it opens tonight?” Oscar asked.
“That’s the plan,” said Caroline, eager now to get her sandwich and leave.
“This your first time in Warrenstown?”
“Yes.”
“Too bad you have to come when all this upset is going on. Warrenstown is usually such a nice, quiet place. But between those kids killed last weekend and the cops finding the librarian murdered this morning, I don’t know what our town is coming to.”
“I just heard about that,” said Caroline. “What a horrible
thing.”
“Yeah. One of our officers was just in for lunch, and he told me he never saw so much blood. Her carotid artery was completely severed.” Oscar finished wrapping the sandwich and handed it across the counter. “Poor Theresa.”
C H A P T E R
39
It hadn’t been smart to cancel the interview with KEY News yesterday, thought Keith as he entered the theater. He needed all the positive press he could get, and it did no good to alienate Caroline Enright. He was determined to be much more agreeable today.
Caroline and her crew were waiting for him on the stage.
“You told me to pick the place for the interview,” she said, “and I pick this.”
She was right, thought Keith. Having them up on the set was much more visually interesting than just sitting out in the audience. He tried to be patient as the rotund soundman wired him. He waited as the video guy checked his white balance and made the necessary adjustments. He smiled as Caroline asked him her questions. He answered, mustering up all the charm he could. After fifteen minutes, Keith had had enough, but Caroline wasn’t finished.
“Tell me about your plans for this play,” she said.
“At this point, Caroline, I just want to get through opening night.”
She persevered. “Of course, but if Devil in the Details is thesuccess everyone expects it to be tonight, what would you like to see happen next?”
“Well, I’d like to see it please audiences for the two-week run here in Warrenstown, and after that I have little doubt that it will go on to Broadway.”
“With you as director?”
“Perhaps.”
“What about a screen version?” “What about it?”
“Would you want to try your hand at directing the film version of Devil in the Details?”
“That’s an interesting thought.”
“And surely not the first time you’ve considered it,” said Caroline.
Keith smiled a tight smile. He wasn’t going to embarrass himself before a national audience by announcing he would direct his first film without knowing for certain that he had his ducks all in a row. Without Belinda in the lead, Keith’s ducks were scattered. He was putting all his hopes on the performance tonight. If Belinda triumphed as Valerie, then surely he could bring her around to star in what could be another Academy Award-winning role for her.
“As I said, Caroline, at this point, I just want to get through tonight.”
C H A P T E R
40
Driving home from Pittsfield, Gus smirked. It was so easy to placate his overworked, underpaid parole officer. As long as he showed up when he was supposed to, passed his drug test, demonstrated he was still holding down his job, and pretended to be a good little Boy Scout, he got a pass until the next time. No one came out to Curtains Up to check on him—not that they would necessarily discover anything even if they did. His cave was far from easy to find.
The caterer’s white truck was parked at the side of the farmhouse when Gus arrived. Trays of food were being stowed in the kitchen, and crates of glassware were being carried out to the patio, where the bar was being set up. Low glass containers filled with red, yellow, and pink snapdragons sat on scarlet tablecloths spread on the round tables. Tiny red pitchforks poked out from the top of each flower arrangement.
Gus went into the kitchen, picked a deviled egg from a tray, and popped it into his mouth, ignoring the disapproving look from the caterer. Yep, he had a pretty
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