Leslie Gets a Role – at the theatre
A big, busty blonde approached Leslie in the wings of the stage. "You're a pretty good singer," she said in a fairly thick Newfoundland accent. She was quite tall, dressed in very tight jeans and a tank top that had 'I'm a star' spelled out in rhinestones.
"Thanks"
"Come with me," the blonde said indicating towards the dressing rooms.
Leslie thought, "this must be Maria. That'll be some memorable Alps."
In the dressing room, the blonde poured a couple of fingers of rum and introduced herself as 'Bootsie'. "I'm singing the lead in this play. I've wanted this role all my life."
"I'm sure you'll be great" said Leslie.
"My boyfriend is the producer, but I got the role on my own, ya know", Bootsie said, a bit defensively.
"I'm sure you did", said Leslie. "Where'd you study?"
"I've watched this movie a hundred times or more," said Bootsie.
"That's always a good start," replied Leslie, encouragingly. "What does your boyfriend do, besides produce local theatre."
"He produces plays and he's a 'business man'." Bootsie said it a bit menacingly. "I wouldn't mess with him."
Leslie looked a bit puzzled and then said, "I get the feeling you don't like me."
Bootsie waved her glass as if she didn't mean anything by it and replied, "I just want you to be sure not to get any ideas about this theatre company. If you try anything, he will take care of you and your fancy man up there. You understand?"
"Are you threatening me?'' said Leslie.
"You take it how you like," replied Bootsie. "Now would you like to try on some nun costumes?"
Leslie replied brightly and with a friendly smile she didn't feel, "no, thanks, though, I need to head home. I haven't seen the folks since I got home from Toronto. I'm hoping for a bit of flipper pie."
Leslie left the dressing room thinking they were certainly on the right track with something bad going on at the St. John's Players Theatre.
On the way out, she ran into the actor who looked like he was planning to take the role of Captain von Trapp. He had a bit of a pompous bearing and he was wearing a naval uniform. He stopped her and pulled her into another dressing room, closing the door behind them.
"You're good," he purred. "What's your name?"
"Leslie Doyle," she said, using the alias she and Jake had agreed on. He was Jake Bennet. "Your's?"
"Gordie Ahearn. I'm playing the Captain."
"I guessed."
"That doesn't mean that off stage, the Captain and the Mother Superior might not get up to something naughty. I've always fantasized about the nuns."
"That's creepy."
"Sweetie, it's the theatre – casting couch 'n all dat."
"What can you tell me about Bootsie?" Leslie asked him.
"What do you want to know about her? You're not thinking of taking her on. If you value your skin, you'll leave her be. She's a terrible actress, but she's the goose that laid the golden egg." He laughed meanly. "Laid the golden egg, get it? Her biker boyfriend puts up all the money so she gets all the roles."
"He's got that kind of money to spare?" inquired Leslie.
"He gets all the gate. I don't know if he makes a profit. They are supposed to be into drugs and guns. Maybe he just launders money here. What do I care? The work is good, steady and there are lots of beautiful women, like you."
"Surely playing opposite Bootsie, isn't what you dreamed of in drama school?"
"No one ever achieves their drama school dreams. I should be running the Old Vic like Kevin Spacey or the Company Theatre like Allan Hawco. But I'm here. You're here. We could have a fun summer." He tried to kiss her and she kneed him in the balls.
"Sure, fun," Leslie said walking out of the room.
"cough, cough,... I hope that was an accident because if it wasn't, Bootsie's boyfriend likes me and ... cough..." He rolled on the floor as she walked away.
Jake was sitting in the theatre business office with a large man dressed in black jeans, black t-shirt and black leather jacket. He had some tattoos on his face of the more violent variety and a shaved head. He didn't look much like Jake's ideas about a theatre company manager, not that Jake had met one before.
"Heh, heh, heh…quite the production here, eh b'y," Jake said to get the ball rolling. The large man seemed a bit like the strong, violent, silent type.
"Yeah, it is. What's it to ya?"
The door opened and a more theatre-looking person bustled in and said, "Rex, this singer is something else. We could really put on a great production with her in the lead."
"What did I tell you, Graham Crackers, the lead is already cast. Get it t'rough your skull before I have to do it with my fists." The large man could get over his silence with the right motivation.
