A/N: First, thanks to my mom for proofreading and catching several typos! Second, all you Mac/RDA fans...keep your eyes out for Easter eggs:)
Bride #3
MacGyver reached under the passenger seat and pulled the lever, inching back a few notches so he could stretch out his khaki clad legs. Joanna's Cavalier was roomier than he expected. He glanced down at his maroon, banded-collar shirt before turning his attention to Jo's flowery sundress over which she wore a bright blue sweater. He recalled the way the light, gauzy fabric swathed her body and swirled around her legs, kissing her ankles as she walked. Never in his life had he thought he'd be jealous of a piece of material. But he was.
"You gonna tell me where we're going?" It had been Joanna's turn to plan their date night, and she had been frustratingly secretive about their destination. Based on her instructions to dress 'casual but nice', Mac figured she did not have a second ice skating lesson in mind.
"Just hold your horses," she smiled at him from the driver's seat. "You'll find out soon enough."
A few minutes later Jo guided the car into the parking lot of a large building with a neon sign declaring it to be the Glenfield Playhouse with the marquee below advertising the current performance of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers".
Mac's jaw dropped. "Musical theater?!"
"A little culture won't hurt you," his date replied saucily. "Besides, it's a Western."
"It is not a Western!"
"Well, it's almost a Western," she argued. "Besides," she added sheepishly, "The tickets were free. Lee Vang at the office won them in a raffle and didn't want them."
He quickly bit back the rebuttal that was on the tip of his tongue when he locked onto her uncertain gaze. The whole idea of date night was to get them out of their normal routine and spend quality time with each other. Joanna had gamely strapped on figure skates and conquered her fear of the ice for him. A couple hours of watching actors sing and dance wouldn't kill him. After all, it's not like he hated the theater or anything, he had just been caught off guard.
As they entered the venue, the couple was greeted by an usher in black pants and a crisp white shirt who handed Joanna a program as she handed over their tickets. Mac waved off the program the usher offered him as they were led a few feet to their seats.
"The back row?" MacGyver complained in a loud whisper.
"What do you expect for free!" Joanna shot back.
Gentleman that he was, Mac stepped aside to allow Jo to enter the row of seats ahead of him. Finding the correctly numbered chair, she sat down with a huff and a frown. MacGyver sighed as he eased down next to her. The evening was not off to a good start.
The pair sat in uncomfortable silence as patrons poured in, chattering excitedly about the night's entertainment. Soon the house lights dimmed signaling the start of the performance. MacGyver gently draped his arm around Joanna's shoulders. When she didn't pull away, he ever so slightly pressed her closer to him. Meeting no resistance, even though her eyes were set firmly on the stage, he leaned over and whispered in her ear.
"I'm sorry for giving you a hard time," he apologized.
Finally she turned towards him. "It's my fault," she admitted. "I shouldn't have kept you in the dark. I know you don't care for surprises."
Before he could reply, a group of performers broke into song. Jo refocused her attention on the play while he continued to study her profile. By happy coincidence, she had seen fit to wear her hair clipped back, exposing her neck in the most enticing way. Ever so slowly he pressed his lips to the smooth, tender skin behind her ear. Feeling her flinch, he quickly broke contact. It was then that he noticed her head tip, giving him better access. His lips tugged into a smile and he suppressed a groan as he resumed his ministrations, blissfully trailing gentle kisses down her neck. He was just about to retrace his path when a slap on his shoulder roused him from his reverie.
"That's enough! People will see us!" Joanna hissed.
Mac raised his head just enough to survey the audience. "No they won't. It's too dark. Besides, isn't this what the back row is for anyway?" he assured her as he attempted to resume his previous activity.
"Maaac!" Jo was more insistent now, pulling her head back.
MacGyver sighed and slumped back in his seat. "In order for people to watch us they'd have to turn around. In that case, they deserve whatever they see. And don't tell me you weren't enjoying it." He sent a quirky grin her way.
"It was okay," she shrugged. "But I think you missed a spot." She grinned shyly as she tipped her head and pointed to spot beneath her jaw.
"Well, I can fix that in a jiffy, lil lady," Mac replied using his best cowboy imitation, causing Joanna to giggle softly.
MacGyver once again had his face buried in the curve of Joanna's neck when a voice from the stage sliced the air causing him to bolt upright. He squinted, but couldn't make out the face of the woman now singing.
"Cheap seats," he muttered.
"What's wrong?" Jo asked, clearly concerned at his sudden change in behavior.
"I know that voice," he whispered urgently as he reached across her lap for the program the usher had given her.
"Hey, you should've taken your own!" she rebuked, but he ignored her as he opened the folded piece of paper, took a pen light out of his shirt pocket, and scanned the names of the cast members.
"I don't believe it!" he exclaimed under his breath. There, in black and white, were the words 'Bride #3 – Penny Parker'.
"What is it?" Jo pressed, apparently having lost all interest in the play.
"Bride number three. She's an old friend of mine from Los Angeles."
"Old?" Joanna's lips formed a straight line as she regarded the actress now at center stage. She had to be at least ten years younger than him!
"You know what I mean."
"Why didn't you ever tell me about her?"
"Penny? Well, she can be kinda…complicated," Mac hedged. "It's hard to tell anyone about her. You kinda have to experience her for yourself."
Any further explanation was drowned out by applause as the stage curtain closed and the house lights came on for the first intermission.
"C'mon!" Mac grabbed Jo's hand leading her down the main aisle before weaving their way to the backstage door where they were met by a hulk of a security guard.
"Sorry. Cast only," the hulk grunted.
"But I'm a friend of—"
"Sorry. Cast only."
Apparently the reading curriculum at security guard school was quite limited.
"MacGyver?" a female voice sounded above the din of the other actors. "Oh, MacGyver! It is you!"
Penny skittered towards him and launched herself into his arms, throwing him slightly off balance, before planting a solid kiss on his lips. Mac's eyes widened as he looked helplessly at Jo whose glare had cooled the room considerably before extracting himself from Penny's embrace.
"How're you doin', Penny?" he grinned.
