Eclipse (35 page)

‘My eye for her eye,' Petit cried out. ‘Why did you have to
stop
me?'

‘Jesus,' Sam said again, as a nurse began to steer him away to safety.

Even now, it was still about Kate,
her
lost eye.

Not really about the victims at all.

Not about penitence.

Black Hole still not finished.

Not until they lethally injected her, or she found a way to terminate herself or some other inmate did it for her.

The decision had been made to postpone the S-BOP production of
Carmen
until the next gap in their theater's schedule. There was no way, Linda had insisted, that Billie would be deprived of the lead after all she'd been through.

Cast and crew standing by.

Except, of course, for one.

Petit's costumes had been the only bone of contention.

‘Waste not, want not,' La Morrison had said at a meeting in her condo.

A pragmatic, thrifty woman.

‘I won't put anything that maniac touched next to my skin,' Carla had said.

Not the only one to feel that way.

‘Too much time and money spent.' Linda had been adamant. ‘And Toni's costumes are too beautiful to throw away.'

Sam fingered the new scar on his neck, understanding both viewpoints, personally just glad to know that they were all alive and well and would sing again.

Billie most of all.

They were rehearsing for the first time since the night that had culminated in Toni's arrest and Billie's rescue.

In Tyler Allen's backyard, as in the past, pitchers of water stood on the long table, the fragrance from the flower beds sweetening the night air.

Almost as if none of the ugliness had ever happened.

Billie's voice seemed to Sam lovelier than ever. Her defiance close to the end of the final act filled with fire. Carmen would never give in, she declared. She was born, and would die, free.

Sam let his thoughts wander for just another moment to the woman who had been part of this production; who had, perhaps, in her saner, more decent moments, regarded this company as a refuge, but who would now, almost certainly, spend her own final days on Death Row.

And then he left all thoughts of Toni Petit behind.

And gave himself back up to the music.