Page 35 of Evidence of a Folktale

“We heard Miss Moon’s departure was amicable,” Bel said.

“It was…I wasjustsaying everyone from production assistants to directors has left.”

“A show this size. It’s unlikely that everyone departed on good terms. Someone must have been fired.”

“Of course, people were fired,” Ellery said.

Now they were getting somewhere.

“Were any of these fired employees disgruntled?”

“I don’t know.” The weird look passed over Roja’s features again, and Griffin crossed his arms over his chest.

“Withholding information in a murder investigation could result in an obstruction of justice charge,” he said, hovering authoritatively over the designer.

“There was one guy.” Ellery caved. “But we all signed non-disclosures.”

“Why?” Griffin asked. “The Bajka Police Department had to sign a non-disclosure agreement since we’re outsiders, but is it normal to gag all your employees from talking about their colleagues?”

“The contracts are to protect from spoilers and leaks,” she explained. “But anything that happens on set cannot be talked about outside of the show’s production, and since this happened while filming, I am legally required to keep quiet.”

“Convenient,” Bel said. No one on this show liked to answer questions.

“I could lose my job if I speak about it.” Ellery’s eyes flicked around the trailer as if someone might pop outthe minute she spoke and drag her away from her machine, but Bel remained silent. Sometimes silence was more effective thaninterrogations,since most people often couldn’t bear the weight of a police officer’s wordless stare.

“I can disclose what was released during the court case.” It seemed Miss Roja was weaker than most. “A set designer named Orion Chayce worked for the show a few years ago, and he was in charge of rigging the practical effect. There was a malfunction one day duringshooting, though, and it killed a lighting technician. The investigation proved the accident was due to negligence on Chayce’s part, and he was charged with involuntary manslaughter. He served time for it and was fired, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Griffin repeated.

“Is he still in prison?” Bel asked.

“I think so?” It came out like a question. “I’m not sure. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to get back to work. I have a lot to finish before tomorrow’s shoot.”

“Of course. Thank you for your time.” Griffin gripped Bel’s elbow and guided her out of the trailer.

“Was it just me, or was she lying about that technician’s death?” he asked when they’d locked themselves inside his truck.

“Oh, she was lying through her teeth,” Bel confirmed. “There’s something about that story that she doesn’t want us finding out.”

“Or maybe she was warning us.” Griffin started the engine and cranked the heat before grabbing Bel’s hands and pressing them against the blowers. It seemed she wasn’t the only one haunted by the memory of her bandaged fingers. “She can’t tell us what happened, but she didn’t have to bring him up, either. I’m sure dozens of employees have been fired over the years. She could’ve picked any of them, but she mentioned the only person she’s not allowed totalk about. We’re cops. She knows we’ll figure it out.”

“Which makes you wonder whatreallyhappened to that prop,” Bel said. “If it required a non-disclosure agreement, was it an accident? I’m willing to bet it wasn’t.”

“Learn anything?”Bel asked as she slipped inside Griffin’s office with sandwiches in one hand and coffees in the other. Neither had eaten, so she’d volunteered to grab them a quick deli lunch while he looked into Orion Chayce’s case.

“You’re never going to believe it,” he said as he accepted the food. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Bel plopped onto the couch. As much as she missed Olivia, she enjoyed working with her boss. The safety he offered made it easier for her to slip back into the role of detective. “And don’t tell me. Chayce is out on parole.”

“He is, but that’s not all.” Griffin bit into his sandwich. “He never showed up for his last check-in with his parole officer, and no one’s seen him since.”

“He’s missing?” Bel almost choked on her lunch.

“He’s missing.”

Bel cursed and set her food down on her boss’ desk so she wouldn’t accidentally suck another crumb down the wrong tube. “What if the malfunction that killed the tech wasn’t an accident? It felt like Ellery Roja was lying when she mentioned Chayce, so what if he was just the scapegoat? He gets blamed for an accident he didn’t cause and ends up serving time.”

“And now he’s out for revenge,” Griffin finished for her.

---