Lights! Camera! Puzzles!

by Parnell Hall

  “He was back a few minutes later looking for the actor. He hauled him off to his trailer for a little talk.”

  “His trailer?”

  “The actor’s trailer. And he told his assistant to call the producer and the production manager and get them down here. So he’d obviously decided to fire him at that point.”

  “He talked to him in the trailer?”

  “That’s right.”

  “For how long?”

  Cora shrugged. “Maybe five minutes. I don’t know. By the time he got out the producer and production manager had showed up, so he took us all into his trailer for a meeting.”

  “What happened then?”

  “Pretty much what he said.”

  Crowley looked at Cora closely. “There’s something you’re not happy about.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know what I mean. You’re giving me all these facts, and I’m sure they’re true and accurate, and all that. But at the same time, there’s something you’re not giving me.”

  “How would you know that?”

  “I always know that. That’s why I make a lousy boyfriend. Some girls like privacy.”

  “Stephanie, for instance.”

  “I didn’t mention names. Anyway, what’s bugging you?”

  Cora shrugged. “You’re giving the director a free pass on this one.”

  “I might have known.”

  “I’m serious. You figure he couldn’t have done it because he called the actor on the phone, and after that we were all together until we found the body. That’s all well and good, but it’s a self-serving declaration.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “Not at all. He’s the only one giving himself an alibi. He called the guy on the phone. Oh, yeah? What if he just pretended to because the actor’s already dead? He killed him when he took him into the trailer.”

  “You couldn’t hear if his phone call went through?”

  “No. As I recall, he got up and walked around. Not easy to do in a trailer full of people, but that could have been to mask the fact that he was faking the call.”

  “I’ll check on it.”

  “How?”

  “Phone records. I’ll check if the call went through.”

  “Bet you a nickel.”

  “I can’t accept wagers on duty.”

  “You’re not taking this seriously.”

  “I am. I think it’s a valid theory. I’ll make sure to check it out. Now, in the meantime, can we talk about some of the things that I want to talk about?”

  “Sure. What do you want to talk about?”

  “Was he correct about the people in his trailer? They were there and nobody else?”

  “Remind me who he named.”

  “You, Melvin, the producer, the director, the script supervisor, the production manager, and himself.”

  “I think that’s it.”

  “You think?”

  “No, that’s it.”

  “And they were all there the whole time?”

  “Every stinking one. It was the type of meeting that reminded me why I didn’t go into business.”

  “I imagine there were other reasons,” Crowley said. “And they were all there up until the time he made the phone call?”

  “That’s right.”

  “And you left right after.”

  “Actually, not right after.”

  “Oh?”

  “The producer didn’t want to go. Sandy wanted to put up a united front. They argued about it.”

  “For how long?”

  “A little while. They wound up pulling the actor’s contract.”

  “Why?”

  “The producer was concerned if firing him would make them liable. The production manager had his contract faxed over from the office.”

  “Did that take long?”

  “No. When they want something, it happens. They faxed it right over, the production manager pointed out some clauses in the contract that made the producer happy, and we were good to go.”

  “What about this production assistant who was watching the trailer? Did you notice her?”

  “Sure. Hard to miss. She was right outside the director’s trailer when we came out. He was pretty angry.”

  “Why?”

  “She was supposed to be watching the trailer. He didn’t want her to leave it to bring him a message.”

  “He bawled her out?”

  “In passing. We were on our way the see the actor. It’s not like he stopped to do it, but he made his feelings known. Called her an idiot, as I recall.”

  “She just stood there and took it?”

  “Hardly. She looked like she was going to cry. Then she turned and ran down the street.”

  “And you followed?”

  “We all did.”

  “She got to the trailer first, ran inside, and screamed?”

  “That’s right.”

  “I’ll have to talk to her. Probably scare her to death.”

  “She knows you from the other murder.”

  “She had nothing to do with that one. Here she’s a material witness.”

  “Gonna talk to her next?”

  “Afraid so.”

  “You want me within earshot?”

  “God, yes.”

  35

  The gofer girl was scared. It was the first time Cora had paid any attention to her. In the first murder investigation, she’d only been important as the gofer girl who wasn’t dead. This was the first time she had her own identity.

  “There’s nothing to be nervous about,” Crowley said.

  That did not reassure her. “No reason to be nervous? The man is dead.”

  “I know, but it’s over now and you’re safe. I just need you to tell me what happened.”

  “Fred came out. He seemed upset. That’s silly, he was upset to begin with, but more so. He was tying himself in knots. I told him to stay in his trailer. He said he got a phone call, and people were coming to see him. He was worried about it, because he’d been told not to talk to anyone. I told him not to worry, I’d take care of it.”

  “What did you do then?”

  She took a breath. “This wasn’t good. If people showed up, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep them out. I figured I should tell the director, because I was doing it for him. I went down the street to the director’s trailer.”

  “And knocked on the door?”

