Christy Barritt - Squeaky Clean 08 - Foul Play (22 page)

Mrs. Baker’s eyes widened. “She didn’t
.”

I nodded. “She did.”

“This is all a mess.”

I shifted in my seat.
“What did you all decide last night?”

“The show
will go on. Despite everything that’s happened, we’ve put too much work into this to quit now. We practiced, and Arie stepped into your role, Gabby.”

“Arie? Really?”
It didn’t really surprise me. The woman was conniving and would do whatever it took to get ahead.

“It’s true. It made the most sense. If Bennie took your role, then we’d have no one to replace her.” She let out another sigh.
“I was so excited to work with three of my former students. Now all of this.”

My gaze locked on hers.
“Three?”

She nodded. “You, Paulette, and Bennie.”

“Bennie is a former student?” Could that be right?

Mrs. Baker nodded. “I thought you knew.”

“You quit when Larissa was born.”

“I did, but I came back and helped with plays up until the time the school closed. Bennie was in my last production. Of course, her name was
n’t Bennie then. It was Bonnie Pratt. Poor girl went through a lot.”

“Like what?”

“Her parents went to jail. She was in foster care. But she really turned her life around. Even back in middle school she got involved with the school newspaper and drama. Those creative outlets were better than therapy for her. She’s continued to channel all of her hardships into making herself a better person.”

That seemed a good reminder that I needed to do the same. But with Riley so close, it was hard. Strangely enough, when I was with Garrett, I felt like I was being unfaithful to Riley. But now that I was with Riley, I felt like I was cheating on Garrett.

My thoughts drifted back to Bennie. Was the fact that she used to go to Oceanside somehow related to this case? I didn’t see how. Sure, she apparently had a key to the building now. But back when the vandalisms started, she wouldn’t have had a way to get into the building. Besides, she always seemed so kind.

Mrs. Baker sighed and looked at me for a moment, worry across her face.
“Who would do this?”

“
Someone desperate to cover up their own crimes?”

“I
suppose. I know we need to rehearse, but would you mind telling me about the evidence against you?” Mrs. Baker asked. “Maybe I can help fill in some of the blanks.”

A
carafe of coffee stood in the middle of the table, and Mrs. Baker began pouring cups for us as I ran through what I knew.

Mrs. Baker shook her head.
“Someone actually said they saw you near the vandalisms?”

I nodded. “Someone with curly red hair. Not too many cast members fit that description except me.”

“Did you say red hair?”

We all
turned our heads to the soft, new voice. It was Larissa. I hadn’t even heard her approach.

“You we
ren’t eavesdropping, were you, Honey?” Mrs. Baker asked. “You know that’s not polite.”

“I just happened to overhear when I was walking past,” Larissa said.

“Is there a reason why you’re asking?” I chimed in.

She nodded. “I found a red wig the other day. I didn’t think much of it, like maybe it was one of the costumes. But what if it wasn’t?”

My heart rate increased. “Where?”

“In the maintenance closet.”

CHAPTER
34

“
What in the world were you doing in the maintenance closet?” Mrs. Baker asked.

Larissa shrugged
, tugging at one of her curls. “I got bored during rehearsal and started walking around. The door was open, so I peeked inside. I saw the wig.”

Mrs. Baker shook her head. “I asked you to stay in the auditorium
, young lady.”

Larissa frowned.

I had other things on my mind, things like proving my innocence. “Did you see anyone else around while the rest of us were in practice?”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out something. “I found this.”

My eyes widened. It was a hundred dollar bill. “Wow.”

“It was in the hallway.”

“Larissa! You can’t keep that,” her mom said.

She hung her head. “I know. I just kept dreaming about what I’d spend it on.”

One hundred dollars that someone had dropped. Where did someone get that money? From doing something illegal—drugs maybe? Stealing items and selling them? I didn’t know.

“Mrs. Baker, did Paulette leave your sight on the night when the lights went out and we found the dead body in the orchestra pit?”

Mrs. Baker thought a moment before shaking her head. “No, she was with me the whole time. Why?”

“I noticed she had some dirt on her cheek.”

“I remember she dropped one of her rings behind a chair in the choir room. I imagine it was expensive. She must have gotten the smudge when she retrieved it.” She paused. “You think Paulette is guilty of murder?”

“Under normal circumstances—
no. But she’s taking some prescription drugs and she’s been drinking. All those things together can be dangerous. Plus, she’s desperate for this to succeed.”

“Why would she kill people then? How would that help her chances?”

I shook my head. “Maybe those people got in her way somehow. Maybe she thought bad publicity was good publicity. I don’t know. But she has possible motive, means, and opportunity.”

My eyes locked with
Mrs. Baker’s. We were thinking the exact same thing. Paulette very well could be guilty.

***

I had meetings lined up for the rest of the day essentially.

Next
, I was meeting Bennie for lunch. She was my inside connection to the cast. Since I couldn’t be at practice tonight, I had to use whatever resources I could.

Riley stayed in the car
to return some phone calls. His phone had been buzzing all day. Which made me wonder what was going on: His new job? His therapist? His girlfriend?

The last thought made my stomach knot up, made feel off balance.

Focus, Gabby. Focus.

Thinking about the investigation seemed a lot safer, for my heart, at least.

Which brought me back to my meeting with Bennie.

