Murder on Opening Night: Myrtle Clover #9

Chapter Three

Mr. Toucan appeared from the wings. He was wringing his hands. "Is there a doctor in the house?"

No one came forward.

"Engineering and teaching skills are never helpful in these situations," said Myrtle regretfully.

"Anyone?" pleaded Mr. Toucan. But apparently the entire house was composed of non-medical types. "Could someone lower the curtain, please?"

The volume of the audience rose in distressed murmurs. They seemed to be wondering if this were just a very avant-guard production or if something were genuinely wrong. Myrtle took out her cell phone and turned it back on. "I'm calling Red," she said grimly.

When Red picked up, Myrtle could barely hear him with all the commotion in the theater. Impatiently, she got up, grabbed her cane, and moved out to the small sitting area in front of the concessions.

"What's going on?" asked Red, sounding a bit exasperated.

"It's the play," said Myrtle.

"Not your fixation with this play again. You know I didn't plan on going there tonight, Mama. Besides, hasn't it already started?"

"It's started all right. But there was a plot twist that I didn't see coming. One of the actresses is unresponsive on the stage."

"What? It's not part of the show?"

Myrtle could hear sounds on Red's end that indicated that he was probably already getting dressed.

"It's a very odd show, but no—this isn't part of the storyline, I'm sure of it," said Myrtle.

"All right. Just hold on. I'll be there in five minutes," Red said grimly.

Myrtle hung up and watched as Miles approached the concessions stand, solemnly holding his plastic cup. "May I have more wine?" he asked the worker earnestly.

Red arrived in mere minutes and quickly stopped the hubbub in the theater. "Okay, I'm going to need everyone here to keep it down to a whisper," he barked as he climbed the few stairs to the stage and disappeared behind the red curtain.

The noise in the theater did drop and Myrtle could almost make out the murmurs on the other side of the curtain. A few minutes later, Red walked out looking grim. He addressed the audience again, saying, "There has been a tragic death here tonight. Under the circumstances, I'm going to need to call in a team from the state police. In the meantime, I'll need everyone to stay in their seats, or at least in the theater, until we have a chance to take statements."

"We'll be here all night," said Miles, looking slightly shell-shocked. He'd gone from accepting that he'd have an evening out to the realization that it was going to be a very long evening out, indeed.