The smaller, skinny guy in the cardigan and corduroys chuckled nervously, "he calls me Graham Crackers for fun. My name is Graham Tucker and I'm the artistic director of the St. John's Players Theatre and director of 'The Sound of Music'.
"Jake Bennett," replied Jake, using the alias he'd agreed on with Leslie. He kind of liked the sound of it, though not as much as the sound of Leslie Doyle. He squirmed a bit in his chair remembering the previous night. "Back to business, Jake," he silently reminded himself.
"I'm Leslie's agent. We're in town from Toronto. Leslie got a bit homesick and when she heard you were casting this part for the rep season, she thought it might give her a chance to work at home for a bit."
"She can work at home selling fish and chips," said the large man in black whose name appeared to be Rex.
"You are?" asked Jake.
"Rex Harrigan. I'm the producer of the play and he that puts up the dosh gets the lead."
"Real artistic integrity here at the St. John's Players Theatre," commented Jake, shaking his head. "But we can work with that." He smiled. "If it's a matter of putting up some, shall we say, collateral, I might have a line on something useful."
"Like what," inquired Graham with interest.
Graham reminded Jake of Des quite a bit – eager, smart, a bit too naïve for the role he had in life, but likeable for all that.
"I might know a guy that knows a guy."
"Shaddup", barked Rex. "I am the bleedin guy that everybody knows. I haven't the time for 'know a guy that knows a guy'. You know what I mean."
"Sure, sure," said Jake reassuringly. "I didn't mean to insult you. I might be able to get my hands on some money, or some 'product' that could be a valuable contribution to this little enterprise. If I puts in a bit of dosh, Leslie gets a decent role?"
Graham joined in, "how much dosh? Rex has put up a lot but we are a bit short for the big scene with the car going over the alps. I saw a great production of Peter Pan with a fantastic ship and I can get the same set builder with just a bit more money than Rex had available."
"Shaddup," Rex barked at Graham this time. "You will keep your mouth shut if you want to stay healthy."
"Lads, it's just the theatre. No need to threaten anyone," said Jake trying to take the edge of things a bit.
Rex turned to Jake. "No one in this town has money or 'product' as you put it that I don't know about. Who's your backer?"
"My backer's not from here. I told you we are here from Toronto. The stuff would come from there."
"Goddamn it, Jacko from Toronto is trying to muscle in here again. I thought we dealt with him when we sent his guy home in a box. Six boxes that is."
Rex continued, "you are telling me that you are either a mole for Jacko or that that power hungry jerk would give you money to support legitimate theatre?"
"As legitimate as this theatre is for you, Rexie boy," said Jake, trying to keep Rex on his heels.
Graham joined in weakly, "this is a legitimate theatre."
Jake looked at him and frowned. "Right, b'y, so legitimate that you get your backing from a obvious criminal and have cast Dame Edna for your young female lead. Sure, legitimate."
"Leslie could make this a legitimate play. She is a genuinely great actor, and I don't even care where the money comes from. If this is a laundering operation, why not at least try to make it look legit with a real actor," Jake continued.
Rex countered, "and why would a real actor want to be in a two bit operation like this. Even if the money was clean, and I'm not saying it isn't, she's too good for this. What's the matter, is she preggers or strung out or something – got something to hide from the snobs up in the Big Smoke?"
Jake nearly belted him when he suggested Leslie might be pregnant. He really needed to work on his poker face a bit more if he was going to go undercover with Leslie in future.
"Buddy loves her. That's handy. If we do let you in on this deal, we know where your weak spot is," laughed Rex.
Listening in on the hidden microphones, Hood groaned to Malachy, "I knew Jake would be a liability on this thing."
Malachy replied, shaking his head knowingly, "I know he sometimes can't see straight when Leslie is involved. Never seen anything quite like it before."
Hood said sternly, "well, he'd better start thinking with his head and not some other boyd part before he gets us into trouble here."
"Don't worry" replied Malachy, "Jake's a good boy and a great detective."
Leslie came out the front door to see Jake waiting by the car. "Am I glad to get out of there for a minute. They are crazy," she said walking up to Jake and giving him a light peck on the lips. "Get anything?"
"Besides a profound desire to sweep you off your feet?" said Jake, "yeah, maybe something. Let's go check out this new apartment of ours and I will fill you in."