Page 25 of You're the Reason

“It’s a screenshot of the text Ms. Margret sent Leah and her response.” She pointed to the line. This had to work.

“Margret Bunting. Of course she’d be involved. That woman is the source of half these gray hairs.” He studied the photo a little more. “I’m not sure a thumbs-up emoji is enough to build a case. It’s definitely not enough for me to ask him to leave.”

“But I cleaned this place. He didn’t.” She pointed to Seth, who moved a few steps closer as he listened in.

“What type of argument is that?” Seth took another step closer. “So, can every cleaning service claim the right to any house they clean? Besides, who asked you to clean it?”

“Seth, stay over there.” The officer pointed to the other side of the room, then turned back to her. “Do you have any type of written agreement with the Kensingtons for use of the room when they asked you to clean it.”

“They didn’t ask.”

Hammond’s brow wrinkled as he seemed to be processing the new information. “So you’re saying that Leah gave you a key and you just volunteered to clean it, then expec?—”

“She didn’t give me the key. Margret did.”

“Because Leah gave Margret the key to give to you?”

“Margret still had it from when she taught?—”

“Okay, let me get this straight.” The officer closed his eyes for a moment as he drew a calming breath. “Margret gave you a key she shouldn’t have had. You used said key to break in and clean the place. Seth, on the other hand, has a key given to him by the owner and you want me to kick him out? And if you’ve been here since Wednesday, how did you not notice he moved all this equipment in?”

“I drove to Chicago to pick up the rest of my stuff yesterday.” And see the opening show of Giselle. The first opening show she hadn’t starred in for the past three years.

Hammond shook his head. “I swear, retirement can’t come soon enough.”

As if on cue, Jon walked in the back door. And after they all had given their side once again, Jon’s only response as he glanced at the thumbs-up emoji was to offer a sympathetic shrug. “Sounds like Leah. She’s been pretty tired with Isabella.”

“But I can use it, right?” Grace stepped forward. Maybe she did sound like she was begging, but the flyers had already gone up. And it was the only place to practice in town. “I need a dance space.”

“And I need a gym.” Seth took a step forward.

Jon’s gaze bounced between them. “Is there any way you two could share this place?”

Seth stared at her a moment, then looked away as he shrugged. “You won’t bother me, and I won’t bother you. Feel free to use that corner over there to dance, and I’ll keep my stuff over here.”

She walked over to the space barely big enough to do a full fouetté. “You want me to dance in this corner?”

He looked at the ten-by-ten space and then back at her. “Is that bad?”

“Why would you think that this little space is enough for me to dance in? Not to mention I am doing a summer ballet camp for the month of June with at least six girls in it.” She hoped six.

“Fine. I’ll take this half and you take that half. Better?”

He couldn’t be serious. Her face must have said as much because he sighed and drew an invisible line with his arm.

“You can’t fit six little girls in half this room?”

Grace pinched the bridge of her nose and drew a calming breath. “How do you expect me to practice Giselle or Odette?”

The leap sequence alone would land her right in the middle of his bench.

“Are those the names of two of the girls?”

“You’re such a... an... ape. I need this room. The entire room. You can sweat anywhere.” Okay, now she sounded like a toddler, but everything hinged on the use of this room. To practice. To teach. “I need the whole room.”

“This is where I live. It’s technically a part of my apartment.”

“Okay, time out.” Jon held up his hands. Hammond must have decided he didn’t need to be a part of this and had disappeared during their little discussion. Jon focused on Grace. “What exactly do you need?”

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