Page 80 of Symphony for Lies

I froze.

Miss.Aria?

She ended the call and turned to me, her face lighting up with excitement.

“You came just in time! Sit down. Dinner is ready.”

“Just a moment.” I gave her a small, tired smile before slipping into my room. I set Zane’s roses down on my desk, showered quickly, and joined her at the table.

“So, guess who stopped by my tailor shop today?” Her green eyes sparkled mischievously. “Ella. The flutist. She wants me to design a dress for her!”

My fork stilled mid-air. “Wow.”

“And do you know who recommended me?”

“Who?”

“Mr. Cole.”

“Mr. Cole?” I echoed. My throat suddenly felt tight.

“Yes. I was surprised myself. He mentioned me to her at the last event.”

I forced myself to calm down.

“I mean, his wife…” My grandmother pursed her lips, clearly holding back judgment. “But he seems like a good man. Grounded.”

I swallowed hard. “And Miss. Aria?”

“She was very polite and seemed to be very close to her mother.”

I nodded, but something about the situation unsettled me.

Still, seeing the joy on my grandmother’s face, I forced myself to push the unease down.

After dinner, my grandmother relaxed in her favorite chair, and I sat on the couch with my notebook to scribble down Spencer’s notes.

My last message was still unread. He was busy. I knew that. But the silence nagged at me.

My thoughts kept circling back to a single phrase, “Underneath the bridge of flowers lies…”

I squeezed my fingers against my temple, thinking.

There were several bridges in town, but only one came to mind. The one by the small stream, surrounded by wildflowers. Aster flowers.

My eyes flicked back to my sketch. The crime scene. The vivid flowers that were drenched in blood. The flowers inside the dead dog’s bag.

That couldn’t be a coincidence.

There would be more victims. But if I could help stop it, even a little… If I could save just one life…!

My head throbbed.

The doorbell rang, and my grandmother rose from her chair.“I’ll get it.”

Setting my stuff aside, I was ready to take a break when Grandma called out, “Amelia!”

Thinking something was wrong, I rushed to the door and stopped short.

---