home?”
“Ages ago. The party-pooper said he was tired. Don’t know why he would be, he’s on vacation.”
“So you came back alone?” Lempson asked.
Erin shrugged. “Sure, it’s close. But look, there’s stuff in there I really need.” She continued talking to the officer while Elizabeth took stock of the perplexed faces standing around the set. Tom, who had apparently been answering questions when she screamed; two musicians and the actress who played Maria waiting to be questioned; Larry who had been called back from the park. Had they been where they seemed to be? And where were Gregg and Tori?
As if in answer to Elizabeth’s question, her sister wandered in at the far side of the stage, holding her glasses and rubbing her eyes. “What’s going on? It must be the middle of the night.”
“Tori, where have you been? I’ve been so worried.” Elizabeth ran to her.
“There you are, at last.” Gregg strode in through the down left entrance. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
Tori grinned, then yawned and put her glasses back on. “I went to sleep.”
“Sleep?”
“Uh-huh. We have a small couch in the sewing room. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open, so I went there. It was so quiet. It was great.” She stretched lazily.
Elizabeth frowned. It wasn’t like Tori to go to sleep on a party. Especially one in her friend’s honor. “Tori, what did you have to drink tonight?”
“Just a lemonade. Why?”
“Did you open it yourself?”
“I don’t remember. Why?”
“Do you know where the bottle is?” Elizabeth insisted.
“Probably by the sofa. I don’t really remember. I might have carried it down there.”
Elizabeth started toward the door, but Rory Fellows who had been following her questions moved first. “Can you show me the way, Miss?” Tori led him out.
Richard led Elizabeth off to the side. “We’re going home.”
“Mmm. Yes. That big brass bed at the Bard’s Haven is just what I want.”
“Yes, for tonight. But I mean home. First flight I can get in the morning.”
“But, Richard, why? We still have two more plays to see.”
“I want you out of here. Do you realize how close you’ve come to being killed twice today?”
“Richard, they were accidents. And the makeup kit wasn’t that heavy. It wouldn’t have killed me.” She paused. “Surely you don’t think I’d leave when a prime murder suspect is about to run off with my sister?”
“And surely you don’t think I’d let you stay another minute when you’re apparently a prime murder target?” “They were accidents,” she repeated. “At least as to me. Erin may be right. Someone may have thought I was her in that jacket. But don’t be silly. I’m fine.”
“Yes. And that’s the way I want you to stay.”
She narrowed her eyes and lifted her head. “Dr. Richard Spenser, have you thought— Gregg might have drugged Victoria tonight to keep her out of the way while he dealt with Erin.”
“There are at least a million ‘might haves’ I’ve thought of. Most of them far more disastrous than the one you suggest. Like my having to live without you. I’m taking you home. We’ll take Tori, too, if you want.” They turned toward the door.
“Excuse me,” Detective Sergeant Lempson stopped them. “You folks will be staying here for a couple of days, won’t you?”
Richard opened his mouth, but got no further.
“I can’t require it, you understand. Not yet. But you’re key witnesses to what happened tonight. It could be material. It’s quite clear that we’re now investigating a murder.”
Elizabeth grinned at her husband. “Like I said, we have two more plays to see.”
But inside she wondered: Were they really accidents—cases of mistaken identity? Or was she a witness to something important? Had she seen something she didn’t know she’d seen? Was it possible someone did want to get rid of her because of something she didn’t even know she knew?
Chapter
“Ages ago. The party-pooper said he was tired. Don’t know why he would be, he’s on vacation.”
“So you came back alone?” Lempson asked.
Erin shrugged. “Sure, it’s close. But look, there’s stuff in there I really need.” She continued talking to the officer while Elizabeth took stock of the perplexed faces standing around the set. Tom, who had apparently been answering questions when she screamed; two musicians and the actress who played Maria waiting to be questioned; Larry who had been called back from the park. Had they been where they seemed to be? And where were Gregg and Tori?
As if in answer to Elizabeth’s question, her sister wandered in at the far side of the stage, holding her glasses and rubbing her eyes. “What’s going on? It must be the middle of the night.”
“Tori, where have you been? I’ve been so worried.” Elizabeth ran to her.
“There you are, at last.” Gregg strode in through the down left entrance. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
Tori grinned, then yawned and put her glasses back on. “I went to sleep.”
“Sleep?”
“Uh-huh. We have a small couch in the sewing room. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open, so I went there. It was so quiet. It was great.” She stretched lazily.
Elizabeth frowned. It wasn’t like Tori to go to sleep on a party. Especially one in her friend’s honor. “Tori, what did you have to drink tonight?”
“Just a lemonade. Why?”
“Did you open it yourself?”
“I don’t remember. Why?”
“Do you know where the bottle is?” Elizabeth insisted.
“Probably by the sofa. I don’t really remember. I might have carried it down there.”
Elizabeth started toward the door, but Rory Fellows who had been following her questions moved first. “Can you show me the way, Miss?” Tori led him out.
Richard led Elizabeth off to the side. “We’re going home.”
“Mmm. Yes. That big brass bed at the Bard’s Haven is just what I want.”
“Yes, for tonight. But I mean home. First flight I can get in the morning.”
“But, Richard, why? We still have two more plays to see.”
“I want you out of here. Do you realize how close you’ve come to being killed twice today?”
“Richard, they were accidents. And the makeup kit wasn’t that heavy. It wouldn’t have killed me.” She paused. “Surely you don’t think I’d leave when a prime murder suspect is about to run off with my sister?”
“And surely you don’t think I’d let you stay another minute when you’re apparently a prime murder target?” “They were accidents,” she repeated. “At least as to me. Erin may be right. Someone may have thought I was her in that jacket. But don’t be silly. I’m fine.”
“Yes. And that’s the way I want you to stay.”
She narrowed her eyes and lifted her head. “Dr. Richard Spenser, have you thought— Gregg might have drugged Victoria tonight to keep her out of the way while he dealt with Erin.”
“There are at least a million ‘might haves’ I’ve thought of. Most of them far more disastrous than the one you suggest. Like my having to live without you. I’m taking you home. We’ll take Tori, too, if you want.” They turned toward the door.
“Excuse me,” Detective Sergeant Lempson stopped them. “You folks will be staying here for a couple of days, won’t you?”
Richard opened his mouth, but got no further.
“I can’t require it, you understand. Not yet. But you’re key witnesses to what happened tonight. It could be material. It’s quite clear that we’re now investigating a murder.”
Elizabeth grinned at her husband. “Like I said, we have two more plays to see.”
But inside she wondered: Were they really accidents—cases of mistaken identity? Or was she a witness to something important? Had she seen something she didn’t know she’d seen? Was it possible someone did want to get rid of her because of something she didn’t even know she knew?
Chapter
Similar Books
