Murder Takes Center Stage

by Tracy D. Comstock

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  MURDER TAKES CENTER STAGE

  by

  TRACY D. COMSTOCK

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  Copyright © 2016 by Tracy D. Comstock

  Cover design by Yocla Designs

  Gemma Halliday Publishing

  http://www.gemmahallidaypublishing.com

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  To my boys

  Garrett—your creative nature, desire to stand up for what is right, and loving ways continually inspire me.

  Trevyn—your smile, enthusiasm for life, and caring spirit make me so very proud of you.

  I love you both with all my heart. Always and forever.

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  PROLOGUE

  The backstage area was only dimly lit by glowing Exit signs. He moved quietly, wondering who had called him and asked to meet back here. It had been a long night, and he was ready for a quiet night in with his love. Still, whoever had left him the anonymous message had said that his love's daughter was in danger. He had wanted to tell her where he was going, but he didn't want to worry her unnecessarily. The message, this meeting, could all be a hoax anyway.

  "Hello?" he called softly. "Is anyone back here?"

  Only silence greeted him. He reached for his cell phone to bring up his flashlight app before remembering he had left it in the car on the charger. Oh well, he shrugged. He moved deeper into the shadows behind the set, pausing to admire the ingenious door design that Ray Taylor had constructed. He saw something reflecting the light and reached down to examine the object. He was surprised to note that it was the prop rope they were using earlier that night in rehearsals. It was a sturdy nylon rope tied in an effective noose. He felt a slight shudder of repulsion holding the play weapon in his hand.

  Deciding he had waited long enough, he turned to leave but saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. He started to turn, but he never saw a single soul. The impact of the .38 revolver had him stumbling backward into the door. He slid to the floor, still holding the rope in his now lifeless fingers.

  The killer stepped forward and surveyed the scene with grim satisfaction. It was easy enough to place the rope around his neck and tug. It added a nice dramatic touch. Maneuvering his body into the rigging on the set door took a bit more doing, however, but once it was accomplished, it was perfection. They were right, whoever they were. Revenge was sweet.

  CHAPTER ONE

  The delicious combination of warm sun and cool breezes enticed Emily Taylor to walk the distance from her apartment back to the school for rehearsals. She had been trying to fit some more exercise in her busy life, and this was an evening that begged to be spent enjoying some fresh air. She waved to her neighbor, school counselor Helen Burning, who was just pulling into their shared carport, and she headed out. Storms were predicted for that weekend, but right now the sky was still a brilliant blue, just tinged with pink as the sun settled lower in the sky. Emily inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of burning leaves, spicy mums, and crisp air that was uniquely fall. Definitely her favorite time of year. Although she hadn't planned on spending this season working on the school play, she was actually enjoying herself.

  She reflected back on that fateful faculty meeting when her innocent comment, "I loved being in drama in high school," was misconstrued as volunteering to take over the direction of the school's fall play production. But with only a week until opening night, things were running more smoothly than she could have hoped for, thanks to the help of the new junior high English teacher, Destiny Willis, who had majored in theater in college. She was glad she had not maintained the cool distance she originally established with Destiny due to her earlier experience with fellow math teacher, Maclaine Forrester. Maclaine had irritated her with her initial clinginess to her boyfriend, Tad Higginbotham. But once Emily discovered the beautiful blonde had a boyfriend and then ended up saving both her and Maclaine's lives from a psychotic killer, the two women had become close friends. Apparently a near-death experience was good for cementing friendships for life.

  Maclaine had fallen hard for one of Emily's former classmates, a guy who had been a jerk in high school but appeared to have turned his life and attitude around. Unfortunately, leopards didn't really change their spots. On top of that, a crazed killer intent on vengeance had murdered the mayor of Ellington, Maclaine's aunt, at the end-of-year school carnival. Emily had gone to have a heart-to-heart with Maclaine right before the killer showed up, looking to take out another victim. They both survived the ordeal physically, but it had taken Maclaine quite some time to get over the loss of her aunt. Emily and her friends had been there for her through her grieving process, and they were all very close now.

