“He can go to Falcon,” Rosanna said.
“Yes!” Andrew replied enthusiastically. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that myself. Duff, you must go find our brother Falcon. If there is anyone in the world who can help you now, it would be Falcon.”
“I thank you kindly, but I’ve nae wish to bring my troubles to anyone else.”
“Don’t be silly, everyone brings their troubles to Falcon,” Rosanna said. “He thrives on it.”
“Trust me, Duff, he will welcome you with open arms. And I will write a letter of introduction for you.”
“Where would I find him?” Duff asked.
Andrew smiled. “In Colorado. Oh, have you money?”
“I have some money that I brought with me, and I am owed two weeks’ salary from the production company,” Duff said. “But I hesitate to wait for it.”
“You need not wait. I know how much is due you. I will pay you now,” Andrew said. “Come to my dressing room, I will give you the money and the letter of introduction.”
“And,” Rosanna said.
“And?”
“Don’t you remember? The Black Watch thing?”
“Oh, yes,” Andrew said. “We were going to wait and present this to you at the close of the production of
Duff followed Andrew and Rosanna to Andrew’s dressing room. There, Andrew gave Duff the one hundred dollars he had due in wages. Then he removed the contents of a box. It was the uniform jacket and kilt of the Black Watch, complete with a
“We thought you might like to keep this with you,” Andrew said.
Duff nodded, then put his hand on Andrew’s shoulder. “’Tis family ye are, and family ye will always be,” he said. “I thank the both of ye, for all that ye have done.”
Percy Fowler was hiding behind the flats. He had no idea why Duff MacCallister wanted to speak to Andrew and Rosanna, but if by listening to their conversation he could realize some advantage for himself, he would do so. As soon as he brought the MacCallisters into the storeroom, he moved quickly so as to be out of sight, and here, he heard every word they said.
Percy had been working in this theater through five previous productions, and he had been told that, with the next production, he would be elevated to the position of stage manager. That didn’t happen when Duff MacCallister arrived. Both Andrew and Rosanna had insisted that their cousin be given the job, and because they were highly regarded by the producer of the play, their request was honored. Percy had been angered by being cut out of a job that was rightly his, but there was nothing he could do but accept it, for he knew of no other occupation that paid as well.
Now he was privy to some very secret information, information that he might find some way to turn to his advantage.
Chapter Nine
Carrying a box of doughnuts he had just purchased, Deputy Malcolm knocked on the side door of the Rex Theater. He had to knock several times before the door was answered by a stagehand.
“If you’re here to buy tickets, you must go to the front door,” the stagehand said.
“Are you the man in charge of the theater?”
“No, I’m just a stagehand.”
“Who is the man in charge?”
“That would be Mr. MacCallister.”
“The actor?”
“No, the stage manager. Except, wait, he ain’t in charge no more. He left for some reason. The man in charge now is Percy Fowler.”
“Then he is the one I should see.”
“See about what? Mr. Fowler is a busy man. I can’t just go lettin’ anyone in off the street to see him.”
“It won’t take but a moment. I have a delivery of pastries,” Malcolm said.
“Pastries? What sort of pastries?”
Malcolm opened the box to let the stagehand see.
“Doughnuts,” the stagehand said. “Why didn’t you say you had doughnuts? I’ll take them.”
“No, I have been told to take them directly to the stage manager.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Very well, I shall return the doughnuts.”
The stagehand looked around, then stepped back into the theater. “Follow me,” he said. “You can wait in the green room.”
