Some Like It Shot (Movie Club Mysteries, Book 6)

by Zara Keane

  “I’m sorry,” she said between sobs. “I tried to warn you, but it all happened so fast.”

  Judd spun to face her, nostrils flaring, his fingers curling into fists. “One more week was all I needed. I knew I should never have trusted you.”

  He whirled around and marched off, leaving Merry to stumble tearfully after him.

  What had I just witnessed? A lover’s quarrel? Merry was at least fifteen years Judd’s senior, but she was an attractive woman. But would she go for a jerk like Judd?

  I stayed where I was until I was sure they were gone. Then I stepped out from my hiding place and walked back to the still-open iron gate. Through the opening, I spied a metal bench at the far end of the walled garden. I had a lot to think about, and a seat in the Poison Garden seemed as good a place as any to do it.

  Inside, I followed a meandering path past a variety of deceptively normal-looking plants, many of which were in bloom. Hemlock, with its delicate white flowers, was virtually identical to one of the plants my aunt Philomena grew in her garden. Cow parsley, I think she called it.

  The magnificent drooping purple-blue flowers of the wolfsbane made my breath catch. It was hard to believe that such a beautiful bloom was so deadly. Deadly nightshade, or belladonna, was equally impressive with its pale purple flowers. I passed foxglove, yew trees, laburnum, castor-oil plant, and various other pretty but poisonous plants and flowers.

  When I reached the bench, I slipped my phone out of my pocket. I dictated a quick summary of my conversations with Luke, Lenny, and Coco, noting any potential suspects they’d mentioned. As an extra precaution, I assigned each person I referred to a code name in case I was overheard. I wasn’t feeling alert enough to come up with a smart system, and I settled on vintage Hollywood actors. My sister was Vivien Leigh, Judd was Clark Gable, Coco was Greta Garbo, Luke was John Wayne, and so on. When I was done, I saved the messages to password-protected cloud storage and deleted them from my phone.

  I glanced at my watch. It was now ten-thirty. While I’d been dictating, Harper had sent me a message informing me our meeting would take place in the library. I used the walk back to the castle to mull over the argument I’d witnessed between Judd and Merry. What had she revealed about Judd, and to whom? Why had Judd wanted this information kept a secret for another week? Did it have anything to do with the happenings on set?

  The Pledge on the dance floor had convinced me someone was deliberately causing mischief. I’d have to talk to the cleaning staff to find out who’d last cleaned the floor. Unfortunately, any number of people had gone in and out of the ballroom. The patch treated with Pledge was large enough that it should’ve caused havoc during Lenny’s rehearsal. This led me to suspect the substance had been added between the amateurs’ and the pros’ practice sessions. The specificity of its placement bothered me. Had the perpetrator added the Pledge in this spot to target Gretchen? Or had they merely been in a hurry? I needed to ask Con about viewing the surveillance footage, but I doubted there was any. I had an eye for spying hidden cameras, and I’d seen none in the ballroom.

  Meanwhile, my list of suspects was growing. Con hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d said the mood on set was tense. I’d seen how the dancers had reacted after Gretchen’s accident, but who was behind the trouble? Luke and Coco had accused one another, but I wasn’t convinced by either theory. Even if Luke were jealous of Beth’s interaction with Judd Ryan, he didn’t strike me as the type of guy who’d hurt a woman. And as much as I liked Luke, he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the box. Whoever was causing mayhem on set was smart enough not to get caught.

  Coco, on the other hand, brimmed with intelligence. She’d have the cunning to carry out the attacks yet deflect suspicion from herself and the dance crew. But would she harm one of her dancers? I didn’t think so. Her concern for Gretchen struck me as sincere.

  At the castle entrance, I flashed my pass at the guard and ran across the hall to the library. Harper was already inside, pacing impatiently in front of the stone fireplace. She wore a fuchsia-pink pencil skirt that matched her high heels perfectly. Her enormous spectacles and frilly shirt should’ve made her look frumpy, but Harper managed to make her outfit look like a naughty secretary costume. I almost expected her to produce a whip and handcuffs. My amusement dimmed when I caught sight of her glare.

