The Silent Scream of the Straw Man

by Corinne F. Gerwe

  “Did he pay special attention to anyone? Did you see him approach any of the female extras, even a minor flirtation?”

  “No, sir. They didn’t seem to exist to him as far as I could see. There was one girl, though. It was the day we had a scene off set having to do with running moonshine. In my role, I was the go-between between Purvis McCabe’s runners and the customers who ordered their liquor from him. Tanner was in the background as a runner. She was an extra in the scene and I saw her try to flirt with Tanner during a break. She was a looker, too, the best looking of the whole bunch they’d hired. He brushed her off like she was nothing, and it made her cry. I remember Joyce taking her aside. Joyce didn’t miss much, and she didn’t like extras breaking her rules, but was kind of motherly about it and didn’t scold the girl much.”

  “On the morning of the murder, did you see Tanner on the set or have any scenes with him?”

  “I don’t remember seeing him at all that day.”

  “What about Tanner and Joyce Crenshaw. Did you ever see them together?”

  “No. But I thought maybe she had a thing for him. I saw her watching him one day when he was working on the set. She had a funny look on her face, soft like and, I don’t know, like she was concentrating on him real hard.”

  Farley got little more from the Trainer and Foster, who seemed clueless about the possibility of intrigue on the set. Brett Dillon was candid and forthcoming.

  “Tanner gave me a bad feeling right from the start. I’m rarely distracted by extras, but this guy bothered me. Leading up to her scenes with Buddy, Megan and I had several love scenes together. We’d insisted on a closed set, yet somehow Tanner wormed his way onto one of them, from a distance mind you, by delivering a replacement light to the cameraman. He was there one minute and gone the next, but in that moment, I’d felt his intrusive stare into the most erotic scene in the film. The focus had been on her, and her focus had been on me when I’d caught a glimpse of him in the background. I would have had him thrown off the set had he not had a valid excuse for being there. That was before he started running errands for the stunt drivers.”

  Farley asked, “Could you have been overreacting because of your feelings for Megan. I understand you and she are an item in the gossip magazines?”

  “Don’t believe everything you read, Chief. I might as well be straight with you now, pardon the expression. I’m gay. Had I been a character actor like Buddy, no one would have cared. I was typecast as a ladies’ man and photographed with every female starlet in Hollywood, supposedly having one romance after the other. The publicity served my agent, and the studio bosses and I made a lot of money. I was lucky to get the role of Evangeline’s villainous lover in this film. It’s actually a supporting role, which some might consider a step down from Romeo hero leading man. My partner joined me on location two weeks ago. I mention him because of something he said relevant to your line of questioning. I believe it concerns Megan.”

  Farley said, “Go on.”

  “I feel like I’m playing Truth or Dare but here goes. In my past, Chief, I had a thing for the ‘bad boy’ type, perhaps as an antidote for my deceptions. I put my career in jeopardy because of one such relationship and, thankfully, had the sense to end it. I had left that path of self-destruction. I was honest with my partner about my past, but being the protective soul that he is, worried that I might still be susceptible. That’s why he said what he did about Tanner.”

  Farley knew from experience with Aura Lee when to interrupt and move things along. “Go on.”

  “He said, ‘Thank heavens I am in your life. Tanner would have used anyone, male or female, who has made it in Hollywood to fast-track himself into that world. If he’s not tried anything with you, he’s tried with someone around here. He’s got a hold on someone, Brett. Mark my words.’ I laughed it off at the time, but then remembered Megan’s emotional breakdown that almost closed down the set. She’s been fine since, but something had her extremely upset. I think you should know that Megan had a history similar to mine, although I find it hard to imagine her with Tanner. It’s more likely that he targeted Joyce. She’s a tough woman, Chief, but vulnerable. Belief me, I can recognize it in people other than myself.”

  After Farley’s interview with Brett, Dev gave his input. “It’s probably the most truthful he’s been in his life. I don’t think he wanted to tell you about Megan, but did for Joyce’s sake and for his. But he also got himself off the hook as a suspect and gave you the reason why a star of Megan Murphy’s caliber would be susceptible to a thug like Tanner. We should talk to her next.”