"I'm good, but what in the world are you doing here?! Well, obviously you're watching the play. But I mean what are you doing here in Milwaukee?"
"I live here now," Mac informed her. Beside him, Joanna cleared her throat. Loudly.
"Oh, uh, Penny, this is Joanna Fairfax."
"You're reason for moving to Milwaukee?" The actress smiled knowingly at him before turning to embrace Jo. "Oh, I just know we're gonna be great friends!" she gushed to a stunned Joanna.
The overhead lights flashed, a silent message that the next act would be starting soon.
"Oops! Gotta run!" Penny said lightly. "Hey, how about we meet at my hotel for lunch tomorrow? The cast is staying at the Glenfield Inn and they have this little café that's just so cute and we could—"
"Parker! Take your place!" a disembodied voice commanded.
Penny's smile faltered just a bit. "See you tomorrow?"
"We'll be there," Mac assured her before he and Jo turned to head back to their seats.
"So that's a Penny Parker," Joanna mused. "She certainly is friendly."
XXXXX
The following day MacGyver pulled the Nomad into the parking lot of a cheap motel on the edge of town. The cute café that Penny had mentioned appeared to be more of a dingy diner. Mac glanced over at Joanna who, even though it was a Saturday, had decided to dress up for the occasion and sported more make-up than he had ever seen on her. Did she actually feel threatened by Penny?
"Hey!" MacGyver reached over and grabbed Jo's arm before she could get out of the car. "You're not jealous of Penny or anything, are you?"
"Me? Jealous? Why would I be jealous just because your 'old friend' happens to be young, gorgeous, and successful?"
"Look," Mac said firmly, turning in his seat so he could face her better. "Penny's a good kid. She just needs some looking after sometimes. I think of her as the little sister I never had, nothing more." He made sure to clearly enunciate the final two words.
"Oh yeah?! How would you feel if a tall, handsome man from my past suddenly reentered my life?"
MacGyver stared out the windshield, "You mean someone like Mike?"
"Mike? Mike who?"
"Mike 'clean cut-always-wears-a-tie' Harlow!" Mac snapped.
"I can't believe you!" Joanna shot back. "You know he's just a work friend. I've never been interested in him!"
Mac pinned her with a glare.
"Oh," she said sheepishly. "Point taken."
"Good!" Mac blew out a breath. "Now let's go inside."
"Wait a minute," she put a detaining hand on his forearm before rummaging in her purse and pulling out a small mirror and a couple of tissues which she used to blot her lips and gently sweep at least one layer of make-up from her face. "Okay. I'm ready now.
Once inside the tiny restaurant the couple easily found Penny seated at a corner table. After greetings were exchanged and food orders given, Mac provided his friend with the abridged version of his experiences since they had last seen each other.
"Wow," Penny sighed when he was through. "I really missed a lot!"
"Well, what about you?" he asked. "What have you been up to?"
"After that whole fiasco with that evil Murdoc at the theater I went back to the house my Aunt Betty left me to, you know, get my head together. That's when I got this really neat idea. I decided to turn Parker House into a bed and breakfast! I call it 'Aunt Betty's B&B'. I like the sound of all the B's. Anyway, it's been open for about six years now. People really like it even if it is haunted. You and Joanna should come and stay sometime!"
"Penny, we've been through this, that house is not haunted! There is no such thing as ghosts!"
The actress leaned in towards Joanna and whispered loudly, "He always tells me that, but the house really is haunted. But in a good way. It's just my Aunt Betty and she would never hurt anyone. Besides, I think he says that just to make himself believe it. Heaven forbid MacGyver not be able to explain something with science and logic." Penny proceeded to roll her eyes as Jo suppressed a giggle.
"All right, fine! The house is 'haunted'. But how are you running a B&B? I didn't even know you could cook!"
"I can't," Penny replied. "But with the rest of my inheritance from Aunt Betty I was able to hire people to do the cooking and cleaning and hostessing and all that sort of stuff. That way I can still pursue my singing and acting career!"
"And how's that been goin' for ya?" Mac asked.
Penny frowned and looked down at her plate. "Not so great. You know, L.A. is full of singers and actors. But," she raised her eyes which began to twinkle, "I have gotten some minor parts in movies and plays and I've even done a few television commercials!"
"That's great, Penny!" MacGyver smiled. "So how did you land this role?"
"It was the weirdest thing," she replied as her eyes widened. "I was walking out of a theater after an audition and almost got hit by this man in an electric wheelchair! I stumbled and ended up falling right in his lap! But you'll never believe what happened next!"
"Try me," Mac challenged.
Penny took a deep breath before continuing. Likely it would be her last for a while unless something managed to interrupt her.
"Well, after I got off his lap I figured it was only right that I should introduce myself. I mean, I had fallen all over him! He asked if I was an actress and of course I told him I was. And then he told me he directed musical theater and asked if I'd be interested in auditioning for him. Mac, his name was Jacques La Rue!"
Listening to Penny was often like trying to follow a mouse in a maze and MacGyver generally found it entertaining, but this news had him shaking his head in disbelief.
"There's no way, Penny! You know Murdoc just made all that up to get to you…and me. And since he's dead—"
"Don't you get it, Mac?" Penny cried. "There really is a crippled director named Jacques La Rue! Murdoc must have known that and impersonated him. But the real Jacques La Rue is much nicer! He's the one who hired me for this show!"
"I don't suppose I could meet him?"
Penny chewed on her lower lip before answering. "He really prefers to stay in the background. Behind the scenes, you know. I think it's because of his disability."
"I see," MacGyver replied cynically.
"But I'm sure if I told him a friend of mine wanted to meet him he would make an exception!" Penny brightened. "I'll ask him about it tonight!"
Back in the car, MacGyver found himself pinned by Joanna's gaze.
"What was all that about Murdoc and Jacques La Rue?" she asked.
"It's a long story. And not a very happy one." He didn't care to explain further. Not even to Jo. There were some things in his past that he wanted to keep there, and Murdoc was certainly one of them.
"Maybe Penny will tell me more about it tomorrow," Jo responded. "We decided to have a girl's day and get to know each other better."
