“Stop!” Roxy jumped out and grabbed Sadie’s arm, pulling her back. “You can’t go past that tape.” She pointed to a line on the floor. “That marks the edge of the stage.”
“Well!” Sadie exclaimed, moving back and putting her hands on her hips. “That’s just downright dangerous! Aren’t you all afraid of getting hurt?” She shook her head. “My, oh, my.”
Sid glanced at his watch. “You said you had a suggestion?” Crossing his arms, he began to tap his foot.
Sadie looked back at Roxy, who had started tapping her own watch. Even Coco barked from her picnic basket, urging Sadie to hurry up.
“I don’t think you need to re-bolt anything,” Sadie said.
“Block,” Roxy whispered. “Re-block.”
“Right,” Sadie said, correcting herself. “Re-block, that’s what I meant. Everything is blocky enough.” This elicited more laughter, not at all muffled this time.
“I’m not sure ‘blocky’ is even a word,” Sid said. “It’s certainly not theatre terminology.”
“I kind of like it,” one cast member murmured, eliciting another round of laughter.
Sid clapped his hands sharply. “Everyone, we don’t have time for this. Save your shenanigans for the cast party.”
“Oh! A party!” Sadie exclaimed. “I just love a good party!” She looked around smiling, then became serious when no one responded. Clearing her throat, she got down to business. “OK, I don’t know much about theatre, aside from when Roxy and I starred in our third-grade production of Annie.”
“One line each…” Roxy whispered.
“But I wouldn’t change anything,” Sadie said. “Your audience liked it just the way it was last night. Isn’t that why you asked Coco to stay?”
“That’s true,” a loud voice echoed from the front row of the theatre. “That’s the reason Coco is here.”
“Yes, Ernie.” Sid sighed and leveled his eyes on Sadie. “That’s the reason Coco is here.”
“Well,” Sadie said, ignoring the director’s insinuation that her own presence was unnecessary, “then don’t change anything. Coco is going to do whatever she’s going to do.”
“True.” a young man in picnic attire piped up. “You can’t teach an…”
Sadie glowered at the actor, who interrupted himself mid-sentence.
“…A beautiful dog new tricks, I was going to say.”
“That’s exactly right,” Sadie said. “Though, come to think of it…”
“What? Quickly, please.” Sid tilted his head to the side, impatient.
Sadie looked at Coco, who tilted her head to the side, as well.
“We have an old trick that might work,” Sadie said. “Now that I think about it, I can see why she gave Nevada the grapes last night.” She looked at Coco. “Give toys, Coco.” Obediently, Coco ducked down into the picnic basket and popped up with the grapes from the previous night. Jumping out, she trotted over to Nevada and delivered them, just as she had before. She received a pet on the head from Nevada, and then returned to the picnic basket.
Again, Sadie gave the command. “Give toys.” Coco emerged with a plastic banana, which she dragged over the edge of the basket and across the floor, choosing Alex as the recipient this time. The cast members applauded. Now, enthusiastic from the responses, she trotted confidently back to the basket, chose another item, and delivered it to yet another person.
Sadie looked over at Roxy. “Is there any way she could hear me give the commands?”
“I think I can arrange that,” Coop said. “I can set up a small speaker inside the picnic basket.”
She turned her gaze back to Sid. “You see? It will be fine.”
“OK, nothing else changes, then,” Sid said. “Nevada and Alex, you two will adlib that final scene, like last night.” Sid clapped his hands again. “You can all go. Call time is 6. I expect everyone here promptly.”
CHAPTER TEN
Coco sat demurely in front of the dressing room mirror.
“Isn’t she adorable?” Sadie squealed. “I just love the new look!”
Coco tipped her head to the side and wagged her tail, admiring herself in the mirror. The flashy rhinestone collar and six-inch wide sequined bow framed the Yorkie’s head well, though it also dwarfed it. The matching three-inch sequined bow on her tail completed the look. Sadie had to hand it to the wardrobe girl for the inventive accessories.
“I debated a small tutu, but ruled it out,” Freda said. She snipped a thread off the larger bow and let go of the small pair of scissors strung on a ribbon around her neck.
