Remains to Be Scene (20 page)

With a guttural sound, Polly clearly agreed that Placenta had a valid point. “Tim,” Polly called from the kitchen to the laundry room where he had taken the tablecloth. “We’ve got to go back and visit Dana before my dinner with Detective Archer tomorrow night. Take me first thing, will you, please?”

Tim came into the kitchen and leaned against the center island. He folded his arms across his chest. “I didn’t want to say anything at dinner, but I saw Dana again today.”

Polly and Placenta both stopped what they were doing and looked at Tim. “She didn’t confess, did she?” Polly asked, hopefully.

“Of course not. And it’s your fault that she’s in the slammer in the first place. Sure, we can pay Dana another visit tomorrow, but you’d better be prepared to tell your dinner date that you and he have made a horrible mistake. Dana may have had motive and opportunity and no alibi, but she’s innocent.”

Polly growled. “Okay, smarty pants,” she said pouring the dregs of the last bottle into a flute, “if you had to take a wild guess about who killed Sedra Stone, who would you point your finger at?”

“You tell me, Miss Marple. If we rule out Dana Pointer, who’s left?”

“Everybody,” Placenta answered the question for Polly, as she reached for a bag of coffee filters. She set the clock on the Mr. Coffee machine to begin brewing at seven o’clock in the morning.

“Sure, everybody had a death wish for Sedra, but who’s the most logical in terms of actually carrying out the crime?” Polly said. “After tonight, I’m ready to vote for Adam Berg.”

“Not Judith?” Tim asked. “She alluded to thinking that Adam slept with Sedra.”

Placenta crossed her arms over her bosom. “When did they have the time to screw? Sedra was only on location for a day, and during that time, she was being a pain in the neck to everyone, including Adam.”

“Could have been a charade, to throw everybody off,” Polly thought aloud. “It’s practically common knowledge that Sedra always ‘auditioned’ directors for her television series.”

“But that’s when she was young,” Tim said. “She wasn’t in any position to help Adam. In fact, it was the other way around. No, I’d vote for Judith before Adam. But I’m not saying I’m sold on her as the killer either. There are too many other possibilities. The thing you’ve gotta remember about your date tomorrow night, is to shake the detective down for whatever he knows about the case. Flirt with the man until he can’t stand it anymore and gives you anything you want.”

Polly looked at Tim with trepidation in her eyes. “I’d better bring along the deluxe collector’s edition of ‘The Polly Pepper Playhouse’ DVD. That’ll get any fan’s juices flowing.”

F
riday morning. Nine o’clock. To Tim’s way of thinking this was still considered predawn. But he was awake and from his still-warm and comfortable bed making a telephone call to Duane.

With pre-Java lethargy, Tim dialed the Sterling Studio’s main switchboard. Speaking in a voice that belied his sleepiness he asked for Duane Dunham, and nearly fell asleep again listening to the classic songs from the Studio’s film score catalogue while waiting to be connected. The fact that Duane was still on the studio’s payroll was a good sign that perhaps Adam Berg had been wrong, Tim thought. Then it occurred to him that most employers, especially the notorious Sterling Studios, generally wait until late Friday afternoon, after they’d gotten another full week of work from their soon-to-be-axed employee, before hauling them into the human resources office and giving them the heave-ho.

When Duane finally and gleefully picked up the line he said he had exactly one hour for lunch but that he’d be thrilled to see Tim at precisely noon. And thus, Tim was set to plow full-steam ahead—without his mother’s interference—and fleece Duane of every scrap of information he had about Sedra Stone’s murder.

It was eleven forty-five when Tim drove up to the guard kiosk at the studio’s main gate.

Soon, Tim was walking past ancient soundstages garnished with plaques that gave a thumbnail history of the structures’ famous pasts, listing the most noteworthy movies that had been filmed on each stage. Bronze stars, with the names of legends from Hollywood’s Golden Era were embedded in the stucco walls. Greta Garbo had worked here. As had Lana Turner, Greer Garson, Audrey Hepburn, John Wayne, Peter Lorre, and Julie Andrews. Tim silently admitted that it still gave him a thrill to be on a movie studio lot. He continued smiling as he approached the main avenue. Then he caught sight of Duane in the distance, taking up much of the space on the patio steps. Duane instantly recognized Tim and waved both arms over his head as if to signal an S.O.S.

Tim waved back, and when they were finally together, they shook hands and Duane ushered his guest into the restaurant. They picked up lunch trays and while Tim went to the salad bar, Duane headed to the pizza station. They reconnected at the soft drinks dispenser where Tim filled a large Styrofoam cup with water. Duane filled a larger-sized cup with a Coca-Cola.

“By the way, it’s my treat,” Tim declared as they moved on toward a bank of cashiers. “I insist,” he fought Duane’s weak objection. “I invited myself to lunch,” Tim said and handed the cashier a twenty dollar bill. All the while he was thinking, “You’d better save your dough, boy. You won’t be working here much longer.”