"When did this happen?" Mac asked, more than a little shocked.
"Before dessert, when we went to the ladies room," she shrugged. "Do you have a problem with me spending time with your ex-girlfriend?"
"No! And she's not my ex-girlfriend!"
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Late Sunday morning Joanna stood in the middle of Penny's motel room as the actress finished putting on her make-up in the small bathroom. The main room was sparsely furnished with everything one would expect and nothing more.
"So, I was thinking we should hit the mall for some retail therapy, grab some lunch and then treat ourselves to a manicure. How does that sound?" Penny called to Joanna.
"Sounds great, but I thought you'd have a Sunday matinee."
"No, Jacques doesn't believe in working on Sundays which is fine with the cast. We get a whole day to relax or spend traveling without having to worry about performing."
Joanna looked around the room once more before taking a seat in a straight backed wooden chair. "That makes sense," she replied. "But I would've thought that you'd be staying in a…different...motel."
"Yeah, me too," the younger woman sighed, now standing in the bathroom doorway. "Jacques promises it's only until the profits from the box office pick up. But until then, it was either fly to the cities we're performing in and stay in cheap motels, or stay in nice hotels and take the bus." At this, Penny pulled a face. Obviously, professional actors did not endure long bus rides.
There was a sudden knock on the door and Penny hurried to answer it. She opened it to reveal a twenty-something, blonde-haired girl holding a plain white box.
"Oh, hey Jenny! C'mon in. This is my friend Joanna. Jo, this is my understudy, Jenny."
Jenny stepped into the room and smiled at Joanna. "I'm sorry to interrupt. I didn't know you had company, but I just ran into the motel manager and he said this had been left at the front desk for you so I offered to bring it over."
The girl handed Penny the box who eagerly opened it.
"Cherry cordials! My favorite!" she exclaimed. "Well, maybe not my favorite but definitely a close second! Gee, I wonder who sent them? Maybe I have a secret admirer!" She started to reach for one of the treats before hesitating.
"Oh, gosh, where are my manners?! Jenny, Joanna, would you like one?"
When both women politely declined, Penny popped an entire piece of candy in her mouth. Her eyes rolled back in pure bliss.
"These are wonderful!" she mumbled around the chocolate concoction.
"Well, I better be going," Jenny announced. "Are we still on to run lines tonight?"
Penny nodded then swallowed before answering. "You bet. Come on over around six."
Jenny smiled and slipped out the door.
"Poor kid," Penny said sadly once the girl had left. "This is her first big break and she's so worried she's going to have to go on for me."
"Isn't it pretty rare for understudies to actually be needed to perform?" Jo asked.
"You'd think so, right? But brides number one and two are both currently being played by the understudies."
"Really?! How come?"
"When we were in Houston, bride number one kept getting these strange notes and was convinced a stalker was trying to kill her so she just up and quit one day and went back to Los Angeles. Then, in Omaha, a piece of rigging fell and almost hit bride number two. She stumbled getting out of the way and broke her ankle. You sure you don't want one?" Penny thrust the candy box under Joanna's nose.
"No. Thanks," she smiled.
"Suit yourself! I'll be back in a jiffy!" Penny promised as she headed back to the bathroom, popping another cherry into her mouth on the way.
Curious about the information Penny had just disclosed, Joanna called to her, "So what did the police in Houston and Omaha say about what happened to the actresses?"
"They said the falling rigging was an accident, and the notes were probably just a cruel prank. Jacques refused to let them investigate further because that would have put us behind, travel wise, and he didn't want to postpone any performances."
"Don't you think that's kinda odd?" Jo asked, but her question was met with prolonged silence.
"Penny?" she asked again. Still nothing but silence.
Suddenly, a loud clatter and muffled thud come from the other room. Joanna raced into the bathroom to find Penny's unconscious body crumpled on the floor. Not wanting to move her, but needing to know if she was alive, Jo gently shook the other woman's shoulder.
"Penny! Penny, can you hear me?!"
When she received no response she frantically searched for a pulse. She relaxed slightly when she found one, albeit slow and weak. She also noted that Penny's face was unusually flushed and there was the slightest scent of…something. Jo tried to place it and finally realized it reminded her of bitter almonds. She flew to the telephone on the nightstand and placed two calls, the first to 911, the second to MacGyver.
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MacGyver all but flew through the automatic doors of the emergency room. He still had on his worn jeans and stained t-shirt as he had received Joanna's call in the middle of painting a dorm room at Challengers. Groups of people huddled together in the waiting area. Penny's co-stars, he assumed, but no sign of the director. His eyes continued to search for the one person he needed to find most. After several moments, he found Joanna comforting a young, blonde girl who was clearly distraught. Their gazes met and Jo excused herself from the girl and joined Mac in the center of the room.
"Any news?" he asked anxiously.
"No. They're still working on her, I guess."
"What about you? Are you okay?" he asked, cupping her face with his hands.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Joanna sighed. "Maybe a little shook up, but I'll be okay."
"You always say that," he gently chided as he pressed his lips to her forehead in a tender, comforting kiss. "Tell me what happened."
Jo led him to a pair of chairs away from the others and told him everything that had happened from the time she arrived at the motel until now.
"I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner," he apologized. "By the time I got cleaned up and drove over to the motel everyone was already gone."
"It's okay. There was nothing you could have done anyway."
"I could have been there for you," he declared huskily as he noticed she was holding his hand a bit tighter than usual.
Before Joanna could respond, a tall woman in a white lab coat stood in the doorway, scanning the large number of people that had gathered. She spoke quietly to the nearest nurse who nodded toward Joanna.
"Ms. Fairfax?" the doctor called.
Joanna jumped out of her seat, pulling MacGyver with her, their hands still intertwined. Together they anxiously approached the physician.
"How is she, doctor?" Mac asked immediately.
"And you are…?"
"MacGyver. I'm a good friend of Penny's."
"I'm sorry, Mr. MacGyver, but I'm not at liberty to discuss a patient's condition with anyone except immediate family. I came to speak to Ms. Fairfax since she was with Ms. Parker when she collapsed."
