“It’s what you asked for.What you agreed,” Rav said.
“I fucking hate it.It’s an eyesore.”
“You wanted genuine 1970s,” Rav said calmly.“That is the setting.”
“I know it’s the fucking setting, but we’re staging thisnow.I don’t want the audience distracted by all this nostalgia crap.They need to focus on the play, not the set.It’s not a fucking comedy.They’ll think they’ve come to watchAbigail’s Party.”
Now that she had pointed it out, Hudson realised she had a point.Though first impressions were amazing, it was very kitsch.“Maybe just replace some of those cushions with something more timeless or modern.I’m sure it only needs a few tweaks.”
Another voice entered the conversation.“Less would definitely give you a lot more.You should tear out all that period stuff and just use the basic bar set.Let the audience use their imagination of the rest.”
Ugh.Amber.
She was sitting in the second row of the auditorium with Corman, who was filming the stage.
Andie dropped her bottom lip, breath hissing through her teeth.“Maybe she’s right.We should clear all this crap out.”
“No,” Hudson said firmly.“The team have put a lot of work into this.Let’s run with it today.We’ve got until Friday.We can make adjustments as we go.Swap things in and out if needed.Remember who the real creatives are.Here’s a clue, it’s not those damn podcasters.”
From the side of his eye, he saw their faces glaring at him.
Screw the pair of you.
The first podcast aboutDarkest Bluehad dropped on Friday.As Hudson suspected, the focus had been more on Julian’s murder and the impact it had had on the cast and crew.Hudson didn’t understand podcasts or how their ratings worked, but the release of the episode had resulted in a flurry of fresh interest.Reporters and photographers had appeared outside the apartment again, though not as many as before.Jo had pestered him with renewed calls for him to accept requests for interviews from TV and radio stations as well as all the national press.
It had been a relief to withdraw to Luke’s place for the weekend and turn off his phone.No one had known he was there, and he’d been able to relax and enjoy quality time with Luke.It was the one bright spot in an otherwise difficult few days.
Hudson had resolved to stay well clear of Amber and Corman for the rest of the run.
* * * *
“There are two policemen here to see you.”
Hudson groaned.After a busy morning, lunch was the first quiet moment he’d had.Luke wasn’t due to join the rehearsal until this afternoon and Hudson had retreated to his dressing room for an hour of calm.
The room was pretty standard for an old theatre.Compact, with little natural light.The small window, high on the wall, didn’t open, and on a hot July day, the place was stifling.He had two table fans running at full speed and had left the door propped open to get the air circulating.
“Send them in,” he told the stage door attendant and hung up.
Lunch had been a tuna salad box, bought in from a nearby convenience store.He cleared away the empty wrappers and papers and finished his bottle of water when the detectives arrived.
It was DS Benito Coppola and Kris Peters, Luke’s ex.
Terrific.
The former was overdressed for the summer heat in a three-piece suit.Very smart, but totally impractical.Kris had removed his jacket and slung it over his arm.He’d unfastened his top button and loosened his tie.His white shirt clung to the swell of his beer belly.Both of them looked sweltering.
There were more bottles of chilled water in the mini-bar fridge beside his dressing table, but Hudson wanted to know why they were here before he offered any hospitality.
Apart from the dressing chair, there was a small leather sofa against the window wall.He gestured for them to sit.
Kris’ sharp eyes stared at him attentively.Contempt was obvious in the downturned corners of his mouth.
“To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?”he deadpanned.“Have you identified the guys who came after us?”
“Not yet,” Benito said.He might as well have addednot ever.His lack of interest could not have been clearer.“That’s not why we’re here.The investigation into the murder of your co-star is our priority.”
Kris snorted.The line of his jaw was hard, full of tension.
