Susannah burst through the Shelley Opera House doors. Roxanne had run away last night, and Susannah scolded herself for leaving the balcony doors open. It was a mistake she’d never do again, if only she could find her cat.
“Miss Brown, are you all right?” Alma called as Susannah rushed past her and down the hall to her dressing room.
Susannah hadn’t heard the girl. She yanked her dressing room door open and darted inside. The cat basket in the corner sat empty. There was no trace of her beloved companion.
Stepping into the hallway, Susannah cried, “Roxanne? Roxanne!”
Alma, panting, ran to Susannah. “Is your kitty missing?” she asked, her brown eyes wide with worry. Behind her, Evelyn and a few other girls from the day before trotted after her.
Biting her lip, Susannah gazed at the nervous ballerinas. After what happened with the dead cat yesterday, she felt guilty about causing panic over her own pet, especially after having promised she’d keep a good eye on Roxanne. Since the damage was already done, she muttered, “I’m looking for her, yes. Have you girls seen her? She’s a red Abyssinian. She has a collar with a single pearl.”
“What’s this commotion about?” Stone shouted from the other end of the long hallway. He strode to the cluster of girls. “You ladies are needed on the third floor! And you!” He jabbed a finger at Susannah. “You’re an hour late!”
“I can’t find my cat,” Susannah explained, choking down a sob. Surely Stone would understand since he also owned a cat. Instead of eliciting sympathy, however, her words seemed to have angered him, for he lowered his eyebrows and the ends of his mouth drooped, making him appear like a frightening jack-o-lantern.
“The Phantom Cat might have hurt her!” Alma whimpered. The other girls whispered about ghost cats and similar matters behind their hands.
“Enough talk of ghost cats!” Stone bellowed. The girls fell silent. “It’s bad enough I have prima donnas worrying about a lady in white, and composers fretting over some ghost musician who supposedly rips music sheets to shreds for the fun of it! I don’t need a gaggle of girls scared over a feline spook!”
A meow came from behind Susannah. The young girls screamed. Stone shrieked. Susannah, her heart racing, swirled around.
With a smile on his face and a red cat in his arms, Phillip walked toward the group. He held the cat out to Susannah. “Is this what you’re searching for?” he asked, his grin growing.
“Roxanne!” Susannah pulled the purring cat into a tight embrace. Roxanne rubbed her head on Susannah’s chin, her purrs growing louder. To Phillip, Susannah asked, “Where did you find her?”
Phillip shrugged. “She was sleeping on a prop backstage. I thought you brought her home with you last night.”
“I did. I don’t know why she’d come here, though.”
“Enough chit-chat!” Stone sliced his hand through the air. “Everyone, go to wherever you’re needed! We have an operetta to rehearse!”
The ballerinas, giggling and whispering, apparently relieved as well, trotted toward the stairs that led down to the third floor. Stone rolled his eyes.
“We wouldn’t need rehearsals if you’d kept Susannah as the lead,” Phillip muttered to Stone. Stone glared at him in response.
Susannah, who hadn’t heard Phillip, nuzzled Roxanne. “Thank you, Phillip, for finding her. She means everything to me,” she said.
Phillip winked. He walked away, but over his shoulder, he called, “Let’s have lunch together. Meet me at Dottie’s Café at noon.”
“Okay,” Susannah said. Her cheeks grew warm.
After Phillip disappeared around the corner, Stone snapped his fingers at Susannah. “All right. Your cat’s been found, and you have a date with your man. Now get to the stage!” With a shake of his head, he stomped away.
Susannah chuckled. To Roxanne, she whispered, “Don’t you run off again. You had me scared to death!”
Roxanne purred.