Chapter 8

  

Ava dropped Penelope back at the inn a short while later, neither of them saying much during the drive back through Forrestville’s small strip of downtown shops. Penelope felt like someone had punched her in the stomach when she heard that Jordan was murdered. When she got out of the truck, Ava said she had things to take care of then sped away, peeling down the cobblestones back onto the main road.

Jennifer’s assistant director was sitting in the great room at one of the tables with his laptop open, his usual anxious expression amplified by ten. Penelope was grateful to be back at her temporary home, but he reminded her that Jordan’s death had made an impact on all of them.

“Jennifer around?” Penelope asked him as she pulled off her coat.

He nodded tightly, a wave of blond hair brushing across his forehead. “She’s in the suite, been holding meetings with the different department heads all morning. She’ll get to you soon, I’m sure.” He typed away on his keyboard, his hands lightly tanned, although faded from his weeks away from the California sun.

Penelope thought about what she would say to Jennifer. When Megan recovered and told them what Sheriff Bryson had said on the phone, she and Ava learned the coroner ruled Jordan’s death as suspicious, and that it could not be conclusively ruled a suicide. They’d be investigating his death more thoroughly. She made her way to the top floor and to the end of the hallway. The walls were thin at the old inn, and she could hear murmured conversations behind many of the doors.

Jennifer’s suite consisted of two bedrooms with a living room between that had been converted into the movie’s production office. The antique furniture that normally decorated the room had been stored in the basement, a glass-topped desk with visitor chairs and an oblong meeting table taking its place. Penelope could smell the smoky fireplace as she got closer. She rapped her knuckles lightly on the doorframe before entering. Jennifer sat behind the desk facing the door, staring intently at her laptop. A few members of the writing team were huddled at one end of the meeting table, the tapping of keyboards the only sound in the room besides the crackling logs. Jennifer’s eyes jerked up from the screen when she realized Penelope was approaching her desk.

“Penelope,” Jennifer said. “Can you come up with something simple for the crew to eat? Maybe some soup or chili so they don’t starve to death?”

“Of course. We’ll cook off the trucks until things are—” Jordan’s body being taken out on a stretcher in the kitchen flashed through her mind.

“Good,” Jennifer interrupted her thoughts. “I’ve been reminded by the union reps that even though we technically didn’t work today, they need a full day’s notice per their contracts to not have meals served.”

Penelope nodded. “I know that’s usually in there, but it’s not always enforced. Especially in unforeseen situations. Like this one.”

Jennifer waved her hand in the air. “Whatever. Just do what you can so we’re in compliance.”

Penelope cleared her throat. “Ava and I just got back from visiting Megan Foster.”

“I know,” Jennifer said. “I can’t believe what’s happening. Someone might have murdered Jordan? Who?”

“I have no idea,” Penelope said. “It’s a suspicious death.”

“They can’t think it was one of us,” Jennifer said. “Who would have a reason to kill Jordan?”

Penelope shrugged and Jennifer stared back at her computer screen. “They’re going to investigate all of us. This could really be the end. Officer Collins is downstairs, guarding the kitchen like we’re a bunch of maniacs on a murderous rampage.”

“Edie’s still here?”

“Yeah. And a team will be joining her soon. It’s a crime scene.”

“She thought it might be, which I guess is why she never left today,” Penelope said. “They’ll find out who did it.”

Jennifer looked at her doubtfully. “She’s pretty green, from what I’ve seen of her. And that sheriff, he seems like he doesn’t want anything to do with it.”

Penelope shook her head. “I think she’s new on the job, but Edie seems to be on the ball.”

“You have more confidence than I do,” Jennifer said. “This is a tragedy, and a mess on top of it.”

Penelope decided to postpone the conversation about helping out at Festa, feeling it wasn’t the right time to throw Jennifer yet another curveball.

“I gather from my conversation with Megan I’m supposed to share you with Ava now,” Jennifer said.

Penelope couldn’t tell if she was perturbed by the request or not, so she stayed silent and waited for Jennifer to continue. “I know Megan. She’ll find a way. Megan wants to keep things going here for the sake of the community, and the people who work here. And also to carry on Jordan’s legacy. So, yes, you have my permission. I don’t have much choice.”

“Yes, you do,” Penelope said.

Jennifer sighed heavily and closed her computer. She leaned back in her chair and thought for a minute. “I understand where Megan is coming from. I can’t say no to her, especially with all she’s dealing with. Just don’t exhaust yourself. The last thing I need is for you to complain to the studio about being overworked or have you doing anything to violate your contract.”

“I won’t. And it’s only for a short time. Francis and the rest of my team are fully capable of running services on the set.” Penelope was still trying to gauge how Jennifer was feeling, with no luck. Everything was off kilter with everyone.

Jennifer raised her palms in the air in a “who knows” gesture. “It’s okay by me, then.”

“I’ll work fast to find a replacement,” Penelope said.

“It won’t be that easy to replace Jordan,” Jennifer said, brushing at something on her cheek.

“I didn’t mean literally replace him...”

Jennifer waved her off. “I know what you meant. But things are different here. Professional chefs aren’t falling off the trees, if you hadn’t noticed.”

Penelope nodded. “True. Jordan was here though. There has to be someone.”

“Doubtful. But good luck with that. I’m beginning to think coming back to Forrestville was a terrible decision. Like this is our fault somehow. Like I had a hand in Jordan’s death.”

Jennifer opened her laptop again and started typing.

Penelope backed away, dismissed.