A Wrench in the Works Read online

  I was saved when Chloe came in, once again perfectly coiffed and clothed. “Hey, Robbie, come play with me.”

  He scooted across the room and danced at her feet.

  “He’s so adorable,” she said, pouring a cup of coffee.

  “He’s in heaven,” I said. “Breakfast is almost ready so you can sit down and take it easy.”

  “Wow, okay. It smells really good.”

  “I made an omelet with cheese and onions and tomatoes.”

  “Yum.” She carried her coffee mug to the table and sat. Robbie stood at attention by her chair and Chloe leaned over to pet him. “Good boy, Robbie.”

  “He knows something is up,” I said. “I was in the shower at four o’clock. I’m never awake this early.”

  “Where’s Tiger?”

  “She’s the smart one. Still in bed upstairs.”

  “Well, Robbie,” she said, rubbing his chin. “You’re very handsome even if you’re not as smart as the cat.”

  I laughed. “He makes up for it in heart and enthusiasm.”

  I used a spatula to flip the omelet over and covered the pan to cook it another minute. Meanwhile I pulled toast from the oven and put a piece on each plate along with a slice of turkey bacon for each of us. Slicing the omelet evenly down the middle, I put one half on Chloe’s plate and the other on mine, and brought them both to the table.

  “This looks so good,” Chloe said, taking her first bite. “I’ll make pancakes tomorrow.”

  “That’s a deal.”

  Still sleepy, we chitchatted about nothing important and fifteen minutes later, we were finished with breakfast. I put the dishes in the dishwasher, checked that Robbie hadn’t slurped up all of his water, and then we left for the shoot.

  I drove around the corner and found a parking place on the side street.

  “I’ve got our parking pass,” Chloe said, and handed me a yellow flyer to leave on my dashboard.

  We climbed out of the truck with our bags. Chloe had suggested that I bring two extra changes of clothing along with all my cosmetics and any hair product I used.

  “Our hair and makeup girl will help you out with anything you’re missing.”

  “I hope so. My goal is to stand next to you and not look like a hag.”

  “Ooh, honey,” she said, cringing. “I’m not sure that’s possible.”

  “Very funny. You’re a laugh riot first thing in the morning.”

  She grinned. “I know.”

  I lifted the smallest of my three toolboxes out of the bed of the truck. This one held all of my pink tools, which were good to have around since no male crew members would walk off with them. Chloe had suggested that I talk about my pink tools on camera and I had reluctantly agreed. Pink or not, these tools could cause some damage if one wasn’t careful.

  “Is anybody here?” I asked as we walked down the driveway of the Blooms’ house.

  She pointed to the equipment truck. “There’s light coming from Bob and Gary’s truck. They’re probably in there with their guys, getting their stuff together.” She glanced around the spacious front yard. “Looks like the gaffer and his assistant have already rigged the cables and lights for the outside shots.”

  “Okay, I see a light on in the wardrobe trailer.”

  Chloe checked her watch. “We’ve still got an hour before they even start setting up for the first segment.”

  “What about our hair and makeup?”

  “She won’t be ready for another half hour.”

  “So much for getting here early.” I stared at the house and the surrounding trees. Except for the tops of the chimneys, the rest of the house was still in shadow. “How about if we check out the house? Margaret gave me a key.”

  “I’d love to.”

  We strolled up the walkway to the front steps and gingerly climbed up to the porch. Even though Chloe had checked the steps out yesterday, I was careful where I put my feet. You never knew when the final straw would occur and your foot would go right through a rotted piece of wood. I’d been there, done that, and had the scars to prove it.

  We made it to the front door without a mishap and set our bags and toolboxes down.

  I unlocked the door and turned the knob. The door creaked open, giving me shivers across my shoulders.

  “What a sound,” Chloe whispered with a nervous laugh. “It’s like the Addams Family lives here.”

  “Definitely spooky.” I walked into the house, rubbing my arms to get rid of the chill.

  The sun was rising in the east, but the room was still dark. There was barely enough light pouring through the double bay windows, but we could still see some of the splendid features of the front room.

  “Look at that crown molding,” Chloe said, gazing up where the walls and ceiling met. “It’s got to be eighteen inches wide.”

  “And that’s real mahogany,” I said.

  “Thank God they didn’t paint over it.”

  “Don’t you hate that?”

  “Ooh, Shannon. Look at the archway in front of the bay windows. It makes it feel like a little alcove, perfect for a cozy reading nook.”

  “I love it.” I turned and saw the fireplace on the opposite side of the room. “Wow, that mirror over the mantel looks like the original.”

  “And the mantel and header look like Persian marble.”

  “These floors are the original hardwood,” I said. “But they’ll have to be sanded down and polished because they’re scratched up pretty badly.” I crouched down to run my fingers over one particularly bad scratch. “It looks like someone dragged something all the way across the room.”

  Chloe walked slowly toward the fireplace, glancing up at the marble columns on either side that went all the way up to the ceiling. When she got closer, she said, “This hearth is so elegant. These tiles are . . .” She gasped loudly. “No!”

  “What did you find?”

