End Me a Tenor Read Online Free PDF

greenroom like a caged bear. “They already released the chorus. At the very least, I would think we’d demand the same consideration.”
    A half hour earlier, the police had sent the members of the orchestra and chorus home and then moved the rest of us to the greenroom to wait. Bill, Magdalena, and our assistant stage manager/intern, Jenny Grothe, closeted themselves away in the ensemble dressing room in order to powwow on Bill’s cell with the producers. I wasn’t sure how much help Jenny was going to be. Not only was she twenty-one years old, but the last time I’d seen her, Jenny looked ready to throw up or pass out. Or both. Meanwhile, Jonathan was doing his best to soothe Vanessa from his perch on the worn sofa. “The police are just doing their jobs.”
    Vanessa rolled her eyes. “They’re covering their asses. David died. It’s a tragedy, but there’s nothing any of us can do about it.”
    “I think they assume one of us may have had something to do with it.” I shifted in my chair as Jonathan and Vanessa looked at me.
    “Why would you say that?” Jonathan’s eyes met mine.
    “Well . . .”
    “Don’t humor her, Jonathan.” Vanessa glared at me. “She’s just being dramatic. You know how young performers are.”
    I wanted to be insulted, but I couldn’t get up the energy for it. Besides, Jonathan looked insulted enough for the both of us. “Don’t take your frustration out on Paige. You’re upset David is dead. We all are.”
    Vanessa let out a bark of laughter. “Are you kidding? David’s death is the best thing that could have ever happened to you. Now you don’t have to worry about him taking your job.”
    “David wasn’t interested in being a professor of music.” The look on Jonathan’s face, however, made me think perhaps the opposite was true.
    Vanessa’s smile said she thought the same. “David was interested in taking anything that didn’t belong to him. I should know.”
    Yikes.
    “People.” Bill emerged from the dressing room with a wide smile. “The time for fighting is over. The show has been saved. Maestro Tebar and the producers have convinced Andre Napoletano to fly in from New York and perform with us this weekend.”
    Holy crap. Andre Napoletano was a rising star in the opera world. Critics tripped all over themselves comparing him to the great tenors of the past.
    Bill paused to give us time to absorb his news and then continued. “Andre will not be able to make Wednesday’s rehearsal and was inclined to turn us down. He has worked with Maestro Tebar before, however, and she was able to convince him that he will not need the extra rehearsal to create a spectacular performance. Which, of course, will be performed in David Richard’s honor.”
    At the mention of her name, a red-eyed Magdalena swept out of the dressing room. “To ensure a flawless performance, I would like all of you to set aside the constraints of your contracts and come to rehearsal early. I would also like to add a movement of Mozart’s Requiem to our first performance to honor David’s remarkable life.”
    Magdalena brushed a tear from her face as Bill discussed how best to deliver the music to us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the detective I’d spoken with earlier standing in the doorway. When Bill finished talking, the detective crossed the room to stand next to Magdalena.
    “Are we free to leave, Detective?” she asked.
    “If you, Mr. Walters, and Ms. Grothe could stay for a couple more minutes, I have a few things you can clear up. The rest are free to go.”
    Walking up the stairs to the stage door, I heard Vanessa behind me whisper, “With the publicity from David’s death and Andre Napoletano singing tenor, this will be the most talked-about production of the Messiah ever.”
    I hated the zing of excitement I felt at Vanessa’s prediction and had to wonder if creating the most talked-about production was exactly what the killer had intended all along.

    Snow fell hard