Lights Out Tonight (30 page)
Read Lights Out Tonight Online
Authors: Mary Jane Clark
“I don’t have it,” she said, trying unsuccessfully to keep the fear out of her voice.
“Maybe you need some time to think it over,” said the killer, stuffing a gag into Meg’s mouth. “I’m going to leave for a while, but you can sit down here in the dark and reconsider.”
C H A P T E R
128
Something wasn’t lining up right, thought Howard Stanley as he sat at his desk in the police station. He’d have thought for sure that, if anyone was working a drug-dealing operation, it would be Gus Oberon, not Remington Peters. With Oberon’s history, it would have made a helluva lot more sense if they’d found the marijuana at his place instead of the artist’s.
“It’s Gus Oberon’s parole officer on the line, Chief.”
Chief Stanley snatched up the phone. “Thanks for returning my call,” he said.
Filling the parole officer in on what had been happening in Warrenstown, and about the cartons of marijuana they’d found in the carriage house at Belinda Winthrop’s estate, Chief Stanley shared his uncertainty about the arrest of Remington Peters. “I’m thinking there’s a possibility Gus Oberon might have planted that pot in the cellar,” he said.
“Well, Gus has seemed to be on the straight and narrow,” said the parole officer. “He’s been coming for all his appointments and passing his periodic drug tests, but I don’t delude myself. A parole officer can be fooled. And Gus Oberon is a very manipulative person who can charm the bark right off a tree.”
C H A P T E R
129
After surveying the packed house, Keith and Victoria conferred in the wings before the curtain went up. Belinda’s disappearance was not hurting attendance at all.
“I heard one person say that he bought his ticket
because
of
all the fuss,” said the director. “Maybe things are going to work out after all.”
“That’s a pretty callous thing to say, Keith, considering all that’s happened.”
“I know tact isn’t my strong suit, Victoria, but you know what I meant. What would you think about Langley in the movie version?”
“You’re getting a bit ahead of yourself, aren’t you, Keith?”
“Unlike Belinda, at least Langley would jump at the chance to star in
Devil in the Details
on-screen.”
“What about financial backing?” asked Victoria. “Langley isn’t going to bring in the investors the way Belinda could.”
“Yeah, but Langley isn’t going to demand the salary Belinda would, either.”
“Stop living in la-la land, Keith. Belinda means so much more than Langley. We both know that.”
C H A P T E R
130
After dinner, Annabelle announced she was going back to the inn to get some sleep.
“Don’t forget, you guys, Constance will be here in the morning. Our host will be expecting us to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed very, very early tomorrow.”
Lamar and Boomer said they still wanted to stop for a drink at the local pub. “Caroline, are you ready to go back now?” Annabelle asked.
“You go ahead, Annabelle. I’m just going to make a short stop at the theater to see Meg before I turn in for the night.”
There was no one in the dressing room when Caroline arrived. She could see on the television monitor that the actors were nearing the end of the first act. She sat down to wait, resting Meg’s tote bag on the floor next to the chair.
As she watched Langley on the monitor, she had to admit
that the young woman was talented. Not in Belinda Winthrop’s league, of course, but with the right opportunities and seasoning, Langley would likely have quite a career in front of her.
The script stuck up from the top of Meg’s tote bag. Caroline pulled it out and flipped through the pages, catching up to the spot where the actors were onstage above her. She read along but was confused. Langley’s Valerie was reciting the lines of her husband. He was reciting hers.
It must be a misprint, thought Caroline with impatience, slipping the script back in the bag. Where was Meg, anyway? She was supposed to be waiting in the dressing room when Langley arrived at intermission for her costume change.
Langley tore into the dressing room. Her expression darkened further when she saw that Caroline, not Meg, was the only one waiting.
“She’s still not here?” Langley demanded. “Bad enough I had to dress myself for the first act. I damn well expected Meg to be here to help me at intermission.”
“What do you mean Meg wasn’t here? That isn’t like her at all. I hope nothing has happened to her.”
Langley shrugged. “Well, if it has, her problem has become my problem. And while we’re at it, why did you bother to interview me if you weren’t even going to use any of it in your story tonight?”
