Tammy:Deathtrap - Part 12 "Zero Tolerance"

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 Deathtrap  

Part
 
Twelve

 

"Zero Tolerance"

 

 
Thursday 1st December 2016(Continued)
 

"You look lovely dear."

"Thank you Anne, Sandy worked her wonders."

"Come on Tammy, I know Sandy is good but she has to start with a good canvas in order to get a great result."

"I think I was in her chair for nearly an hour!"

"Well, the highlights work and the cut is perfect."

"On that I'd agree! Sorry Anne, but I need to check backstage."

Tammy had indeed spent some time in the salon that afternoon, starting with a visit to the torture chamber. Joanne had extracted all of Tammy's woes, all except those that could send Tammy into her own private incarceration, under duress. Tammy had even played her the audio recording of Lucas confirming his involvement.The beautician had promised to keep an eye out in case any strangers made an appearance backstage during the performance.

"Five minutes everyone!"

There were a few shouts of "almost done" but no calamities were in progress. Doing the honours for opening night were the B Cast, back up to strength with all five of the cast present.

In the auditorium, the A Cast were sat a few rows from the front whilst the local press, politicians, community leaders, key business owners and a few others, plus partners, all had free seats in the first few rows. Tammy had issued personal tickets to Mike Thompson, Rev Franklin, her parents and several others, whilst each of the two casts also had a few freebies available.

The local radio station had held a competition for free tickets and the staff rooms at each local school had received a bundle. The place was full but the only money taken was at the bar.

Tammy strolled onto the stage after giving a signal to the lighting engineer, the curtain remained down.

"Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Mill Theatre. My name is Tammy Smart and I am the director for this performance."

She paused, allowing polite applause.

"May I present, Deathtrap!"

She stepped off the stage and walked to a reserved seat in the front row, next to Dr McIntosh, as the curtain rose.

----

"Well done everyone."

Tammy was already in the green room as the first Act finished.

"Please concentrate on your timing, there were a few pregnant pauses during the second and third scenes."

Tammy guessed that most of the audience had missed the minor errors, but Steven McIntosh hadn't. She put it down to first night nerves as the same timing errors hadn't been seen during the previous two rehearsals.

Tammy headed for the bar next, to gauge how the audience found it.

"An interesting choice, Miss Smart?"

"Is that what your review will say?"

"Oh no, I haven't decided what I'll write yet."

"Given that it won't appear until Saturday's paper, I shall not worry."

"It'll be on our website just after breakfast tomorrow."

Many of the folk who knew Tammy simply said their greetings and left her alone, but the mood in the bar was upbeat. She was back in her seat a few seconds before the curtain rose for the second Act.

----

The applause at the end of the play was good, but not outstanding. Tammy joined the cast on the stage for their bow and shooed them to the dressing rooms as soon as the curtain dropped. It wasn't long before a few folk found their way backstage.

"Well done Tammy."

"Thanks Mum, now you can see what I was doing."

"So maybe your stress level can go down after the last performance?"

"That would be nice."

Anne McIntosh made her way past Joan, "the press are in the bar and they'd like a quote or two, Steven's got them at the moment."

The bar was somewhat busier this time, although many appeared to be waiting for a taxi or other transport. Steven and the three journalists were in the farthest corner, naturally,

"Ah, Tammy, do you have a word or two for these folk?"

"Certainly, Steve."

A reporter Tammy recognised asked, "Were you originally going to direct Guys and Dolls? What happened?"

"I was called away, unfortunately at short notice. I'm now resident in Thurso again so was fully available for Deathtrap."

She pointed at the lady to her left.

"Is it true that you assaulted one of the cast last weekend?"

Tammy felt her blood pressure rising, but Steven took control.

"Is that why you're here, your paper doesn't normally send anyone to our theatre? I think you can forget any more invitations, next time you will have to pay for your seat! Miss Smart and I will not be answering any more questions."

Dr McIntosh pulled Tammy away.

"Steven, Sir, I wanted to deal with her!"

"As far as I'm concerned, let them print lies. If we give them any quotes, they'll be used against you, against us, when there isn't a shred of evidence. I understand, however, that you did turn up some evidence?"

"How?"

"Anne told me, I don't know where she got it from."

"Well, yes, but it's not damning and could be explained away."

"But we need to be careful, someone is clearly out to get you."

"On that point, I completely agree."

"Keep you eyes open, Tammy, I'll see about getting a little more help for the rest of the performances."

By now Fleur had caught up with them, she'd been helping in the bar.

"More trouble, Tammy? I heard a few rumours in college today."

"I think I know the source, Fleur, and it sounds like he just wants to go back to prison."

"Well, try not to kill him before the justice system has a go!"