  Harper stopped pacing and placed her hands on her hips. “You’re late.”

  “I am,” I replied. “I’ve had a busy morning.” I dropped onto the sofa and met her stare for stare. Typically, I was scrupulous about punctuality. On the rare occasions that I ran late, I was apologetic. Harper simply annoyed me. I was tempted to add her to the top of my suspect list, just out of spite.

  The other woman broke eye contact first. She perched, stiff-backed, on the edge of an armchair, and cleared her throat. “As you’ll have gathered from the email I sent you this morning, Mr. Ryder took me into his confidence. I’m aware you’re some sort of private investigator.”

  I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Drop the ‘some sort,’ and you have my job description.”

  Con’s assistant pursed her lips. “Whatever.”

  “What’s your view on the accidents? Are they deliberate or coincidental?”

  Harper flicked an invisible piece of lint off her skirt. “Deliberate. And I know the culprit.”

  “You do?” My heart skipped a beat. “Who?”

  A wintery smile preceded her response. “Your sister, of course. Who else?”

  My heart skipped a beat. “Why do you suspect my sister?”

  “Eliza thrives on attention, and this is her debut movie. What better way to get press coverage than to invent a story about a stalker and fake a few on-set dramas? I have to admit it takes more genius than I gave her credit for.”

  “Nah, I don’t buy it. Look, I’m aware my sister’s not always the easiest person on the planet, but she’s not violent. She wouldn’t put others in physical danger, and she certainly wouldn’t risk injuring herself. From Beth’s description, she was very nearly hit by the falling light yesterday.”

  If Harper stuck her nose any higher in the air, I’d be looking up her nostrils. “So Eliza timed it well. I understand she’s your sister, and you don’t want to think badly of her—”

  “We’ve never been close,” I interrupted. “Even if we were besties, I wouldn’t let her get away with putting people at risk.”

  “All the same,” Harper continued, “Eliza is the only person associated with the movie who benefits from the mayhem on set.”

  I quirked an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that? Have you looked into the background of every cast and crew member? Can you be certain no one bears a grudge against Con or Judd or my sister? For example, Judd’s legal troubles are common knowledge. What if he’s decided to add to his rap sheet?”

  At the mention of Judd’s name, Harper reddened. “Don’t be absurd. Judd’s a sweetheart. He’d never hurt anyone.”

  The Judd I’d witnessed this morning was no sweetheart. Was Harper in a relationship with Judd? Or was it an unrequited crush? “Judd seriously injured a family during a DUI,” I reminded her. “How do you know they haven’t decided to take revenge?”

  “Oh, please.” She leaped to her feet and resumed pacing in front of the fireplace. “Leave the scriptwriting to the professionals.”

  I ignored this swipe and pressed on. “Why did Con risk hiring Judd? What’s Judd got on Con?” And did it have anything to do with his argument with Merry? I decided not to mention this tidbit to Harper.

  She stopped pacing and stared at me. “What are you talking about? This is about your sister, not Judd or Con.”

  “But you don’t know that,” I said softly, “and I’m not prepared to rule out any potential motives until—”

  The library door flew open, startling both of us. Judd Ryan, the very man whose checkered past we were discussing. The PA flushed to the roots of her dark bob. Yeah, I was betting on the unrequited-crush option.

/>   “Judd, hey.” Harper shoved a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The nervous gesture was at odds with the steely control she’d displayed when we’d been on our own.

  Without bothering to close the door, Judd loped to an armchair and flopped into it. “Hello, Harper,” he drawled. “Hope I’m not interrupting important business.”

  Had the actor heard our conversation? From his languid demeanor—and his ever-present shades—it was hard to tell. The door was solid wood, and we’d kept our voices low, but I couldn’t rule out the possibility of an eavesdropper. Even if Judd hadn’t overheard us discussing his past, the timing of his interruption was flawless.

  “Aren’t you due on set?” She asked him in a far friendlier tone than she’d used with me. “Is anything the matter?”

  He treated her to a lazy half smile. “Everything’s peachy. I’m on a break.” He looked around the library. “Con not around?”

