Murder in the Shadows

by Jade Astor

  Darian rolled his eyes. “My skin had better not puff up tomorrow.” Jamie poked at the skin above his collar. Darian still didn’t see a single mark.

  “There’s nothing,” he assured him once again. “You’re fine.”

  “Let’s hope that’s still true tomorrow. One fingerprint on my throat tomorrow, and Mr. Victor Reece will hear from my attorney.” Jamie sniffed haughtily. “Victor doesn’t know a thing about acting. You’re supposed to pretend to strangle someone, not really do it. That’s just one of many things I learned during my soap opera career.”

  Darian nodded, wondering if the neck-wringing he referred to had ever happened off stage as well as on. Like Victor, he could understand the temptation to practice on Jamie before the camera started recording.

  “But I guess I should be charitable. Poor boy doesn’t have the talent to suggest Thaddeus’s rage any other way.” He pushed a jar of powder in Darian’s direction. “Go ahead and fix me up. Not too much or I’ll look pale in the video. Caleb’s not a ghost—not in this version of the script, anyway.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “Of course you will. What more can anyone ask?” While Darian went to work with the powder, struggling to recall everything Sandra had shown him, Jamie sighed. “You know, I’ve been wondering if I should demand some changes to the plot after all. I really wish Logan wouldn’t go that old victim-taking-revenge-on-his-killer route. It’s so clichéd.”

  “Well, zombie stories are popular for a reason,” Darian appeased him. “Logan must have written his script with a particular audience in mind.”

  Jamie barked out an angry half-laugh. “He’s crazy if he thinks anyone’s going to click on this thing more than once or twice just to see what it’s about. We’ll never get big sponsors.”

  “The fact that he’s making his sister work on this turkey is a perfect example. I don’t like her, but she wasn’t exaggerating when she told us about how good her thesis was. She could be doing something much better with her life. But Logan makes sure she doesn’t stray far from his side.”

  Privately, Darian wondered how Logan could possibly do that. Sandra didn’t strike him as the shrinking violet type who was easily manipulated. But he was willing to concede that Jamie probably knew more about the dynamics between the siblings than he ever would—or wanted to.

  “Later on, I’ll need you to do something about my pores. I feel like I’ve been slathered in house paint. Breaking out overnight is the last thing I need.” To make his point, Jamie used his fingers to stretch out his cheek. “Sandra says a little over-the-counter facial wash and a gentle exfoliant should do the trick. Then I’m supposed to add some moisturizer before I go to sleep. Can you believe her, expecting me to do all that myself? At my last gig they paid someone to do nothing but look after my clothes, hair, and skin. It never occurred to me to get Logan to write that into my contract. I assumed it just came with the territory when one has professional credits. I won’t make that mistake again. However, I’m willing to make do with you unless you give me a good reason not to.”

  “I think you’ve stumbled onto the problem, actually,” Darian said, allowing himself a touch of smugness. “Logan isn’t paying me a dime. So you’ll have to take what you can get on this production, I’m afraid.”

  “What?” Darian couldn’t tell if Jamie’s horror was feigned. “Who works for free in today’s world? You put the time in, you should get paid. Not as much as someone like me, of course, but whatever pittance Logan can afford. Simple as that.”

  “In the old days people’s parents had to pay for apprenticeships,” Darian pointed out. “I figure as long as Logan doesn’t ask me for money, I’m still ahead of the game.”

  Jamie shrugged. “It’s up to you if you want to sell yourself short. Of course, not all rewards come in monetary form. Paychecks or not, I suppose you’ll learn a thing or two about filmmaking while you’re here. Logan’s a skinflint, true, but he does have some skill or I wouldn’t bother to work with him even for money.” He stood up and turned, forcing Darian to step back toward the wall. Jamie closed the distance between them with two catlike steps. “Now that I think of it, I’ve been meaning to talk to you…Darian. I’ve decided I need some help with my lines. You see, Victor and I are supposed to film a love scene tomorrow, and I need some inspiration.”

  “Uh….”

