“Take the next left, Jack, and we should be almost there,” I said.
“Hang on. Left turn ahead,” Jack said, speaking to our companions in the back seat. Once he made that turn, Jack finally slowed down. A lit placard identified the entrance to Backstage Area 3 West. He turned the golf cart headlights off, and it grew darker in front of us. Whispering, Jack asked, “Is that the only entrance?”
“Yes,” I replied in the same hushed tone.
Jack pulled over to the wall on the same side as the locker room door, came to a complete stop, and got out.
“Officer Castillo, you're with me. The rest of you, stay put while we check this out. All of you,” he added, making direct eye contact with me. I sucked in a breath of air when Jack pulled a gun from under his jacket. Where had he picked that up? When?
I was quite sure he hadn't been wearing it at my house. I hadn't frisked him, but I knew from our close encounter when he arrived for dinner he wasn't wearing a gun and holster. My heart raced. The pitter-patter, in part, caused by the memory of that clench, and partly from fear of what he was about to face.
“Be careful, Jack,” I whispered. He leaned in and replied close enough for me to feel the warmth of his breath on my face.
“Don’t worry, doll. I’ve got this.” He spoke those words in a hokey private eye voice he uses once in a while. Gun in hand, he flattened himself against the wall and scooted the few yards to the entrance. Officer Castillo did the same. Jack stopped for a second, pointed at something on the ground. He and the officer stepped carefully around the spot.
When they reached the entrance, Jack peeked around the edge of an alcove just outside the door to 3 West. He motioned for Officer Castillo to take up a post on the other side of the entrance, pointing at the ground again. The officer nodded in acknowledgment and took up his post. With their backs flat against the wall on either side of that opening, Jack shouted.
“Police. If you’ve got a weapon, drop it now. Come out slowly, with your hands up.”
Nothing.
With his gun drawn, Jack stepped in front of the door, and then he disappeared into the locker room with Officer Castillo on his heels. I heard him shout “Police” again, much more muffled this time, then silence. The next minute was agonizingly long.
Suddenly the two golf carts that had been ahead of us approached from the opposite end of the tunnel in which we sat. They pulled up across from the locker room area and stopped. Ralph, Matthew, and the armed security team members disembarked as they spotted us. They looked at each other as though they were trying to make sense of what was going on. No one asked us any questions, however.
Two members of the security team with their guns drawn checked the entrance as Jack had done moments earlier. Apparently they had no plans to announce their arrival. Security Associates took up positions on either side of the locker room entrance for thirty seconds. A man who had to be the team leader motioned for them to follow him. He stepped in front of the door and his men did the same, with Ralph bringing up the rear. Five armed men now crowded into a space that couldn't be much bigger than a typical doorway.
Jack must have figured out they were there. He shouted from inside, “Police. I'm coming out. I've holstered my weapon. One man on the ground and one very scared civilian in here, so cool it with the guns okay?”
With that, Ralph's team backed up and Jack stepped out into the corridor alone. He spoke for a moment with them. Matthew was beside himself, and could not contain his questions any longer.
“Where’s Julie? Is she okay? What did she say? Can I see her?”
“Hang on another minute, Matthew,” Jack responded. “Georgie, can you come here? The EMTs, too, please.”
We were all at the entrance in a flash.
“Georgie, Julie’s scared out of her mind but says she’s not injured. She wouldn’t let me get a look at her, so I can’t be sure. She asked me if we had a female police officer with us. I told her no, but that the company had sent a female member of the Marley World staff along with us. She asked for your help. I want the EMTs to check her out after you’ve spoken to her. Are you willing to go in there first?”
“Of course, Jack. Do I need to worry about where I step or anything like that?”
“An excellent question. Not here, anymore. These guys have just trampled through blood drops that came from someone entering this space earlier. Someone who I imagine got out of a golf cart up there between the entrance and the place we parked. There are more drops up there and more on the floor in the doorway outside the men’s locker room. You won’t need to go in there, Georgie. That’s where the trouble occurred.” Ralph looked a bit embarrassed but said nothing.
