Finished listening?

Brilliant, Puzzler! Ells thanked Muriel, pulled Ernie out of the sound effects room, and exclaimed, “We have to go, it appears a costume has been pinched!”

The duo ran to catch up with the suspected pincher, who didn’t make any effort to run away. Instead, when he heard the footsteps of Ells and Ernie, he stepped to the side as if to allow them to pass. Which was too bad, because I was on my fourth cup of tea at that point, and I was amped at the possibility of a high-ish speed chase through the theater.

Ells slowed down and asked who the costume pincher was, and why they had Ronan’s costume. The man asked in return how she knew he wasn’t Ronan, stating confidently that he looked exactly like him. Ells pointed out that the man’s short black hair was quite distinct from Ronan’s blonde mane. The man laughed, explaining that he forgot he didn’t have his wig on yet. Then he introduced himself as Baxter, Ronan’s understudy. Ernie said they had a few questions for him and Baxter told them they could ask him while he finished getting ready.

At Baxter’s dressing room, which was really just a curtain hung across a corner, Baxter excitedly told Ells and Ernie that he was going on for Ronan tonight. The detectives traded a look and asked if that was unusual. Baxter told them that he had played Ronan’s part a while ago, but that he hadn’t been expecting to go on tonight. Baxter explained that he had checked his phone a bit ago, and saw that he had a voicemail from one of the theater phone numbers. Baxter told them, “The voicemail was from Ronan. In the message, he said that he wouldn’t be there for the evening show, that I should play his part, and then I think he said good luck.” Baxter continued on about how excited he was to work with Della, then told them that he needed every spare moment to brush up on his lines, so they’d have to excuse him.

Ells and Ernie started to head back to Della’s dressing room. But before they took more than three steps, they spotted Tilly sitting up on the scaffolding above the stage. As they made their way towards her, Ells noticed several signs that suggested that Tilly sat here often. Tilly moved aside a bag from Chip’s Diner and a pile of books, and a laptop charger, and asked if they wanted to join her. She offered them some gum, mints, or maybe a biscuit as they sat down..

Ernie was quick to accept the biscuit, remarking that he hoped it was of the world-famous variety. Tilly confirmed that the bag did indeed promise world famous-ness. Listener, if you want to stop here and procure a fluffy, golden, buttermilk biscuit, it’s perfectly reasonable to do so. I paused and had one from the Sell-Your-Leftovers event last week and it was delicious.

Ells and Ernie split the biscuit and Ernie proclaimed it worthy of fame. Tilly told them that the cast and crew ordered lunch from Chip’s on all rehearsal and performance days, and that she highly recommended the number 24, with a vegan patty. On a hunch, Ells asked Tilly if she knew Muriel’s order. Tilly said that pretty much everyone knew everyone's order since they’re asked to keep them the same to make it easier on the person who picks up the food. Muriel got the number 8, which was oatmeal, bacon, fruit, and choice of bread.

Having finished his half of the biscuit, Ernie asked Tilly if she knew what was going on with Ronan. She told them that Baxter told Della, who told Kip, who told her, that Ronan wasn’t going to be at tonight’s show. Tilly said she was with Ronan when the detectives stopped by the dressing room earlier. Later, Muriel came by to ask if she knew where any rope was and Tilly left to help find some. It took them a bit, but they found rope and Muriel went off to fix the thunder machine. When Tilly got back to the dressing room, Ronan was gone and she hadn’t seen him since. Tilly had called his phone, and became worried when he didn’t answer. Once she heard about him leaving a voicemail for Baxter though, she relaxed, and came up here to study.

Ells nodded thoughtfully and asked if Della had an understudy for this production as well. Tilly craned her neck and pointed past the sound effects room to a woman backstage. Tilly informed them that was Della’s understudy, Shelby. It looked like she was running lines, but Tilly said she wasn’t sure why because Della had never missed a show. Ells gave Ernie a meaningful look and nodded in Shelby’s direction. The two detectives bid goodbye to Tilly and journeyed over to meet the understudy.

As Shelby finished a line, she paused to greet Ells and Ernie by name, who were slightly taken aback by this. Shelby informed them that she made it her business to know everything Della knew, and since Della knew the great detectives Ells and Ernie, Shelby knew the great detectives Ells and Ernie.

Ernie didn’t really know how to respond to that, but eventually asked, “So, are you studying your lines? Are you going on tonight?” Shelby immediately asserted that she was rehearsing her lines, not studying. She said that she knew the entire book by heart, but that no, she wasn’t going on for Della tonight. Della had never missed a performance and Shelby didn’t expect her to start now when the critic was going to be there tonight.

Ells raised an eyebrow at that and asked Shelby who knew that the critic would be at tonight’s show. Shelby told them it had been planned for weeks and that the entire cast and crew were aware. Then she asked Ernie to read some lines with her so she could rehearse.

Ernie was reading Ronan’s part, when suddenly he stopped in the middle of a paragraph. Ells and Ernie stared wide-eyed at each other, and then said simultaneously, “We have to go!” Before they could leave, Shelby told them she almost forgot to give them a paper she had found on the floor in the back hallway. She thought it might be a clue and handed Ernie the paper. As they turned to rush off, Ernie glanced at the paper and verified, “Yep, definitely a clue, thanks.”

They quickly arrived back at Baxter’s “dressing room” and asked exactly what Ronan said in his voicemail. Baxter didn’t remember the exact wording and had unfortunately already deleted it. Ells replied, “That’s ok, tell me if I’m correct. Ronan told you to–”

This is my favorite part and I will NOT spoil it for you! Press the continue button and then tell me the end of that line and we can get on with the story!