Page 105 of When She Dreams

There was a solid thud behind her. Dolores had blundered into the chair. She screamed, rage and panic mingling in the unearthly shriek.There was a flurry of wild footsteps as she struggled to recover her balance.

She failed. There was a quickly silenced scream followed by a jolting thud when she toppled off the stage and landed on the floor in front of the first row of seats.

An ominous silence followed, and then came the sound of muffled sobs.

Maggie hesitated, not certain what to do next. After a moment she started feeling her way back across the stage, hoping to get to the bank of light switches.

The backstage door crashed open.

“Maggie,” Sam shouted. “Where are you?”

“Here,” she called. “On the stage. She’s in here, too, on the floor. She fell. She’s got a gun. Don’t stumble over Gloria. She’s unconscious.”

The overhead fixture backstage came on, sending some light into the wings. Footsteps sounded. Sam appeared. He had his pistol in one hand, a flashlight in the other. Jake was right behind him.

Sam saw her and started toward her.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“Yes, I think so.”

Satisfied, Sam walked to the edge of the stage and looked down.

“Get the gun, Jake,” he ordered. “It’s under the center seat in the front row.”

“Yes, sir.”

Jake bounded down the side steps.

Arthur appeared, frantic and breathless. “Where is she? Where is my wife? Is she all right?”

“She’s alive,” Sam said. He leaned down to take the pistol Jake handed up to him.

“Dolores,” Arthur whispered. He went down the steps. “Darling, what have you done?”

“Arthur,” Dolores said. “Help me. You have to help me.”

A man dressed in a catering uniform showed up next. “The lady on the floor back here is unconscious, Mr. Sage, but she’s alive. My boss is calling the cops. They’ll be here soon.”

“Find your boss,” Sam said. “Tell him we’re going to need an ambulance.”

“Right.”

The caterer headed up the aisle toward the main entrance of the theater.

Sam slipped the pistol inside his evening jacket and went to Maggie, who was trying to push herself to her feet. She was shivering so badly she didn’t trust her balance. Sam wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

“Maggie,” he said, his voice a hoarse rasp. “Maggie.”

“I’m okay,” she said. “How did you know where to find me?”

“I knew something was wrong when I returned to the lobby. You were gone and there was no sign of Dolores Guilfoyle. Jake said he’d seen you heading for the ladies’ room. He said you hadn’t returned.”

She looked down at the floor below the stage. Arthur was kneeling beside Dolores, cradling her in his arms.

“Darling, how could you do this?” Arthur murmured.

“I did it to save you,” Dolores wailed. “To save our dream. You have to help me.”

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