A/N: Thanks to everyone for their kind reviews, and to Chelsie fan for her amazing beta work. xxx
CSotA
Tuesday, 7 February
Elsie's phone rang loudly Tuesday morning, waking her from a sound sleep. She struggled to open her eyes, reaching blindly by the clock until she located the phone itself.
"Hello?" Her voice was gravelly, and she cleared her throat.
"Good morning, beautiful," came Charles's voice over the speaker. "I'm sorry; I know I woke you, but I have to talk to you before you go in today."
Elsie sat up in bed, suddenly wary. "Why? What's happened?"
Charles chuckled. "Well, for one, I've missed you. I sleep much better when you're beside me, which is strange to me given that we've not been together all that long."
"True," she said, smiling at fond memories of the nights they had managed it. "But I know that's not really why you're phoning me at five in the morning."
Charles sighed. "No. There is something else. Edith received a demand for money. She's following through with the ruse, given that we know Grigg is behind it. The police were called, as were Robert and I. Everyone agrees that it's best not to put it off any longer."
"Wait a minute," she replied, shaking her head to clear away the remaining drowsiness. "Surely that could put her in danger! She can't do that, Charles."
"She won't be in danger," he reassured her. "But the demand was for a ridiculously small amount of money, in the grand scheme of things. There would only be more in the future if they actually paid it, and so a plan had to be devised. The police are orchestrating the entire thing, Elsie. Not to worry."
"But what if she is in danger, Charles? What if something happens? What if he has someone waiting and out of sight … someone with a weapon?" Her anxiety was rising quickly, and Charles knew he had to calm her down.
"Elsie, please listen to me. She won't actually be going herself. The police are sending an undercover officer in her place. Wig, trench coat, things like that. Grigg has never actually met Edith, so they're hoping he won't recognize the difference. Besides, Alice assures me he's not violent."
A pause. "You've spoken with her, then?"
Charles was hesitant. "Yes," he said after a few seconds. "Last night. She called me to see if there was an update, and I asked her for an honest opinion about Grigg's mental status."
"I see."
"Elsie," he chided softly, "don't be like that. She knows she has a part in all this, and she's prepared to be quite helpful. I believe her first order of business today is to call the police and see what kind of assistance she can give." He paused, then added, "She's been a part of the family forever, Elsie; we're Mary's godparents."
"Then how could she have stabbed them all in the back?" Elsie wondered. "Because I don't understand that at all."
"I know you don't. I don't either, not really. All I can say is that, for quite some time now, Alice has been feeling the effects of her age. I think she saw her fling with Grigg as a way to feel desirable again."
"That's preposterous," Elsie scoffed. "She's a Hollywood star in extremely high demand!"
"Not as high as you'd think," he confided. "She's been turned down more times in the past year than she had been in the five before that. I'm not sure how Grigg fit into all of it, but what I gather is that he wined and dined her on the pretense of being much more well-connected in certain studios than he actually is. She fell for it hook, line, and sinker. And she cared for him, too. Of that I am quite positive. I don't mean to sound like I'm excusing her actions, because I'm not. But I don't think Alice saw the entire situation like you and I do … she was too involved with Grigg by that point."
Elsie didn't have a reply to that. Evidently, Charles and Alice had spoken about quite a few things last night. But Elsie knew all too well what aging meant in Hollywood - Cora's experience had been proof enough: her trouble breaking back into the business at the age of only forty after having stayed home to raise the girls had been a huge blow to her self-esteem.
Not only that, but Elsie knew about Robert's briefly wandering eye, too.
She sighed. She supposed it wasn't that hard to imagine that Alice Neal, despite her past as being a top-billed star in Hollywood and in London, could be suffering from the same insecurities.
"She made a piss-poor choice," Elsie said. "Leaving you behind, I mean."
"Well," Charles replied softly, "I do think that was for the best. And it was a long time in coming, too."
"I suppose I can't complain, can I?"
"No, you can't," Charles said, and Elsie could hear in how he said the words that he was smiling. "She and I had our run, but once she shot to the top, I had no desire to be part of that. We did grow apart, and she certainly has betrayed Robert - and the rest of us - but I think she's trying to salvage a bit of the person she used to be."
