Hannah watched as Lynne took her place in the desk chair and Burke entered the scene. The first take was awful, as were the second and the third. It was exactly the way Dean had described. Burke couldn’t act his way out of a paper bag. Hannah knew Burke’s character was supposed to be drunk, but Burke slipped several times and forgot to slur his words. He also looked more pained than guilty and Hannah remembered that he’d said his back was hurting him.

“Brace yourself,” Michelle said as Dean started to demonstrate the scene. “Camera two does a close-up and it’s not fun to watch.”

It was a clear warning from the baby sister who hadn’t minded watching an autopsy on educational television. Hannah took it to heart and did what she always did when a particularly frightening or gory scene appeared on television or in the movies. She peeked through her fingers.

This whole device of peeking through her fingers might look silly to other people, but it worked for Hannah. Just seeing her own fingers in front of the scene was a constant reminder that it wasn’t really happening and she was really in a movie theater or in her own living room. Of course in this case, it had really happened. And her fingers didn’t work quite so well.

When the scene was over, Hannah drew a deep breath and looked over at her sister. Michelle was just lowering her hand and she gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry. You told me to do that when I was a kid, and I still do it.”

“So do I,” Hannah admitted, and then she got back to business. “Okay, who did you notice?”

Michelle ticked them off on her fingers. “Lynne, but she didn’t touch the drawer, at least not when the camera was running. Burke, who did touch the drawer and even pulled it out to make sure the prop gun was there.”

“If it was the prop gun when he checked,” Hannah pointed out.

“Yes. I should probably ask around and find out if Burke has any background with revolvers.”

“Good idea. Who else?”

“Lloyd. He checked the drawer before filming started.”

“Was that part of his job?”

“Yes. He always checks a scene right before they shoot it to make sure the important props are in the correct position.”

“Anyone else?”

“Only one and that’s not for sure. Jared went over to rearrange the bouquet on the desk. He stood in front of the drawer and he could have pulled it out without us noticing.”

“Very good!” Hannah said, smiling at her baby sister. “And that’s it?”

“That’s all I saw.

“Me too, except for me.”

“You?”

“Dean had me replace the tray of mini cherry cheesecakes right before the final take. I blocked the drawer with my body, and I could have switched the revolvers without anyone noticing.”

“But you didn’t!”