Then There Were None

By B.P. Smythe

Lydia Perkins is a struggling actress desperately looking for work. Drifting from one unsuccessful audition to the next and always being pipped at the post by younger and prettier actresses for good drama parts that could enhance her career. However, her agent Maurice Weinstock informs her that a fantastic part has just come up for grabs. It’s to play the wife in a TV sitcom. There are four other actresses after the part so he can’t promise anything. Lydia knows the actresses. She will stop at nothing including murder to get the right part for money and fame. Even if it means killing off the competition to land the lucrative TV sitcom role. Lydia knows how to handle a gun. Having grown up on her parent’s farm. She learnt how to shoot helping her father kill foxes and vermin as well as providing game for the Sunday roast. One by one Lydia kills off the opposition. It comes easy for her. She has killed before. Newspaper headlines called it a family tragedy with her parents shot dead by her sister suffering from depression. Only Lydia knows the truth. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dolman Scott Publishing
• Release date: Mar 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9781911412625

B.P. Smythe

B.P.Smythe was born in 1946 within a short distance of the world famous Wimbledon All England Tennis Club. Racquet sports became an important part of his boyhood activities while attending the only school around with tennis courts. He later studied engineering at Carshalton College and eventually became a member of the institute of quality assurance. His engineering career took on many roles including technical writer for an artificial limb manufacturer; but he always enjoyed putting pen to paper for creating quality manuals and report writing. As well as playing tennis, B.P.Smythe writes tennis articles for his local county magazine and relaxes reading crime and horror fiction. This, coupled with his technical writing career partly influenced his transition into creative writing. Sow And You Shall Reap, is his first novel although he has submitted numerous short stories for internet competitions, including winning a £100 as first prize for his, 'A Rose Without a Thorn', in the www.spinetinglerspublishing competition and winning for his, 'Wanting To Be Loved', first prize in the short story: http://authorsonshow.com/2011/09/18/contest-entries/ - competition. He also gained second prize last year for his short story entry, 'The Letter', in the London Borough of Sutton Library competition. Sow and You Shall Reap, together with his work-in-progress, 'On Black Monday', a novel in terrorism, reflect his in-depth research of locations and periods as well as black magic and religious organizations. Favourite books: The Shining by Stephen King Frankenstein by Mary Shelley In Cold Blood by Truman Capote The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris Psycho by Robert Bloch Other links to B.P.Smythe for his books, reviews, blogs, news, interviews - go to: Amazon Kindle Store on: http://www.amazon.co.uk/SOW-YOU-SHALL-REAP-ebook/dp/B006LSFLTA/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1323944115&sr=1-2 and: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/halloween http://smashwords.com/b/124957 http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12044547-sow-and-you-shall-reap http://bpsmythe.posterous.com/ http://authorsonshow.com/2011/09/18/contest-entries/ http://www.authorsden.com/barrysmythe http://louisewise.blogspot.com/2010/12/sow-and-you-shall-reap.html#more http://www.amazon.com/Sow-Shall-Reap-B-P-Smythe/dp/145677171X

Book preview

role.

CHAPTER ONE

Lydia’s agent, Maurice Weinstock, told her, ‘I’ve managed to get you an audition for a part in a TV family sitcom. It’s for the wife who, along with her husband and two small children, make up the family sitcom.’

Lydia raised her eyebrows in interest.

‘They’ll be holding auditions in two months’ time at Pinewood Film Studios. Casting are looking for a mid-twenties actress but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t give it a go. ’ The agent smiled. ‘You do look younger than your thirty-five years.’

Thirty-five year old slim, tall Lydia with her brunette bobbed hair style and sharp photogenic features didn’t have to be told she looked younger than her years.

Lydia smiled back at Maurice knowing it was a clumsy compliment and about as subtle as a seal taking a fish.

They were sitting in the tatty Shepherds Bush Road office of Maurice Weinstock, a short overweight, heavy featured, fifty-seven year old Jewish theatrical agent with dark thinning hair and a gold tooth smile. The basic office reminded Lydia of a Kwik-Fit customer waiting room where you sat while your exhaust pipe was being repaired or replaced.

Maurice informed her. ‘There are four other actresses who are after the part so I can’t promise anything.’ Maurice looked at the list in front of him. ‘So you’ll be up against some stiff competition.’

Lydia asked him. ‘What does it pay?’

He checked the list. ‘It says here for the wife’s role it’s £30,000 for the pilot episode and if the reviews are good, there would be a contract for six episodes worth £70,000 an episode. This would take up the rest of the year and the early part of two thousand and seventeen.’

That was real money she thought. More than she’d ever earned. She could certainly do with it.

