Chapter 12
TWELVE
E ddie juggled the two bowls of oatmeal in his hands, knocked on Macon’s half-open door, and peeked inside. “You wanted to see me, sir? I went ahead and grabbed you some breakfast…”
It wasn’t only Macon. The police chief twisted toward Eddie from the corner behind the door where a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf sat. Apparently, the morning would be full of surprises too. But hopefully nothing like the other night’s visit to the ER with Scout.
Or yesterday’s conversation about Bianca and the giving woman of her youth.
Eddie failed to completely cover his yawn with his elbow. “There’s plenty of breakfast left. Want me to go grab another bowl?”
Macon waved him forward. “That’s okay, you can give mine to the chief. Natalie cooked me biscuits and gravy before work. I can’t say that I’m hating this nesting period she’s in.”
Eddie handed Conroy one of the bowls.
Conroy sat. “Thanks. I actually haven’t eaten yet.”
Eddie took his seat, and the sunlight beaming in through the window wasn’t the only thing that made him feel like he was in the spotlight. There was only one reason why both chiefs would need to talk to him. Well actually, two. “Have you made any connections to the set collapse or the fire?”
The news had been strangely quiet about the events.
Conroy rested his ankle on top of his knee and scooped another spoonful of oats. “I hoped you were the one with some more news.”
Eddie set his bowl on the edge of Macon’s desk in front of his framed photos. “I sent you everything I’ve gathered. Besides Thad, the security officer who likes to talk to me about his grandkids, there hasn’t been anything that seemed promising. Other than a few of the crew members asking me to meet up for some wings. I can use that invite to ask more questions if you think it would help.”
Conroy took a deep breath. “The mayor’s not going to like it, but I’m going to have to put even more cops all over that set.”
Eddie shrugged. He had warned Bryce and Olivia and Grace that he was no undercover officer. “I’m no cop. I talked to those who had been around the set during the day of the collapse and before. Theories and speculations. Gossip. But nothing seemed to be worth repeating.”
Macon leaned his elbows on his desk. “Surely someone on that set didn’t have an alibi for the days leading up to the collapse of the set build.”
Conroy steepled his fingers. “There’s someone without an alibi all right. Far too many of them. There are ten separate contracted-out businesses, including food, beverages, cleaning, construction, and massage personnel with multiple employees each that arrived on set just within a two-hour window. Not counting the rest of the days. So far, we’ve got no motive unless the protestors have stepped up their game. Nothing connecting to the Jane Doe or the hit-and-run car incident either.”
Eddie tightened his grip on the chair. “Thankfully Bianca didn’t actually get hit in that incident. Though she did mention her ex has been texting her, and she didn’t seemed thrilled. Not sure if there’s anything more there.” Eddie folded his arms over his chest. “What about the fire at the mayor’s event? Any ID on the arsonist? Maybe I could sit with a sketch artist again.”
Not that it had led to a very clear resemblance the first time. Eddie could remember exact conversations from when he was a teen, but he couldn’t remember what color eyes the arsonist had from only a little more than a week ago.
He had to be missing something. Something simple. But he hadn’t even heard anyone yelling.
Eddie sat up straight. But he had observed whispers. “This might not help, but I overheard two people in construction uniforms. They had been whispering. One was short, and the other had narrow shoulders from behind. The taller one had shoved the shorter one, who said it hadn’t been his fault. I asked them if everything was okay. They tipped their hard hats and got into a truck with a construction label on its side.”
Conroy set his bowl next to Eddie’s. He pulled out his phone and typed out a note. “At this point, we’re looking into everything.” He rested his phone on his thigh. “We may have a small lead. We’re bringing a suspect in for questioning who’d been seen with a lighter at the event. However, my crew has to locate him first.”
That wasn’t exactly comforting.
They were really pinning too much hope on Eddie’s investigative abilities. “All the props and storage areas are locked every time I check them. The security guys make their rounds. There’s an unofficial smoke break area by the tree beside the parking lot. Leo survives on coffee and jellybeans. There never seems to be enough assistants when one is yelled for. The only people who usually raise their voices are Leo and Carter. But nothing points to why a set could have been sabotaged. I’m sure I could ask more questions and run by the debris again, but there are only so many hours in the day that I can be there.”
Macon’s chair squeaked. Then the two chiefs shared a look. One Eddie had a feeling he wasn’t going to like.
“What are you not telling me?”
