The Corpse at the Carnival

by Grace York

  "He was already dead?" said Isaac. "Did you see Jake kill him?"

  Hugh shook his head. "He told me yesterday. He came and told me Davina was pregnant, and he didn't know what to do. I said he needed to clean himself up, stop gambling, and be a good husband and father. He agreed."

  "And then you let me believe you'd killed Frankie because you thought it might impress me?" Holly asked. She was angry now, and Addison wouldn't have been surprised if Holly reached out and slapped Hugh across the face.

  Hugh shrugged. "It didn't, though. You said you didn't want anything to do with me."

  "I said I was thinking of staying here, in Getaway Bay," said Holly. "That's not the same thing."

  "It is to me. I can't stay here. I have a commitment to the carnival. To my family."

  "Then what the heck were you thinking climbing up there and trying to take the blame for murdering Frankie?"

  "I saw the police come in the tent with you and I panicked. I figured you must have told them I did it. Then I realised I could save Jake if I took the blame and…"

  "And what?" Holly's tears had long since dried up. Her face was red with anger now. "Jumped? With everything you have to live for? Are you crazy?"

  "What do I have to live for? You rejected me, Holly. I love you. I don't want to live without you. And I can't leave the carnival. My family needs me."

  Addison looked over to Dot, who had calmed down and was now listening intently with Morris. Addison felt the need to intervene.

  "The two of you have anything to add here?" she asked.

  Dot stood and came over to her son. "Do you really want to do this job for the rest of your life?" she asked him.

  "I don't have a choice. With Jake gone…"

  "Of course you have a choice. Your father and I are retiring. We won't be going on the road with Hanley Brothers next year. If it even goes on the road at all."

  Morris opened his mouth to speak, but Dot shot him a look that closed his mouth again.

  "That's up to Owen and Harry. They can run things on their own if they want to. Or they can retire too. We'll sell. Or we'll just stop. It doesn't matter. This business has already cost us one son. It's not going to cost us any more."

  Hugh embraced his mother in a hug, then turned back to Holly.

  "So you want to stay in Getaway Bay?"

  "Maybe," said Holly.

  "Mind if I stay with you?"

  She studied him for a moment before her mouth broke into a wide grin.

  "Not at all."

  30

  By the time Friday afternoon rolled around, Hanley Brothers Carnival had left town and the sports fields were almost back to normal. Addison had spent most of the day in her kitchen. After the events of the last two weeks, she was expecting a large turn-out for the Friday barbecue.

  "Where do you want these?" said Adam. He'd finished buttering the bread rolls, and held an enormous basket-full in his hands.

  "Put a tea towel over the top to keep them fresh and put them on the sideboard in the dining room for now," said Addison. There was no bench space left in the kitchen. "Then you can go and set up outside if you like."

  Adam didn't need telling twice. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and took off out the back door.

  "How are you two doing?" Addison asked Layla and Olivia. They were busily chopping greens and making a couple of different salads.

  "Just about done," said Olivia.

  "Me too," said Layla.

  "Are you still going to come back and help me on Fridays?" Addison asked. Layla's new art gallery and home were almost ready to move into.

  "Try and keep me away," said Layla.

  "I'm going to miss having you around."

  "Oh, Addison. I'll only be five minutes away. You can come and see me anytime."

  "I know. And you can count on me as a regular visitor. But the beach house won't be the same without you."

  Olivia put the finishing touches on her coleslaw. "Speaking of the beach house, have you advertised for new boarders yet Mum?"

  Addison nodded. "Adam and I worked on that last night. He said he put the ad up this morning."

  "No takers yet?"

  "Actually, there have been a couple of responses. We'll go through them later. I don't want to rush into anything this time." As much as she wanted to fill the house with artists and writers again, Addison was wary after what had happened earlier in the year.

  "That's understandable," said Layla. "Hey, maybe you should have your boyfriend here when you interview potential boarders."

  "He's not—"

  "Your boyfriend," Olivia and Layla both finished for her.

  "Yeah, we know, Mum. But he's got potential, right?"

  Addison shook her head. Maybe Olivia going back to university tomorrow wasn't such a bad thing.

  She heard the side gate open, and looked out the back window to see Jason and Kendall arrive.

  "I'm going out to greet the guests," she said, picking up the cheese platter she'd finished preparing and taking it out to the back garden.

  Charlie and Bella circled her feet as she made her way down the steps and onto the grass. "Get out of it, you two," she said, shooing them away. "I'm going to trip over you one of these days."

  "Hi, Addison," said Jason. He handed her a bottle of wine and Kendall placed a lovely tray of cut fruit on the table.

  "Hello, both of you." Addison noticed Hazel and Martin were already there as well. She greeted them, and Mrs Jones, who was trying to corral Bella. She had no chance once the side gate went again and Juliet and Josie Porter entered.

  "Bella! Charlie!"

  Both dogs ran and jumped all over Josie. They loved their groomer almost as much as they loved their owners.

  Addison chatted with all her guests, as she did every Friday afternoon. She was still not sure how it had happened, but Friday afternoon drinks and dinner at the beach house had become her favourite time of the week. It made Getaway Bay feel like home.