Sadie almost choked on a forkful of chocolate lava cake. “Oh, it’s a good thing you did!” she exclaimed. “Coco is terrified of tutus!”
“Afraid of tutus?” Roxy looked up from her prompt book, where she was marking a new lighting cue to spotlight the picnic basket. “Is that a real thing? A fear of tutus?”
“I suppose it could be,” Sadie mused. “Tutuphobia, maybe?”
“A canine disorder?” Roxy quipped, going back to writing her notes. “Then again…” She looked back up. “I may have had that as a child. But I think it might have been Preferring Soccer to Ballet Syndrome, instead.”
“Why?” Freda asked.
“I was just always a tomboy at heart,” Roxy said, assuming the question was for her.
“No, I meant, why is this dog afraid of tutus?”
Sadie laughed. “Well that’s a funny story. A few years ago, there was a Halloween carnival at a nearby dog park. Costumes were encouraged. So, I figured, why not?”
“You put her in a tutu?” Roxy asked. “Made her into a Yorkie Prima Ballerina?”
“Heavens, no, nothing that crazy.” Sadie shook her head. “Coco was dressed up as Carmen Miranda.”
“Right…” Roxy said slowly. “Because that is less crazy than being a ballerina.”
Sadie huffed. “Well, to Coco it certainly was. She’s always been fond of salsa music, so I figured a Brazilian twist could work.”
“How did that go?” Roxy asked.
“Fine,” Sadie said. “After a few days of me singing “The Dog from Ipanema” to her, she fell right into the role. Even developed some four-pawed bossa nova moves.” Sadie smiled proudly while Roxy and Freda exchanged looks. “And she adored the headpiece I made for her,” Sadie added. “It had perfectly balanced miniature pieces of fruit, held securely in place with an elastic chin strap.”
“Hence her fascination with the fruit in the picnic basket,” Roxy said.
Sadie’s eyes opened wide. “It hadn’t occurred to me, but I guess so!”
“I’m having trouble tying this in with her fear of tutus, for some reason,” Freda said.
“Ah, I’m getting to that.” Sadie began to pace, giving the story a dramatic tone. “There was another dog there, a Poodle named Precious Princess, I believe, who was decked out in full Swan Lake regalia.”
“White or black?” Freda asked.
“Fur or tutu?” Sadie said.
Freda sighed. “Tutu, of course.”
“Black,” Sadie said.
“That’s explains it,” Freda said. “Odile. I’d be afraid, too.”
“I could not be more confused about where this conversation is going,” Sadie said, rhinestones shimmering as she stopped pacing and placed her hands on her hips.
“On a tangent, I dare say.” Roxy sent a disapproving look in Freda’s direction. She then turned to Sadie. “Odile is the Black Swan in Swan Lake, the evil daughter of the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart. Had the girl worn white …”
“Poodle,” Sadie corrected.
“Of course.” Roxy sighed. “Had the poodle worn white, she would have been Odette, the Swan Princess.”
“You must have seen the Black Swan costume that Margot Fonteyn wore opposite Nureyev in 1964, right? Magnificent.” Freda looked past Sadie to Roxy.
“How old do you think I am, Freda?” Roxy snorted.
“That gold braiding and sequins, the lace and pearls
…” Freda continued. “I saw it in a book once.”
Sadie cleared her throat. “SO, it turned out Precious Princess was not so precious. She became enamored of the fruit that I’d so carefully positioned on Coco’s headpiece. She chased my poor dog all over that park, pulling fruit off her head. She was too quick for her owner and me to catch her at first. Poor Coco was terrified, and she hid behind benches and trash cans. It was traumatizing. She only calmed down when I collected the fruit, took her home, and reassembled her costume. Since then, she panics anytime she sees a tutu.”
“I take it you two don’t go to the ballet,” Roxy said.
“Heavens, no!” Sadie covered Coco’s ears, as if the mere reference might send the Yorkie into a panic.
“Watch that bow!” Freda snapped, pointing to the sequined piece atop Coco’s head.
Coop peered into the room. “Am I interrupting anything important?”
“Hardly,” Roxy said.