“Look, Langley. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed by not being included in the piece. That’s just how it works out sometimes. But I’m more concerned about Meg. I’ve called her a couple of times and there’s been no answer.” Caroline scribbled down her own cell phone number. “I’m going over to check her dorm. If she turns up, please call me right away.”
Another apprentice let her into the dormitory, but there was no answer when Caroline repeatedly knocked on Meg’s door. Caroline canvased other hall residents. No one had seen Meg since the memorial service that afternoon.
The uneasiness Caroline felt was turning to panic.
C H A P T E R
131
Langley was giving a better performance tonight than last night, thought Keith as the final scene began. Though the director thoroughly knew the lines, he consulted his script from time to time, marking the passages he wanted to discuss with Langley.
ACT TWO, SCENE FOUR
When the lights come up,
DAVIS
has followed
VALERIE
onto the balcony. The sky is riddled with stars, and the moon is bright.
DAVIS
admires the view and then turns his attention to
VALERIE,
who is standing in the center of the balcony.
DAVIS
is frighteningly calm.
| DAVIS: | Why shouldn’t these narrow balconies ever be called “widowers’ walks”? Do architects not imagine that men who have suddenly found themselves alone in life need a breath of fresh air? (He looks up at the night sky.) Are not the stars meant to bring solace to grieving husbands, too? |
| VALERIE: | I have already told you. I am not going to commit suicide for you, Davis. (She brings her hand up to her head, teeters dizzily for a moment, and finding the railing with her other hand, steadies herself.) I’ve got such an awful head. I had better get to the medicine cabinet. |
| DAVIS: | For what? This? (He holds up a small paper envelope.) I don’t think I can let you have your medicine, my dear Valerie. I prefer you dizzy and unsteady. Alas, suicides are far too messy. ( DAVIS walks toward VALERIE until he is next to her, blocking her exit.) It will have to be an accident. |
| VALERIE: | (Holding on to the railing with both hands) Keep away from me, Davis. I have looked into your eyes lately and seen something horrible, something inhuman and evil. I beg you, if there is a shred of decency left in you, let me pass. And if you refuse me my medicine, at least let me go back inside and lie down. |
| DAVIS: | The night is too beautiful to spend indoors. (He whispers in her ear.) Look at how high up we are. Imagine how quickly the end would come if the railing were to give way. What blessed relief it would be to finally have these headaches behind you. (He begins slowly to shake the railing, loosening it from its moorings. ) Marriage to me has been a living hell, has it not? You want peace, don’t you? |
| VALERIE: | Stop it, Davis. Stop it. (She steps away from the railing and in two steps has her back against the wall.) I cannot fight you any longer. I surrender, do you hear? I surrender! |
| DAVIS: | (He finally loosens the railing completely, and it crashes to earth, leaving them both just steps away from the edge. He pulls the revolver from the pocket of his smoking jacket and aims it at his wife.) Surrender is all I needed to hear, darling. (He reaches out to her, putting his free hand on her shoulder.) Now come. Two small steps and it will be over. Your surrender will be complete. |
(VALERIE
resists
DAVIS,
pinned to the wall as if by nails.
DAVIS
pulls harder while
VALERIE
fights to stay where she is.
DAVIS
finally yanks
VALERIE
away from the wall, and the two of them stand tottering on the edge. In a flash,
VALERIE
rips the gun from
DAVIS
’s grip, and
DAVIS
falls, silently, off the balcony.
VALERIE
stands stricken for a moment and then, triumphant, she
EXITS.)
LIGHTS OUT. FINAL CURTAIN.
Yes, Langley was certainly inspiring, thought Keith as he watched the actors take their bows.
C H A P T E R
132
Meg heard her cell phone ringing again. The calls had been coming more and more frequently, and she was all but certain that it was Caroline, trying to find her. When she thought of all the times she had ignored or avoided Caroline’s calls in the past months, Meg felt tears come to her eyes. She tried to get ahold of herself. If she let herself really cry, the gag would make her choke.
In the darkness, Meg heard the door opening. A shaft of light seeped into the storeroom. She watched the silhouette approach and reach over to pull the gag out of her mouth.
“Are you ready to talk yet?”
“I don’t have anything to tell you,” Meg said.
“I think you should reconsider, Meg. Your friends Amy and
Tommy found out the hard way what happens when someone crosses me.”
Meg finally broke down and began sobbing.