  Megan requested Miss Pen’s presence during questioning. She seemed genuinely concerned about Joyce and could think of no reason why she’d gone missing. She recalled seeing her at the Halloween party and remembered Joyce had arrived late. She couldn’t recall the comings and goings of anyone else there because she said the ballroom had been crowded and with music and dancing it was impossible to keep track of everyone. She’d danced with Buddy, who’d been seated at the bar, and she’d danced with others and tried to enjoy the evening. She said her main purpose that night was to devote the evening to her character, Evangeline, who had given new meaning to her life.

  When questioned about Zack, she denied knowledge of his existence. When questioned about her emotional breakdown, she attributed it to the stress of a demanding role and the insecurities it had generated. She gave credit to Miss Pen for helping her to stabilize and gain confidence, to Mamma Phoebe for helping her to understand her character, Evangeline, and for the encouragement she’d received from her co-star, Buddy.

  Farley glanced at Dev and could tell that he, too, felt as though they were listening to an awards acceptance speech.

  When asked to describe her relationship with her co-star, she hesitated, and then said, “Why, he is my colleague and friend. I was intimidated by him during our first scenes together. I’d confused him with his role because of his powerful acting abilities, which is why I lost my confidence. He was gentle, kind, and sensitive, when he could have crushed my ego by refusing to work with me. No one would have blamed him. Instead, he encouraged me to keep trying and made me believe I could do it.

  “You don’t know this business, Chief Farley. It can be cruel and heartless and I experienced it all as a child actor growing up in the public eye. My transition into adulthood was scrutinized at every level and publicized in prurient detail, including speculation about my virginity. It’s hard to maintain a sense of self in a world of make believe, and I almost lost mine. Buddy Larson helped me get it back, and Miss Pen, too. I owe them my life and my career.”

  “I understand, Miss Murphy. It seems that Mr. Larson has many sides. I’m told he can also be the life of the party, very entertaining when some of the cast and crew gather.”

  She seemed confused by the statement, “Yes, you could say he is multifaceted.”

  Farley replied, “Do you recall his mood the day of the masquerade ball, during the lunch break, for example? No one seems to recall his whereabouts between the hours of noon and two o’clock that afternoon.”

  “We were on the set from morning until around three. He must have been there, Chief.”

  “Did you have lunch on the set?”

  “Sometimes I take lunch in my trailer where I can rest before shooting resumes. Sometimes I stay on the set, depending on time constraints. It was quite hectic that day, and I had my mind on my costume for the party. I think I skipped lunch. I wanted Evangeline to look beautiful for her special night. She’d given me so much, her spirit I mean. I felt her spirit come alive in me during filming. She’s part of me now and always will be. I could never go back to the way I was.”

  “What way was that, Megan?”

  She looked at Miss Pen. “I don’t want to talk about the past, or Buddy Larson. There was no time for him to be anywhere but on the set. Someone will remember. He was probably making someone laugh with one of his stories. May I go now? I’m feeling quite tired.”r />
  Pen nodded to Farley. Farley said, “We’ll probably have to question you again, Miss Murphy. If there is anything you remember in the meantime, please let Miss Pen know and she will contact me. Agreed?”

  “Yes, Chief Farley.”

  Dev waited until she was out of earshot before commenting. “She’s acting, playing a part. As long as she slips into the role she’s created, she feels safe. We won’t get anything more from her. She could be protecting someone, or herself.”

  Miss Pen added, “She’s protecting the life she’s been given. The life she almost threw away.”

  Farley said, “Go with her, Miss Pen. She’s hiding something. If her loyalty is connected to a murder, the new life she’s been given just might be in danger. You might be able to realign her loyalties.”

  Pen replied, “I’m not sure that I can, but another visit to my sister might help. She is a truth-seeker without appearing to be so. Megan is still a child in many ways and feels she has made the first positive attachments in her life. To be proven wrong could shatter her trust in others and in herself. Phoebe will lead her to the right path in time.”

