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.“You can have my copy of the manuscript.”The title was Adrift.Not too telling as to the genre.The secretary arrived with the coffee.While she filled Randy in on something happening in the school, Angie started reading.“What do you think?” Randy asked.She let the pages snap shut.“Catchy opening.Solid characters.I can’t wait to read more.” And she meant it.A self-satisfied expression danced across Randy’s face.She wanted to say there was more to all this than a few compelling pages in a script but instead took a couple of sips of the coffee.Then she slid the manuscript into her briefcase and stood up.Time to get to work.Randy called to the secretary, who was just disappearing along the path.“Lorraine, please summon Kiana.” The secretary waved two fingers in acknowledgement.“You’re going to love Kiana Smith.This whole production was her brainchild.I don’t know how she did it—I suspect Gwen played a big part—but just before school shut down for the summer, Kiana and two other seniors convinced the school board to let the drama program remain open till Christmas.During summer vacation, the three of them wrote the play.” He tapped a finger on the plastic cover of the manuscript.“And…they oversaw the composition of the entire score.”“They wrote the music?” Angie sat back in her chair and thinking about the horror-show of a score they had for their next production.Randy shook his head.“Four boys from our school band who, last year, formed a band of their own.I haven’t personally heard them yet but they’ve done several paying gigs already.”“They must be pretty good.”“I’m not sure this play will help their musical aspirations since they’re a heavy metal group.”“Are they part of the orchestra too?”“They are the orchestra.By the way, I sat in on a rehearsal last week.I was utterly impressed that our small school could turn out such a talented group of students.”“Quite a coup for your academia.”“Yes.Which is a great reason not to lose the program.But first and foremost—” A movement to the right had Randy lowering his voice.“Kiana and Gwen were very close.I just want you to know.”Angie nodded.“Gotcha.” She would tread lightly.“It’s going to be tough around here without Gwen.”“The police have any suspects in mind?”“Not that I’ve been privy to.I was questioned extensively this morning.Apparently I was the last to see Gwen alive.We have—had a standing dinner date every Sunday evening.” He lowered his face but quickly recovered.“Everything was all right?”“Between us, you mean? Sure.Like usual.”“No, I meant, was she acting all right? Did she seem upset about anything?”He shook his head.“I keep going over all the times I’d been with her lately.All the people I’d seen her with.Trying to discern tiny bits of dialogue that seemed off, mannerisms that weren’t quite right.You know what I mean? But no, she acted the same as usual.No change.We talked about the play, the kids, her car—it needed ball joints.I offered to take her to drop it off,” his voice caught, “after school today.” He heaved a great sigh.“And…”“I can only think of one thing out of the ordinary.”“And…” Angie repeated.“It’s so farfetched.”“Sometimes those clues turn out to be the case solvers.”He laughed.“That’s how it always happens on TV.But I know TV cop shows are nothing like real life.”“No.”“It happened a few days before her death.There was a disagreement—well, it was more like a loud discussion.Between Gwen and Evan Harris.It’s just that—”“That he’s a nice boy and you can’t see him committing murder.”“Exactly.”“Evan is one of the authors of the play.He wrote most of the musical score.”“That doesn’t mean he couldn’t—”“I know.Believe me, I know.” He pulled in a couple of breaths then changed the subject.“She and Ted Chalmers—he’s our boys’ gym teacher and coach of the basketball team—have been seeing each other for quite some time.Everybody kept expecting them to announce their engagement.” He shrugged.“How would you have felt about that?”The question seemed to stymie him.Then he smiled.“Oh, you mean because Gwen and I were married.That was a long time ago.We got over it.She and Ted are—were a good match.You’ll like him.He’s tough but fair with the kids.Wants to make sure he gets all they’re worth
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