Larsen looked distraught as he looked around the large room. Not only did he not see Arielle, but he knew instinctively that Peter wasn’t around.
“Mom, are you here?”
“Mrs. D!”
Arielle whimpered at the sound of their voices.
“I’ll kill your son if you make any more noise.”
Shaking, Arielle stayed silent as River and Larsen continued to call her name.
“She’s not here, Riv. Let’s check upstairs. You know what? She could have needed to do an errand. Maybe she just did it herself because everyone else is so busy. You know, that’s just like your mom.”
“Something doesn’t feel right, Lars.”
“We’ll find her, Riv. She’s got to be somewhere.”
As soon as Phil heard the door shut, he sat up and threw the tarp off them. “Aw, isn’t that sweet? Your kid actually sounds like he gives a shit about you. And you were such a rotten mother, too.”
Arielle started to make a retort but stopped as Phil waved the gleaming knife in her face. “Now, where were we, babycakes? Oh, yeah—I was just going to have a slice of sweetie pie.”
`*`*`*`
“Larsen! Hi!”
“Oh, hi, Lisa. Hey, Josh.”
Lisa stood in the breezeway of the theater with a big grin on her face as Josh said hello, laid some equipment down, then hurried outside to get the rest from his car. “This must be River. I’ve seen so many photos of you over the years and heard about your wonderful sense of humor. Hi, honey. I’m Lisa Finlay, you know, your mom’s best friend. Speaking of whom, why isn’t she answering her phone? I’ve been trying to call her for a good hour now.”
Larsen and River exchanged worried glances, and Lisa knew something was wrong. “Whatever it is, tell me now.”
Just as River was about to speak, Raphael came running over. “Larsen, where’s Arielle? Everyone’s looking for her.”
“We don’t know! The last time River and I saw her was at two-fifteen in the trailer.”
Lisa looked at her phone. “Holy shit, it’s four o’clock now. Where would Ari have disappeared to for almost two hours? This is so completely and utterly unlike her.”
“Arielle has disappeared? How could she? Her car is still outside.”
“Dad!”
Mick, dressed in his work clothes and carrying a garment bag, looked panicked. “I tried calling her three times to let her know I was on the way. She didn’t pick up or answer my texts. Where could she possibly be? I checked the trailer before I came here.”
“I don’t know, Dad. Lars and I just checked her dressing room and the downstairs rehearsal space. Everyone else has been looking for her, too!”
“Where haven’t you looked?”
“We haven’t checked upstairs yet.”
“What’s up there?”
River looked at Larsen to explain. “That’s where the group dressing rooms are and a few smaller ones. Oh, and the wardrobe room is …”
Before Larsen could finish, Mick rushed up the stairs as River ran behind him.
Lisa turned to Josh. “Let’s look outside. Maybe she’s wandering around taking photos or something.”
Josh looked confused. “Why would she do that?”
“How the hell do I know? She’s missing, and right now I can’t think of anything that makes any sense at all.” Lisa turned to all of the people who had gathered in the excitement. “I need every inch of this place searched until someone finds Arielle. This is making me sicker by the moment. And don’t forget the light booth.”
`*`*`*`
Phil caressed Arielle’s face. “It’s so nice spending time with you again, Ari. He purred grotesquely. “You have such soft skin. I always liked that about you. Tell me everything you liked about me. Come on.”
“Nothing. I was a fool to be with you. Nothing! Let me go, Phil. You’ve had your fun. You’ve taken your revenge. Now, let me go.”
Phil looked at his watch. “It’s almost six o’clock. We’ve only been together a few hours. You know that’s not enough time for me. I’m just waiting for the show to start at eight. I do have the starting time right, don’t I? That’s when our real fun will begin. Gee, I’m happy to say that three groups of people have been down here looking for you, and I do believe we have thoroughly convinced everyone that you’re not here.”
Arielle was covered in sweat as the tears rolled down her face. “Let me go, Phil. They’re not going to stop looking for me.”
