Page 14 of One Last Regret

Still,somethinghappened, and it seems that the Lacroixs, at least, don’t believe it was an act of God. I must discover why they think this, and if there’s a danger I should be concerned with. Could Marcel’s heart attack have something to do with that composition?

Sean’s voice echoes through my head.I thought you came here to look for your sister.

“I did,” I reply. “But I have to figure out what happened here before anyone else gets hurt.”

“What did you say, Mary?” Amelia asks.

I realize I said that last thought out loud. “Nothing,” I reply. “Forgive me, dear. I was only thinking aloud.”

“Do you think Claude will be all right?” Gabriel asks in a small voice. “Do you think… I mean, do you…”

He can’t bring himself to ask the question, and I can’t quite bring myself to answer. “I know the doctors will take the very best care of him,” I tell him. “And I know that you didnothingwrong.”

“Grandma seems to think I did.”

“Your grandmother is in shock. We all are. When we’re in shock, we say things we don’t mean. But you didn’t do anything wrong by choosing to play that piece.”

Amelia shivers when I say that, and when I look at her, she bites her lip and looks away. I turn back to Gabriel and see his head hung in shame. Why do they think they’re guilty? These aren’t looks of fear but of remorse.

I hear shouting downstairs. Etienne and Josephine are arguing. I try to resist my curiosity, but the urge to know is too great. I put a new movie on and tell the children, “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Please stay inside the room.”

The children don’t reply, but Amelia nods softly. She reaches for her brother’s hand and grips it tightly. He returns a grip just as tight, and I nearly reconsider leaving them alone.

Then the noise of the argument reaches my ears again, and curiosity overwhelms me. I must understand why this family reacted the way it did to the musical performance and Claude’s heart attack.

I turn the volume up on the TV so it drowns the sound of the argument. Then I head to the top of the stairs and listen from just out of view.

“We can’taffordto keep the club, Mother.” Etienne says. “Hasn’t it cost us enough?”

“We can hire a new manager,” Josephine replies. “Or we can give Parker the job. He’s competent.”

Etienne scoffs. “Really, Mother? Claude’s not even buried yet, and you’re already thinking of replacing him?”

“You brought the conversation up! Why areyoujumping straight at the opportunity to shut your father’s club down? You seem almosthappythat Claude is dead!”

“Oh, stop it. You’re being ridiculous. Ofcourse,I’m not happy.”

“Then why are you so eager to shut the club down?”

“Because I don’t want anyone else to die!” he thunders.

My eyes widen. So now the club is part of Claude’s death?

“You’re acting a fool,” Josephine spits. “You can’t possibly believe that Claude’s death has anything to do with your father’s.”

“Youseem to believe it. You accused my son of murder to his face.”

“I…”

Josephine’s voice trails off. For several seconds, the only sound I hear is the pounding of my own heart.

Then Josephine sighs. “I reacted badly to the shock. I’m sorry for that. And I’ll apologize to Gabriel, but—”

“Yes, you will. And to Amelia. And to Mary. She was trying to take them away so this wouldn’t traumatize them, but you made damned sure it would.”

“You’re changing the subject, Etienne. I’mnotshutting down the club.”

“And what happens when we’re ruined? What happens when we’re bankrupt? What do we tell the children when we have to move to an apartment in a dangerous neighborhood and they have to quit their music lessons? The money I make as a salesman won’t be enough to cover our debts.”

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