“So we have no idea who picked up the body, but it’s headed to the crematory.”
“We’re too late,” Eleanor said. “And you’re certain that the body was to be cremated?”
“That’s what the gentleman said. But I assure you ladies the victim was strangled to death. I’ve been a coroner for a long time and I know what I’m talking about.” He grinned. “Peterson has been all over me for telling you the cause of death.”
“I can imagine. We appreciate you sharing the information with us.”
“I was on my way out, so if you don’t mind,” he gestured toward his office door.
”Of course not,” I said. “We won’t delay your further. And thank you again.”
Eleanor and I drove toward town. I braked hard when I spotted the cars in Fuzzy’s parking lot.
I parked on the shoulder of the road and we sauntered through the back door, where Sally stood stomping her foot as men repositioned the square tables. “If you’re planning to make a mess make sure you clean it,” she ordered.
“What’s going on?” Curt Hill asked Sally when he set a box down on the counter.
“Oh nothing. I just hate that Fuzzy’s has been taken over by all these Hollywood types. They’ll never be able to capture Eleanor and Agnes in the scene they plan to shoot later this afternoon.”
“I concur,” I said.
The workers weren’t paying any attention to her, and Sally rolled her eyes.
“Don’t worry about them,” Curt said. “We can always have dinner when they’re done shooting.”
Sally glanced at Curt, and she bit her lower lip as if she was considering it. “I’d rather stick around to make sure the place is left how it was—clean.”
“Good luck with that,” Eleanor said.
The workers hurried out the door and Curt shook his head and began pulling tubs of ice cream from the boxes.
“Make sure you keep those on the counter so they get soft,” Sally said.
“That way it will work better for the scene?” I asked.
“Exactly,” Sally said. “Have you met the actress who is playing my grandmother?”
“Dorothy Alton is really in this movie?” Eleanor asked. “What do you know, the director is really putting our friends in the movie. I only hope they don’t make Dorothy seem too mean,” Eleanor said.
“She’s not mean,” I quickly said as Sally’s eyes narrowed.
The bell over the door dinged and in walked a gray-haired woman dressed in a black evening dress.
“Please tell me you’re not going to be in the movie,” I said.
The woman smiled. “You must be Agnes and Eleanor.”
“Yes and I hope you’re not wearing that dress in this scene.”
“Amim was quite insistent that Dorothy Alton is a well-dressed member of the community.”
“Not that well dressed,” Eleanor said. “But, yes, her slacks always match her blouses and her silver hair is always perfectly styled. She has a wicked temper too.”
“Let me see if I’ve got this right. I’ll enact the scene,” actress Dorothy said.
She walked from the door and gasped as she glanced across the room at an empty table as if Agnes and Eleanor were sitting there.
“Hello, girls!” She waved.
The bell over the door rang again as Eileen and Hannah strode in, grinning when they spotted us. “We’re so happy you girls are here,” Eileen said. “We’re supposed to do a run through of the scene here and we’d love to get your input.”
“Quite happy to do it,” Eleanor gushed.
“Should I start over?” the Dorothy actress asked.
“I don’t believe you’ve introduced yourself,” Eleanor said. “Although I suppose it doesn’t matter because you’ve always believed you’re better than anyone else in town—Dorothy Alton, actress.”
“I hope you don’t think I’m rude but in the script Dorothy is the nice one and Eleanor is the man-stealing so-and-so who has designs on my deaf husband.”
“That would be half deaf, but only because he keeps his hearing aid turned down,” I said.
“Not that it matters. Dorothy walks in and Eleanor is looking daggers at her despite her effort to greet her in a friendly manner.”
“I swear someone has bumped her head,” Eleanor said. “I’ve never been mean to Dorothy a moment in my life.”
“Not true, Eleanor. You both have a hate-hate relationship,” I reminded her.