As they searched for an empty table, Tim and Duane wended their way past costumed film extras, necktie wearing low-level executives, and denim-clad office assistants. “Let’s take that one,” Duane suggested, nodding his head toward the far corner of the dining room where they could talk in relative privacy. Finally seated, the two exhaled loudly, as if they were settling in for a leisurely, friendly lunch.

The small talk didn’t last long before Tim got to the point. “Polly needs your help,” he said.

Immediately Duane put down his first slice of pizza and looked as eager as a puppy who knows he’s going out for a walk. “When I said that I’d do anything for Polly, I meant it,” Duane said, nodding his head.

“And Mom appreciates your kindness to her,” Tim said, slathering false praise on top of his preparation to interrogate Duane. “Here’s the thing. Word is starting to get out about Sedra Stone’s script, the one you said you found on her computer.”

Duane suddenly looked nervous. His enthusiastic smile disappeared. He took a long slug of his Coke.

Tim continued. “Of course I haven’t told a soul that you read the screenplay…”

Duane interrupted in a whisper. “I told you that I just counted how many times Polly was mentioned.”

Tim nodded. “Absolutely. You’re a man of principle and integrity. Those are the aspects of a person’s character that Polly values most. She recognizes that about you.”

Duane relaxed and smiled again before consuming half a slice of pizza in one bite.

“We had Adam Berg and his girlfriend over for dinner last night and they talked as though they knew all about the script,” Tim said.

“Bitch,” Duane said, almost under his breath.

“And considering the stormy relationship that always existed between Polly and Sedra, Mom’s really worried about how her rival may have depicted her. If the script gets produced it could ruin her reputation.”

“Sedra wrote all lies,” Duane said, siding with his favorite celebrity.

“Polly’s so insecure that she was crying all morning,” Tim lied. “She’s sick to death about the possibilities.”

Duane picked up a second slice of pizza and considered what Tim had just said. He ate the whole piece then chased the crust with another large gulp from his drink. He was contemplating.

“In between Polly’s tears, she kept repeating, ‘Do you think dear darling Duane can help us? He’s so smart and adorable. What would we do without Duane?’” Tim established. “I’m becoming jealous of how much she likes you.” He chuckled.

Duane beamed. The fact that his idol had apparently come to rely on him gave him enormous satisfaction. “Judith and Adam claiming that they know of Sedra’s screenplay is true. But they’re beasts,” Duane spat. “Judith was mean to me. Mean like Sedra. Mean like Adam and Dana and Missie and Missie’s mother, and that costume lady.”

Tim maintained a poker face, as Duane revealed himself.

“They know about Sedra’s script because Judith sneaked into the trailer one afternoon when she didn’t know I was already there. She caught me. Using Sedra’s computer, I mean.”

Duane motioned for Tim to lean in closer. “Truth be told, the chief of Sterling security makes all of us write detailed reports of everything we find in each trailer. We’re supposed to snoop. It’s gotta be illegal. But I need my job.”

Tim was aghast. He whispered, “Why is Sterling interested in the private lives of the stars they hire? They can pick up
The Peeper
and find out almost anything they could ever want to know.” A thought occurred to Tim. “Is it possible that the tabloids get
their
information directly from someone in security at Sterling?”

Duane lifted an eyebrow. Without saying a word, he assented. “But I was protecting Polly!” Duane declared. “That’s why I was reading Sedra’s script.” He stopped himself. “Um, okay, I did read the script. But only because I wouldn’t let that awful Sedra write anything negative about my Polly Pepper! But I wouldn’t go as far as to kill her, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Tim nodded. “No, no, not for a moment. But whatever Sedra wrote about Polly could still come out because Judith read the script, too. What was she doing in the trailer in the first place?”

Duane recounted the incident. “When she came in she pretended that Sedra had left her script in the trailer and that she’d been told to retrieve it. That was a lie. You can tell when someone’s been thrown off. She was surprised to find me in the trailer. I know that she was really looking for material. She sells gossip to ‘E! Online.’ Anyway, she saw me at the computer and insisted that I explain why I was there and what I was up to. Then she leaned over my shoulder and started reading the text. She didn’t get far before she gasped and her eyes went wild. Like in the movies when someone finds a dead body. That’s when she told me to get out of the trailer or she’d call Sedra. I ran.”

Tim pressed on. “What was so startling to Judith?”

Duane waited a beat. “Probably the part where Sedra admits that she gave her baby up for adoption.”

Tim didn’t remember that Sedra was ever pregnant. “That happens every day. Why the fuss?”

“It was your father’s.”

At that moment, Tim froze. His mind reeled. With great effort he said, “Oh! My! God! I have a half sister somewhere?”

Duane stalled. He looked around to confirm that there were no eavesdroppers. “Um, somewhere closer than you think. Sedra’s script was titled
DNA
. I figured that’s an anagram for…”

Tim slowly came to a realization: “Dana.”