`*`*`*`
“Dad, please. Sit down.”
Exhausted, Mick reluctantly sat on a chair reserved for the musicians on the stage. “Riv. Larsen. We’ve turned this place in and out. Nobody has seen her or heard from her. She didn’t drive anywhere because her car hasn’t moved. Where the hell can she be? I don’t even know where to look anymore. Where did Lisa and Josh go?”
River sat in a chair next to Mick. “They went driving around the building and the neighborhood. They’ve come and gone about three times.”
“River!”
River looked up to see Gabe rushing toward him with a cell phone in his hand as Lisa and Josh returned, coming from the opposite direction.
“What’s up, Gabe?”
“My daughter, Avvie. I just called her to see if Arielle had called the house phone. I didn’t even realize that I left my business cell in the truck. Soon as I told Avvie your mom has gone missing for the last three hours, she’s been desperate to talk to you. She thinks she can help.”
River stood and took the phone from Gabe. The phone was so sweaty he could barely hold it. “Hello?”
“Riv! My dad said your mother is missing.”
“Yeah, Avalon. I have no idea where she is. We’ve searched every inch of this building.”
“Didn’t Gina give you my message?”
“What message? No! I haven’t spoken to Gina. I’ve been way too busy here.”
“You didn’t text her around lunchtime?”
“No way. What are you talking about?”
“I called her around twelve-thirty and begged her to give me your cell number. I told her it was a life-and-death emergency. She said she wouldn’t give it to me because that was uncool, and I pleaded with her so hard. I told her it was really urgent. She said you had just texted her. She said she was going to call you and deliver my message first thing. She totally promised.”
“Well, my phone’s been on all day, and nobody called or texted me. Believe me, I’ve been checking every five minutes. What did you want to tell me?”
“The premonitions came back. At least, I think so. Riv, I painted this picture of a lady looking very scared. I didn’t realize until I had finished that she looked really familiar. Then I remembered she looked exactly like your mom. I saw your mom on TV on that promo thing with Larsen and the screaming lady. Anyway, I told Gina that I painted her in a castle with a green dragon. She probably thought that was bullshit, so she didn’t tell you.”
“You saw my mom in a castle with a green dragon?”
Larsen grabbed River’s arm. “I think I know where she is!”
Mick stood up. “Where’s that?”
“Avalon, I think you may have just found her for us. I have no idea what you’re talking about, but Larsen seems to know. Just stay by the phone in case I need to call you back, okay? Thank you so much.”
Larsen began to speak as River handed the phone back to Gabe. “There’s an old castle set downstairs at the end of the rehearsal hall. I’m sure. I’ve looked through all of those sets. And there’s a green dragon head lying around. The body is upstairs in wardrobe, but the head is downstairs.”
Mick was wired. “I’m on my way!”
Lisa gasped. “No! Stop! Don’t anybody rush down there! I think I’ve just figured it all out, and we have to be very careful.”
Mick looked desperately at Lisa. “If my wife is downstairs, I’m going to get her.”
“No, Mick! Hear me out first, or Ari will be in worse danger.”
Mick could barely keep himself from taking off, but he knew he should at least listen to what Lisa had to say.
“When Josh and I were out driving around, we passed a silver Jaguar a couple of blocks away. Josh made a joke about how people with expensive cars hate parking lots. I didn’t think anything of it, but there’s one person I know who drives a Jaguar, and he’s already tried once to mess with Arielle and this theater. And he wasn’t avoiding the parking lot; he was avoiding his car from being seen!”
Mick reddened with rage. “Phil Hodges?”
“Yeah, I think he’s got Arielle down there. Once he messed with our promo trailer, I knew for sure he hadn’t moved on with his life. But when his stupid trick backfired and brought us nationwide press coverage, that must have really tweaked him. I saw him earlier this week because he works in my building. He didn’t say anything; he just snarled at me. But he was mean in a way I’ve never seen him before. Mean even for Phil, and he’s one son of a bitch. I think he’s been obsessed with Ari, and his rage has been growing. It is highly likely he has a weapon, because if he didn’t, somehow I believe Ari would have broken free by now or screamed for help when people came downstairs looking for her. We need to call the police.”