  “Oh God. No, no. Sh-Sh-Shannon. We . . . we’ve got to get out of here.”

  “Oh no. Are there spiders?” I hated spiders. Crossing the room, I almost collided with her as she was backing away.

  I grabbed her shoulders to stop her. “What’s wrong?”

  She pointed ahead. “There’s a . . . it’s a . . .” Her whole body trembled.

  “You’re being weird.” I took another step closer and finally understood. My breath came out in stuttering waves as I forced myself to take in exactly what I was seeing.

  In the darkness I had thought that a large pile of firewood was scattered in front of the fireplace. But no. It was a woman’s body draped across the cold tile hearth. She was dressed in flowing linen pants and a tank top. One of her fancy gold heels was hanging off her foot, held on by a single strap around her ankle.

  “Wait here,” I said.

  “Shannon, no. Let’s get out.”

  “Just a sec.” Watching where I stepped, I moved close enough to check for a pulse. There was nothing. The woman was dead. Her hair was matted with blood and some of it trickled down the side of her cheek to pool on the marble surface.

  I stared down at her lifeless form, marveling that Bree Bennett was as beautiful in death as she had been in life. Just maybe a few degrees colder.

  “You’re right,” I said, grabbing Chloe’s arm. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Chapter Six

  Back outside, I called 911 to report the death. The dispatcher was Ginny Malone, another high school buddy, so I said hello.

  “Hey,” Ginny said. “That you, Shannon?”

  “Yeah, it’s me.” I paced on the walkway in front of the steps, wondering if she knew the phone number of everyone in town.

  “Snagged another one, did you?”

  I was pretty sure she meant another body, and that just wasn’t fair. Sure, I’d come across a few dead bodies over the last year o
r so, but who hadn’t?

  I rolled my eyes. Outside of a funeral service, nobody I knew had ever even seen a dead body, let alone stumbled across one in their daily travels. But I didn’t want to think about that glaring fact just now, so I ignored Ginny’s comment. “Besides the general dispatch, would you mind giving Chief Jensen a separate call to let him know?”

  “You bet, hon,” she said. “Hang in there, Shannon.”

  “Thanks, Ginny.”

  When I finished the call, I turned to Chloe, who was sitting on the top step. “I’m going to go tell Bob and Gary what’s happening.” The two men were the only crew people I knew well enough to talk to. There had to be other people inside the various trailers and trucks or sitting in their cars finishing their coffee, but they would all find out eventually.

  “I should go with you.” But she didn’t stand up, and when she gazed at me, her eyes were damp. She pushed her bangs back from her forehead, a clear sign that she was rattled. “And I should probably make a few calls, but I’m not ready.”

  “Then just sit here and try to stay calm. Take some deep breaths. Don’t worry about anything for a few minutes.”

  “Easy for you to say.”

  I gave her a sympathetic half smile. “I’m so sorry, sis.”

  “I’ll be okay. Hurry back.”

  I jogged across the street and down to the equipment truck, where I found Bob and Gary arguing over a scene in The Big Lebowski.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” I said, “but I’ve got some bad news.” I told them about Bree and watched their mouths fall open. They both looked gobsmacked.

  “Are you serious?” Bob said. “Bree?”

  “Holy cow,” Gary whispered. “That’s . . . oh, crap.”

  “I know,” I said. “It’s horrible.”

  “How did you . . . ?”

  “Chloe and I found her just a few minutes ago.”

  “Whoa, that’s a bummer,” Gary said. “Are you guys okay?”

  “I’ll be fine. Chloe’s rattled, but she’ll be fine, too. Anyway, there’s not much anyone can do until the police arrive, so if you want to hang out here . . .”

  Bob glanced at Gary. “Think we should wait in the truck?”

  “I don’t know, man. It might make us look suspicious.”

  Bob frowned. “Like we’re hiding or something?”

  “I know the local police pretty well,” I assured them. “They won’t think you’re hiding.”

  “Because we’re not,” Bob insisted. “But man, I just don’t want to go out there right now. I mean, what can you say to anyone? It’s a freaking tragedy. I still don’t believe it.”

  “It’s like some kind of a bad dream.” He looked at me. “Yeah, I think we’ll hang here for a little while.”

  “Sounds good,” I said with a nod. “Might as well hunker down until the police come looking for you.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that,” Gary said, his gaze darting left and right. “Police come looking for us? That’s never a good thing.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that,” I said, unsurprised by the reaction. For some reason, people freaked out more over the police than a dead body.

  Bob waved me away. “Don’t mind Gary. He’s an old hippie who likes to think he was kept down by the man.”

  “Dude, I’m not that old.”

  I bit back a smile. “See you guys later.”

  Obviously, people processed sorrow in a lot of different ways. I figured those two would get over their shock and wander out in a few minutes to commiserate with their friends on the crew.

  Meanwhile, I was more concerned about Chloe.

  But as I approached the Bloom house, I saw a catering truck parked in the driveway. The workers were moving fast. Already, two long utility tables were covered in white tablecloths and held four huge coffee urns, along with cups and spoons and napkins and all the other necessary coffee-and-tea accoutrements. Trays of pastries, donuts, and muffins took up the rest of the space and a few people were already starting to help themselves to the goodies.

