Murder in the Second Row Read Free

the
director? What show? If you think I’m wasting my time again on one
of your tin-pot little productions you can take a running
jump.’
    Jessica left a
silence to let Simone hear her own words. There was a sniff, then
the formidable lady backed down a fraction.
    ‘Well?’
    ‘Actually it’s
Adam Bryant who’s directing.’ She’ll have to be impressed by that,
thought Jessica, since he’s the best in the country. Now she just
had to convince her about the role.
    ‘And? What’s
the show?’
    Jessica brain
buzzed. This was where it might get a little sticky. She’d know the
show. She’d guess the part she was wanted for. She was a
disturbingly close match for Ada, the fat, evil, toad-like mother
who warps her children’s minds with her cold manipulation.
    ‘It’s an Agatha
Christie classic – Appointment with Death. Adam’s doing it as a
full-on production with a top-class set and wardrobe – it’ll be
spectacular. He thinks the time’s right for a return to the old
favourites, and let’s face it, Agatha Christie is a real old
favourite. He wants you for one of the lead roles, Simone.’
    Jessica clamped
her mouth shut. Damn, she was babbling like an idiot. Shut up and
wait for the scream of outrage. There was a pause. She could hear
Simone breathing. She braced herself.
    ‘Really? Adam
thought of me for the role?’
    ‘Er, yes. Yes
he did.’
    ‘We-ell, I
suppose that might be interesting. When do rehearsals start?’
    What! Was this
the famously snotty Simone Duchaine? She was actually sounding
keen! What was going on? Was the devil strapping on his
ice-skates?
    ‘Actually we’ve
only just held auditions. Rehearsals are a couple of weeks away
once Adam’s free to fly down here and stay. If you could pop along
to the theatre tomorrow, Adam will go through the script with you
and see how you feel about it. Does two o’clock sound all right,
Simone?’
    ‘Yes, Jessica,
that will be fine. You can relax now dear, you’ve found your
Ginevra.’
    She hung
up.
    Ginevra? The
waiflike teenage daughter? Jessica smacked her forehead. Houston,
we have a problem.
    Briefly tempted
to let Simone hear the bad news from Adam when she turned up to
read the part, Jessica reluctantly shouldered her responsibilities
and picked up the phone.
     

Chapter 2
     
11 Weeks from
Opening Night
     
    Jessica was
pleased to see that almost everybody had turned up on time for the
first production meeting. Once the social chitchat in the Green
Room was over and everyone had coffees in their hands, she herded
them through into the Rose Room.
    ‘Hi everyone.
Thanks for being so punctual. Who are we still waiting for? Nick?
We’ll leave promotions till last then and hope he shows up soon.
Right, Heads of Departments – who wants to go first? Clara-Jane?
What sort of budget do you think wardrobe will need?’
    ‘It shouldn’t
be too bad.’ Clara-Jane tucked long hair behind her ear and
consulted her notes. ‘We’ve got quite a bit of Arab stuff in the
theatre wardrobe already, and I’m pretty sure the Musical Society
will have a few good 1930s outfits we can borrow. As long as
they’ll do them as reciprocals, I think my budget will only be
about seven hundred.’
    ‘Excellent!
We’re going to need all the extra cash we can get. What about you,
Gert? How does the props list look?’
    White-haired
Gert fumbled for her reading glasses.
    ‘Just a minute,
dear. Almost ready – there!’ She looked up and beamed. ‘Lots and
lots of suitcases. We’ll be able to use those lovely travelling
baskets that are in the upstairs props cage, too. I’ve wanted to
use them for years. There’s nothing we have to make, so my budget’s
low. Perhaps just six hundred, to get a few odds and ends and some
nice old chairs and tables for the hotel if I can’t borrow them
from anywhere. All right, dear?’
    ‘Thanks, Gert.
Have you got enough helpers to collect what you need, and to run
props during the show?’
    ‘Yes thank you,
Jessica.