  Jamie pushed in closer until Darian felt his back touch the wall. Leaning sideways, Jamie casually reached over and pushed the door shut. His lips, freshly touched up with rosy gloss, curved mischievously. “I’m into method acting. You know, live as though you were that character. I figure Caleb is a seducer. So I want to practice seducing.”

  “What about Logan?” Darian stammered.

  “Logan and I have an open relationship. And I heard Victor saying you were newly single.”

  “Oh, did he? I think he might have made a premature assumption.”

  “Well, every relationship ends sooner or later, right? So we’re all single all the time in that sense. Can I let you in on a secret? I like to get to know the people I work with. I mean really get to know them.”

  “I’m sorry, but no.”

  “Holding out for Victor, are you?” Sighing, Jamie stepped back, shaking his head. Darian relaxed. “Hate to tell you, but that’s a lost cause. He doesn’t do long-term relationships. Not that he doesn’t have very good reasons.”

  “Because he’s an actor, you mean?”

  “That might be one,” Jamie replied mysteriously. “Mind you, I can’t say I’m surprised that you’d go for him. And I suppose it makes sense he’d return your interest. What guy doesn’t love it when someone pays him lots of attention? Hero worship is very hard for the average mortal to resist.”

  “We’re not going into this,” Darian informed him. “I came to help you with your makeup and that’s it. Logan wants you back downstairs as soon as possible so Chuck can go on filming.”

  “Victor’s very charming, isn’t he?” Jaime went on as if he hadn’t heard. “I can understand the attraction. He knows how to talk to people. To say he’s good-looking is an understatement. But above all, he’s an actor. Don’t forget that part. He’s playing a role all the time.”

  “Not all the time. That’s not possible for anyone.”

  “Don’t be too sure. He’ll lead you on and then before you know it, everything will change and the true Victor will come out. ”

  “If you say so.”

  “I do. I’ve known him a long time.” Jaime looked off into the distance as if he were gazing into the past. “Victor’s not who you think he is,” he said after a while. “When you get the chance, ask him about his college years. Or, better yet, his time at Birchwood. I think you’ll find his answers quite enlightening.”

  Darian had heard enough. He opened the door.

  “Fine. If you’re not interested in helping me rehearse, off with you. I’ll have to practice in front of a mirror. Much less fun, but perhaps more efficient.”

  “I’ll see you downstairs,” Darian said as he stepped out. As soon as he did, he stopped short. Logan was standing directly in front of him, his face a complete blank. His posture, though, looked stiff with anger.

  “What’s going on up here? Is Jamie ready to continue or not?”

  “He should be all set, makeup wise. Victor was telling the truth. Not a single mark on him,” Darian told him. Logan nodded and reached past him, pulling the door all the way open again. Inside, Jamie had stretched out on the bed, wearing a smug expression. He had crooked his left arm behind his head and rested his other hand on his right thigh.

  “Come on,” Logan ordered as Darian slipped away gratefully. “Get back downstairs. Chuck’s fixed the light and we’re ready to pick the scene up again.”

  “Uh oh,” Victor said when Darian got downstairs. He had been standing alone in the foyer, apparently waiting for everyone to come back. Through the open doorway, Darian could see Wes setting up the new light while Chuck lo
oked through his camera lens. “I can see by your face that something’s happened.”

  “Uh….not really,” Darian said, embarrassed. Victor raised his eyebrows.

  “Aha! Don’t tell me that Jamie hit on you.”

  Darian blushed. “Sort of. He wanted help rehearsing. At least, that’s the way he expressed it.”

  “No surprise there. Right on schedule, according to my calculations.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning he pulls this stunt every time he starts a new gig. Logan tells me about it—or maybe I should say whines about it. More than I want to hear, frankly.”

  “He told me he and Logan had an open relationship.”

  “They do as far as Jamie is concerned. Logan doesn’t necessarily agree.”

  Interesting, though not exactly a shocker. Darian cleared his throat. The next thing he had to say was uncomfortable, but he needed to get it out in the open.

  “You know, Jamie seemed to think there was something brewing between us. He claimed to have heard it from you.”

