A Corpse in a Teacup by Cassie Page Read Free Book Online Page B

alient,” but his partner hustled them both out the door before she could explain.
     
    Tuesday gave Holley the narrowed eyebrows action. “What do you mean a camera guy has been bugging you? And why didn’t you tell me?”
    Holley waved her away. “Oh, that’s just Roger . He’s a sweetheart, but he just doesn’t do it for me. We worked on another movie together. He’s assistant to the Director of Photography on the zombie one. Or something.”
    “Was he at the reading yesterday?”
    “Yeah. I told you about him. He gave me a pep talk before I went into the audition room. He was getting coffee out in the hall. Said I was a natural. He hoped I’d get the part and we could work together again.”
    Light bulbs were going off in Tuesday’s head. “Holley, my sweet little cabbage. Don’t you see? He has a motive for killing Ariel.”
    “Roger? He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
    “But if he got rid of your competition, he’d be sure to have you all to himself. You know how these stalkers are. They get obsessed with their love objects and will do anything to possess them.”
    “Oh Miss Tuesday, I never said he stalked me.”
    “But didn’t you say he called you all the time?”
    “Yeah, but he never threatened me . And if he killed Ariel to be with me, why would he threaten to kill me?”
    Finally, Holl ey was making some sense. But wait a minute. “Maybe that was a ruse.”
    “ And he didn’t creep me out. I thought he was kinda sweet.”
    “Oh Holley . You are such a babe in the woods. There are all kinds of reasons he could have for wanting you off the project. Maybe he was jealous of the director. I don’t like the sound of this. We have to check this guy out.”

Chapter Seven: Beyoncé With A Badge
    Tuesday’s praye rs were almost answered. She’d hoped Detective Ryan Gosling would show up. But it was Beyoncé with a badge that rang Holley’s doorbell. Oh, well. Holley flashed a cordial smile as she introduced herself and shook Detective Kanesha Jameson’s hand, then her partner’s, a whale of a guy coming through the door behind her, perspiring from the short walk from the car to the house.
    D etective Thomas Butel. She had just seen Casablanca for the fourteenth time. He was a dead ringer for one of the characters in his white linen suit, Panama hat and portly frame.
    Jameson strode uninvited into the living room with her iPad under her arm, ignoring Tuesday, but peering around the room as the two uniformed officers had. She gave Holley a fierce look. Detective Big Guy, Butel, took a seat. Actually, the same leather club chair recently vacated by one of the officers. Tuesday watched him lower his sizable bulk down and heard the squeak of the leather blend with his huffing and puffing as he got himself settled. She hoped the chair would hold up. From the look on Holley’s face, she was thinking the same thing.
    Jameson began questioning Holley, while Tuesday considered the wisdom of giving the detective free fashion advice. Holy eyelashes girl. Hadn’t anyone told her that it took more than legs up to the ceiling, cascading hair and moon sized orbs to make a statement? If she wanted someone to put a ring on it she’d have to do better than a shiny three-piece pant suit with super wide lapels and shoulder pads that went out in the ‘80’s. But the detective clearly wanted to move things along and got down to business.
    “M s. Wood, the uniformed officers told me that you’ve been informed about Ms. Ariel Cuthbert’s death.”
    Holley gave her a mournful shake of her head. “It’s way shocking.”
    “Did you know the deceased?”
    “Oh, yes . Me and Ariel? We auditioned for the same part. It’s in a new zombie movie. I play a lady pilot of the last plane to leave planet earth . . .”
    Without apologies Kanesha made it clear that she was piloting this ship. She interrupted Holley mid description of the space age costume she would wear if she got the part, strategic cutouts and all.
    “And