Agnes and Eleanor stood back and watched the actresses intently as they interacted at what was once deemed the Ice Cream Catastrophe between Eleanor and Dorothy. As the scene continued Hannah’s portrayal of me was a bit off, and she approached the ice cream counter and grabbed a bucket, intent on dousing Dorothy before I intervened.
“That’s not how it happened! I wasn’t in the ice cream fight,” I exclaimed as the real Eleanor came up from behind me and placed a large container of ice cream over my head.
I shrieked as I tried to remove the bucket. Ice cream packed my nostrils and dripped down my blouse. Sally finally pulled it off and handed me a towel. “Are you okay, Agnes?”
“I-I, no! Why is this happening to me? I was never in the ice cream fight for the tenth time, and I’ve never had a problem with Dorothy.”
“But I didn’t put that ice cream on your head,” Dorothy actress said.
“Nope, I did,” Eleanor said. “It’s much funnier to see an uptight woman get smeared with ice cream. You’ll see I’m right.”
“You’re walking home, Eleanor.”
“No you are, but I suppose if I can hose you down I’ll give you a ride home.”
“Try it, Mason, and you’ll live to regret it,” I hissed.
Eleanor’s hands slipped to her hips. “I’ve regretted many things in my life.”
“I have nothing to say to you right now, Eleanor. You made me look like a fool.”
“You do that all by yourself.”
Everyone in Fuzzy’s was trying their best to not laugh, but failing miserably. All except for Curt Hill, who ushered me out the back door. “Don’t worry, Miss Agnes, I’ll be happy to take you home. Those Hollywood folks certainly don’t understand anything. Eleanor will be calling and apologizing by morning.”
“If I ever speak to her again.”
“How will you be able to solve the murder without her?” Curt asked as he opened the passenger’s side door of his truck and helped me inside. He wasn’t worried about ruining his upholstery; of course his truck was most known to carry guns, and the cab smelled of gunpowder and McDonald’s grease.
“Where has your mother been hiding? I haven’t seen her since the cream pie fight.”
“She’s at Elsie’s house today. Apparently Elsie thinks she needs to be protected from you.” He laughed.
“So Elsie is playing that for what it’s worth. All I did was cover Eleanor’s mouth and somehow that makes me a serial killer. I ought to go over there.”
“You might want to take a shower first or folks in town will reserve you a room in the loony bin. Besides, you have too much pride to go anywhere looking like that. You’re one of my ma’s best friends, and I’m not about to allow you to be the laughed at if I have anything to say about it.”
“Well, I’ve been friends with your ma since I came to town. She’s given me plenty advice about gardening and I have to admit she has a way with plants.”
“Ma is good like that, always trying to be neighborly.”
I had to smile. The Hills were more country than most people we knew and spoke like it, sounding similar to those raised in the South. Curt and Curtis were good boys who respected their mother or suffered the consequences, which could mean getting a peanut bounced off their heads if they got out of line.
“Thanks again for the lift,” I said, and with a cloud of dust Curt left me standing on my porch.
Chapter Fourteen
I toweled off my wet hair as I walked up the hall to the sound of laughter.
&nbs
p; “Who let you in, Eleanor?” I asked with a severely arched brow.
Andrew filled the coffee machine and glanced at me. “I did, why?”
I folded my arms across my chest. “It could be because she made a fool of me today. I spent the last half hour washing ice cream out of my hair.”
Rosa Lee Hill stepped into the house carrying a brown paper bag. “Oh there you are, Agnes. I brought you a bag of strawberries before Elsie picked them all. I knew I should have never told her I had more than I could use.”
I pulled the rope of my robe tighter around my waist. “How is Elsie? Curt mentioned you were consoling her.”
Rosa Lee set the bag on the table. “You know Elsie. She’s got herself convinced that you mean to do great bodily harm to Eleanor.”
“Oh but I do. Of course that doesn’t have anything to do with Elsie or Marjory and I. Eleanor is a special case.”
“She’s your best friend,” Rosa Lee pointed out.
Eleanor’s bottom lip quivered. “Yeah, what she says.”
