ROMANCE: Mr. Mystery: (New Adult Bad Boy Romance) (Contemporary Mystery Short Stories) (3 page)

“I don’t know.  Some hipster place that has music and coffee?” 

“Oh Ray’s.”  Gianna nodded.  “I know that place.  They are pretty fun.  They’re under twenty-one until ten on weekends.  We should go back.” 

“After I get some strength back.”  Bianca warned.  “I talked to this guy there.  He asked me if I could sing.” 

Gianna looked interested. 

“You used to sing.  Can you still?” 

“I don’t know.”  Bianca answered honestly.  Gianna was looking at her.  Then a slow smile spread over her face. 

“Of course.  Only you go out after a year in a coma and meet a boy on your first trip.”  Bianca had to laugh at the irony. 

“We talked for like five minutes.  He gave me his card, told me to like his band on Facebook.” 

“Maybe I’ve heard them.”  Gianna thought this was momentarily nice.  It was this type of thing that made her glad to have her sister home.  “Anyway, you should find out if you can sing.” 

“I will,” Bianca mused.  “Tomorrow.”

******

Bianca hadn’t spent much time in the basement.  There was a covered hot tub that they could use, but she’d chose to pass on.  Kevin had set himself up a small recording studio in a corner of the basement.  He used it for recording demos and the like.  She let herself in, flipped on the lights and looked around. 

Most of the recording equipment she didn’t understand, but what she mostly wanted was the music hook up.  She set her laptop down, hooked up the cords, and brought her music application.  She felt this was the best place in the house to see if she could still sing, so she would try here. 

While she waited for her computer to load up, Bianca looked around.  On the walls were pictures of Kevin’s touring days.  She spotted a variety with her mother included.  Those were what made her eyebrows rise. 

In all of the pictures, Kevin had his arm around Patti.  Bianca could clearly tell from the clothing that these were tours after her parents had married.  Not that it mattered, Patti and Stephen had been together for years before they’d married. 

The pictures seemed to get worse.  Kevin’s hands were all over Patti.  Patti had always worn seductive clothes on stage, and Kevin appeared to be taking full advantage of that.  She didn’t know how any of them had missed it.  It must have been there before. 

Her opinion of Kevin’s relationship with her mother was getting darker.  From what Gianna said, they’d gotten together so quickly after Stephen had died.  Had something happened?  Had they planned something?  Stephen’s death had been a suicide-supposedly. 

Bianca forced the thought from her mind.  She was being ridiculous.  These types of things only happened on soap operas.  People didn’t really kill others and fake a suicide. 

Soap operas and crime shows, Bianca reminded herself.  Despite the stuffiness of the little studio, Bianca shivered.  She had just given herself a terrible thought.  Shaking her head, she tried to focus on the music app. 

She had barely started a song selection when footsteps pounded down the stairs.  She turned only to find Kevin standing the doorway. 

“What are you doing in here?”  She got the feeling he was trying not to sound accusing, but was failing nonetheless. 

“I…wanted to see if I could still sing.  So I brought my computer down to use your hook up.”  Why on earth did it matter?  Was there something in here that he didn’t want her to see? 

“Oh.”  Kevin nodded.  “Right.  Well, let’s see what we can do then.” 

Kevin knew what he was doing.  Soon he had the proper sound systems fired up. 

“Ok.  So.  What were you going for?”  Bianca studied the laptop screen. 

“Well, I guess something easy that I know the words to,” she picked a country song that she thought she remembered from high school.  “So you can tune down the voices so I can only hear the music?”  That had been her entire point of this, after all. 

“Yep.”  Kevin toyed with a few more buttons.  “Ok.  Give it a shot.” 

Bianca took a deep breath.  The tune was familiar to her so it wasn’t hard.  Remembering the words was another story.  She began slowly, softly.  When she stopped, Kevin nodded. 

“I don’t think I ever heard you before, but it sounds like you still got it.”  Bianca had to laugh.  She did still have it. 

“Was it good?”  Despite her opinions of Kevin, he would know.  He’d been rather successful in this business. 

