Pas De ... Don't

7. Second Variation

       Colin had his tablet out on the table, taking notes as a silver-haired woman gave instructions. They both frowned at Kate's furry shadow but said nothing. A local constable stood up and introduced himself along with the production's head of security who continued to scowl at the screen in front of him. The silence stretched for an uncomfortable few minutes before the middle- aged man with the regulation hair-cut cleared his throat.

"Do you want to explain how Sarah-Anne Lincoln can be simultaneously performing in a West End play and dancing with your crew here?" He asked Vince.

"I came last-minute to help my roommate. Vince knew I could handle the choreo so let it slide." Kate jumped in with her explanation.

"I was not addressing you Miss...."

"Kate Windslow, I didn't mean to cause any trouble." She looked down at hands and then cast a pleading look at Colin.

"My contract only says the number of dancers required. It does not specify which ones," Vince said defensively.

"I suppose you thought the forms they each needed for the security checks were unnecessary busywork." The man's tone rang with sarcasm.

"Not at all. I did inform the site-coordinator and costume mistress and assumed they passed the information along." Vince looked over at Colin who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"We all wanted to keep a lid on it. We didn't want the Daniel and Kate train derailing the publicity campaigns we have ready to roll." Colin said. He straightened up as the silver-haired woman nodded her approval.

"Given how rabid their fans were last fall, you didn't think our security team might appreciate a head's up?"

"Not when pretty much everything going to your team has ended up in the hands of the paparazzi." Colin's accusation seemed to startle the Constable but not the security officer.

"Doubtful," the man said calmly. Then he pointed at the screen. "My contacts shared some the files assembled during the competition. Seems Miss Windslow attracted numerous offers to defend her honor, rescue her from the clutches of the older men taking advantage, as it were. Some of the threats are extremely specific."

"I'm aware." Vince said. Kate gave him a confused look but he just shook his head. "We were confident it would all blow over once the broadcasts wrapped."

"Did it?" the constable asked.

"There is no proof the firebombing of my former studios was in anyway connected to the show," Vince said. "Especially since Kate is affiliated with a dance academy, not my crew."

"But the Met were concerned enough to keep tabs on your communications," the security officer pointed at the computer.

Vince shrugged, "They had to start somewhere but I'm not sure what any of this has to do with what's been happening here."

"There are distinct similarities between the communications Miss Clayburn received over this past month, and the ones sent to Miss Windslow when the competition was on the air." The security chief explained.

"But it won't be long before you catch up to him, right?" Kate looked from the security officer to the constable.

"Your photo is a good start. We sent it up for matching but there are not guarantees we will get an i.d.," the constable warned.