17
Dinner with Lenny proved to be a bust. The food sucked, and neither of us had any new leads to share. Lenny believed the second accident of the day wasn’t suspicious. We both agreed that the Pledge on the dance floor was deliberate and that we needed to persuade Con to talk to Liam. We parted in front of the marquee and went our separate ways. Lenny had a final rehearsal before his dance scene was filmed, and I was due to appear in another outdoor scene.
The next couple of hours dragged. The effects of my medication wore off to the point that I was in acute pain. My part required me to sit in the background while my sister and the obnoxious Judd Ryan filmed their romantic all-was-lost scene. Derry Eden, the guy playing the gay groom, was a well-known Irish comedian, and he added a zing to every scene he appeared in. I’d enjoyed filming the scene with Derry this afternoon, but filming with Judd was a whole other story. Judd kept going off script—whether deliberately or because he’d failed to learn his lines, I couldn’t tell. Either way, his improvisations infuriated Con, and it took several takes to shoot the scene. By the time we wrapped, the mood on the set was toxic. If the saboteur arranged an accident for Judd at that moment, I doubt any of us would run to his assistance.
After Con announced we were done, a series of golf carts arrived to transport the principal cast and crew back to the castle. The rest of us were left to walk. Already wilting, I contemplated the steep hill without enthusiasm. And then I spotted a potential savior. Luke sat behind the wheel of one of the golf carts, and my sister stepped in, careful not to wrinkle her wedding dress for this evening’s scenes. It was a champagne-lace sheath dress with spaghetti straps and a plunging neckline. My sister wasn’t as big in the bust as I was, but the dress made her look more buxom than usual. The wardrobe department had performed magic in keeping both breasts from falling out of the dress. Unsurprisingly, Beth looked stunning.
“Hey,” I called. “Okay if I hitch a ride? These painkillers have me wiped.”
Beth regarded the space left on the seat and pursed her lips. “You’ll crush my dress.”
Although my sister had made far more condescending remarks to me over the years, this one made me snap. “You know what, Beth? Forget it. I’m supposed to be at home, resting. Yet here I am, complete with a busted wrist, looking out for you. And your idea of sisterly love was sticking me in a tent next to the porta-potties?”
Beth’s eyes widened in shock at my unexpected outburst. “I was considerate, Maggie. With your arm in a sling, I thought it’d be more convenient for you to be closer to the facilities.”
I rolled my eyes. “Puh-leeze. Have you seen the facilities? My range of motion is compromised, and those little cabins don’t leave enough space to swing a rat, never mind the proverbial cat. If our situations were reversed, you know I’d offer to share my room with you.”
My sister darted a nervous look at the crowd that had gathered to witness this unexpected slice of domestic drama. “If sharing with me is that important to you, you can sleep on my sofa.”
“Why? Is the floor not hard enough for me?” I snapped, indifferent to the attention we were drawing.
Beth’s enormous eyes brimmed with tears. They might’ve been genuine, but I wasn’t in the mood to give her the benefit of the doubt. “I can’t believe you’re upset with me, Maggie. I made sure Harper put a camper bed in your tent so you wouldn’t have to sleep on the ground, and I asked her to place you near the restrooms. And what do I get for my consideration? Abuse from you.”
“If you think my pointing out that you’re a self-absorbed diva is abuse, then you have a rude awakening coming your way.” I gestured to our audience. “Do you realize the number of people on this set you’ve upset with your attitude? Keep on like this, and you’ll usurp Judd’s position as the movie’s Lead Butthole.”
“What did you just call me?” Judd demanded from his golf cart. Now that the cameras had stopped rolling, his shades were back in place.
“You’re a bona fide ass,” I informed America’s Favorite Bad Boy. “Deal with it.”
Leaving my sister to her crocodile tears and Judd spewing profanities, I stomped off and began the trek back up the hill. I was fuming. Why did Beth feel the need to belittle me? What had I done to deserve it? Had my efforts to repair our fractured relationship over the holidays been for nothing? Preoccupied with my thoughts, it took me a moment to register that a golf cart had drawn up beside me.
“That was quite a show back there,” Con remarked from behind the wheel. “I wish Judd and Eliza brought such emotion to their scenes.”
My bark of laughter ended on a sob.
“Want to get in?” he asked in a gentler tone. “Sounds like you’re having a rough day.”
“Yes, on both counts.” I sniffled.
With Con’s help, I made it into the cart without falling on my face. He handed me a tissue before we took off. “Is the job too much with your injury?”
I blew my nose. “The job’s not the problem. I’m in pain, and my sister annoyed me. How do you work with actors? I can’t imagine having to deal with inflated egos all day.”
