?”
“Victor controlled the investigation. Graham controlled evidence. Charlotte told everyone Julian was speeding.”
Mia looked at her mother.
“And the song?”
Anna touched Mia's guitar.
“Julian built an archive containing everything.”
“Where?”
Anna smiled sadly.
“Not on the card.”
Mia stared.
“The card is only half.”
“What does that mean?”
“The microSD contains encrypted files.”
“Password?”
“The song tells you where the physical key is.”
“The bird.”
Anna nodded.
Mia reached for the guitar.
Then stopped.
“Charlotte knows.”
“Yes.”
“Because you told her.”
Anna looked guilty.
“I was trying to keep her attention away from you.”
Mia understood.
Too late.
Anna whispered,
“We need to get that key before Charlotte does.”
Mia stared at her mother.
“Where is it?”
Anna pointed toward the guitar.
“Inside the tuning machine.”
Mia grabbed the instrument.
Turned it over.
The engraved silver bird.
She unscrewed the tuning peg.
Nothing.
Empty.
Mia's heart stopped.
Anna stared.
“No.”
June stepped closer.
“What?”
Anna's face went white.
“The key was there.”
Mia remembered Charlotte touching her hair.
The guitar beside them at the rooftop.
Charlotte taking the case.
Breakfast.
The living room.
A dozen opportunities.
Then Nora called.
Anna answered.
Her face changed.
“What?”
Pause.
“When?”
She looked at Mia.
“Charlotte just left the mansion.”
“With what?”
Anna whispered,
“Julian's piano.”
Mia stared.
“You can't leave with a piano.”
Anna's face hardened.
“She didn't.”
Then she understood.
May you like
“The bench.”
Charlotte had taken the one object that could tell her where the bird key belonged.
Related Stories
