A visibly shaken Coop joined Roxy and Sadie, but didn’t sit. He ran his fingers haphazardly through his hair, which made him look even more disheveled. He offered only one brief report before leaving, four words as ominous as the gargoyles that watched.
“This was no accident.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“Great coffee,” Sadie said as she wrapped her hands around her mug. “Nice and strong, just the way I like it.”
“Just the way people need it around here this morning, after what happened last night,” Roxy said.
Coop nodded and yawned. The three sat at one of Curtain Call’s back tables, away from the front windows where the sun was too bright for their mood. A few stagehands occupied other tables, as well as locals who were café regulars or had gathered to learn more about the shocking news.
“Tell me again why you’re sure Brynn’s death wasn’t an accident,” Sadie said to Coop. It had been so late and hectic the night before, that it had been hard for Sadie to follow the details of Coop’s explanation. He was also upset and not as coherent as he might normally be.
“Because of the catwalk.” Coop pointed up as if he were standing in the theatre. “Brynn obviously fell over the railing to the stage floor.”
Roxy frowned. “I find that really odd.”
“I’d say odd is an understatement,” Sadie said.
“That’s not what I mean,” Roxy said. “It’s odd that anyone would be on the catwalk. We don’t even use it in this show.”
“Do you think Brynn went up there intending to jump? Do you think she did this to herself?”
Coop shook his head. “No. For one thing, Brynn wasn’t like that. She might have been a drama queen and a diva, but she preferred to be the life of the party, if you know what I mean.”
“And for another thing?” Sadie asked.
“Before I ran out of there, I noticed that one of Brynn’s sleeves was torn, and I swear I saw new bruises on both of her upper arms. They weren’t there during the rehearsal.”
“Here’s a big question, then,” Sadie said. What was Brynn doing up on the catwalk after hours?”
“That is a big question,” Roxy said. “Why would she have been there? I saw her leave right after the dress rehearsal finished.”
“Obviously, she went back to the theatre,” Sadie said. “Maybe she forgot something, a purse, a scarf, a coat?” She turned to Coop. “Can you think of anything out of place in her dressing room, something she might have left behind?”
“No.” Coop shook his head. “I can’t figure it out. I’m sure no one was in the theatre when I left. I checked every dressing room, restroom, lobby, even the lighting box.”
“But — and I’m not accusing, just pointing out a fact, Coop — someone could have slipped into a room you’d already checked while you were checking another. And you did think you might have left the door unlocked,” Sadie said. “That would have made it easy for someone to sneak in after you left.”
Roxy nodded. “That means two people were inside the theatre at some point after Coop left — Brynn, plus whoever gave her those bruises.”
“At least,” Sadie said. “You can’t rule out the idea that a third person was involved.” Sadie had learned long ago that it was best not to narrow down possibilities without facts. Doing so made it easy to overlook potential scenarios.
“It just doesn’t make any sense,” Roxy said. She stood up and walked over to a self-service area, grabbed a coffee pot from a warming burner, and refilled their mugs. She replaced the pot and returned to the table, sitting down just as the front door opened. Ernie Palmer and Mitchell Morgan walked in, placed an order at the counter, and sat at a table near the back of the café.
“How convenient,” Sadie observed. “They’re just far enough back to keep us from hearing their conversation.”
“That’s not unusual,” Roxy said. “They never mingle with others. Too full of themselves. Or maybe just preoccupied with the business side of things. I’ve seen them sit back there many mornings.”
When the front door opened again, Sid entered, travel mug in hand. He bypassed the counter without ordering anything, pulled a third chair up to the rear table, and sat down, his back to the rest of the room.
“Now there’s a conversation I wouldn’t mind hearing,” Sadie said. “Producer, publicist, and director, right?”
“Right,” Roxy said. “And they’ve got a lot to discuss quickly if they want to pull off tonight’s opening show, starting with calming down the cast. I’d put money on them calling a meeting before noon,” Roxy said. She paused as several cast members entered the café. Their expressions ranged from distraught to nonchalant.
