Chapter 6 - DANCE IN THE DARK
Vincent knew the ballroom better without light than any of us did with it.
That became our advantage.
Julian expected blindness to make him weak.
He never understood blindness had forced Vincent to build an entirely different map of the world.
“Three men,” Vincent whispered.
“How?”
“Breathing.”
I couldn't hear anything.
“Show-off.”
“Terrified show-off.”
That surprised me.
“You're scared?”
“Constantly.”
I'd mistaken control for fearlessness.
Maybe everyone had.
We moved.
Dorothy was tied to a chair onstage.
She looked furious rather than frightened.
When she saw me, she shouted, “Claire, if I die before Walter pays me the twenty dollars he owes me, haunt him for me.”
Even Vincent laughed.
Then the lights came on.
Julian stood above us.
“Beautiful.”
He applauded.
“You two really are exhausting.”
Angelo emerged beside him.
Vincent went still.
“Father.”
“Son.”
Angelo looked thinner now.
Cancer had reduced him.
But not his cruelty.
He offered Vincent a deal.
The archive for Dorothy.
Vincent agreed.
I knew immediately he was lying.
We had brought a fake.
The exchange happened.
Dorothy came toward us.
Julian opened the drive.
Empty.
His smile vanished.
Gunfire erupted.
The ballroom plunged dark again.
Vincent moved.
I got Dorothy behind the stage.
Rosa's team entered through the service corridor.
Angelo fled.
Julian followed.
But not before setting fire to the curtains.
Flames climbed toward the ceiling.
Mariner House began burning.
Vincent was still inside.
“Vincent!”
No answer.
I ran back.
Smoke erased everything.
For once, I understood his world.
No sight.
Only sound.
“Claire!”
His voice.
I closed my eyes.
Listened.
“Again!”
“Claire!”
Left.
I moved.
Found his hand.
A beam had fallen across his leg.
I couldn't lift it.
Then Dorothy appeared.
Then Walter.
Then six retirees who had refused evacuation.
Together we lifted the beam.
Vincent crawled free.
We escaped seconds before the ballroom ceiling collapsed.
Outside, Vincent coughed against my shoulder.
Mariner House burned behind us.
“Your dancers are insane.”
“They like you.”
“That's worse.”
Dorothy pointed her cane at him.
“You still owe that girl a dance.”
Vincent laughed.
Then kissed me in front of everyone.
For one brief minute, we had won.
Until Rosa approached.
“Vincent.”
Something in her voice erased his smile.
Angelo had escaped.
Julian hadn't.
Police found Julian's body near the water.
Shot once through the chest.
The gun beside him belonged to Vincent.
And security footage showed a man with Vincent's height, build and cane leaving the scene.
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By sunrise, Vincent Bellano was wanted for murder.
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