Foul Play at the Fair (29 page)

Liv shuddered. Chaz’s arm went around her shoulder, then dropped again.

He took a step out onto the old wood plank and she followed him.

He didn’t stop until they reached the end of the pier. “It was October. A night like this, maybe. A good night for finding wrigglers.”

His voice sounded hollow in the eerie stillness. Then he barked out a bitter laugh. “How many lives were destroyed or altered, how many people suffered because of one nasty, amoral boy. It’s always the sad, pitiful, weak ones who get the shaft, who do the suffering. And there’s not a damned thing any of us can do about it.”

Liv stared at him, stunned. “Is that why you quit reporting? The futility of it all?”

“It’s why I fish. We’d better get back.”

He walked her home and by tacit agreement they didn’t discuss the murder or Chaz’s former profession. He didn’t linger but waited for Whiskey to make his round of the garden and for Liv to go inside and lock her door. She watched through a slit in the curtains as he walked away.

“Strange man, buddy. What do you think? Shall we give him the benefit of the doubt? Maybe he’s not such a deadbeat, after all.”

Whiskey barked.

“I know. It’s hard to tell. But one thing I do know. It’s time someone talked to Andy Miller. And I think that someone would be me.”

Liv wrapped her scarf more closely around her neck as she hurried toward work the next morning. The rain had stopped, the sun was shining, but the temperature had dropped a good ten degrees. The nip of winter was in the air; frost coated the ground. Ted had said winter was coming, Liv had hoped it would wait until next month. Would people be inclined to go on hayrides in forty-degree weather? She shivered just thinking about it.

What if the pumpkins froze?

No one else seemed concerned, she noticed, as she walked across the green toward the bakery and the Buttercup. When she’d left work on Friday, they were eking out the last few days of the harvest festival. This morning the town was transformed.

Hay bales that for the last month had been used as benches for the weary were now populated by scarecrows and skeletons. Store windows no longer displayed the golds, browns, and oranges of fall leaves, but the bright orange and black of Halloween.

The Apple of My Eye Bakery was festooned with orange and black crepe paper. Liv stopped outside. It would be the first time she’d seen Dolly alone since their talk and Dolly’s confession about Pete’s blackmail attempt. She wasn’t sure of the reception that she’d get, but the sooner it was over, the sooner they could get back to normal.

Just inside the door a pyramid of pumpkins was topped by a plate of samples of pumpkin bread. Wonderful smells wafted in from the kitchen. Dolly came through the doorway carrying a heavy tray of sliced brown bread. She hesitated when she saw Liv, but only for a second.

“Morning, Dolly,” Liv said hopefully.

“Morning.” Dolly pushed the tray onto the top of the counter and looked around. “I was hoping you’d come in today.” She motioned Liv closer. “I thought about what you said and told Fred…everything.” Her mouth worked.

Oh no,
thought Liv.
I’ve broken up their marriage.
“Dolly, Fred—”

“Has known all this time. He and Bill fought it out years ago.”

“It wasn’t fair for him to keep you in the dark, but—”

“He didn’t tell me because he didn’t want me to feel bad. Wasn’t that just the sweetest thing you ever heard of?”

Letting Dolly feel guilty all these years?

“It just cleared the air and we had the best weekend.”

TMI
, thought Liv, and she hastily said, “That’s wonderful, Dolly. I’m so glad.”

“Thank
you
, Liv. I just feel like I have a new lease on life.”

“Great.”

“Now, what will you have this morning? I’ve been making orange frosting all morning. It’s good but not for breakfast, unless you’re in kindergarten. Now, let’s see.…” Dolly chatted on while Liv got her equilibrium back.

All’s well that ends well might be good for Fred and
Dolly, but there was still a murderer at large, and even though Liv had stopped worrying about him striking again, she still wanted him caught. She sighed. Even if it was someone she liked.

“Is something wrong, Liv?”

“What? Oh no. I just was trying to decide between the brown bread and the caramel pecan rolls.”

“I’ll give you two of both. On the house. A little thank-you.”

Liv smiled, thanked Dolly, took her bread, and walked next door.

There was a short line at BeBe’s. Liv looked around while she waited her turn, wondering what decorations BeBe had come up with. She laughed when she saw a grim reaper sitting at one of the little tables, his scythe balanced against the wall and a cup and saucer in front of him.