“You’ve got your mom’s talent-for sure.”  Kevin looked a bit nervous.  “Bianca, I know things have been difficult for you, but don’t just jump into something too quickly.” 

It seemed so odd that he was telling her to quit so soon.  She wondered why…a man in the music industry. 

“Yeah, I’ll be careful.  Thanks Kevin.”  Bianca got up to leave the room.  She was suddenly extremely uncomfortable with Kevin.  But she didn’t fully know why. 

******

She began spending her days at Ray’s.  It was better than being alone in the house.  She couldn’t get clearance to drive for another six months, so she relied on Uber, or Gianna the occasional evening.  Gianna didn’t mind going.  She was glad that she could get in somewhere with her sister. 

And Keith was there.  Bianca had found that she liked him.  Technically, given the time that had passed, it had
really
been awhile since she had liked someone. He’d successfully managed to catch her up with life without knowing it.  His music brought her back into today.  He could talk about television shows without her having to know every word.  It was extremely relaxing.  

One afternoon, Bianca had been sipping on a latte at the counter.  She was legally old enough to drink now, but she wasn’t prepared to start. 

Keith had been wandering around the small club.  They’d exchanged a few words, but nothing serious.  He finally made his way over to her with his guitar in his hand.

“You’ve never really answered if you could sing.” 

“Oh?”  Bianca busied herself in her latte.  Keith watched her. 

“And you don’t drink either.  Interesting character, Bianca Sullivan.”  Bianca smiled faintly. 

“It’s a…long story why I don’t drink.” 

“Oh?”  Keith settled himself onto the stool beside her.  “I have time.” 

“Some other time.”  Bianca cautioned him.  “As for the singing,” she hesitated again.  Everyone had always told her that she was good.  But was she really that good?  Was she really good enough to sing here, now?  “Why don’t you play a few notes and we’ll see if I know it?” 

Keith smiled.  His fingers immediately went to the guitar strings. He strummed over them, bringing the first few notes to life.  Bianca listened carefully.  She knew the tune.  It was old-one that she easily should have known.  Finally, it dawned on her. 

“Country roads…take me home…to the place…I belong.  West Virginia…mountain mama…take me home…country roads.” 
Keith grinned at her. 

“Well, you know your John Denver.”  He kept playing.  “And you have a lovely voice.  You should try with us sometime.  Just for fun.” 

“I…couldn’t.”  Bianca lowered her head.  “I mean…my mom tried singing and it was really hard on our family and I….” 

“Hey, hey, hey,” Kevin put his hand on her arm.  “I’m not asking you to give up your entire life for it, just a few notes.  Come on, what else do you know?  I could play it, and you could join us?” 

“What about…’
I’m All Right
.’”  She hadn’t heard that song in ages.  She didn’t know if anyone still knew it.  But Keith apparently did.  He picked right up, playing the cords.  Bianca laughed, but gave him the next line. 

“Well it’s been a long time glad to see your face…”

Keith was laughing as he stopped playing.  He turned his sparkling green eyes up to her.   

“See?  You’ve got this.  Give it a try.  Maybe…one song…when my band gets here?”  He was looking at her optimistically.  Bianca nodded reluctantly. 

“Ok.  One song.  My choice.”  Keith looked pleased. 

“In that case, I can’t wait to hear what it is.” 

******

The song she chose was Reba McEntire’s “Fancy.”  It was one of those songs that had always been on her potential karaoke list.  So tonight, in front of a mostly empty hipster joint, she sang it. 

“Here’s your one chance, Fancy.  Don’t let me down.” 

When she finished, the audience actually looked interested.  She immediately hopped down from the tiny stage. 

“Keith!”  One of the club’s manager’s Dave was approaching them.  “She’s a good fit for you, you should keep her.” 

“Oh no way.”  Bianca waved him off.  “It was a one-time deal.”  But Keith was already on the floor beside her, wrapping one arm around her waist.

“You know Dave,” he grinned between the two of them, “I’ve been thinking that exact same thing.” 