  Still, due to her initial reaction to Maclaine, Emily had been hesitant to welcome another young, pretty woman to the staff. With her luscious brunette curls, bright emerald eyes, and a petite-yet-curvy figure, she looked like a supermodel. But inside, Destiny was a true sweetheart, and with their shared love of literature and fabulous footwear, she had now become a part of Emily's circle of friends.

  Life was good, she decided, inhaling the crisp air deeply. There was something about fall that brought the idea of unfulfilled promises and dreams to mind. Even as a child, Emily had felt as if each new school year was like a blank slate, ready to be filled with accomplishments and defeats, joys and triumphs. She had started a new journal on the night before the first day of school, just as she always had. One of her favorite books growing up was Betsy and the Great World by Maud Hart Lovelace. Betsy had started a fresh journal every school year, so that was a good enough reason for Emily. Last year's journal contained quite a bit of danger and drama when her neighbor and friend, Helen, had been suspected of murdering the high school football coach. And this past summer, another of Emily's friends and the local dentist, Amelia Franklin, had been framed for murdering the mayor. Emily's journal for this school year had so far been filled with the enjoyable, if sometimes frazzling, details of producing the school play, a take on the 1980s film Clue. It was her most fervent wish that this year, there would be no murder investigation to detail in the blank pages of her leather-bound journal.

  A voice shouting her name shook Emily out of her thoughts. She was in sight of the front doors of the school, and her best friend since kindergarten, Gabby Spencer, was waving at her, looking stunning as always, the stiffening breeze swirling dark curls around her face. With her slender figure and ethereal face, she was a contrast to Emily. Although others viewed her as a petite, cute dynamo, Emily didn't see the same image in the mirror that they saw. She loathed the extra weight she always felt she carried around her hips. She shoved at her choppy, chin-length hair as the wind blew it into h
er eyes. As night crept up on Ellington, Emily hurried to meet Gabby.

  "Out walking? You were serious about getting more exercise this school year, weren't you?" Gabby asked, securing her curls into a bouncy ponytail as the two made their way into the dim auditorium.

  "I was," Emily confirmed, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darker interior. "Plus, it's so gorgeous outside, I couldn't resist. How are the twins?"

  Gabby's twins had turned three the week before. They were the light of Gabby and her husband Greg's life, but Gabby had graciously volunteered to help out with the play as Emily's right-hand woman. It was fun to have her around, reminding Emily of their own high school days. "They're wonderful," Gabby said and then sighed, "if rambunctious. I thought I had it easy as we never seemed to experience the dreaded 'terrible twos.' I think they were just lulling me into a false sense of security because it would appear the terrible threes are upon us. Greg took them to the park to hopefully work off some of their excess energy." Emily laughed, but she secretly wondered how Gabby handled being a stay-at-home mom. She adored her goddaughters, but she was often glad to leave the chaos-filled home of the Spencers for her own quiet abode—a place where she could sleep all night, undisturbed.

  Noticing that Destiny was already herding the students into the wings to start rehearsal, Gabby and Emily took seats in a middle row of the auditorium to take notes on the performance. They watched students take their places for the scene in which Mrs. Peacock thinks she's been poisoned, and Gabby commented, "All of the kids are excellent in their roles. Annabeth did a great job of casting." Annabeth Cardinal, an enthusiastic and bubbly woman with striking red hair, was a local theater member who had volunteered her time to help with the school play. Her input and expertise had truly been invaluable in getting the students to the level they were currently at in their performance.

