Murder, Most Sincerely: A Romantic Backstage Mystery

by Nault, Beverly

  Was he dead, was his back broken?

  “Look in there for your friend, loser!” The creepola backed up, wiped a hand across his chin, the knife catching the light. He looked up directly at Lucy, but she knew with the ghost light blinding him there was little chance he could tell she was there. Still, she froze until he disappeared into the wings. He must have become tangled in a curtain leg because he muttered a few off-color expletives, and then his footsteps sounded again as he left the stage.

  If Justin indeed didn’t have time to call for help, then they were alone in the building with at least two people out to kill them, and Justin was already severely wounded. For the first time in her life, Lucy found no comfort in her domain in the back, in the black. It was a prison, a dangerous place where bad things happened to good friends.

  Soft moans lifted from the pit and Lucy knew Justin must be in terrible pain. She couldn’t see anything; the circle of light from the bare bulb didn’t fall over the lip of the stage. She considered switching on her flashlight to see how he had fallen, but that would attract the attention of anyone smart enough to look up into the rafters.

  Nothing had prepared her for this kind of situation. No crew training, no books or trade articles mentioned, “How to Save Yourself from Maniacs Loose in Your Theater.” But she was certain of one thing. If Justin was hurt, it was her responsibility to take care of him above and beyond her own safety. She listened for his moans again, but he’d gone silent.

  “Justin!” She whispered, alarmed he might have passed out. “Hey! Are you all right?”

  Cautiously, heart thrumming in her ears so she couldn’t even hear her own noises any longer, Lucy hurried down the catwalk toward the stairs opposite the ones she’d climbed up. She slunk along even though there was plenty of room to walk upright, it felt right to keep as low a profile as possible. She took the steps quickly, but cautiously, trying to see or hear Justin.

  She made it to the bottom and felt her way along the small room, more of an alcove, where band members stored their cases and personal items. She prayed no one had left a set of drums or a folding chair set up. Taking no chances, she took small steps, squinting into the cavelike darkness toward the door into the orchestra pit and sliding her hand along the wall to brace herself in case she stepped on a cable or bumped anything.

  Emerging from the darkness, enough light seeped into the pit and she could make out Justin’s form in the fetal position on the floor. She still couldn’t rush, taking cautious steps through the pileup of metal chairs that had slid apart and scattered when Justin hurtled onto them from above. When she finally reached his side, Lucy knelt, careful not to startle him so he didn’t alert the creeps to her location, or move and injure himself worse.

  “Are you all right?” Lucy whispered into his ear. “Hey! Wake up!” She recalled from her first aid classes required of all theater employees that the best place to rouse someone was by thumping their chest. “Justin, dude! Wake up.”

  “What happened?” He groaned as consciousness allowed in the pain once more.

  “Shhhh!”

  “My ankle’s killing me.” He grabbed at his left leg, and despite his obvious pain, Lucy rejoiced because if he could move like that, his back hadn’t snapped as he crashed onto the chairs.

  “Put your arm around my neck, we have to get out of here before they find us. We’re sitting ducks.” She slung his right arm around her neck, and waited for him to settle. “Ready?”

  “I may scream in your ear.”

  “You do and they’ll come running. Here’s the plan. We have to make it through the storage room, up the stairs and across the stage to the exit door. I’ll help you, just put as much weight as you need to on me, do not step on that ankle.”

  “Don’t worry.”

  The challenge to keep silent was even greater now, as they didn’t have the luxury of tiptoeing in his condition. Slowly, they made their way past the chairs, freezing momentarily as Justin accidentally kicked one, scooting it across the concrete. When they didn’t hear anything from above, they continued their progress.

  In what seemed like hours, but was probably only a few minutes, they stopped to let Justin catch his breath and rub his good leg. “Why don’t you go ahead and run for help?” he suggested, leaning against the wall. “I’ll be fine. Hand me that fire extinguisher and I’ll fight them off if they find me.”

