Set the Stage for Murder (5 page)

Fortunately, Ethan broke her troubled reverie. “You know,” he said, as he sat on the grass beside her and gathered Clementine in his arms, “it’s not that I don’t appreciate the gardening help. And I’m sure you meant well. It’s just that now I don’t have a clue where to search for those dandelion roots.

“
Sorry,” Vicki said as she surveyed the ground around her. “I’ve really made quite a mess. You’ve come to ban me from the gardens, haven’t you?

”
Actually, I came to order the two of you to the gazebo.”

“
The gazebo?” Vicki questioned as she gathered her tools and put them in her gardening basket.

“
Uh huh, the Gazebo. Marc is waiting there with a pitcher of martinis. “And, of course, ” he added, in response to the dog’s mournful gaze, “a homemade peanut butter doggie treat for you, Clem.”

With that, she scampered out of his arms and trotted toward the lovely whitewashed Victorian structure where she knew Marc was waiting, treat in hand. The two men spoiled her even more than her owners, if that were possible.

“
But it’s 4:00,” she said, rising and wiping the dirt from the knees of her pants. “Isn’t it a little early for cocktail hour?”

“
Marc said that you would protest,” Ethan said, rising gracefully from his yoga-like position. His devotion to the meditative regimen probably explained his usual serenity. “However, I am to counter with the ‘but you look as if you could use a strong one right now’ argument.”

“
Well, it’s a good one and I readily concede,” Vicki said as she tucked her arm in Ethan’s and walked with him down the meandering path to the gazebo, where Marc was already pouring her a drink as Clementine lay on a pillow at his feet, devouring an enormous bone shaped treat. How he kept the glasses that frosty on a summer day was a mystery to her, as was how in the world she and Ted were lucky enough to have the couple in their employ. Oh sure, Marc was a little bossy and controlling and Ethan could be moody, but what writer wasn’t? For their part, long-time couple, Ethan Weiss and Marc Denby, had been looking for a change from city life and were acquainted with Ted and Vicki through various theatrical projects. Marc and Vicki had performed in more shows together than either of them could remember, and Teddy had recognized and coddled Ethan’s writing talent early on, even going so far as to produce one of his plays off Broadway. Almost a year ago, when he needed a quiet place to write, Ted and Vicki had offered the use of their upstate home. Eventually, Marc, who was growing weary of pounding the pavement in search of the next role, decided to take advantage of the opportunity. He joined Ethan upstate and pursued his passion for cooking by applying for admission to the Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, just a few miles from the McDowells’ home. Now all of them, Ted, Vicki, Ethan, and any guest lucky enough to be invited up, got to enjoy Marc’s “homework.” The arrangement seemed to be working out splendidly for everyone involved, and Vicki kept her fingers crossed that it continued to do so.

“
Dirty with two olives, just the way the lady likes it,” Marc said, handing her the drink. “And just so you don’t get plastered, I’ve made those little sandwiches with the cucumber, feta, and fresh dill spread you like.”

“
This is wonderful.” Vicki sat down in one of the wicker chairs, leaned back and took a long sip of the martini. “I think this is the first time I’ve relaxed since I went to the theater last night.”

“
Obviously, Vic, we want to know everything, but only when you feel like talking about it,” Ethan offered. In truth, Marc had been chomping at the bit all day to badger Vicki with questions, but Ethan’s cooler head had prevailed, and he persuaded his partner to let her tell them the story in her own time. Ethan could see that she was upset when she arrived in the afternoon, and he didn’t want to add to her distress.

“
You’ve been very patient, Marc,” Vicki said, smiling. “I expected you to grill me right away.”

“
Ethan wouldn’t let me,” Marc said, giving Ethan a shove. “Some nonsense about giving you your space and not being pushy. As if! I told him it might actually do you good to talk about it. So talk about it. Talk about it, and don’t leave out a thing.”

