by Sarah Fox
The other carvers present on the green came over to see what was going on. Mel filled them in, but none of them had witnessed anything either.
“I bet it was Freddy Mancini,” one of the competitors said. He appeared to be in his midforties. “He was asking questions earlier, wanting to know who’d won in years past. Your name came up of course, Mel. He seemed pretty sure he’d win this year—full of himself, if you ask me—but maybe he decided to make it a bit easier for himself.”
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” another man said.
Mel frowned. “I can’t accuse anyone without proof.”
“Let’s have a look around and see if we can spot your tools somewhere,” the woman from the organizing committee suggested.
According to the name tags hanging around their necks, her name was Ruby and the man with her was Dan.
The other sculptors returned to their work while Ruby made a circuit around the green with me and Mel. We didn’t spot any of Mel’s tools.
“How could anyone get away with all your tools without someone noticing?” I asked. “I know it’s pretty quiet right now, but all these lights are on, and that would have been a lot of tools for one person to move in one go.”
“I haven’t noticed any vehicles parked by the green,” Ruby said.
No parking was permitted on the streets bordering the green, so there was a good chance that any idling or unoccupied vehicles would have drawn her attention.
“I wonder . . .” I said as a thought struck me. I turned in a slow circle until I noticed a pile of snow heaped up against one side of the bandstand.
“What are you thinking?” Mel asked.
I approached the pile of snow and dug through it with my mittened hands. A second later Mel joined in. As soon as we’d brushed away the top couple of inches of snow, a bit of metal appeared.
Mel dug deeper and pulled the object out. “My chain saw! You’re a genius, Sadie.”
“I don’t know about that,” I said as we continued digging with renewed vigor, exposing more power tools. “But I’m glad we found them. Are they all here?”
Mel set aside everything we’d uncovered. “The power tools are, but not my hand tools.”
We cleared the snow right down to the grass without finding anything more. With Ruby’s help, we worked our way around the bandstand, checking beneath the snow banked up against the structure. By the time we’d finished, my mittens were wet and caked with snow, but we still hadn’t found Mel’s hand tools.
“I guess the smaller tools were easier to carry away,” I said with disappointment. I hated to think of Mel being at a disadvantage in the competition.
“Will you be able to continue with your sculpture?” Ruby asked, her forehead creased with worry lines.
“I’m definitely not giving up,” Mel said. “I’ve got another set of hand tools at my studio. Maybe I can get Zoe to run over and get them for me while I keep working with the tools I’ve got.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” Ruby said with obvious relief.
“It was still a dirty trick.” I glanced around, but nobody was lurking in the shadows, watching us guiltily.
“I’ll tell the committee what happened,” Ruby assured us.
Mel brushed snow off her gloves. “And I’ll make sure I don’t leave my tools unattended again.”
“That’s probably for the best,” I said. “And if your tools don’t show up, you should report the theft to the police.”
“We’ll see what happens.”
Ruby told us she’d get in touch with the other committee members as soon as possible, and then she hurried off back toward the canopy.
Mel tugged off one glove and dug her phone out of her jacket pocket.
“Did Zoe go home?” I asked as she tapped out a text message.
“No, she’s at the town hall getting something to eat.”
I thought for a second. “Maybe we should get a team together to be here in shifts. That way if you ever need a break, someone will be here who can keep an eye on things. Whoever hid your tools might not stop at that nasty prank.”
“You’re thinking they might try to trash my sculpture,” Mel said, picking up on my line of thought.
“As much as I’d like to believe no one would do that, it’s possible.”
Mel picked up a power tool with a disc-like attachment. “I don’t want anyone standing out here freezing in the middle of the night on my account. If I leave for any reason between now and the end of the competition, I’ll let Ruby or Dan know. I’m sure they’ll keep an eye on things.”
“You really think that’ll be enough?” I asked. “I don’t mind helping out once the pub’s closed for the night. And I’m sure I could find others to volunteer too.”
Mel shook her head. “Thank you, Sadie, but don’t worry about it. Really. Everything will be fine.”
“Okay,” I said, hoping she was right. “But if you change your mind, text me.”
As Mel got back to sculpting, I studied her work in progress for the first time. I’d been so distracted by the missing tools that I hadn’t taken in the incredible sight before me.
“Mel, this is amazing!” I said when she shut off her power tool. “It’s a dragon, right? Sitting on a nest of eggs?”
Mel smiled. “It is. There’s lots of work still to be done, but I’m glad you can at least tell what it’s supposed to be.”
“It’s really incredible.”
“Thanks. Hopefully the judges will think so.”
“I’m sure they will. I can’t wait to see it when it’s finished.”
I hung around for a few minutes longer while Mel continued to cut, carve, and shape her ice. A couple of other competitors drifted across the green from the direction of the town hall and resumed work on their own sculptures.
