Derek shot me a half smile. “Perhaps.”
Regardless of where their money had come from, their move to the small house answered my question about where the garage sale had been held.
Derek continued. “Inspector Lee drove out to their place a little while ago to talk to Grizzly, but he wasn’t home. She’ll check back tonight and again tomorrow.”
“I hope she’s taking someone with her,” I said with some concern. “Inspector Jaglom is on another assignment, so she’s been working this case alone.”
Derek frowned at the news and was about to say something when Angie knocked and yelled through the door. “You’re wanted on the set, Brooklyn. Five minutes to taping.”
I grabbed the door and swung it open. “Thanks, Angie. Be right there.”
As she hustled back down the hall, I turned to Derek. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, if you want to stay here and work.”
He shut his briefcase and flashed me a purposeful grin. “What part of I’m not letting you out of my sight do you not understand?”
Chapter Twelve
“Two thousand dollars?” Mitchell whispered reverently.
“Yes,” I said, holding the Marcus Aurelius book up for the camera. “Your thrift-shop bargain was a little more valuable than you thought.”
“That’s fantastic.”
I was so relieved by his reaction. While it was probably interesting for the audience to see the owners burst into tears or hyperventilate or nearly faint, I was really starting to appreciate the more sedate responses, like Mitchell’s.
“My wife is going to be tickled pink.”
“I’m so glad.”
He just grinned and after a short, silent pause, Angie announced, “And we’re clear. Next is segment three-forty on your rundown. We’re doing World War Two posters on the war stage. In thirty minutes, people.”
“Thank you so much,” Mitchell said, shaking my hand with enthusiasm as the crew and camera operators began the slow move of equipment and cables to the other end of the studio.
“You’re welcome, Mitchell,” I said. “It was fun. Enjoy the book.”
“Oh, you betcha. Gotta go tell the wife.”
Frannie, the production assistant, smiled as she led Mitchell off the stage and back to the production room, where his wife was waiting.
I was getting to know more of the staff and crew in my second week of working at the studio. It was nice to be able to greet them by name.
Derek was talking to Tom on the other side of the studio, so I stepped down off my little stage and headed their way.
“Hey, Brooklyn.”
I turned and saw Tish, one of the gaffer’s assistants, approaching me. She was in her twenties, a tall, pretty redhead engaged to the assistant prop guy. She was tapping the screen of an electronic notepad.
“Hi, Tish. What’s up?”
“I’m taking orders for pizza and salad. Do you want anything?”
“No, thanks.” I had never known them to order food for the evening.
Angie joined us. “I’ll have two slices of veggie pizza and I’ll split a green salad with someone.”
Tish tapped out the order on her tablet. “I’ll split the salad with you.”
“Excellent. You want money now or later?”
“Now would be good. I’m asking for ten dollars from everyone. That should cover it. We’re getting eight pizzas, so I’ll make sure one of them’s a veggie.”
Angie pulled out a coin purse from her fanny pack, zipped it open and handed her a bill. “Thanks, kiddo.”
“No problemo.”
Tish walked away and I turned to Angie. “I didn’t know you all were working late tonight.”
“Not late,” she said dryly. “We’re working all night long.”
“Ooh.” I cringed. “Why?”
“We’re loading a new show into Studio Two.” She jutted her thumb toward the studio next door. “The entire crew will be pulling an all-nighter.”
“But you’re going to be wiped out tomorrow.”
“That’s why the schedule was moved back. Did you notice we don’t start taping until three o’clock?”
“I saw that, but I didn’t know why.” I hadn’t stayed up all night since college and didn’t miss the experience one bit. “I guess you’ll all have a good time.”
“Yeah, right.” She laughed and glanced around the stage. “Some of these kids will actually think it’s fun. But I expect to work my butt off, go home and crash for a few hours, come back tomorrow, and do it all over again.”
“That’s rough.”
She shrugged. “That’s showbiz. And, hey, I’m just glad to have a job.”
“I don’t blame you. It must be such a relief whenever a new show comes in.” I knew most of the crew members and some of the production staff had been hired locally, so they would all be scrambling for work once This Old Attic left town.