Page 28 of The Music Demon

After a couple of beats, Gray said, “Teach your children well.”

Gray’s mind raced through an encyclopedia of lyrics he’d memorized, but hadn’t really understood.Why do we never get an answer, when we’re knocking at the door, with a thousand million questions, about hate and death and war?

“I see the wheels turning. What are you thinking?” she asked.

“Running through songs I know. Almost every one talks about what you’re saying. I guess I hear it different now.”

“Because you added the layou’re of understanding.”

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “You know, I’ve never really asked about you. Stuff like, you know, family. Why you aren’t…?”

“Married?” She smiled into the bottle at her lips.

“Sorry. That was rude and…”

“No. No. I didn’t take it that way. I made different choices than most. That’s all. I have a sister a couple of years younger. Olivia. Lives in Kansas City, Missouri. We’re not close. So far as she’s concerned this,” she waved her hand at the rock memorabilia, “never happened. She actually listens to Tony Bennett and Jack Jones. If you said something to her about the war, she’d assume you meant World War II.” She glanced at Gray, who gave every appearance of actually being interested. “Weird, huh?”

“Somebody else like me who’s out of place in time, I guess.”

Cass nodded. “Yeah. I guess. My parents have been gone a long time. I still have some friends in the music business, but I kind of left all that behind.” She was ready to change the subject. “So. Would you do it? Go back in time to 1967. Like you said, if the devil made you an offer?”

That was way too close to the truth to be coincidental. Gray jerked his head up to read her expression, but relaxed when he saw the sparkle of amusement in Cass’s emerald green eyes.

He cocked his head. “I’ll bet you were beautiful.” She looked surprised. And when her hand reflexively reached up to touch her white hair, he was afraid he’d offended her. “I mean… I didn’t mean that you’re not, um, attractive now.”

“Take it easy, Doo. I know the difference between old and young. I won’t claim to have been one of the world’s great beauties, but I did my share of head turning.”

“I would have liked to know you then.” Looking down at his hands, Gray contemplated a life using those hands to forge a new music that wasn’t just background noise, but part of a social movement that would change the world forever.

“No,” he said.Yes.“I wouldn’t take the devil up on an offer like that.”I definitely would.“What would you do if you were me?”

She smiled. “There was one thing that made it all worth it. Can you guess what it was?”

Gray wasn’t stymied for long. Within seconds his brow smoothed. He smiled as he nodded. “The music.”

“Yeah.” She returned his smile. “The music.”

CHAPTER FIVE Crossroads

Shivaun had just ascended to the third step of the ten-foot-wide stone staircase that led to Rosie’s upstairs office, when she heard a voice identical to her own, but brimming with accusation.

“Where have you been?” Sheridan stood at the base of the stairs with hands on her waist.

Shy looked over her shoulder. “None of your business. The question should be where am I goin’.”

Sher’s manner instantly changed from combative to interested. Dropping her hands, she climbed to the step where her sister waited, asking as she went, “Where are ye goin’ then?”

“I’m off to Rosie’s office.”

“Why?”

“Come along and you’ll see.”

“She’s rarely there.”

“Oh. How do we get in touch?”

Sher took on the indulgent expression that wasn’t Shy’s favorite and pulled out her intelliphone. Shivaun rolled her eyes in a self-deprecating way before telling Sher, “There’s no call to be an arse about it.”