“I hear you. I’ll avoid that space,” I said.
“Don’t move stuff around if you don't have to. Julie’s in the large dressing room near where the lockers are all lined up. She claims she didn’t see much, heard shouting and gunshots before she called Matthew, and took cover. There has been another shooting. The victim’s not going to need EMTs I’m afraid.”
“Oh no, Jack. Is it a Marley World associate?”
“I’m not sure. He’s half-clad in something that looks like a combat costume with a furry-booted leg.
“A Tom-Trooper,” I said. “He must be one of ours.”
“Not necessarily,” Jack said. “He was shot in the chest at close range. That’s probably the bullet that killed him, but it’s not the only one in him. I’ve already called the county CSIs and asked them to send a second team out here. The first one’s still at the Gallery with the guard’s body, and they have a lot of work left to do. They found blood drops leading away from the scene. I sent a photo of our new guy to the uniformed officer I left at the Gallery.”
Jack took a deep breath and continued. “Ralph? Your security guy, Bill Miller, says our dead man is the one he shot at as the thieves ran away. I don’t want to jump to conclusions until we’ve had the forensic team in here. Maybe he has identification on him that can help us figure out if he works for the Cat.”
“Someone knows their way around here,” I said, even though I hated coming to that conclusion.
“That's true, Georgie. Maybe Julie can tell us more. She says she needs help ‘from a woman.’ I’m not sure what she means by that.”
“Okay, I’ll let you know when she’s ready to talk.”
“Good. In the meantime, the rest of us will have another look at what’s happened in the men’s locker room.”
I nodded but didn’t speak as I entered Backstage Area 3 West. There nostalgia swept over me. For years, it was the place I stopped each morning to put on the chef “outfit” the corporation required me to wear. “Outfit” not “uniform” as the Associates’ Handbook made clear.
Just inside was an area that resembled a lounge you might find in a nice gym anywhere in town. It was, in fact, next to a well-equipped fitness room open to male and female associates who had the time and inclination to work out. Opposite the lounge was a break room where associates could eat lunch or a snack, alone or with others.
I continued down the well-lit corridor. It had two doors. One, designated for women stood opposite the other designated for men. A knot formed in my stomach when I saw the spots on the ground Jack had mentioned. I knocked on the door to the women’s locker room, not wanting to startle Julie. I entered and called out to her.
“Julie, this is Georgie Shaw. Detective Wheeler said you could use some help. He tells me you’re okay. Is that correct?” I heard a muffled response.
“Yes, but I’m stuck,” Julie said.
“Did you say stuck? How?”
“I’m in the outfitting room, up against the back wall. Come see, and help me, please.”
The outfitting room is a cross between the backstage area in a theater and the workspace in a dry cleaning establishment. It's where I visited each morning to find a clean outfit, in my size and with my nametag on it, hanging from a mechanized carousel. There were also places to dump my
dirty work clothes at the end of the day, leaving them to be cleaned, repaired, and put back in place for use again.
I passed the rows of lockers with comfy benches in front of them. Shower areas and restrooms were behind those. Suspense grew as I entered the outfitting room. The large room was brightly lit, filled with colorful objects and outfits. Items hung not only on the carousel in the middle of the space but from portable clothing racks and hooks on the walls. Bins contained items too.
At one end of the room there was a wall of mirrors and a bank of vanity-like areas where women could fix their make-up and do their hair. That was especially important for characters like the Shepherdess Arielle, who was expected to be a picture-perfect recreation of the film idol.
“Julie, where are you?” I heard rustling sounds from behind the carousel and a couple of racks of items.
“Here. I’m back here.” I walked around following the sound of her voice and tried not to smile when I spotted her. Julie Kennedy resembled a fly caught in a spider web. A modest fly, apparently. She was in a state of undress, wearing nothing more revealing than what you might see in a television ad for a fast food restaurant.
