I was a detective. Even if Iwasn’ta very good one, I could ask enough questions to get an answer, couldn’t I?
“He works so hard,” Davesaid. “Harmony’s pushing him to work on…” he paused to look behind him again. “Thiscrap. Which he’s so much better than. But I guess if he fulfills this contracthe can do whatever he likes after. I dunno. I’m just worried it’ll kill hispassion for the whole thing before that happens.”
“But he’ll be able to do ashe likes after?” I asked. Quinn hadn’t seemed so sure that day was coming.
Dave shrugged. “With that kindof money? Sure.”
“Money?” I asked. This wasthe first I’d heard anything aboutmoney. Everything about Quinn washumble and modest, he hadn’t even had sugar in his house.
“Well, if he finishes this—”
Everyone turned to the dooras it opened, Quinn slipping inside with a tiny, sheepish smile.
Whatever Dave had been aboutto tell me was clearly lost for good.
“Hey, guys,” Quinn’s gazeswept the room. “I wanted to apologize for snapping. Do you think we could, uh…maybe… try again? I think I’m okay now.”
“You’re stressed,” Lucysaid.
“Anyone would be,” Noahagreed. He hadn’t said much of anything before now, but I got the feeling itwas because he was naturally quiet. Focused on his work.
The sympathy for Quinnseemed like a good sign.
These were my most likelysuspects, but I couldn’t see any of them hurting Quinn intentionally. They’dbeen standoffish in the beginning, but not because they were guilty, I thought.Because they were protecting Quinn.
Harmony Records wanted totake his contract away from him.
I was supposed to be provingit was Quinn. The thought hit me like an elephant falling out of an aeroplane.
They wanted proof that Quinnhad done this so they could get rid of him.
He’d mentioned something aboutan underperforming album, hadn’t he? Maybe they thought he was becoming aliability.
They could shove all of thatup their arse. IknewQuinn wasn’t the source of the leak,and I’d prove it.
He deserved someone to be onhis side.
“Thanks, guys.” Quinn noddedto each of them in turn, and then smiled a broader, warmer smile at me. Stillshy, his eyelashes lowered, stark black against his pale cheeks.
He looked better. Happier.
Maybe Ihadn’tmade a completemess of everything.
“I, umm,” he began, glancingat me. “I’d like to record the song we’re supposed to be cutting anyway. If… ifeveryone’s okay with that?”
A general murmur ofagreement broke the tension that had been welling up in my gut.
“It’s a good song,” Lucyagreed. “It’d be a shame not to record it. Maybe release it as a bonus trackwith the special edition, or something?”
I hadn’t thought ofthat. All I’d been thinking of was how to make Quinn happy.
If someone with experiencein these things thought it was a good idea, maybe I wasn’t leading himastray.
“Awesome,” Quinn beamed. Agenuine smile, one that made his eyes sparkle. “Thanks, guys.”
He was beautiful.
We made eye contact themoment before he disappeared into the sound booth, and my heart knocked so hardin my chest that I was surprised Lucy wasn’t hissing at me to keep itdown.