Con’s smile was wry. “Some say my ego is inflated.”
“Yeah, but I like you, and I haven’t yet seen you be mean to anyone.”
“I can be plenty mean when I want to be. As for the actors, they’re not all difficult to work with. To be frank, I find the intense, method-style actors harder to deal with than Judd and Eliza’s ego trips.”
We started to climb the hill at a far higher speed than I’d managed on foot. “Has old age mellowed you?”
He laughed. “Maybe a little, but not enough to stop me cursing at my phone every time it won’t work, which is all the time on this island.”
“Serious question, Con, because it’s been bugging me all day. Why did you hire Judd? Does he have some kind of hold over you?”
He hesitated a second too long before responding. “What makes you ask that?”
“Dude, please. I know your personal assets are on the line. You face ruin if this movie flops.”
“Who’s gossiping about my affairs?” Con demanded, his face darkening.
“You’re paying me to get people to gossip. I’ve got a list of suspects taller than I am. Help me narrow it down. Do I need to make Judd my number one?”
The tension in the director’s shoulders eased a little. “I don’t think so. Judd needs this movie to be a success just as much as I do. After his stint behind bars, no one in Hollywood would hire him until I gave him a chance.”
“I don’t get it. Why cast the guy if he’s considered toxic? There are plenty of actors suitable for Judd’s role.”
“Judd gets viewers,” Con hedged. “He has a loyal fan base.”
I was skeptical. “Even after all his legal woes?”
“Everyone likes a good redemption story,” the director replied with a touch of asperity. “All Judd needs to do is pretend to be contrite.”
“You don’t strike me as the bleeding-heart type, Con. What’s in it for you?”
He sighed. “This is confidential, okay?”
“I know how to keep my lips zipped.”
“Judd agreed to play the part for a pittance. Depending on how well the movie does, he’ll get a bonus, but he’s basically working for food and board and free clothes.”
“What about the insurance costs? Don’t they offset whatever you’re saving with Judd’s contract?”
“Nah. I’m still making bank. As long as Judd stays sober and smolders on screen, I’m good.”
From the bits I’d seen of Judd’s acting, I wasn’t convinced. Perhaps Con’s post-production team worked magic. “I assume you know about Gretchen’s fall.”
Con’s thunderous expression answered my question. “That was a bad business.”
“Does the ballroom have security cameras? If so, I’d like a look at the surveillance footage from this morning.”
Con shook his head. “No cameras, I’m afraid. There’s one in the entrance hall, if that’s any help. I’ll ask Harper to get you a copy of the footage.”
“Thanks. That’d be great.”
“Have you any idea who’s behind it all?”
“My suspect list is so long and convoluted that it’s growing tentacles.” I turned to face him. “I appreciate you giving me a chance to crack this case, but it’s time to hand it over to the authorities.”
The director’s shoulders sagged. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
“Liam, my boyfriend, is one of the extras in Coco’s dance scene. We should talk to him and let him arrange backup.”
“I know you’re right, but can it at least wait until after we wrap for the day? I don’t want more disruption on the set if we have police invading the place.”
“Are you willing to take the risk of another so-called accident happening tonight? You’ve got to tell Liam now, Con.”
“I’ll get every security guard on the set to watch over tonight’s shoot. Even if we involve the police, what can they do to protect us between now and midnight?”
I let out a ragged sigh. The guy had a point. Whisper Island’s police force consisted of Liam, Sile Conlan, and a couple of reserves. Con’s security team outnumbered them by quite a margin. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
“I promise I’ll take every precaution, Maggie.”
“Okay, but at the first sign of trouble, I’m telling Liam.”
The director gave a curt nod. “Deal.”
We pulled up outside the castle, and Con helped me out of the golf cart. “Thanks for the ride,” I said.
“No problem.” He nodded in the direction of the marquee. “You going to Coco’s drinks party? The one I’m not supposed to know about?”
“I am, yes. Aren’t you worried you’ll have a bunch of drunk extras falling around during filming?”
“Nope.” He grinned. “Coco’s one smart cookie. She tells people her shots are hopping with booze, but they barely contain a drop. She’s all about relaxing her dancers before a shoot, particularly the extras.”
“Clever.”
The director opened the castle door. “I’m going to take a short break in the library before the next scene starts shooting. Enjoy Coco’s gathering.” He winked at me. “Don’t go too wild.”
“I’ll try to behave. See you later.”
After Con disappeared into the castle, I mulled over our conversation. I was convinced the director had answered my questions about Judd truthfully, yet my gut said he was holding something back. But what? And did it have any relevance to the attacks on set?