The Dance Read Online Free PDF Page A

about them that makes my skin crawl. They’re good dancers, but—call it female intuition. I guess—I don’t really like them.”
    â€œI’ve found that a lot of dancers are a word that rhymes with witches. They’ll stab anyone in the back to get a lead.”
    Melanie listened to Hank chatter as she watched for Bryan. It was snowing again, which, along with holiday and going-home-from-work traffic might make them late.
    â€œTheir names are Nicol, Anne, and Janell. That’s it,” Hank continued. “Period. I’ve been rehearsing with them for three months, and so far as I can find out, they don’t have last names.”
    Melanie laughed. Her mind drifted back to her audition, her acceptance, and Leona’s gift. She touched the medallion, a warm lump under her sweater. She wondered how Bryan was going to react to her making the troupe. They’d argued off and on all day today.
    Her mother was going to be ecstatic. Melanie couldn’t tell her the truth, and Mom was going to see this as a big step forward career-wise. When Melanie hadn’t made Leona’s troupe and class when Leona took over the school, her mother had mourned for weeks. But it had given Melanie a chance to reconsider the idea of making dance a career. She realized that, as hard as she’d worked, she had been losing interest. And fewer rehearsals had given her time to pursue other interests—like show choir and Bryan. This was the first time she’d ever taken time to date seriously. Here went that free time. But dancing for Leona today, remembering the magic, had made her wonder why she ever thought of quitting. Dancing was her life.
    â€œHello,” Hank announced, looking through the window. “If I’m not mistaken your friend has arrived.”
    Melanie ran to let him in. “Where’s Seth?”
    â€œCircling the block. Come on.” Bryan stomped his brown leather dress boots and shook snow off his down jacket. He glanced at Hank, acknowledged Mel’s introduction, then smiled broadly at Melanie.
    Melanie smiled back. She knew he would have kissed her had they been alone.
    â€œSo what’s the verdict?”
    Melanie feigned an expression of gloom for just a second. “I’m in! ” She jumped once to her toes, then threw her arms around Bryan. “I was good, Bryan. I was really good. And I remembered how much I love to dance.”
    â€œShe was terrific.” Hank’s smile was the one Melanie recognized as the Hank Special. “Hey, I’ll be right back. I’m forgetting to call my mom. She’ll worry.” Hank disappeared into the back of the lobby.
    â€œI asked Hank to join us, Bryan. Is that okay? She’s in the troupe. She’s really friendly, and I think Seth might like her. Also, if I decide I can trust her, there will be two of us on the inside.”
    â€œI don’t think you should trust anyone,” Bryan warned.
    â€œLet me be the judge of that. I’m really intuitive to people most of the time.” She pulled the necklace from under her coat. “Look familiar? It was Paulie’s.”
    â€œThat’s the necklace from the Arbuthnot shop,” Bryan said. “How come you have it?”
    â€œIt’s mine. Madame Leona gave it to me. She’s given one to each of her dancers.”
    Bryan stared at her for a minute. “Melanie, get out. Before it’s too late. Please don’t do this. We’ll just go to the police with our suspicions.”
    â€œBryan.” Melanie took both his hands. “You’re being unreasonable. The police already ruled Paulie’s death an accident. And they would never listen to what little evidence we have. In fact, we have no evidence, just suspicion.”
    â€œI don’t like that woman, that Madame what’s-her-name. I don’t want you—”
    â€œHeads up,” Hank said. “If Seth drives a banged-up green