Page 39 of Beyond the Darkness
Chapter Fifteen
Beyond Blyham
Instead of starting the week refreshed and prepared for a whole new round of rehearsals, on Monday morning Hudson was tired and ragged.On Saturday, he’d been up until almost two dealing with Blyham police officers who had taken three hours to come to the apartment and get his statement about Robbie Wiseman.The constables who had attended treated him like a crank, barely disguising their lack of interest.They had left with a vague suggestion that they would look at the local CCTV footage.Hudson had no hope they would follow through on that and intended to contact DS Benito Coppola in the morning.
After that, sleep had seemed near impossible.When he did at last fall off, it was a troubled and restless night.Sunday had not been much better.He’d attempted to focus on the script, but found himself constantly drawn back to the balcony, staring into the street, looking for his stalker.He’d become restless, not wanting to go out, but feeling trapped inside the apartment.
He could have called Luke, knowing he would be there in heartbeat, but something had held him back.As great as the last few days had been, their relationship was advancing at an accelerated rate.Hudson had always been wary about rushing into things and this was no exception.He trusted that his instincts about Luke were right, but he needed time and space to sit with them.To process what he was feeling.
When Luke sent him a text late in the afternoon to ask how he was doing, he lied and told him everything was great.
Sunday into Monday had been another restless night.
To make things worse, the walk from the apartment to the rehearsal studio that he enjoyed so much was out of the question.With everything that had happened and Robbie Wiseman in Blyham, he got a taxi across the river to the concert hall.
“Morning,” Jax greeted him cheerfully at the stage door.
“Hi, Jax,” he said, mustering enthusiasm he did not feel.“Any post today?”
Her eyes glanced over her shoulder and along the corridor.“Rav already asked me if there was any mail for you.”Her voice was hushed.“I assumed you’d want to receive it yourself.”
“Good work.You’re right.I do.”
She handed over a small pile of letters, containing an envelope with one of the all too familiar printed labels.Robbie Wiseman was nothing if not consistent.He thanked Jax and headed to the coffee shop.
While his order was being prepared, he opened the large envelope first, being careful not to handle it too much.It wouldn’t make any difference.Robbie wouldn’t have left any prints on the package.He’d been at his creepy practice for so long, he was practically a professional.Inside was a standard eight-by-ten glossy photograph.The surprise this time was that it was not a shot fromRed Hills Massacre.
It was an image from a screen test he’d filmed forThe Leopard, a superhero movie he’d been cast in many years ago, before being fired in the early stages of production.If it had gone ahead, the movie would have taken his career into the stratosphere.When the director was replaced, Hudson hadn’t fitted with the new director’s vision for the character and that had been the end of his hopes for mega stardom.In time, Hudson realised he’d dodged a bullet.The Leopardhad gone on to become a multi-movie franchise with crossovers into other comic book films.Given how negative his experiences of fame had been at his current level, he didn’t want that level of exposure.
His screen test and the costume and make-up tests he’d completed had been locked tight for many years, before eventually finding their way online.
The photo in the envelope showed him shirtless, obviously.His body was bigger, more ripped than he’d ever been before or since.Robbie’s interest in him must be broadening.It made a change from seeing himself playing dead in a pair of white underpants.
Hudson called DS Coppola, who agreed to follow up on the call he’d put in over the weekend and send someone over to collect the latest letter.He sounded marginally more interested than his colleagues who had taken the initial report.Hudson wondered if he would pass the information on to Luke’s ex Kris.
His mood fell further when he walked into the rehearsal room and spotted two newcomers, setting up recording equipment at the side of the stage.A man and a woman, both around thirty.Shit.He’d forgotten about the fucking podcasters.
The woman stopped what she was doing when she noticed he had arrived.The man, picking up on her interest, straightened and turned in his direction.
“Hi,” they said in cheery unison.
“Fuck you,” he muttered under his breath and ignored them.
Undeterred, they headed straight in his direction.
“Hey, Hudson, it’s great to meet you.”The man thrust his hand forward in an overfamiliar bro manner.
Hudson raised his hands to show that they were both full, one with a coffee cup, the other with mail.
Not to be put off, the man smacked him on the shoulder.“Corman Curtis, man.”
“I’m Amber Payne.”The woman curled her shoulder-length blonde hair behand an ear and fixed him full-on with her laser-sharp blue eyes.She looked like a perfect, filtered influencer profile image brought to life.“We’re honoured to be here.It’s really exciting forBeyond Blyhamto be part of your amazing show.”
“We’re big fans,” Corman said.Once again, his words were full of bro friendliness and devoid of sincerity.Corman was the Ken to Amber’s Barbie.Gym-built physique, black hair, ultra-sharp lines in his facial hair.His jeans and T-shirt seemed like they had been tailored to his powerful body.
“Look,” Hudson said.“I’ll be honest with you from the start.We’ve got a shit load of pressure and stress upon us already.The last thing we need is to be a sideshow on your podcast.”
“We’re not like other podcasters,” Corman said.The perfect smile did not falter.