"I'll try, how's it looking back there?" Tammy pointed towards the foyer.

"Thinning out, the bar is closing shortly. I took a look outside and there's a Police car just outside the carpark."

"Probably just looking for drink drivers?"

"Probably."

Although the show had finished at ten o'clock, it was half eleven before Tammy arrived home. There were several missed calls on her phone but none of the numbers were familiar, she plugged it in and fell into bed, exhausted.

 
Friday 2nd December 2016
 

"Tammy, you should know that Steven phoned me this morning."

"I guessed he would, Dad."

"When were you going to mention any of it?"

"It only came to a head yesterday morning, and I've been kinda busy since then."

"What about telling the police?"

"I have no clear evidence Dad, and the Principal completely dismissed the allegation."

"What if Steven hadn't been at that rehearsal and the Principal hadn't found anyone competent at the theatre? You would have been suspended pending dismissal from your course and likely Police involvement. You would have been removed as director, too."

"On the basis of a total fabrication?"

"Yes, by the time it would be cleared up, you would have lost weeks of your coursework, the theatre would have parted with you and, probably, the security service will have cut its links."

"All because of a lie."

"Yes, so you were lucky, very lucky. Did you know that Anne McIntosh plays bridge with the Principal's wife?"

"No."

"Well, the incident involving Tom had already been passed through that channel when the official complaint arrived, otherwise you would have been called in days beforehand."

"I had wondered."

"You need to do better than that, write down all of your involvement with this Lucas, his father, Tom and so on, then we'll send a copy to our solicitor."

"When?"

"Now, I want this recorded today, in case anything else happens over the weekend."

"I have to be at the theatre by two!"

"Then you have six hours to do it."

Okay, but can I have breakfast first?"

Of course, the explanation about the thirty second audio clip took much longer than half a minute to document. Tammy had backtracked three weeks when she'd first noticed Tom grinning during the play at a point when that would have been inappropriate. She'd dismissed it then as nothing but then recalled Lucy stuttering over a few words, although she'd recovered quickly. All told, the incident wasn't bad enough, at the time, to halt the rehearsal.

Tammy's recollections moved forward to the incident with Lucy that led to Tom's dismissal a week later. She then considered where Lucas fitted into this. She wrote his story, from her viewpoint, from the beginning of term although it had been in mid November when Lucas had turned his attention towards Tammy, beginning when the break-in at the University was discussed in class. Tammy recalled he'd suggested she had worked with the police and she'd suggested he proved it.

Perhaps with hindsight that wasn't the best option, and Dave Brown had said so at the time. Perhaps Lucas was trying to force her to use her Police contacts to get herself out of this? No, she thought, he's not clever enough to play that game and neither is his uncle. It might be worth avoiding direct Police contact as a result? That wouldn't stop her solicitor making the moves, though.

She read back through her notes, fixed the English here and there, then printed off a copy for her father. It now ran to a page and a half of A4, but it was necessarily comprehensive.

"Okay Tammy, can you make a few changes here, and here?"

"Why?"

"Right now you haven't made it clear that you're the real victim, or potential victim. Sure, Lucy suffered, but that's fixed now? Tom has been sanctioned and Lucas, well, what has he actually done so far?"

"Snide remarks and supporting that complaint?"

"Do you have proof of that?"

"No, Dad, and I didn't say that I had proof."

"Yes, but you need to say how you feel about it, this isn't a court document and there'll be time to write a police statement if it ever comes to that. Jeremiah needs to know what impact this is having on you; if you're not affected, then there's nothing for him to do?"

"Fine, Dad, I'll make those changes."

"Then email it to me with the audio recording, I'll forward it to the solicitor with a covering note."

"If you want to?"

"I do, make sure you sign your original, send me a pdf?"

"Sure."

It was nearly eleven when Tammy finalised her statement, she still needed a shower but first she sent each of the B Cast a quick text, checking they were still on for the play. All bar Lucy replied within ten minutes. Tammy waited another ten minutes before stepping under the water spray.

"Why do you keep checking your phone?"

Richard and Tammy were at the kitchen table for lunch, a rare joint event.

"Lucy still hasn't replied to me, I sent her a message just after eleven, an hour and a half ago."

"It's probably nothing, did she have lessons today?"

"I can't remember."

"Look, there's plenty of time still."

"I need to be down there just after half past two, that's under two hours from now."

"So, plenty of time, what time is the curtain up?"

"Four."

"Well, no worries?"

"But?"

"If you start worrying now, what kind of shape will you be in by the time the play starts?"

"Ummm."

"Finish you lunch and maybe get an hour's kip, you don't have much time between the two performances, do you?"

"Two hours or so."

"Not enough time to get back here for a meal, so enjoy this one."

