Kitty escaped to her room to watch TV after first rounding up a tub of cherry-chocolate-nut ice cream, a package of cookies and a can of soda (although she left the Diet Coke for Marla).
“Will she be okay?” Rex asked after Kitty left.
“She’s Kitty. She’ll be fine in a day or so. Tonight, she needs to lick her wounds.”
“Where have I heard that phrase before?” Rex asked, nudging Marla.
She laughed. “Seems to run in the family.”
He studied her. “It’s good to hear you laugh like that, especially in response to those words.”
“I did say them once upon a time, but I don’t recall saying them to you.”
“No, but I figured as much when I first met you. Reminded me of my favorite pro baseball player when he’d strike out. He didn’t throw the bat or argue with the ump but instead took it in stride and held his head high. But in the dugout, he moved off to the end of the bench and sat by himself until he had to take his field position.”
“I’m flattered. You just compared me to a baseball player. When not investigating murders, that’s your bag.”
“It was meant with the greatest respect, because I’ve seen you begin to slide down your own bench, closer and closer to the rest of the team.”
Her breath caught. She was momentarily without words. Rex had just paid her a special compliment, and she didn’t know how to respond without insulting him. “What ‘field position’ have I had to take recently? Was that in reference to my investigating two homicides?”
He stuck his elbows on the island top, templed his hands and planted his chin on top of them. His go-to position when thinking. “I hadn’t thought about that part at the time I said it, but yeah, working on those cases has helped you ‘slide back down the bench.’ Humph, I’m more of a philosopher than I realized.”
She reached over and touched his forearm. “That was deep, Rex. You’ve slid down that bench, too.”
He unclasped his hands to take the one she’d placed on his forearm. “Have I impressed you enough with my wisdom to make a suggestion without your rejecting it outright?”
She didn’t remove her hand, even after his question. She was intrigued. Rex didn’t offer personal advice very often. “Will it hurt?”
“Depends on how far down the bench you’ve moved. I can see it, but how well can you?”
“I’m feeling better about myself than I have in a long time. Defying death twice seems to have unlocked the old Marla Dane from the self-imposed prison she’s been living in. So, yes, I’ve moved down the bench. Tell me what you have in mind.”
“I’ve been thinking about the problems you said you experienced trying to make a video. Is it possible that once in front of a camera again, you reverted to your on-camera personality, the one that was used to scripts? Since there wasn’t one handy, you froze.” He paused to let his comment take root and look her straight in the eyes. “Does that come close to what happened?”
Her problems with making a video had been on his mind? That idea was more radical than what he’d asked. But since he’d not only had the thought but also shared it with her, she owed him a candid response.
“A script might’ve helped, but I think the real problem was that I didn’t have a point of view. Yes, my charge was to refresh Kitty’s memory of how to bake a pie so she could gain points with her new guy. But how was that helping me make a statement?”
“Good question. Have you answered it in your head?” he asked.
“I’m not there yet. But deciding I need a point of view if I’m to go forward with videocasting was a huge step. I already know it should be about coming back to Minnesota and what that means to me. It means I have to shift from the idea of hiding out to pride in being back home. Somewhere in that notion is my point of view. Being aware of that much, I think I’m ready to do the pie-baking video for Kitty. What do you think?”
He held up the hand that wasn’t still holding hers. “Not for me to say. But if you do try, perhaps consider cue cards. Didn’t they use those on your show?”
“The regular cast and I had become experts at memorizing new lines each week. But on occasion, guest stars needed a little something to stay on script.” Despite that comment, his suggestion had merit. Cue cards might help her stay on point. “Wouldn’t I need a full script first to reduce to cue cards?” she asked.
“Not necessarily, although what I had in mind was simply to outline the main thoughts you wanted to get across. For demonstrating how to bake a pie, the cue cards could hit on the main steps, just like the recipe you’d be using.”
She considered his suggestion. Using cue cards upped the complexity of the project. All she’d planned to do was get in front of a camera and talk. But look how that had turned out. “On Carruthers there was a specific cue card person. There’s a certain skill to shifting seamlessly from one card to the next. They usually had to hold ten or twelve cards at a time. Who would I get to do that for me?”
“That’s what you’re worried about? Sign me up.”
Had she heard him correctly? Rex Alcorn, cue card man? “If I were to try doing a video again, I would hope you’d handle the camera. Kitty and Tom have told me you have the equipment.”
“Okay, let’s not get too specific right now. It’s the idea you need to consider trying.”
“Don’t you want to be my cue card guy?”
“The idea, Marla, the idea. Are you up for trying again?”
“Why are you pushing this?” she asked.
“I don’t mean to push.” He drew in his lips. “Okay, maybe I do. I think it would be good for you. But I’m just an interested friend. Have you shared the idea with your manager?”
“Jayne Yarmouth, and no, I haven’t talked to her for a while. I seem to have been caught up in local murders.”
That last part was meant as a joke.
“Maybe you should give her a call, explore the idea of videocasting with her, or are you afraid she’ll discourage you because it might not be good for your career?”
“I don’t see how raising my profile to the public with a video would be detrimental. But she might have problems with my helping the local police solve murders.”
He removed his hand from hers and sat back, narrowing his eyes. “How could catching not one but two killers be perceived as anything but positive? You’re a hero, Marla. Goodhue may not be playing it up because he has to make his own department look good, but there’s no denying what we’ve accomplished is pretty great,” he said.
He had a point, and to play it down now meant she’d be reducing his part in their recent exploits. Which she didn’t want to do. “You’re right, Rex. I’m proud of what we’ve done. But I still need to figure out for myself how investigating two murders plays into the point of view I want in my videocasting.”
“Maybe you don’t need to answer that question for this particular video. Focus on baking a pie. Do that part for Kitty. Test your chops back in front of a camera again for you. That’s all you need to accomplish for now.”
“What if there’s another murder? Then what?”
“You really think there’d be a third?” he asked. “We’ve already entered the Twilight Zone of Local Crime with two murders in the same town so close together.”
“But if another did occur? Would you still feel obligated to consult?”
“I like having you as my partner, but I don’t want to stand in the way of your triumphant return to the entertainment world.”
“Was that a yes or a no?”
“It was a ‘let’s wait and see.’ In the meantime, I’ve got a lasagna dinner to plan and a possible new job producing your video.”
“Who said anything about producing?” She laughed.
“I want the title if I’m gonna help you.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Rex Alcorn.”
“And you wouldn’t have it any other way.”