Free Copp In The Dark, A Joe Copp Thriller (Joe Copp Private Eye Series) by Don Pendleton Page A

that turned to ashes very quickly. But Craig saw it as something else."
    "He saw it as ... ?"
    "As something experienced in the mind, something that was very real in the mind for awhile. Something very joyous, a dream come true."
           "But only in the mind." "Right."
           "Like Quixote's mind when he attacks a windmill and believes that he has vanquished a dragon."
           " Exacdy ."
           "But that works in the play. It worked in the novel."
           "It works," she told me, "because Quixote never knows that he's a dream and because Alonso never awakens from it. But what will become of Cervantes when he finally faces the Inquisition? You see, the play ends without answering that question."
           "What happens to the dream," I asked soberly, "when the dreamer disappears?"
           "Exactly," she said. "Does it have a life of its own? No. The dream vanishes with the dreamer."
           "And those left behind," I mused aloud, "have to sort it all out."
           "If that is what you are trying to do," she said quietly, "then good luck."
           "Maybe Craig himself was a dream."
           "Then who was the dreamer?"
           "Maybe," I said, "a kid from Minnesota. Ever hear the name Alfred Johansen?"
           "Sure," she said immediately. "He's in the play but he uses the stage name Johnny Lunceford . He and Craig are best friends. He's the Padre in the play but he also understudies Craig in the title role."
           I didn't know if I was glad or sad over that news. I just knew that the stage of possibilities was becoming very, very crowded.
     

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
     
    We talked a bit more and Judith named the three actors who'd followed Craig Maan from the theater on the night he was killed. The four were close friends and apparently the only thing Craig had said at the theater before he walked out was, "That's it, I'm sorry but I'm out of it and I'm out of here."
    The three had followed him outside to find out what was wrong and none of them had returned.
    Judith knew nothing about a secret marriage between Craig and Elaine and doubted that the story was true. As far as she knew, Craig had not dated any of the girls in the show and did not seem to be particularly interested in any.
    I saw sheriff’s cars parked outside the theater as I was walking Judith back from the coffee shop so I did my thanks and goodbye outside and went on to my car.   That didn't change anything because Art Lahey was parked alongside and waiting for me.
    "Get in," he said, without a greeting of any kind.
    So I got into his car and we drove away without another word between us.
           He headed east along Foothill Boulevard then turned north. It seemed that we were traveling toward the murder scene. "What's up?" I finally asked him.
           "Just shut up," he replied.
           So I just shut up and let it develop his way. After a moment he glanced at me and asked, "Did you get anything from Miss White?"
           "It seems," I said, "that the victim quit the show and walked out with two minutes notice. Three of his friends followed to see what was wrong. None of them returned. She had to patch the show up with those that were left."
           Lahey grunted then asked me, "Which victim?"
           "How many victims do we have?" I countered.
           "Well see," he said.
           "I was talking about Craig Maan . The other three are Sanchez, Peterson and Stein."
           "What about Miss Suzanne?"
           I replied, "I gave you that last night."
           "Give it again."
           I said, "She did the show last night. I was there. She was on stage practically the whole time. She slipped me a note to meet her at the stage door after the show. I did, and we went looking for Maan . She—"
           "That was about what time?"
           "Shortly after eleven o'clock."
           "And Maan was last seen