Tammy wasn't enjoying it, even though it looked good and tasted fine, Her phone pinged just as she put the scraps in the bin.

Sorry, my phone died and I didn't have my charger with me. Back home and leaving for the theatre at two. Lucy

Tammy wanted to relax, but was finding it difficult, grabbing some sleep right now was simply not possible. She grabbed a cold bottle of water and headed for her room, regardless.

----

"Tammy? It's gone two!"

She came to, Tammy was curled up on top of her bed, her tablet beside her.

"Tammy, did you hear me?"

"Yes, Dad, I'm coming."

She took a look in the bathroom mirror, her make-up was a mess and her eyes looked awful. She cleaned it all off but had no time to fix it. Her hair needed professional help, but all she could do was brush it and clip it back.

Tammy arrived at half-past two and rushed in, nodding at Steven McIntosh on her way past.

"Ah good, you're here?"

"Yes, sorry Fleur."

"Everything's under control, they know what they're doing."

"Are they all here?"

"Yes, including that boyfriend of yours."

"He's not ...."

"Really, Tammy, really?"

"Well ...."

"Look, have fun, enjoy the company and see where it leads?"

"Yeah, I best check on them."

"Is that natural blusher?"

Tammy went to the girls first, Joanne was just finishing Lucy."

"I was worried, Lucy."

"Sorry, there must be something wrong with my phone as the battery ran down much faster than normal."

Joanne looked up, "I think you need my services as well?"

"Please, before you go to see the boys?"

"Did you bring your kit with you?"

"Yes. I can't go out there without my warpaint, I ran out of time."

"We heard, your father phoned Dr McIntosh, he spoke to Fleur and she told us."

"Have I no secrets?"

"Nope, take a seat and show me what you brought, I only have my stage kit with me."

Ten minutes later Joanne had finished, "I need to sort out the boys now."

Tammy checked the time, an hour remained before it was curtain up time, time for her to make sure everything else was in place as the audience was due to start arriving any time now.

As this was the schools' performance the bar was closed although the smaller kiosk was busy selling soft drinks. Fleur was keeping an eye from a discreet distance.

"Only one kid has attempted to nick some chocolate so far, Tammy, he's already on his way home."

"Zero tolerance, even here?"

"At sixteen, they should know better. Don't forget that during the Independence Referendum in 2015 sixteen year olds had the right to vote, the right to decide Scotland's future."

"True."

"By the way, for someone who's just stepped out of bed you don't look bad."

"Thanks, I think! Oh, Fleur, is the new CCTV working?"

"Yes, why?"

"I think I can see a problem."

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Comments

Love the ongoing Trials and

Love the ongoing Trials and Tribulations of Tammy in Thurso but is this supposed to be Part 12 or am I having a very senior moment? I did see that the front page (once you click on the hot link) says 12 but the header itself is labeled or named part13. Keep up the good work!

EDIT: and have now noticed that the header says 12 so thanks for the clarification! I know I have fat-fingered numbers (and words) more often than I care to admit and the -- even after editing and proofing -- have only seen what I expected to see and not what I had actually written.

Kudo

Alecia Snowfall's picture

*DINGS THE KUDO*

quidquid sum ego, et omnia mea semper; Ego me.
alecia Snowfall

"I think I can see a problem."

another one? oh boy, it never stops for this poor girl, does it?

DogSig.png

Chapter 11 followed by Chapter 13

dani4familyfun's picture

am i missing something here? why is chapter 12 skipped?
Dani

Dani4FamilyFun

Thespian Interlude

joannebarbarella's picture

At least the play was a success, but the efforts to discredit Tammy continue unabated and from multiple sources. It's a miracle that she doesn't have a breakdown.

Tammy does lead an interesting life.

WillowD's picture

Now I'm wondering what the problem is. Is it some little easily fixable problem? Or something much bigger. A tantalizing cliff hanger to spark our curiosity.

Your cell phone running down

Brooke Erickson's picture

Your cell phone running down extra fast *all of a sudden* is a strong indication that it's running something in the background.

So in this case, I suspect Lucy's phone is acting as a listening device, and possibly a tracker as well.

If Tammy has had the right training, at some point she may remember it and suggest that Lucy's phone get checked out.

If she hasn't had that training... :-(

Brooke brooke at shadowgard dot com
http://brooke.shadowgard.com/
Girls will be boys, and boys will be girls
It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world
"Lola", the Kinks

Spoil sports

Jamie Lee's picture

Why is it a few feel the need to spoil things for the rest? The players have enough on the plates without worrying that some dummy will spoil the play.

Something is in the wind and Tammy has been left out of the loop. Why? Is someone worried she ruin the setup by investigating? Whatever is going on, she's spotted something which needs captured on tape.

Others have feelings too.