No Shelter Left novel · Chapter 24 of 24

Chapter 24: Left On

They buried Kaitlyn on a Thursday in the Franklin cemetery, under a gray sky.

Aisling stood beside her mother. Nobody asked her for anything.

Marianne held her hand through the whole service, and Aisling let her.

Three weeks later the open mic on Gallatin Road was packed again, and the chalkboard out front said SIGN UP BY 8.

Brodie was setting up the drum kit in the corner.

"The judge threw the injunction out in four minutes," he said, tightening a stand. "He said Larkin Management couldn't claim a song it had stolen."

"And Colby?"

"The district attorney has the ledger. He's been charged with fraud and forgery."

Brodie's mouth twisted.

"He called me from the county jail. He said, I'm your brother."

"What did you say?"

"I said, I know. That's why I'm not picking up the next one."

He hit the snare once, hard and clean.

At the back table, by the wall, sat Marianne Larkin in a plain gray coat.

She wore no pearls. She had come alone, by bus, and ordered tea.

She lifted two fingers from her cup when Aisling looked at her.

Aisling lifted two back.

Jude sat at the front table with a cup of coffee.

He ran a small label now, out of a rented office, with a studio down the hall and a B on the door.

He was looking at her, and nobody else.

"Mae Lark," the bartender called. She had silver rings on every finger. "You're up."

Aisling took her guitar up to the little stage.

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