Conroy thumped his knuckles against the armrests. “Every time my men show up, it’s like the entire crew turns the other way. The mayor gets phone calls. Which means I get phone calls.”
Eddie leaned forward in his seat. “They’re probably worried you’re going to shut down filming. I’ve heard grumbles of production money issues.”
Conroy nodded. “I read that in your notes. And I’ve also heard that from other sources.”
“So what I’m hearing is you don’t need me there anymore.” Why did his chest suddenly feel tighter? He should be happy to be done at the set.
Except, done at the set meant he’d see Bianca less. Which shouldn’t be a big deal. Shouldn’t being the key word.
Macon picked up a pen. “Perhaps when you’re on call, you should stay on set instead of waiting here.”
Eddie’s back straightened and his healing road rash clung to his shirt. “You want me to go to a film set and not do my job?”
He understood they needed to find answers, but it didn’t make sense for him not to go on fire runs. “No disrespect, but I’m a firefighter. Chief, if I’m not on a run, I leave rescue squad a man down. That’s too dangerous.”
Macon glanced to Conroy. “The mayor requested it, and unfortunately, he holds the funds for all of our paychecks. You’re still going out on calls. You’d meet up with the crew. You’ll just be waiting for any calls while at the set instead. That will give you more time there to find anything that might help Barnes find a lead. This town seems to be getting hit from all sides, and we’re going to have to think outside the box to get everything accomplished.”
A wrinkle creased across Conroy’s forehead. “Sorry to put this on you, Rice. We’re being pressured by the mayor to find answers yesterday. And quietly. Currently, you have a special position beside Bia that helps greatly, and apparently Gregory likes you.”
Eddie’s mouth hung open. “He sure has a funny way of showing it.”
Conroy rested both of his feet back on the ground. “I understand. Trust me. Between the movie and protests over that and the resort, my guys are stretched. I appreciate your sacrifice on this.”
Not that hanging out with Bianca had been too much of a hardship.
Macon clicked the pen in his hand. “If for some reason something comes up where you can’t make it to a run, then I’ll take your place. The last thing I want is to jeopardize Rescue. But I also need to offer what’s best for our town too. And if that means one of my firefighters has to pretend to be an undercover officer, so to speak, I think you’re a great man for the job.”
Eddie pulled his collar away from his neck. There seemed to be far too much pretending in Last Chance County.
Conroy’s phone vibrated. “What about with Bia? Anything out of the ordinary since the car incident?”
Eddie picked a piece of lint off his pants. “Other than me being stupid and practically blaming her for Scout breaking his pinkie?”
Macon set down his pen. “Scout broke his finger? How did that happen?”
“A minor hairline fracture. He and Tank slid down a blow-up slide Bianca sort of arranged to cheer up the kids after Roger Pointe let slip that the mayor originally denied the grant for their youth center.”
Conroy released a heavy breath. “I’m ready for this election to be over.”
Macon did not have the same sympathetic expression on his face as Conroy. He frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me about the grant’s denial?”
Before Eddie could come up with an answer that didn’t sound like he was failing Macon’s team, Conroy’s cell phone buzzed again. He narrowed his gaze at the screen, and then his brows rose. “Looks like a deceased male has been found on the set.” He looked over the screen at Eddie. “Either of you wouldn’t currently be free now, would you? Take another look around the collapsed site while I tag along with my officers?”
Eddie rose to his feet. “Was it an accident or…”
“All I know is he was found in the trees between the parking lot and the sidewalk beside the smoking area.”
Macon stood as well. “Rice, take a radio and your gear with you in your truck. I’ll have another with me packed in the chief’s truck too, in case a call goes out. I’ll be praying things start getting back to boring around this town.”
After Conroy left, Eddie grabbed his turnout gear. As he headed for his truck, his phone rang. He shuffled his gear to read his screen. The name “Mary” made him hit the ignore button. It was never good when his mother tried to call.
He really wished his grand-ma’am hadn’t given Mary his number before she passed.
Eddie turned onto the road with the security gate to the film set. Normally there were tourists or fans standing around trying to get a peek at the actors, and a few protestors planted at random corners around the set. But today the entire sidewalk overflowed with angry faces.
Rows of people holding signs with the word movie with a red line crossing it out raised their posters and shouted, “Stop the show! Protect our home!”
Thad came out of the security booth and waved Eddie forward.
Finally, the line of protesters snaked to the other side of the road, and Eddie rolled down his window. “You all right?”
