Page 91 of Evidence of a Folktale

“So don’t.” Eamon kissed her cheek. “You’ve been through worse. Don’t add more to your… plate.” He bristled, and Bel scanned their surroundings in search of his annoyance.

“It’s just Jerry.” She reached behind her and patted his thigh. Jerry was the middle-aged cameraman from the news station that had aggressively chased her down during The Matchstick Girl case. Eamon feared his hyper focus on Bel was because he was the killer, but it turned out he was merely an eager father who followed his dream later in life.

Bel gave a small wave, and the cameraman jogged over to greet her, stumbling over his own feet when he saw the hulking man glowering at him.

“Hi, Jerry. How are the kids?” she asked.

“What?” he gawked at Eamon.

“The kids, Jerry,” Bel repeated.

“Oh right, yeah.” His excitable speech pattern returned as he collected himself… for the most part. “Everyone’s good. Sorry about all this. I’ll try to keep you out of the shots.”

“Thank you.”

“Me too,” Eamon said, and Jerry looked like he’d swallowed his tongue.

“Right… sure. Who are you?”

“Hers.” Eamon’s evasiveness sent a thrill through Bel’s chest, and she leaned her head back against him with a stifled grin.

“Clearly.” Jerry fixated on his massive hands gripping her shoulders. “You guys make a good couple, though. I can see it.”

“Thank you,” Bel said. “We haven’t released anything yet, so even if you hear any names?—”

“I didn’t,” he finished for her. “Sure thing.”

“Thanks, Jer—” His name died on her tongue when she registered who stood beyond the police tape… and what he was doing. She cursed, her skin flushing hot despite the morning’s bitter chill, and without a goodbye, she ducked under the yellow tape and stormed through the squad cars for Beau Draven.

“But Warren’s death won’t be in vain,” the actor said into his phone’s camera. “His commitment to our show will never be forgotten, and I intend to honor his memory by taking up the director’s mantel. Aesop’s Files was our dream years ago, but now the show belongs to everyone. Warren wouldn’t want us to give up.”

Bel picked up her pace. He couldn’t be saying those things, especially not on a live stream before an active crime scene. She wanted to strangle him for his flagrant lack of respect and common sense, but attacking a beloved actor while thousands of his fans watched was the worst idea, so she lunged behind his camera and seized the phone, using her hand to block the view.

“What’s wrong with you?” she spat after she ended the livestream. “This is an active crime scene. Someone was murdered here. Violently. Have you no decency?”

“Give me back my phone,” Beau demanded.

“No.” Bel shoved it into her pocket. “We haven’t released the victim’s name or done the death notice yet, and you just broadcasted Rouge’s murder to the entire world. His family doesn’t deserve to find out that way, plastered across social media like trivial entertainment. Someone’s killing members of your crew, and you’re going live like this is some scene in your show. Well, it’s not. This is real. This is a tragedy.”

“All right, all right, point taken.” Beau raised his hands in surrender. “I’ll stay off the internet like a good boy. So, can I have my phone back?”

“Fine,” she growled. “But if I see you on it?—”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ll be the bad cop,” he said. “This is my big break.”

“Big break?” Bel pinched her eyebrows at the sudden shift in conversation.

“Yes. If I direct the rest of the episodes while we’re here, the studio will have to recognize my talent. This is the next step in my career.”

“Are you serious?” She couldn’t be hearing him right. A man had been brutally murdered, and all the actor could think of was progressing his career. “A killer is targeting your show. This needs to stop. You need to shut down production.”

“Why would we do that?” Beau asked. “Warren would want us to continue. The fans want us to continue.”

“Because continuing could get you killed!”

“So protect me.”

“I am not a bodyguard,” she hissed. “I’m a homicide detective, and these murders are escalating. Enough is enough. Filming needs to stop.”

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