So Vicki talked about it, and she left nothing out - well, almost nothing. She left out the part where Rosamund confessed to some monstrous action that may or may not have triggered last night’s events. Granted, this was the key part of the story and she wanted to share it with the couple because they knew Roz and might be able to shed some light on the situation. Still, she didn’t feel right about divulging that information, just yet. Marc, who had a knack for knowing things no mere mortal should know, wasn’t completely satisfied with her account, and she knew it. He sensed that she was holding back. For now, the fact that she was being a trifle mysterious was interesting enough to keep him from pressing her further. Besides, he could make two, maybe three phone calls and discover most of the truth anyway.

“
What about the weekend? Are we proceeding as planned?” Ethan asked.

“
Yes we are. Roz wouldn’t hear of canceling. Which is great, since we’ve got a lot to accomplish before rehearsals start, and this weekend is when it is all supposed to happen.”

“
Has the guest list changed any?” Marc asked in a way that informed Vicki that there was only one right answer to his question.

“
Well …” Vicki said with all the courage she could muster, “Phoebe will be joining us.”

“
Does that mean Vincent, as well?”

“
Yes, I’m afraid it does,” Vicki answered, apologetically.

“
Then it’s fine, “ Marc pronounced in a way that indicated the subject was closed.

“
It is?” Vicki asked, incredulously. “Marc, I’ve just told you that I’ve added to a guest list with only three days’ notice. I was expecting more of a reaction.”

“
Apparently, Vincent is always welcome,” Ethan explained with an amused air. “He could show up with a bus full of chimpanzees on speed and it would be okay.”

“
Vincent is proving to be a hit with just about everyone.” Vicki winked at Ethan as she took another sip of her martini.

“
Does that mean Phoebe has softened to him?” Ethan asked, laughing.

“
Softened and on the verge of melting. He’ll be running McDowell Financial one day if he’s not careful.”

“
I wonder what he’d like to eat while he’s here?” Marc pondered, almost to himself.

“
Are you telling me that Vincent gets to determine the menu?” Vicki protested. “ It’s
my
house and
I
never get to decide what we eat.”

“
Get her,” Marc said to Ethan. “See how well she plays the role of lady of the manor? As if she weren’t just little ole’ Vicki Locke, New York actress, a mere three years ago. Besides,” he continued, his attention back to Vicki, “You’ll eat anything. Vincent, however, strikes me as the type who might be very particular. I just want to make sure that he doesn’t go hungry.”

“
We’re going to get very tired of this,” Vicki uttered under her breath to Ethan.

“
Yes we are,” Ethan agreed with a sigh.

“
And I’m still the New York actress Vicki Locke by the way. It’s just that now I’m able to enjoy some of life’s luxuries, like a bigger apartment, a country house, and a cantankerous cook.”

“
So let’s run down the cast of characters,” Marc said, ignoring the two of them as he opened his ever-present planner and began making notes. “I suppose Harold Fiske will be here since he wrote the damn thing. We’re all going to have to be on booze patrol around him all weekend. You know how insufferable he gets when he’s in his cups. Billy will be here, but when isn’t he? You know he now leaves clothes in the armoire in his room? For all practical purposes, he’s moved in. Still, he’s charming and he’s a good director, so I suppose I don’t mind too much.”

“
You don’t know how much Teddy and I appreciate your flexibility, Marc” Vicki said, attempting to keep a straight face.

Marc, totally focused on his planner, continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “So now we have Phoebe and Vincent joining the Broadway riff raff we usually entertain. Well, it’s not actually our usual crowd,” he amended, “since we seem to be making history by seating Roz Whiting, Sir Tony and Dame Caroline Dupree at the same table for the first time ever. Poor Juliet, it is absolutely the family reunion from hell, isn’t it? I mean, come on,” he exclaimed dramatically, popping one of the cucumber and feta cheese sandwiches into his mouth, “having Roz and Tony for parents is bad enough, but when you throw in Dame Caroline as the wicked stepmother … well, it gets positively Grimm … and that’s with two m’s not one.”

“
It is pretty remarkable Juliet turned out as normal as she did.” Ethan was sitting on the floor rubbing Clementine’s ears. “Other than being a little on the quiet side, she seems pretty well-adjusted.”