"All right; we'll go with that theory. You are defending her, you know. But I suppose that if she's helping the police, and given that she did come forward of her own volition … well, that's something."
"Agreed." Charles glanced at the clock. "You need to get moving," he said lightly. "I just wanted to fill you in. It's possible the police will swing by the studio to question a couple of us either today or tomorrow. I didn't want you to be caught unawares."
"Thank you for that," she said. Then she took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and added, "I do love you, Charlie. And I didn't mean to insinuate that I don't trust you."
He chuckled. "I know. And I love you. I'll see you in a little while."
"Okay. Bye."
"Bye, Elsie."
She hung up the phone and got up to head into the shower, already thinking about the day ahead. It promised to be a very busy one with filming, editing, and two meetings …
As she reached for the shampoo, she had to laugh. With all she had going on today, she realized, it was almost a guarantee that this would be the day the police would show up to see her.
oOoOoOo
Phyllis Baxter popped her head into Elsie's office.
"A Detective Willis to see you, Elsie. Charles asked me to let you know."
Elsie looked up from the paperwork strewn about her desk. "Please tell me he's not coming in here," she pleaded, and Phyllis laughed.
"No, but he's in Charles's office. Wants to speak to you both. I believe Edith Crawley is also in there, and Mary."
Elsie blew her bangs off of her forehead and nodded. "Very well. Do I have five minutes to finish up a couple of things so I don't lose my place?"
"I'm sure that you do. I'll let them know." She stepped out, and Elsie made several quick notes on post-its, stuck them to the papers she was gathering into various piles, and grabbed her tea before heading down the hall to Charlie's office.
When she arrived, everyone was seated around the small conference table, with one remaining seat vacant for her.
"Ms. Hughes, I presume?" The gentleman she did not recognize stood and offered her his hand; she shook it firmly, noting his neat appearance and kind eyes. He smiled, and she returned the gesture.
"Please," he said, waving his hand toward the empty seat. "We were just finishing up with Edith."
"Hello, Elsie," Edith said quietly. "I'm glad you're here."
"Well, I thank you for that," Elsie replied, "but I'm not sure how much help I can be."
"We just want to be sure everyone's account of the events is accurate," Detective Willis said, "and your name came up a few times."
He consulted his notes, flipping back and forth over a couple of pages. "Now, Ms. Hughes … You were aware that Ms. Crawley - Edith, that is - received a blackmail package in the mail?"
"Yes," Elsie answered carefully. "Robert was the one who told me. He alluded to it when a small group of us were filming in Toronto, and I gather he had to speak with Mary about it." She looked over at Mary for confirmation, and the younger woman nodded curtly in agreement.
"I see," Willis said, jotting that down. "And I understand you can attest to the likely identity of the blackmailer as well?"
Elsie hesitated.
"Please, Ms. Hughes," Willis said kindly, "I just need to know what you know."
Elsie bit down on her lip for a moment, thinking of the best way to say it. "I don't have direct knowledge of that, no. I was part of a conversation where a suspect was identified by a third party - someone who is not present at this meeting."
But Willis was already ahead of her. "That would be Alice Neal - Mr. Carson's ex-wife. Is that correct?"
Elsie nodded. "Yes. She told Mr. Carson and me that she knew a gentleman who was planning to blackmail the family. I gathered from the conversation that she wasn't privy to all of the … details … of what the blackmail request contained, however."
"I see," he said again, writing a brief note. "And you had no reason not to believe her? No reason to think she had an ulterior motive for getting this man into trouble?"
The question took Elsie aback. "Such as?"
"Such as a personal complaint against him?"
Elsie considered her words very carefully before saying, "I do believe that Ms. Neal and the man in question were involved in a romantic affair. I do not, however, know any specific details about the relationship, if that's what you mean." She glanced at Charles, afraid she'd embarrassed him by saying that in front of the younger Crawley ladies, but Charles just gave her a small smile and a reassuring nod.
Willis was looking at his notes. "Were you aware the relationship had been severed?"
"I was told that, yes," Elsie admitted. "But not the when or the why, really. You'd have to ask Ms. Neal about those things."
Willis looked up at Elsie, then over at the rest of the people seated around the table.