  “Did he? Now that’s unusually insightful for Jamie. He doesn’t usually notice what’s going on with anyone else.” Victor glanced over his shoulder at Wes and Chuck, apparently to make sure they weren’t overheard, and leaned closer. “So is there? Was he right?”

  Darian wanted to say no and put an end to any such possibility. Instead, he answered honestly.

  “I don’t know. If we’d met two months ago, before Argo came into the picture…well, who can say? But the way things are now….”

  “Argo again.” Victor scowled. “I thought he had taken himself out of the running.”

  “For now, he has. Yeah. But that doesn’t mean I can just forget everything that came before.”

  “I know. Guys like him tend to take control of our hearts when we least expect it, don’t they? We resist and it doesn’t do any good. And then when we want to break free, we can’t. It’s too late.”

  Darian offered a weak smile. He was grateful that Victor understood. “Something like that.”

  “Well, it takes time to heal. I know that. I can be patient.” Victor smiled and gave Darian’s shoulder a quick stroke. Darian tried to ignore the pleasant sensation his touch sparked off inside him. “I wish I could help you sort it all out. I know I can’t, though. The decision has to come from you.”

  Darian nodded. He felt terrible, but Victor was right. He couldn’t force his feelings for Argo to change. They would have to fade on their own. “It wouldn’t be fair to you to pretend otherwise.”

  “And for the record, I’m not interested in being rebound material. That usually doesn’t end well for anyone concerned. Still, we could be friends, right?”

  “Sure. Of course.”

  “Maybe if we got to know each other better, it would help. How about we have dinner tonight in town? I hear good things about that new place where they have the big Sunday brunch. Enchanted Forest or something.”

  “You mean Into the Woods? Yeah. It’s definitely worth going. Only one problem. Some friends of mine own it. They’re Argo’s friends, too.”

  “Well, then it’s win-win, isn’t it?”

  “How so?”

  “We’ll get excellent service as your buddies hover around trying to overhear our conversation. And as soon as we leave, they’ll be on the phone telling Argo you were just in there on a date. You see? He needs to know you’re not sitting around pining after him. And you need to know you can still have fun without him if it comes to that.” When Darian looked hesitant, Victor flashed him his most charming smile. “I can tell you show business stories. Or we can talk about the history of Reece Hall.”

  “So it will basically be a tutorial? I remember those from grad school. Thought I was done with them now that I’m a teacher myself.”

  “Definitely not an educational meeting. That was just a sales pitch to get you to the table. Once we’re there, I’ll want to hear all about you, too. About Birchwood these days. About what’s important to you. About your family.”

  “Oh, right. Everyone wants to hear about my two moms. It’s almost like I have an exotic pet stashed away.”

  Victor shook his head. “I’m only interested in them as far as how they managed to turn out someone as amazing as you.”

  It was probably empty flattery, but it made Darian smile. Yes, Victor was right. There was life after Argo. And he definitely enjoyed the imagined scene of Patricia and Jake calling him up as soon as their plates were cleared away and letting him know that Darian had been out with a new guy and having a great time. It would probably hurt Argo, and Darian felt a twinge of guilt about that. But at the same time, Argo had to know that Darian would have been at dinner with him if not for Argo’s own behavior.

  “Say yes,” Victor prompted.

  Darian considered. It sounded like something high school kids would do. It was beneath him as a teacher, a scholar, and a mature man in a relationship that was in danger of not surviving. He wasn’t living in a rom-com, after all, or starring in the gay male equivalent of a chick flick.

  “Okay,” he said. “Let’s do it.”

  Chapter 7

  Logan and Jamie returned slightly flushed, presumably from an intense argument and an even more intense reconciliation. Filming resumed without further delay, though Jamie had a few suggestions for improving the confrontation scene.

  “We’ll keep the kissing part the way it is. But let me get away from Thaddeus on my own before he gets his hands around my throat. Maybe I can hit him with something and run. Then Wes can come in when he starts chasing me. It’ll be way scarier and sexier, too.” Jamie folded his arms smugly. “The point is to surprise people, after all.”

  Logan’s forehead creased with frustration. “That’s not the way I planned it, Jamie.”