“
You’d be on the quiet side if you’d been raised by that group,” Vicki said, her mouth full with her third sandwich. “I mean, Roz is bad enough when it comes to dominating a conversation …”

“
But she does it so well,” Marc interjected.

“
Which is why you forgive her, “ Vicki continued. “In fact, they’re all so damned entertaining that you forget no one else has spoken for two hours. Still, I’ve watched it shape Juliet over the years. Thank God she’s had Meg around to listen to her and provide some semblance of a normal life.”

“
Not to mention that Catholic upbringing, which stopped just short of the poor thing’s being sent to a convent,” Mark added disapprovingly, as he generously refilled everyone’s Martini glass. “Why do you think Roz allowed
that
?

“
Spoken like a true lapsed Catholic,” Ethan said, winking at Vicki.

“
I mean
she’s
certainly no Mother Teresa,” Marc continued as if he’d never been interrupted. “In fact, I don’t think she could even
play
Mother Teresa. Not on film, at least; the camera is too close; she’d never pull it off. She might be able to do it onstage,” he added, as if truly contemplating the idea, “
if
the theater were big enough
and
they didn’t sell the first three rows.”

“
Spoken like a true bitchy chorus boy,” Vicki said, causing Ethan to do a spit-take. With that, the two of them collapsed in giggles, rousing Clementine from her nap and causing Marc to start picking up the stemware.

“
No, no, no … we promise to be good.” Vicki laughed as she swiped her glass from the tray.

“
We do?” Ethan asked, grabbing his still half-full Martini.

“
At least where our bartender is concerned,” she conceded.

“
Then back to the guest list,” Marc said, only slightly bruised.

“
Well, the rest of the cast, of course,” Vicki said. “Ed Cortez and Sarah Crandall …”

“
Are they still married?” Ethan asked.

“
Still married,” Vicki answered, “although as we all know, it has not been a particularly happy union. She’s put up with a lot from Ed. When Teddy hired him last year, for
Pinafore
, I tried to get him to put a warning in the chorus girls’ contracts.”

“
Why does Sarah put up with it?” Ethan asked as he leaned against his partner’s knee. “She’s such a success and so damned funny; she doesn’t need him.”

“
She’s left him more than once, but they always reconcile,” Vicki said. “Which I suspect has a lot to do with her big, fat paycheck from the sitcom. Still, she takes him back, so there must be some love there, at least on her part. Maybe they stayed together for Connor’s sake. Who knows?”

“
Well,” Marc began, in that way that indicated this was going to worth hearing so you had better shut up and listen, “I understand he still has a thing for Miss Rosamund Whiting.” With this carrot properly dangled, he picked up the tray and started toward the gazebo steps, as if the subject were closed.

“
Wait just a minute, you!” Vicki ordered. “That is not an
exit
line. Just where did you hear that?”

“
Yeah,” Ethan agreed. “And why am I just finding out?”

Marc set the tray back down, waved a dismissive hand at Ethan and leaned in conspiratorially to both of them. “You remember my friend John Hawkins, right? We did and
Showboat
The Unsinkable Molly Brown
together that summer in St. Louis . . . they had a whole water theme that season.”

Vicki and Ethan both nodded.

“
Well” Marc continued, “he did that Inge play with Ed last summer in the Berkshires, and they got to be friendly in that way you do when you’re away from home and your buddy options are limited?

Vicki and Ethan both nodded

“
So,” Marc said to his captive audience, “one night at a little party thrown by the producers – translation, open bar – Ed got schnockered and started telling our always sober, teetotaler friend John that he never got over being dumped by Roz for Tony AND that he and Roz had an affair a few years ago when they both did that Altman film.

“
Roz and Ed had an affair?!?” Vicki asked, disbelief evident in her tone. “How could I not know about something like that? I’m around Roz all the time!”

“
Well, apparently not
all
the time,” Marc commented, rather pleased with himself. “She’s an actor, Vicki; we lie for a living. And let’s face it, neither of them would want any scandal, so they’d be pretty careful to keep it hush-hush … unless there’s an open bar and then all bets are off.”