The customers left, and Liv stepped up to the counter and read the blackboard specials: Kandy Apple Kona and Devil-Mint Chai. She made a face.

“You’re such a snob,” BeBe said, reaching for the milk jug.

“A purist,” Liv amended.

“No, a purist drinks their coffee black. You’re a snob.” She poured Liv’s latte and handed it to her, leaning forward as she did. “Did you notice anything different about Dolly this morning?”

Liv shrugged.

“I think she…um…had a
nice
weekend.”

Liv bobbled her cup. “BeBe,” she said, not able to suppress a laugh.

“I think they’re so cute.”

“They are that.”

“Well, fifty is the new thirty.” BeBe slid Ted’s tea in a cardboard carrier across the counter.

“I thought sixty was the new forty.”

“Both. Good luck with the board meeting this morning.”

“Right,” said Liv. “I’d better get going.” Balancing bags, drinks, and briefcase, she hurried past the bookstore where cutouts of black cats and witches grinned from the window, while mobiles of Day-Glo skeletons danced above their heads. The windows of A Stitch in Time were swagged in black and orange fabric.

Everyone was going about their business getting ready for Halloween, just like their future wasn’t hanging in the balance of the town council vote. Liv was determined not to let them down. Now, if she could just trust Rufus, Roscoe, and Jeremiah to keep their word and vote for continuing the festivals instead of being cowed by Janine, the town would get its celebration.

Liv jogged up the steps of the town hall and lucked out as Andy Miller came out the front door. He held it open for her to go through.

“Thanks, Andy.”

Andy nodded and hurried down the steps.

Now, what kind of business did he have here this morning?

“I just saw Andy Miller leave the building,” Liv said as she set the drinks tray down on Ted’s desk.

“Did you?”

“Yes. The question is, did you?”

“Just some festival business.”

“Anything I should know?”

“Nothing important. It’s taken care of.”

Liv gave him a look and went into her office.
More secrets
, she thought as she opened her briefcase and took out the folder holding her security firm background checks and fee charts.

“Dolly must think we’re starving,” Ted said, bringing the tea tray into the room.

“She was feeling generous.”

“Yep, the cat’s out of the bag and all is right with the world.”

“How do you know these things?”

“An ear to the ground, my dear.”

“So what did you hear from Bill? And don’t say it’s privileged information.”

“Well, it is, and we’re not supposed to know. Bill isn’t even supposed to know. But that’s how things work here.”

“So?”

“Bill made a call to the commissioner to tell him what a hash those detectives are making of this case. Seems they were both on probation, and this was their last chance to make good. Didn’t happen. With any luck we should see the back of them in a few days.” Ted took a sip of tea, his eyes sparkling, and Liv knew there had to be more.

“And?”

Ted chuckled so long and hard that he had to put down his tea to keep from spilling it. “They arrested Janine this weekend.”

“Get out.”

Ted burst into a full laugh.

“For murder?”

“No. For forging checks.” Ted wiped his eyes with a white handkerchief he pulled from his vest pocket. “Mayor Worley bailed her out. And spent all weekend pulling strings to hush it up.”

“What’s going to happen to her? That’s a serious offense.”

“It is, but Janine insists that the festival owed Pete for services rendered. We won’t even go there.” He shuddered dramatically. “She said that since you weren’t in your office, she took the check and signed your name. Something we do all the time in the festival offices.”

“What? We’d never do that. And she doesn’t even work here.”

“True. And true. We won’t quibble about the check writing. And Pete’s not alive to explain that he was blackmailing her. Ergo…”

“She broke the law.”

“Yes, and it’s reprehensible. But she’s not really a criminal, just a pain in the butt. If we don’t pursue it, she’ll get a slap on the wrist, we’ll be chastised for questionable practices, and life will go on.”

“But we didn’t.”

“Of course we didn’t, and everyone will know we didn’t. No one will mention it, but everyone will know.”

“That’s crazy.”

“That’s Celebration Bay. Look on the bright side. It may keep Janine off our backs.”

“Or make her twice as bad.”

“Let’s go find out, shall we. It’s almost ten.”