  “I see you get my point, then.”

  An irritated murmur rippled through the group. Victor spoke up first.

  “That reminds me, Logan. I’ve been writing a new scene too,” he said sarcastically. “It involves my character stuffing Caleb’s swollen little head down the old well in the back garden. Think we could start filming that one today too? I’m willing to do as many retakes as we need.”

  Despite the initial resistance to Jamie’s idea, Logan agreed to give it a try. This time, after the blistering kiss between Caleb and Thaddeus, Jamie spun away, grabbed a poker from the unused fireplace in the corner, and swung it between them. Despite his growing dislike for Jamie, Darian had to admit that he liked the scene better this way. Jamie’s Caleb was feistier and behaved more like a real person probably would if he found his life threatened by a menacing ex-lover. For his part, Victor played Thaddeus as obsessed and seething with rage to the point where he was lashing out without thinking. The scene worked well and came out as edgy and dramatic without descending into melodrama the way the original version had threatened to.

  Logan seemed to realize the improvement, too, though Darian suspected he would never admit it. They ran through it all a few more times, making minor adjustments to the dialogue, choreography, and lighting. Before Darian knew it, the sky outside the tall old-fashioned windows had shaded into dusk.

  “Okay, that’s a wrap for today. Good work, everyone!” Logan called out in a confident voice that implied the changes had been his idea all along. He turned to Darian, who had been watching the action from Sandra’s makeup table. “Want to stay for dinner? I was thinking we could order pizza. Should be enough for everyone.”

  “Pizzas?” Jamie asked in dismay. “No way! I can’t eat all those carbs or I won’t fit into my costume tomorrow.”

  “Sorry, other plans,” Darian said. He sneaked a peek at Victor, who winked. “Thanks, though. Maybe next time.”

  “You’ll come back in the morning, I hope,” Victor said, the picture of innocence. “Meanwhile, why don’t I walk you to the door?” He waited until they were out of earshot. “I’ll make my excuses to the gang and sneak out. Meet you at the restaurant? I’ll call ah
ead and reserve a table under my name. That way we’ll get maximum shock effect when your friends see us come in together.”

  “Okay,” Darian said, shrugging into his jacket. He headed outside, noticing the chill saturating the air. Thanksgiving would come soon, and with it the problem of where and how to celebrate. Oddly, though he and Argo had planned to go to Florida for Christmas and New Year’s, they had never discussed Turkey Day. Would they have gone to Maddy’s? Did Argo assume he would have to work?

  Apparently Darian would have to make his own plans for all three events now. A quiet meal at home might suffice. Or maybe there’d be something at the school. Would Jake and Patricia open their restaurant that day? He made a mental note to ask them this evening.

  Why was he worried about it, anyway? He had to stop trying to plan things out ahead of time so much. All that did was make him crazy and set him up for disappointment. And when he got right down to it, there was no way to control things anyway. Maybe it was time he let life happen. Who knew what surprises spontaneity might bring?

  The thought didn’t make him as happy as it should have.

  Hands in his pockets, he trudged along the big circular driveway to his car. Not wanting to block anyone in, or take up space meant for Victor’s friends, he’d parked some distance from the house. A few yards away, the treeline loomed, shadowy and vaguely menacing. He could see why the townspeople imagined Reece Hall was haunted. On a moonless night, with a harsh breeze rustling through the shriveled leaves, it would be easy for primal fear to overcome modern logic. Even now, it almost sounded like menacing footsteps were crunching through the brush toward him.

  He was reaching for his car door when he realized that the sound had stopped when he did. It wasn’t a breeze after all. Someone really was nearby.

  He recalled Argo’s tales of trespassers and youthful vandals. Then again, maybe Victor employed a groundsman he’d forgotten to mention. Surely he had no cause to fear for his safety. “Hello?”

  One of the trees moved, revealing a gaunt, hunched figure apparently wrapped in a dark woolen blanket. Not a groundsman, then—more likely a person in need. A lost hiker, maybe? Someone who had wrecked his car on an isolated road and staggered to the nearest house for help?