"I'm the closest thing to family she has," Mac insisted.
Just then a nurse quickly approached the doctor and whispered in her ear. The doctor's face softened and she turned to MacGyver once again.
"It seems one of the paramedics found an emergency contact card in Ms. Parker's purse with your name on it, although the contact information seems to be outdated."
MacGyver was surprised to learn that he was the person Penny wanted someone to call if anything happened to her, but in a way it did make sense.
"And since Ms. Parker is a travelling performer, her situation is a bit different," the doctor continued. "If you two will please follow me?"
Mac and Joanna followed the woman to the nearest empty emergency room bay for some privacy.
"My name is Doctor Reagan. I'm sorry if I was a bit brusque, but with all the new privacy laws these days…" she blew out a breath of what appeared to be frustration.
"We understand," MacGyver assured her. "We'd appreciate anything you could tell us, though."
"From the information the paramedics at the scene and Ms. Fairfax have provided, as well as my initial examination, I am all but certain Ms. Parker is suffering from cyanide poisoning."
Stunned, Mac and Joanna looked at each other before turning back to the doctor for more information.
"We've drawn blood and the lab is analyzing the cherry cordials found in the motel, but I've already started Ms. Parker on an antidote. I doubt there was a high level of the poison in her system, and thanks to Ms. Fairfax's timely actions Ms. Parker should recover quickly."
"When can we see her?" MacGyver asked.
"We sedated her when she began to gain consciousness in order to allow the medicine to work. She'll probably sleep into the evening. We can give you a call when she wakes up."
Mac jammed his fingers through his already messy hair and shook his head.
"No. I'll stay and wait," he declared. Then he turned to Joanna.
"I hate to ask this of you, but could you swing by Challengers and check to make sure everything is going okay? I left in kinda a hurry and I'm sure Cynthia's concerned."
"I'll do whatever you need me to do," Jo assured him. "But promise you'll call if there are any changes with Penny."
The doctor called out to Joanna as she prepared to leave. "Ms. Fairfax, since this appears to be an intentional poisoning, I've already called the authorities and I'm sure they'll want to speak with you."
"No problem," Jo replied. "Mac knows how to reach me." She gave MacGyver a quick hug which he wished could have lasted much longer before turning her back and heading to the parking lot.
XXXXX
A few hours later, Penny's condition had stabilized enough to allow her to be moved to a private room. However, it was early evening before she awoke to find MacGyver keeping vigil at her bedside.
"Hey you," she greeted him with a weary smile.
"Hey, how're you feelin'?"
"Not so great, but I guess I'll live," she replied, more subdued than Mac had ever seen her.
"Do you remember what happened?" he asked.
Penny sighed. "I remember I was putting on make-up before going to the mall with Joanna and then everything went black. What happened to me, Mac?"
Her innocent, questioning gaze twisted MacGyver's heart. How could he tell her the truth without frightening her?
"Do you remember eating cherry cordials?" he asked
Penny began to smile. "Yeah, they were sooo good!"
"Penny, the lab here analyzed them. They were laced with cyanide. You were poisoned."
"Oh no!" Penny exclaimed, struggling to sit up in her bed. "Thank goodness Joanna and Jenny both refused when I offered them some!"
"Who's Jenny?" Mac asked, but he was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.
"Mind if I join you?" Joanna asked from behind a large vase of yellow roses.
"Oh Joanna! You shouldn't have!" Penny gushed when she saw the flowers.
"Actually, I didn't," Jo replied with a grin, carefully setting the crystal vase on the table next to the hospital bed. "They were at the nurses' station so I offered to deliver them. Here's the card."
Penny plucked the small white envelope from Joanna's fingers.
"Oh! They're from Jacques! He's such a sweet, thoughtful man!" Penny clutched the note to her chest as if it was a valued prize.
"If he's such a great guy, why didn't he come with the others to make sure you were okay?" MacGyver asked with an edge to his voice.
"I already told you that he doesn't care to make public appearances," she replied with a slight pout.
He was gearing up to ask her more questions about the mysterious Jacques La Rue when Joanna cleared her throat, interrupting his thoughts.
"You look like you could use a break," she said. "Why don't we go to the cafeteria and let Penny rest for a while?"
MacGyver didn't want to leave, he wanted to learn more about this enigmatic director Penny was so enamored with, but the stern look in Joanna's eyes told him she wasn't going to take no for an answer.
Joanna took a sip of her soft drink and peered over her plastic cup at MacGyver who was seated across from her nursing a glass of orange juice. An uneasy silence had settled between them since leaving Penny's room.
"Mind telling me why you dragged me down here?" Mac asked sternly.
"I'm worried," Jo answered softly.
"Penny's gonna be fine," Mac's voice softened. "You saw how much better she's doing already."
Joanna shook her head. "I know. That's not what I mean. She told me something at the motel I think you need to know about." She then proceeded to tell MacGyver about the previous incidences.
"You gotta admit it's pretty strange, Mac. I mean, one mishap can be an accident. A second can be a coincidence. But a third? I think there's a pattern here."
"Like someone trying to oust the main actresses," MacGyver replied, picking up her line of thought.
"Exactly! I tried to convince the police of that when Jenny and I gave our statements this afternoon, but they didn't seem to want to believe me. They're just focusing on Penny right now."
"I don't suppose they shared anything with you?"
"No."
"Figures," Mac replied, scrubbing his face with his hands. "By the way, who is this 'Jenny' person anyway?"
"She's Penny's understudy," Jo answered as if he should've known that.
"The girl you were with in the waiting room?"
"Yeah. She's gonna have to go on tomorrow night and she's really nervous."
"She's the one who gave Penny the cherries, right?"
"Right. She got them from the desk clerk."
"Or so she says," MacGyver mused, his eyes glinting with suspicion.
Joanna's jaw dropped. "You don't think…?"
"Well, she does have motive. This will thrust her into the limelight and no doubt help her career."
"But she's scared to death, Mac! I really think her feelings are genuine. But you could be onto something. Maybe it's one of the other understudies?"