  Farley replied, “We don’t have much time, Miss Pen.”

  “Only for you, would she take that into consideration.”

  Buddy Larson ambled in next as if he had all the time in the world. He turned on his genial charm for Farley, but looked askance at Dev, his smile dimming and right eye twitching like a light bulb flickers before losing power. In a blink, the power came back on along with the personality that had made him a star.

  “Before you start in on me, Chief, you should know that Joyce is a pal of mine, and I’d like to get in on this search for her. She’s a headstrong gal and might have gone meddling in that phony extra’s business. You know how folks are around here, Chief. You go poking your nose where you shouldn’t and you can end up in a heap of trouble. I heard he lived with a woman down on the river. Those river rats are as mean as snakes when it comes to their mates. Too much shade and darkness down there, affects the mind, so I’ve been told.”

  Farley let him ramble on purpose, sifting through the dialogue like he did with Aura Lee.

  “You’ve lived on the river, Mr. Larson?”

  “Call me Buddy. Everyone does. You’re not dealing with some big shot Hollywood type, Chief, though I’ve lived out there most of my life.”

  “I thought you were from the Asheville area?”

  “That’s true, a good ole boy made good, product of Buncombe County. Even the neighboring counties like to claim me, seeing as how Western North Carolina is like one big family. I hear you’re from over Pisgah Forest way, Chief. But I bet folks round here lay claim to you since you solved that infamous murder case a few years back. That’s celebrity for you. You think you know who you are until fame gets hold of you and then you become whatever is written about you. Me, I’m just a simple country boy made good, and here I am back in overalls, playing the meanest scoundrel in the county, except this ain’t my county.”

  He laughed heartily waiting for a contagious effect that didn’t happen. Dev’s black-browed, heavy lashed deep blue eyes had a knowing look that set Buddy on edge, but he masked his irritation with a sly grin directed toward Farley.

  “All kidding aside, Chief, I’m worried about my friend and would like to help. She’s not one to take off without leaving word. She likes to act tough, but has a good heart. She took a shine to her picks of the litter and had an eye for talent. Trouble is she thought more about their potential than their past, and this guy had a past that didn’t show up on his application. He was probably mixed up with some backwoods network running drugs instead of moonshine. If she went looking for him and found something illegal, Joyce wasn’t one to shy away from making a threat. He could have been murdered for leading her to them.”

  “So you think she’s being held by drug dealers in some remote hideaway in the forest?”

  “I don’t know what to think,” he replied gruffly. “I’m offering my help, Chief, and you’re acting like you don’t need it. Seems to me you’ve got a few crimes happening around you that aren’t getting solved. That must really stick in your caw after being pegged a hero.”

  “What can you tell me about Zack Tanner?”

  “I can’t tell you a darned thing. He was an extra. Oh, I’d seen him from time to time on the set. The only reason I noticed him at all was because of Joyce. I even kidded her about it, the way she looked at him when he’d be around. It was like she had a brand new pet dog she was training, but one not easy to tame. Joyce liked a challenge. Most of the extras were scared of her and did as they were told. He was a different breed. She thought she could make him into something. I told her she was playing with fire.”

  “Were you going on instinct or observation?”

  “It was just an impression. Isn’t that what you asked for, my impression of him? He was nothing more than a fly on my radar screen.”

  “Where were you between the hours of noon and two o’clock on the afternoon of the Halloween event?”

  “I was right here on the set. Anyone can tell you.”

  “No one seems to remember your whereabouts during that time. Did you have lunch on the set?”

  “I can’t go without lunch, Chief. As you can see, I like my vittles. I’m not one of those skinny starlets living on alfalfa sprouts. If I recall, I had lunch in the make-up tent on set. I wanted a little time to myself because I’ve been tired lately. This role is the most demanding in my career, and I’m not as young as I used to be. I wanted to be in a party mood later on, so needed to reserve my energies. Megan was off getting her costume fitted for the party, so I took advantage of the down time. There was a lot going on that day.”

