Read Stage Door: A Cue to a Kill (A Theatrical Cozy Mystery Short Read) Page 4

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  Back in the props room I checked under the table and found Hamish’s black bag of booze. It was empty. I stared for moment and then felt my lips twist into a smile. I laughed.

  I tiptoed across the back of the set to Ben’s booth. It wasn’t in its usual position but was squashed right downstage near the proscenium. The angle back up the set gave Ben a view of the stage that was just a foot wide but which enabled him to see most of the action in order to hit his cues. The audience couldn’t see him, but if the cast looked casually to one side, they could just catch a glimpse of Ben.

  Ben was in the booth making faces at Hamish and Nick who were mixing drinks behind the bar on the opposite side of the set. They were keeping up the dialogue in between handing cocktails out to the cast members who were on stage.

  I shoved Ben off his stool and waved to get Hamish’s attention. I held up two fingers and pointed them from my eyes to theirs and back. Nick smirked and turned quickly upstage to hide a giggle. Hamish dropped a line. I grinned. They knew they were sprung. Nick raised the brandy balloon and pretended to toast an actor with her back to me but his eyes met mine. The brandy balloon swirled with a green liquid and had a pink cocktail umbrella sticking out the top. Where the hell had he got that from? I realized I’d been completely outfoxed. I poked my tongue out at him.

  “Creme de menthe,” whispered Ben, nodding toward Nick and his cocktail.

  “Shut up, you evil boy,” I hissed back. “You’re in trouble. You just better make sure Lori doesn’t find out.”

  He gave me puppy dog eyes. “You’re not going to tell her, are you?”

  “Of course not,” I grinned. “But all your asses are gonna be mine, you know that, don’t you?”