The Dramatic Life of Azaleah Lane Read online

  I sat down and took out my cookies. I had worked up an appetite with all my investigating.

  For the rest of the dress rehearsal, Nia did the best she could. But her magical purple coat wasn’t magical anymore, and her voice was sad.

  When the rehearsal ended, I glanced back at where Chris sat. His head was down, and he was writing very, very fast.

  I had a bad feeling that whatever he was writing wasn’t good.

  CHAPTER 7

  THE DRESSING ROOM

  Watching Chris write in his notebook reminded me I needed to add to my notes too. When everyone had left the stage, I took out my notebook and wrote:

  Flower petals and lollipops unscrewed?

  Curtain strings too thick to break. (Andrea did not do it.)

  I was positive someone was up to no good. And that meant the lights going out on Nia’s purple coat wasn’t a coincidence either. I needed to investigate that coat.

  I climbed onstage and slipped behind a curtain, like I had seen Nia do earlier. There was an open door back there, which led to a hallway. I followed the sound of voices and found the dressing room.

  Nia was inside, putting her hat in a box. A lot of the actors were already gone, but Owen, Mike, and Chris were still there. The three of them were talking in a corner of the room. I wondered if Chris was interviewing them.

  “Nia, can I see your coat?” I asked.

  Nia handed it to me. “What for? Like Mr. Guidi said, there’s no time to fix it.” She went behind a screen in the corner to change out of her costume.

  First, I examined the outside of the coat. It looked fine. I touched the fabric. I could feel wires and little light bulbs inside.

  Next, I turned the coat inside out. It was lined with silky, purple cloth. I couldn’t see the light bulbs or wires that way either. They were in between the layers.

  Then I noticed something strange—a few tiny rips in the cloth. That was very strange. Nia took good care of her things, especially costumes.

  I carefully hung up the coat before Nia could see it. I hadn’t told Nia about my investigation yet. I decided it would be better not to. She would just get more upset if she knew about the curtain string and props. If I told her about the rips in her coat, she’d cry even more.

  I took out my notebook and wrote: Tiny rips in coat.

  I was putting my notebook away when Chris walked up to me. “Hi, I’m Chris,” he said. “Are you part of the show?”

  I shook my head. “I’m Azaleah,” I said. “Nia’s sister.”

  Chris’s eyes got big. “Oh, wow,” he said. “Your sister is really talented. It’s too bad the ghost of Thespis showed up.”

  “You believe in the ghost of Thespis?” I asked.

  “Definitely,” said Chris. “If it weren’t for him, this show would be amazing.”

  I didn’t tell Chris what I thought was going on. I didn’t want him to put it in his story. I wanted his story to be good.

  “I think the show is amazing anyway,” I said.

  Chris nodded. “It’s a good show. Don’t worry, I’ll explain that the problems weren’t because of the actors. I know it was the ghost of Thespis. I’ll make sure my readers know that too.”

  I wanted to say something good about my sister. Maybe Chris would put it in the story.

  “Well…,” I finally said. “Nia did a great job even though the lights on her coat were messed up.”

  “Yes, she did,” Chris agreed. “I was just talking to Owen. He said he’s glad he didn’t get the lead. He wouldn’t want to be in Nia’s shoes. This ghost is ruining everything.”

  Owen is glad he didn’t get the part? I thought.

  I didn’t know what to think about that. If Owen didn’t want the part anymore, maybe that meant he wasn’t a suspect. And if Owen wasn’t a suspect, that would mean Mike wasn’t either.

  But maybe Owen was just saying that so nobody would suspect him.

  Just then, Nia joined us. “Azaleah, we better go,” she said.

  I nodded. I was glad Nia hadn’t heard Chris. If she knew his article was going to be about a ghost wrecking the show, she’d be upset. I decided to keep it to myself.

  When we got in the car, Daddy asked, “Well, was today better?”

  I nodded. “Yes.” It was true. The dress rehearsal had been perfect except for the coat.