"Don't worry, Ms. Hughes. I spoke to her this morning, and what you've shared with me only backs up her story. She and I will be chatting again, too."
The rest of the time was spent verifying dates and details: when Edith received the letters, the dates of Mary's tryst with Tony Gillingham and the details surrounding her involvement with Carlisle, and the status of CFP in general.
"It's declining, financially," Mary stated. "Which is why blackmailing us really makes no sense. Given how things have gone lately, even if we have a stellar success with the Granthams project - which isn't destined to be a huge money maker anyhow simply based on the type of film it is- it's quite likely that CFP will need a massive overhaul over the next five years in order to stay solvent. Who blackmails a failing company? It would be more likely if Carlisle were in the business himself, if he were competition. This entire disaster simply makes no sense."
Charles looked over at Elsie, eyebrows raised in surprise, and she understood immediately:
Mary knows more about the business than we thought.
oOoOoOo
Willis left twenty minutes later with a promise to be in touch soon; by then, everyone was emotionally exhausted, and Charles suggested they all call it a day.
"We can all meet later on in the week, perhaps, when we know what's happening," he suggested.
"The deadline for the drop is this weekend, so I hope Detective Willis works fast," Edith said.
"Are they still planning to send a decoy?" Elsie asked, and Charles and Edith both nodded.
"They are," Charles said. "They just want to be sure that Grigg is the only player in this. If they can't pin him to Carlisle then half the battle is lost. But if there are other people involved that could testify to Carlisle's interest in ruining Robert, then that could prove extremely beneficial."
"And the Swire woman?" Mary asked. "Surely they'll speak with her?"
"I think they already have," Charles said. "At least, that was the impression the detective gave me when he first arrived."
Elsie brushed her hand over Charles's arm. "I've got a few things to go and sort out," she said to him. "Come and find me before you leave?"
He nodded, smiling softly, completely aware of Mary and Edith watching him intently.
Edith caught her sister's eye and smirked; Mary, so often out of sync with Edith, couldn't help but agree wtih her this one time … Charles looked happier after a couple of weeks with Elsie than he ever had with Alice.
It's about time, Mary thought. Now perhaps he'll actually give retirement a go.
oOoOoOo
Charles knocked on Elsie's half-opened door and walked into her office, smiling at the mess still residing on her desk.
"I have made some progress, I'll have you know," she laughed. "But I don't see 'leaving early' as an option for me."
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
She considered that. "Perhaps," she allowed. "It's just finalization of schedules, really. I have a slew of appointments to schedule, a few interviews to sort with the publicity folks, a couple of calls to make regarding distribution, and the editing schedule to sort out."
"That's all?" Charles smiled at her. "Well, I suppose I could help you make some calls, and perhaps assist with the editing schedule … You have a list of scenes and so forth, I presume?"
Elsie nodded.
"Good. Why don't we order some food and get settled, then?" He approached Elsie's chair and then leaned forward to kiss her forehead as he rested his arm loosely over her shoulders.
"That sounds divine."
They ordered pizza, which was Charles's suggestion (much to Elsie's surprise), and were about halfway through it when her phone buzzed; her hands were greasy and so she ignored it, but two insistent text beeps later followed by another round of ringing had her concerned. She wiped her fingers as best she could and unlocked the screen.
"Oh, my goodness," she whispered, and she looked at Charles with concerned eyes. "It's Anna."
"Anna? Is she all right?"
"I hope so," Elsie said, already reaching for her handbag. "The messages are from John. They're on their way to the hospital. I'd told him to let me know when it happened, but …"
Charles was already grabbing her coat and helping her into it. "How far along is she?"
"Um, about seven months," Elsie breathed, and she tipped her head up to kiss him quickly on the lips. "Oh, my God, Charlie … that's too soon."
Charles quickly covered the pizza and tossed the uneaten pieces in the trash as Elsie stuffed the papers they'd not gotten to yet, along with her laptop, into her briefcase. He took up her keys, and she raised an eyebrow at him.
"You let John know we're on the way," he instructed. "I'll drive."
She nodded, clearly terrified.
A/N: I swear this is the last cliffhanger ending. Please do leave me a note and let me know what you thought!