Thad wiped the sweat off his brow. “I think my mom was right. I should have been a doctor. At least then I wouldn’t have to listen to them holler the same six words.”
Eddie turned down his radio. “It isn’t even that catchy a tune. When did the protestors arrive?”
Thad’s focus remained through Eddie’s window and on the protestors. “I haven’t been on the clock long. Can you believe it about that body? Riley found him. Poor new girl. About fainted away.”
Eddie nodded toward the set beyond the gate. “Glad you guys are getting some more security help. Sounds like you might need it.”
“She’s not with us.” He pointed to his chest where his badge sat. “She’s the newest makeup person. I forget her actual title. They all have one, these fancy movie people. I’m only the security guy. Pretty sure Riley replaced Tiff, who had a family emergency. Tiff is a real sweetheart. Brought me a soda once. Gave me glitter makeup for my granddaughter too.”
The protestors pivoted and turned back toward Eddie’s truck.
Thad groaned. “Better lift the bar for you to enter before the protestors circle around and try to get in again.” He deadpanned, “It’s sure fun having them around.”
“Thanks, Thad, for your hard work. Just think of the stories you’ll have to tell the grandkids.”
Thad chuckled and opened the gate.
Eddie parked behind the coroner’s vehicle. As he hopped out of his truck, one of the cameramen, who seemed to know all the gossip, set one of the two hard-shell suitcases down on the sidewalk, right in front of the yellow caution tape that wound around the trees.
This could be Eddie’s chance to learn something that he’d been overlooking. “Need any help?”
The cameraman set the other container down. “If you help, I’ll owe you a coffee plus an order of wings.”
Perfect. Eddie picked up the container on the right. Good thing he’d been doing his arm workouts. “This thing’s heavier than it looks.”
The cameraman hugged the other container to his chest. “Tell me about it.”
Eddie followed him on the sidewalk. “Where we heading?”
“All the way to the river. I would never have loaded up the gear for the next location if I’d thought they were still going ahead with the shoot.”
Eddie’s boot kicked a pebble as they took a gravel path between the ambulance set and a building that was painted to resemble an old shack. “Who’s in the scene?”
“Only your girl. But we can’t afford to let the police shut us down because of the body.”
Eddie adjusted his grip. Your girl. Not exactly. “Do you know who died?”
“I think one of the construction workers.”
The suitcase slipped in Eddie’s grip, but he caught it against his leg and hoisted it back into position. “Construction?”
“Easy.” The cameraman flinched. “That stuff you’re carrying costs more than my monthly paycheck.”
“I got it. Sorry, man. What’s your name again?” What Eddie was really sorry about was that he couldn’t just hand the suitcase back and say he needed to go tell the police about the construction worker. But Conroy probably already knew by now.
“Everyone calls me Chip.” He shuffled the suitcase against his chest. “First the building and now this. I think that’s why Bia said she would do the scene. Because I know plenty of other stars who would refuse based on the temperature of the water alone.”
Eddie slowed his stride to match Chip’s reduced speed. “Was Heidi supposed to do the stunt, then?”
Sweat lined the creases on Chip’s forehead. “Exactly, and Bia’s new stunt replacement hasn’t shown yet. Which to me means she could argue against the scene if it’s not in her contract. But she hasn’t. Probably because Bia Pearl’s the ideal cast member. Minus the bad press she usually gets about her personal life. No offense.”
Eddie griped the suitcase tighter. “The media isn’t always right.” Bianca probably felt guilty about Heidi and had taken the spot. Too worried about what others thought. Plus, based on their conversation yesterday and his own deal with her—money mattered.
The sun chose that moment to dip behind a cloud. On the sloping bank down to the river, Bianca stood with her arms wrapped around herself. She faced the water as a car was being raised up by a cable reaching to a platform above the river.
“Where do you need the suitcase?”
Chip tilted his head. “I’ll take it from here. Thanks, Eddie.”
Eddie waved and came up beside Bianca. “Going for a swim?”
A soft chuckle. “A simple swim sounds perfect.” But when she turned toward Eddie, her face was pale. That laugh and the smile she still wore both were fake. She was in pretend mode. “I have to go up there.”
Eddie inspected the towering platform. It was about double the height of the slide, and she’d frozen at the lower level.
Eddie put his hand on her elbow. Was he steadying her or himself? He wasn’t sure. He leaned beside her ear. “You don’t have to do this stunt. I heard it wasn’t even supposed to be you.”