  “No way. They’ve already proved they are not above hurting you.”

  She grabbed his arm again. “Come on. It’s just a few steps across the wing.” Leaning out cautiously, she sensed they were alone on stage. She squinted against the harsh lightbulb. “OK, come on.”

  The concrete steps had muffled Justin’s hop, and the first step they took on the wooden boards, his good foot landed with a hollow thwack. “This is not going to work,” he hissed, panic in his voice.

  “Slow and steady!” She pulled forward, but as they cleared the first fabric curtain leg, darkness enveloped them.

  Someone had switched off the ghost light.

  “Run!” Justin broke loose from her grip and plunged forward, shrieking in pain every time his injured foot hit the floor.

  She took off after him, aware the only place to switch off the light was either from the lighting booth at the back of the theater, or from the stage manager’s desk. And from the sound of footsteps across the floor, she knew immediately which one it was. Someone was on stage with them.

  They made it across the boards and to the exit door. Pushing into the night, they burst outside. “Go that way, I’ll get him to chase me this way!” Lucy shoved Justin to the left, hoping he could hide in the shadows of the brick building long enough for her to attract the chaser in her direction. With a few steps’ head start, she could run between the buildings to call for help on the main street.

  The heavy door closed behind them, then immediately opened. Lucy checked Justin, who had followed her direction. She didn’t stop to look at the guy running after her, but dashed to the end of the building, pausing long enough to make sure he was following her and not Justin. Another set of stairs went down into the parking lot, then if she could make it through the parking lot, the street would surely be busy enough to flag down help.

  “Stop!” she heard voices and scuffling, then “I’ve got you!”

  Unsure if the guy was yelling at her, or if he’d caught Justin, she circled an SUV and peered into the parking spaces beyond the loading dock.

  Cade was straddling the guy who’d followed her outside. “Am I glad to see you!” he said when she ventured into the lot where he could see her.

  A patrol unit bounced in over a dip in the culvert and stopped, strobing, its strong beam illuminating Cade astride the back of the perpetrator.

  Uniformed officers swarmed, one of them took Cade by the shoulders, another took over restraining the prone man.

  “There’s another one around here somewhere with a hand wound, and we need an ambulance for my friend,” Lucy said. “Justin, where are you?”

  The officer let Cade pass, and he grabbed her into his arms. “Are you all right?”

  She melted into him. “When did you get back, did you call the police?”

  “I got here about ten minutes ago and saw the van in the parking lot, called the police and I was just about to come in looking for you despite their orders to me not to go in.” Cade saw Justin and loosened his grip from Lucy to help him hobble out of the bushes where he’d been hiding. “Dude, you okay?” He knelt down and palpated the ankle. “It’s most likely just sprained, but don’t put any weight on it.”

  “I need to interview the caller and whoever was inside,” an officer approached.

  “I’m responsible for all of this,” Lucy said. “I’ll start from the beginning.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Lucy and Cade went to the police station to give their statements while Justin was taken by ambulance to Morgan Valley Hospital. Detective Azaria was called, and as they were finishing tellin
g the responding officer what happened, he arrived.

  “I understand you’ve been trying to do my job.” He sat down across from them in a small conference room.

  “Sorry, but I thought we were just going to lure out whoever was after me, we never meant to hurt anyone or even confront them,” Lucy said.

  They’d bagged and tagged her knife, and the detective lifted it. “You carry a knife?”

  “I use it for a lot of things, but this is the first time I’ve used it like this.”

  Azaria’s smirk belied his anger with her. “Why not just carry pepper spray?”

  “Ever try to loosen a stubborn curtain tie with pepper spray? Or—”

  He waved a tanned hand. “I get it.”

  “Her stage combat lessons came in pretty handy, you have to admit.” Cade looked at her proudly. “I didn’t know it could be translated to such practical use.”

  “Part of it was movement training, and the rest was totally self preservation.”

