Wilmington, NC 10 - Much Ado About Murder

hands out of his. “Thomas, you dopey boy, why didn’t you introduce me to Ms. Barrett?” To a bewildered Scarlett, she said, “I’d know you anywhere, Scarlett . . . may I call you Scarlett. I feel like I know you. I’ve seen you perform on Broadway and years ago . . . weren’t you a Rockette ? I’m sure I saw you at Radio City Music Hall.”
    “Yes, I started out with the Rockettes , Mrs. . . .”
    Thomas’s mother was drooling. Her smile was broad and toothy and positively goofy. “I’m Cheri Holbrook. Call me Cheri. And may I call you Scarlett?”
    “Of course,” Scarlett said coolly. She looked over at Thomas and the other actors who had gathered around to watch this little bit of live theater being performed backstage. “Now we must go. We’ve taken up too much of your time already. But I want to invite you all to my house on Friday evening for a cast party after the show. We’ll celebrate. I know you’re all going to be just great and the show will be a hit.”
    The actors smiled and bobbed their heads and murmured “yes” they would be thrilled to attend a party given in their honor by the famous Scarlett Barrett.
    I found myself chuckling as we made our way back up a short flight of stairs into the lobby. Scarlett was a showman, both on stage and off. And that mother? I’ve only seen the likes of her once before. And that was dear Cam’s famous mother, Nelda Cameron, star of the silver screen in the Fifties and the most galling, egocentric woman you’d ever want to meet. Thankfully, we haven’t seen anything of her in the past year ever since she fell in love with her young male nurse!
    As my family took our seats in Row F, my gaze traveled upward to admire the period chandelier that had been installed during the recent renovation. The newly applied decorative hand-painting on the proscenium and balconies glowed colorfully.
    The history of Thalian Hall and the Thalian Association are inexorably entwined. It was the Thalians who conceived of the plan to build a first-class theater to host local theatrical productions and to provide a venue for world-famous talents such as Lillian Russell, Oscar Wilde, and Buffalo Bill Cody.
    Jon took my hand in his. “I forget how spectacular this place is until I return and see it again.”
    I rested my head on his shoulder. “Me too. I was just thinking the same.”
    Jon said, “When the Thalians decided to build a theater, back in 1855, a prominent Thalian , Robert Cowan, travelled to New York to meet with the greatest theater architect in the land. He was James M. Trimble, and he designed this hall. We studied his work in one of my classes at State. Then James F. Post was hired to build Thalian Hall.”
    “Post? Didn’t he build the Bellamy Mansion?” I asked.
    “He did. A fine builder.”
    “It’s peaceful here. I love it,” I said. I enjoy sitting in a theater waiting for the performance to begin, watching people take their seats. I feel the same way in church, waiting for the service to begin.
    “To think the City almost destroyed this hall back in the Fifties. They didn’t want to spend the money on repairs. That was before preserving our old buildings was recognized as a sound economic move as well as important to our heritage.”
    “What happened? I’m not sure I’ve heard this story.”
    “A woman named Emma Bellamy Williamson was President of TA in 1951 and ‘52. She was determined that the hall would not be destroyed. When the wrecking equipment showed up on the grounds to start the demolition, Emma
    stood between them and the hall, refusing to budge. She announced she was
    going to camp right there outside where we’re sitting now. If they tore down the hall, it would be over her dead body. Well, the City caved and agreed to preserve the building.”
    “That’s a great story, Jon. What would we do without this beautiful theater? Oh, look, there’s Dalton Montjoy ,” I said.
    “Where?” Jon asked.
    “Three rows ahead of us. He’s sitting with his friend Major Canady. Oh, and there’s Faye and Danny Brock. I hear Danny’s been doing a fabulous job as treasurer of TA. Jon, I’m so relieved Dalton accepted our offer.”
    Last week Jon and Willie Hudson, the general contractor we work with on all of our restoration projects, inspected the Montjoy house from top to bottom. “Solid as a rock,” Willie had pronounced. The following day, we’d brought in an independent appraiser.
    Jon and I then met with a loan