Rattled, Gabe fought to stay composed. “Just called, Lisa. They’re on the way. No sirens. We don’t want to give that bastard any warning.”
“I’m sorry, I forgot that your ex-wife lives with him.”
“I don’t give a flying fuck about that. Now, like I told the officers, there’s a trapdoor backstage that goes to the basement. I’m going to show them where it is. If they can get in that way, hope to God they can nab the SOB before he hurts Arielle.”
Mick balled his fist as if Phil was standing before him. “He better not have. I don’t want to imagine—”
“Then don’t, Dad! The cops are only two blocks away. They’ll be here in a second.”
Larsen looked around for the police and stopped cold when he saw Peter standing off in the distance, crying. Peter was saying he should have been downstairs to help, but Larsen was letting him know, telepathically, that it wasn’t his fault.
River looked over and saw Peter, but he was too worried about his mother to do or say anything. Only moments later, four officers came rushing in from the back door.
“This way to the trapdoor! Larsen here will take you to the regular door.”
Two officers followed Gabe as Larsen motioned for the other two to follow him.
`*`*`*`
The fourteen minutes that passed from the time the officers took off felt like an eternity. Everyone had moved to the breezeway to be near the basement door. When Mick heard Arielle calling his name and running upstairs to him, he was overcome with relief as she came flying into his arms. “Oh, baby! Thank God. I was so worried. We were all so worried.”
River, Larsen, Lisa, and Josh were all euphoric when they heard Phil loudly protest as he was escorted upstairs by two officers, his hands cuffed behind his back. “I didn’t do anything. She wanted me. That skank bitch can’t get over me. She won’t stop calling me.” Phil looked at the angry sea of faces. “She begged me to come down and do her before the show. You’re all fools if you believe a word she says.”
The officer who was now standing behind Phil held up a plastic bag filled with Phil’s supplies. “Yeah, right. That’s why you brought these little goodies along.”
“She’s kinky. She asked for them.”
Gabe and River lurched for him, but an officer held them back.
“Remember what I said downstairs: anything you say can and will be held against you. Good going there, asshole.”
As soon as the two officers had taken Phil out the back door, everyone took turns hugging Arielle. Wrecked, she looked over at the remaining two officers who had just come up the stairs. “I know you need much more from me than I told you downstairs. But really, I did cover most of it. Can I come by tomorrow and give you the despicable play-by-play? I just can’t do it now. I’ve got to get ready for a show.”
“Sure, Mrs. Dalworth. That will be fine. Come by after one when we’ll both be there.”
“I will. And thank you for saving my life. Thank you so much!”
The officers nodded and headed out as everyone added their thank-yous.
“Wow, Mom. You’re still going to go on?”
“Of course I am, Riv. There’s no way that scumbag will take this night from me or anyone else.” Arielle looked at Natalie, who was standing at the door, holding off the contestants who had been arriving. “Oh, Natalie, we need to get out of the way and let you do your job. I’m sure people will ask you about the man in handcuffs being taken away. Just assure them that everything is okay.”
Natalie smiled. “Sure thing, Arielle. Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”
Arielle walked down the breezeway toward the stage as everyone followed.
River grabbed a folding chair leaning against the wall and opened it. “Sit down, Mom.”
“But, Riv—”
River gently put his hands on Arielle’s shoulders as she reluctantly sat down. “It’s for your own good, Mom.”
Arielle gave him a dirty look, but River saw the love in her eyes and smiled.