My toes were frozen and my stomach was grumbling, so I said good-bye to Mel and crunched through the snow to the western end of the village green. Although I was troubled by the fact that someone had tried to sabotage Mel’s chances in the competition, I couldn’t help but be cheered up by the town’s holiday decorations. Every one of the old-fashioned streetlamps had been decked out with a wreath, and every tree and building had been strung with lights.
It was a beautiful sight, but I didn’t linger on the green any longer. After checking that the way was clear, I quickly crossed the street to the old brick building that housed the town hall.
As soon as I had the door shut behind me, I pulled off my mittens and dug my phone out of the deep pocket of my jacket. Damien hadn’t texted me to say he needed me back at the pub, so I figured I still had time to get myself some dinner. Even from the anteroom I could detect the delicious smell of chili cooking in the kitchen at the back of the building.
My mouth watered. I stuffed my mittens, hat, and scarf into the pockets of my jacket and hung it up in the cloakroom off to the left of the entry. Rubbing my hands, I made my way into the large main room, appreciating the warm temperature, even though my fingers and toes would take some time to thaw out.
I paused just inside the room, searching for familiar faces. A dozen folding tables had been set up and covered with red-and-white checkered cloths. There were probably twenty or thirty people there at the moment, eating and chatting, creating a low rumble of conversation.
A girl’s voice called my name at the same moment as I noticed someone waving excitedly at me from across the room. A big smile spread across my face. My best friend’s eight-year-old daughter was kneeling on her chair, desperately trying to get my attention.
“Sadie! Over here! We saved you a seat!”
I hurried down the center aisle to reach the table where Kiandra sat with her mom and grandmother as well as Betty and Aunt Gilda. On my way past another table, I spotted Zoe sitting with some of her friends. I was about to head her way to tell her about Mel’s tools when she checked her phone and got up from the table. She said something to her friends and then headed for the door.
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sp; “Hi, Sadie,” she said as she rushed past me. “I’m off to help Mel.”
I said a quick hello before she disappeared.
Zoe had studio space in the same building as Mel. Hopefully she wouldn’t have any problem finding the extra set of tools and Mel would have everything she needed in short order.
“Hi, everyone,” I said as I pulled out the empty chair next to Kiandra. “Is there any food left?”
“Lots,” Kiandra said, sliding off her knees to sit in her seat.
“You didn’t eat it all?” I asked.
She giggled. “They have pots and pots of chili in the kitchen. I can’t eat all that.”
“Maybe if it were cake and ice cream,” Shontelle said.
Kiandra’s already bright eyes lit up. “Ice cream. Yum! Can we get some from the store before we go home?”
“You don’t need ice cream in the middle of winter,” her grandma Yvette said.
“I always need ice cream,” Kiandra countered.
We laughed and I spent a minute or so catching up with everyone.
“You’d better go get yourself some food,” Aunt Gilda said.
My stomach rumbled in agreement with her. “Right.” I scooted my chair back. “I’ll do that now.”
I had to pass another dining table before getting to the one at the back of the room that had been set up for serving food. Freddy Mancini was sitting there with Jade Castellano and a couple of other people I recognized as his fellow competitors. Leo Mancini was across the room, eating with a group of guys around his age. With the two half brothers in the same room together, I was surprised it was so peaceful.
As I stood in line behind two other people at the serving table, a tall man with graying hair approached Freddy’s table, a smile on his face.
“Freddy, it’s so good to see you back here in Shady Creek,” the man said.
“I go by Federico now,” the chef said, disdain clear on his face.
The older man’s smile faltered, but he quickly recovered. “Going up in the world, huh?”
“Unlike some people,” Freddy muttered loudly enough for everyone around him to hear.
He turned away from the older man and started talking to Jade, giving her orders about his schedule for the next two days while she hurriedly tapped away at her phone.
The older man’s smile slipped away entirely this time and his shoulders drooped with disappointment. Lara Hawkes, a member of the Inkwell’s mystery book club, hurried up to him and took his arm.
“Come on, Dad,” she said, steering him away while sending a death glare at the back of Freddy’s head. “Let’s get you home.”
As soon as Lara and her father were out the door, Leo Mancini jerked his chair back and got to his feet in one abrupt motion. I suspected the peace was about to be broken.
Leo marched across the aisle separating his table from Freddy’s and shoved his half brother’s shoulder.
“What the hell was that?” he demanded.
“Who do you think you are?” Freddy shot back, brushing his shoulder as if Leo’s touch had left a dirty mark.
“Eli was your mentor. You’re where you are now because of him. And that’s the way you treat him?”
Freddy sneered at Leo. “I’m where I am today because of my hard work and talent. I got here on my own.”
Leo let out a humorless bark of laughter. “What a load of—”
“Gentlemen, how about we keep things down?” Eldon Howes interrupted. Although apparently off duty at the moment, the tall, fair-haired man was an officer with the Shady Creek Police Department. “This is a family event.”
