“We’re here to speak to Arthur and Genevieve Crane,” Park said smoothly. “Is Mr. Crane here?”

“He’s around somewhere. Talk all you want to him—in fact, I’d appreciate you keeping him out of my hair—but I need Genevieve shooting with no distractions. We’ve already had too many upsets this morning. Everyone working yesterday was called in for questioning this morning leaving us with the B-team. A substitute makeup artist she isn’t used to and a substitute film crew unused to her. Thanks very much to your boss, that Cola woman,” Hirano said sarcastically.

Cooper looked toward the set and saw that the makeup artist was gone and that Genevieve had taken her position as close to the perched monkey as was allowed. She looked very smooth and professional. Nothing like the flighty stereotype he’d been imagining based on Hirano’s comments, and he was about to say something to that effect when one crewmember shouted something to another, laughed loudly, and the monkey dropped his fruit and fled deep into the foliage.

“Are you kidding me?” Genevieve demanded. She had a very clear, ringing sort of voice that swept out over the suddenly dead silent onlookers. “No, really, is this some kind of joke to you? I was under the impression that we were all professionals, here to complete one simple shot on a deadline, but apparently I was wrong. My mistake!”

Her words were getting more and more enunciated, until she was spitting consonants more than anything else. “Please, go on. I wouldn’t want the job we’re all here to finish interrupting your extremely important conversation. Just let me know when you feel like working so I don’t continue to waste your precious fucking time.”

Genevieve spun on her heel and walked briskly out of the room, yanking furiously at the heavy door to get out of the monkey area with a great whoosh of air. Cooper noticed Neil slip out after her before the door could fully close.

“Looks like Crane’s taking her break now. So this is your chance to speak to her,” Hirano murmured sweetly after a moment of stunned silence. “Do me a favor and let her know we need her back on set in twenty.”

“Thanks,” Cooper said. “I appreciate that.” Hirano started to walk away, but he stopped her. “Just a couple of questions before we go. How well did you know James Finnigan?”

“Me? My work is to manage the education and publicity programs, oversee our nonprofit volunteer base. I only work with the keepers peripherally.”

“But we heard Mr. Finnigan often hung around these shoots, which you also oversee, isn’t that correct?” Cooper asked.