She adjusted the safety straps around her waist. “We don’t have a lot of options right now.”
“If it’s not in your contract, then you really don’t?—”
“You sound like Grace. The bottom line is, if the movie doesn’t get made, I don’t get paid. Not really. And neither do some of the crew.” She lifted her chin, and her beautiful eyes flashed a rush of emotions. “Which means you don’t get your donation either.”
One of the other camera crew members down closer to the water paused. An assistant by the lights blinked over at them. Why were they always being watched and possibly listened to?
Eddie hooked his arm around her shoulder. The last thing either of them needed was for the paper to hear about their deal. He steered her closer to the tower, away from listening ears. Her body shook beneath his hands, and he rubbed his palms up and down her goose-bumped skin. “Don’t do this for me. Or the team. There are other ways of raising money for the youth center.”
She leaned into his touch until she seemed to think better of it and stepped away. “If there was another way, you wouldn’t have agreed to…” she motioned between them. “Us.”
Eddie clenched his jaw and still hated the fear in her eyes. There potentially was another way, or at least that’s what Roger had said. However…“You’re still my choice.”
Her sigh made him want to wrap her up and protect her.
She ran her hands along her arms. “I used to love doing my own stunts. Loved seeing the final edited movie, knowing I’d done that. Listening to the crowd as they laughed and cried.” She shook her head. “Leo said that if we don’t get this critical shot before the police shut us down, then the movie may be postponed. If that happens, we may not have enough funds to keep going. There was a lot of red tape to get this stunt approved, and time is money in the film world. More than just me and you are depending on me not screaming for dear life when that car drops.”
She was doing this in part for him. He couldn’t let her do it alone. “Then I’ll be in the car with you. Not for the directors or for the movie. For you. Because you hate heights.”
A half laugh, half cry bubbled out of her. “I really do.”
He opened his mouth but was cut off by someone who hollered from the bottom of the platform. “We’re ready for you, Bia.”
She exhaled slowly. “Well, here goes. Pray for me.”
He could do more than pray. He matched each step with hers.
They reached the ladder to climb up. Two guys that Eddie had met a couple days ago, Jeff and Aaron, hooked Bianca’s harness to the safety line that went up the ladder and onto the platform.
She climbed four ladder rungs and then stopped. He could see her knuckles go white, even from his position on the ground.
Eddie pointed to the harness around Jeff, who remained on the ground. “Got another one of those? I want to go up with my girl.”
“Uh…” Both of the guys glanced at each other.
“You know I’m a firefighter. I know all about OSHA standards.”
Which probably wouldn’t exactly okay him going up there.
Jeff slipped out of his harness and handed it over. “I need to get to my son’s birthday party by seven. Anything that can speed this up, I’m all for.”
Eddie stepped one foot into the harness. “As soon as I get this on, Bianca, I’m racing you to the top.” Eddie hooked onto the safety line faster than it usually took him to get in his turnout gear.
He scrambled up to the same rung of the ladder, placing his feet on the outside of Bianca’s. She hadn’t moved. Her head remained pressed to a higher rung. Her legs shook the ladder.
He placed his cheek against hers. “I see you squandered your early lead to the top.”
Finally she whispered, “Is it squandering when I knew I didn’t need it to beat you?”
There was his snarky girl. Well, not his. Couldn’t be.
A shaky inhale and then, “Thanks, Eddie.”
“We got this. Reach up with your right hand first, and I’ll keep you steady. Then bring up your right foot.”
She shook her head. “Maybe I’ll go back to the ground and help the writers rewrite this scene. My character can be thrown out on the ground and watch her car with the secret codes about the jewels in it disappear. Add in a few explosions. That would totally be better.”
He had another idea. “On your mark, get set…”
Bianca let out a groan. “Not this again.” But she moved upward before he got to the “go” part. “If I win, I’m going to need another milkshake. Or five.”
A grin burst onto his face, and he tried to focus on her hands and feet on the ladder. “Told you marshmallow would grow on you.”
Or perhaps she was the one growing on him.
Bianca climbed onto the platform, and for a second was out of sight until he joined her and two other guys already on the platform.
The man with a beard, who Eddie didn’t remember, frowned. “Who are you?”
The other guy checking Bianca’s safety connection bumped the bearded man’s arm. His name was Ted or Ed or Jed or something. “That’s her?—”
“Hero,” Bianca answered for him. “Do you guys mind if Eddie helps me into the car?”