“I don’t have time right now for this. I should drop by Elsie’s house and clue her in about what I didn’t want Eleanor to tell them.”
“You’ll be lucky if she lets you in the house,” Andrew said.
Rosa Lee shrugged. “I’d be happy to accompany you.”
“We might as well. We’ll be heading in that direction,” I said.
“Oh? And where are you going?” Andrew asked. “Hopefully not to bother the director or interfere again.”
“No. I’ve given up on that. Eleanor and I are focused on other suspects.”
“So does that mean we’re leaving?” Rosa Lee asked.
“After I get dressed.”
WHEN WE TURNED INTO Elsie’s driveway a news van was parked in the drive.
“Oh bother, what now,” Eleanor grumbled. “This can’t be good.”
I certainly agreed. When we reached the front porch Jack was heading out the front door with a smirk. “Well, look who it is,” he said. “Elsie is sure throwing you girls down the well.”
“That’s what I didn’t tell you,” Rosa Lee said. “I was hoping we’d get here before the interview.”
My head jerked in her direction. “What interview?”
“It might be better to hear it from Elsie. I’d hate to be stuck in the middle.”
Jack opened the door and waved for us to enter, never a good thing with him because we’re not his favorite people.
Bill, Marjory, Dorothy and even Frank Alton lingered in the front room. Bright lights drew our attention, and Eleanor and I walked in the kitchen, where I heard a reporter asking questions from outside.
I moved closer to the screen door and listened.
“So how do you feel about your friends’ adventures being made into a movie?”
Elsie fanned herself from a lawn chair. “I suppose I wouldn’t mind if I was portrayed properly. Agnes and Eleanor apparently don’t have a handle on the movie.”
“I don’t actually,” I said as I walked outside. “And you shouldn’t be doing this interview before the movie is finished. You’ll ruin the release.”
Elsie struggled to get out of her chair. “All I was trying to say is you’re treating your own friends like strangers. We deserve to be in the know.”
“We’re not in the know either,” Eleanor countered.
“I heard you two were doing a cameo.”
“We were extras and we didn’t have any lines,” I insisted. I turned to the blonde reporter. “How about you do your interviews later? We’ll give you the exclusive.”
“That sounds great, but there’s no way I wouldn’t ask one of your friends a few questions about the movie.”
“I’ll talk to Amim so you can be extras too,” I quickly said to Elsie.
“You know, I don’t believe I have an opinion right now. I only hope as the investigators’ friends that we’re shown in a good light. If we’re even mentioned,” Elsie said.
Thinking about the scene that would make them look snooty, I said, “Of course you are.”
“That’s all I needed to hear. Give us a call when you find out where we need to be. I’ve always wanted to be an extra, even if I’m not paid. Of course, if they wanted to pay us we’d certainly not turn them down.”
I forced a smile. “I’ll do what I can.”
The reporter now turned to me. “How is the investigation going?”
“What investigation?”
“The dead guy found at the point.”
“I don’t have anything to tell you, I’m afraid. You should probably ask Sheriff Peterson for an update.”
Eleanor and I held our heads up as we walked through the house and asked Rosa Lee, “Do you need a ride home?”
“Oh no, I’d rather stay here. It’s better than going to a picture show.”
Once we were outside Eleanor asked, “Are we going to meet up with the beautician/makeup artist?”
“Yes, and now we’ll have to catch up with Amim to ask if she can let our friends be extras.”
“Okay, but I don’t know how that will go. We’ve asked for too many accommodations already.”
“I know that, but do you want our friends to give negative interviews about us?”
“Do you really think they’d do that?”
“You heard Elsie.”
“This movie thing has really gotten out of hand.”
“I know. I only hope our friendships can survive it.”
I called Amim, who agreed to allow our friends to be extras tomorrow. Elsie about blew my eardrum when I called and told her the news.
ELEANOR AND WALKED into Mr. Jack’s after spotting Yasmine on the patio. We had to nudge through the crowd because the hostess was busy seating others.
