Chapter 20: Stage Left

Abel's POV

I stood in the stage-left wings in a black crew shirt that was a size too small, with my Martin in a flight case at my feet.

The engineer had walked me in through the loading dock at six o'clock.

He had told the guard I was the guitar tech for the first act and the guard had believed him, because everyone believes a man carrying a case.

I had been standing in the same square yard of floor for three hours.

From there I could see the whole stage through a gap in the curtain, and a slice of the third row beyond it.

Linnea had a green dress on.

Donna had a sequined cap, and she was talking to the man behind her, who looked afraid of her.

I had never sung one note in front of Linnea.

Not at a birthday, not at a wedding, not at a Christmas party.

I had made it a rule in the second year, and I had kept it as carefully as I kept my tuning.

The rule was the reason she had never known.

Dax came off stage after the speech with the statuette in his hand and passed three feet from me.

He didn't look at me.

Gil stood behind him, whispering.

"Credentials," he said to a security man with a headset. "I want a sweep of the wings."

"I've checked everyone, sir."

"Check again."

The engineer appeared at my elbow, a coil of cable on his shoulder.

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