Randy’s lips twisted in frustration. “Yes, but I hate the idea. I get along with everyone. Who in the world did I piss off so badly that now he wants to try to kill me?”
And me, I thought, but didn’t say it aloud. Instead I tried to help him focus on the people who worked with him. “Think about it,” I said. “Is there a stagehand or a camera operator you somehow insulted or irritated? Maybe someone on the production staff? Do you recall anyone acting weird around you?”
Derek chimed in. “You mentioned that these things started occurring six months ago. Is there a woman you rejected or broke up with six to eight months ago?”
“Oh, there are legions.” But Randy quickly shook his head. “No, absolutely not. I flirt a lot, but everyone around here knows I’m not serious.”
“Some women are a little more desperate than others,” I said, having known a few of them. “And some can be downright delusional when it comes to men. One of them might’ve gotten the wrong idea from your casual flirting.”
“That’s disturbing,” he muttered.
“What about Angie?” I said, regretting that I had to bring up her name. I’d grown to like the feisty stage manager.
“Angie?” Randy was taken aback at first, but then started to laugh. “No way. Absolutely not. We pretend to have a contentious relationship, but it’s all in fun. She’s actually my . . . she’s a very good friend.”
I hoped he was right. Even though he’d insisted earlier that his stalker wasn’t a woman, he could be mistaken. So many stalkers I’d read about in the news were of the opposite sex.
“Wait a minute. Maybe Garth can help us,” I said brightly. “He came running through the studio, so he might’ve noticed someone sneaking away.”
“Good thought, darling,” Derek said. “I’ll talk to him.”
I had a feeling that over the next few days, Derek would be talking to every last person who worked at the studio. He wouldn’t take it lightly that I had been attacked twice in one day. I couldn’t help but love that about him.
? ? ?
“Brooklyn?”
I turned and saw Frannie, the production assistant, standing a few feet away. “Hi, what’s up?”
“There are some people asking for you in the guests’ hall.”
Who knew I was here? I was tempted to hide. Yesterday I had been accosted in the parking lot, had been nearly squashed to death by stage flats, and had discovered that a stalker might be running loose in the studio. What new and exciting horrors would this day bring? “Do you know who they are?”
“No. Should I tell them you’re not available?”
“No, I’ll go see what they want.”
I followed her outside and across the parking lot to another studio on the lot that was being used as a holding area for all of the guests who came every day with their antiques in tow.
I walked inside and glanced around at the crowd.
“There she is! Yoo-hoo, sweetie!”
“Mom?” I laughed and rushed over to the slim blond woman in the rainbow skirt and crocheted vest and grabbed her in a hug. Then I noticed who was standing next to her.
“Robin? I can’t believe it.” I hugged my oldest and best friend tightly. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“It’s only been a month or so,” she said, laughing, “but I’ve missed you, too.”
I pulled them over to a group of empty chairs and we sat in a circle. “What are you doing here?”
“We were all so excited to see you on the news the other night,” Mom said. “And when I ran into Robin the next day, we talked about coming to visit you.”
Robin jumped in. “I had to drive into the city to take care of some business today, so we decided this would be the perfect opportunity to surprise you.”
“I’m so glad you did.” Could they hear the sheer relief in my voice? I was so surprised and happy to see them, I’d forgotten to mask my ragged emotions. “Can you stay for a while? Please?” I glanced at the heavy shopping bag Mom was carrying. “What’s this?”
Mom leaned forward and said in hushed tones, “We figured we’d better bring something old so they’d let us in. So before we left Dharma, I ran over to Abraham’s workshop and grabbed a few old books.”
I looked inside the bag and felt my stomach drop. “Mom, that Hemingway is worth at least ten thousand dollars.”
She smiled brightly at Robin. “I guess that’s why they were so eager to let us stay.”