When the Violin Sings

Chapter 23

On Monday afternoon, Piper left her last class in high spirits, hopeful that the information she had been given by Lucy over the weekend would be helpful in their continuing investigation. Perhaps this week Murphy's face wouldn't be one of disappointment or frustration, but one of joy. Piper could see it now, him praising for her great work, extending her assistantship with him, and commending her on a job well done. It was all Piper could ever have wanted, really.

Then she remembered that Lucy still wasn't out of the clear completely, not without a solid alibi.

Lucy.

Piper gulped, slowing in her footsteps some. She hadn't seen Lucy since Saturday evening, when she had been in her drunken state. Neither of them had spoken to each other since. Piper wasn't sure why she felt so nervous suddenly. It was just Lucy, after all.

Piper turned a corner in the building, coming down a row of offices. At the far end, where Professor Murphy's office was located, someone was already sitting on the bench outside of his office. The person in question looked up once Piper began to walk down the hall.

"That's weird. I'm usually here early," Piper said. Lucy was sitting on the bench, scrolling through her phone but evidently not paying much attention to it. Professor Murphy's door was shut, as he was still finishing up a class elsewhere in the building. Piper often liked to stop by early to sit on that same bench and go over what she would report, but since Lucy had already taken the spot, she decided to lean against the wall instead.

"Oh. I just wanted to get here early," Lucy admitted as she looked up at Piper.

"Oh. Okay," Piper said. She pulled out her notebook, beginning to go through the notes she had hastily scribbled down late that Saturday evening. As she flipped through the pages, she occasionally snuck a glance at Lucy. Why were they being so awkward toward each other?

"Um, are those the notes from my story?" Lucy asked.

"Oh. Yeah. Why? I hope there's not anything wrong with them," Piper said.

"No. I don't think so. Um...do you mind just reading it out to him? I think I'm too embarrassed to share everything myself. Plus, I can bring up any other details I think of that way or correct any mistakes," Lucy said.

"Yeah. But, you're sure you don't want to tell him yourself?" Piper asked.

"I just don't feel comfortable," Lucy admitted. She had put her phone away and was twisting her arms together uncomfortably.

"But you told me."

"That was different," Lucy grumbled.

"Okay. Yeah. I can read it off," Piper said, not wanting to complicate matters any further. She watched Lucy sigh in relief before sitting up straight at the sound of footsteps. Professor Murphy had turned the same corner Piper had come from and was on his way to his office.

"Oh. You girls are both here early. Great. We can start right on time then," he said. He stopped at the door to unlock his office, then ushered them both inside.

Piper went to grab the stiff, wooden chair, but Lucy poked her arm and motioned to the chair across from his desk, clearly suggesting that Piper be the one to sit in it. She took a seat, watching as Lucy pulled up the other chair and sat beside her. For a moment, they both sat there in silence before Professor Murphy finally took a seat across from then.

"Now, then. Have you two got any information for me?" Murphy asked.

"Quite a lot, actually," Piper began. "We have information from the fight."

"Good to hear! Mind telling us, then, Lucy?"

"Um, I'll read it off for her," Piper suggested. "I took down notes earlier this weekend." Without another word, she repeated the story to Professor Murphy. Lucy was quiet the entire time, though Piper could see out of the corner of her eye how she twisted in discomfort from time to time. When she finished, Murphy sat back with his arms crossed and paused for a moment.