She couldn’t bear the waiting game he was playing. “Please, tell me. Was it jealousy? Actor on actor?”
“It started out like that, but escalated.” Azaria seemed to enjoy this part of his job and was dragging out telling the details. He set down his tea glass so he could use his hands to gesture. “One of the flying monkeys was romantically interested in one of the ensemble girls.”
“Kenny?” Lucy guessed. She’d seen them in a huddle in the wings, smearing each other’s makeup in their backstage smooching. “Yep, I knew it. He was having a ‘showmance’ with Patty.”
“Right. But then Patty’s attentions turned to Ambrose.”
“Patty was moving up the foodchain. Leadman-itis.”
Cade rolled his eyes. “Who knew all this was going on backstage?”
“Always,” Lucy said. “There’s more drama backstage than onstage in most shows.”
Azaria continued. “So when they both started teasing Kenny-the-flying-monkey, he got bent out of shape. From what we can determine, his intention was just to hit Ambrose over the head with the prop ax. But someone had prank swapped the foam prop for a real ax—”
“Closing show pranks,” Lucy muttered. “My fault for not checking the props.”
Cade patted her knee. “You can’t blame yourself for everything.”
“He’s right,” Detective Azaria said. “When he picked it up, he had to know it wasn’t the rubber one.”
Lucy still felt guilty. “I didn’t know the guy was that unbalanced. He had been known to emote, but to kill someone?”
“He’s got some priors for barroom brawls, a couple of assaults,” Azaria said. “An ex-girlfriend even filed a restraining order against him.”
“Possibly another reason why Patty broke it off with him, she found out what he was capable of.” Lucy felt terrible for not suspecting things were that bad all around her. Her first priority had been to make herself look good. If she ever called another show, she’d be sure to pay more attention to the personal issues, and at least be more aware of possible ticking bombs like this one.
“Yep. So before we could examine the scene, he must have transferred blood from the weapon to the rigging, then removed the ax from the theater.”
Cade looked at Lucy. “Could he have gotten it out of the theater that easily?”
“Oh yeah. They all carry bags and cases full of makeup, changes of clothes. That night, it was crazy backstage, and because it was our last show, he could have made it to his car with practically anything he wanted to.”
“And even when you logged everything from the show to return to the warehouse, the real ax wouldn’t have been found missing,” the detective added.
“Well, that’s right.” Lucy was feeling a little better. “I’m not required to inventory items that remain in the theater, just what’s moved out.”
“How did the men not involved in the show become his co-horts?” Cade asked.
“Probably just some guys Kenny already knew and trusted to cover for him. They’ve both got priors. The ax was found in the van, and it’s in forensics now testing for Ambrose’s blood, and Kenny’s fingerprints.”
“Who tagged and burned Cade’s barn?” Lucy said.
“Same guys. Kenny freaked when you started telling everyone it couldn’t have been a rigging accident, so they were doing everything they could to scare you off. He paid them, or blackmailed them. We’re still working out the details.” He unsnapped the briefcase and pulled out a photo. “This look familiar?”
Lucy nodded, and showed Cade the picture. “It looks just like the prop ax,” he said.
“We have a very talented props designer. Probably used the real one to make the mock-up.” She couldn’t believe how low some people could go and actually use this on someone.
Detective Azaria took out a clear plastic evidence bag. “Does this look familiar as well?”
“The missing log sheet!” Lucy was relieved and angry at the same time. “See? I noted every time I checked the rigging, every day since we moved into the theater! Where did you find this?”
Azaria pointed. “Do you see anything odd?”
She studied it. “It looks like someone was trying to erase my last few entries.”
“That’s what I thought.” He took the evidence from her and returned it to the briefcase. “They must have tried to erase it and then decided it wasn’t going to work and just took it.”
“Why didn’t they shred it or throw it away?” Cade said.
“Who knows,” Azaria shrugged. “My money’s on blackmail since Kenny’s buddies had the ax, and this in their van. They were building up some points, investing in their own future.”
“And they’re the ones who crashed her car and kidnapped her?” Cade said.
“Yes, but that wasn’t Kenny’s idea,” Azaria said. “They were working it in their best interest. They saw an opportunity to make more money, and were possibly going to try to frame him. That part got way out of Kenny’s control.”
“What did they do with it after it was wrecked?” Lucy wondered.
“Parts on a vintage Jeep like that are valuable to a chop shop.”
“It’s never been found then?” Cade said, a note of sympathy in his tone. “All her worldy goods were in that thing.”