  Melinda looked miserable. “No. I could hear them arguing inside. I was afraid to interrupt. I was afraid he’d be mad at me.”

  “The director?”

  “Yes.”

  “For giving him a message?”

  “For leaving the trailer.”

  “You knew it was the wrong thing to do?”

  “Telling him was the wrong thing to do. Not telling him was the wrong thing to do. I didn’t want to get in trouble. He was already very angry about Fred. I didn’t want him to take it out on me.”

  “Would he do that?”

  “He’s the director. He can do anything he wants.”

  “So you just stood there?”

  “Yes.”

  “How long?”

  “I don’t know. I couldn’t decide if I should knock on the door or go back.”

  “As much as five minutes?”

  “I wouldn’t think it was that long. I just don’t know. Then he came out. He was angry. I knew he would be. He was angry at me for not staying with the trailer. I really blew it. I’ll probably get fired.”

  “No one’s going to get fired.”

  “What do you know? You’re a cop.”

  Cora smiled. The girl was upset. She had no idea that might be rude.

  “Did you meet anyone?”

  “Huh?”

  “On your way to the director’s trailer. Did you see anyone on the way?”

  “Well, I had to.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The way it’s set up. The actors’ trailer is at one end
of the street. The director’s trailer is at the other. And the shooting set’s in the middle. In front of the Copacabana. So to get from the actors’ trailer to the director’s trailer, I have to walk right by the shooting set, and everyone’s there.”

  “Were they shooting?”

  “No, they’d broken for lunch. So they weren’t there. And they weren’t at lunch either. It was too early. But whoever was there, I’d have to walk by them.”

  “Who was there?” Crowley said patiently.

  “Oh. I don’t know. I didn’t notice. It wasn’t important.”

  “Try to remember.”

  That gave Cora a twinge. She couldn’t help thinking of Jerry Orbach as El Gallo in The Fantasticks.

  “Well, the camera was sitting there, but the cameramen were all gone. Same with the sound equipment. Someone was watching the set. Max. The production assistant. And one of the A.D.s. There might have been some background extras.”

  “That’s who you saw on your way from the victim’s trailer to the director’s trailer?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you meet anyone else on the sidewalk? Anyone who wasn’t on the set?”

  “Not that I recall.”

  “Think.”

  “I’m trying. Let’s see.” She tried to visualize the events. “Fred went back in his trailer,” she said, pointing at it. “I decided I had to tell Sandy, so I walked down the sidewalk that way.” Her eyes scanned the sidewalk and stopped on another trailer close to the set. “Oh!”

  “Oh, what?” Crowley said.

  “Cora came out of her trailer.”

  “I did?” Cora blurted.

  “Not you. The movie Cora.”

  At that moment the door of the trailer next to the set opened and Angela Broadbent came out, strode up to Crowley, and said, “When are you going to get to me?”

  36

  crowley smiled at the movie star. It occurred to Cora he was deferential to Angela Broadbent, in spite of himself. “I was about to. Just as soon as I was done with Miss Fisher here. That’s all for now, Miss Fisher. Just make yourself available. I’m sure we’ll want to talk to you again.”

  “Why?”

  “We’re just getting started. Things will come up.”

  Melinda Fisher clearly wasn’t happy with that answer, but she realized it was the only one she was going to get. “Yes, sir,” she said, and headed toward the general holding area.

  “So, Miss Broadbent—”

  “Call me Angela.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “And you don’t have to call me ma’am. We’re all friends here.”

  “Someone wasn’t,” Crowley said dryly.

  Angela smiled. “I can’t argue with that. What did you want to know?”

  “That trailer you just came out of. Is that yours?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Your trailer’s right next to the set. Is that for your convenience?”

  “And theirs. They don’t want to waste a lot of time schlepping me back and forth to the set.”

  “What about the other actors?”

  “What about ’em?”

  “Their trailers aren’t close at all. Don’t they waste a lot of time waiting for them?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “They never let ’em leave. They make ’em stand around the set.”

  “But you can retire to your trailer between takes.”

  “That’s right.”

  “And you do.”

  “Why does this fascinate you so much, Sergeant?”

  “It’s a murder. I need to know what people were doing at the time. Were you in your trailer?”

  “When?”

  “When the murder was committed.”

  “I don’t know when the murder was committed.”

  “Neither do I. I hope the medical examiner will be of some help. Let’s get at it another way. You were shooting a scene with the decedent, Fred Roberts?”

  “Yes, I was.”

  “How was it going?”

  “Horribly, as I’m sure everyone has told you. Fred finally asked Sandy if he could speak to Cora.”

  “In front of everyone?”

  “No, but I was close enough to hear.”

  “What happened then?”

  “That put an end to the shooting.”

  “Sandy took it poorly?”

  “To say the least. He cancelled shooting until lunch, and led Fred off for a lecture.”

  “Where?”

  “In his trailer.”

  “Did you see him come out?”