  Nia disagreed. “It wasn’t better!” she exclaimed. “My coat is broken. The lights were turning on and off and flashing. It was horrible.”

  “I’m sorry, Nia,” said Daddy.

  I could tell he felt really bad for her. He didn’t ask about foul play, and I knew why. Daddy didn’t want any extra drama.

  “This musical is going to be a disaster!” wailed Nia. “Everything is ruined. Chris is going to write a bad review.”

  Nia was having what Mama called a meltdown. Tiana had them all the time when she needed a nap.

  “The coat is a pretty big deal,” I said. “But at least there were no other problems. And Nia was really good.”

  Nia sniffled and looked out of the window.

  At home, Daddy put on one of his old records. He had hundreds of them. He put on one of Nia’s favorites: Chaka Khan. I knew he was trying to cheer her up.

  “I have an idea,” said Daddy. He disappeared into the kitchen. When he came back, he had four bowls in one hand and two boxes of cereal under his arms. He carried a gallon of milk in his other hand.

  “Cereal?” I asked.

  Tiana cracked up. “Daddy’s silly! Cereal is for breakfast.”

  “Not always,” said Daddy. “Haven’t you ever heard of brinner?”

  Nia, Tiana, and I shook our heads.

  “Brinner is breakfast for dinner.” Daddy looked proud of himself. He started dancing to the music.

  Nia smiled. “Whatever, Dad.”

  We listened to music while we ate brinner. Nia even smiled a little bit. But when it was time for bed, she started to look sad again. I knew she was thinking about the show and her coat.

  I wished I knew how to help my sister. This mystery had gotten more and more complicated. I had a bunch of evidence and no suspects. And I was almost out of time. The show was tomorrow.

  Tomorrow is not going to be a good day, I thought. Unless I solve this mystery.

  CHAPTER 8

  WHAT IF...?

  While I got ready for bed, I thought about the mystery. I needed to start at the beginning: Friday, at rehearsal.

  The batteries had gone missing, but when Mike put new ones in, the coat worked just fine. That meant it wasn’t the remote. It was definitely the coat.

  I thought about the inside of the coat. There were lights in between the fabric. I had definitely felt the wires connecting them.

  I looked up at the string of lights in my room. The coat lights were probably just like them, but very tiny.

  But what’s wrong with them? I wondered as I stared at my lights. What do those tiny rips have to do with it?

  I took my notebook out of my backpack and read my notes again. I didn’t think Andrea or Mike had anything to do with this. They were trying hard to make sure things worked.

  I put my notebook away and decided to play with my circuit kit. I needed a break from this mystery. I took the batteries out of my backpack. If the remote wasn’t the problem, I wouldn’t need them anyway.

  I put the batteries back in the circuit kit. But the little green light bulb didn’t come on like it was supposed to.

  I took the batteries out and put them in again. I made sure they were each facing the right direction. Daddy had showed me the + and - on the batteries, so I knew how. But the light still didn’t come on.

  I wiggled the wires. That didn’t help either. The only thing left was the bulb.

  I checked the bulb. It wobbled when I touched it.
It was very loose, so I tightened it. The light glowed right away.

  I turned off my bedroom light and climbed into bed. The glow from the circuit kit made my whole room look green.

  I relaxed and closed my eyes. I needed to get some sleep so I’d be ready for tomorrow.

  It was almost showtime.

  * * *

  The next morning, Nia had to be at the theater early. The cast needed to warm up for the show and make sure everything was ready. This was my last chance to figure things out.

  Daddy dropped Nia and me off in front of the theater. “See you in a little while,” he said. “I can’t wait to see the show!”

  “Thanks, Dad,” said Nia quietly.

  My big sister was stressed out, and I didn’t blame her. I was not doing a good enough job solving this mystery. I just couldn’t figure out who was behind all the problems. Plus, I had no idea how or why they were doing it.