“Oh, there’s the good news. You’ll be pleased to know the border patrol found a pile of boxes and suitcases containing clothing matching your description. Sounds like they dumped everything and towed the Jeep somewhere.” He handed her a slip of paper. “Call this number and they’ll tell you where you can pick up your belongings.”
“Isn’t all that evidence as well?” Cade said.
“They’ll keep anything that has fingerprints or DNA, but she can have the rest back.” He stood to go. “I’ll let you know if we find out anything else.” He gestured at her phone. “Is that your new cell?”
“Yes,” Lucy said, and gave him the number. “Thanks for coming all the way out here to tell us in person.”
“My pleasure.” They walked with him to the car. “I was out here interviewing a neighbor who had some graffiti similar to yours, Cade.” He thought a second. “Mrs. Gloria Meadows?”
“Oh no, they’re after her now?”
“You’re not going to believe this, either. We found empty cans of black and red spray paint in the van. I suspect that while they were out here following Lucy, someone hired them to tag the farms around here. They haven’t talked about that, yet, but even if they don’t their employers won’t be too hard to track down since there are only a handful of people who stand to profit from you people selling out.” He paused, his hand on the car door handle. “I hope you don’t though, this valley needs to hold onto properties like yours.” He looked around at the hills. “Heaven.”
Penny and Harry had followed them and sniffed around the car.
“Wait,” Lucy said and picked up Penny. “Detective?”
“Yes?”
“Any idea who might have poisoned Penny? The antifreeze?”
He shook his head. “No, sorry. I guess that was just an accident. Be careful out there,” he said and got in. “Later!”
Cade put an arm around Lucy’s shoulders as they watched the detective drive away. “I guess some mysteries will not be solved. But at least the men who wanted to harm you are in custody, and it looks like your reputation will be redeemed.”
“I’m just glad to know we don’t have to worry about bricks, fires, and graffiti any longer.” They stepped back up on the porch, and Lucy sat down with Penny for a cuddle. “But I still want to know what happened to make my girl so sick.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The next day, Lucy drove into town with Cade and dropped him off at his clinic so she could use his car to run some errands. First, she wanted to visit Justin. He was hobbling around pretty well with a pair of crutches, and they sat down on his couch to catch up. Lucy told him what the detective had said, and they talked about whether either one had a clue a
nything was serious enough to lead to someone’s death.
“I knew there was stuff going on, but there’s always drama in theater,” Justin said.
“Indeed.” She had a sense that Justin was holding back something.
“I’m glad everything’s working out, you should get your job back now.”
“I have one more question, Justin.”
“What?”
“Why were you at the theater that night? You said you didn’t get my phone call.”
“Oh, that.” He scooted a magazine around on his coffee table with the rubber end of a crutch.
“What? You’re not telling me something. Was it you who swapped the ax for the real one? If you did, then I’ll vouch for you it was an innocent prank, and—”
“It wasn’t me. I’ve been known to pull some pranks before, but not that one.”
“Then what is it? You have to tell me.”
A slow smile spread over his face. “I’m kind of embarrassed. I-I’ve been taking voice lessons.” He cut a look to see her reaction. “I go to the theater rehearsal room to practice whenever there’s nothing else going on. I can’t practice here, my neighbors complain.”
“Get out of here! You? You’re always teasing the talent for being divas and…you’re going to audition?” She was as relieved as she was amused. “The truth will be out soon enough, you might as well tell.”
His freckles seemed to deepen even more. “I know, I guess I will some day. Maybe. I’m not any good.”
“You’re very good, I can hear you humming in the headset, singing along sometimes.”
“You do?”
“I do. Go for it!”
“I’ll think about it.” He looked at his bum leg. “I need to learn how to dance as well.”
“That might have to wait a bit, although some of those people might do better with a cast on their leg,” Lucy joked. “I better go. And I for one cannot wait to see you dancing and singing up there on my stage, sir.”
“Where are you living now, didn’t you move out of your apartment?”
“I’m borrowing a room from the vet who saved Penny when she almost died.”
“Aw, how’s Toto doing?”
“All better, and her hair is even growing back.”
“Oh my gosh! It really was poison? Accident, or on purpose?”
“I have no idea. How would someone get to her? And why?”
Justin grabbed his crutches and jammed them under his pits. “Hang on. I have a theory.” She helped him stand.
“What’s that?”
“I used to see Ambrose pour out his water bottle into Penny’s bowl. I just thought he was being nice to her, but then I realized that he was emptying it so he could put vodka in his bottle and sneak a drink back stage.”
“Dillon scolded him for drinking before a rehearsal once. He must have had a real problem.”