  “I wasn’t there. When he called off the shooting for the morning, I went back to my trailer.”

  “That’s when you saw him leading Fred off toward his?”

  “Yes. It wasn’t really his. The actors’ trailer.”

  “And you didn’t see him come out?”

  “No. Didn’t I say that?”

  “I think you did. Sometimes I’m just summarizing.”

  Angela smiled. “Like a human being. That’s funny, Sergeant. You don’t really think of a homicide cop as a human being. But of course you are. Of course Cora knows that.”

  Crowley ignored the comment. “You didn’t take part in the conference in the director’s trailer?”

  “Never went near it.”

  “And when they came out of the meeting in Fred’s trailer, where were you then?”

  “In my trailer. I was reading a book. I didn’t come out of my trailer until I heard someone scream.”

  “What did you think it was?”

  “Someone screaming. I don’t mean to be flippant, officer, but it didn’t sound good, and I came to look.”

  “What did you see?”

  “Everyone was clustered around Fred’s trailer. I tried to see what was happening, but they wouldn’t let me in.”

  “Who wouldn’t?”

  Angela nodded at Cora. “Actually, she wouldn’t. Was damn forceful about it.”

  “Good girl,” Crowley told Cora.

  “Thank you for the condescending, sexist, faint praise,” Cora said.

  “Was there anything else, Sergeant?” Angela said.

  “I don’t know yet. We’re questioning everyone.”

  “That’s all well and good, Sergeant, but aren’t you just going through the motions?”

  Crowley frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, isn’t it obvious the young man hung himself?”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Well, it seems obvious to me.”

  “Have you seen the body?”

  “No. But I know Fred. It’s just the sort of thing he’d do.”

  “He was suicidal?”

  “No, but in this situation, it’s understandable.”

  “Why?”

  Angela smiled. “Suppose you couldn’t do your job? And you just realized it. You’re a homicide sergeant. You investigate murders. Suppose you couldn’t do it? You suddenly realize you haven’t got a clue. Here you are, in your chosen profession, having finally gotten in charge of a murder investigation, and you realize nothing you can do is ever going to help. You just stand there with a stupid look on your face, and you realize any move you make you’re going to fail.”

  “I often feel like that.”

  “I’m serious. This is ten times worse. Fred’s a young actor, this is his big break, here he is cast in a movie opposite a star. And he suddenly realizes he can’t do it. And just yesterday he thought he could. Because Cora gave him a note, he followed it, and it happened to work. Particularly because it was a scene where he didn’t have lines.

  “Today it’s a different scene and he’s just awful. He has lines, and he can’t say them. He goes back to his trailer and he broods and he realizes it doesn’t matter if Cora gives him a note, nothing anyone can do for him is going to make him be able to act. And he knows he’s getting fired, but that’s nothing compared to the horror of having to go back out on the shooting
set with me if he doesn’t get fired. I’d be surprised if he didn’t kill himself.”

  “Wow,” Crowley said. “All right, go wait with the others. I’ll probably have to talk to you again.”

  “The others?”

  “In the holding pen.”

  “Can’t I wait in my trailer?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “It’s a crime scene.”

  “Not that trailer. My trailer. It’s down the block.”

  “I know where it is. It’s all part of the crime scene. Particularly with what you’ve told me. We’ll be checking on everyone’s stories. There may be evidence in your trailer that corroborates yours.”

  “Corroborates? Why do I need corroboration? I didn’t do it.”

  “Maybe not. But so few criminals actually claim they did it, we have to assume anyone could be guilty, even if they say they’re not.”

  “Are you making fun of me?”

  “Just doing my job.”

  Angela smiled. “So you say. I still say the young man took his life. Don’t you agree?”

  “Not at all. And I doubt if you do, either. I think you think it’s a murder, but you’re doing your best to convince yourself it isn’t. So you made up this elaborate scenario to see if I’d swallow it, because if I’d swallow it, it would be easier for you to.”

  “Wow,” Angela said. “Wow and double wow. You are very good. Yes, I think it’s a murder, and I think it’s connected to the gofer girl’s murder, which I don’t believe for a minute is a girlfriend/boyfriend thing. And you probably don’t either, in spite of the fact you’re pushing for suicide in that one.”

  Crowley’s mouth fell open. He frowned, cocked his head. “Have you been talking to Cora?”

  37

  As far as Cora was concerned, it was all downhill from there. Crowley talked to an endless parade of people, including but not limited to everyone from the meeting in the director’s trailer. He also had a second go at the director, and the gofer girl, Melinda. Cora had a feeling he would have had a second go at Angela Broadbent, if he only could have thought of a reason.

  Cora watched in amusement as Crowley got his paperwork together. He had pages and pages of statements, none of them particularly helpful.

  “So,” Cora said, “who did it? Or perhaps that’s too broad a question. How about, what is your finding?”

  “It’s too early to make a determination.”

  “Well, can we rule out death by natural causes?”