“There’s Nevada Foster.” Coop leaned toward Sadie and pointed discreetly at one of the new arrivals. The slender brunette appeared calm and businesslike as she placed an order at the counter. Collecting her change from the cashier, she strolled to the back of the café and gave Ernie a casual peck on the cheek. After receiving a reassuring hug in exchange, she returned to the counter, picked up her order and sat with the other cast members.
“Nevada’s quite attractive, yet not flashy,” Sadie noted, turning her attention back to Roxy and Coop. “Even I can see she’ll fit that part better than Brynn. No offence meant to the dead,” Sadie added hastily.
“Of course she’ll fit it better,” Roxy said. “Only Sid wanted that larger-than-life bimbo in the lead. Nevada was right for it all along. Ernie never would have backed the show if he’d thought Sid would cast Brynn.”
“And Sid wouldn’t have cast Brynn if he hadn’t been involved with her,” Coop added.
“Or if he’d known she was going to dump him once she got the part, right?” Sadie asked.
“Definitely,” Coop said. Roxy nodded in agreement.
“It sounds to me like there were plenty of people who might have wanted Brynn out of the way,” Sadie remarked. “I’d say the police have their work cut out for them.”
“Indeed,” Roxy said. “And I’m sure they’ll be crawling all over the theatre tonight, watching everyone. Should be quite an evening.”
“Attention, everyone!”
The chatter subsided as Sid stood and addressed the crowd. “As you all know by now, there’s been a terrible tragedy. The police are still finishing up their inspections, and I’ve been informed we won’t have access to the theatre until approximately 3 p.m. this afternoon. I expect the cast and crew to arrive promptly at 3:15 for an emergency meeting.” Sid scanned the room, satisfied when members of the company nodded to acknowledge his orders. “Nevada, you and Russell need to meet as soon as possible to run lines. I know you’re prepared, but we’ve all had a shock, and the more practice you can manage, the better.”
“What about the audience?” one crew member asked. “This news is all over the place now. How will they even know the show is still on?” Mumbled comments between others followed.
Sid raised a hand to hush the group. “The box office area has been cleared so Penelope can man the phones. As people call in requesting information or refunds, she’ll tell them the show will be going on.”
Sadie was quite certain she heard Ernie Palmer mutter “Refunds, as if!” “Sid seems awfully calm in view of the circumstances,” she whispered to Roxy. “You know, considering he had been so enamored with Brynn.”
“Nah,” Roxy said, keeping her voice low. “He’s never been one to show emotion, unless someone on the crew misplaces a prop or one of the actors drops a line. Then you’d think the world was on fire. He can get pretty loud.”
“She’s right,” Coop said. “Sid keeps personal stuff to himself. Even when he was seeing Brynn, you could hardly tell from the way he acted.”
“Unless it had to do with Russell or Alex, that is,” Roxy added.
“What do you mean?” Sadie lifted an eyebrow.
“Jealousy, I suppose.” Roxy shrugged her shoulders. “He’d bristle when either one of them — or any man, for that matter — paid too much attention
to Brynn. He’d get a strained, annoyed look on his face.”
“Sort of like the way he’s looking at you now?” Coop suggested. “Since you keep whispering while he’s trying to talk?”
“Ha!” Roxy snorted. “He doesn’t intimidate me. Besides he’s done now. See?” Sid turned back to Ernie and Mitchell, said a quick goodbye, and headed out the door. Others either returned to conversations or finished one more gulp of coffee before departing to prepare for the long day ahead.
Sadie took another sip of her own coffee and set her mug down. “It amazes me that the cast can just get up there on stage and carry on after something this traumatic.”
“It’s called acting,” Roxy said.
“Yes, I can see that.” Sadie said. “And I suspect at least one person will be doing an especially brilliant acting job tonight, whether onstage or off.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“I don’t quite understand it, Coco,” Sadie said, directing her comment down toward her tote. Although her habit of talking to her bag in public sometimes drew stares, the scene at The Sea Urchin was lively enough to cover her conversation with the Yorkie. She popped a pretzel in her mouth, and then dropped another into her bag. As always when an edible item happened to fall into the tote, Coco thanked her with a yip. “This whole business of ‘the show must go on’ seems rather odd to me.” Two more pretzels, one more yip.
