Music to Die For by Radine Trees Nehring Read Free Book Online Page A

unknown when Tracy came past here on her way to the auditorium. A man she can’t identify ran out past her. This note was on the floor.”
    For garden seed, how had she dragged up that “person or persons unknown?” It made her sound like some television cop. Well, maybe that wasn’t such a bad impression to give Chase and Tracy right now.
    Chase seemed not to have noticed her words. He was reading the note, his face turning to grey steel.
    “Dear God, Dulcey.”
    Then he looked down at Farel. “Evil! Evil rat. He...”
    A cry from Tracy stopped the words, and both he and Carrie turned toward her. Her eyes were wide and full of panic as she stumbled to her feet. She started toward the door, mumbling something Carrie couldn’t understand.
    Chase caught her easily and held on as she began to kick and hit, twisting and writhing, trying to free herself. Chase simply held tighter, pinning her arms, though her legs still swung at him. He paid no attention to the blows from her soft shoes.
    Finally Carrie heard understandable words as Tracy’s voice rose to a shriek, “Go to Farel’s, she’ll be there...I’ve got to get to her...oh, let me go, let me go !”
    The noise stopped when Chase loosed his right hand and slapped his wife’s face.
    “Was that neces...” Carrie began, then cut the words off when Tracy collapsed against her husband, dropping like a rag doll.
    “Hysterics,” was all Chase said as he lifted Tracy into his arms and stood very still, looking down at her face.
    Speaking as calmly as she could, Carrie asked, “Do you think Dulcey might still be at Farel’s house?”
    Chase’s sharp eyes turned on her, and she decided that he was going to ask how she was involved in this. But, before he opened his mouth, she saw understanding hit him.
    “Farel didn’t write that note! Someone else has Dulcey!” He looked down at Tracy again. “Good God, what has she done?”
    Carrie spoke quickly, taking control, hoping Tracy hadn’t heard her husband’s condemning words. “We need to act at once. Call the police, or is it the sheriff here?”
    “Oh, no, we won’t,” Chase said. “First we find Dulcey.”
    She sidestepped that and asked, “Did you go through this area after Tracy left you?”
    “Yes. Momma and I did.”
    “Together?”
    His eyes said he caught her implication, but he only nodded. At least he was willing to answer her questions.
    “Did you hear or see anything? Anyone in here?”
    “No. Just heard owls. The security lights were off, but with the moonlight we could see enough to make our way. We were talking about Dulcey. Wasn’t paying attention to anything else. But I didn’t see anyone, and I think Momma woulda said if she did.”
    “Where have you been since then?”
    “Back stage. Talking to folks while we waited for Tracy, asking about Farel. Ben said he hadn’t seen him tonight. Uh, that’s Ben Yokum, stage hand.”
    “Yokum? Like Little Abner?” Carrie couldn’t help it.
    “Yeah, just like that. He came from California not too long ago. Says he’s from the Ozarks originally but no one here seems to know him, so he musta not been from this region. Well, anyhow, when Tracy didn’t show up, I left Momma talking and came to see, and...”
    “Have you any idea how long you were in the auditorium?”
    “Maybe twenty, twenty-five minutes. Momma mighta noticed the time more exactly.”
    “But someone was with you and your mother all that time?”
    Chase stared at her for a moment, then nodded.
    “So then, since I was with Tracy most of that time, you should have no objection to calling the police.”
    Tracy stirred and murmured, “No,” just as Chase said, “It’s the sheriff, and we won’t call him.”
    Carrie ignored them and went on. “We have to tell them about Farel right away. You can see they won’t suspect you; for one thing, you’ve both been with other people.
    “Surely you don’t want the woman who comes to work here tomorrow to be the one to find