Yasmine was dressed in a form-fitting pink tunic and white cityscape print leggings, her hair wilder than the last time we saw her.
“Thank you for meeting with us,” I said.
“I’m so glad you made it early. I’ve been having to put off the locals.” She tapped her high-heeled boots. “It’s hard to disappear in this town when everyone knows a movie is filming.”
“It would be hard to miss you,” Eleanor said.
“Eleanor didn’t mean you stick out like a sore thumb,” I said. “You’re flamboyant.”
“That’s a good word.” She laughed. “So I suppose you want to know the scoop the day Louis tragically lost his life.”
“Tragically?”
“Anytime anyone doesn’t die from natural causes it’s tragic.”
“Were you on the set the day Louis died?”
“You know I was or you wouldn’t be here to question me.”
“Did you see Louis’s body before Ivy did?”
“Oh no. I’d hate to ruin her moment. She’s always wanted to a star in her own mind.” Yasmine chuckled. “I was going through the wardrobe trailer. It helps me put my makeup palettes together.”
“Are you sure that’s all you were doing in there?” Eleanor asked with widened eyes.
I nodded in agreement. “Eleanor and I found a prop box.”
“Which puts you in the same place with the murder weapon,” I said.
Yasmine pushed herself away from the table. “How did he die?”
Eleanor slammed her fist on the table, rattling the glasses. “Don’t play coy with us!”
“Stop, Eleanor. She said ‘death,’ which means she doesn’t know how Louis died.”
“What would it have to do with the props? I can’t imagine there is anything lethal in the wardrobe trailer.”
“Everyday items can be lethal if used the wrong way,” Eleanor said.
“I didn’t have anything to do with Louis’s death. I’d only met him that day we rolled into town.”
“Have you ever worked with anyone associated with this movie before?”
“It doesn’t work like that. It’s competitive to work behind the scenes on a movie. If I get a call, I go in for an audition.”
> “I suppose doing hair and makeup is the audition,” Eleanor said.
“That’s exactly right. They give me a sample of the script and I design a hairstyle for specific characters.”
“You did a good interpretation for Eileen and Hannah.”
“They had plenty of input once they were given specifics.”
“So you’re saying you’ve never worked with anyone on the set before?”
“Nope. And if I knew someone would die on the set, I’d have never taken the job.”
“That’s hardly something you can predict,” I said. “But how about since you’ve come to Tawas; what do you think about the cast?”
“The cast aren’t the only ones you need to consider. It’s never good to focus on one suspect.”
“You watch cop shows too, I take it,” I continued when Yasmine nodded. “You mentioned Ivy.”
“She’s really delusional. It’s hard to take her serious.”
“Even if she was vying for Louis’s job?”
“Like I said, competition.”
“How about Amim?”
“I can deal with her. She has a clear vision for this movie, but who knows how it will go if Roman Douglas comes to town.”
“Is he expected to?”
“I heard some buzz.”
“We’re planning to speak to Peter Bishop and Cheryl Fox.”
“They’re having a movie set fling.”
“For someone who has never worked with any of these people before you certainly have some insight.”
“I caught them in an embrace the day Louis died—after he died.”
“I thought everyone on the set was released that day.”
“Cheryl must have thought it involved meeting Peter in his trailer.”
“What are their roles?”
“Millionaire and his mistress.”
“Were one of them killed off in the murder scene?”
“Oh no, it was a fisherman.”
“It was someone fishing on the dock, you must mean. We don’t call people who fish off the dock fishermen in Michigan.”
“We should talk to Madison Park, too,” Eleanor said. “She was the last cast member on the set that day.”
“She’s a sweetheart,” Yasmine said. “She’s very bubbly to the point of annoying, but it doesn’t bother me. It’s nice to talk to someone who’s positive for a change. It gets pretty boring without someone to talk to.”
Tawas Goes Hollywood Page 12