Bearded guy hesitated. “We’ll have to double-check your harness afterwards.”
Bianca threw on one of her smiles she used for fans. The one that made her dimple shine almost as bright as her eyes. “Of course. And remind me again what the car is going to do in the scene?”
Bearded guy tapped his fingers on the car being held beside the platform. His focus remained on the crane and pulley overhead, completely missing Bianca’s trembling hands. “You’re going to climb into the driver’s window. Then we’ll change out safety connections from here”—he touched the cord that linked to the platform—“to the system that’s in the car. Once you’re all strapped in and we’ve given the signal, the car will tilt until its nose faces downward, and when it’s exactly where we want it, it’ll drop. As soon as it hits the water, the car will level out. You unstrap your safety cords and climb out, swim toward the cameras, and bam. We get it all in one take.”
Eddie shifted his feet. Sounded like an awful lot of things would have to go right to get it in one take.
Bearded guy pointed below to the river’s edge. “Camera one is at surface level. Then two right there on the dash, which will get your facial expressions on the way down.”
Bianca fisted her hands and nodded. “Is there any way I can be teleported into the swaying car?”
Bearded man laughed. He really was missing her cues.
Eddie scooped Bianca up and cradled her against his chest.
Her eyes flung open as she squeaked, “What are you doing?”
Her nails dug into the back of his neck.
“Teleporting.”
At that, she smiled her soft grin and loosened her grip. “Can you tell me when I’m inside the car? I’m not sure if I can look down at the ground and still be able to finish the scene.”
“Just look at me instead.” Eddie paused in front of the car’s open window. “Or I can fireman-carry you back down the ladder.”
She laid her head against his chest. “As excited as Grace would be to put that on my social media page, you better only place me in that car.”
Once she was in the car, Eddie triple-checked her connection and only then allowed the safety guys to do their job.
The younger one gestured toward the ladder. “We’ll need you to, at minimum, be at the back of the platform.”
“Eddie.” Bianca’s call had Eddie rushing over to the car that was now being tilted downward toward the water.
“Stop.” Bearded man thrust his arm out in front of Eddie. “We gotta get this in one take.”
But with the way Bianca’s eyes locked onto his, Eddie was about to demand someone rewrite the scene. “Do I need to get you out? Just say the word, Bianca, and I’ll make it happen.”
Her fingers squeezed around the steering wheel. Her hair swung down in front of her face. “Will you think less of me if I ask you a favor?”
He squatted, inching closer. “Anything.”
And he meant it.
She blew out two quick puffs of air that made her cheeks chipmunk out. “I don’t want to be a drama queen, but I really think I’m going to need another marshmallow shake as a reward if I survive this. If I don’t, drink one in my honor.”
He reached through the open window and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “You’ll not only survive, but I’ll order you two shakes that will probably be here before you get dried off.”
She licked her lips. “I don’t want to think about what I’d do without you.”
Eddie swallowed. “Well, right now, you don’t have to.”
“Right,” she murmured, but her expression did not bear the grin he’d expected.
“Quiet on set!” a megaphoned voice bellowed from below.
Bearded man tugged Eddie back toward the ladder.
Five thundering heartbeats later, Leo hollered, “Action!”
The car tilted forward until it was nearly vertical. Then the crane released the chains, and the car plummeted for the river.
Even though it was scripted, Bianca’s scream hit him right in the gut.
The car struck the water with a splash and rippled the river. But instead of the car’s back end splashing down into the water too, only the hood remained submerged.
“Isn’t the car supposed to lean back into its normal position?” Eddie asked.
Bearded guy put his arm back in front of Eddie. “It will level. Give it time.”
Except both time and water poured into Bianca’s open window. She moved her hands, but what was she doing?
Eddie shoved the bearded guy’s arm away from him. “She’s supposed to be out by now.”
“We wait until?—”
“Eddie!” Bianca shrieked his name a second before the driver’s-side door of the car plunged farther into the water.
“Bianca!” Eddie pushed the bearded guy out of the way. “Pull up the car. Get her out of there!”
The younger guy headed down the ladder. “The car can’t sink. It had rubber added…”
There wouldn’t be time to go down the ladder. Eddie unhooked his harness.
“Wait, what are you?—”
“Saving her.” Eddie sprinted toward the edge of the platform.
And jumped over the edge.