“We have come to the decision that we won’t be renewing our contract here in Nashville. Not only will we not be extending our contract, we’ve decided to cut our performances short. We’ll finish the next two weeks instead of the next two months as originally planned. The band and I know this will be a financial hardship on the staff, but we want to assure you that you will be paid until the original contract expires. We’ve enjoyed living in Nashville, but we’re ready for a break until we come to a decision on where to go next. We hope you understand.”
Ginny wasn’t upset with the decision. She had already informed Kaden that she wouldn’t be renewing her contract with him. However, she could see that Kimmy was taking the information hard. She tilted her head, her eyes searching for Nick, who was sitting in the front. Nick turned and gave her a reassuring smile. Kimmy didn’t look for the same reassurance from Lawrence.
Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw the enraged way Lawrence broke off talking to a sound technician. Kaden’s announcement had obviously put a wrench in Lawrence’s plans, because Lawrence settled wherever a crew hired him. So, unless he picked up and moved with Kimmy, jobless, it would bring an end to their relationship. Because Nick would definitely be going back to Queen City, and that meant Kimmy would too. The brother and sister were close and had grown even closer since their parents’ deaths.
Ginny couldn’t be happier. Even from before he began dating Kimmy, Lawrence made Ginny want to shower to rid herself of the icky scum that his presence oozed. The disgust only escalated with the smothering way he treated Kimmy. Thankfully, she had never been tempted to accept the overtures he made toward her when she first joined the road crew.
When it came to intimate relationships, Ginny would readily admit she was no expert. Nevertheless, she had been lucky to witness several happy relationships, but what Kimmy and Lawrence shared was as unhealthy as a relationship could get. Kimmy went from fun-loving and self-confident to timid and insecure. Even Nick noticed the drastic change in his sister.
“I’m with Kaden. Nashville rains too much for me. I won’t miss having to run to the apartment garage every time a tornado siren goes off, either. How about you?” Kimmy asked once the short meeting was over.
“I won’t be going back to Queen City.” Holding back where she was planning to go, Ginny saw Gavin signal with a downward pull of his hand to stay put before slipping unobtrusively through the door where Lawrence had gone out.
“I went shopping while you were gone. If you have a few minutes to spare, I want to show you. I dropped the outfits off in your dressing room.”
“I’m free after tomorrow night’s soundcheck.”
“You mind if we do it now? You can pick out which one you want to wear, and it’ll be ready for you to put on after the soundcheck. I don’t want to take too long. I don’t want to keep Lawrence and his sister waiting.”
Ginny bet she didn’t. Kimmy had a big decision to make and probably needed an opportunity to discuss Kaden’s announcement with Nick before she went to meet Lawrence.
Regarding her impatiently when Ginny remained unmoving, Kimmy restlessly started walking ahead without her. “It won’t take long.”
Giving in when she saw Kimmy was getting upset, Ginny caught up with her.
Making their way to the back of the stage, they walked toward the dressing rooms. The back area had a large platform with steps going down, leading to a long corridor and the performers’ dressing rooms. At the end was a large room where VIP guests were able to relax while waiting for the show to start, and where they were able to get a private meet and greet with Kaden and the band. Her dressing room was more of a closet than a room, barely large enough to fit the dressing table, chair, and the rack of outfits Kimmy picked out.
“I hope you like what I chose,” Kimmy said, waiting for Ginny to open the door. “There’s one I fell in love with for you. It’s a white dress.”
“Then I’m sure I’ll love it too,” Ginny assured her, opening the door, then coming to a standstill at the destruction within.
“What the hell …?”
Kimmy stared, just as shocked as she was. Shreds of colored fabric had been cut and tossed around the room. Pressing her trembling lips together, Ginny read the message scrawled on her mirror in lipstick.
“Nightingale, if you don’t sing for me, you won’t sing for anyone.”
“Kimmy, go find Gavin,” Ginny instructed hoarsely as she moved farther into the room.
A knife had not only been taken to the clothes but also the seat cushion on the chair. The white stuffing was mounded on the dressing table. Pushing down the bile that was rising from her stomach, Ginny looked down at the white foam to see a dead bird laying in the center.