Bass Case

Chapter 21: Conversations

The class etches slowly to a close. The songs we had just played were nonexistent in my memory, gone in a puff of smoke clouding my mind. The Professor dismisses us; I still struggle to come up with a plan. What can I do? What can I do? As the last person puts their instrument away I do something that I never thought I would have done. I ask the professor for advice. I approach his office cautiously, limply holding my viola by the neck. He turns to me questionably, arching a bushy black eyebrow. "Do you need something Daniel?"

"I...I just wanted some advice on how to improve for Dark Sahara measure 234." I state, hardly registering what is passing through my mind and mouth.

To my surprise, he appears to calm slightly, pushing up his glasses with his index finger. "Alright. Anything in particular you think you struggle with?"

"The specato is kind of getting to me." I reply, my voice low as though trying to hold it in place in fear of screwing up.

"Play it." He instructs me.

I lift my instrument, nestling it in its usual place upon my shoulder, and place my bow firmly on the string. I recite the line by memory, my bow lightly hopping across the string. My fingers dash across the finger board, collecting every note. When the phase ends, the professor looks at me blankly. For the first time I am not scared of his daze. Instead, for once, he seems like a teacher. Mr. Forte leans back in his short puffy office chair meeting his desk. "Put a little more power into it. It was good, but try accenting every note a bit more. Play it again." Did he just say that was...good? I do as he says, summoning my bow back to the string. I repeat the line, but more vigorous than before. Striking the string with a cycle of deep steady pops. The professor nods in approval. A slight smirk touches the edge of his lips. "Perfect."

My head jerks back in astonishment. "Perfect?" Did he just give me a compliment?!

The Professor nods to affirm my thoughts. "Yes. Perfect. You know you do a lot of things well Daniel. You just need to have more confidence in yourself." I stare at him blankly, wondering if this was indeed the same man I've known ever since starting in this orchestra. Hardly does he give anyone praise, and certainly not me.

"Is that so..." I reply, and an awkward silence fills the office.

"To be honest with you," he pauses, "everyone in class does pretty well. I'm hard on the ones that I know still have room to grow."

"Room to grow..."

"Room to grow. Everyone here is talented. Not much that I can teach them, so I strive to push the ones that I know can go even further than what they let on." I remain silent, traveling through the many instances that he yelled at me for missing simple things. It's hard to fathom. Could he have really been that caring this whole time? I break away from the sentimental mindfield, and return my focus to the task at hand. I need that brief case. But what do I do? It's within my site. Grabbing distance even, but I can't just take it. "Well if that is all, I will be on my way."

"Wait!" I shout, startling the professor. He arches an eyebrow at me curiously. "What...is the format of the next auditions? Sarah's...sister wanted to get into the school really really badly."

"Oh, yes. Her." He replies, squinting his eyes as though trying to envision her in the room beside me. "Very talented lady. The format is the same as before. Tell her to make sure to send the correct piece this time.

"Haha...right." I watch as Mr. Forte reaches for his case, and I back away slightly. I curse myself as I realize the time is up. I suck in a breath and reply, "Thank you. Professor."

"Anytime. Now I really must be going. Take care Daniel." He says, genuinely smiling as he left. I didn't think that man could truly smile.

I wait a moment, packing up my instrument fully, and then leave the room. Mr. Vibrato looks at me anxiously. A bandaid sits on his hand. "So?" Mr. Vibrato asks curiously. I shake my head in defeat. The professor growls, placing his face within his hands. "You know I risked my life to help you out!"

"Did he attack you?"

"Well, no, but it's just implied." The professor leans against the grey and scarlet wall, his eyes closed, contemplating on the best course of action, but he comes out stumped. "I don't know man."

Suddenly a new voice comes into the mix, making my heart feel like it was shot from the sudden impact of the noise."Perhaps I," says a girl watching us from the second floor, "could help you distract Mr. Forte." We look up at the second floor of the building as the dark skinned girl gazes over us, quickly making her way down the metal stairway. The sound bounces off the walls with every step. Brenda comes running up to us with a suggestion at the tip of her tongue. "Auditions." The Professor and I look at her in astonishment. Hesitantly, I ask what exactly she was referring to. "I'm just as suspicious of the professor as you are. I noticed you've been acting weird Daniel. I'm sure you want to find the killer as much as I do."

    I was stunned. Never did I picture that anyone else besides myself would be out to find the killer. "You know it's dangerous Brenda." I say.

    "Yeah. And so do you. Anika was my friend, and so was Sarah...you noticed it too. The black case at the scene?" I nod. "It was there for me, too. Right in the corner of the room beside the case rack...At the time I did not think much of it, but after your account, I'm quite certain there is a connection." Brenda is brave. To have been the first to witness the murders. To see many others occur after and yet to still seek to find the culprit. She's putting everything on the line. Her career, her school, her life.

    "You're really determined."

    "When have I not been?"

    "You kids are really brave." Mr. Vibrato sighs, "Auditions, huh, that might not be a bad idea."

    "What about the auditions?" I ask.    

    "Professors aren't allowed to bring other materials to auditions now to avoid sabotaging the auditions. Only the folder with all the grading material is allowed and the copies of the songs performed." He replies.

    "Exactly. He won't have the case on him." Brenda smirks, "And I noticed at the last audition that he keeps it in his office during the time."

    "How did you come across that?" I question her.

    "I went to grab my instrument for the break when I noticed the black case sitting on his desk past the office." She replies.

    "But the door is locked. How do we get in?"

    Brenda shifts her brown eyes towards the professor. He stiffens for a moment as he realizes what will be requested of him. "You can get access to his keycard."

    He sighs, "Yeah. I could." Followed by a nervous chuckle, "This will be interesting."

    "Scared?" I say teasingly.

    "Nah." He pauses, "Just don't get caught with it."

    "Sounds like we've got ourselves a plan then!" I smile looking over the two. "We've got this guys. No more allowing our friends to be killed. No more allowing any students to be killed. Let's put an end to this."

    "For Anika and Sarah." Brenda adds.

    "For the victim at the concert." Mr. Vibrato states.

    "For the two freshmen for our class and everyone else. We will stop this." I say.

    "If it is the last thing we do." Brenda finally concludes.

    We split off down our respective paths. The auditions are in one week. One week to prepare. One week to end it all.