  "I don't know what we would have done without her," Emily agreed. "The only one I worry about is Jeweliah. I'm sure that's why Destiny is starting with this scene." Jeweliah Jones, a junior with a keen interest in writing, had been cast for the role of Mrs. Peacock. Although she had her lines down pat, her performance was still stilted. In the scene they were currently performing, her scream was so unnatural sounding that it reminded Emily of nails on chalkboard. Destiny was trying to motivate her by asking her to imagine her outrage if her best friend had just stolen her boyfriend.

  Gabby leaned over to whisper, "You would think that just having a mother like hers would be incentive enough to scream." Emily stifled a laugh as she nudged Gabby in the ribs. She had to agree, though, that Sapphira Jones was a piece of work. Emily's own mother, Susan Taylor, was helping with the costumes for the production and had complained about Sapphira more than once, which was odd as she typically found the best in everyone. With Sapphira, she had drawn a blank. "That woman needs to spend more time focusing on her daughter and less time worrying about her latest conquests," had been Susan's latest rant. With her eclectic wardrobe and love of all things crafty, Susan had been a tremendous help to Emily throughout the planning stages of this production, even if she did hate dealing with Sapphira Jones. Emily looked around for any sign of the show-stealing mother before she made her way to the stage to try her own form of motivation with Jeweliah.

  Letting out another caterwaul that had her fellow castmates cringing, Jeweliah asked Destiny, "How was that, Ms. Willis? Better?"

  Destiny threw a desperate look Emily's way. With what she hoped was an encouraging smile, Emily said, "Better, Jeweliah. But why don't you try to imagine that you have just received a B on a writing assignment that you have been working on perfecting for days?" A look of sheer horror spread across Jeweliah's face, and she let loose a truly terrified-sounding scream. Everyone applauded. With a satisfied nod at Destiny, who was beaming with pride, Emily turned to see what else needed her attention. A strong arm circled her shoulder as a warm whisper tickled her ear. "Well done, Pit." Emily growled at the use of his pet nickname for her, as it was very unflattering in her eyes. He had once said she was as tough as a pit bull, ready to bite someone's leg off and beat them with it. But Tad ignored her, continuing, "Now, I wonder what kind of motivation is prompting our intrepid reporter to continue adjusting the lighting?" Tad pointed up to the spotlights hung above the stage. Albert French, a shy, bumbling local newsman and sometimes substitute teacher, had volunteered his services for the sound and lighting crew, but both Emily and Tad suspected that his interests lay more with impressing Destiny than with helping the school play.

  As they moved back to sit with Gabby, Emily noticed Destiny giving Albert a dazzling smile. "Somehow, I think that's motivation enough," Emily told them, nodding toward the stage. Albert bobbled a light, and they all held their breath, afraid he might come tumbling off the catwalk. He righted himself and blushed deeply. With a sigh of relief, Gabby said, "Thankfully, any press is good press. Albert might not be the best writer on the staff, but at least he is aware of all the goings-on here."

  "I hope he'll be here tomorrow for Mr. Bodley's visit," Emily said. James Bodley, with his almost-on-Broadway performances, was often talked about. It didn't hurt that he was gorgeous to boot.

  She was excited to tell the rest of the cast after rehearsals that the famous stage star would be helping out during their final week of rehearsals. She had contacted him through her friends of the library group, as Virginia Fulton, one of the most active members, was his aunt. She told Emily how much acting on the Ellington High stage had meant to him in his youth. Emily had emailed him, and he had sounded genuinely touched to be asked. She knew the students would be thrilled. Anyone who came out of Ellington and made it big was bragged about all over town.

  Gabby gave a dramatic sigh and muttered, "Be still my heart."

  Tad looked miffed, but Emily knew they were just playing. Still, Tad said, "I may not like having Mr. Broadway around, but I wouldn't miss tomorrow's rehearsals for the world." With a quick grin, he explained, "Someone has to sample Mr. Greenbalm's pastries to make sure they're up to snuff."

