Tatiana when things got ugly last night?”
“Yes ma'am. It was quite a mess, but no one got
seriously hurt. We were lucky.”
“Oh, you can just call me Zoë. I saw part of that on
the news. Looked quite scary. We were
afraid she wasn't going to show today.”
“What, you didn't want the day off?” joked Edward.
Zoë laughed, “You have to be kidding. If practice
gets canceled we don't get paid.”
“Tough gig.”
“Music is a hard gig in general. But you pay your dues
and you claw your way up to the top, or you just have fun as you go along for
the ride.”
“I assume you are just going along for the ride?”
Zoë laughed, “What, you think I have no ambition?”
“No, it's just that you were the only one besides Tatiana
that looked like they were having fun up there.”
“You got me there. I play violin and piano. I'm
never going to draw a crowd like her. But that is okay, I should be able
to still be performing when I'm sixty.”
“That seems like a healthy attitude.” Edward's mind
raced, “You play piano; just out of curiosity, have you heard of Ivy
Stratford?”
Zoë's face lit up, “Oh my word, yes! I had a chance
to hear her play live back when I was little. She was
wonderful. No. She was better than that. She could draw a crowd like Tatiana. She toured for two years and then
disappeared. Why do you ask?”
“Well, Gillian mentioned that Ivy was well known but I
couldn't tell if she was just being polite or if she was serious.”
“Being polite? I don't follow.”
“Oh. My oldest brother is married to Ivy Stratford.”
“Really?” Zoë beamed. “Now I think you are just being a
name dropper.”
“I wish. I grew up living in my brother's shadow and
now I find I'm living in Ivy's shadow too.”
Zoë laughed, “Yeah, I bet being part of a famous family
could be rough.”
“If you don't mind me asking,” began Edward, “how is
Gillian to work for? She looks like a bit of a live wire out there.
Is she well liked?”
Zoë furrowed her eyebrows as she thought a bit, “Well I'm
new to this gig so I don't really know how well the rest of the crew likes her,
but as far as working for her? She's about average. She is a little
more aggressive than some, but she isn't vindictive or spiteful. She is
very professional.” She laughed a bit to herself, “Quite honestly I was
worried about the whole 'cult of the diva' thing working here and honestly it’s
not been that big of a deal. Gillian is very professional and while
Tatiana isn't very chummy with us, she isn't condescending to us or her
fans. As far as pop music gigs go, it would be a cakewalk if it
wasn't for how aggressive the schedule is.”
“Got to pay for it somewhere, eh?”
“Yep! But this time a year from now...”
“Edward, you there?” chirped his comlink.
Edward rolled his eyes, “Excuse me, work calls.”
Zoë laughed lightly as Edward turned away.
“Edward here, what is up?”
“We were too late. When we broke down the door,
someone had already taken out the suspect. Very grim
and very professional. Well save a printed note on the body that
said 'Sorry Tatiana.'”
“So we are back to square one?” Oh! What a
mess! Suddenly the concert hall seemed to double in size! How could
they possibly protect it all?
“Not entirely. We've a lot we can learn, just not as
much as we had hoped. Stay focused, things are still very much hot.”
“We have a couple weeks until the first concert,
please tell me we can wrap it all up before then.”
“I hope so! Keep your eyes and ears open, but spend
most of your time with your eyes on the client. Got that?”
“Yes indeed. Odd question, what’s the possibility
that Gillian is the target?”
“Thought of that and we are working that as an angle too,
but for the time being you stick with Tatiana. We may end up putting Alex
on Gillian if we can't sort things out. I
“Yes ma'am. It was quite a mess, but no one got
seriously hurt. We were lucky.”
“Oh, you can just call me Zoë. I saw part of that on
the news. Looked quite scary. We were
afraid she wasn't going to show today.”
“What, you didn't want the day off?” joked Edward.
Zoë laughed, “You have to be kidding. If practice
gets canceled we don't get paid.”
“Tough gig.”
“Music is a hard gig in general. But you pay your dues
and you claw your way up to the top, or you just have fun as you go along for
the ride.”
“I assume you are just going along for the ride?”
Zoë laughed, “What, you think I have no ambition?”
“No, it's just that you were the only one besides Tatiana
that looked like they were having fun up there.”
“You got me there. I play violin and piano. I'm
never going to draw a crowd like her. But that is okay, I should be able
to still be performing when I'm sixty.”
“That seems like a healthy attitude.” Edward's mind
raced, “You play piano; just out of curiosity, have you heard of Ivy
Stratford?”
Zoë's face lit up, “Oh my word, yes! I had a chance
to hear her play live back when I was little. She was
wonderful. No. She was better than that. She could draw a crowd like Tatiana. She toured for two years and then
disappeared. Why do you ask?”
“Well, Gillian mentioned that Ivy was well known but I
couldn't tell if she was just being polite or if she was serious.”
“Being polite? I don't follow.”
“Oh. My oldest brother is married to Ivy Stratford.”
“Really?” Zoë beamed. “Now I think you are just being a
name dropper.”
“I wish. I grew up living in my brother's shadow and
now I find I'm living in Ivy's shadow too.”
Zoë laughed, “Yeah, I bet being part of a famous family
could be rough.”
“If you don't mind me asking,” began Edward, “how is
Gillian to work for? She looks like a bit of a live wire out there.
Is she well liked?”
Zoë furrowed her eyebrows as she thought a bit, “Well I'm
new to this gig so I don't really know how well the rest of the crew likes her,
but as far as working for her? She's about average. She is a little
more aggressive than some, but she isn't vindictive or spiteful. She is
very professional.” She laughed a bit to herself, “Quite honestly I was
worried about the whole 'cult of the diva' thing working here and honestly it’s
not been that big of a deal. Gillian is very professional and while
Tatiana isn't very chummy with us, she isn't condescending to us or her
fans. As far as pop music gigs go, it would be a cakewalk if it
wasn't for how aggressive the schedule is.”
“Got to pay for it somewhere, eh?”
“Yep! But this time a year from now...”
“Edward, you there?” chirped his comlink.
Edward rolled his eyes, “Excuse me, work calls.”
Zoë laughed lightly as Edward turned away.
“Edward here, what is up?”
“We were too late. When we broke down the door,
someone had already taken out the suspect. Very grim
and very professional. Well save a printed note on the body that
said 'Sorry Tatiana.'”
“So we are back to square one?” Oh! What a
mess! Suddenly the concert hall seemed to double in size! How could
they possibly protect it all?
“Not entirely. We've a lot we can learn, just not as
much as we had hoped. Stay focused, things are still very much hot.”
“We have a couple weeks until the first concert,
please tell me we can wrap it all up before then.”
“I hope so! Keep your eyes and ears open, but spend
most of your time with your eyes on the client. Got that?”
“Yes indeed. Odd question, what’s the possibility
that Gillian is the target?”
“Thought of that and we are working that as an angle too,
but for the time being you stick with Tatiana. We may end up putting Alex
on Gillian if we can't sort things out. I
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