Free Spellcrossed by Barbara Ashford Page B

in the theatre.”
    “An intruder?”
    “Or intruders.”
    “In the theatre?”
    “I saw someone breaking in through the stage door.” I glanced up as Reinhard walked in. “It’s okay,” I whispered. “I’m talking to the police now.”
    “The police!”
    I waved my hand to shush him. “What was that, April?”
    “I asked if you were in the theatre now.”
    “No, I’m at Janet’s. I spotted the…uh…perpetrator from the porch.”
    “Maggie…” Reinhard began.
    “Sure it wasn’t one of the staff?”
    “The staff’s at Janet’s, too.”
    April chuckled. “You theatre folk sure keep late hours.”
    “Maggie, give me the phone.”
    “Wait! No, not you, April. Look, there was something distinctly furtive about the perpetrator’s manner.”
    “Furtive, huh.”
    “Nobody has keys to the theatre except the staff. And Reinhard always locks up…you locked up, right?”
    Instead of answering, Reinhard wrested the phone from my grip. “Hello? This is Reinhard—yes…yes, we were very pleased with the show. April, I think Maggie might be overreacting.”
    “I am
not
overreacting!”
    “I am sure it was only Catherine or Javier. They left a few minutes ago.”
    “It wasn’t—”
    “Yes, she
is
from New York.”
    “That has nothing to do with it!”
    “I will go to the theatre now. But I am certain there is nothing to worry about.”
    “Reinhard, would you please—?”
    “And I shall look forward to seeing you then, too, April. Good night.”
    “Are you crazy?” I demanded as he hung up the phone.
    “Maggie. We do not call the police. Ever.”
    “This isn’t some Fae thing,” I whispered, conscious that Bernie was in the house. “This is a burglar!”
    “I very much doubt it. Please calm down. And let me handle this my way.”
    Still protesting, I followed him to the living room. In a few terse sentences, he told the rest of the staff what had happened. Hal and Mei-Yin and Bernie all began talking at once. Janet and Alex exchanged glances.
    “It was probably Javier,” Reinhard said. “Or a youngster who wanted to poke around backstage. I will go down now and find out.”
    “I’m coming with you.”
    “No, Maggie. You are not.”
    “Let her go,” Janet said.
    Alex’s head jerked toward her.
    “Short of tying her up, she won’t stay here.” Janet shoved herself off the sofa. “Let’s just find out what’s going on.”

    Bernie pleaded his hip and stayed behind. Mei-Yin pleaded four glasses of whisky and stayed with him. The rest of us marched off.
    All the way down the hill, I tried to make sense of Reinhard’s behavior. I knew the staff had an aversion to dealing with the authorities, but surely, in a case like this it was warranted. What disturbed me most were the looks that had passed between Reinhard and Alex and Janet—almost like they knew something was up.
    Maybe it was some kind of practical joke. Catherine and Javier had been sent ahead to oversee the final preparations. And when I walked in, everybody would shout, “Surprise!” But the last thing I needed after the past few days was yet another surprise.
    By the time we reached the parking lot, I was beginning to wonder if I’d imagined the whole thing. I almost hoped there
was
a burglar. If we walked in on Catherine and Javier having a quickie on one of the orphans’ beds, I’d feel like an idiot.
    Reinhard held up his hand. “Lee and Alex and I will go in. The rest of you wait outside.”
    “Why do I always have to wait with the women?” Hal complained.
    Before anyone could answer, the wrought iron lamps along the walkway flared to life. For a moment, we just stood there, gaping. Then Janet gripped my hand and Reinhard flung his arm around my waist. I looked from one to the other, suddenly scared. Whatever this was, it wasn’t a practical joke.
    As they guided me toward the nearest picnic bench, I heard a protesting creak of hinges. My head jerked toward the stage door. Hal gasped. Alex whispered,