Asher looked at the phone, then his fingers flew again, and the following message I got was a 914 area code cell phone number. I copied and pasted it before sending McCartan a text.
Erika:Is this McCartan?
Okay, so it’s probably not the best way to send a text, but it worked because I got a message back almost immediately.
McCartan:Yes. Who is this?
Erika:It’s Erika Saunders. I’m going to step out into the lobby. There’s a water fountain around the corner. Meet me there.
McCartan:What is this about?
Erika:I have information you need.
I slipped out of my seat and headed outside.
“Where are you going?” Aarya asked, blocking the door I planned on using. “No one’s supposed to leave.”
“I’m going to the water fountain to refill my bottle,” I said, holding up my now-empty bottle and jiggling it at her.
“Whatever,” Aarya said, and they let me leave.
I went to the water fountain and started refilling my water bottle when I heard someone walk up behind me.
“What is this about, Erika? I don’t have time for your nonsense.”
I wanted to lash out, but I didn’t. I paused and gathered my thoughts. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of anyone else. But Lachtna MacGrory may have been operating equipment this morning inebriated.” McCartan cocked his eyes and narrowed them at me. “I’m not joking. Last night, I hung out with him and some of his friends at a pub.”
“Oh really?” McCartan said with a look that insinuated all kinds of things.
“It wasn’t like that. Trust me on that one.” I let out a huff. “Anyway, I passed him during a scene change this morning; I could still smell alcohol on him.”
“If this is some kind of game you’re play—“
“It’s not a game. I may be way off base. But I’m almost positive MacGrory was responsible for the rigging. From what I can tell, it was a rigging problem that led to the accident. If that’s the case…and if I’m right about Lachtna still being drunk…” I let the end of my sentence hang out there.
McCartan stood there for a second, reading my face. “If you’re messing with me, I will make sure you can’t get another job anywhere in this industry.”
“I get it,” I said, resigning myself to whatever happened next. “But I’m not messing with you.”
As he walked away, he pulled out his cell phone. I couldn’t hear much, but I heard the wordsbreathalyzerandpolice.
I plastered on a smile and slipped back into the theater.
“Where were you?” Katherine said as I sat back down.
Before I had a chance to say anything, two uniformed cops entered the theater.
“You didn’t?” Katherine asked.
“I had to,” I said.
“But if you’re wrong?” Katherine didn’t need to end the sentence because I already knew what she was thinking.
I sat in my chair and nervously played with my fingernails. The police led Lachtna MacGrory from the theater in handcuffs about ten minutes later.
“Well,” Peeter said, leaning over the seat between Katherine and me, “There’s another one for the naughty list.”
Chapter 18
