"I did know that Robbie fathered a child," Charlene said, "but I don't think that had anything to do with what happened."

"Does Emma know?" Lindsey asked.

"I don't know," Charlene said. "I don't feel right telling Emma about Robbie's personal business." She looped her arm through Lindsey's and led her away from the house. "It was so many years ago, and Mom said when he refused to get married and settle down, the mother put the baby up for adoption. It was before Robbie was famous, so the mother probably didn't think he'd be a contributing factor and she couldn't do it alone. They were just kids themselves."

"Don't worry," Lindsey said. "I'm not judging. It just made me think that maybe, given his success, the mother might have come looking for him."

"No, not that I know of," Charlene said. "I mean, I would think he'd have mentioned it if she had."

"I suppose so," Lindsey said.

"What does Sully think about your interest in Robbie's background?" Charlene asked.

"Nothing as far as I know," Lindsey said. "I mean, Sully and I don't talk that much anymore, so it's not like I mentioned to him that I've been reading articles about Robbie to see if they shed any light on who might have a vendetta against him."

"So, are you and Sully really over?" Charlene asked.

Lindsey glanced down the stairs and across the small dock to the boat where Charlie and Heathcliff sat waiting. Was her relationship with Sully done for good? The thought was a tough one to process. She didn't like it but she didn't see much hope for them if Sully didn't learn to better communicate.

"I don't know, but it doesn't look good," she said.

Charlene glanced over her shoulder at the cabin as if to be sure that the kids were all right and then back at Lindsey. She studied her for moment and then asked, "Do you think you would have dated Robbie, you know, if-"

"If he hadn't been murdered?" Lindsey clarified. "Hard to say, but I did like him. Yes, I'm admitting it; I really, really liked him, despite my good sense. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering," Charlene said. "If Robbie hadn't, well, if things had been different and you fell for each other, then Robbie would have stayed here and we could all have lived happily ever after."

"Yeah, his wife might have had something to say about that . . . oh, and his girlfriend, too," Lindsey said.

She could feel her face get warm at the thought of having Robbie Vine for a boyfriend-which was ridiculous, since he was gone-but the thought that she never got to have him be something more in her life made her sad.

"Yeah, well, it would have been nice," Charlene said. "Don't you think?"

"Yeah," Lindsey said. She suspected Charlene just needed to hear that Robbie's story could have had an alternate ending. "I am so sorry for your loss."

"Thanks," Charlene said, and she hugged Lindsey close. "For everything."

"That's what friends are for," she said. "Call me if you need me."

"I promise," Charlene said.

Lindsey hurried down the stairs and untied the boat. She gave the boat a shove and scrambled aboard while Charlie fired up the engine.

Twenty minutes later, they were pulling up to the dock. Lindsey was about to hustle out when she recognized the tall figure standing on the dock waiting for them. Sully.

Heathcliff went right into spasms of joy, and Lindsey felt her own heart do a skip and a jump. Why was it whenever she thought she was getting over him, he showed up and she was knocked flat all over again?

He grabbed the side of the boat and tied it up while Lindsey and Heathcliff jumped out. Charlie followed as soon as he switched off the engine. Sully didn't say anything but glanced between Charlie and Lindsey, obviously waiting for an explanation.

Lindsey just glanced at him and then at her watch. She wanted to get over to the theater and help Nancy and Mary.

"Charlie, are you heading home?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "I have the phone here forwarded to my cell so I'll get any taxi calls wherever I am."

"Would you mind taking Heathcliff with you?" she asked. "I want to stop by the theater and see how things are going."

"Sure, me and the dog dude can hang out and watch Animal Planet. He digs the Gator Boys," Charlie said. Then he eyed Sully with a wary glance. "Everything all right, boss?"

"Huh?" Sully glanced between them. "Yeah, it's fine. I just stopped by the office for a minute for a paperwork thing."

"Cool," Charlie said. "So, I'll see you later, Lindsey. See ya, boss."

She nodded and waved as Charlie and Heathcliff set off toward home. Lindsey turned in the opposite direction and headed to the theater. Halfway down the pier, Sully fell into step beside her.

"So, you needed the taxi?" he asked.

"Yep."

Silence fell between them, and Lindsey sighed. She didn't like how things were between them now. It was all awkward and wrong. She couldn't help but feel that Sully didn't say what he was thinking and she was afraid that if Sully didn't learn now to say what he was thinking, then if they got back together she would always feel emotionally detached from him. And she just didn't see that as a happy-ever-after.

"I'm guessing you went to see Charlene," he said.

"I did."

"Probably brought her a banana bread."

"Pumpkin squares, actually," she said.

"Oh, man, you didn't give any to Charlie, did you?"

"No, why?"

"Because if he made out just because he was on taxi duty tonight, I would be seriously annoyed," he said. Under the streetlights, Lindsey could see the teasing twinkle in his eyes; she remembered this Sully, the one who made her laugh, and she smiled.

"He didn't get pumpkin squares, just a healthy tip," she said.

They continued down the street to the theater, and things felt more like it used to feel between them. Lindsey felt the tension in her shoulders ease. Maybe she and Sully could find a way back to where they'd once been after all. Of course, that was assuming he was interested.

"So, how are you holding up?" he asked.

"I'm okay," she said. "I've never seen anyone die before, so that's been kind of tough to process, but I imagine we all feel that way."

"Somewhat," Sully said. "But I don't think the rest of us knew him as well as you did."

Lindsey raised her eyebrows and gave him an inquiring look. "How well do you think I knew him?"

