Calamity Jayne and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Lawn Gnome (40 page)

"Aunt Em! Uncle Tad!" They both looked down to see Emily's goddaughters, twins Phoebe and Abigail, waving at them and tugging on their parents' hands.

Emily and Tad waved back. Their car was almost back to the ground. "Daddy's taking us for funnel cake. Come with us!" Abigail called up to them. Gabby, Emily's best friend and the twin's mom, shrugged up at the two in the car, as if to say,
Who could resist?

"Sure. We'll be down in a minute. I just have to stop by the booth and have a word with a couple of students."

"Uh, oh," Gabby and her husband, Greg, said in unison. They, too, had known the wrath of Emily's temper in the past.

As their car finally reached the platform to disgorge its passengers, Emily and Tad hurried down the steps to join the happy family. Phoebe, the shyer of the two twins, slipped her hand into Tad's and turned her big eyes on him. "Piggyback ride?" she asked. He laughed and swooped her up into the air, settling her on his shoulders. Her dark eyes shone with excitement as she fisted her chubby hands in his thick, dark hair.

"Me too!" her sister cried. Greg scooped Abigail up and perched her on his shoulders. Both girls giggled madly. "Funnel cakes!" they cried.

"Funnel cakes it is then, my dear maidens," Tad proclaimed and began to march in that direction.

"You guys go on ahead," Gabby told the men. "I'll go along with Emily to make sure she doesn't inflict physical harm."

"Oh, for Pete's sake," Emily groused. "I'm not that bad." At Gabby's own raised brow, she shrugged. "Go on, then," she told the guys, as the impatient little girls used their heads as drums. "We'll be right behind you."

As they worked their way through the carnival crowd in the lowering light, Gabby hooked her arm through Emily's. "Are you as happy as you look?" she asked Emily.

"Yes, I truly am. School's going great. Things with Tad are going great. I can't complain." Emily tried to keep her answer light, knowing the question her friend had in mind. Her deflection didn't work as Gabby stopped her with a tug.

"Em, are you in love with him? Have you talked about the L-word?" Gabby's eyes were warm and caring, and Emily knew she only wanted to know that Emily was happy. Still, she wasn't ready to have this conversation.

"Gabs," she said, tugging her arm to get her moving again, "I know how you worry about me. This past fall was rough. For everyone. I don't want to jinx anything by rushing it. God willing, there will be time for that conversation later."

In understanding, Gabby rubbed Emily's arm, the one she'd broken in a terrible accident this past fall while investigating a murder that was being pinned on their good friend, Helen. It had been a horrible time, but good had come out of it, if Emily and Tad's relationship was any indication. Gabby changed the conversation. "What do you think will end up happening to our beloved school carnival?"

Weaving around a family sporting smiles sticky from cotton candy, Emily huffed, "It'll cease to exist if that mayor of ours has her way. She was up at the school arguing with Superintendent Johnson this morning when I stopped by there for more stuffed ravens. I understand not wanting to take money away from Ellington's "Old Home Days," but we've had both events for as long as I can remember, and there's always been a good turnout for both."

"I hear you," Gabby said. "The girls would be devastated if the carnival ceased to be. Maybe Mayor McBain would feel different if she had children of her own."

"Maybe," Emily conceded, "but she's one tough nut to crack. But, oh, Gabby, does she have a shoe collection to die for!"

Gabby laughed. Shoes made the woman in Emily's book.

Finally reaching the Whac-A-Mole booth, Emily took in the sight of Natalie handling the crowd alone. "Where are Rylan and Brittney?" she called to her over the heads of the youngsters waiting their turn at the game. Natalie threw up her hands and rolled her eyes. That was answer enough. "I'll find them and get their butts back to work," Emily told the busy girl.

"I've got it, Ms. T. No worries." Emily smiled warmly at the responsible girl and then drug Gabby with her to the back of the booth, but the two lovebirds were nowhere to be seen.

"I swear, how can kids these days be so irresponsible?" Emily stormed.

