A Big Sky Christmas by William W. Johnstone, J. A. Johnstone Page B

spouting words. They didn’t even do a very good job of pretending, but it was enough to make the audience hoot and holler in enthusiasm. The supposed victim of the assault staggered around and made a real production of dying.
    Once he had slumped onto the steps and wasn’t moving anymore—except for a twitch every now and then that Bodie could see—Cyrus O’Hanlon came out again, dressed in a sheet like the others, and started making another long speech about burying Caesar. Bodie couldn’t follow all of what O’Hanlon said, but the whole thing was stirring, no doubt about that.
    O’Hanlon finally shut up and the curtains closed again. An older but still attractive woman came out and sang a song. She was good, Bodie thought, but not as good as Savannah. Then she danced with a young man while another man with a walrus mustache played a piano at the edge of the stage. She was pretty light on her feet, despite her hefty build.
    After that, everything started to run together a little for Bodie. There were more dramatic scenes, more singing, more dancing, even some acrobats, one of whom was a gal in a scandalously scanty costume that exposed her knees. But he was waiting to see Savannah McCoy again, and when she didn’t appear he began to get a little impatient.
    Cyrus O’Hanlon came out in that silly hat with the feather on it again. “Finally, ladies and gentlemen, to conclude our performance tonight we are proud to present one of the most famous scenes in the illustrious history of the theater . . . the balcony scene from the great tragedy Romeo and Juliet , as written by Mr. William Shakespeare. It will be performed by yours truly and Miss Savannah McCoy.”
    Bodie sat up straighter in his seat and thought that it was about time.
    Jake elbowed him again. “She’s the only one you like, ain’t she?”
    â€œShhh,” Bodie said. “They’re about to start.”
    The curtains parted and went back. Some fake bushes had been placed around the stage to represent a garden of sorts, and to one side rose a wall with a window in it. Bodie edged forward in his seat as Savannah appeared in that window and leaned through it so the audience could get a good look at her.
    She was worth looking at, wearing a thin gown that was cut almost sinfully low in front. Bodie felt vaguely embarrassed for her having to wear such a getup, but at the same time he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was so attractive that just looking at her felt almost like a punch in the gut to him.
    Cyrus O’Hanlon strode onto the stage, wandered through the fake bushes toward the wall, and stopped to throw out an arm and bellow, “Hark! What light through yonder window breaks? ’Tis the east, and Juliet is the sun!”
    Savannah was as bright and pretty as the sun, that was for sure, Bodie thought. He could have sat there and watched her all night, but the scene was over all too quickly as far as he was concerned. The curtains swept across the stage again. Bodie sighed. He didn’t want the performance to be finished, but there was nothing he could do about it.
    The whole troupe came out for a curtain call as the audience cheered, whistled, and applauded, so he got to see Savannah again, if only for a moment.
    Finally, the audience began to file out of the theater.
    As they left, Jake said, “Now, ain’t you glad we came to Kansas City? If we hadn’t, you never would’ve seen that brown-haired gal. You were practically droolin’ over her all night like a dog with a big ol’ soup bone.”
    â€œNo, I wasn’t,” Bodie said. “I think she’s pretty, but—”
    Jake’s snort interrupted him. “I reckon you’d marry her if you got the chance—which is a durned fool way to feel, if you ask me. You know what actresses are like. You might as well marry a—”
    Jake stopped short as Bodie stiffened. He had seen