Iron Cast(85)

“Meet us with the car in two hours,” Madeline said as she and Corinne slipped into the alley. “Don’t be late.”

“We’ll be there,” James said.

“I’m serious. You two had better not waste any time canoodling. You’re a married man, James.”

James shut the door on her, and Madeline laughed.

The Red Cat was less than a mile away from the theater. The sky was heavy with the promise of more snow, and they both shivered in their coats as they walked.

“You think this will work?” Madeline asked when they were almost there.

“I’ve gotten into the Red Cat before,” Corinne said. “Their security isn’t as tight as they like to pretend.”

“No, I mean everything. The whole plan.”

“I don’t know,” Corinne said. “But I don’t see what other choice we have.”

“And then what?” Madeline asked softly. “Are we even going to be able to stay in Boston?”

Corinne was quiet for half a block. A taxi revved past them, its headlights momentarily blinding and then fading into the distance.

“I don’t know, Maddy,” she said at last. “I guess I don’t really know anything right now.”

“I gave up everything for that stupid theater,” Madeline said. “Everyone thought I was mad. My family barely acknowledges me anymore. You know what my father’s last words to me were? He told me he wished I had turned out better. Who says that on their deathbed?”

“Someone who was disappointed in his own life and wants to take it out on you,” Corinne said.

“No,” Madeline said. Her voice was faint, and Corinne could see her puffs of white breath as they passed under a streetlight. “Someone who really means it.”

The Red Cat came into view. Its glittering sign still lit up the street, reflecting red and gold off the slick sidewalk. The doorman in his navy-blue uniform and cap was still standing watch, though there was no sound of music.

“Now’s a good time for your brilliant plan,” Madeline said, giving no evidence of her fragility moments before.

“You ever seen Eva Carson?”

“A couple of times. The Carsons show up at the Mythic occasionally.”

“Think you can pull her off?”

Madeline considered, then nodded.

“Perfect,” Corinne said. “Then we’ll just walk in like you own the place.”

Madeline closed her eyes for a few seconds, tilting her head to the left, then the right. She chewed on her lips, shook her shoulders loose, and cleared her throat. It wasn’t an instant transformation. It was more like the pieces of Madeline that were most like Eva Carson—the big eyes, the puckered lower lip—became more like Eva. The parts of Madeline that were nothing like Eva became less and less important, gradually eclipsed until suddenly the exact image of Eva was standing in front of Corinne. She picked at one of her red manicured nails and looked over Corinne with a haughty eye.

“Are we going to stand here all night then?” she asked. The voice wasn’t exactly right, but it was close enough.

Corinne couldn’t help but smile.

They went straight to the front door.

“Excuse you,” Madeline said to the doorman, who blocked their way.

“Mrs. Carson?” he said, blinking. “I didn’t see you go out.”

“I was stealing a smoke,” Madeline said, patting his lapel in a dismissive gesture. “I found this little vagabond while I was out there. We’re going to have a chat inside.”

The man looked between her and Corinne, his mouth gaping. “Mrs. Carson, if you want, I could—”

“I’m bored with you now,” Madeline announced. She brushed past him, and Corinne followed, keeping her head low so that her smile wouldn’t be so obvious.

They edged around the tables with the last sleepy patrons and ducked backstage. Somewhere along the way, Eva had vanished, and when they stood blinking in the dim backstage area, Madeline was standing beside Corinne again.

“Do we even know if he’s here?” she whispered to Corinne.

“They would have just finished their last set. He’s around here somewhere,” Corinne said, though she wasn’t as certain as she tried to sound.

After opening a few doors to empty rooms, supply closets, and one couple passionately necking in the dark, they finally found the back room where the band gathered, cleaning their instruments. Charlie was just tucking his French horn into its case when he saw them. He jumped up.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded in a low voice, crossing the room.

“Damn, Charlie, my man,” said one of the musicians. “You get around, don’t you?”

“Introduce us to your friends, Charlie,” said another.

Madeline waved cheerily at them as Charlie herded them out of the room and slammed the door.

“We’re not here to cause trouble,” Corinne told him.

“Little late for that,” he said, glancing around them nervously. They were alone for now.

“Ada’s been taken to Haversham,” Corinne said.

He started at that. “How did—”

“Listen to me, Charlie,” Corinne said. She was so desperate that her words spilled out almost faster than she could think them. “I know the only illegal thing you’ve ever done is play these shows for the Red Cat, but we need your help. I’ve got a plan to save Ada, and honestly there’s only a snowball’s chance in hell that it will work—”