"They're young and in love. Don't be too hard on them." Gabby was a much softer touch than Emily. Sure, she could appreciate the intoxicating draw of young love, but responsibility and duty came first. They had signed up for this time slot, and she expected them to fulfill their obligations. Pacing the area, Emily saw the two lovebirds headed her way, swinging joined hands, Brittney carrying a giant panda. When they spotted Emily, their smiles slid off their face.

"You two are in big trouble. You left Natalie here to take care of things all by herself. I trusted you, and you've let me down. Now get back in there, and do the work you signed up for. I'll deal with your punishment later."

Brittney hung her head and scurried back into the booth to help Natalie. Rylan, however, turned to Emily and said, "I'm sorry, Ms. Taylor. Brittney just found out today that her parents are getting a divorce. I was trying to cheer her up. Natalie said she had everything under control. I'll work an extra shift to make up for this. I promise. Only, don't take it out on Brittney. She's had a bad enough day."

Emily could see the genuine emotion shining in the young boy's eyes, and her heart did go out to Brittney. Even at her age, she couldn't imagine having to deal with the pain of a parents' divorce. Thankfully, her parents were happily married, but she knew that she would be devastated if she were in Brittney's shoes. She was lucky to have a sweet boyfriend like Rylan for support. Still, she didn't want to let them off the hook too easily, so she tried to sound stern when she said, "You had an obligation here as well, Rylan, so I think it's a good plan for you to work an extra shift to make up your time." When Rylan merely nodded, she added, "But Brittney doesn't have to work with you if she's needed at home. I'll let you make that call." Rylan gave her a brilliant smile and stepped into the booth. He gave Brittney a quick rub on the shoulder before helping the next little one ready to pound some moles.

Gabby had watched the entire exchange in silence. "Love wins again," she said softly.

Emily gave her a sour look and turned to head for the funnel cake stand. A big wad of calorie-laden dough would go a long way in soothing her ruffled feathers. She hated showing weakness, oblivious to the fact that all of her students already knew what a big heart she had.

"Let's go this way," Emily said to Gabby. "It'll be faster." Heading around the opposite side of the booth, Emily made an abrupt stop, causing Gabby to bump into her from behind.

"What gives?" her short friend asked, trying to peer around her.

"I'm not sure. I thought I had all the boxes of ravens stashed in the booth, but there's some kind of sack back here." She motioned to the sack on the ground. In the gloom of twilight, the space behind the booth was dark, unlit by the carnival lights out front. Emily headed forward to investigate, flipping on the flashlight app on her phone. She'd taken only a step, though, when the phone fell from her hand, and she spun back to Gabby.

"What is it?" Gabby asked, panicked by the look of stark terror on Emily's face.

"The shoe," Emily gasped, pointing behind her.

"Shoe?" Gabby asked. She turned to see where Emily was pointing. Emily's phone had fallen face-up, casting a circle of light on the dark ground. Spotlighted in that circle was a gorgeous turquoise, patent leather stiletto. Not comprehending, Gabby reached for the phone. Emily smacked her hand away.

"Don't you see?" Emily's question was harsh, her voice unnaturally high. "Look at the bag."

Again, Gabby strained to see in the dark. Only this time, when she saw what had caused the color to drain from Emily's face, she gasped and fell back, clutching onto Emily. "Is that…?" was all she could manage to ask.

Emily nodded weakly. "It is. There's someone in that bag, and I think I know who."

Gabby turned terrified eyes on her. "You do? Who?"

With a gulp, Emily said, "It's Mayor McBain. Those where the very shoes I was lusting after when I saw her at the school this morning."

"We should go for help," Gabby whispered, too upset to move.

"We should make sure first," Emily told her. "I don't want to make a scene if this is some sick prank. There are kids everywhere." Gabby only nodded, so Emily moved forward alone. Grabbing the very edge of the sack, one she dimly recognized as coming from the sack race area, she gave it a furious tug. The bag slipped up far enough to reveal a sight Emily had prayed never to see again. Flashbacks of finding Coach Layton's lifeless body earlier that fall bombarded her as she stared down into the sightless eyes of the mayor's turned face. Blood soaked her white blouse and the ground beneath her, its obvious source, a small bullet hole between her shoulder blades.

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR MURDER

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