Chapter 11 - The Sabotage Plan

Emma called Carla before Margaret reached her car.

“Do not let Lily rehearse alone.”

Carla’s voice tightened. “Why?”

Emma told her.

The spring showcase audition determined who would perform the lead solo in front of the City Conservatory scholarship committee.

Brooke had been promised that solo.

Lily’s raw score was better.

If Lily danced clean, the committee might notice.

So someone intended to make sure she didn’t.

David advised them to document everything and notify the committee privately.

But Lily refused to withdraw.

“If I leave, Brooke wins.”

Carla looked exhausted. “Honey, this isn’t about winning.”

“It is to me.”

Emma watched Lily’s face.

Not childish stubbornness.

Something harder.

“I spent two years being told I wasn’t good enough,” Lily said. “I want one chance where they can’t move me to the back.”

Emma understood that feeling too well.

“Then we make sure you get it.”

For the next three days, Emma trained Lily in a church community hall David helped them borrow.

Emma had not taught dance in years.

Her body remembered anyway.

“Again,” she said.

Lily landed the turn.

“Better.”

“That was perfect.”

“It was almost perfect.”

Lily grinned. “You sound like a dance teacher.”

“Don’t insult me.”

They laughed.

For the first time since this started, Lily looked twelve again.

Then Ava arrived holding a plastic bag.

“I found this in my locker.”

Inside was one of Lily’s pointe shoes.

The ribbon had been cut nearly through.

Carla went pale.

Emma inspected it.

A clean slice.

“If she danced in this, it could tear during a turn.”

Lily stared at the shoe.

“My bag was locked.”

Ava pulled out a folded note.

STOP DIGGING OR NEXT TIME SHE FALLS HARDER.

Emma photographed everything and called David.

Then Lily said something that made the room go silent.

“The locker camera.”

“What?”

“There’s a camera over the costume hall.”

Emma grabbed her coat.

They reached Brightwood twenty minutes later.

The camera was still there.

But its green light was off.

A maintenance sticker had been placed over the lens.

DATED THAT MORNING.

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Signed by someone named P. KEENE.

Mr. Keene—the bookkeeper who supposedly quit in December.