MacGyver tipped his head in thought. "They would all have motive and probably opportunity, but I'm still not convinced Jacques La Rue is as genuine or innocent as Penny says."
Joanna remained silent, as if she knew Mac was working on a plan. And he was.
"Do you still have the program with the cast list?" he asked her.
"Yeah, it's in my purse."
"Good. When you get to work tomorrow, run background checks on all the actors. Get as deep as you can. And see what you can find out about La Rue as well."
"You got it. What are you gonna do?"
"I'm gonna pay a visit to a certain motel desk clerk."
XXXXX
Bright and early Monday morning MacGyver stood at the front desk of the Glenfield Inn facing a lanky young man in his early twenties.
"Sorry, no vacancy," the man said.
"I'm not here for a room," Mac explained. "I'm here for some answers."
This seemed to get the young man's attention.
"Were you working here yesterday morning?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Did someone deliver a plain white box for a Penny Parker?"
"Yeah."
Boy, this kid either had a very limited vocabulary or he was trying to hide something.
"Did you recognize them? What did they look like?" Mac pressed.
"It was a boy, maybe about ten or so. Just asked me to give the box to Ms. Parker."
"And did you?" MacGyver already knew the answer, but he wanted to make sure the stories matched.
"I was on my way to her room when one of the other actresses, a blonde, said she was headed that way and would take it."
"Then what did you do?"
"I came back here," the clerk shrugged.
Mac sighed, frustrated at the apparent dead end. He bade the young man good bye and was headed to his Jeep when his cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hi MacGyver! It's Penny! I've got some great news!"
Penny's bubbly toned made Mac smile in spite of himself. "Hello Penny, what's your great news?"
"The doctor is releasing me this morning! She says I'm almost fully recovered and can leave if I promise to take it easy. Isn't that great?! But I'm gonna need a ride, so if you could come and pick me up that would be super! You can come and pick me up, can't you?"
"No problem. I'm on my way." Mac grinned as he got into the Jeep and drove to the hospital.
His grin immediately turned to a frown when he entered Penny's room to find her already dressed and sitting on the side of the bed talking to a man in a wheelchair. It could only be the infamous Jacques La Rue and MacGyver was more than ready to have a few words with the reclusive director.
"MacGyver!" Penny exclaimed when she saw him. "Look who came to visit me! It's Jacques!"
As the man maneuvered his wheelchair to face the doorway, MacGyver observed that the director was portlier than he had envisioned. He also wore thick glasses and had a bald head.
"Ah, so this is the 'MacGyver' Penny has been telling me about," the older man smiled, reaching out his hand.
Mac stepped forward and shook La Rue's hand even as he raised his eyebrows at Penny who offered and apologetic shrug.
"Ms. Parker was telling me how you so heroically rescued her from an evil assassin who was impersonating me. I owe you a debt of gratitude for protecting this wonderful lady."
"Yeah, well, it was nothing, really," Mac replied, a bit embarrassed as well as surprised at the friendliness and openness with which the director addressed him.
"Oh, Mac does stuff like that all the time," Penny added.
"Well, not all the time," MacGyver rebutted. "In fact, I'm trying to cut back."
Jacques La Rue laughed heartily and Penny giggled along with him. Mac figured now was as good a time as any to get some questions answered.
"Mr. La Rue—"
"Please, call me Jacques! 'Mr. La Rue' makes me feel so old!"
"Jacques," Mac continued, "do you know why anyone might want to harm your lead actresses?"
A dark cloud appeared over the man's countenance and MacGyver waited for Jacques to gather his thoughts.
"The theater is a fickle mistress, my boy. One day you're on top of the world, directing the world's most prestigious performers, the next you are staying in cheap motels, trying to earn enough money to keep the show from going under. Unfortunately, my current status is the latter. If we do not complete this tour in its entirety, my career is ruined."
"So you believe someone is trying to shut down the show."
"Yes, I'm afraid that is so," the director replied sadly.
"Do you have any idea who it might be?"
"Mr. MacGyver, in my position one makes a lot of friends as well as enemies."
They were interrupted when a nurse arrived with Penny's discharge papers. La Rue quietly took his leave and Mac waited before helping Penny to the Jeep.
"Hey! This isn't the way back to the motel!" Penny sputtered twenty minutes later.
"That's right," MacGyver replied. "I'm taking you back to my place. You'll be safer there."
"But I need my stuff!"
"Give me your room key and I'll pick it up later."
"You really think I'm still in danger?" Penny asked despondently.
"Yeah, I do. And even if you're not, I'd rather be safe than sorry."
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Joanna leaned back in her desk chair and massaged her temples. She had been staring at her computer screen since eight o'clock that morning and it was now mid-afternoon. When she had arrived at the office, she had immediately pushed her assigned files to the far corners of her desk which was now littered with computer printouts and various colored notepapers that threatened to tumble onto the floor. Despite the fact that her office looked like a landfill, she actually had gleaned very little information about Jacques La Rue and the female actors Mac had asked her to investigate. From what she could find, La Rue had been a successful theatrical producer and director in his day. Articles reported that he was beloved by performers as well as peers. Unfortunately, his most recent productions had fallen on hard times and he was struggling to stay afloat financially. Perhaps he was sabotaging his own show to collect insurance money. If there was any. As for the actresses, they were all either unknowns or has-beens grateful for any role that would pay the rent. She had just called up the information on the actor who played the eldest brother in the play when there was a light tap on her door and Geena, the receptionist, entered her office.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Ms. Fairfax, but Mr. MacGyver is on the phone for you."
Joanna wrinkled her brow. "Why didn't he just call me directly?"
"He tried, but said he couldn't get through. I just tried to transfer him to you with the same results. It sounds as if your phone's off the hook."
Together the women shoved aside papers and searched for Jo's telephone. At some point, the receiver had been pushed out of its cradle and hung against the side of Joanna's desk. She let out a low moan as she replaced it, wondering how many calls she had missed. She was just about to speak to Geena when she noticed the woman staring at the picture on the computer monitor.