“Look, I know you all want to know what happened. But there’s really precious little time for me to take a shower and get dressed and ready. I’ll just say this much: Phil grabbed me earlier when I came through the back stage door. He put his hand over my mouth and dragged me downstairs and over to that castle set, where he’d left rope, duct tape, and old rags. Thank God he didn’t use them on me. But he would’ve. He had a knife at my throat, and he would have killed me.” Arielle paused to take a deep breath as she contemplated what had nearly happened. “Is there any water here?”
“Yeah, Mom. Raphael went to get you some. Here he is now.” River took the bottle from Raphael and handed it to Arielle, who drank half the water before she began speaking again.
I’m so grateful that Phil was talking a bunch of garbage when the officers came up on us. His blabbering muffled any tiny noises they may have made. It was like a miracle. One moment Phil was threatening me, and the next he’s got a gun at his back and another officer is pulling me to safety. It was the most horrid and surreal ordeal of my life.” Arielle finished drinking her water before continuing. “Now, everyone here has a job to do. You know what they say: the show must go on.”
Chapter 32
“Larsen! You almost gave me a heart attack. There’s only six minutes until show time, and I wasn’t sure you were going to take your seat.”
“Sorry, Kathryn.” Larsen sat in the seat next to her. “No way I wasn’t going to make it. It was just crazy outside. We’re completely sold out, but we were able to admit some people for SRO, you know, standing room only. This one lady was in tears because she’d just found out her granddaughter was performing and was devastated to hear there were no seats left. There was a man behind her who looked like he was crying, too. Must have been her husband. I wish I could have gotten seats for them, but they seemed happy to just be able to see the show any way they could. I hope it’s as great as the anticipation, you know? Did you see all the press and media that are here? Even more showed up after the dedication ceremony.”
“I still can’t get over this theater being dedicated to Peter. What a beautiful thing to do for my son—and for me. I’ve never had such a stunning surprise. I’m so very grateful to all of you. And yes, I did see the media people.”
Kathryn opened her program and began to read it. “The caliber of talented people competing tonight is something special. I was surprised to see that you’re performing last, Larsen. Talk about anticipation! My nerves will be shot by then. But you’ll be the last act the judges see, so they’ll remember you the best.”
Larsen looked uneasy. “I think I should tell you something, Kathryn. You’ll find out soon enough anyway.”
Kathryn touched the palm of her hand to her chest. “What is
it? Should I be worried?”
“Oh, no. It’s just that there’s no way I can win this competition.”
“Of course you can. You’re a brilliant actor!”
“Mrs. D is the only other person who knows this because I had to tell her. I didn’t even tell Riv. I took myself out of the competition.”
“My goodness. Why?”
“Well, at first I was all for it, and it didn’t seem to matter because the six judges from LA and Palm Springs aren’t affiliated with the theater in any way. But I was afraid that if I did win, it could backfire in a big way. Even if I won legitimately, you know there would be people who would say it was rigged because I work here. I wouldn’t want Mrs. D to have to defend that. It could get really ugly, and it would sort of be like pouring a bucket of slime over everything she’s worked for. That we’ve all worked for. So, before I perform my monologue, she’s going to make an announcement that I’m not under consideration and say that I’ve re … um …”
“Recused yourself.”
“Yeah, right. That’s the word.”
“That makes sense, Larsen, but you won’t have a chance to win the grand prize. You could use that money. And the winner will have a starring role in a future production. But I do agree, the appearance of impropriety can be just as bad as impropriety itself. Do you know that word? It means something dishonest or unethical.”
“I do now! And what you just said is exactly how I feel. Don’t worry about me; I can get a starring role without winning the competition. I really feel good about my decision, Kathryn.”
Kathryn reached over and kissed Larsen on the cheek. “You have so much integrity, Larsen Davis. Have I told you lately how much I admire you?”
Embarrassed, Larsen was relieved when the lights began to dim. “Mrs. D is coming on stage. Wow, look at her! She looks so beautiful.” Larsen stopped himself from inadvertently mentioning Arielle’s ordeal. He was glad everyone had agreed to keep it from Kathryn until another time.
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