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“It was on the memory stick Sylvester Brock gave me. Amongst all of his band’s drivel.”
I frowned. Had Sylvester done that on purpose, as a gesture – one I definitely didn’t appreciate – or had he already had my music on his memory stick, and accidentally given it to this Eli Robinson person?
If he’d done it as a gesture, he had to realize how empty it was, compared to destroying my music career for good twenty years ago, before I’d even really started. An offer of a film soundtrack, of all things, did not even go part of the way towards making up for that.
But I liked the idea of Sylvester already having my music on the memory stick, for some reason. Listening to it, realizing what he’d missed out on... I liked the thought, even if it was bittersweet, and hurt my heart a little bit to picture.
I shook myself out of it. “Sorry that you were misinformed, but it must have been a mistake that it was on Sylvester’s memory stick. I’m not a musician.”
“That wasn’t your music then?”
“Well, yes, it was. But I’m not a professional musician. I’m a writer. I don’t... make music for films, or for anything else.”
“Well, you should. I’m telling you. I’ve been stalling on my film for years because I never found a musician I thought could create the right vibe for the film. Until I heard yours. The film in question, it’s going to be... mysterious, kind of natural, dark in places and light in others...”
I wasn’t really listening. “Sorry, but it’s really not my thing. I’m flattered that you liked my music.”
“I more than liked it, kid.” Eli was staring at me in disbelief. The car, her car, hovered in the background, waiting for her return. “It relit the fire in me, the fire of filmmaking. It’s been out for a while. But your voice, combined with your melodies... they were just what I needed. You’re saying there’s nothing I can give you to consider it?”
I wasn’t thinking clearly. I’d had a stressful few days, I was overwhelmed, not to mention pregnant, and I’d gone on this walk to gather my thoughts, not to mess with them. I literally couldn’t add anything else to my plate right now, or everything would come crashing down around my head. “Sorry, but no. I hope you can find someone else suitable.” And then, since Eli seemed to be in a state of shock, I took the moment to make my exit. “Good luck. Bye.”
When I was a few blocks away and sure I wasn’t being followed by Eli’s car again, I called my own cab. I needed to get home. I needed to rest.
In the back of the car, I thought about Priscilla Lamb again, and how Apollo had given long, rambling explanations of each of his half-brother’s parentage, besides the obvious shared factor of Emory Brock as their biological father.
Could Priscilla... could she be Apollo’smother?
I did the math quickly. Apollo was roughly in his mid-thirties. He’d been the youngest half-brother to be called up to inherit Emory’s businesses. That would put his birth date around the time of... the late eighties. Around the time Priscilla Lamb had disappeared from the public eye.
It didn’t make any sense, not yet. It was just a silly theory. Possibly it was nothing at all, and I was just paranoid after a long day.
Maybe it hadn’t even been Priscilla Lamb. How could I really know? The memory of her profile image had faded now, and I couldn’t be entirely sure she was who I thought she was. It could just be a lookalike.
Still, I’d keep an eye out for more evidence. For some reason, I was starting to think it would be helpful to have some ammunition against Apollo Brock in my back pocket.
As for Sylvester, I had all the ammunition I’d ever need: I was carrying his child.
Sylvester
When Luna had barged into my office and laid down the law, I knew I was in for an interesting day. “Don’t make me regret breaking Apollo’s non-disclosure agreement.” She’d sat down heavily on the chair opposite me, arms folded, as if she was already regretting what she was about to say.
I immediately put my computer to sleep. Whatever this was, it was going to be far more interesting than paperwork and emails, I could just tell. I flexed my fingers together and leaned my chin on them, an obvious display of keenness. “Go on.”
She sighed, avoiding my gaze for a moment. “I didn’t want to break the NDA. I’m not choosing sides, or anything.”
“Aren’t you?” I interjected, my palms dropping to the desk. It irritated me that she was still keeping up this act of impartiality. We were childhood sweethearts. We’d slept together, numerous times in the past few months, and kissed, for god’s sake. I’d apologized for all my misdeeds. Apparently, that wasn’t enough to put me slightly ahead of my literally evil half-brother in terms of the Luna rankings.
Luna dropped her hands onto the desk and leaned urgently forwards. “Let’s not argue about this now.” She took a deep breath and continued. “I’m going to share a piece of information with you, only because it’ll drive me mad not to share it otherwise. But I need your word – your solemn word, Sylvester – that you won’t use this information for anything against Apollo unless you have my agreement.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. Whatever. I obviously need to hear what’s got you so riled up, so I agree to your terms.” She did seem like she was almost exploding to contain whatever it was she had to share with me, so I sat up a little bit straighter and listened as she spoke.
“Fine. Okay. When I was last at Apollo’s office, he was in the middle of a board meeting. At the back of the room was a woman I thought I recognized, but I didn’t click who it was until I saw her from the side. It was the exact side profile of Priscilla Lamb, from her self-titled album. Priscilla Lamb, Sylvester. Am I seeing things, or do you think that was really her?”
I took a moment to consider this unusual tale. “Priscilla Lamb? Priscilla Lamb was in Apollo’s boardroom?” A giggle forced its way out, despite trying my best to seriously consider what Luna was saying.
Luckily, Luna smiled back at me. “I know it sounds crazy, right? But I swear to god. It was her. She was wearing a glittery black dress. Purple lipstick. That funny smile she does, y’know... so iconic. It was absolutely her.”
I was still forcing back hysteria. “Or Apollo has a thing for her and he’s cloned her from DNA left behind when she vanished.”