  Farley observed Buddy’s body language; his thickset shoulders sagged slightly and his posture slackened. He looked weary and somewhat distracted until abruptly regaining a robust attitude. The change was remarkable and a testament to his skill as an actor. Farley asked, “What time did you arrive at the party, and how long did you stay?”

  “Well now, Chief, that’s an easy one. I came over with the others from the lodge and had me a good ole time all evening. I even danced with my enchanted co-star. I drank at the bar and told a few jokes and drank some more and went out a few times for some fresh air, as everyone else there did. I hung out with your local gentry, who treated me like one of their own, especially the mayor and his wife. There was quite a crowd that night, people coming and going and everyone in costume. It was like being on a movie set with no work to do.”

  “Your costume?”

  “I kept it simple. I dressed like a farmer.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

  FARLEY INSTRUCTED SHERWOOD TO CLOSE down the set and have everyone return to the Mountain Lodge. No one was to leave the premises until he gave the word. Sherwood did not object. Megan was excluded to the care of Miss Pen.

  Deputy Purdy was sent back down to the gorge to bring in Margaret and her new handyman, Rupert Mills. Purdy’s report had made it clear that Margaret had lied and had the means and opportunity to exact revenge for Tanner’s betrayal. If Joyce had driven down the spiraling road to the river gorge looking for Tanner, she might still be there, a victim of Margaret’s wrath. Farley did not discount the possibility. Margaret could have been swayed by a new lover more ruthless than her previous one. With something to hold over her, he wouldn’t have to settle for the monthly allowance Tanner had. There was nothing like murder to seal a relationship and doom the souls bound by it.

  The cast and crew were told the sheriff’s department would be patrolling the area and the highway patrol, monitoring the interstate. If anyone felt the compulsion to leave the county, they would be unceremoniously detained. Members of the film company were for the most part co-operative. They had time off work and could gather at the lodge tavern to air complaints, grievances, or speculations about Joyce Crenshaw’s whereabouts. Most of them understood the gravity of the situation and had come to the real
ization that someone among them could be a killer.

  Farley had listened to Dev after the interview with Buddy Larson. Dev’s professional assessment was closely aligned with his own and both agreed they had to tread carefully. There was no evidence to indicate his involvement, but the signs were there. Larson was cagey, cunning, and a master of disguise, with or without makeup and costume. His personality was hidden beneath layers of characters so believable.

  Farley had read his studio bios available through Google, which had been enhanced and altered throughout his career. Accounts of his early life were vague. There were no photos of him as a child in any of these publications, only a brief history of a boy homeschooled until the age of ten, with a sketchy background of attendance in a Buncombe County middle school. He’d been raised by a father who had died when Buddy was fourteen, after which he’d ventured into the world of transient living until hooking up with a traveling stage production where he found his calling, and a home.

  Aura Lee was in the process of doing a thorough background check through her unofficial network of county clerks, most of whom were relatives scattered among the neighboring counties. Farley had resisted the temptation to hurry her after pressing Miss Pen to hurry Mamma Phoebe. He had no problem relying on the talents of gifted women and had learned to respect processes beyond his capability. However, time was a factor; the first forty-eight hours in a missing person case critical.

  On the drive back to town, Dev made an interesting observation about Larson that alerted Farley’s skill as a hunter.

  “The man is wearing down, Jeff. He tried to cover it up but couldn’t. His physical stamina, strength of personality, and mental acuity would make him a dangerous adversary in any situation. But now . . . ”

  “I know what you mean, Dev. A wounded bear is highly dangerous and difficult to stop, particularly if cornered or trapped. There is another factor I haven’t had time to tell you about. I did a nationwide criminal data search of crimes similar to the scarecrow killings and came up with nothing that matched our killer’s M.O. There were plenty of crimes involving scarecrows, most of them involving straw man rituals enacted to incite fear, hatred, violence, and some involving sexual perversions and other bizarre variations. Our local imitator, Trent Williams, had a long way to go to make his mark in this distorted arena of depravity.”