  My mouth engaged before my brain. “If you removed the shades, you’d be able to see that he’s not here.”

  This caught his attention. For the first time since he’d entered the library, Judd acknowledged my presence. Without whipping off his shades, he gave me a slow once-over. His sneer indicated he wasn’t impressed with what he saw. “And you are?”

  “This is Maggie Doyle,” Harper said quickly. “Eliza’s sister.”

  Judd gave a bark of laughter. “She’s Eliza’s sister?”

  To my chagrin, my face grew hot. I’d preferred Coco’s reaction. “And you’re the dude who’s costing Con a small fortune in insurance.”

  Harper made a choking sound that was either shock or laughter. Judd stiffened and whipped off his sunglasses, revealing his much-publicized amber eyes, which were now pinned on me. “If Eliza wants a Hollywood career, she’d better learn to keep her mouth shut.”

  My instant dislike of the guy cemented. “Don’t blame my sister. It’s all over the media.”

  “Don’t believe everything you read online,” he snarled. “Gossip columnists invent stories to stay relevant.”

  “So Con had no trouble getting you insured?” Seeing as I’d already rattled the man, I might as well press him for info. We weren’t likely to go from this introduction to a friendly conversation over coffee.

  “That’s none of your business.” Judd jumped to his feet and addressed Harper. “I’ll catch Con later.” He strode toward the open door.

  “Good thing Con got good insurance,” I called after his retreating back, “with all the so-called accidents you guys keep having.”

  Judd stopped dead in his tracks and directed his amber orbs on me. His expression wasn’t friendly. “Every movie I’ve worked on has had stuff go wrong. This one’s no different.”

  “So you don’t believe someone’s deliberately trying to sabotage the shoot?”

  “No way. The Irish location has people believing in fairies and leprechauns and other superstitious garbage.” Judd turned to Harper. “Why is this woman here? The last thing we need is more rumors.”

  The PA avoided meeting my gaze. “Eliza got her a role as an extra.”

  The actor jabbed a finger at me. “If she stirs up trouble, I want her off this island.”

  “For a guy who’s insistent there are no problems on the set,” I said sweetly, “you’re mighty sensitive about the topic.”

  Ignoring me, Judd stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

  I gave a low whistle. “Friendly guy.”

  “You provoked him,” Harper wailed. “What did you expect? Actors are highly strung.”

  “He seems to think he has the power to get me kicked off the set,” I mused. “Interesting.”

  Harper shifted uneasily on her chair. “Judd and Mr. Ryder go way back.”

  “I believe Con goes way back with a lot of cast and crew members on this set. What makes Judd special?”

  “I don’t know.” Her eyes met mine. “But I do know you should be careful not to antagonize Judd. He’ll follow through on his threat to get you removed from the set. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

  “Con hired me,” I reminded her. “Only he has the power to fire me.”

  “Don’t be so sure. What Judd wants, Judd gets.”

  Did I detect a note of bitterness in her voice? I regarded her thoughtfully, but her expression gave little away. Had Judd taken advantage of Harper’s crush? Dumped her after a brief fling? I was speculating, but it’d explain Harper’s flustered reaction when Judd slunk into the library and her mixed messages to me when he wasn’t present.

  “Why did you provoke him?” she demanded. “That’s no way to get information out of people.”

  “You’d be surprised at just how much info I got out of that exchange. For example, I now know that Judd doesn’t like my sister.”

  “What?” Harper wore a startled expression. “He’s flirted with her since the first day of filming.”

  “He’s an actor,” I pointed out. “He’s a professional faker. I’m sure he can turn on the charm whenever she’s around if he thinks it’s in his best interests to do so.”

  The PA didn’t bother to deny it. “I don’t know why Con didn’t consult with the police,” she muttered, “instead of hiring an amateur. You won’t get anywhere by getting people’s backs up.”

  “I’m a former cop and a licensed P.I. You don’t like me? Fine. I don’t like you. In fact, I’d happily make you my number two suspect, right after your pal, Judd.”

  Harper let out a shriek.

  “But seeing as I’m a professional, I’ll merely add you to my ever-growing suspect list.”