"Is that who I think it is?" the receptionist asked breathlessly.
"I doubt you know him," Jo informed her. "He's just one of the actors in a play Mac and I went to the other night.
"That's Chad Connors!" Geena exclaimed.
"Who's Chad Connors, besides brother number one?" Joanna asked.
"Don't you watch 'Memorial Hospital', girl?!"
"The soap opera?"
"Of course! That delicious-looking young man right there is none other than Dr. Jack Weaver! Well, at least until he left the show."
"Why did he leave?" Joanna wasn't quite sure why she was interested, but she was.
"The official reason was because of creative differences," Geena explained with an eye roll. "The real reason is anybody's guess. But there've been rumors that the studio's been bombarded with fan mail and they're working hard to get him back. What's his gorgeous face doing on your computer, anyway? Getting tired of looking at that man of yours?" Geena raised her eyebrows and nodded toward the small photo of Mac taped to the corner of Jo's monitor.
Joanna smiled, squashing the urge to tell Geena, yet again, that Mac was not 'her man'. "I'm just doing some research, Geena."
"Okay, whatever you say," the receptionist smirked as she headed back to the outer office.
Jo sat back and studied the face of the apparently famous Chad Connors. His dark hair and piercing brown eyes should have made her swoon. Instead, a shiver slid down her spine as a suspicion took root in her mind. The sudden ring of the telephone startled her.
"Hello?"
"It's about time!"
"Sorry, Mac," Jo grimaced. "I accidentally knocked my phone off the hook."
"Find out anything interesting?" he asked regarding her research.
"Up until a few minutes ago I would have said 'no', but I think I may have changed my mind. I need to do a little more digging."
"Can you come over to my place after work so we can exchange information? I'll pick up Chinese."
Joanna grinned into the phone. "Now how could I possibly refuse an invitation like that?!"
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Late that afternoon, Penny opened MacGyver's front door to find Joanna waiting patiently on the stoop, her myriad notes now tucked neatly inside a manila folder.
"Ya know you don't have to knock," Mac grinned, walking up behind his friend.
"I know," Jo shrugged. "I just don't feel right barging in." She blushed slightly before addressing Penny.
"I'm so glad they let you leave the hospital! Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah, but I'll feel a lot better when whoever tried to poison me is behind bars!"
MacGyver ushered the two women to his kitchen table where they passed around containers of various Chinese cuisine. Once they had taken the edge off their hunger, Mac cleared his throat and prepared to eat some crow.
"I met Jacques La Rue today," he informed Joanna. "He was at the hospital when I picked up Penny. I think I really misjudged the guy. He really seems to want to finish the tour and end his career on a positive note."
"See!" Penny gushed, "I told you Jacques was one of the good guys!"
"Are you sure about that, Mac?" Jo asked warily.
"Unless you found something to incriminate him," MacGyver countered.
"Not really, though it had occurred to me that maybe he was trying to sabotage the show to collect some insurance money or something."
"Penny and I talked about that this afternoon. From what we know, he has nothing to gain and everything to lose if the show shuts down. What did you find out about the actors?"
"Not much, and it wasn't for lack of trying," Jo scowled. "But I might have a lead."
MacGyver felt hopeful for the first time that day.
"Do you know who Chad Connors is?"
"Should I?" he asked.
He noticed Penny bouncing in her chair, unable to contain her excitement.
"He plays the eldest brother, but before he signed on with Jacques he played Dr. Jack Weaver on 'Memorial Hospital'! Rumor has it he got mad that they cut one of his scenes and just walked out one day!"
"Isn't that a soap opera?" Mac asked.
Penny nodded vigorously. "On T.V. he's real dreamy, but in real life he's kinda a jerk."
"What do you mean?" Joanna asked.
"When he's not performing all he does is walk around like a big shot and complain about how his career is ruined. He keeps demanding that poor Jacques let him out of his contract, but if he leaves, no one will want to come to the shows. He's the most famous person here!"
"Penny, when you signed your contract, was there some type of clause requiring you to stay for the entire run of the play?" Jo inquired.
"Yeah," Penny shrugged. "It's really not unusual, but I've heard some actors actually ruin their careers because they take legal action to get out of that type of agreement. That never really made sense to me. I mean, you get out of your contract and then you're unemployed!"
"And nobody wants to hire you because you have a bad reputation," MacGyver added.
"But if the show folds, then the contracts are null and void," Joanna mused.
"Go on," Mac encouraged.
"Rumor has it that 'Memorial Hospital' is eager to get Chad back. That has to be why he wants out of his contract with Jacques, and the best way to do that is to shut down the play." Jo concluded.
"You mean Chad is behind all this?! He tried to poison me?!"
"I'm afraid it looks that way," Mac replied sympathetically.
Penny straightened in her chair with new resolve. "Well, can't we have him arrested or something?!"
MacGyver sighed wearily. "We don't have any evidence, Penny."
"Well, how can we get some?"
Her guileless expression twisted his gut. "I don't know. Yet. Let's sleep on it and talk about it in the morning.
He led Jo to the door and quickly kissed her goodnight as Penny trudged up the stairs to the bedroom.
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Penny lay awake, staring up at the ceiling and listening to MacGyver snore softly from the living room couch below. How could he sleep when there was a killer on the loose?! Well, technically Chad wasn't a killer, but he certainly was trying to be! She rolled her head to the side and glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand. It was almost midnight. The show should have ended a couple hours ago and, if Chad was true to form, he'd be out at a local bar getting hammered until closing time which meant his motel room would be empty. Mac had said they needed hard evidence against Chad. Well, now was the time to get that!
Penny silently slid out of bed, put on a pair of jeans and a sweater, and grabbed a pair of shoes which she planned to slip into once she was outside. She needed to be as quiet as possible. Tip-toeing down the spiral staircase, she paused every few steps to make sure MacGyver was still sleeping. She then stealthily made her way to the front door, snatching the keys to the Jeep from the brass sailboat keyring holder on the wall. Feeling bolder, she opened the door and stepped over the threshold. Unfortunately, she cut the turn a little too quick and rammed her bare toes into the doorjamb. An inadvertent squeak escaped before the slapped her hand over her mouth and hurried to the driveway.