The elaborate hoop skirt she wore under her shepherdess outfit was hooked on something, raising it up and exposing the frilly pantaloons. She must have tried to get out of her outfit from the top, too, because the bodice was open, and she had managed to slip one arm out. Somehow, her strap had slid off one shoulder and become entangled, while the wig she wore had caught on something too. With the wig half on and half off, her head was pinned at an awkward angle.
“When I heard the shouting and a gunshot, I dove in here. I got all tangled in the hooks and hangers. The more I tried to get out, the worse it got. I’m stuck,” she said with a face that told me she was close to letting loose with an I Love Lucy “waaa.”
“It’s going to be all right. Don’t cry.”
“This is humiliating. I should have let those guys shoot me.”
“No, you don’t mean that. I understand how you feel. I’ve had one of those ‘skirt stuck in the back of my pantyhose’ moments, so I get it. Not the sort of thing you want anyone to see, much less a new boyfriend or a police officer, right? Aha, scissors,” I said. “Just what we need.”
“I've trashed Arielle’s lovely dress, haven't I?”
My heart melted when I heard the sorrow in her voice.
“After what you’ve been through tonight, please don’t worry about the dress. They can make a new dress, but there’s only one Julie Kennedy. Detective Wheeler said you were clever to hide when you heard that trouble start. Let’s get you out of this thing.”
In less than a minute, I had snipped her wig loose so she could straighten her head. A couple more cuts, and she was free of the dress, too.
After Julie had her street clothes back on, and was allowed a minute to thank Matthew for sending help, she was more than ready to talk about what had happened. I sat with her in the break room as she sipped vitamin water and told us what happened. Her story had us all on our feet again within minutes.
Chapter 5: In Character
Julie explained, “I had just rushed into the locker room and started to unhook things. You have to be careful getting out of Arielle’s dress.” She glanced at me and reddened before adding, “Not too careful today, I guess.”
There was a pause as Julie quit talking because she was overcome. I smiled and nodded, hoping that would get her to move her story along, while Jack, Ralph, and I sat on the edge of our seats.
She continued, “I hadn’t been in there for more than a minute when I heard shouting in the hallway. I ran to the door to peek out and see what was going on. Before I could do it, this guy giving orders said something like: ‘You sure it’s empty at this hour?’ I froze. Another guy answered him, ‘Ouch, that hurts. I’m bleeding already.’ It got even worse.” She stopped speaking again.
“Please, go on. You’re safe now.” I reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“That’s when I knew I was in trouble. The first guy said, ‘It’s not my fault you got shot, you idiot.’ Then one of them pushed the door open and looked around. I let the door push me back against the wall and held my breath. The hoop on my skirt made this scraping sound as I lifted it so it would go flat against the wall. I guess they didn’t hear it because the guy leaning on the door spoke up just then. It was a different voice from the other two. ‘It looks empty,’ was all he said, but that must have been enough to cover the noise I made. They were right to expect the place to be empty. Most days there's no one around down here at night between shifts. I stayed over to cover for a friend, and I only came down here once she showed up.”
“From what you’re saying there were at least three guys in the hall, correct?” Jack inquired.
“Yes, Detective. The first man spoke again telling them all to ‘Get a move on.’ I hoped that meant they were leaving. Then I found out that wasn’t going to happen right away because he asked, ‘Where are the character costumes, Damon?’ That’s the only name I got. They went into the men’s locker room at that point, but I still couldn’t move. I was too scared. It was quiet for a couple of minutes, and then they started arguing about something. That’s when I heard a gunshot and left the women’s locker room for the dressing room. I had my phone on me, hit the speed dial button to call Matthew, and told him what was going on. Then I practically dove into that rack of clothes. Matthew said I should stay put until help arrived. It’s a good thing he didn’t say run for it since by then it was too late for me to do that. Stupid, huh?”
“No, not stupid at all. Smart and quick thinking. I’m also surprised you remember as much as you do about what happened given how terrifying that must have been. Did you hear what that argument was about?”