“Good,” Coop replied. “Sid wants to see you up front, Rox.”
“Fine, tell him I’ll be right there.” She turned back as Coop left. “Freda, are we done with Coco’s wardrobe fitting?”
“As done as we’ll ever be.” Freda removed the collar and bows, placing them neatly on the dressing table, where they could be put on just before the show. Coco whined slightly as the wardrobe manager left the room, as if she were sorry to lose both the attention and the flashy getup.
“I’ve got to go see what Sid wants,” Roxy said. “You two are free to go. Call time is six o’clock.”
“Fine, I’ll have my phone with me,” Sadie said as she picked up Coco and placed her in her tote bag.
“That means you need to be here at six o’clock,” Roxy clarified.
“Oh.” Sadie paused, thinking back to Sid’s words when he dismissed the cast. “Got it.”
* * *
The hotel lobby was quiet when Sadie entered. It was the lull between when guests checked out in the morning and new guests checked in during the late afternoon or evening. A dull hum of voices wafted out from The Sea Urchin, which appeared empty at first glance. The room wasn’t empty, though. At the far end of the bar sat a man who resembled the lead actor in Songs to the Sun. Was this possible? Wasn’t he in jail?
Since she hadn’t officially met Russell yet, Sadie took advantage of her anonymity to slink casually inside. She sat at a table far enough away to avoid arousing suspicion, but close enough to eavesdrop on the animated conversation Russell was having with the bartender. She set her tote bag on the chair beside her and debated drink options as a server approached.
“What can I get for you?”
“Just coffee would be great,” Sadie said. It was bound to be a long evening. Staying awake and thinking clearly would be wise. “And more pretzels, if you don’t mind.”
“Coffee it is,” the server said. “And I’ll refill the snack dish.”
“Thank you,” Sadie said, and then leaned closer and whispered. “Isn’t that one of the actors from the show? You know, from the theatre down the street?”
“Yes.” The server nodded as she placed a napkin on the table in front of Sadie and picked up the half-empty bowl of pretzels. “You know they took him down to the jail?”
“Really?” Sadie raised her eyebrows. “Why?”
“I guess they took him in for questioning. Something to do with the other night,” the server said, keeping her voice low. “You know another star in that show died, fell from the theatre’s catwalk. At least that’s what they said on the news.”
“I heard something about that,” Sadie said, grabbing a few pretzels as the dish hovered in the air. More room for refills. “Well, I can understand relaxing here after an ordeal like that,” Sadie said.
“Oh, he’s here all the time. He’s sort of friends with Tony, our bartender.” She tipped her head in the direction of the sandy-haired man behind the bar who was pouring a drink for Russell.
“Will he be performing tonight?” Sadie asked suddenly, concerned Coco was about to lose her newly found star status.
“I certainly hope not,” the server whispered. “He’s on his fourth scotch, I think. I’ll get your coffee.”
Sadie settled back as the server retreated to the bar and poured coffee from a glass carafe. Once the coffee and full bowl of pretzels were in front of her, Sadie dropped a pretzel into the tote bag and turned her attention to the conversation at the bar.
“I can’t believe Ernie left me in there overnight.” Russell’s voice sounded shaky compared to the smooth voice Sadie heard coming from the stage the night of the dress rehearsal. The muted acoustics of the bar were far different from the bold echo in the theatre. The scotch probably wasn’t helping, either.
“Be grateful he showed up to bail you out at all. You’re lucky,” the bartender said. “You said the text on the victim’s phone was from you?”
“Yes, but that makes no sense, Tony. I didn’t even have my phone that night. I couldn’t find it after the dress rehearsal.”
“You think someone took it?”
“What else could it be?” Russell said. “Someone’s trying to set me up.”
“Anyone in the cast have jealousy issues?” Sadie thought Tony sounded more like a bartender making idle conversation than a friend who was genuinely curious or concerned.
“Of Brynn? Sure,” Russell said. “Nevada, for one, though she never let on. But she knew she should have had Brynn’s part.”
“Nevada is the understudy, right?”
“Right. So now she is playing the lead.”
