Scully paced the office back and forth pausing only to glance at her watch. It was bad enough that Mulder had been acting strangely last night at the performance with the young girl but now to be late? That was absolutely intolerable to her. And she just couldn't wait to here what his excuse would be either. It was then that she heard footsteps followed by the emergence of a figure. "Oh finally decided to join me? Thanks."

Mulder sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, Scully. I got called into Skinner's office this morning."

"Wait you were here before I was?"

"Yeah. Why should that be surprising? I usually am."

"Well, I didn't know after last night if you had asked her out or something."

"Asked out.." Mulder shook his head. "Scully, I just met the girl last night. I told you I was just being nice to her."

"Oh Mulder, come on! You were doing more than just being nice to her!I thought I was going to have to get you a drool napkin!"

"Could we just drop it please?" He held up a file.

"What's that?"

"Our next case." Mulder answered as he made his way over to the slide projector. He placed some slides in the machine. "Could you get the lights please?"

Scully walked over to the wall and turned off the light switch. "Is this what Skinner called you into his office about?"

"Yep, he insisted." Mulder answered as he advanced the first slide. "28 year old male and stage hand named Bernie Campbell found hanging from a rope after last night's performance."

"You mean the performance we were at?"

"The same." He advanced to the next slide. "His body was cut and nearly gutted with a knife. He also had a rope around his neck."

Scully took a step forward studying the picture. "Has it been determined which killed him?"

"Well according to the coroner, he was strangled and the cuts on the body were done post mortem."

Scully grimaced slightly. "Dear lord."

"Oh it gets better."

"How so?"

"Well there is one particular aspect that sets this as an X-File." He turned toward Scully. "There was a witness."

"And…how does that make it an X-File?"

"The witness saw it in her dressing room." Mulder answered.

Scully gave him a puzzled look. "In her dressing room? I thought you said the body was found hanging from a rafter? And from the slide it looks like it was in a theatre and not a dressing room."

"You are correct on both counts, Scully."

"So please explain to me how a woman could witness this murder in her dressing room?"

Mulder winked. "Glad you asked." He advanced to the next slide. "This is Melinda Cuthbert current lead as Christine Daae in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. There was a reason that Lysette performed last night, Scully."

"Melinda is related to the murder of the stagehand?"

"Yes and no. Melinda claimed that she had a vision of the stagehand being murdered by some unknown assailant." He paused. "While she was in her dressing room getting ready."

"And she became ill?"

"She more than did that, Scully. Apparently Miss Cuthbert was so scared she screamed uncontrollably causing her to lose her voice. She also claimed to have blood on her hands as a result from the murder. However there was no trace of the blood or the two figures she saw in her dressing room." He turned off the projector. "Any thoughts? Ideas?"

Scully took a breath. "Well, it sounds to me like Miss Cuthbert was the real target here."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's one thing to kill a stage hand but why make Miss Cuthbert a witness to it? Whoever it was counted on that she would become frightened and be too ill to perform right?"

"Yeah that is possible."

"So, she can't perform and Lysette has to take her place."

"Scully, you aren't actually suggesting that Lysette was responsible for this?"

"Well, it does seem to surround her, Mulder."

"So, you really think she went to all this trouble to have someone killed so that she could sing?"

"Why not? It's not unheard of for someone to want the spotlight and do whatever they can to get it. And she did have Skinner out in the audience and would have wanted him to hear her."

"You want to go to Skinner and tell him that his niece is our suspect in this case? Are you crazy, Scully?"

"It doesn't matter who she is, Mulder. We have to look at all possible suspects here."

"Well, I think you're wrong to try and pin this on her."

"Then you come up with something better."

Mulder grabbed his coat. "I will."

"Where are you going?"

"To find something better." Mulder answered before walking out the door.

"Get over her, Mulder!" Scully yelled into the hallway. She let out a sigh and shrugged her shoulders. "Why do I even bother?"

Mulder made his way to the café just across from the J Edgar Hoover Building. He had frequented this place many times to get this thoughts together. Not to mention, it was a frequent stop for the occasional bagel in the morning as well. He had to do his best to come up with another theory besides that Lysette had arranged the murder of the stagehand so that she could sing the role of Christine. She just couldn't be responsible for such a terrible thing, could she? He didn't know why but he felt like he knew her and that it was totally not in her nature. The one time he needed a theory and didn't have one. There had to be something else he could come up with. "Hey Elsa, just get me a coffee, thanks."

The waitress smiled before turning around and coming back with a coffee cup. She set it down in front of him and poured some coffee into it. "You got lucky it's fresh."