“Only a few words. The guy who had said he was bleeding yelled something about ‘No hostages.’ I thought he meant me. That’s one reason I panicked. Another one mentioned something about getting into Catmmando Mountain, but I didn’t hear the rest of the conversation.”
Jack, Ralph, and I looked at each other. When Julie mentioned hostages, I felt a chill run through me. The grim expression on the men’s faces told me they were concerned too. Jack brought the interview to a swift conclusion.
“We’ll need to speak to you again, but you’ve had more than enough for one day. It’s time for you to go home. Thanks. You’ve been very helpful.”
“Glad I could help.”
“Shall I get Matthew to drive you home?” I asked. “It’s probably a good idea for you to have someone hang around with you once you get there.”
“I have roommates, so I won’t be alone. They won’t believe this.”
“You need to keep the story under wraps for a day or two, please.”
“Sure, I understand. Matthew’s shift isn’t over until midnight.”
“No problem,” Ralph said. He had been completely silent while Julie told her story. “Matthew.” he shouted. The young man must have been hovering outside. He bolted into the break room where we had been interviewing Julie and she ran to his side
“You can take me home. Your boss said you could,” she told him.
Matthew glanced at Ralph for permission
“Yes, take her home, please. Good work, tonight. Both of you.”
“Do you want me to come back? I’d like to help you get these guys,” Matthew said.
Ralph didn’t respond.
Perhaps I should have waited to speak, but I felt protective of the young couple. I didn’t want anything more to happen to either one of them.
“I’m sure Jack and Ralph can use all the help they can get, but Julie could use your support more, don’t you think? She probably needs to talk, and that should be with someone already in the loop. We don’t want word to get out yet about what went on here, and we don’t want anyone to know we have a witness. Hopefully by the time you drop her off and make sure she’s settled in, this will all be wrapped up. I thi
nk you should stay with her.”
Ralph rubbed his hands over his face. He looked miserable as he wrestled with what had to be a new Security Chief’s worst nightmare. This had to be harder for him than for the PR Department, and I couldn’t imagine what Stacy must be going through. That “shots fired” message sent to my phone earlier surely would have gotten out to the public-at-large by now. And the incident wasn’t over.
Earlier I had turned my phone off, not wanting a ringing phone to signal our arrival at Area 3 West. I turned it on and checked it now. Sure enough, I had received a press release confirming a break-in at a building in the Marvelous Marley World office complex, adding that security had interrupted the burglary and exchanged gunfire with intruders. The usual reassurance followed that police and security were investigating the incident, and there was no reason to believe the situation posed any immediate danger to members of the Marley World Family or the public.
That wasn’t exactly accurate. I’m sure Stacy felt pressured into issuing that statement, but it might have been better for her to hold off a bit longer. Since we hadn’t updated her on events underground, there was no mention of a shooting in the tunnels. It would have been better for her to confer with Ralph before issuing such a reassuring statement.
It wasn’t my place to second-guess her actions, but it was premature to assume there was no longer any danger. The report of shots fired in the tunnels hadn't gone out through formal channels yet, so there was nothing official for her to address. Issuing a statement before confirming that another shooting incident had occurred was a tactical decision, perhaps, and a deliberate way to avoid bringing it up.
She might have been concerned about getting ahead of rumors and avoiding panic among Halloween revelers in a jam-packed Arcadia Park. Tonight of all nights, not just the park associates but many of the guests would be “in character.” Marley World creations roamed side-by-side with all the witches, ghosts, and goblins. My sense of urgency returned.
“Let me walk you two out.” I used my best corporate hostess voice, but I was desperate to get the young couple out of there. I needed to hear what Ralph planned to do next. Thank goodness Jack was there. He’d have some ideas about the best strategy to avoid a dangerous confrontation in Arcadia Park, or whom to call if this turned into a hostage situation. As soon as Matthew and Julie were in a golf cart and on their way to the employee parking lot, I returned to the break area.
Happy Homicides 4: Fall Into Crime: Includes Happy Homicides 3: Summertime Crimes Page 33