“With you.” Running water and a clink of glasses indicated Tony was washing out barware while talking. “She’s playing opposite you now.”
“Yes,” Russell said. “Though not tonight. Sid told me to wait until next weekend to come back. They have some stupid dog in the show tonight.”
Sadie bristled, hoping Coco hadn’t heard the rude comment. Looking into the tote bag, she was pleased to see Coco curled up in a ball, snoozing.
“Ah, yes,” Tony laughed. “I heard about that. Publicity stunt, I guess.”
“That’s what I’m figuring,” Russell said. “Or diversion tactic. I wouldn’t put it past Mitchell to come up with a crazy scheme like that. But I can use the night off after everything that’s I’ve been through. I didn’t sleep too well last night, either.”
“No, I bet you didn’t.” More clinking of glasses.
“I just can’t figure out why someone would want to frame me,” Russell continued, his words a touch slurred. “Or how they got ahold of my phone. Without me knowing, even. I always have it with me.”
“Always?”
“Yes!” Russell insisted, his voice louder than before. “Except…” He paused. “Except occasionally I leave it in the car.”
“Do you keep your car unlocked?”
“Never unlocked.”
“Anyone borrow your car recently?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Where else?”
“Nowhere.” The conversation paused, and then Russell spoke again. “Wait, that’s not true. I don’t take it on stage with me.”
“What do you do with it?”
“I leave it in my dressing room.”
“Do you lock the door?”
“No, I don’t lock it. I don’t need to. No one goes into my dressing room.”
That you know of, Sadie thought to herself. An unlocked door is an unlocked door.
Russell stood up, downed the rest of his drink, and set the glass down on the bar counter with a solid clunk. “I’m out of here. Where’s my car key?”
“You can pick it up tomorrow, Russell. I’ll call you a cab.”
Russell grumbled. “First I lose my phone, now my key. Fine, I’ll walk. Half a mile. No problem.”
Sadie lowered her head and sipped coffee as Russell walked out. From the corner of her eye she could see the bartender shaking his head. Gathering up her tote bag, she left money on the table for co
ffee and a tip, and headed to her room. Coco’s idea of a short nap suddenly sounded appealing. It was going to be a long night.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
When the alarm beeped, Sadie sat up and checked the clock. 4:30 p.m. She had just the right amount of time to dress, have a quick bite at Curtain Call, and get to the theatre on time. She prepared a bowl of Coco’s current favorite food. Sadie alternated, as some days Coco wanted her kibble mixed with a petite can of filet-mignon-flavored fare, while other days she preferred fresh grilled chicken strips with a touch of gravy. The canned food was much more practical when traveling, so on this particular night Sadie poured the kibble/filet mignon mixture into Coco’s Villeroy and Boch china food dish, and then jumped in the shower.
Thirty minutes later, Sadie had donned a second black outfit that she’d found at the mall. After all, there was no reason to buy just one set of clothes when one could buy two. She loved the neckline on this outfit, its gold-beaded trim. It wasn’t as flashy as the rhinestone top she’d worn to the emergency rehearsal, but would be just right in view of Roxy’s subtle suggestion that she wear something less sparkly. Satisfied she looked every bit the proud stage mom that she was, she put away Coco’s dinner bowl, washed Coco’s paws and brushed both her hair and the pup’s fur, and walked down to Curtain Call.
The café was busier than she expected it to be at this time. At only a few minutes past five o’clock, half of the tables were already occupied, as well as several counter seats along the front window. Sadie waited in a short line, ordered a ham and cheddar croissant and an iced tea, and sat at a miniscule table against the wall. She pulled the only other chair around from the opposite side of the table and set down the tote bag. She settled in to people watch as she sipped her iced tea.
She didn’t know most of the diners, though she recognized a couple of crew members – none with a name she could place. She continued to scan the room as April, the cashier from the first day Sadie had arrived in town, slid the warm croissant in front of her. She thanked April for the food and paused to look around the room again as the girl stepped away. That was when she noticed two women in a far corner, hunched together in animated conversation. Penelope and Freda?
A Sadie Kramer Flair Mystery 02 - A Flair For Drama Page 6