In Death 10 - Witness in Death

dazzled by Leonard Vole. I doubt there's anyone involved in this production who didn't have some grudge against Richard. I wanted to be up front about mine."
    "I appreciate that. You said he humiliated you. In what way?"
    "In his last scene, the one where I come down with him into the courtroom and he confronts Christine, he broke off my lines to her, stormed around the stage, claiming my delivery was flat."
    Her lips compressed, her eyes slitted. "He compared its lack of passion and style to my performance in bed. He called me a brainless rube who was trying to trade her lack of talent on mildly attractive looks and a good pair of breasts."
    Carly brushed back her hair, a lazy gesture in direct contrast with the bright fury in her eyes. "He said I was boring, and while I'd amused him for a while, if I couldn't pretend to act in my minor capacity, he'd see I was replaced with someone who could."
    "And this came as a complete surprise to you?"
    "He was a snake. Snakes strike quickly, because they're cowards. I gave back a few shots, but they weren't my best. I wasn't prepared, and I was embarrassed. Richard stalked offstage, locked himself in his dressing room. The assistant director went off to try to placate him, and we ran the scene again with Richard's stand-in."
    "Who's the stand-in?"
    "Michael Proctor. He's very good, by the way."
    "And if the play goes back into production, would he step into the part?"
    "That's a question for the producers, I imagine. But it wouldn't surprise me, at least in the short term."
    "I appreciate the information, Miss Landsdowne." And that much information, unbidden, was always suspect.
    "I've got nothing to hide." She moved her shoulders again and kept those big green eyes on Eve's face. "And if I did, I imagine you'd dig it out. I've heard quite a bit about Roarke's cop wife over the last few months. It took a certain arrogance, don't you think, to choose a night you'd be in the audience to do murder?"
    "Arrogance is required to take another's life. I'll be in touch, Miss Landsdowne."
    "I don't doubt it."
    Eve waited until the woman was nearly to the wings. "One thing."
    "Yes?"
    "You don't care much for Areena Mansfield either."
    "I don't have strong feelings about her one way or the other." Carly tilted her head, lifted one eyebrow in a high arch. "Why do you ask?"
    "You weren't very sympathetic when she fainted."
    The smile came back, bright enough to play to the back rows. "A damn graceful faint, wasn't it? Actors, Lieutenant Dallas, you can't trust them."
    With a casual toss of her hair, she made her exit.
    "So," Eve murmured, "who's performing?"
    "Lieutenant." One of the sweepers, a young, fresh-faced woman, marched up to Eve. Her baggy protective jumpsuit made little swishing noises with each step. "Got a little toy here I think you'll want to take a look at."
    "Well, well." Eve took the evidence bag, pursed her lips as she studied the knife. Through the clear plastic she fingered the tip of the blade, felt it retract. "Where'd you find this, ah..." She scanned the name stitched on the breast of the dull gray jumpsuit. "Lombowsky."
    "In a vase full of genuine long-stemmed red roses. Nice flowers. The room was packed with them like it was a state funeral or something. Areena Mansfield's dressing room."
    "Good work."
    "Thanks, Lieutenant."
    "Do you know where Mansfield is?"
    "She's in the cast lounge. Your man's with her."
    "Peabody?"
    "No, sir. Your husband." Lombowsky waited until Eve scowled down at the prop knife before she dared to raise her eyebrows. It had been her first up-close look at Roarke, and she considered him worth two big eyesful.
    "Finish the sweep, Lombowsky."
    "On it, Lieutenant."
    Eve strode offstage and caught Peabody coming out of a dressing room. "I've got four of the interviews scheduled."
    "Fine. Change of plan for tonight." Eve held up the dummy knife. "Sweepers found this in Mansfield's dressing room, tucked in with some roses."
    "You going to charge her?"
    "Her lawyer'd get her bounced before I got her into Central. It's awfully damn pat, isn't it, Peabody? She kills him in front of a packed house and stashes the prop knife in her own dressing room. Very neat or very stupid." Eve turned the evidence bag over in her hands. "Let's see what she has to say about it. Where's the cast lounge?"
    "Lower level. We can take the stairs."
    "Fine. You know anything about actors?"
    "Sure. Free-Agers are big on all the arts. My mother did some little theater when