Except for the light from a few stray lampposts, the motel parking lot was dark and more than a little spooky. Penny parked in front of her room so as not to draw attention and walked across the courtyard to Chad's assigned room. She reached out to turn the doorknob, but of course it was locked.
"Oh, Penny! You can be so stupid sometimes!" she muttered as she headed to the front office.
An old man sat behind the counter. He was slumped in his chair, half asleep behind a newspaper he had been reading.
"Hello?!" Penny called.
"Sorry, no vacancies," the man mumbled before readjusting his paper.
"I don't need a room. I already have one, but I locked myself out. Can I get an extra key?" she asked, using her sweetest smile.
The clerk sighed gustily, asked for the room number, and handed over a key.
"Next time be more careful," he growled, returning to his paper.
Once safely inside Chad's room, Penny looked around and for the first time realized she had no idea what she was looking for! She chewed her lower lip and wondered what MacGyver would do in this situation. After a few moments, she figured he would probably look for something that seemed odd or out of place. She clicked on the lamp next to the bed, hoping the heavy curtains drawn across the large picture window would blot out the light. She really needed a flashlight, but it was too late.
Ready to begin her search, she opened the drawer to the nightstand but found it empty save for the requisite Bible. She then dropped to the floor and peered under the bed, only to be met by numerous dust bunnies that sent her into a sneezing fit. She rummaged through the dresser drawers next, but again found nothing suspicious. She was ready to give up when she remembered the bathroom. She entered the small room and clicked on the light. Unlike her own vanity, which was cluttered with various bottles and tubes of beauty products, Chad's cabinet was empty except for his shaving kit. Figuring she had nothing to lose, she unzipped the leather pouch. Her mouth fell open at what she saw. There, nestled in amongst his razor and other toiletries was a small syringe and a vial of a clear liquid. Penny instinctively reached out to grab the items when a scuffling sound from the other room startled her. Chad had returned! And she was trapped!
Penny frantically looked around as if a window or door would appear out of thin air, but as reality set in and the man's footsteps got closer, she did the only thing she could think of. She stepped into the bathtub, pulled the shower curtain closed, crouched down and focused on quieting her breathing.
She sensed the moment the actor entered the room. She heard him stumble against the commode before apparently leaning against the sink, causing the contents of his shaving kit to clatter to the floor. He cursed loudly and she tried to make herself as small and quiet as possible. She almost gasped when she saw his shadowed figure on the other side of the curtain. Only a thin piece of plastic fabric separated them. Her eyes widen as a large hand snaked around the edge of the curtain, flailing for a few seconds before grabbing onto the shower faucet and giving it a hard yank. The spray of cold water hit Penny and she could stay silent no longer.
"Oh!" she cried, immediately regretting her outburst. The shower curtain flew open and the tall man stood scowling down at her, his hands clenched at his sides.
"What are you doing here?!" he roared.
"I…I...um…" Penny stuttered as she slowly rose and stepped out of the tub, her foot momentarily slipping on the tile floor. Before she could gather herself and fabricate a reasonable explanation, Chad had already shoved her out of the bathroom and pushed her down into a straight-backed chair. He quickly grabbed the telephone, disconnected the extra-long cord, and used it to bind Penny's arms to her torso.
"You'll never get away with this!" Penny spat, finally finding her voice.
"Get away with what?" he snarled. "I'm not the one who was trespassing."
"I wasn't trespassing!" she denied instinctively.
"Oh yeah? Then what would you call it?"
"Ummmm, I forgot which room was mine?"
"Is that the best you can do?!" he rounded on her. "No wonder you're such a lousy actress!"
"I am not a lousy actress! Jacques says I have a lot of potential!" She raised her chin and glared into his beady eyes.
"Well, let's see what he has to say about you when he finds you dead!"
Penny's bravado disappeared immediately. "Dead? Why would he find me dead?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Parker!"
"But…maybe I am dumb," she replied softly, her large eyes full of innocence. Yes, she was dumb alright. Dumb enough to think she could find evidence and get Chad arrested all on her own. Tears threatened as she thought of MacGyver, still asleep on his couch, completely unaware she had left and was in danger. He wasn't going to be her hero this time.
"Look," Chad said, "I saw your friend in the Jeep this morning poking around and asking questions. You figured it out, didn't you?!" he demanded.
"Figured what out?" Penny had seen enough movies to know that the longer you kept a person talking the longer it took for them to kill you…she hoped.
"That I'm the one sabotaging the show to get out of my contract. But if anyone finds out, my career is ruined!"
"I won't say anything, I promise," Penny vowed.
"I know you won't, because I'm going to kill you! I messed up the first time, but it won't happen again!"
He stalked into the bathroom and when he returned Penny noticed him holding a syringe filled with a clear liquid that could only be a deadly dose of cyanide.
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MacGyver grumbled and opened one eye. Something had awakened him. He turned his head to find Frog sleeping soundly underneath the coffee table as usual. An intrinsic need to figure out what woke him pushed him up from the couch and he padded to the kitchen for a drink. He opened the 'fridge, grabbed a carton of juice and took a swig. Maybe Penny had come down for a drink as well? Without turning on a light he slowly made his way upstairs to check on his house guest.
"Penny?" he called in a loud whisper.
No reply.
"Penny?" he called again.
Upon reaching the landing he found himself staring at an empty bed with the door to the adjoining bathroom standing wide open. He swallowed a curse and ran back down the stairs. Maybe she had just stepped outside for some fresh air, he tried to tell himself as panic rose in his chest. He jerked his front door open and looked around quickly. No Penny. And no Jeep!
Thankful that he had decided to sleep fully clothed in deference to having a woman in his house, he quickly grabbed his bomber jacket and the keys to the Nomad. Recalling their conversation from earlier that evening he knew, he just knew, that Penny had gone back to the motel to find evidence against Chad Connors.