  Lucy and Cade told the detective how they’d planned to lure and photograph whoever showed up to harm Lucy.

  “But we have no idea who these guys are,” Lucy admitted. “Or what they were doing at the theater.”

  “They’re not employees of the theater, or cast, or anything like that?”

  Lucy shook her head. “Never seen them before.”

  Azaria stood. “Go home and get some rest, and leave the police work to me from now on, okay?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  ***

  The next morning, Lucy went over to the main house, Penny at her heels, and found Cade sitting on the porch, a mug of coffee in his hands. He had already showered and dressed. He patted the cushion next to him on the rocker. “Get yourself some breakfast and join me, I have about ten minutes before I need to leave.”

  When she’d grabbed a slice of toast and a cup of hot coffee, she joined him.

  “I told you this was the best place for sunrise in the valley,” he said. “And let’s hope that this morning there’s no excitement.”

  “Amen!”

  Their mugs clinking a toast, they heard a “hallo!” from behind.

  “Am I interrupting?” Gloria, mounted on a sturdy palomino, rounded the cottage. “I saw you two sitting out here and thought I’d bring you up to date on my situation.”

  Cade jumped up. “Won’t you join us?”

  While she dismounted and Cade tied up Gloria’s horse, Lucy braced herself for the woman’s rough demeanor.

  “Cream and sugar?”

  “Please,” Gloria said, pulling off leather riding gloves. Cade went inside and she took a seat. “You living here now?”

  Lucy knew how it looked, but didn’t feel like she needed to explain anything to the woman. “I’m staying in his casita temporarily.”

  “I see.” Gloria accepted the cup of coffee Cade offered her. “I saw the paper about what happened at the theater last night, but I wanted to hear from you what really happened.”

  Small town news spread fast.

  “As you may or may not know, there was a death in the cast during the last show Lucy was working,” Cade said. “We happened to be over there last night when apparently the people involved showed up.”

  “Of course this is all alleged. The death was ruled an accident,” Gloria said.

  Cade dropped his head in a quick nod. “Well, yes, but there have been some other events.” He set his jaw, then a questioning look flashed across his face. “Gloria, have you made any decision about selling your place?”

  “I’m leaning toward it, but haven’t decided yet. Apparently the developers need all the properties around mine. If no one else sells, then my place isn’t worth as much.”

  Lucy regarded the woman, wondering if she was greedy enough to hire someone to scare her neighbors into selling.

  “I’d rather not sell to be honest. But I get kind of lonely out here.”

  Like her dad, Gloria’s demeanor seemed gruff, but she was just lonely. “I think I know how you feel, my dad’s been missing my mom for so many years. How long have you lived alone?”

  Gloria started talking about her late husband, and about her two sons who’d moved away. Soon, Cade got up to leave for town, but Gloria was still talking. “What’s the matter dear?” Gloria was watching Lucy as if she’d wandered away from the family picnic after a butterfly. “Yoo-hoo!”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

  “I asked about your father, if you two were close.”

  Lucy thought about the question, and decided to answer honestly instead of the usual brush-off. “No, not really. I mean, I thought we were when I was growing up, but the older I get the more I realize we aren’t that close any more. I push back. Pride I guess.”

  Gloria leaned back against her cushion. “I suppose everyone’s relationship with their parents is different, but I think the ideal is one where you share your feelings, a common history, and you can talk about what’s going on in your lives with each other.” Penny got up, stretched, and walked over to Lucy. “Your little dog has a lot of devotion. In a way, I think sometimes children have that kind of love for their parents, but as they grow up, fathers and daughters especially have a difficult time redefining their relationship.”

  “I never thought about that.”

  “Instead of being his little girl, you’ve become a woman, and it might make him a bit uncomfortable. And you as well.”

  “Is that how it was with your dad?” Lucy wondered. “While you grew up?”

  “We had a few years of awkward talk as I was going through the teenage changes, but my mother was around to help me through them. Can be difficult for a dad to discuss certain things with his daughter.”

