Murder On Stage (Tipperary Carriage Company Mystery Book 10) by J A Whiting & Nell McCarthy

Author:J A Whiting & Nell McCarthy [Whiting, J A & McCarthy, Nell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: J A Whiting Books and Whitemark Publishing
Published: 2021-10-13T16:00:00+00:00

11

Three more performances took place and all of them went well. Copper began to settle in after repeating the routine a few more times, as long as he was closely watched and Joe headed him whenever he had to halt and stand still out in front of the stage.

Before Mae knew it, the Sunday night show was over, and she, Ross, Joe, and Clara were in the parking lot getting ready to load up the horses and go home.

"Better be careful, Joe," said Mae, smiling at him. "You're making yourself indispensable with your horse-holding skills. Ross might put you to work whenever we go somewhere."

"That's fine with me," said Joe.

"I don't pay very good, though," Ross warned as he began unfastening pieces of Copper's harness to take it off of him.

"That's all right, Ross," Clara called. "Your wonderful company and sparkling conversation are payment enough."

All of them laughed as they went on unharnessing the two horses and putting the heavy harness away in the trailer's front storage compartment.

Then Mae looked up to see John Perry, the director and the head of the Scioto Players, walking toward them.

With him was Judy Grassley.

"Another wonderful show from the horses and handlers," said John, and then turned to Mae. "Could we talk to you for a moment? Over by your truck, perhaps."

"Why, sure," said Mae, a little surprised. She turned to Clara. "Would you mind holding Goldie? Maybe dry her off with this towel? I'll be right back."

"I thought you'd never ask," said Clara, still wearing her long gingham dress from the show. "Take your time."

After handing over the pony's lead rope, Mae walked with John and Judy into the soft shadows near the big green truck.

"Everything all right?" Mae asked, and then remembered to take off her white straw cowboy hat. "What can we do for you?"

"Well… it's the last thing I want to tell you, Mae," John began. "The shows have been wonderful. The cast is delighted and the audiences love every moment that the horses are out there."

"It's been a great story on the news, too," said Judy. "Most of the news outlets in this area, big and small, have picked up the reviews. It's all over the Internet."

"Do they want a behind-the-scenes on the horses?" asked Mae, hoping that was all John had in mind. "I'm happy to do that."

"I wish it was that simple," he replied. "But I'm afraid it isn't."

Mae felt like she was on the edge of a cliff. If everything was going so well, then what was this about?

"You see," John went on, "I'm afraid the theater company has run into a financial problem."

"Oh," said Mae, not really understanding. Then suddenly a thought came to her. "Oh, John, is the company being sued? Over Vince's death?"

He sighed and glanced out at the horses standing under the glare of the parking lot lights. "Not yet, but it looks like it's coming. I've been told by several sources that it’s all but inevitable and we should be prepared."

"I'm so sorry," said Mae.

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