  Owen was still the main suspect. But there was also evidence that he was innocent. He had told Chris he didn’t even want to be Willy Wonka.

  As I followed Nia inside, I kept thinking about the rips inside the coat. They were too strange.

  When we got to the dressing room, I decided to take one more look at Nia’s coat. I was running out of time. But before I could inspect it, Mr. Guidi interrupted me.

  “Azaleah,” he said, “you’ll have to wait in the audience today. No guests backstage on show day.”

  “OK, Mr. Guidi,” I said.

  I had failed. This mystery was just too hard. I went and sat in the front row by myself. I waited for my family and thought about Nia’s coat. There had to be something I wasn’t getting.

  I sat by myself for a little while. I really wished I could be with my sister. Then the seats in the audience started to fill up. Mama, Daddy, Auntie Sam, and Tiana finally came and sat with me.

  Auntie Sam gave me a kiss. “Is Nia ready for the show?” she asked.

  “I guess so,” I said. I knew Nia would do her best even if her coat was broken.

  I noticed a photographer taking pictures of the audience. Chris was at the end of the front row, taking notes.

  I looked around for Owen. He was at the end of the front row with his family.

  A few minutes later, the lights flickered. The show was about to start.

  I crossed my fingers. I knew that no matter what, the show must go on.

  The curtains were closed. One microphone stood in front. Mr. Guidi came out, and everyone clapped. He closed his eyes and did a bunch of little tiny bows.

  “Welcome,” he said. “Thank you all for coming.”

  My heart was beating fast. I was probably just as nervous as Nia.

  Mr. Guidi said, “We are proud to present to you today our musical, Willa Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

  The audience cheered again, and the photographer kneeled in front of the stage. She took a lot of pictures of Mr. Guidi. Her camera made fast clicking noises. The sound reminded me of the noise Mama’s knife made when she was cutting vegetables.

  Then I realized something important. The little rips in Nia’s coat didn’t really look like rips. They looked like cuts.

  Did someone cut the inside of the coat? I thought. But why would somebody do that?

  Mr. Guidi was still talking, but I wasn’t paying attention. I was thinking about the mystery.

  Then the light bulb in my brain turned on.

  The coat is just like my circuit kit! I realized. If everything was connected the right way, the light bulb turned on. But if the circuit was interrupted, the light wouldn’t work.

  Last night, my light bulb hadn’t been screwed in all the way. That meant it wouldn’t turn on. Once I tightened it, the circuit worked.

  What if those holes in Nia’s coat are cuts? I thought. And someone made them so they could loosen the bulbs?

  That would explain why the lights didn’t work, even though the remote did. And if the circuit was still disconnected, the coat wouldn’t work tonight.

  Onstage, Mr. Guidi said, “I hope you enjoy the show.” Then he disappeared behind the curtain.

  I could not let the show start. I had to talk to Mr. Guidi right away!

  CHAPTER 9

  SURPRISES

  I popped out of my seat and ran to the stage. “Azaleah!” I heard Mama call. But I kept going. There was no time to waste.

  I climbed up the stairs to the side of the stage and scooted behind the curtains. Andrea was there, ready to open them. She looked surprised to see me.

  Before she could say anything, I said, “Andrea, please don’t open the curtains. I have to talk to Mr. Guidi.”

  Andrea looked at the curtains, then back at me. “You have two minutes,” she said.

  I nodded and ran to Mr. Guidi. Two minutes was enough.

  “Azaleah, what are you doing back here?” Mr. Guidi asked when he saw me. “I told you that you can’t be backstage today.”

  I was out of breath. “I have to talk to you,” I panted. “In private.”

  “Make it fast,” Mr. Guidi said. He looked at the actors. “Everyone, take your places onstage.” Then he led me to the side and squatted down. “What is it?”

  “I think I know what’s wrong with Nia’s coat,” I whispered. “I think I can fix it.”

  Mr. Guidi’s face lit up. “Are you sure?”

