Page 64 of Brooke's Bliss
Not that anything dangerous would happen in…
He reached for her hand, so she didn’t walk ahead.If therewas something going on, he wanted either him or his brother to find out first.But it was most likely a burned-out bulb.
“It’s so they can move the set around quickly during setchanges.I think they’re keeping it fairly simple,” Brooke explained.“Kind oflike my wardrobe.”
He was fascinated by her and by the job she was doing, andthat included the set.He liked the theater, though he hadn’t had many chancesto go.In high school the drama class had put on a production ofOur Townand he’d gone to every performance since he volunteered to help with the props.He liked the camaraderie of the theater.
He’d kind of liked that no one compared him to Bay theresince his brother fell asleep during the performances.
But he’d stayed so Shane didn’t have to walk back to thegroup home in the dark alone.
He looked up and down the street.It was quiet, with onlythe lights from Stella’s at the other end and Trio illuminating the night.“Isaw they had some artwork on wheels.”
She nodded, her fingers threading through his like they weremade to be together.She followed him as they began to cross the street.“Yes.Several of the sets revolve around a drawing room.Originally it takes place inturn-of-the-century Russia.Cleo wants to set it in the modern era with aWestern twist.So the location is outside an Army base here in the States, butthe house where the three sisters live needs to have touches of their formerlife in Moscow.Though in this case Denver is substituted.Hence the nice teaset and the artwork.It’s to show a longing for something they lost.”
There was a problem.“The desk hides the wheels well, butthe artwork looks like it’s on a chalkboard,” he pointed out.
Brooke winced.“Yeah, I thought it was clunky, too.Iunderstand the need to move things quickly and in the dark, but the paintingslook weird.”
He had a solution.“But the pulley system is right there.And it’s in layers to accommodate four rows of curtains.Why not use one forthe artwork and the mirror?Then it would look like it was hung on the walls.”
She stopped in the middle of the street, her expressiongoing to what he’d come to think of as her thinking face.
He let her stop because it wasn’t like there were carscoming.
“I like it, Shane.”She nodded as though she could see thething in her head.“You could hang them by strings so they’re fragile and couldbreak easily.Like the sisters.It’s a good idea, and it would move just asquickly.”
“More.”A thrill of pride went through him, the kind healways got when he solved a problem.“Because you move it from backstage.”
Brooke smiled, sending another kind of thrill through him.“That is smart.You should talk to Cleo about it in the morning.I know she’sgot some issues with the set design.Is it weird that I’m kind of excited to beworking for very little money?I think I’m being paid in popcorn and freepasses.”
He squeezed her hand.“I think it’s wonderful that you’rehelping out.”
“Hey, guys.”Bay stood on the sidewalk opposite them.“Weseem to have a problem.”
Brooke’s expression fell.“What?”
Shane started to lead her toward Bay.“What’s happening?”
“Someone slashed our tires.”Bay frowned.“You know, I don’texpect that here.We’re not even into high tourist season.Who’s going aroundslashing the tires of a shitty old truck?”
A chill crept along Shane’s spine.He let go of Brooke’shand and went back to inspect the truck himself.Sure enough, all four tireswere done in, and someone had smashed the passenger’s side window and rifledthrough the cab.Not that they had anything to steal.
“Hey, Elisa.”Brooke had her cell to her ear as she and Bayjoined him.“We’ve had our truck vandalized.We’re in the parking lot acrossfrom the theater.Yes.We want to file a report at least.Sure.See you in acouple of minutes.”She hung up.“Elisa’s coming.She won’t be long.”
“Why would…” Bay’s head shook.“Never mind.I know why.People are assholes.Unless this is the work of the Sasquatches.Mel warnedme.”
“It wasn’t a Sasquatch.”Shane was worried it was somethingelse.Something tied to their past.It had been months and they hadn’t heardanything.He thought they’d left it all behind when they fled in the night.“Doyou think there’s any way this is Kingman?”
Brooke’s head turned, like she’d scented an excellent story.“Kingman?Like Kale Kingman, the rancher who owns a big portion of Wyoming?Whywould he slash your tires?”
“Well, I don’t think he would do it himself.”Shane’s gutwas in a knot.Had it taken the man this long to find them?They hadn’t talkeda lot during their short stay on the ranch, so it was definitely possible noone knew about their connections here in Bliss.
Bay’s head shook.“Nah, he has people for that.”
“He has people to do crimes?”Brooke asked, her eyes wide.“And you’ve seen this?You saw Kale Kingman’s ranch hands commit crimes forhim?I knew they got that show from somewhere.”
“I never watched the show.I have to deal with ranch shitall day.I’m not going to sit around and watch it at night.”It was preciselywhy he liked shows about other times in history.And action shows.And sciencefiction.And anything but damn Westerns where they usually got shit wrong.Ranch work was boring.Well, for the most part.Apparently not so much if therancher was Kale Kingman.
