Page 99 of Best Supporting Actor

Which, thank fuck, was the moment a cab pulled up and Henry climbed out of the back seat, Freddie getting out on the other side.

“All right, troops,” Henry said, striding to the stage door, brandishing the key. “Stiffen the sinews and summon up the blood.”

Wryly, in his wake, Freddie muttered, “Cry ‘God for Harry, England, and Saint George’.” She gave Tag a sympathetic smile. “Well, this is a muddle isn’t it?”

“It’s my fault,” he said. “I was a shit to him.”

Stopping, letting Henry and the others head into the theatre first, she squeezed Tag’s shoulder and said, “You can stop that right now. I doubt Jay would have stayed this long without you. Anyone who saw you work together can tell you’ve got a special bond.”

“Yeah?” His throat closed again. “Well, if we did, I totally destroyed it last night.”

She sighed. “Come on, let’s go inside and see what we can do. It’s not over till it’s over.”

They found the others in the Green Room. Henry held his phone while he paced, Bea sat perched on one of the threadbare sofas, her hands clenched between her knees, while Rafe stood by the snack table looking decidedly put out.

“...tried his home number,” Henry was saying, “but there’s no answer, either.”

It sounded like he’d been trying to call Jay, thank God. “It’s still early,” Tag said. “He’d have got home late. He’s probably still sleeping.”

“True.”

“Is there someone who could go over and check he’s okay?” Tag asked. “He must have friends in the area.”

Freddie said, “Anyone you can suggest?”

“Me? I don’t know his friends. But could we ask Dame Cordelia? You have her number, right?”

She shook her head. “I can tell you right now—Cordy is thelastperson Jay would want to know about his little wobble.”

“Wobble? It’s hardly—”

Henry interrupted them. “Freddie’s right.Weneed to speak to Jay, and quickly, if we’re going to get him back before we open.”

“Could we go down to London?” Bea said. “Is there time?”

Henry frowned. “Not for Tag. We can’t risk neither of our leads being here. But I could—”

“Wait,” Tag blurted, struggling to take in what they were saying. “You’re going to try to persuade Jay to comeback?”

They both looked at him. “What else can we do?” Henry said. “He needs to be here.”

“But… look, I’m sorry, Jay doesn’twantto do the play. He told me so last night.”

Henry gave him a very direct look. “Do you really believe that?”

“Yes!” He shifted, feeling all their eyes on him. “I think he knows himself better than anyone, and if he says he can’t go on, we should respect that.”

Freddie lowered herself into a shabby armchair with a huff, depositing her huge folder on the small round table in front of her. “Not beingableto do something is different to notwantingto do something.”

“Maybe so, but it’s still Jay’s choice. We shouldn’t fucking guilt him into it.”

“Nobody’s suggesting that,” Henry said sharply. “I just need to speak to him. As the director, that’s my right as well as my duty.” He sighed, lifted his phone again and dialled. Obviously, there was no answer because he lowered it with a frustrated sigh. “I don’t think we’ve got a choice. I’ll have to high-tail it down to London and speak to him in person. The longer we dither, the less time we’ll have to get him back here.”

“I’ll get you train tickets,” Freddie said, already swiping her phone.

“All right,” Henry clapped his hands. “Bea—you start working with Tag and Rafe. Focus on anything Rafe’s not comfortable with.”

“Oh, I’m comfortable with all of it,” Rafe said eagerly.