Murder in the Second Row Read Online Free PDF Page A

additions over the years. Funny how the
builders couldn’t agree on one level for everything. It’s a
fantastic old place, isn’t it? You’re so lucky to have kept it
running.’
    The tallest
performer ducked his head as he went up the steps towards the Rose
Room. ‘What’s this room used for?’
    ‘Multi-purpose
really – we use it for meetings and rehearsals, and as an extra
dressing room when needed.’ Jessica pointed out the plaque on the
door. ‘It’s called the Rose Room after an old lady who was a
stalwart here for decades – she left a bequest to build it, the
dear old thing. Her ghost probably watches over the place even
now.’
    ‘You have
ghosts?’ asked the shortest one. ‘Do they bother you during
performances at all?’
    ‘No, no,’ said
Jessica with a straight face. ‘Only the psychic people in the
audience can see them, and they’re pretty used to that sort of
thing. You guys won’t even know they’re there.’
    His mouth
dropped open.
    The other two
nudged him and jeered.
    ‘Ya
sucker!’
    ‘Gotcha!’
    Jessica
completed the administration details, promised them that Gazza
would be along shortly to get their lighting requirements, and left
them to get organised.
     
    ‘Those
Shakespeare guys were odd dudes,’ commented Gazza when he next saw
her. ‘Littlest fella kept looking over his shoulder the whole time.
Nervous about something.’
    It was the
first construction session for Appointment with Death, and the
usual team had turned up at 10am on Saturday morning to help haul
whatever was needed out of the storage cages under the stage.
    Jessica grinned
at Gazza. ‘I may have mentioned the theatre ghost,’ she said. ‘Was
that wrong?’
    ‘Which one –
the grey lady or the balcony suicide?’
    ‘I thought the
grey lady was the one who committed suicide,’ said Howard. ‘Watch
out, I’m just going to pull out this flat.’
    Gazza and
Jessica stepped aside to allow the framed section of wall to slide
past them.
    ‘No,’ Gazza
corrected Howard. ‘The grey lady died in seat L13 in the middle of
a show. The balcony suicide jumped over and died in row J.’
    ‘Probably rows
J, K and L, wasn’t it? If he got a good run at it from the circle.’
Jessica added.
    ‘Jessica!
That’s not nice. Give us a hand with that window section, will
you?’ said Howard. ‘And Gazza, can you take the other end?’
    They added the
piece to the pile of flats collected against the wall of the Green
Room and dusted off their hands.
    ‘Fine, that’ll
do us for now. I can’t do much about putting it together until that
blasted art student turns up to explain his set design. I can’t
figure out how he’s going to get the bits to work together. Shall
we have a look for a counter while we’re at it?’
    Howard led them
into the dimly-lit area below stage, where old bits of construction
from shows long ago came to die.
    ‘What about
that?’ said Jessica, looking at a brown box end sticking out from
under a roll of hessian. ‘Could be about the right size.’
    They manoeuvred
themselves closer, stepping over lengths of pipe and empty beer
crates.
    ‘Can’t see from
here,’ said Howard. ‘Grab the hessian, Gazza. See what’s
underneath.’
    Jessica moved
to help him, then froze. ‘Whoa, hold it a second, Gaz. What’s
that?’ Jessica pointed, her other hand up to her mouth. ‘Does that
look like…a foot?’ Her voice ended in a squeak.
    Gazza dropped
the end of the roll quickly and stepped away.
    ‘Where?’
    ‘Just there, on
the floor beside the box!’
    He peered more
closely at the spot she was pointing to.
    ‘Can’t see.
What do you mean?’
    She reached
forward slowly, then pulled out a stuffed leg with a high-heeled
shoe attached and brandished it under his nose.
    ‘This!’
    Gazza reared
back then saw what it was and growled.
    ‘Stop wasting
time, Jessica! If you find a whole woman I might be interested, but
just one leg doesn’t do it.’
    ‘Didn’t work
out too well