New Hope by Ronald Bonett

Author:Ronald Bonett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: -
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2021-06-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

During the intermission, I asked, “Carl, Is something bothering you?”

“Why do you ask, Allen?”

“You missed a few lines during the first half. I was just wondering if it had anything to do with being upset about Jan’s death.”

“Very upset,” he replied, “Can we talk after the play? I thought we could go somewhere and have coffee between performances.”

“Why don’t we go to the coffee shop on Main Street?” I asked.

“Thanks, Allen,” he replied.

During the last half of the play, Carl seemed to be back to normal reciting his lines. Obviously relieved about our meeting, I wondered what was so traumatic, that a mere meeting would trigger that kind of response. After the curtain went down, we remained in our costumes and were heading out the door when Roselyn asked, “Allen, are we going to get a bite?”

“Carl and I are going to the coffee shop. He wants to talk to me.”

“What about?” she asked.

“I don’t know? Something’s upsetting him. I guess I’ll find out.”

“I knew he must be bothered about something. He missed a few lines in the first half. Well, I’ll see you later. I just might get something light and eat here,” she said.

Kissing her lightly on the lips, I said, “Don’t worry. I’ll let you know what it is.”

Getting to the coffee shop, Carl and I ordered our beverage and found a table in the rear of the room.

“Ok, Carl, what’s going on__,”

He didn’t give me the chance to finish my sentence, and shocked me with his next few words. “Allen, Florence thinks I had something to do with Jan’s death.”

Surprised, I replied, “Why would she think that?”

“I don’t know, but when we were in the office before the performance, she grabbed my arm and said, ‘she wouldn’t want to see me in any trouble.’ When I told her I didn’t have anything to do with it, she mentioned about Jan and I having an affair.”

“Well, were you?” I asked.

“We had a few brief meetings around New Year’s, but nothing serious. I knew she was still head over heels with Peter, and I think she was using me to make Peter jealous. Florence said she noticed we went to the New Year’s party together, and when I said if she was keeping tabs, she would have noticed we didn’t leave together.”

“Do you think she was keeping tabs on you? Maybe it was on Jan?”

“I don’t know, but it made me feel awful uncomfortable. When the police questioned you and Roselyn, did they ask whether you knew about a relationship between Jan and me?”

“No, I never knew you had one. Oh! We saw you together a few times, and saw you come with her on New Year’s Eve like Florence, but that’s it. I don’t know what Roselyn was asked. I don’t know if she mentioned you making unwanted advances to her, almost to the point where she was afraid.”

“Yes, that wouldn’t make me look good if I get accused, but as soon as you told me you two were an item, I dropped the advancement.

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