I do not own The Phantom of the Opera.
The reviews of The Magic Flute started to float through the opera house early the next morning. Christine had joined Meg and some of the ballerinas in a rehearsal room to read them, and the group found that most of the critics felt that the production was enjoyable, though not spectacular.
Christine picked up a paper that hadn't been read yet and flipped directly to the review by a critic named Léon Binet. The review sounded like most of the other ones until the fourth paragraph. Binet criticized the ballet harshly and unfairly, but Christine wasn't unduly bothered by it until she read on a little farther.
"I was specifically irked by the inept dancer, Meg Giry," he wrote, "who didn't seem to know her steps. I was shocked to discover that she is the daughter of the opera's ballet mistress. Miss Giry has no right to call herself a dancer."
Christine pointed the passage out to the ballerinas, who were outraged at how he singled out Meg. No other review had mentioned anything about her, and some reviews praised the dancers' performance. Before noon, someone had shown Henri the review because Léon Binet devoted a considerable portion of the review discussing Henri's first large role. It wasn't long before Henri took action.
Léon Binet was found dead later that day, and the corps de ballet collectively pointed a finger at the Opera Ghost. Christine came to the same conclusion that they did, and stormed down to the lake after she heard the news.
"Why did you kill Léon Binet?" she asked Erik in a tear-choked voice.
"The critic? What are you talking about?" Erik hadn't heard about the death yet, and Christine's appearance in the middle of the day only confused him more.
"Don't lie to me after you broke your promise," Christine replied.
Erik handed her a handkerchief and sat her down on the couch because he was too alarmed to respond to her accusations or try to calm her down. He didn't meet her eyes the entire time.
"I didn't kill him," Erik said after a moment of expectant silence, "I haven't even gotten a newspaper yet."
"Of course you haven't," Christine snapped.
Erik avoided her eyes and didn't answer, which Christine interpreted as an admission of guilt. She stood up and walked out of the room without another word. Erik didn't follow her; he knew that there was no point in trying to reason with her in the state she was in. He desperately wanted to explain everything to her, but he couldn't bear to face her anger. Hopefully, she'd listen to him after she relaxed, but Erik worried that this would be the last time he'd speak to Christine Daaé.
Christine immediately looked for one of the Girys when she was on the main floor of the opera. Before she found anyone else, Christine found Meg in an empty hallway.
"I know who killed Binet!" Meg said, too emotional and excited to notice her friend's tears.
"So do I," Christine said, "I can't believe he'd break a promise."
Meg asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Erik."
"But Henri just told me he did it," Meg said slowly, "He told me all these details, too."
"No. It had to be Erik," Christine said, thinking of his silence and the pain she'd seen in his eyes.
"You should have seen Henri when he told me; it was frightening," Meg said.
"You should have seen Erik. The guilt was written all over him," Christine replied.
"Henri told me things only the killer would know," Meg said, hoping to end the discussion there.
"He made it up," Christine insisted, "You can't trust him. He probably just wanted to impress you or something."
"Christine you don't understand," Meg pleaded.
"Erik did it. I know it's hard to believe, Meg."
"You're not listening to me!"
"You're the one who's not listening!"
"What's wrong with everyone today?" Christine asked.
"What are you talking about?"
"Erik betrayed me, and you won't even listen to me," Christine cried.
"I am listening, but you're wrong," Meg said.
"You're wrong," Christine retorted.
"Christine…"
Christine didn't answer; she left Meg in a huff. She was stuck by an aching need to visit her father's grave and ask him for advice.
The cemetery was empty when Christine arrived; a stillness permeated the entire place and magnified the sound of her footsteps. Christine passed crooked grey tombstones until she found her father's, which was indistinguishable from the rest, save the name "Gustave Daaé" and the dates of birth and death. She laid some flowers on the ground in front of the stone, and tears began to spill out of her eyes and run down her cheeks.
"I don't know who to listen to," she said quietly, hoping he would understand, "I think Erik did it, but Meg says it was Henri. I wish you could answer me, papa. I need you now. I need a sign to tell me you're still there."
The only immediate response to her appeal was silence, and it made her sound like a lost child. She tried to remember her father's smile, but the memories were clouded by time. The sound of footsteps behind her roused her from her reverie, and she turned around, expecting to see someone else visiting a grave. Erik was standing there instead.
"What are you doing here?" Christine asked, wondering if Erik's appearance had something to do with her father.
"Are you angry that I followed you?" Erik replied. He was unsure if he would be welcome or not, but some instinct had told him to come to the graveyard.
"Did you kill Léon Binet?" Christine said, "Tell the truth and I won't ask again."
"No," Erik answered honestly, "Meg told me that Henri did."
Christine paused, trying to decide who to believe. Erik's fear of her anger made the moment feel like an eternity, but Christine finally put her arms around Erik and kissed him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Thank you, papa, she added silently.