  And there in the middle of everything, looking as calm and pretty as a summer day, was Emily Rose. I was giddy with relief to see a good friend in the midst of this weird circus and ran over to give her a hug.

  “Darling Shannon,” she said, and I had to smile. Her lovely Scottish brogue was a joy to hear.

  “I’m so glad to see you,” I said.

  “And look at you, so glamorous! I can’t wait to watch you make your television debut.”

  I changed the subject. “By the way, according to Wade, Niall had a great first day on the job.”

  “It warms my heart to hear it. Thank you for giving my brother a job.” She looked a little closer and frowned. “What’s going on? Is something bothering you, Shannon?”

  Figured a good friend would notice my stress.

  “Yes.” I leaned in to whisper, “The producer of the show was murdered sometime during the night. The police should be here any second.”

  “Oh, dear. Oh no.” She had to shake her head a few times to let the words sink in. “And you found her, yes? My poor Shannon at the center of it all again. Well, this is going to cause a stir. But never mind. What can I do to help?”

  I couldn’t have wished for a better response. “Just keep it quiet for now. I’ll check with you in a while, but right now I have to get back to Chloe. I’m worried about her.”

  “Go to your sister,” she said. “I’ll bring around a cup of tea in a moment.”

  I gave her a grateful smile. “Thanks, Emily.”

  Chloe was still sitting on the steps and I joined her while we waited for the police to arrive. I could tell she was shaken to the core and I knew that feeling. Strangely, I seemed to be handling this sort of thing much better than I used to. And I wondered if I should worry about that.

  “The police will be here any minute,” I said. “They’ll get everything sorted out.”

  “I don’t know how I’ll explain it,” she whispered.

  “Explain what?”

  “How she died.”

  I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. “Honey, you weren’t here. You can’t explain it. So don’t worry.”

  “But I argued with her, Shannon. And then I was the first one to find her. Just, you know, lying there.”

  “Everyone argued with her.” I patted her knee. “Chloe, this isn’t your fault.”

  “I’m not so sure,” she said, and broke down, burying her face in her hands as she sobbed and sobbed.

  I held her tighter and worried. Was there something here I didn’t know about? Was she actually feeling guilty about Bree’s death? Of course she was. But none of this was her fault!

  After another minute, her shoulders stopped shaking and I could feel them rise and fall as she breathed in and out, in and out.

  Finally I said, “I’m pretty sure the police will want to shut down the shoot for a day or two. Will you be okay with that?”

  “It’s fine with me. I want them to do whatever it takes to find out what happened.”

  “Okay, good.” I thought it was a good sign that she was starting to think beyond this traumatic moment.

  It was still early, but every few minutes one more production person or crew member would show up to grab a cup of coffee and a donut. If the police didn’t get here soon, I would have to say something to all of them.

  And that was when it occurred to me that I hadn’t seen Blake Bennett show up yet. Had he been fired after all? I glanced around, searching the faces of the people scattered down by the trucks. “Chloe, when does Blake get to the set?”

  She checked her watch. “He’s usually here by now. Sometimes he sleeps in one of the dressing room trailers, just to be close by.”

  “So you don’t think he actually was fired?”

 
“No, I really don’t.” She suddenly went rigid. “Wait. Do you think he’s hurt, too?”

  That hadn’t occurred to me, but now I wondered. And worried. “I’ll go look for him. Which trailer is his?”

  “I’m not sure. He doesn’t have a personal private one he uses. He just takes what’s available. It’s pretty relaxed around here.”

  “I’ll check them all. Stay here.”

  I started to clatter down the steps, but stopped abruptly when one of the wood planks began to give way.

  “Great,” I muttered. All I needed today was a broken leg. I carefully negotiated around the weak spot and continued down to the walkway. I gave myself a mental reminder to fix that step before someone got hurt.

  Near the sidewalk I was almost mowed down by a tall, burly man marching directly toward the walkway, ignoring me completely.

  “Hey!” I said, stopping barely in time to avoid a collision. He acted as though I were invisible, and all I could do was glower at him. I’d never seen him before and wondered if he was part of the crew. Jerk.

  Then I saw Mac a block away, strolling up the sidewalk toward us, and felt instantly calmer.

  “Rolly!” a woman bellowed as she came bustling down the sidewalk toward the rude man who’d almost run me down. “I told you to wait for me.”

  The burly man turned, scowling. “You were lollygagging.”

  “You’re such a jerk,” she muttered, shaking her head as she joined him.

  I couldn’t agree more, I thought, and ignored the angry couple in favor of watching Mac walk closer. But something occurred to me and I turned around to watch the jerk and the lollygagger walking across the wide grassy lawn, their heads close together as they whispered to each other and avoided everyone else.

  Were those the Wagners? I wondered. It had to be them. Mac had called the guy Rolly. He had also claimed that both of them were difficult. As usual, he was right.

  “Hey, Red,” Mac said when he got close enough.

  “Hi, Mac,” I said and gave him a fierce hug.