In reply to Phyllis Green (msg # 104):

Charlotte turned to Phyllis and replied,"Three days ago. I was walking past the place where the props are stored."

Charlotte glanced at the other actress, and nodded.''Pleased to meet you.'' Then she replied to Peggy, ''That's a good idea.''

Everly nodded, and said, "I think that's a good idea, too. We don't want anyone getting hurt, I'm sure.''
This message was lightly edited by the player at 17:22, Fri 26 July 2019.

Mark rubs his beard, then speaks.

Maybe I'll go check out that area. Doubt any foul play would have gone this long without being noticed but if something did happen I might be able to find some sign of it. Could also have been some backstage shenanigans going on.  But I'll look.

Mark doffs his hat to the women.

Ladies, I will see you again shortly.

Then he moves to the area that Charlotte spoke of.

Her face lit up when she saw Ray and her eyes widened a bit. "Ray, hello. Wishing you were my makeup artist, It my normal--" she laughed a little bit "Called the Phantom Stalks, at least that's its current working name, we will see." she said and motioned. "I just think will all that goes on here, if someone got hurt it could be days before anyone even knew, given were such a busy, business." it was very much a concern and the petite blonde also agreed with the ideal of helping, especially in this situation.

"Probably just someone's idea of a joke, then. People are in and out of the prop rooms all the time. But let's check; they might have been testing it to surprise someone."

Phyllis was going to add that she ought to change out of her costume, or at least slip a dressing gown over it, but her curiosity was stronger than her modesty.

Mark notices that Phyllis has goose bumps and is somewhat uncomfortable in her dress mode.  He removes his trench coat and offers it to her.

Miss, you seem a bit cold.  Why don't you wear this until you get a chance to change into somewhat warmer clothes? I apologize for not offering sooner.

As Hawke interrupts his planned investigation to offer his coat to the scantily clad actress, McWatt moves off towards the props area on his own.

"Whenever you're finished manhandling the girls, Mr. Hawke, let's take a look at where the screaming came from, shall we?"

He grins at the dapper detective to let him know he's just giving him grief in response for the crack about 'peddling his wares'.

She gave a faint tip of her head at the men who were carrying on and slightly shook her head. She stepped a little closer Ray, at least she knew him. If the two men wanted to rush in than she would be more than content to allow them. She planned to examine this from the way one would anything. Situation, scenes, and go from there.

Mark simply smiles at the doctor.

I'm afraid my days of manhandling ladies are behind me.  Age has a way of doing that. And I never was a handsome one. But yes, let us proceed to the location and check it out.

"Thanks, but I'm OK," Phyllis replied to Mark's offer of his coat. She'd already turned down Graham's offer of a jacket, and didn't want to seem to be playing favorites.

Besides, having nerved herself to stay in costume, her stubborn streak was showing.

"Will you come with me to check out the props area, Mr. Hawke? That's what you gumshoes do, isn't it?"

McWatt sets off to find where the screaming was heard a few days ago.

Mark nods and lays the cost over hsi arm.

Very well madam. It is available should you need it.

He turns to the doctor.

Yes Doctor. I am coming. Patience is a virtue young man.  Perhaps you should practice at least one?

Hawke moves in the direction he had started earlier.

She too was following along with the woman going to investigate, noting that the fellow tried to give a coat over she offered a faint smile. "Sometimes, when in character, the state of mind sticks." she offered simply, and cast a quick glance to Ray. "Are you going ?" she inquired though she was already moving.

McWatt laughs.

"I have many virtues, Mr. Hawke. Some I practice. Others just come naturally."

Looking over his shoulder he sees that some of the others are drifting in the same direction as they are and wonders if the days on the set are all this casual. He had imagined frantic activity, directors yelling out obscure instructions and starlets fainting left and right, in need of his assistance. This seems more like a slow day at the DMV. The props room may prove a welcome distraction.

Slowing down a little to let the detective take the lead, he matched his pace with Annalise, the lovely young blonde with an English accent.

"Hello," he smiled. "I know I've seen you in the movies. My name is Duncan. I'm a doctor. I work for the studio. It's my first day. Is it always like this?"