  "Oh, you!" Emily laughed. Scoring treats from Mr. Greenbalm's bakery, The Patisserie, was the icing on the cake so to speak. His pastries were quite famous of their own accord, but now people from all over called in special orders to the gifted baker since he had won an episode of Cupcake Wars. For the production of Clue, he had whipped up some fabulously delicious, simply elegant treats to be served at intermission. The various pastries reminded Emily of something one might see at a high tea, and she was sure it would be a huge boon to the money raised from the performance for the fine arts department. She was determined that this would be a record-breaking fund-raiser. She wanted to see a full-time drama teacher hired so that she wasn't stuck with the duty again. Not that it had turned out so bad, thanks to all of the help. "His honey scones are to die for," Emily admitted. "I'm glad he is doing a trial run tomorrow night. I know the kids will appreciate it."

  "So will my stomach." Tad patted his flat stomach, and Emily tried not to be jealous. Sucking in her own less than flat stomach she ordered him off to help her dad, Mr. Fix It himself, with the set construction. Tonight her dad was setting up the doorway that would serve as a focal point for much of the scenery.

  "I think I'll check in with Mom and see how costume alterations are coming while Destiny wraps up rehearsals," Emily said. She and Gabby made their way to the labyrinth of rooms behind the stage. In one of the rooms often used for a hospitality room during sporting events or debate tournaments, the two found Susan hard at work alongside Pearl Lowe, a renowned seamstress in her sixties, who had been drafted, though Emily thought a trifle unwillingly, to help with the production's costumes.

  Susan looked up with her usual smile and asked, "Have you made the announcement about Mr. Bodley yet?"

  Before Emily could answer, Pearl fixed her with a hawk-like gaze and repeated, "Bodley?"

  Gabby nodded enthusiastically. "Isn't it wonderful? James Bodley is going to be in town visiting his aunt and agreed
to help with the final week of rehearsals! But I'm sure you already know him, don't you, Ms. Lowe, from working at the theater so long?" Ms. Lowe had worked in the costume department of the theater for ages before suddenly retiring a few years back. She had become practically a recluse, but Susan had badgered her until she agreed to help with this production, insisting that it would do her good to get out of the house more.

  Ms. Lowe gave a tight nod and said, "Yes, I knew him," and then went back to her sewing. Emily raised her eyebrows at her mom, but Susan just shrugged. Who knew what had upset the older woman? She seemed to have sewn a permanent scowl upon her own face.

  "I plan to make the announcement at the end of rehearsals. They should be wrapping up soon. Destiny has had everything well under control this evening, so I've basically just been checking to see if there is anything I can do."

  "We're all good," Susan told her. "I'll come out to hear the announcement. I'm anxious to see everyone's reactions." Laying her sewing aside, she asked Ms. Lowe, "Coming, Pearl?"

  Ms. Lowe didn't even look up as she shook her head no. With a what-can-you-do look at Emily and Gabby, Susan left Ms. Lowe to her work to follow them out to the auditorium. Destiny was wrapping up rehearsals, so Emily called all of the cast and crew to the front of the stage. She made a point of complimenting each of the students on their hard work, especially Jeweliah on her improved scream. She blushed and nodded in thanks, but a cheer rose from the seats. Looking over her shoulder, Emily saw Sapphira had arrived to pick up her daughter. With her over-the-top makeup and Texas tall hair, Sapphira was hard to miss.

  Many of the teachers had wondered aloud why Jeweliah still did not have a driver's license as a junior, but Emily suspected it was just one more way that Sapphira managed to keep her thumb on her daughter. Jeweliah looked distinctly uncomfortable now as her mom cheered from the audience, so Emily hurried on with her announcement. "Guys, I have a great surprise for you! I know you've all heard of Mr. James Bodley of off-Broadway fame?" When the students all nodded, she waited another moment to build the suspense before declaring, "Well, he's coming here to help us with our final week of rehearsals!" She and Destiny exchanged high fives as the students erupted in cheers and began talking a mile a minute, imagining how amazing their performances could be with that kind of input and guidance.