Page 149 of Symphony for Lies

It felt empty. Cold. Sterile. Everything that mattered was next door.

I barely spent fifteen minutes getting ready before I went to the office. It was Saturday. I should have stayed with her. But I had to finish what she started.

Ryan showed up, already annoyed.“This better be important.”

I didn’t bother answering. He knew what we had to do.

We worked in silence, copying and pinning Amelia’s notes onto the whiteboard, trying to extract a pattern, a motive, something.

Hours blurred past.

And still nothing.

Someone was playing a game, dragging Amelia in with the cryptic notes. Maybe someone close?

Ryan groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “We could stare at this all day, and it wouldn’t make a damn difference. The killer is like a ghost!” He leaned back, crossing his arms. “You know, she’s brilliant. I would’ve never guessed those notes had a hidden message.”

I smirked slightly, my gaze tracing her handwriting.

Of course, she was brilliant. She was everything. The only thing in my life that actually made sense. My fucking jackpot.

“Okay, I’m calling it. My brain is fried. I’m going home.”

I barely registered my assistant’s words, still staring at the board.“Yeah… Go.”

The moment he was out the door, I was back to pacing, my mind racing through Amelia’s theories.

The notes from the basement.

Aster flowers. Wind chimes. Music.

Was there something more? A grand finale that still needed to be planned? With Amelia? No way! I would never let that happen.

I banished the ridiculous thought and shook my head.

My phone buzzed. It had gone off like a thousand times throughout the day. I ignored it.

But it buzzed again. And again.

Finally, I snatched it up, pressing it to my ear.

“What?”

“Mr. Cole!” Spencer’s voice came through the line, sharp with urgency.

“What?” I repeated darkly. I really had no time to bother with him.

“Is Amelia with you?”

My entire body locked up.“No,” I said slowly, the word scraping against my throat. “Why?”

Spencer’s next words sent ice through my veins.“She texted me earlier. She said she figured out who the killer is!”

Silence.

“I can’t reach her!”

The world tilted.