Sadie glanced at her watch, an old-fashioned face with a wild plastic zebra print band, one of many interchangeable watchbands sold at Flair. It was a customer favorite, both inexpensive and whimsical. A yellow version with a banana print was popular, as was one with purple monkey faces on a lavender background. Another big seller sported dog bones and paw prints. This was Coco’s favorite, naturally, but Sadie rarely wore it, as it encouraged Coco to gnaw periodically on Sadie’s wrist. The dog’s tiny teeth were hardly painful, but it took a certain amount of patience to repeatedly pry them off.
“I thought I’d find you here,” Roxy said, sliding into the booth. She kept her jacket on, and shook her head when a passing server asked if she’d like anything.
“You’re sure you don’t want potato skins, or a drink?” Sadie said. “I’ll treat.”
“I’m sure,” Roxy said. “Well…no, I’m sure. I have to work.”
“How’d you escape?” Sadie said. “I figured you’d be tied up with the show until it opened tonight. Which is…” Sadie glanced at her watch again. “Only a couple of hours from now.”
“Sid told everyone to take five, and I decided to take twenty. Coop is there if they need something before I get back. Everything’s ready to go.” Roxy scanned the room. “Hmm, I actually thought I might see Sid down here, fortifying himself with a shot or two before the show. But I’m glad he’s not. I’d just as soon talk to you without being interrupted.”
“What’s up?” Sadie flagged down the server and ordered an apple martini with a lemon twist. As the server walked away, she ate another pretzel and dropped the required counterpart in her bag. Yip.
“Word is that the police found something on Brynn’s cell phone,” Roxy said, glancing at Sadie’s tote.
“Her cell phone?” Sadie’s ears perked up. Of course, Brynn would have had her cell phone with her. “How did you find that out?”
“From Coop,” Roxy said, “who heard it from Penelope.”
“The girl in the box office?” Sadie frowned. “What’s with that girl’s attitude, anyway?”
Roxy shrugged. “Don’t ask me. She’s been like that since I’ve known her. Wannabe actress, I guess.”
“She resents not being in the show? She wants to be a star, not a ticket seller?”
“I suppose so,” Roxy said. “The only time I see her smile is when she’s kissing up to Ernie.”
“Hmm…” Sadie mulled this over.
“So, like I was saying,” Roxy continued, “Coop checked in with her at the box office when he went to see if the police were done inspecting the theatre. Sid sent him there to try to speed things along. She overheard the police discussing evidence they were collecting.”
“What else of Brynn’s did they find at the scene?”
“Nothing much, as far as I know. A small rhinestone-studded purse, the kind you might use for a night out on the town. I’m guessing the cell phone fell out of that.”
“Anything else in there?” Sadie asked.
“Lipstick and a small comb, that’s all. And some cash.”
“It wasn’t a robbery, then,” Sadie said. “Not if they left money. It sounds like she was planning a rendezvous,” Sadie said. “Lipstick to touch up her makeup, a comb to touch up her hair…do you think she was meeting someone?”
“It sure seems like it,” Roxy admitted. “But up on the catwalk? I can’t figure that part out. The theatre was empty — or so Brynn would have thought, since it was after hours — so why not just meet in the wings, or her dressing room?”
Sadie’s martini arrived, and Roxy reached over as soon as it was delivered. She took a quick sip and set it down. “Thanks,” she said. “I have no idea why she’d meet anyone on the catwalk, much less who she would be meeting.” She took a second sip of the drink, and then pushed it over to Sadie, as if to offer her some.
“I’ll bet the police have an idea by now,” Sadie said as she pulled her martini discreetly out of Roxy’s reach. “Cell phones hold a lot of information these days.”
Roxy nodded. “Sure, contacts and call history…”
“And texts,” Sadie added.
“Facebook, Twitter, who knows what sites Brynn kept open,” Roxy said. “She was always showy. I can’t imagine she’d be secretive with her phone, probably didn’t even have password protection on half of it.”
