Slings and Arrows by Monica Knightley

Author:Monica Knightley [Knightley, Monica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-08-27T22:00:00+00:00

14

Friday, July 14th

Breakfast was served buffet style and originally was only going to be available from six-thirty until eight o’clock. The unfortunate change of plans meant that breakfast was going to stretch from seven until the last person decided to eat.

A little after eight, Gina and I came downstairs to the room that had been converted into a breakfast room with several smaller tables arranged around the large space. Early morning summer sun streamed through tall windows that looked out on the formal gardens.

The pleasant room seemed oddly incongruous to the tragic mood that had fallen over our group.

Gina and I piled scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes, roasted potato wedges, what the English call bacon, and cold toast onto our plates. A typical ‘Full English Breakfast.’ I knew my eyes were bigger than my stomach, but I couldn’t pass on any of the offerings, except for the baked beans. I just couldn’t do that first thing in the morning. Beans are for afternoon barbecues, not for breakfast.

Three tables were filled with cast and crew. I scanned the area for Dame Vera, knowing that Miles had spoken to her last night and she’d agreed to talk with me. But she wasn’t in the room.

I suspected that someone with the title Dame probably had her breakfast brought to her in her bedroom. Miles was supposed to let me know when I could have my chat with her, though he promised it would be morning.

Zoe Hawkins and a female crew member sat alone at one table, and we asked if we could join them.

Zoe smiled warmly. “Of course. Please.”

We put our trays on the table and sat down.

“How are you doing today?” I asked Zoe. “It looked like you took Albert’s death pretty hard yesterday.”

Zoe blinked rapidly, and her cheeks flared pink. “Oh, oh. Yeah. This is the first time I’ve ever actually known someone who died. I still have all my family, so having someone die you were just working with? I’ve never experienced that until now.”

“I know what you mean,” Gina said a tad too enthusiastically. “When my grandfather died when I was about your age it was pretty strange. Plus it was sad, because, I mean, he was my grandfather.” She shoveled a forkful of eggs into her mouth.

“Yeah, I guess I should just be thankful that Albert wasn’t a family member, huh?” Zoe said, her words tinged with a good helping of irritation.

“I’m sure Gina didn’t mean it that way, Zoe. I know losing someone you’ve been working with would be very difficult,” I tried to reassure her.

“Oh, yes, yes,” Gina said. “I definitely didn’t mean it like it sounded. Which is true about a lot of stuff I say, so just ignore me most of the time. I’m a New Jersey girl.”

I rolled my eyes at Gina. There was little chance Zoe would know what Gina was talking about.

“But, I gotta ask you something,” Gina quickly added as if to swiftly move the conversation in a more comfortable direction.

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