“So, what if Kenny had been trying to make Ambrose sick by putting small amounts of antifreeze in his water bottle? But since Ambrose poured that water out, Penny was the one to get sick?”
Lucy hugged Justin’s neck. “You’re a genius!”
***
Lucy did some clothes shopping to replace what she’d lost, and picked up Cade from his clinic. They headed over to a car dealership to check on a pre-owned sedan she’d seen listed. Her dad had offered to loan her the money to buy one and she would pay him back when her insurance money came through from the Jeep.
They were kicking tires when Lucy told Cade about her visit with Justin, and their theory about Penny’s poisoning.
Cade nodded. “That makes total sense. And then when Kenny realized I was onto the reason for her illness, he panicked and tried to scare you away. Probably why they were following you to my place.”
“This one’s got low mileage.” She stopped next to a cute little red Honda.
A few hours later, they’d finished the test drive, negotiated the price, and Lucy followed Cade home in her new car. Penny and Harry ran up to the car, barking until she got out and they recognized her.
Gloria was sitting on the porch, her Palomino tied up to the rail.
“Good afternoon, Gloria, to what do we owe the pleasure?” Cade carried a bag of groceries. “Care to join us for a celebratory spaghetti dinner?”
“That sounds nice but I don’t want to intrude. I was riding past and didn’t think you’d mind if I took a rest.”
“Of course not,” Cade said. “Mi casa, su casa.”
“Let us put these away while you feed the animals,” Lucy said, taking the bags from Cade. “We actually have something we want to talk to you about. Besides the celebration.”
“Oh? What are we celebrating?” Gloria said. “Your new car?”
“Yes, and several more answers to prayer,” Lucy told her. “The main one is, my name’s been cleared of negligence at the theater.” She filled a pot with water to boil for the pasta.
“You’re kidding! So it was murder?”
“Yes. Yes it was. Most sincerely.”
***
“Lucy tells me she’s been cleared to work in the theater again.” Gloria smiled at them over their plates of spaghetti. “I have some news as well we can celebrate.”
“Oh?” Cade passed her the basket of garlic toast.
“I do. I have taken out a loan with the bank and I’m going to begin a new venture, a lifelong dream. Well, you might think it’s silly.”
“Why what is it?”
“I am going to raise llamas.”
“So you’re not selling?”
“Never. I love it out here. The only thing missing is someone to share it all with.”
Cade met Lucy’s gaze over her head.
“Now what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Well,” Lucy said, catching Cade’s gaze. “We’re driving to Phoenix next weekend to pick up my dad and his things so he can move out here.”
Cade winked at her. “We were wondering, Gloria, if you would you be interested in helping us set up a little BBQ dinner party to welcome him. He won’t know a soul out here, and it would be a fun way to welcome him to Morgan Valley.”
Gloria looked from Cade to Lucy. “You two. What are you conspiring?” Her creamy cheeks appled up with the deepest smile dimples Lucy had ever seen. “Any possibility he’s interested in Llama-husbandry?”
***
Gloria had ridden home, promising to call the next day with more ideas for the barbecue. Cade and Lucy cleaned the kitchen, then he walked her out, as had become their custom, to see her to the casita door.
They strolled slowly, arms around each other’s waist, and he stopped her in the middle of the yard. A coyote yelped in the distance, another answered. “You have everything you need? Because if you need anything just let me know.”
“I have absolutely everything I need.”
He cupped her face in his warm hands. The moonlight was just bright enough to illuminate the buildings, cactus and trees. She sensed more than saw his eyes searching hers.
“And more,” she said.
He pulled her close to his chest, and the breeze lifted a strand that had loosened from her braid. It whipped around, and settled on his cheek as his lips met hers.
A tumbleweed rolled past, bobbing and sailing into the starry desert night.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Beverly Nault, a graduate of Texas A&M University, collaborated with Mary McDonough on the bestselling memoir, Lessons from the Mountain, What I Learned from Erin Walton, describing the actress’s life growing up on the acclaimed television drama and her more recent work supporting healthy body image in women and men. Beverly’s fiction series, The Seasons of Cherryvale, is a lighthearted look at what happens when a film crew takes over a small town. No stranger to entertainment herself, Beverly has worked as a props coordinator and set decorator, and earned an Inland Theater League award for costuming. She has taught classes in stagecraft and improvisation, and has judged national improv competitions
. She lives in Temecula with her husband, Gary. They have two grown children; Evan and Lindsay who grew up acting on stage, allowing their mom to learn all about stagecraft and the magic of theater.
Follow Beverly on Facebook, Twitter and find her at beverlynault.com.
Murder, Most Sincerely: A Romantic Backstage Mystery Page 10
