Work Text:
Notes: This story was never beta'd. All errors are mine!
"All right people. Let's call it for tonight. We have to be out of here in," he looks at his watch, "five minutes. Pick up your belongings and go everyone," Tim Hotchkins called out. As the director of the small community theatre group, it was his responsibility to make sure everyone left the building by their assigned time, or the group would be charged for the extra stage time. He looked at his watch again. "Three minutes!" He looked around the stage. It seemed everyone had listened to him this time. He did not see anyone on stage so he started to walk to stage right to check out that area. He saw a candlestick that was used as a prop in the play lying on the floor. When people leave fast around here, they are not checking the floor for dropped items, he thought. Tim picked up the candlestick and started to lift the lid to the container to put it away.
Tim heard something skitter across the floor behind him. He turned quickly, but saw nothing. Too dark back here, he mused silently. He finished putting the candlestick away and moved to exit the backstage area by the back door. Just as he pushed on the bar to open the door, his head exploded in pain. His body fell limply to the floor. A shadow crossed over the still body.
"C'mon, Jim. I told him we'd be there by seven! It's like almost seven now man!" Blair's bounce seemed even more pronounced than usual. His excitement bubbled into his voice. "I haven't worked backstage in years. It'll be fun. Community theatre is a great way to meet people too!"
"Sandburg," Jim droned, "I'm tired. Been up since 4:00 am, remember? Now you want to work in the dark-"
"Jim, when is it really dark for you? Just turn up the vision man. Besides, we have a long weekend, starting tomorrow, so you can sleep in. I promised-"
"Yeah, you promised and suddenly here we are. Why is that?" Jim asked with a smirk.
"Could be that you love me and want to spend your every waking moment with me--"
"Or-," Jim interrupted, "it could be that you used some of your famous Sandburg obfuscation skills. You said we would have dinner and a special treat. Well dinner was fine, but being made to stand around in a dark, damp, dusty backstage area does not rank up there in what I would call a special treat, Sandburg."
Knowing he was in trouble after hearing his last name spat out like spoiled milk, Blair countered. "Ok, maybe it's not a special treat, but it will be fun. Theatre people are-"
Blair stopped talking as Jim's hand on his shoulder held him back from walking any further. Blair observed a police cruiser parked by the curb as well as an ambulance. Many people were standing outside the door to the theatre. Some were in street clothes, while some had part of the costume on while others were in full costume and makeup.
"Stay here, Chief," Ellison said as his pace increased, leaving Sandburg behind.
Yeah, thought Blair, stay, boy, stay. Good dog--In your dreams, Ellison, Blair mentally countered as he also approached the group of police and actors. The closer he was to the group, the more of the banter between the actors as well as the police officers he was able to hear.
"...just so still.. "..found him at what time?" ... "...usually go straight to make-up..." "...stickler for being on-time, so I was surprised not to see him..."
The smatterings of the conversations only spurred Blair's curiosity even further. Who was found? Blair tried to organize his thoughts. He looked for his friend. He should be out here. He is always early to any event, party or... Sandburg's face lost all color. Again looking around those standing outside he did not see his friend. His knees started to give out. Just before he was sure to meet the ground abruptly, he felt an arm wrap around him and securely bring him back to his feet, his bodyweight fully against the man that had just stopped his fall. "Jim?" he asked, his voice soft.
"Yeah, Chief, it's me. Thought I asked you to wait over there?" Ellison asked, his head nodding in the direction where Blair should have been standing. He corded his fingers through Blair's soft locks and bent to kiss the top of his head.
"Who? -- Who died Jim?" Blair was sure he knew the answer, but had to make certain.
" Tim Hotchkins," Ellison replied succinctly. He turned Blair around in his arms. Blair laid his head flat against the taller man's shoulder.
"Thought so. I didn't see him out in the crowd. He's the director, man. Always early to everything he's a part of. So, if he wasn't out here, he had to be the one," Blair swallowed, his Adam's apple moving, "ya'know...in there." Blair wrapped his arms around Ellison pulling him in even closer. He didn't care if anyone else saw the way they were with each other. Most of the cops figured something was going on between the two men, but left them alone. As for the theatre people, like his friend Tim, a lot were gay or bi and therefore seeing two men hugging was nothing new or upsetting to them.
