Free The Apostrophe Thief by Barbara Paul Page A

things.”
    â€œIs that how this stuff gets on the market? The production companies sell it?”
    â€œUnless the stagehands or the properties crews or the costume people steal it first,” the drawly one said. “But production companies have to get rid of the stuff. Storage costs in this town are unreal . We have that problem, too. We had to pass up a backdrop curtain from Rosenstern and Guildencrantz Are Dead because we don’t have room for it.”
    Rosenstern …? Marian looked at him to see if he was joking, but he wasn’t. Then something glittery caught Marian’s eye. “Are those … Dorothy’s ruby slippers? From The Wizard of Oz? I thought they—”
    â€œThey’re copies,” Augie interposed in a bored tone. “The originals went at an MGM auction back in 1970, thereabouts.”
    In spite of herself, Marian was tempted. “How much?”
    â€œSix thousand,” a Zingone said.
    She gulped. “Dollars? Oh, I get it—these are famous counterfeits somebody tried to—”
    â€œNope, they’re advertised as copies.”
    Marian was appalled. “And they still bring six thousand dollars?”
    Four heads nodded in unison.
    â€œOnly five hundred pairs were made,” Janet explained. “And the original shoemaker’s last from the movie was used, so they’re all Judy Garland’s size six. They initially sold for five thousand, but we had to pay more than that to get this pair. And they’ll appreciate even more.”
    â€œIt’s a good investment,” Matthew said, fiddling with his glasses. “Especially if you’re just starting a collection.”
    Marian was saved from having to refuse when Augie decided it was time to get down to business. “That’s not what she’s looking for, Matthew.” He explained about the missing Reddick scripts, but none of the Zingones looked surprised when he said the Broadhurst had been raided.
    â€œTuesday, wasn’t it?” Matthew said. “We heard.”
    â€œThey hear everything,” Augie said with a sigh.
    Mark or Luke asked, “Do they have any idea who did it?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Marian replied innocently. “But if the director’s script happens to come your way—”
    â€œThey’ll get in touch with me,” Augie interrupted. “Right now, however, what we’re looking for is the director’s copy of Three Rings .”
    â€œDon’t have it,” Janet said. “Those scripts were stolen, too, weren’t they? None of them came through here.”
    â€œWell, then, have you seen Ernie Nordstrom lately?” Augie asked.
    At that moment they were interrupted by the doorbell. Luke or Mark buzzed in a couple of customers and moved away to take care of them. The newcomers were both women in their thirties, and one of them asked, “Do you have any Bernadette Peters personal items? Clothing, jewelry, letters, anything?”
    Her friend laughed, gently. “An old toothbrush, a pencil stub …”
    The first woman said, unnecessarily, “I collect Bernadette Peters.”
    â€œYou do?” the Zingone brother said, but then made a quick recovery. “We did have a fringed shawl of hers, but it may have been sold. Let’s go take a look.” He led the two women to the back of the shop.
    â€œErnie Nordstrom?” Augie prompted.
    Matthew said, “We haven’t seen him in a couple of months.”
    â€œHurray, hurray,” Janet muttered.
    Matthew grinned. “Janet doesn’t like Ernie.”
    â€œHe always was a little bit strange,” Janet said. “But after the Lucy thing he turned downright weird.”
    â€œWhat Lucy thing?” Marian asked.
    â€œThe I Love Lucy pilot episode,” Mark or Luke drawled. “Ernie Nordstrom spent nearly twenty years of his life looking for it—it was the only one of all the Lucy