Page 73 of Secrets in the Dark
It was a popular place.
As they stood in the entry, he heard someone say, “Hey!”
Quickly turning around, he saw that Stacey was, indeed, there, apparently out with friends, and she left her chair at a long table to hurry over and greet them at the bar.
“Stacey!” Sean said, and it was evident that the young detective inspector was impressed by and attracted to the young woman.
Mason and Della greeted her warmly, too.
“I’m not out alone or carelessly,” she assured him. “I’ll introduce you—Jenny and Morgan are from my department, Brett and Max are production assistants. Come on over, please, join us!”
Mason glanced at Della and shrugged. Joining the group didn’t seem like such a bad idea. Their table allowed for an unobstructed view of the bar and it would appear that they were just out with a group of friends. Here, they couldn’t see the tables outside, but Sean murmured to Mason and said, “I’ll take a walk out now and then have a smoke.”
“I didn’t know you smoked,” Mason said.
Sean shrugged. “Mostly, I’ve quit. A few here and there.”
Della had heard him. “We don’t want to turn this hunt into the return of a habit for you.”
Sean tapped his head. “It’s up here. If I don’t let it get me, it won’t.”
They followed Stacey to the table and met her friends. Stacey didn’t introduce them as law enforcement and they hadn’t been seen on set since they’d met her in her trailer when nothing was going on in the makeup department.
The crew had pitchers of beer on the table and they were invited to help themselves. Mason thanked them and helped himself to one of the empty glasses, assuring them that the next ales would be on them.
Della launched in, asking questions about the filming, and for a while, there was a lot of laughter as each spoke about the absolute worst movie they had ever worked on. Still, the conversation inevitably turned to the man who would be the Ripper King—with all of them assuring the newcomers that they’d never be out alone at night under the present circumstances.
“And honestly, we aren’t seeing people—women—out there alone,” Max, one of the young PAs said. “Thankfully, people are heeding the warnings.”
“Which will hopefully save lives,” Della murmured.
“I hope they get him and nail his ass to the wall,” Max said. “But you know, we were here when they found the body of this Ripper guy’s victim. The streets turned into a zoo—everyone wanted to see where it had happened. Rubberneckers! When someone had died. Sick”
“Max,” Stacey said, “You worked on theWorm that Ate Chicago,Monster of the Seven Gladesand a dozen other monster and serial killer movies. And all were popular!”
“But this is real,” Max said. He shook his head, looking at Mason. “Do you think that people blur the line between what is and what isn’t real? They say that the Ripper tours are going crazy right now. I don’t know. I don’t get—people. And it’s the same everywhere, of course. Here, the US, around the other countries I’ve been in as well.”
“We all want to think it can’t be us,” Morgan, one of Stacey’s friends from the makeup department, said.
“Okay, sorry, my bad. Depressing conversation,” Max apologized. “So, you’re enjoying London?” he asked Mason. “Talk about...man’s inhumanity to man. Check out the London Dungeon.”
“Hey, that’s not cheerful!” Stacey protested. “Let’s talk funny. We had a rising star on the set the other day doing a cameo. One line! Took them three hours to shoot it!”
“My favorite was our ninja guy doing his leap—and having his toupee go flying off!” Morgan said. “Do you like the movies?” she asked Della
“Who doesn’t like the movies?” Della replied, smiling.
“Depends on the movie,” Sean said, “But I’m sure this one—”
“Is going to be a fan favorite among those who love bad movies! Oh, I didn’t say that!” Max told them.
Conversation went around, each of the crew entertaining the newcomers with the best and worst of what they’d seen.
Mason listened.
And watched the room. He noted that Stacey was seated on the far side with him.
As much as she might enjoy a late night, she was watching, too.