  "How's Holly doing?" Addison asked Hazel. After declaring her desire to stick around in the bay, Holly had asked Addison if she knew of any work available. Addison pointed her in Hazel's direction, as business seemed to be booming at the café.

  "She's great. A natural. I'm actually thinking of taking a few weeks off soon, once things quieten down for the winter. Holly will be able to manage no problem."

  "Are you going to have a holiday?" Addison asked.

  Hazel exchanged a grin with Martin. "We're thinking of a cruise, actually."

  "Perfect! You'll love it."

  The gate opened again and the last of the guests arrived. Isaac came in with a giant box of chocolates, which he presented to Addison.

  "For the group," he explained. "I didn't know what else to bring."

  "Of course," said Addison, not daring to look at Layla and Olivia. She could sense their wicked smirks behind her back. She put the chocolates on the table while Isaac helped himself to a beer.

  "So the case is all wrapped up then?" Addison asked.

  "Finally, yes." Isaac took a long drink. "Ah, that's better. Long day. There's so much paperwork involved in a murder."

  "But you have a confession, right? There won't need to be a trial."

  "No, Jake will go straight to sentencing."

  Addison sipped the glass of wine someone had handed her. "Do we know any more about why he did it?" she asked.

  "I think it had more to do with his father than he's willing to admit."

  "How so?"

  "Morris was trying to cling on to the glory days of the carnival. He fancied himself as the showman, the one to bring entertainment to the masses. That's the way Frankie carried himself too, from what we can gather. Frankie got Morris's attention, and Jake didn't like it.

  "Frankie, of course, revelled in it. He saw an opportunity to have some fun and alienate the three brothers."

  Addison didn't understand. "But why would he do that? They were his employers."

  "He didn't care about
that. Morris was the figurehead. He was the one Frankie attached himself to. To everyone else he was his regular self – a lying, cheating, self-centred pig."

  Addison was surprised at such strong words from Isaac.

  "We finally got some background information on Frankie," Isaac continued. "This was a pattern with him, playing with people for his own amusement. He never held the same job for more than a year or two. Most companies just fired him…"

  "But Jake took it a step further," said Addison.

  "Yes. Davina admitted she was… shall we say… involved with Frankie, but she said it was only to make Jake notice her. He noticed, all right. Now her baby will grow up without a father."

  Addison shook her head. She was continually surprised at what people would do in the name of love.

  "Did you manage to do that other thing we talked about?" she asked Isaac.

  "I did. Where is he?"

  "Over by the barbecue, I'd imagine." They both turned to find Adam fiddling with the gas bottle. They walked over.

  "Is it empty?" Isaac asked when they reached him.

  "I think so. No problem, there's a spare in the shed." Adam turned to go get it, but Addison grabbed his arm.

  "Before you do that," she glanced at Isaac.

  "Ah yes." Isaac cleared his throat. "I've had another look at that incident of yours, years ago."

  "The charges were dropped," said Adam. His back straightened defensively.

  "Yes, I'm aware of that. I was looking into whether it would restrict you from becoming a police volunteer."

  Adam's eyes widened. "And would it? I mean, does it?"

  Isaac smiled. "It doesn't.

  "So I'm in?"

  "I've got the paperwork in the car."

  "Yes!" Adam wrapped both arms around Isaac and pulled him into a hug. He then hugged Addison, lifting her clean off the ground.

  "Put me down!" Addison cried, but by the time her feet hit the ground she was laughing.

  "Thank you so much," said Adam. "You won't regret it. Addison and I will make the best sleuthing team in town, you wait and see."

  "I don't doubt it," said Isaac. "But I'm rather hoping for some peace and quiet for a while, if you don't mind. I think this town has seen enough murders since you two arrived."

  Addison couldn't agree more. She sent Adam off to get the spare gas bottle, thanked Isaac for making Adam's day, and went back to her guests.

  Police business could wait.

  Note from the Author

  Dear Reader,

  Who doesn't love a carnival?

  Addison wasn't expecting another murder in Getaway Bay, though. The small seaside town is becoming rather perilous.

  And the murderous fun isn't going to stop anytime soon.

  This year the Riverwood and Getaway Bay Dog Show is held in Getaway Bay, and the whole town is excited by the event. Mrs Jones has even entered Bella in the Toy Dog category. But things go pear-shaped at the gala dinner – the organiser loses control, the dogs run riot, and someone ends up dead.

  In their new capacity as police volunteers Addison and Adam are itching to help Isaac and his team uncover the truth. They soon discover a number of people had the means, motive, and opportunity to have committed the crime.

  The suspect list includes disgruntled dog owners, judges, and even a few Getaway Bay locals.

  So who did it?

  And who let the dogs out?

  Death at the Dog Show is the fourth book in the popular Getaway Bay Cozy Mystery series.

  Death at the Dog Show

  Visit my website to find out more, and sign up to receive a free copy of the first Getaway Bay Cozy Mystery Cookbook.

  graceyorkauthor.com