watched Gary put down the tree.
“That’s good,” said Gary. “She’s a nice kid — they’re not all like that.”
“I bet,” said Jack. “So — umm — don’t suppose you could let me in? So I can just … pick it up?”
“Would if I could, mate — but I don’t have the key. Secure set — camera department left a lot of gear in there. You’ll have to ask Fraser I’m afraid.”
“Ah.”
Gary laughed. “I see your problem.”
Jack shrugged.
“Tell you what, Jack — when I see him, I’ll say I left some gear in there, get him to open up. Flask you say?”
“Yep. Steel. Sentimental value, y’know?”
“Gotcha. Though I wouldn’t hold out much hope. I did a bit of a sweep round after lunch — think I would have seen it if it had been there.”
“Funny,” said Jack. “It definitely wasn’t in her bag — the one we took to hospital.”
He watched Gary shrug. “Maybe someone binned it. Or — maybe it walked. Hate to have to say it, but it happens — even on a film set. Know what I mean?”
“Maybe,” said Jack. He waited to see if Gary had any more to say but the prop man just nodded glumly.
“So Gary — what’s with the tree?”
“Setting up for the big night shoot tomorrow evening down by the river,” said Gary. “Alphonso doesn’t like the view. My job is to change it till he does, and that includes more damn trees. Director’s totally daft …”
“Everyone else is down there, huh?”
“Director, heads of department, yeah. Rest of the crew got twenty-four hours off. What with Zoë not being available.”
“Not you?”
“We’ve got to dress the whole rear of the castle. Me and my lads will be here till it’s dark, then back at first light tomorrow morning.”
“Big scene, huh?”
“Biggest of the whole movie. Two armies, scenes on the river, cannons — going to be something …”
“Oh yeah?” said Jack. “So what’s the scene about?”
“Lady Ann tries to elope with the King — but Cromwell’s armies surround the castle and besiege it …”
“Lot of explosions, huh?”
“Oh yes,” said Gary. “Cannon, muskets — walls blowing up, you name it.”
“Sounds dangerous.”
“Tell me about it.” He took a breath, “But we’re all pros. Safety first, hmm?”
“Guess so — but with all these accidents that have been happening …”
“You’re reading my mind, Jack.”
Jack saw that Gary was taking this seriously.
“Got a favour to ask you, Gary,” said Jack.
“Any time.”
“You see something that worries you, tomorrow night … You find me, huh? Anything — doesn’t matter how small.”
“I’ll do that,” said Gary. “You really think somebody’s got it in for Zoë, huh?”
“Just covering the bases, Gary. It’s my job.”
“Gotcha.”
Jack nodded to the prop man, then walked down the steps.
“Not much I can do here. Guess I’ll grab a coffee then head on home. And, er, appreciate the offer — the flask, you know?”
“Not a problem. Cheers now.”
Gary picked up his tree and Jack watched him head off down the side of the Castle towards the river.
As soon as he was out of sight, he took another look around and then followed.
*
Jack might not be able to get into the Castle through the main door — but he had an advantage over Gary and the rest of the crew.
He’d been here before a while back — on a case.
And that time he’d had to make a slightly unorthodox entrance.
He knew there was an old servants’ door, concealed behind bushes and boulders. It hadn’t been used for years — and Jack had discovered the last time that the lock was pretty feeble.
With luck — given how poor the owners of the estate had been — they hadn’t replaced it since.
Jack kept close to the wall, keeping a constant eye out for crew. But he couldn’t see anyone. When he came to the bushes that hid the entrance, he slipped through and out of sight.
And there was the door — looking just the way it had last
“That’s good,” said Gary. “She’s a nice kid — they’re not all like that.”
“I bet,” said Jack. “So — umm — don’t suppose you could let me in? So I can just … pick it up?”
“Would if I could, mate — but I don’t have the key. Secure set — camera department left a lot of gear in there. You’ll have to ask Fraser I’m afraid.”
“Ah.”
Gary laughed. “I see your problem.”
Jack shrugged.
“Tell you what, Jack — when I see him, I’ll say I left some gear in there, get him to open up. Flask you say?”
“Yep. Steel. Sentimental value, y’know?”
“Gotcha. Though I wouldn’t hold out much hope. I did a bit of a sweep round after lunch — think I would have seen it if it had been there.”
“Funny,” said Jack. “It definitely wasn’t in her bag — the one we took to hospital.”
He watched Gary shrug. “Maybe someone binned it. Or — maybe it walked. Hate to have to say it, but it happens — even on a film set. Know what I mean?”
“Maybe,” said Jack. He waited to see if Gary had any more to say but the prop man just nodded glumly.
“So Gary — what’s with the tree?”
“Setting up for the big night shoot tomorrow evening down by the river,” said Gary. “Alphonso doesn’t like the view. My job is to change it till he does, and that includes more damn trees. Director’s totally daft …”
“Everyone else is down there, huh?”
“Director, heads of department, yeah. Rest of the crew got twenty-four hours off. What with Zoë not being available.”
“Not you?”
“We’ve got to dress the whole rear of the castle. Me and my lads will be here till it’s dark, then back at first light tomorrow morning.”
“Big scene, huh?”
“Biggest of the whole movie. Two armies, scenes on the river, cannons — going to be something …”
“Oh yeah?” said Jack. “So what’s the scene about?”
“Lady Ann tries to elope with the King — but Cromwell’s armies surround the castle and besiege it …”
“Lot of explosions, huh?”
“Oh yes,” said Gary. “Cannon, muskets — walls blowing up, you name it.”
“Sounds dangerous.”
“Tell me about it.” He took a breath, “But we’re all pros. Safety first, hmm?”
“Guess so — but with all these accidents that have been happening …”
“You’re reading my mind, Jack.”
Jack saw that Gary was taking this seriously.
“Got a favour to ask you, Gary,” said Jack.
“Any time.”
“You see something that worries you, tomorrow night … You find me, huh? Anything — doesn’t matter how small.”
“I’ll do that,” said Gary. “You really think somebody’s got it in for Zoë, huh?”
“Just covering the bases, Gary. It’s my job.”
“Gotcha.”
Jack nodded to the prop man, then walked down the steps.
“Not much I can do here. Guess I’ll grab a coffee then head on home. And, er, appreciate the offer — the flask, you know?”
“Not a problem. Cheers now.”
Gary picked up his tree and Jack watched him head off down the side of the Castle towards the river.
As soon as he was out of sight, he took another look around and then followed.
*
Jack might not be able to get into the Castle through the main door — but he had an advantage over Gary and the rest of the crew.
He’d been here before a while back — on a case.
And that time he’d had to make a slightly unorthodox entrance.
He knew there was an old servants’ door, concealed behind bushes and boulders. It hadn’t been used for years — and Jack had discovered the last time that the lock was pretty feeble.
With luck — given how poor the owners of the estate had been — they hadn’t replaced it since.
Jack kept close to the wall, keeping a constant eye out for crew. But he couldn’t see anyone. When he came to the bushes that hid the entrance, he slipped through and out of sight.
And there was the door — looking just the way it had last
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