Her parent’s money from their estate had all but gone since that no good husband of hers, Rick, had raided their joint savings account and then run off to Spain with Sandra his secretary. She just had enough savings to cover the next two months mortgage on the terraced house in Acton she’d bought, laying down a minimum deposit two years ago.

At that moment the agent’s secretary called on the intercom. ‘Mr Weinstock, the garage mechanic is here. He’s brought your car back and wants a quick word about the extras that had to be done for your car to pass its MOT.’

‘Okay, Mary.’ The agent put the list in his desk drawer and excused himself. ‘I won’t be a moment.’

As he left the office, quick as a flash, Lydia moved to his desk drawer and took out the audition list. She began to read the details of the five actresses with photos including her own details.

Tracey Dunne: Address: Flat 14A Englewood Road, Clapham Common, SW12 9DY. Mob No: 07684235710. Email: [e-mail]. Description: 26yr old, medium height, slim redhead actress with a cute round face and a long layered bob hairstyle with fringes and razored ends. Shares a flat with her boyfriend. (Marriage status: Cohabiting) Hobbies: Gym and skiing.

Lydia Perkins: Address: 22 Roslin Gardens, Acton, W3 OAG. Mob no: 07143679021. Email: [e-mail]. Description: 35yr old, medium height, slim brunette actress with a bob hair style, sharp photogenic high cheek bone features. (Marriage status: Divorced) Hobbies: Golf, Clay pigeon shooting, Reading and Drama.

Dina Burlington: Address: Flat 5A Aspen Gardens, Hammersmith. W6 OAA. Mob No: 07527190426. Email: [e-mail]. Description: 25yr old, tall, long haired platinum blonde, curvy actress with Nordic looks. (Marriage status: Lives with boyfriend) Hobbies: Swimming and Go-Karting.

Linda Harvey: Address: 42 Torrington Road, Dagenham. RM10 7EU. Mob No: 07893265471. Email: [e-mail]. Description: 24yr old, petite, fair haired slim actress with a braided ponytail and slight oriental features. (Marriage status: Single. Lives at home with mum and dad) Hobbies: Horse riding and skydiving.

Susan Sinclair: Address: Flat 32B, Chiltern Close, Enfield, EN1 1DA. Mob No: 075914260. Email: [e-mail]. Description: 28yr old tall, dark haired actress with a centre parting and flick-ups hair style. Looks a bit like Sigourney Weaver. (Marriage status: Divorced) Hobbies: Skeet Shooting, Gardening and rambling.

Lydia pulled her iPhone and took a photo of the list. As she returned it to the drawer she saw a diabetic kit consisting of a syringe with a bottle marked insulin. Surprised her agent was a diabetic, she hesitated, picking up the insulin. Suddenly voices. He was coming back. Lydia just made it back to her seat in time as Maurice re-entered.

*

That evening Lydia printed out the list she’d taken on her iPhone. Looking at the photos of the other actresses she began to think. It would be a great part. However, the opposition looked formidable. From their photos they all looked pretty. Prettier than herself she sighed. Still, she could do with the money. It would clear her gambling debts.

Not having regular work lately they had spiralled since she’d got hooked on fruit machine spins on her iPhone. She was using credit cards to borrow heavily and then hoping to win it back. So far she was £70,000 in debt.

With a Tesco TV dinner on her lap and a glass of white wine, Lydia settled down to watch an old black and white film favourite Kind Hearts and Coronets with Dennis Price and Alec Guinness.

Later as the closing credits were going up, it suddenly occurred to her. Yes that was it. Get rid of the opposition. She had two months to do it in, but how? And get away with it?

She looked again at the list on her iPhone. In her haste to take the picture, she had included the small photo frame on the agent’s desk. Having never been round the other side of his desk, she assumed it was a photo of his wife or family. Surprisingly it had no photo but there was some writing in copper plate style. Lydia leaned in closer. It was some sort of poem. She began to read.

Five pretty actresses at an audition on a call. However, one sits alone and plots the others tragic downfall.

First pretty actress learning how to ski, when suddenly she comes a cropper and gets injured fatally.

Second pretty actress driving as she sped. Then a life threatening car crash leaves her very dead.

Third pretty actress flying in the sky. When her aeroplane malfunctions, she knows she has to die.

Fourth pretty actress who’s shooting skill is ace. Then a gun goes off she’s using and blasts her in the face.

Fifth pretty actress, full of joy and glee. Has now the part she could wish for, but is she happy as can be?

Lydia thought for a while and read the poem again. She realised it could have been written for her. She’d certainly be happy if she had the part. The accident with the fourth pretty actress especially interested