my own home. Now, navigating its narrow corridors on crutches was a slow, agonizing race against time. The famili

ssive, sandbag-weighted lighting rig for the final act hung like a guillo

e concrete floor echoed like a gunshot in the tense silence. I could hear the faint, muffled sounds of the orchestra tuning

rner, my heart hammered a

e a low, frustrated rumble as he pointed up at the lights. He was gesturing, explaining a specific c

in supports for the rig, was frayed, almost severed. It wasn' t an accident. It was

me to shout, no

Harr

his expression a mixture of surpris

ked up, his eyes widening in

stagehand yelled,

a critical second, his mind tr

t think.

in my leg as my full weight landed on it. I lunged forward, a cl

out, stumbling from

the unforgiving floor just as a deafening sound split the air. It

tanding a moment before. It shattered on impact, sending sparks, broken glass, and metal shards

l scaffolding, broken off from the main structure, spun through the air

t, blinding agony that stole my breath and blotted out the world. For

oice thin and reedy. I pushed at Mr. Ha

shed to Mr. Harrison' s side and he

stammered, his eyes wide with shoc

ave of nausea. "It' s a trick. They want you alone.

n had worked, that Mr. Harrison was gone and I was just collate

insisted, his paternal instin

e. "Get to your office. Lock the door. Don

face torn. The sta

. We need to go. We

ront of the house. I watched them go, a small measure of relief cut

ing myself to look back at

y C

was in sleek, dark clothing. Her face, usually a perfect portrait of sweetness and charm, was twisted with cold, r

xpression. No concern. Only

here to make sur

as trapped, a wounded animal. My crutches were out of reach. My leg was a mangled ruin. I tried to

heels clicking softly. The sound w

"You just can' t stand to see anyone else succeed, ca

me, looking dow

"It was supposed to be a tragic accident. A great man, a terrible loss. An

latant, so devoid of re

oke out, the dust and pa

you were. Old-fashioned, sentimental. He wouldn' t give me the lead roles

just inches from mine. Her

d gone, Sarah. You shou

twisted piece of metal scaffolding that lay beside

e to clean u

t here and make it look like part of the accident. I was completely helpless

d voice cut thr

Drop i

etal bar held hig

a rumpled suit. He was Hispanic, with sharp, perceptive eyes that took in the entire scene i

ive Ro

a cruel, desperate smile touched her lips. She wasn' t giving up. The

-