  The woman’s mouth formed silent words I was sure weren’t of the family-friendly variety.

  “Now that we’ve traded insults, why don’t you give me my itinerary for the weekend? What’s my role, and where do I need to go next?”

  Harper’s small hands bunched at her skirt. For a moment, I thought she’d lose her temper again, but she rallied and pulled herself together. She strode to the desk by the bay window and grabbed a sheet of paper. “Here.” She slammed it onto the coffee table in front of my chair. “You’re an extra in two outdoor scenes this afternoon, and you’ll play a wedding guest in the chapel scene we’re shooting tomorrow. Con says you should come and go as you please, but to use the opportunity of the shoots to question as many people as possible.”

  “In other words, I’m to do my job. Got it.” I tried to fold the paper one-handed but settled for shoving it inside my sling.

  Harper sniffed. “I hope you and your assistant don’t disrupt the shoot. Saboteur or not, we have a movie to make.”

  “Duly noted.” I got to my feet and made to leave. “By the way,” I said, my hand on the door handle. “You shouldn’t let your jealousy of my sister cloud your judgment. I doubt she has serious intentions about this Judd dude, and frankly, he’s not worth pining for.”

  Leaving the other woman stupefied into silence, I made my exit.

  16

  I lucked out and managed to avoid Liam all afternoon. After my appointment with Harper, I reported for duty on set. Filming kept me busy for the next few hours. Con had cast me in a couple of crowd scenes. As promised, I had plenty of time to talk to people, especially the crew members. Depending on who I was talking to, I flipped between playing sister-to-the-star and the nosy American. People seemed to buy it.

  By five o’clock, I’d chatted with the props crew, downed espressos with the principal camera operators, and taught the lighting crew how to perform an Irish jig. Despite the hours I’d spent digging for information, I’d made little progress. Most of the people I’d spoken to today were confident the accidents were a case of bad luck, and two were convinced the entire movie shoot was cursed. Among those who believed the mishaps weren’t accidental, there was no agreement on a prime suspect. In short, I was no closer to providing Con with the answers he was paying me to find. I had to hope Lenny’d had more success.

  Sore, tired, and hungry, I trudged across
the lawn to Magnum’s food truck. I’d arranged to meet Lenny for a catch-up over fried food and soft drinks. Magnum prided himself on serving meals that contained a week’s worth of calories and a one-way ticket to a coronary. I intended to savor every bite.

  As I neared the truck, I acknowledged that my carbs overload would have to wait. The metal shutters were down, revealing an image of a cod wearing shades and a Hawaiian shirt. Behind the truck, the Magnum Mobile was parked at an angle and looked equally deserted.

  I cast an unenthusiastic glance toward the marquee tent that housed the official cafeteria. I’d heard nothing good about the catering, but unless Magnum put in an immediate appearance, I had no choice. I was due back on set in forty minutes, and I needed to talk to Lenny first. I wrote him a quick text message with the change of venue, shuffled into the tent, and collided with the one man I’d hoped to avoid.

  Liam’s tray wobbled precariously, obliging him to grab onto a bowl of spaghetti bolognese. “Maggie?” he spluttered. “What are you doing here?”

  “Looking for carbs.” Honest, but not the response he wanted.

  “You weren’t able to find carbs on Whisper Island?”

  I regarded the anemic-looking spaghetti bolognese on his tray. “After all the rave reviews about the food at this joint, I just had to check it out.”

  “Hmm…” Liam’s lips quirked. “Why don’t I believe you?”

  His daughter hurried down the aisle of the crowded cafeteria, holding a small tray laden with a burger and fries. Her face split into a smile when she saw me. “Hey, Maggie.”

  I returned her smile with equal enthusiasm. “Hey, Hannah. Having fun on set?”

  “It’s awesome. I’ve met all the main cast members, including Judd Ryan.”

  At Hannah’s lovestruck sigh at the mention of the lead actor’s name, a caustic comment about the man was on the tip of my tongue. I stopped myself in the nick of time.

  Liam deposited his tray on a free table and ruffled his daughter’s hair, a look of pure love on his face. “I didn’t think I’d have to deal with crushes for a few more years.”