and it wasn’t that far back.”
“She’s definitely aged in a bad way,” I said. “But the big question is how did she come to work at the theater? Was she there before Gil showed up with the acting troupe or after? I can’t imagine that he didn’t know who she was.”
“I don’t know,” Ida Belle said. “If we’ve learned anything the past couple days it’s that Gil was even more self-absorbed than we originally thought. And she does look remarkably different. But there’s zero doubt that she knew who Gil was.”
“I agree with the self-absorption thing, but I think he knew,” I said. “Remember that Gwyn told us Gil didn’t want her working late one night and her argument was that Lil was still there but it didn’t matter to him.”
“You think he didn’t want her working alone with Lil because he was afraid Lil would spill the beans on his marriage to Tiffany,” Gertie said.
“It makes sense,” I said.
“Do you think that’s why Gil wanted the gun?” Ida Belle asked. “Could Lil have threatened him in some way?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Which is why I want to get some background information.”
I grabbed my cell phone and called Mannie, then quickly explained what I needed and gave him everything I had on Tiffany’s mother. He promised to get on it right away. Then I pulled my laptop back over and started typing again.
“Now let’s see what we can drum up on the others,” I said. “First up, Paul Easton, because I’m betting we can rule him out straightaway.”
Ida Belle nodded. “Struck me as a bit of a wet fish. Can’t imagine him having the fortitude to kill someone or chop off a head.”
“I can’t even imagine him walking up to that horse, much less getting it in a trailer,” Gertie said.
“Well, I’m still operating under the theory that the murder and the Headless Horseman stunt might be two different people,” I said. “But the Horseman stunt had to require two to make it work. I just don’t see how a single person could have pulled it off unless they were Iron Man and the Lone Ranger combined.”
“Agreed,” Ida Belle said.
“So let’s see,” I said as I cruised the sites that mentioned Paul Easton. “Nothing much of note. Easton is a retired high school math teacher who still substitutes and does private tutoring. He must really turn on the personality to act.”
“Gwyn said he did,” Ida Belle said. “The math teacher thing fits him perfectly, though.”
“Well, I don’t see a part time as a rodeo clown,” I said. “And I can’t come up with a decent motive, so I’m going to push him to the bottom of the list.”
“Maybe he really didn’t like those chats in the bar after plays,” Gertie said. “Remember the hot tub and Nora?”
“Which is a great reason to avoid her but not kill her,” I said. “Next up is the other woman, Gwyn. And it looks like the only mention is as her being the assistant to Brigette Driscoll in an article about Brigette bringing class and history into the productions.”
“I wonder if they’re talking about those emeralds Gwyn wanted her to bring to the performance,” Gertie said.
“Let’s look up those emeralds,” I said. “Here we go. Family heirloom passed down for over a hundred years. Originally made for a great-great-great-whatever in Europe and brought to America. Family held on to them through lean years even though they could have sold for survival, and blah, blah…looks like Brigette is the current owner.”
“And what about Brigette?” Ida Belle asked. “She gives off the air of money.”
I nodded. “Her father was an attorney and state senator.”
“So money and connections,” Gertie said.
“So no motives for any of them that we can see except for Lil,” Ida Belle said. “Well, and maybe Gwyn if we think she had any idea Gil was lying to her about leaving Tiffany for her.”
I leaned back in my seat, trying to process all the pieces. “We have too many connected people here. That can’t be coincidence.”
Gertie nodded. “But with everyone hiding things and several of them with motive, how do we narrow it down? I mean, if we ask where everyone was the night Gil’s body was stolen, they will say in bed. If we ask about the night he was killed, they’ll say at home and the acting troupe will say on their way home. And I’m sure everyone will have similar unprovable things to say about the night of the Headless