Page 53 of Silent Home

She handed the folder to Sheila.Inside were careful notes about dates, times, which records had been disturbed.But more importantly, there were photographs—grainy security camera stills showing someone in the costume department after hours.

"I set up my own camera," Charlotte explained."Just a cheap motion-sensor thing from the hardware store.The quality isn't great, but..."

Sheila studied the photos.The figure was always partly in shadow, always careful about angles.But in one image, there was a clear view of their hand on a file cabinet—a hand wearing an expensive-looking watch.

"These are from different nights," Finn said, looking over her shoulder."They came back multiple times."

"Planning," Sheila said grimly."They needed everything to be perfect.The costumes, the poses, the scenes..."She looked up at Charlotte."Why didn't you come forward with this sooner?"

"Because the night after I put up the camera, someone broke into my apartment."Charlotte wrapped her arms around herself."Nothing was taken.But things were moved, just slightly.Like they wanted me to know they could get in any time they wanted."

"Shit," Finn muttered.

"And then Jessica died."Charlotte's voice cracked slightly."In that blue dress from 'The Winter Palace.'The one whose measurements had been accessed multiple times.I knew then that it wasn't just about costumes.But I was afraid...Iamafraid..."

"We can protect you," Sheila said.

"Can you?"Charlotte met her eyes."Like you protected Jessica?Or Sarah?Or Thomas?"

The words hit hard, but Sheila couldn't argue.Not when she'd failed to protect those victims.Not when her own truck had been torched just hours ago, as if to underscore how little control she really had.

"The person in the hallway that night," Finn said."Could you tell anything about them?Height?Build?"

"Tall," Charlotte said."Well-dressed—I remember thinking the suit looked expensive.Beyond that…" She shrugged.

"Male or female?"Sheila asked.

"I think male, from the build.But they stayed in the shadows."Charlotte moved to straighten a rack of costumes, her hands trembling slightly."What bothered me most was how they knew exactly what they were looking for.They had the production numbers memorized, knew which shows each costume was from.That's not common knowledge."

"Someone involved in the productions," Finn said.

"But not just as crew," Sheila added."Someone who understood the significance of specific scenes.The dramatic moments they wanted to recreate."

Charlotte pulled out her notebook again, flipping through pages."They were especially interested in pivotal scenes—emotional high points, dramatic confrontations.The kind of moments actors dream about performing."

"We need to look at everyone involved in these productions," Sheila said."Not just technical crew.Directors, acting coaches, anyone who would understand both the technical and performance aspects."

"That's a long list," Finn warned."The festival brings in dozens of industry professionals."

"Then we better get started."Sheila turned back to Charlotte."Make copies of those notes—physical copies, nothing digital.And Charlotte?Be careful who you talk to about this."

They left the costume department, the smell of mothballs and old fabric following them into the hallway.The theater felt different now, more sinister.Every shadow could hide a watcher, every security camera could be compromised.

They reached the lobby, where morning sunlight streamed through the high windows, creating pools of light on the worn carpet.A janitor was sweeping up discarded festival programs, the soft swish of his broom the only sound in the empty building.

"We need to reexamine all the evidence," Sheila said."Not just as crime scenes, but as performances.What was the killer trying to show us?"

Finn pulled out his notebook."The auditions would be key.That's where they first saw these interpretations they're trying to recreate."

"Wilson said they record everything during festival auditions," Sheila said, thinking it through."Who handles that?There must be someone documenting all these performances."

They headed back to Rider's office.He was still there despite the festival shutdown, surrounded by boxes of materials being packed away.Dark circles under his eyes suggested he hadn't slept much either.

"The audition recordings," Sheila said without preamble."Who's responsible for filming them?"

Rider rubbed his eyes beneath his wire-rimmed glasses."Paul Wilson handles all our technical equipment and archival documentation, but for the actual production filming and behind-the-scenes content..."He dug through a stack of papers."That would be Andrew Thorne.He's been our primary videographer for what, three years now?Works closely with Paul on all the festival productions."

"Would he have access to the theaters after hours?"Finn asked.

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