They were not the first to arrive. Rufus, Roscoe, and Jeremiah sat together. Nodded together as Liv and Ted walked in. A study in solidarity. Liv just hoped they remembered their promise. A few minutes later the door opened and Liv was surprised to see Chaz. He looked like he’d rather be anyplace but here, and Liv wondered why he had even come. Because of the vote? She hadn’t asked him how he would vote. They still had the majority even if he voted no, unless the mayor opted to override the board’s decision. Would he be able to stand up to Janine?

Chaz sat down and Liv frowned at him, trying to get his attention, but he just leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

She caught herself drumming her fingers on the folder. Ted shot her a sideways glance, and she dropped her hands to her lap.

Finally the door opened and Liv held her breath until the door swung shut and the mayor called the meeting to order. The mayor. Alone. No Janine.

The meeting went like clockwork. Ted presented the harvest festival’s profit and loss figures. Mostly profit and little loss, which made the council very happy.

Liv shared the specs on the three security firms she was considering. Rufus, Roscoe, and Jeremiah voted to continue
the festivals, contingent on hiring extra security. When the time came for Chaz’s vote, he opened one eye, and said, “Why not?” which made four votes for and none against.

The mayor banged his gavel. “Well, that’s settled. This meeting is adjourned. Now, let’s get ready for Halloween.”

Anton Zoldosky was standing outside the locked events office door, a Tyrolean hat in his hand.

“What’s he doing here?” Ted asked, and Liv realized that she hadn’t had time to tell him what had happened over the weekend. Though knowing Ted, he already had all the details.

“Mr. Zoldosky,” Liv said. “What can we do for you today?”

Anton glowered at Ted.

Ted unlocked the door and showed Anton inside, shooting a look at Liv as he did.

“I’ll see Mr. Zoldosky in my office, Ted.”

Ted pursed his lips in a parody of a pout. “Don’t mind me. I’ll just be filing some papers.”

Translate: listening at the keyhole.

Liv shut the door and gestured to a chair. “Won’t you sit down, Mr. Zoldosky?”

“No. I thank you. I came to apologize for my brothers’ behavior. We are very private people. And they are a little hotheaded.”

An understatement, thought Liv, but she didn’t say so.

“I hope they did not hurt Chaz. He has been good to Junior.”

“Just a little bruise. And he did rush in without thinking.”

Anton nodded slowly. “He wished to protect you.”

Liv nodded, too, but she couldn’t help but smile.

And strangely, Anton smiled, too. It was the first time she’d seen him smile, and it looked odd on the angular face.

“Junior told me what happened with those men. I want to thank you for helping him. Not many in this town are so kind.”

“They’re just frightened.”

“And blame us.”

“It’s easier than blaming one of their own.”

“He said you were like a ninja.”

“Hardly. Just a few self-defense techniques.”

“He was ashamed that he had a woman protect him.”

“Oh, not at all.” She smiled, this time genuinely. “I’m a bit of a hothead myself.”

“Very good. Still, I thank you.” He reached across the table and tentatively held out his hand. Liv stood, took it and her hand practically disappeared in his.

He walked to the door but stopped when he reached it. “I’m sorry that we have brought this awful thing upon you. Hopefully, we will be leaving soon. I think we won’t be back this way again.”

Liv selfishly hoped they wouldn’t, either. “It hasn’t been easy for you, either. I wish you the best.” And she meant it.

“What was that all about?” Ted asked the minute the outer door closed behind Anton.

“He came to thank me.”

“For taking out the Weaver brothers?”

“Do you know everything that happens in this town?”

“This was rather newsworthy. Half the guys in the bar were watching.”

“Were you there?”

“No. I would have come to your rescue and spoiled all the fun.”

“But I would have appreciated it.”

“Good to know. Now let’s get to work. We have a festival to organize.”

They spent the rest of the day jump-starting Haunted October, calling committee heads, confirming rentals. Liv hired the security firm and faxed them a schedule of the weekend events. They ate lunch at their respective desks. They were in festival mode.

It was growing dark when Liv finally looked up from her
desk. Five thirty. She jumped up. “I have to pick Whiskey up from the groomer’s. Edna took him over this morning, but it’s potluck night at the Elks Club. Can you close up?”