  I nodded. “Almost positive.”

  “Let’s go!” Mr. Guidi grabbed my hand.

  We ran to the dressing room. Nia was already wearing her costume.

  “Nia, give me the coat,” I said. “I think I figured it out!”

  “Forget it,” said Nia. “It’s too late.”

  “Let her try,” said Mr. Guidi.

  I took the coat and turned it inside out. I examined the holes. They were too straight to be rips. Someone had definitely made the cuts on purpose.

  I put my finger inside one cut and found a light bulb. I was right—it was loose!

  I tightened it and looked up at Nia and Mr. Guidi. They stared at me.

  Chris and Mike stood at the dressing room door. Chris turned on his recorder and watched me very closely.

  I put my fingers through every hole and checked every light bulb. They were all loose. Nia stood next to me while I tightened each light bulb. I could tell she was holding her breath.

  Finally I said, “Mike, turn on the coat.”

  Mike grabbed the remote from a shelf and pushed the button. The coat lit right up. We waited to see if the lights would blink or turn off. They didn’t!

  Nia hugged me. Mike clapped and smiled. Mr. Guidi yelled, “Bravo, Azaleah! You saved the show.”

  I grinned at Nia. “Break a leg.”

  She laughed, and Mr. Guidi grabbed my hand again. “Come, Azaleah! We’re running late!”

  Mr. Guidi led me back to the stage and around the curtain. The audience had been whispering, but they stopped when they saw us. Mr. Guidi gave me a little bow and helped me jump down.

  When I got back to my seat, Auntie Sam looked confused. Mama and Daddy looked a little bit angry.

  Mr. Guidi stood at the microphone and straightened his throat. “I apologize for the slight delay,” he said. “And now, our gift to you… Willa Wonka and the Chocolate Factory!”

  The crowd cheered again, and the curtains opened. I got comfortable in my seat. This was going to be a good show.

  When Nia’s imagination song came on, the whole stage got dark except for a small spotlight. The song started out quiet, and Nia’s coat lights came on.

  The louder Nia sang, the brighter the lights glowed. The coat did exactly what it was supposed to do! It was amazing.

  At the end of the show, the cast got a standing ovation. Then the actors came out a few at a time for the curtain call. The audience clapped for all of them. Nia was the la
st one to come out because she was the star.

  When Nia bowed, the crowd went wild! I looked at Owen. He was standing on his seat and cheering. Then he jumped down and grabbed some flowers from under his seat. He ran to the front of the stage and handed them to Nia.

  Nia looked shocked. I was shocked.

  On the way back to his seat, Owen passed me. “Your sister was awesome,” he said. “Did you have something to do with the coat working?”

  I nodded.

  Owen said, “Great job! The coat and Nia’s voice were the perfect match. They were beautiful.”

  I smiled. “Thanks.” But I was still confused about one thing. “Owen… why were you laughing during the rehearsals?”

  Owen blushed and looked down. “I don’t know. All that stuff was going wrong,” he said. “I guess I thought it was funny.”

  “It wasn’t funny,” I said.

  “I know,” said Owen. “I don’t know what I would have done if I’d had to deal with all those problems. I feel bad about laughing. That’s why I brought flowers.”

  Owen returned to his seat. He climbed up on his chair and clapped some more.

  The audience hollered and clapped for Nia for a long time. She smiled at everyone. Then the actors joined hands and bowed again. Finally the curtains closed.

  People started to leave the theater, but our family stayed to wait for Nia. There was still one thing I was not happy about. This mystery wasn’t solved. Owen wasn’t the culprit… and that meant someone else was.

  CHAPTER 10

  A SHINING STAR (OR TWO)

  It was time for Chris to start his interviews. Nia, the boy who played Charlie, and the boy who played Charlie’s grandpa all came back to the stage.

  First, they stood together to have their picture taken. Then, Chris interviewed Charlie and his grandpa.