"Thanks, Elsa." Mulder replied before taking a sip of his coffee. He then heard a voice behind him.

"Mr. Mulder?"

Mulder turned to find him face-to-face with Lysette. "Miss….Miss Willoughby? Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise?"

"You actually remember me?"

"Of course, I do. Won't you please take a seat?" Mulder asked motioning to the stool beside him. "So, what brings you in this neighborhood if I might ask, Miss Willoughby?"

"Actually, my Uncle Skinner asked me to come to the FBI building."

"To take a tour?"

"No. He wants me to answer some questions in regards to a murder at the theatre last night. There was a stagehand found dangling from a rafter you know."

"So I heard." Mulder answered before taking a sip of his coffee.

"He said that…Melinda saw the murder in her dressing room or something. Is that possible?"

"Could be."

"Can I ask how you know about this case, Mr. Mulder?"

"Because I was assigned to it." Mulder answered with a smile.

Lysette smiled back. "Well, I guess that could explain it, huh?"

"I could have just lied and said it was a lucky guess to try to impress you."

Lysette giggled. "You don't need to impress me Mr. Mulder. Or is it Agent Mulder?"

"Actually you can call me, Fox."

"Fox? Like the animal? That's a very special symbol you know in Celtic belief as well as Native American."

"Yeah, well I wish some other people in my past had taken that same attitude and not teased or beat me up."

"I think Fox is a wonderful name. You shouldn't be ashamed of it."

"Thanks." Mulder answered before taking another sip of his coffee.

"Fox, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Sure. Go right ahead."

"In my dressing room…when you were holding my hand and looking at me, you whispered Little Lotte to me. you tell me what that meant?"

Mulder nearly choked on his coffee at the mention of Little Lotte. He indeed remembered that he had said it although he didn't know why. "Well to be honest, Miss Willoughby…"

"Please call me Lyssa."

"Well, to be honest, Lyssa….I really don't know. It just…came to my head for some reason. I'm sorry if it upset you."

"You didn't upset me, Fox. I just didn't understand why you said it." She looked into Mulder's eyes. "Why do I feel like I could tell you anything?"

Mulder swallowed. "Because I have a trusting face?"

"Do you….believe in ghosts, Fox?"

Mulder blinked his eyes before chuckling.

"Why is that so funny? I take it you think I'm crazy?"

"No, no Lyssa that isn't true. It's just my reputation sorry."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say there isn't a lot I don't believe in." He paused. "So, why did you mention a ghost?"

"Because I think a ghost killed that stagehand."

"Can I ask why you think that?"

"Because I heard a voice speak to me before I performed that night." She sighed. "I had a close friend of mine named Rose who was murdered several years ago. She was a great inspiration and teacher to me. Her death just about killed me. But when I started singing again, I felt she was there with me. And…I thought she was the voice I heard last night speaking to me. But I can't believe that she would resort to killing someone in order to let me perform the role of Christine. She was such a gentle soul when she was alive."

"Did this voice you heard sound feminine?"

"I…I don't really know. I wasn't really paying much attention. Do you think a ghost could have done this, Fox?"

"I don't know, Lyssa but I'm going to find out, I promise. Can I ask….do you have any secret admirers?"

"Secret admirers?"

"Yes, anyone who might want to see you perform so badly that they would do anything to accomplish it?"

"You mean…as in killing a stagehand and letting Melinda witness it so that she couldn't perform?"

"You know about what Melinda saw?"

"I…I heard a little, yes. Fox, I assure you that I had nothing to do with what happened."

"I know that, Lyssa. Don't ask me how I do but I know." He paused. "Why don't you come back with me to the X-Files office? I mean since you're going to have to be questioned by me anyway."

"Ok." Lysette replied with a smile. "But Fox, do me a favor and don't say anything about what I told you about the ghost?"

"My lips are sealed." Mulder replied zipping his lips. "Oh and while we are in the office refer to me as Agent Mulder. Otherwise my partner might get kind of funny ok?"

"Consider it done." Lysette answered back.

"Don't worry, Lyssa. There's nothing to be nervous about ok?"

"I won't be nervous as long as you are there." Lysette answered smiling.

Mulder cleared his throat. "Right, well we'd better get over there before your Uncle sends the strike team after me." He took one last sip of his coffee and pulled out his wallet. Taking out some money, he left it on the counter and then turned to Lyssa. "Now, let me be your personal escort to the J Edgar Hoover Building, Miss Willoughby." He rose from his seat and headed to the door.

Lysette gave a giggle before following him.