“Yes, that’s true, but it doesn’t necessarily represent the views of the management, as they say on TV. Nature over nurture, genes over environment. The girls have their own take on the world.
“I know I’m a half-an-hour early. Tony Grattan is supposed to be here, but I’ve traded time-slots with him. You see, I have to be on the road by noon. Want to be downstate before the southbound rush begins. I’m sure you don’t mind. Tony will be here in thirty minutes just like I was supposed to be. That man is totally dependable. A real gem.”
“I was trying to interview people in order….”
“Yes, you said that last night when you were setting up your schedule. But it hardly matters, does it? I mean, since we don’t really know when Malcolm was killed, at best it’s a guess who saw him last. Well, of course, in truth the killer was the last one to see him alive, but he or she was hardly going to admit their guilt so you could have your little arrangement in proper order. Too bad, isn’t it? We could get this whole untidy incident over with. So you have some questions for me?”
“Tell me about last night. What time did Malcolm arrive? What kind of makeup did you apply, and why did you walk him onstage?”
“Malcolm arrived late. I mean later than anyone else….”
“Let me interrupt you for a minute. When he came in, was he alone or was someone with him?”
“What do you mean, like with him?”
“Was he with other cast members, or one of his employees, or…?” Ray let the question hang.
“When I saw him he was alone. I mean, most of us came together or almost together. People had been at Verity’s. And Tony Grattan, being the good stage manager that he is, got us moving toward the Assembly Hall with enough time to get everyone costumed and in makeup. I mean, it’s a lot like herding cats, these people, especially after a few drinks, but that man has so much grace and skill. I could never figure out why he and Mrs. Grattan didn’t make it. Some people thought perhaps he was gay, or perhaps she was gay. I thought she was just a floozy, and he couldn’t stand it anymore. I mean, some people look so good when you are in college, but when you get out there, jobs, kids, that’s when the rubber slams the road. All those good looks don’t amount to much when there’s work to be done.
“So what I was telling you is that Malcolm came in alone. Most of the other people in the cast took care of themselves, put their make-up on, got into their costumes. Not Malcolm, he insisted upon being attended to. I mean, he’s used to that kind of thing, having people scurrying around. And other than getting into that vintage suit, there was no need for make-up. I mean, he was just going to put his head down on a desk and try to look dead. But he wanted makeup and wounds, bullet wounds. Like I said, he didn’t need them for the play, but he wanted them for the cast party. So I did that for him, two big wounds, an entry and an exit. It took awhile to get everything right. I had to glue them in place, and then I had to apply makeup to his forehead and neck to make everything match. Then he walked around the green room and asked everyone how he looked. Got lots of comments. That man always needed attention. I mean, not that most men don’t, but Malcolm was especially needy.”
“Okay, so once the makeup was on, and he had an opportunity to show it around, what happened?”
“Tony Grattan popped in to make sure people were ready for the next scene. At which point I got Malcolm queued up. As soon as the curtain was down on the first scene, I walked Malcolm onstage. Once he was seated, I helped him situate his head just so. He didn’t want to mess up his makeup. I mean, he wanted it perfect for the cast party. I told him I’d repair any damage, but he….”
“And when did the lights go off.”
“Well, I left him there. Told him sweet dreams and went back to the dressing room to see if anyone else needed help. I was floating around checking on people when it went dark. Right away people were using their phones for light. I found a chair and decided to stay put till the lights came back on. I mean, I wouldn’t want to break a hip or anything. This lighting thing is such a problem. David does his best to hold things together. Every year we hear the rewiring is high priority, and then there’s a major crisis and….”
“So to the best of your knowledge, Malcolm never left the chair after you walked him there.”
“Correct. He wasn’t planning to move till the scene was over.”
“Was there anyone else on stage or in the wings.”
“Not that I saw.”
“How about David Johnson?”
“I don’t recall. He might have been up in his crow’s nest.”
“Was there anyone around that shouldn’t have been there, someone who wasn’t an actor or crew member?”
“I don’t recall that. There’s often family around, I mean, like kids. Or sometimes a spouse pops in. But not on show night. Then it’s real business.”
“Wudbine, how long have you known him?”
“Well, we’re contemporaries. I’ve known him thirty or forty summers, on and off. And I’ve been friends with Verity, summer friends, most of my life. But even at the time of the great breakup, I wasn’t totally on her side. Verity could be very selfish and self-centered. I’ve noticed especially pretty women are like that. They can get away with it. I think Malcolm got tired of being little more than an adornment to the perfect family.”
Ray waited, assuming more was coming. When it didn’t, he asked. “What was your relationship with Wudbine?”
“I would see him a few times over the summer. He was pretty much excluded from the private parties after the divorce. But he’d always come by my cottage early in the season and have a drink. Did the same before the end of the summer, too. He also gave me some investment advice. Helped me with my inheritance. He made some good money for me, and fortunately, I got out early. Never lost a dime in the dotcom or the Bush crash. I’ve heard some people didn’t do as well. There are some jokes circulating about “Malcolm” Madoff. But that wasn’t my experience.”
“Would you give me….”
“I mean, people were just joking. It was something I overheard. People were jealous that he seemed unscathed, while lots of the older folks here lost a big part of their retirement. I don’t know if any of them had anything invested with Malcolm. In recent years he became too big time for us.”
“So you were positively disposed toward Malcolm Wudbine?”
“Absolutely. He had his moments and could be horribly obnoxious. But that was just a cover. I mean, in truth, Malcolm was a black hole of insecurities. All the puffery was just a cover.
“And I’ll tell you something else. In spite of what you may hear, he will be greatly missed. Whenever there was a crisis, the powers that be would run around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off. Eventually they would get around to asking Malcolm what to do, and he’d tell them. And often he’d even put up the cash to make it happen. Most of these guys couldn’t organize a…well, you get my drift. They are good at goal setting and visioning, but as I said, when it comes to the rubber smacking the road, they can’t get it done. Malcolm was a doer, a damn efficient one.”
She looked at her watch. “Now, Sheriff, you really have to excuse me, but I’ve got to get on the road.”
“What’s the purpose of your trip?”
“The girls, they need grooming.”
“And you’re driving downstate for that?”
“No one up here knows how to cut Scotties. And Stephanie is the only one who can groom them without being bitten. She majored in psychology at Michigan State, and boy does she know how to use it. Few people ever use what they learn in college. She sure does.”
“When do you plan on returning?” asked Ray.
“Tuesday morning. I don’t want to waste any of this beautiful weather.”
“I’ve heard some people are considering leaving….”
“Pure silliness. Let me tell you, lots of people have died here over the years, heart attacks, strokes, and drownings. And, yes, this is a murder and that’s different, but…you know what I mean. I can’t imagine packing up and going home over something like this. If you have any more questions, I shall return by midafternoon on Tuesday.”