Ellison's curiosity as a lover more than a police officer had him asking, "How well did you know the dec..Mr. Hotchkins?"
Blair cocked his head up to see Jim looking straight down at him. A slight smile graced the younger man's face. "We were ...close... for a short time when I first arrived at Rainer. I met him in sophomore level anthro class. I was lonely, he was-" Blair stopped speaking. His memories flowed back as if the images were more recent. "-was nice. He treated me very well, Jim. Still, everything changes. I stayed in anthropology, he went into drama. We parted as friends and we still are...were..." Tears welled in Sandburg's eyes. He pushed his face into Ellison's shoulder to hide the tears that flowed freely.
"It'll be okay, Chief." Ellison slowly stroked Blair's back. "I'm here, lean on me. Just let it go. I'm here."
"Detective Ellison?" Officer Murray asked as he approached the two men.
Ellison looked up over Blair's shoulder to see the uniformed policeman waiting for the detective to acknowledge him.
"Yes, Murray. What do you have?"
Uncomfortable seeing the two men so close, Murray struggled to speak clearly. "We, ah, we are being told that Major Crimes is being assigned this case. Homicide is too backed up to handle it. Captain Banks is putting you as lead detective on this case since you were already here. The deceased is one Timothy Hoskiss.."
"Hotchkins," a soggy voice interrupted. A sad grin came across his face as he murmured, "People always made that error, Hoskiss instead of Hotchkins. I think it was because of the play Arsenic and Old Lace, but..." Blair let his thoughts quiet him back to resting against Jim's strong shoulder.
Surprised by the interruption, Officer Murray continued,"...Hotchkins, white male, age 29. Employed by the City of Cascade in the recreation department. He was assistant to the Leisure Management team leader. No family in town. Still checking for other family members-"
"None. Won't find any. Only child. Parents died in boating accident while he was attending Rainer." Blair didn't bother looking at Murray this time.
"Um, thanks, Mr. Sandburg. Still, we'll check that out." Murray turned to look at the detective, who seemed to be enjoying Blair's interruptions. "We still need to see if he had any known enemies..." Murray paused to see if Blair would interrupt him yet again. Hearing no interruption, he continued, "...but as of this time, it looks like he was an upstanding citizen without any enemies."
"So why's he dead?" Blair question sarcastically.
Ellison put a finger in front of Blair's mouth. "That, my dear Watson, is what we will find out."
The investigation went smoothly. With Blair's insight to the community theatre structure and politics, the murderer was discovered quickly.
Jim and Blair sat on their couch at the loft. Blair slapped his thigh. Beaming, Jim laid his head in Blair's lap. Blair slowly brushed at the short hairs struggling to survive on the former Army Ranger's head. Jim stared at Blair then remarked on their day. "Who, but you Chief, would figure that the murderer was an actor?"
"I knew the politics of community theatre man. People that audition are cast into the parts. A director just has to hope the 'right' people audition for the open roles. Sometimes there are personality conflicts and, well, parts are re-cast. Maybe not the best person for the role, but the best person for the group. That's what happened this time. The lead role was re-cast. He was upset and well, even though he didn't mean to kill Tim, that's what he did."
"Sorry about your friend, Chief. It's hard to lose someone you are close-"
"-Were-" Blair corrected immediately.
"-were close to. Your help showed us where to look for this guy, Rich Magurt. Slime ball if you ask me. He was a good actor when we picked him up though. Played the innocent man bit, but couldn't hide from me. His heartbeat was through the roof."
"Can we stop talking about Tim's murder and start talking about yours?" Blair asked with a smirk.
"My murder?" Jim queried back with a smile.
"Yeah, yours! I'm gonna murder you if you don't get up to bed right this instant and ..."
"Well, we can't have you start a crime spree now, can we Chief. Yeah, let's go upstairs."