Sully gave her a rueful smile. "Not as well as he would have liked."

They paused in front of the theater. The breeze blowing in from the water pushed his dark curls forward over his forehead. Lindsey wanted to push them back, but she didn't.

"I think I was just a novelty for him," she said.

"I disagree," Sully said. "I think he saw something wonderful in you, the same way I do when I look at you."

Lindsey felt her breath catch and when she looked into his eyes, she was undone. She wasn't sure which one of them started it, but she realized they were leaning toward one another, caught up in the moment.

"Hey, you big shirker!" Ian yelled as he banged open the theater door and popped his head out. "I've been looking for you. Get in here! We have a set to finish for dress rehearsal tomorrow night."

Sully muttered something under his breath that did not flatter Ian, and Lindsey bit her lower lip to keep from smiling.

"Excuse me, duty calls," Sully said.

Together they strode in through the door that Ian held open, and Lindsey could swear she saw a mischievous sparkle glinting in Ian's eye.

Ian and Sully jostled one another as they strode down the side aisle that led backstage. Lindsey shook her head and went across the theater toward the costume room.

Once she got there, Nancy grabbed her by the arm and said, "Thank goodness you're here. Dress rehearsal is tomorrow and I swear Brian has put on ten pounds since I measured him for his costume. Could you let it out?"

Without waiting for an answer, Nancy shoved the costume into Lindsey's hands and grabbed a rolling rack of costumes, which she began to push toward the stage.

"Let me help you," Lindsey said. She draped Brian's tunic over her shoulder, grabbed the back of the rack and helped Nancy wheel it out the door toward the stage.

The costume-changing area backstage was a small one, but most of the players had few costume changes, and they were at staggered times, so the rolling rack would provide all of the cover they might need. There was also a small makeup table for touch-ups.

Nancy wheeled the rack into position, and then had the actors playing Demetrius and Helena, come and try on their costumes. Kitty was playing Helena and Lindsey was pleased to see that although she looked a bit down, she was polite to Nancy during the costuming and even managed to thank her.

One of Lindsey's favorite parts of A Midsummer Night's Dream was the complicated love lives of Shakespeare's young lovers. Hermia loves Lysander, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius, and he has Theseus threaten her with a convent or death if she doesn't comply with her father's wishes. So, of course, Helena, who was thrown over by Demetrius when he fell for Hermia, rats out Lysander and Hermia when they plan to elope. It was great stuff.

Lindsey helped the actors with their costumes, and when everything was a go, Nancy sent them away and called in the actors playing Hermia and Lysander. Lola was playing Hermia, and Lindsey was pleased to see that she hadn't quit the show despite her grief.

"How are you holding up?" she asked the fragile-looking brunette as she adjusted the actress's headpiece.

Lola tipped her chin up and said, "I know Robbie would want me to give the performance of my life. So that's what I plan to do."

"That's the spirit," Lindsey said. She watched as Lola walked out onto the stage to have Violet approve her final costume.

While Nancy cinched Lysander's tunic, Lindsey heard harsh whispers coming from behind her. She turned her head, trying to see in the gloomy light. No luck. She went into the shadows and paused.

"Don't lie to me," a man said.

Lindsey peeped around a large canvas backdrop and saw Brian standing there, looking red-faced and angry, with his hands on his hips.

"I'm not lying," a woman answered.

Lindsey leaned farther forward and saw that it was Brian's wife, Brandy.

"I didn't sleep with Robbie," she said. Her voice sounded weary, as if she'd had this argument so many times she was utterly bored by it.

"You're lying," Brian snapped. "Do you think I can't tell? You don't want me to touch you anymore. You're always tired or have a headache."

"Why do you suppose that is?" Brandy asked. "You exhaust me with your crazy, jealous hysteria."

Before Brandy could react, Brian grabbed her by the throat and shoved her up against the wall. Lindsey jumped forward as Brandy clawed at Brian's hand.

"Let her go!" Lindsey snapped.

"Mind your own business!" Brian retorted, but he released Brandy, who was gasping. "Stick to papier-mche, Lindsey, or you'll regret it."

"Like Robbie did?" she asked.

He narrowed his eyes and reached out to grab Brandy's hand.

"Don't touch me!" she snarled. "Ever again."

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"I want a divorce," Brandy said.

"You can't do that," he argued.

"Oh, yes, I can," she said. "Because now I have bruises and a witness."

Brian's face crumpled and he looked as if he were about to cry. Brandy stepped up close to him and said, "We're through, and just so you know, I never slept with Robbie." She glanced at Lindsey. "His interest was elsewhere, but if he had ever offered, oh yeah, I'd have been with him in a heartbeat."

Brian swung his arm back and Brandy clenched herself tight while Lindsey stepped forward to stop the blow. It never came.

Instead, Brian's arm was twisted behind his back, and he dropped to his knees with a yelp of pain.

19.

"I never could stomach a man who would hit a woman," Emma Plewicki said. She bent over and cuffed Brian's hands behind his back. "Come on, we're going to take a little stroll over to the station."

She hauled Brian up to his feet and dragged him out behind the curtain onto the stage. Lindsey and Brandy followed as if to be certain that he was being taken off of the premises.

"You can't arrest me!" Brian protested. "I'm in the show."

"Not anymore you're not," Emma said. "Violet, you're going to need a replacement for the part of Nick Bottom. This one was roughing up his wife, so I think we need to go have a little chat about his anger management issues."

Violet took in the scene at a glance. One eyebrow was raised in silent question.

"I'll let you know," Emma said.