He slowed the car as he approached the motel, dousing the headlights before pulling into the parking lot. There was his Jeep, parked outside Penny's room. Maybe she had decided to come and pick up more of her personal items. Granted, it was an odd thing to do in the middle of the night, but he had learned early on that anything was possible with Penny Parker.
He parked the Nomad next to the Jeep and tapped softly on her door. When there was no answer he took out his Swiss Army knife and jimmied the lock. The room was empty and dark. He let go a sigh of both fear and frustration. He looked around at the other rooms, all of which appeared equally dark. He had to find out which one belonged to Chad. And fast! He wasn't in the mood to go another round with a surly desk clerk, but that seemed to be his only option. He was just about to turn and head to the office when a door opened across the parking lot and a young blonde stepped out into the night. Jenny. Mac sprinted across the asphalt and quietly called her name.
"MacGyver! What are you doing here?"
"Have you seen Penny?"
"No. I thought she was staying with you?" Confusion knit her brow.
"She is. She was. Look, do you know which room Chad Connors is staying in?"
"Yeah, room number twelve. What's going on?"
"Hopefully nothing, but just to be safe, go back inside, lock the door, and don't come out no matter what you hear, okay?" A sinking feeling in his gut caused him to add, "And call the police!"
Jenny nodded and Mac waited until she secured the room before moving. He kept his back up against the building and his steps as light as possible as he made his way to the room Jenny had indicated. As he got closer, he heard muffled voices arguing. Even though he couldn't hear the words, there was no doubt that one of those voices belonged to Penny. He stopped at the edge of the large window, trying to peek around the curtain, but it was pulled tight. He had no idea what he'd be walking into, but he didn't have time to worry about it. Chad was in there with Penny and there was no way that was a good thing. He glanced around for anything he could use as a diversion. His eyes lit on a small fire extinguisher bolted on the outside wall next to the door. It probably wasn't large enough to meet the fire code, but for him it would serve as a key, a diversion, and a weapon if needed.
After quietly lifting the extinguisher from its holder and pulling the pin, he aimed the base at the locked door knob. He only had one shot at a surprise entrance so he had to make it good. He raised the red canister and slammed it down hard on the knob which easily gave way. Having announced his presence, he pushed the door open, raised the hose, aimed the nozzle and squeezed the discharge lever sending a cloud of carbon dioxide into the room.
"What the—?!" he heard Chad yell. Diversion accomplished.
But the cylinder ran out of the chemical way too soon. In seconds, the vapor had cleared enough for him to see the athletically built man charging towards him. Mac balanced the now-empty extinguisher in his hands before ramming the device into Chad's abdomen, knocking the breath from his lungs and causing him to drop the syringe. The actor stumbled backwards, lost his balance, and fell, hitting his head on the corner of the table knocking himself out cold.
"Oh MacGyver!" Penny exclaimed as he cut through her bindings. "I didn't think you would find me! How did you know where I was?! I thought for sure Chad would kill me!"
"We need to get out of here before he wakes up," Mac commanded, pulling Penny to her feet but stopping when the excitement on her face turned to horror. Not wanting to turn around but knowing he had to, MacGyver slowly swiveled to find himself face to face with Chad Connors.
"Boy, this guy's got a hard head," he muttered.
A second later, Chad thrust his fist into Mac's gut before hitting him in the jaw with a strong right cross. Mac staggered back, doubled over trying to catch his breath. Chad took another swing, but this time MacGyver was quicker and jumped out of the way. While the other man was recovering from his strike out, Mac balled his hand into a hard fist and smacked the other man square in the face. There was the sickening sound of cartilage breaking as Mac made contact and then the moans as Chad grabbed his nose and fell to his knees, blood flowing everywhere. For good measure, Penny came up beside him and kicked her would-be killer in the ribs turning the moans into curses. Mac shook out his fist. Man that hurt! Why did he keep doing things like this?! Suddenly, the room was awash in light as police offers moved in to grab their prisoner. Mac took Penny by the arm and gently led her from the room. Most of the other performers had heard the commotion and now huddled in small groups in the parking lot as their eldest "brother" was escorted to a waiting squad car.
"You saved my life again!" Penny cried, as she wrapped her arms around MacGyver's neck and hugged him tight.
"Nothin' to it," he grinned, returning her grateful gesture.
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The following evening, MacGyver, Penny, Joanna, and Jacques gathered backstage before the final performance. Actors hustled by practicing lines and dance steps. The theater began to swell with spectators and there was electricity in the air.
"Are you positive this is what you want?" the director asked Penny in a fatherly tone.
"Yes, Jacques, I'm sure," she replied gently. "I'll miss the excitement and all, but I really feel like it's time for me to go home and put down some roots." She looked at Mac and Jo and smiled. "Maybe I'll even find me a guy to marry and have some kids. Not a lot, though. Maybe only one or two. Or maybe I won't have any so I can be free to travel. But then again, that wouldn't exactly be putting down roots, would it?" she laughed.
Jacques took Penny's hand. "Just be happy, my dear. Follow your heart wherever it takes you!"
"What about you, Jacques?" MacGyver asked. "What will you do once the play finishes touring?"
The older man's expression turned thoughtful, but there was a twinkle in his eye.
"I had every plan to retire and live out my days in a reclusive French villa," he replied. "But once news got out about this whole sabotage ordeal, well, it seems I'm a sought after director once again!"
"Hey, that's great!" Mac responded. "But I thought this ordeal would actually hurt your career."
Jacques smiled. "In show business, any exposure is good exposure. My name and works have been revived!"
"So you think you'll continue working?" This time it was Joanna's question.
"Time will tell, my dear! Time will tell."
The overhead lights began to blink before the conversation could continue.
"Looks like that's our cue to head to our seats," Mac observed. "Thanks again for inviting us," he said to Jacques.
"After what you did, it was my pleasure! Please go and enjoy the show!"
MacGyver and Joanna had just settled into their front row seats when the house lights began to dim. Mac slung his arm around Jo's shoulders, pulled her close, and began to nuzzle her ear.
"Stop it, Mac! Everyone is watching!"
"So? Let 'em!" he murmured as the curtain rose.