“A John and Mary Pointer adopted her. You do the math.”

Tim cupped a hand over his mouth. When the information finally settled in he said, “Dana? Sedra? Love child? Dana Pointer is my…”

“Blood kin!”

“The tabloids will have a field day with this,” Tim said. “What did Judith say when she read that news?”

“She looked just the way you do right now. Utter shock,” Duane said.

“So why hasn’t this appeared in the gossip papers yet?” Tim asked, suddenly wanting all the lurid information that only
The Peeper
would sink so low to provide.

Duane grinned with satisfaction. “Because. I’m not as stupid as I pretend to be.” Duane leaned back in his chair, and stretched. “I immediately had one of the production assistants page Judith to the set. I watched and waited until she left the trailer. As soon as she was out of sight I got back in and removed the floppy disk from the computer.”

“It wasn’t on the hard drive?” Tim said, amazed.

Duane froze. “Um, I don’t know.”

“Sedra wasn’t that stupid,” Tim said. “No way was she going to download her screenplay onto a borrowed laptop.”

“I’ve stashed the disk someplace where no one will ever find it. Polly’s secrets are safe with me.”

“You’re such a good friend to my mother,” Tim said. “She’ll be so relieved to know that her indiscretions—however mild—won’t end up in a screenplay. But Polly’s such a pessimist sometimes. Even though she completely trusts you, I know that she’s going to grill me until I can prove to her that the story of her bitch fight with Elton John all those years ago isn’t going to be rekindled.” He faked an uncomfortable laugh.

“I mean for crying out loud,
The Peeper
is on to this story, I’m sure of it,” Tim continued. “A reporter called Polly yesterday. Those gossipmongers definitely have a nose for news. I’ll bet they smell blood at Polly’s door.”

Duane gave a look of consternation. “What did the reporter say?” he asked, putting down his half-eaten second slice of pizza. “I’m the only one on the planet who knows the full extent of what Sedra was writing. I think.”

“You think?” Tim tried to act as calm as possible. “At least you have the disk. But it’s too bad that Judith had to read what was probably the most shocking part of the story.” He tried to recall what Polly had said was the nature of the reporter’s interview. “
The Peeper
people were interested in the relationship between Dana and Sedra,” Tim said. “Polly thought they were trying to get a story about an affair between the two. Now it all makes sense. They want to surprise Polly, or at least get a statement from her acknowledging that she knows the truth of Dana’s lineage. Hell, readers will think this is why she and Sedra have been enemies all these years.”

Tim noticed a pained expression on Duane’s face. “What?” he asked.

“Do you think that Sedra may have had a production deal in place? If so, then her agent would probably have a copy of the script, or at the very least, an outline. Every old star thinks they should write a memoir and most of ’em write terrible books. This time, one of ’em wrote a good screenplay…”

Tim interrupted Duane and, reading his thoughts said, “A ghost. What if there’s a ghostwriter who knows all about this screenplay? Jeeze, maybe you don’t have the only copy? Maybe the leak to
The Peeper
didn’t come from Judith but rather a ghost or an assistant at a studio.”

Duane suddenly looked ready to cry. “I hadn’t thought about that,” he said. Then as if seeing a silver lining he said, “If another copy exists, then it should be evidence that Dana is innocent. She wouldn’t kill her own mother.”

“How’s that?” Tim asked. “Maybe she was so angry with Sedra that she actually did knock her off. I’d be pretty upset if I found out that Polly wasn’t my real mother. If I were Dana, I’d probably be doubly pissed off because she could have saved a ton of time and rejection breaking into the business if she knew she had a famous mother who could open doors for her. On the other hand, she should be proud that she achieved her minor stardom all on her own. I’m beginning to be more impressed with her. My sister. Do you see a resemblance?”

Duane ignored Tim and thought back to the night of Sedra’s death. “Dana was upset alright. And so was Sedra. They fought so hard I thought they’d destroy Sedra’s trailer. But at the time I didn’t think it was about the mother–daughter connection. I do remember for sure that when Dana left Sedra’s trailer, she went straight to her car and drove away. I watched her leave. And Sedra was still yelling. So Dana didn’t kill her.”

“Doesn’t mean she didn’t come back,” Tim said.

Duane nodded. “I hung out for another ten minutes before I punched my time card. Sedra was still yelling—maybe at someone else—when I passed by her trailer. I got to my car and could still hear her bitching all the way from the parking lot.”

Tim’s curiosity was aroused. “Who else was still on the location when you left?”

Duane thought for a moment. “Um, Missie’s car was still there. So was Adam’s. Judith came to the set with him, so she was probably still there, too. It was late. I had the feeling that Adam and Judith were probably making out in his trailer. And Missie was more than likely going over her lines with the screenwriter. Missie’s mother had him suckered into helping her in exchange for a promise to put in a good word with the studio so he’d get his next script read. A couple of the other cars probably belonged to extras and the stand-ins. I think everybody else was gone.”