In the Still of the Night

e path shouting until a woman next door threw a bucket of ice-cold water over them.

They scattered like tomcats and she yelled after them, ‘If you don’t clear off I’ll set my dog on you!’ The dog snarled beside her in the upstairs window, a heavy Alsatian who looked as if he ate postmen and journalists for breakfast.

The press retreated to their cars again and, after waiting another few hours and deciding Annie wasn’t coming out again that night, drove off together.

Sean rang Tom Moor on his mobile phone. ‘I want someone watching her twenty-four hours a day – can you arrange that?’

‘Nothing easier, but it will cost you, Sean. Twenty-four-hour surveillance comes expensive.’

‘Look, two men are dead, and her mother was almost killed – I don’t care what it cost. I want her protected night and day.’

‘I’m surprised Chorley didn’t give her police protection – I’d have thought it was warranted, with two members of the cast murdered.’

‘He thought of it, but he can’t spare the men, and it would be open-ended. Who knows when this killer will hit again? Twenty-four-hour surveillance comes expensive, as you just told me. Chorley knows I’m keeping an eye on her.’

‘You like this girl, don’t you, Sean?’ Tom said softly.

Sean didn’t answer. ‘I’ll stay here until your man arrives,’ was all he said.

‘It will be me,’ Tom said. ‘Why should I pay someone else when I can earn the money myself?’

‘Cherie is going to love me!’

Next day Harriet watched Annie carefully while they were shooting three short scenes. She’s at the end of her tether, Harriet thought. I think we should stop using her for a couple of weeks. Send her away. A health farm, where she can get some peace and quiet? Or abroad to get some real sunshine? She needs a complete break.

Over lunch, she said as much to Annie, who smiled and shook her head. ‘I can’t go away. I have to be near my mother. And I have a contract, a job to do. I’ll take a holiday when we finish filming the series.’

Sean hadn’t shown up that morning; if Harriet needed any rewrites she could always call him, and so far it hadn’t been necessary.

‘I wonder if Sean’s with the police this morning?’ Harriet thought aloud. ‘They keep interviewing members of the cast. They even had a couple of secretaries there. I was stunned to hear that Melanie Brown had had an affair with Mike – did you know about that?’

‘No, but I’m not surprised. She’s pretty, and silly enough to fall for him. Mike liked his women stupid.’

‘Annie! Don’t be so nasty about him, poor man. You really didn’t like him, did you?’

‘No, and I’m not pretending I did. Hypocrisy is stupid. I’m sorry he died like that, of course I am – but I did not like him much.’ Annie looked at her watch. ‘I’ve only got another scene to do. Can I leave when I’ve done that? I want to visit my mother. The most convenient time is when I’m on my way home, the earlier the better.’

‘Sure,’ agreed Harriet.

When she had finished her filming for the day, Annie went to change back into her own clothes and take off the heavier make-up she used on camera. Normally she hardly wore any make-up at all. She preferred the natural look.

While she was brushing her hair, Sean put his head round the door. She stiffened.

‘What do you want now?’

‘I need to talk to your boyfriend, Annie. The police have been looking for him at his lodgings but he hasn’t been there all day. Do you know where he is?’

‘You’re not the police,’ Annie said. ‘Or are you? I thought you’d left the force.’

‘Where is he, Annie?’

‘I’ve no idea. Leave me alone, will you?’ She pushed past him and Sean tried to hold her arm.

‘I’ll take you home.’

She glared at him. ‘No, you won’t. Stay away from me, and my home!’

Sean couldn’t leave the studio just then; he had been summoned to rewrite a scene which wasn’t working. He hurried back to the office, worked for half an hour, handed the scene to Harriet and got a nod of approval, then he was free to go.