“No, Henri, I’m not suggesting you shut down. However, the same rules apply as yesterday. No knife fights, no shoot-outs, nothing with weapons.”
“Oh, come on!” Henri said again.
Sloan reached into his pocket and let the cartridges spill out on one of the tables.
Everyone stared at them and then at Sloan.
“What? What is that? What are you trying to say?” Henri demanded.
“These are from the guns Cy and Brian were going to use for the duel yesterday,” he said. “You’ll note that one set is live rounds.”
“Shit!” Brian said, jumping to his feet and backing away, as if the bullets could take aim at him from where they lay scattered on the table.
Cy stood, too. He swallowed, frowning at Jane. “You!” he said. “You knew. How did you know?”
“Yes, how did you know, Agent Everett?” Henri asked.
Jane felt all eyes on her—accusing eyes. “Intuition,” she said. “Something just seemed wrong.”
“Who handled the guns?” Sloan asked.
“Before we had them on the street?” Brian looked at Henri.
“Jennie Layton,” Henri told them. “Jennie was always responsible for props. They were in the prop room—right where they were supposed to be—before I went to get them for the duel.”
“But none of you saw Jennie all day. That’s why I had to go search for her,” Jane said.
Henri waved a hand in the air. “She had all the costumes ready, plus the prop guns and the rope and rigging we used for the lynching, the night before.”
“We can ask Jennie.” Valerie’s voice wavered.
“Hard to ask her if she’s unconscious,” Alice snapped.
Sloan ignored them. “Who had access to the props besides Jennie?” he asked.
“It’s not locked,” Henri explained. “Anyone could’ve gotten into the prop room. But like I said, Jennie got them ready the night before. She came to tell me we were all set for the first of our big Silverfest days.”
“You do realize that while anyone might have gotten into your prop room, not many people would know the guns would be there—set for a shoot-out,” Sloan said.
“Oh, my God!” Valerie cried. “Sloan! You’re accusing one of us!”
“Cy is my best friend out here,” Brian said. “I’d never shoot him—and he’d never shoot me. I mean, on purpose.”
“This theater is my life!” Henri announced—theatrically—getting to his feet.
“Jennie did prepare the guns.” Brian frowned. “But then...”
“Then she accidentally bashed her own head with a cane?” Sloan asked.
“We have housekeeping staff. Cooks, servers and bartenders,” Henri said.
“Yes, and I’ll get to them all one by one,” Sloan told him.
“But—but...it’s Silverfest!” Henri protested. “Sheriff, I am the mayor of this town—”
“I know that, Henri. I told you, I’m not going to close anything down. Jane and I will get into costume again and be part of it. I’ll keep an eye on everything all day.”
Henri nodded, his bald head shining in the light of the chandeliers. “All right, Sloan, all right, that’s good.”
“Oh, and two of Jane’s coworkers are on their way. Henri, I thought you could put them up in Jennie’s room for the next few days,” Sloan said casually.
“Jennie’s things are all in her room. It’s not like an empty guest room, Sloan.”
“They’ll be very careful of her personal belongings.”
“Who are these agents?” Alice asked.
“Logan Raintree and Kelsey O’Brien. They work together but they’re a couple, as well, so just one room will be fine,” Sloan replied. “They’ll be protection for you. I still believe you’re all in danger.”
“Bring them in, bring them in,” Valerie said.
“I agree,” Alice added.
“Of course, Sloan, if you think it’s necessary,” Henri agreed.
“I’m all for it!” Brian said. His face ashen. “One of us—Cy or me—almost bought it yesterday.” He looked at Jane, but not with the same rakish I’d love to pick you up stare he usually gave her. He looked at her as if she’d suddenly become an oddity.
“Instinct. Or...maybe it was the ghost. I glanced up at the window and I thought I saw a woman there. Sage McCormick. It was like a warning that something was going to happen,” Jane said.
“Oh, no, please... I don’t want to believe there are really ghosts here,” Valerie moaned.
“I say thank God for a ghost if she saved my life!” Brian said.
Cy lifted his coffee cup. “Hear, hear.”
“Time to go,” Henri said suddenly. “We need to open our doors and be out on the street. So, Sloan, you two will costume up again?”
Sloan nodded. “Yes, we’ll be part of it.”
“I’ll take you down to the dressing rooms,” Alice offered.
“Agent Everett,” Henri asked. “Where’s the blue gown? It’s an important part of our costume department.”
“It’s safe,” Jane assured him. “It’s in my room, but after everything that happened yesterday...it’ll need to be cleaned.”