Rehearsal for Murder (Maggie Ryan) by P.M. Carlson

Author:P.M. Carlson [Carlson, P.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Mystery Company
Published: 2013-09-30T00:00:00+00:00

On Friday morning Derek was late to rehearsal, and before he’d said a word, they all realized that the news was bad. The little knots of people, casually doing warm-up stretches or vocal exercises, grew still as he stumped across the worn floor to the platform in the center. He stood silently, with filmed and vacant eyes.

Edith said, “Derek. Is it bad news?”

He forced himself to focus on her. “She’s dead.”

IX

Friday morning

March 9, 1973

“No! That’s impossible!” exclaimed Jaymie.

“She’d come through somehow!” agreed Edith.

“You mean she didn’t make it?” Daphne’s voice was disbelieving.

Derek stared at them blankly and didn’t answer.

Larry said curtly, “So. Show’s over.” The foam coffee cup he held crumpled in his hand. Nick found his own hands clenched on the crown he was removing from the prop box.

“No!” protested Daphne. “It’s not just her. It’s a production company!”

“She’d want it to go on!” Edith agreed. “Derek, look, it’s impossible! It can’t be true!”

“Right.” Cab underlined her point. “She wouldn’t quit, Derek. Not quit a show. Even if she couldn’t …” He trailed off.

Derek’s eyes fastened on him, as though registering at last what all the clamor was about. “Look, mates,” he said in a terrible, quiet voice. “Ramona is dead. The show is dead. All our bloody little dreams are dead. All of them!” He jumped down from the platform and strode for the door.

Larry caught his arm before he could open it. “Wait a minute! You can’t just turn us out on the streets! You owe us—”

“Bloody hell, you sod! A great, wonderful star dies and all you can think about is money!”

“I’ll mourn her on my own time, Derek. We all will. But we’re legally entitled to two weeks’ performance pay. You know that.”

“I don’t know a bloody thing except that it’s all over! Now let go of my arm!”

“You can’t just run out without making arrangements to pay us!”

“Let go!” Derek shoved at Larry.

Nick dropped the crown and nudged Cab, and the two of them stepped up to calm the combatants. “Let him be, Larry,” said Nick. “He can’t help us now. Derek, can you get that lawyer to meet with us?”

Derek rubbed his arm and remained silent.

“Derek, do you hear me? Ramona’s partner, the lawyer. Ken Martin. He should meet with us.”

“I—right, I’ll do that.” Derek started for the door again.

“This afternoon,” Nick insisted. “Four o’clock. Or leave a note here where we can all check it.”

“Okay. Right.” He made his escape and clattered down the stairs. Larry turned away with a muffled curse.

Nick shouldered his gym bag. “He’s just lost a hell of a lot.”

“Oh? And the rest of us haven’t? So we should smile sweetly and lose our pay too?” snapped Larry, picking up his jacket.

Nick was getting angry too. “Don’t take it out on him!”

“He deserves special consideration?”

Nick followed him into the staircase. “You think you’re the only one who had high hopes for this show? Larry Palmer in lights at last! Producers not giving your agent a moment’s peace! Money

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