Page 27 of Script Swap
Salk gave us a thumbs-up and left.
“Fox might know,” I said.
Bobby and I headed over to talk to Fox.They stood against the wall, watching Terrence’s public meltdown, a grimace on their face.
“Is he going to be okay?”I asked.
“Are you kidding?”Fox said.“He’s loving this.He’s going to talk about this for years, assuming he doesn’t give himself a heart attack.”
“He’s loving having one of his cast killed?”Bobby asked.
“God, no,” Fox said.“I didn’t mean—I shouldn’t have said it like that.I’m sure he’s upset about Kyson.But my father is a…self-absorbed man, in some ways.Right now, this is all about him.”
I took another look at Fox’s face, and I thought about what it must have been like to grow up with Terrence as your father.
“You didn’t come over here to ask me about this one-man production ofWoe is Me,” Fox said.“What’s up?”
“Do you know where Kyson lived?”I asked.“He’s not local, right?”
Fox shook their head.“I think he’s from Portland.I’m sure he was staying over at Mossfern Estates.That’s where my dad always puts the young ones—or the ones who can’t afford better.It’s one of the ground-floor units.One-D, I think.”
That was what we’d come over here to ask, but now I couldn’t help a follow-up question.“Jonni and Nora aren’t staying there?”
“God, no.”At the expression on my face, Fox laughed.“You’ll see once you get there.They’ve both rented apartments near the theater.Of course, they’re not twenty-two, so they can afford it.”
“Thanks,” Bobby said.
Bobby headed for the door, and I followed.
“Going somewhere?”he asked.
“Well, I was thinking—”
My boyfriend doesn’t exactly groan.But he does get this long-suffering look in his eyes sometimes.
“—since I’m technically a consultant for the sheriff’s office, and time is of the essence—”
“Dash.”
“What if there’s valuable evidence?”
“Then I’m sure a team of trained deputies will find it.”But he hit the crash bar and held the door for me.“Ask the sheriff first.”
“Have I ever mentioned you’re the best boyfriend ever?”
He tilted his head toward the hall.
“And your arms are the best arms in the whole world.”
“Thank you.Go check with the sheriff.”
“And you’re my one true love.”
Some of the stiffness in his expression softened, and when I kissed him on the cheek, he gave me that goofy grin.It lasted about half a second before he was back in deputy mode with a stern, “Go!”
The sheriff was in Kyson’s dressing room, with Salk and Dahlberg standing outside.Sheriff Acosta wore the khaki uniform of the sheriff’s office, along with the standard utility belt and, of course, her service weapon.She was a solidly built woman with her dark hair in a ponytail, and she had a tiny scar on her forehead, almost hidden by the baby hairs gelled there.Sheriff Acosta wasn’t given to groaning any more than Bobby, but when she saw me, she did get a look that sometimes I wanted to callWhy me?
(Listen, I’ve helped her out alot.I’m a boon to the sheriff’s office.I’m a treasure.)