The night escalated quickly.  One song turned into two, and then three.  Suddenly, Bianca was looking up at Gianna in the middle of the crowd. 

After the song ended, she jumped down from the stage.  Dodging through people, she finally made it over to Gianna’s side.

“Hey!” 

“Hey yourself!”  Gianna looked around. “Look at you.  This crowd loves you.”  Bianca blushed. 

“It just kind of happened.”  Suddenly it dawned on her.  “What are you doing here?  You’re not twenty-one!” 

“It’s called a fake ID, ok?”  Gianna muttered.  Bianca held her tongue, not wanting to go into over-protective big sister mode. 

“Heyyyy Bianca!”  Keith was suddenly wrapped around her again.  Gianna looked impressed.  “Is this your sister?” 

“It is, actually.”  Bianca looked over her shoulder at him.  “Gianna, this is Keith.  Keith, Gianna.” 

“Nice to meet you.”  Keith offered her his hand.  “Your sister’s got talent.” 

“I always knew it.”  Gianna smiled in a fashion that made Bianca think she was thinking of something else.  Her talents always had been a rivalry between them.

“I should…go.”  Bianca looked at Gianna. 

“Don’t let me stop you.”  Gianna stepped back.  “I can get a drink and….” 

“No it’s cool, I’ll go with you.”  Bianca reluctantly detached herself from Keith’s arm.  “Hey, thanks for tonight.  It was fun.” 

“I hope you’ll be back.”  Keith told her honestly.  “You’re too good to lose.” 

“She’ll be back.”  Gianna winked.  Bianca turned to say one more good night to find Keith face to face with her.  She smiled softly.  Keith leaned over, pressing his lips against her cheek. 

“Bye, Bianca.  It was good seeing you.” 

As soon as they were in the car, Gianna looked over at her. 

“You didn’t have to leave because of me.” 

“And have Mom find out I let you stay in a club after they’d gone twenty-one and over with a fake ID?”  Bianca buckled her seat belt.   “Hardly.” 

“Please,” Gianna scoffed as she put the car into gear, “Mom would think it was funny.” 

She probably would.  Bianca could not deny that.  She wondered if her mother had always been such a terrible parent or if she only realized it now. 

“What I want to talk about,” Gianna was driving them towards home, “is that boy Keith.” 

“What about him?”  Bianca was feeling her face get hot.  “We don’t need to talk about this.” 

“Sure we do.  He’s hot, and he likes you.” 

“He doesn’t-.” 

“I didn’t see him pulling other girls up to sing with his band.  Or wrapping his arms around them.  Or kissing them good night.”  Gianna batted her eyes. 

“Cute.”  Bianca rolled her own.  They drove in silence for a few more streets. 

“B,” Gianna glanced over at her, “do you remember the accident?” 

Bianca hadn’t really thought about that.  She remembered the moments before it.  She remembered the chattering between them.  Emma was turning around to talk to her.  Brian was grumbling at them both to keep still because of the weather. 

“A…bit.”  She shrugged.  “But not clearly.”  Now it was her turn.  “Gianna, what happened to Dad?” 

Gianna turned her Volkswagen into the driveway.  She pressed the button on the garage door opener.  She watched it open in the darkness. 

“He shot himself.” 

“Where?”  Bianca murmured.  Gianna pulled the car into the garage.  She sat for a moment before cutting off the engine.  

“In the garage.  At our house.” 

“No one talks about it.”  Bianca looked at Gianna in the yellow garage light. 

“Mom found him.”  Gianna murmured.  “She was upset.” 

“Obviously.”  Bianca couldn’t imagine what that must have been like.  Her father had been such a sweet, loving man.  To know that he could have hurt himself.  “Was Dad depressed?” 

“He was upset…”  Gianna shrugged.  “But it didn’t seem too bad, you know?  I mean we were all upset.” 

Bianca didn’t understand.  She couldn’t imagine how much pain her family had been in from an accident.  She had to ask what she was thinking, even though she didn’t want to say it. 

“Did anyone…”  She paused to gather her thoughts.  “Did anyone think that it…might not have been suicide?”