Murder Goes Solo: A Piper Haydn Piano Mystery #1 A Cozy Mystery eBook

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None of this would have happened if the Steinway had been delivered on time.

Tuesday --
Piper blew out a breath and clenched her teeth as she marched down the hall of the Haydn Music Academy toward her office. She planned to call Notes Music Centre and give them a piece of her frazzled mind. The recital was scheduled for this evening, and the Steinway she’d ordered a year ago waited at the warehouse—not on her stage. Piano music floated into the hall from a practice room, and Piper peeked around the door. “I love the sound of your piece, Grace. But when you play that phrase, pay attention to the crescendo.”
Grace nodded and returned to her practice. The careful playing resumed, and Piper smiled at the crisp crescendo. “That’s my girl,” she whispered.
Piper breezed into her office and dropped into her chair with a groan. The Haydn Music Academy’s senior piano recital lacked a piano. She whispered, “I should know no one in Cranberry Harbor moves at a normal pace.” Piper Haydn loved her hometown. The charming central Wisconsin town boasted quaint shops and a clean,
family-friendly beach—a respite from the busy pace of modern-day city life. But today the slow pace of Cranberry Harbor gave her a twitching eye. The phone rang. “Haydn Music Academy. Piper speaking.”
“Piper, Trefor Vaughn here.”
She took a deep breath before answering the man. She wanted to speak pleasant words to her friend, but her patience was long gone, and her nerves crackled with stress. A headache formed behind her eyes, and her self-control slipped away. “Trefor, where is my
Steinway?” she snapped.
“Whoa, Piper—I’m sorry. But we loaded your piano onto the truck five minutes ago, and the driver backed out of the loading dock headed your way.”
Piper rubbed her forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. “You told me the same thing two days ago, and you said the same thing this morning. Are you positive this time?”
“Positive . . . sorry about the mix-up. But your piano is definitely on the truck and heading your way. I’ll drive over to direct the unloading, and the piano tuner will come an hour later. Don’t worry. You’ll be playing that beauty in no time.”
“I have students arriving—again—for the uncrating, and the recital starts at seven. I hope nothing else goes wrong. You know this delivery is cutting things way too close. The Steinway hasn’t settled, and I shouldn’t even use it tonight.”
“I know. I’m sorry for the stress. It’s coming—honest.”
“Thanks, Trefor. I know it’s not your fault, but I wanted it here days ago to avoid this pressure right before show-time.”
Trefor chuckled. The sound was a burst of deep warm laughter that soothed her frazzled nerves. “I’ve never known you to go into a recital unstressed, Piper.”
“Ouch. You know me too well. Get over here, and let’s get my new baby ready to roll.”
“See you in a few.”
Piper hung up and glanced around her office. Recital programs were piled near the door in a messy heap. Papers, bags, and empty coffee cups trailed across every surface, and a porcelain frog rested in front of her computer. She frowned and grabbed the frog, turning
it over to examine the markings. Nothing. She rubbed her temples again and dug in her Chanel bag for a pain reliever before her headache worsened.
Piper had saved money for ten years to buy a Steinway grand piano. The price tag for the beautiful instrument hurt—even for a Haydn. Her friend Trefor had called three days ago. Her piano was on the truck and on the way to the academy. She had called her senior students, and everyone hurried to the academy to watch the
uncrating and piano set up. Piper wanted to share the thrill of the new piano’s arrival with her best and brightest students. Her students had practiced their Debussy pieces for months under Piper’s watchful teaching. The students polished their pieces this week—adding dynamics and emotion to meet Piper’s
expectations.
Some parents believed she asked too much from a bunch of kids, but the success of her academy students proved that Piper’s methods worked. She expected dedication and progress from her students, and in turn, they received a rigorous musical education.