  Lucy had almost forgotten about those years, all her childhood blended together in a big blur. When she’d moved away, she was glad to have the distance from her dad. Now she knew her new friend was right. “Gloria, thank you. You don’t know how much this has helped me. All this time I have been thinking my dad was just being cold, and dwelling on things in the past. But I think you’ve made me realize he’s uncomfortable in his own skin around me and that makes him miss my mom even more.”

  Gloria tipped her head sideways, regarding Lucy’s profile. “How much do you look like her?”

  “A little I guess.”

  “That’s bound to make it worse for him, too. He loves you very much, and the more you remind him of her, the more he misses your mom.” Gloria sat forward so she could touch Lucy’s knee. “But do not let that keep a distance between you two. The more time you spend with him, the more he’ll think of you as your own person, a grown woman.”

  As they spoke, an idea had begun to form in Lucy’s mind. It might be crazy, but it just might work, as long as Cade was on board.

  ***

  When Gloria finally left after they hugged and chatted like old friends, Lucy called the police station for any news about the arrested men. She learned that they’d lawyered up and weren’t talking, so they all had to wait to find out what the two were up to, and why they showed up at the theater looking for Lucy.

  “At the very least we have them for harming Justin,” the officer told her. “Other than that, Detective Azaria will have to fill you in later.”

  She threw together some soup and salad for their dinner, and when Cade had returned and fed the horses, they sat on the porch to watch the sunset. Lucy had ordered a new cell phone and it had been delivered, so she fiddled with it while Cade looked over plans to rebuild his barn with some improvements as long as he was going to be working on it again.

  When he looked up at her testing new ringtones, she decided to broach her idea with him. “I had a lovely visit with Gloria earlier.”

  “She’s tough on the outside and sweet on the inside,” Cade said.

  “Um-hm. She made me think about my dad.”

  “Oh?”

  “You know how you said you need a caretaker, kind of an overseer for your place?” />
  “I do.” A pencil stuck behind one ear wobbled as he nodded. “Where are you going with this?”

  “He’s familiar with how a ranch is run because he grew up on one, and I know dogs are different than horses, but if you’re interested, I could ask him if he would like to move out here and work for you. He can even keep the books.”

  His smile told her everything. “I think we could try it out and see how it goes. I don’t have much for him to do just yet, he might be bored until we really get going, bring in some animals. Are you sure he’d like to do something like that?”

  “I think something like that is just what he needs. He’d be engaged and needed again, and it’s a worthy cause. He’s got money to live on, you wouldn’t even have to pay him, a place to live—”

  “Whoa, whoa,” Cade laughed. “Steady now. I intend to pay him and give him a place to live, the casita’s spacious enough for both of you.” His aftershave suggested an ocean breeze to match his eyes.

  “I didn’t mean to invite myself along with the package.”

  “I could use a cook and your fundraising ideas could turn into at least a part-time position with my foundation. Part-time, because I believe you will get your stage managing job back.”

  “I appreciate the vote of confidence. And as long as you’re happy with sandwiches and soup, and pop tarts for breakfast, I will be happy to be camp cook.”

  They were planning whether to call her dad or go visit him and make the offer more formal when a car turned off the road and headed toward the house.

  “I think that’s Detective Azaria!” Lucy unfolded her legs and stood up to greet him. “Can we get you a soda or some iced tea?” she said when he was seated on the porch, a bulging briefcase at his side.

  “I’ve got some good news and some better news,” he said when Cade brought him an iced tea. “But first, let me say I am not condoning what you did. But because of your success luring out the perps,” the detective’s smirk indicated he was brimming with news once he got past his lecture, “As it turns out, I believe you were absolutely correct. Ambrose Foster was murdered, and the D.A. is happy to move forward with the investigation. I’ve already gotten the men who came after you in the theater to tell what they know when they realized they could be accomplices to murder.” He took a long sip of the tea. “Ahh. That’s good.”