Her attention shifted to the doctor and she considered his words. "It truly depends on if its a bloody madhouse, or if there are troubles on set. Like my own set someone tripped the sprinklers, and so they are cleaning that mess up and it gave me time to get away, and get my lunch. I doubt we will be shooting anything else tonight.' she motioned to the area "Some people here, are less sturdy, sometimes the stress will cause a lady, or even a man to faint dead away." she shook her head. "A certain lack of devotion to the art, in some cases." she said simply. "This, is quiet unusual, normally there are not screams heard in association with prop rooms, unless someone has been cruel, and set up something to scare a prophand." she answered.

Holding a small pale hand out she introduced herself "I'm Annalise Lovelace." she said "Welcome to the madhouse, sanity is often an option in a place like this. Usually its far more crazy."

In reply to Annalise Lovelace (msg # 121):

Ray shrugs and nods at the same time. He has no real desire to be in the good doctor's presence. On the other hand, he doesn't want to miss anything.

He trails along after the others.

With the new doctor apparently aggravating mostly everyone and the new Annalise on the set, plus whatever screaming may have been going on, it was quite the lively morning.  Peggy didn't want to crowd around the room where the screaming might have been with all the others, as it was getting to be quite a crowd, but she drifted a bit closer that way and found a nearer place to sit so she could keep an eye or at least an ear on the proceedings.  Her health wouldn't let her spend hours standing around and still be able to do her job afterwards, and she needed every penny she could save.

She shot Ray a sympathetic look, at the fact he didn't want to tag along with the doctor. He was still a doctor and if someone was screaming that might mean they were hurt, someone hurt would need a doctor. So---it was just good logic, she supposed.

"I'm not sure what anyone's expecting to find, days later," Anna May observed, as she stayed closer to Margaret than trailing after everyone else.

Mark looks at the lady and starts to say something that he would later regret, but remembers that these are not trained persons but actors.  So he rephrases what he was going to say.

Ma'am, part of my training is how to find things out of place. If there was some sort of violence perpetrated in the area, I have a good chance of finding evidence of said violence. Most criminals are not thorough in restoring order to the chaos they create when committing a crime. I ask that when we arrive at the area that I be permitted to enter first and alone so that I may search without others disturbing evidence.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:08, Mon 12 Aug 2019.

She nodded in agreement with Mark "Even, with days." she said with a shake of her head "If they are hurt---or worse.." she had played enough roles as a Scream Queen to know just what a murder might entail. She nodded to Mark. "We haven't met, I am Annalise." manners never hurt anyone. "I think you've the right of it, just in case. " she added. It was a bad choice to have people trampling over a scene of murder, if it was that. It could just be someone was goofing off. Still, it was something interesting to do, with new people, and gave people who wouldn't normally interact a chance to do just that.

When they reach the location Mark will have the others stay back a moment and he begins a methodical search of the area, looking for anything out of place or out of the ordinary.

He pulls a notebook out of his pocket and a pencil.  He uses the pencil to not only jot notes but also to lift and move small objects rather than touch them.

Phyllis followed, her curiosity still piqued. She bristled slightly at Mark's suggestion to stay back, but could see it made sense.

"Find anything?"

For her own part, she tried to notice any props that were out of place or unexpectedly missing.

Charlotte received a pat on her shoulder from Evie, and headed to her dressing room. Closing the door behind her, she started to sit down. And then she heard something. It sounded like what she had been hearing, what she'd told the others about.

The screaming, again. She stood up, opened her door, and looked around. It seemed to come from the prop room this time. So that was where she went. The door to the room was open, and so she went inside. And yet there was nothing there but an old record player. The record player seemed as if someone had been using it, but it still was covered in dust.

Charlotte headed towards it, and turned it on.

About a minute later, Everly was startled by a loud, terrified scream.

The taxi pulled up to the filming studio, and the man in the gray suit retrieved his toolbox from the trunk, then paid the driver. As the taxi turned and left, the man's blue eyes squinted as he approached the front gate.

"Allo?" He addressed the man in the guard house.

"My name is Mister Pierre Rishard...with a 'ch'..." He spoke in a thick French accent as he pointed at the guard's clipboard.

"The production company has sent me...I am told you are having problems with the...props? With the...scenery? You need an old hand to check the things out, yes? One little fire can ruin everyone's day?"

He hid his seriousness behind a chuckle. He found himself reaching in his jacket for a cigarette. He supposed he had a couple minutes to take a smoke while they confirmed who he was, and flicked a heavy lighter near his lips.