Of all the people who were associated with the play, the only two I really
put any faith in were Mrs. Baker and Bennie. Bennie had been with me and been hit on the head that night we staked out the school. She couldn’t have done that to herself, which led me to believe that she was on my side. Or, at least that she was innocent.

We met at the same seafood restaurant Garrett had taken me to last week.
Bennie only lived a few blocks away and, honestly, it was the only restaurant I could think of in this direction. However, without Garrett by my side, seating took much longer and my wallet ached when I realized what the bill would be.

I’d just slid into a booth—not by the water this time—when
Bennie walked in. I waved her over.

“What’s going on?” she asked, depositing her purse in the corner.

“Thanks for coming. I need your help.”

“There were all kinds of rumors floating around last night. Someone even had the gall to say you were arrested for the vandalisms at the theater. Can
you believe that?” She let out a nervous laugh.

I licked my lips. “It’s a really long story. But I have to admit right now that I am desperately trying to find the person who’s responsible.”

Her face paled. “That means you were arrested.”

“
Bennie, just try to stay focused right now. I didn’t do anything. Besides, we’re in a public place. Even if I were guilty, you’d be completely safe right now.”

Her shoulders relaxed some. “Okay. What can I do?”

“Tell me about the scuttlebutt behind stage. Is there anyone who’s been acting strangely? Specifically about Scarlet?”

She rubbed her throat. I’d obviously made her uncomfortable, which I hated to do. But time wasn’t on my side right now.

Bennie had opened her mouth to speak when the waitress appeared. Servers had a knack for showing up at the worst possible times.

I ordered some soup, and
Bennie perused the menu for what felt like hours before finally deciding on just French fries and a soda.

Finally, the waitress
walked away and Bennie turned back to me. “I don’t know, Gabby. Actors are kind of weird sometimes, so it’s hard to tell what’s normal and what’s not.”

“Anything would help.”

She let out a long breath. “Well, Jerome is always watching people. I don’t know why. Maybe he wants to be a character actor? Who knows?”

“Go on.”

“Arie thinks she’s hot stuff. She’s desperate to gain some of her fame back. I have a feeling that she only befriends people if they can do something for her. I don’t know if she has a sincere bone in her body.”

I’d thought the
same thing before. “I can see that.”

“I saw her after practice one day. She was talking to Roberto.”

“You know Roberto?”

Bennie nodded. “I’ve seen him around the school a couple of times.”

I tilted my head. “Really?”

“Sure. He stops by during the day on occasion to talk with Paulette.”

I stored that information away for a rainy day. Why would she be talking to Roberto? I really didn’t trust the man.

“This is all very helpful. Is there a
nything else you can think of? Anyone else?”

“The
Shining Twins, as I call them.”

“I thought the same thing
!”

Bennie
smiled. “Something seems off about them, which doesn’t make them guilty necessarily. But they do know the backstage better than anyone else, you know?”

I
nodded. “I do.”

“I can also say that
Scarlet and Arie both had strong opinions and they weren’t afraid to voice them. They’d had some disagreements about the direction of the play. I overheard Arie saying there was someone else she knew who’d easily fit into the lead role if Scarlet didn’t straighten up.”

Sure, that person had been Arie herself. She’d wanted to star in the play.

Had they fought over Roberto? What was his connection exactly? He was fast enough and strong enough to be behind the murders.

“Did
Arie say anything last night at practice when I didn’t show up?” I asked.

“She was gloating because she got to fill in as lead.”

So what if Arie blamed everything on me, just so she could be the star of the play? It was a decent theory. But I had no idea how I would prove it.

***

I finished my lunch with Bennie and gave Riley directions to Peter’s place. I was meeting with him before I met with Marjorie. My day was packed, but I didn’t have any time to waste. The idea of spending more time in jail had spurred me into action.

As we drove, m
y mind turned everything over at such a fast pace that a headache began to develop.

“What are you thinking?” Riley asked.

I shook my head. “I’m thinking that everyone could be guilty, but everyone also had a reason why they couldn’t have done it.”

“What’s your gut tell you?”

I drew in a long breath. “That’s the thing. My gut isn’t giving me any good indications as to who might be guilty here. No one person stands out. Just when I think I know who’s responsible, my mind jerks to someone else.”

“Why are you doubting yourself?”

“I’m not. I’m just being honest.”

“It sounds like you’re questioning your instincts.”

I shrugged. “Maybe I am. I guess I’m just saying that this whole case started out seeming relatively simple. I was going to look into people’s backgrounds, keep an eye on things behind stage, listen to the scuttlebutt around the cast and crew. Now two people are dead, and I was accused of a crime I didn’t commit. If I’m not careful, they’ll charge me with the murders, too.”

Riley squeezed my shoulder. “Just take some deep breaths. It will come together.
What connects all of this? The victim? The play?”

“The school,” I muttered. “The school is what all of this has in common.”

“Why would two people be killed over an old building?”

“Maybe someone wants the property for themselves. Someone wants the building shut down. Maybe something is going on there that I’m clueless about.”

“What could be going on at the school?”

“Drug deals?”

“Couldn’t the dealers just move the location? That would be easier than killing people.”

“Maybe they’re hiding something there.”

“Why not just move it?”

I rubbed my temples. “See? This is complicated.”

“Who are we going to talk to now?” he asked.

I explained who Peter was.

“Let’s see what he has to say then.”