“She’d have photos on there, too,” Sadie pointed out.
“I’m sure,” Roxy said. “Most of them of herself, I’d bet.” She grabbed a handful of pretzels, ate one, and then dropped one into Sadie’s tote bag. Yip. “I’d better get back.” Roxy stood. “See you after the show? Come to the stage door. Most everyone will head to Curtain Call, but Coop and I’ll need to stay to clean up.”
Sadie contemplated the new information as she watched Roxy leave. She’d give a lot to know what was on that cell phone. It certainly sounded like Brynn had been planning to meet someone. Lipstick? Comb? Little rhinestone purse? She had plans, all right. Plans that didn’t include lying dead on the stage.
Gulping down the rest of her drink, Sadie left enough money on the table to pay for her martini plus a tip, gathered her tote bag, scooped up two fistfuls of pretzels and headed up to her room. She used her elbow to call the elevator and push the button to her floor. She had to put one fistful of pretzels into her jacket pocket so she could open her door. Once in her room, she switched Coco to her palace and rummaged through the larger than necessary selection of clothes that she’d packed for the trip.
“How about this?” she asked Coco as she stood in front of a full-length mirror and held up the purple mohair sweater and black silk pants that she’d planned to wear. “A little dark? Too funereal in view of the circumstances? Yes, I think so, too.” She put them back in the closet and flipped through several other outfits, finally landing on a favorite multi-colored skirt, ivory blouse and teal vest with square gold buttons. Adding earrings to match, she slipped on gold flats and settled into a comfy armchair. She barely had time to open a glossy guide to local attractions when her cell phone rang.
“Hello Roxy,” Sadie said. She recognized her friend’s number on caller ID.
“Get down to the theatre now,” Roxy whispered.
“What for?” Sadie turned a page in the guidebook, landing on an attractive ad for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She leaned closer to the page as Roxy’s next words came through.
“The police are arresting Russell right this minute,” Roxy said, still keeping her voice low. Sadie could hear a scuffle and arguing in the background.
“Russell?” Sadie searched her memory for a full na
me, but couldn’t quite recall it with a shark staring her in the eyes.
“Yes,” Roxy said. “Russell Garrett, our leading man. They’re arresting him for Brynn’s murder!”
“So they do think it was murder?” Sadie set the magazine aside and sat up straighter.
“That’s what they said when they put the handcuffs on him.” Roxy’s voice quivered. “Can you come down here?”
“Of course,” Sadie said. “I’m not sure how I can help, but I’ll be right there.”
“Trust me, you can help,” Roxy said. “Just get down here. And don’t wear anything fancy. Try pants and a sweatshirt. Something dark.”
“But…” The line disconnected before Sadie could protest. Sighing, she switched to jeans — at least they had rhinestones on the pockets — and a black sweater. It would have to do.
CHAPTER SIX
The front of the theatre appeared calm as Sadie approached on foot, the hour still too early for the audience to be arriving for the show. But the scene around the side of the building was an entirely different story. The area was abuzz with movement. Cast and crew hovered in clusters, some whispering, some rambunctious, but all upset. Sid stood to the side of the stage door, answering questions from an officer taking notes. Alex and Nevada huddled together, deep in conversation, away from the others, maybe trying to run lines. Coop paced back and forth along the length of the alley, muttering to himself.
Roxy stuck her head out the door just as Sadie arrived. She grabbed her arm and quickly pulled Sadie inside before looking her up and down. Apparently the jeans and long-sleeved sweater met Roxy’s approval because she nodded and motioned for Sadie to follow her. It wasn’t until they reached a quiet area up the stage stairs, through the wings, and back behind the rear curtain that Sadie began to catch on. When Roxy lifted a headset off a side table and held it out to Sadie, the picture started to become clear.
“You must be kidding,” Sadie said.
“I wish I were,” Roxy answered. “Please, you have to help me,” she pleaded.
A Sadie Kramer Flair Mystery 02 - A Flair For Drama Page 3