“Family,” Leo said with distaste. “I don’t think he knows the meaning of the word.” He shot a disgusted look at his half brother as he spoke.
Freddy was about to retort when Eldon spoke up again. “Leo, how about you go finish your supper?”
Leo looked as though he would much rather have punched Freddy in the face, but when Eldon put a hand on his arm, Leo shot one last glare at his half brother before returning to his table, his expression as dark as a thundercloud.
I tried to relax my shoulders, realizing the tension in the room had worked its way into my muscles. Hopefully that would be the end of the drama. Although, with Freddy still present, I wouldn’t have bet on it.
It was my turn to be served, so I focused on the woman dishing out the chili and crusty bread. Once I had my food, I filled a mug with hot chocolate from one of the urns at the end of the serving table. Then, with everything balanced on a tray, I returned to my seat.
“Did you catch all that drama?” I whispered to Aunt Gilda once I was sitting between her and Kiandra.
“Poor Eli,” she said by way of response. “He used to run a restaurant here in town. I heard he took Freddy under his wing years ago, and was even the one who taught him to cook. And he did it purely out of the kindness of his heart. Freddy should be ashamed of himself.”
“I don’t think shame is within his range of emotions,” I said.
“I’m sorry to say you’re probably right about that.”
“Why don’t he and Leo get along? Not that it seems like Freddy gets along well with anyone, from what I’ve seen so far.”
“I’m not sure what happened between them.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Leo. He and his friends had finished eating and were getting up from their table. I wondered if he’d be able to leave the town hall without firing a parting shot at his half brother, but it quickly became clear that he wouldn’t. He paused in the aisle between the rows of tables, his stormy gaze focused on Freddy.
“Good luck with the competition,” he said, sounding anything but sincere.
“I don’t need luck,” Freddy snapped. “Especially not from you.”
“Really?” Leo smirked. “Because even your assistant bet on someone else. What does that tell you?”
Still smug, Leo swaggered out of the town hall with his friends.
Freddy’s face turned an alarming shade of red. He swung around in his seat to challenge Jade. “Is that true?”
Jade shrank away from him, her eyes wide. “It was just for fun.”
“Fun? That’s what you call your disloyalty?”
Jade sat up straighter, anger replacing the shock in her eyes. “You’re overreacting.”
“Overreacting?” Freddy bellowed. “How’s this for overreacting? You’re fired!”
Jade gaped at him as he shoved his chair back and got to his feet. Everyone in the room was staring at him now. He swept his disgusted gaze over all of us as he stormed down the aisle and out the door.
With her lips set in a hard line, Jade got up to leave as well. She walked at a more dignified pace, her head held high.
When she was gone, stunned silence weighed heavily over the room for a few seconds. Then murmured conversations started up, and everyone slowly resumed eating.
“I’m not sure I would have shown up if I knew what the entertainment would be like,” I said quietly.
“Same here,” Shontelle said, casting a worried glance at her daughter.
Kiandra didn’t seem concerned by what had happened, however. She was dipping her bread into the remains of her chili while she filled her grandma in on what had happened at school that day. I dug into my own chili, enjoying the warmth and heartiness of the meal.
I spent a few minutes focused only on eating while everyone chatted around me. When Shontelle and Kiandra got up to leave, I left my chili long enough to give them each a hug. Then I got back to savoring the remains of my meal. I didn’t look up again until I heard Aunt Gilda speak to a woman passing by our table.
“Everything all right, Sybil?”
The woman’s light brown hair had streaks of gray in it and she appeared to be in her sixties. At the moment, her forehead was creased with worry lines.
“Have you seen Eli?” she asked Aunt Gilda. “I can’t seem to track him down.”
“He was here earlier, but he left with Lara about hal
f an hour ago. It sounded like she was taking him home.”
“Okay, thank you. I’ll try phoning him again.” She gave Aunt Gilda a brief, shaky smile before heading out of the room.
I scooped up the last spoonful of my chili. “I should really be getting back to the Inkwell.”
Aunt Gilda patted my hand. “I’m glad you were able to stop by.”
“So am I.”
I said my good-byes and retrieved my outerwear from the cloakroom, including my damp mittens. I grimaced as I pulled them on. Maybe I would have been better off without wearing them, but I ended up leaving them on. It wouldn’t take me long to get back to the pub.
I tried to brace myself before opening the door and heading back out into the cold air, but that still didn’t prepare me for the icy blast that hit me as soon as I left the warmth of the town hall. My cheeks prickled and the inside of my nose felt like it had been instantly freeze dried.
Anxious to get back to the pub and out of the cold, I hurried down the steps to the sidewalk. As I set off northward along Hemlock Street, a loud clatter startled me. It sounded like it had come from behind the town hall. I peered down the gap between the town hall and the neighboring building, but didn’t see anything.
I was about to keep going when I stopped again. There was something there, just not anything moving. It looked like there was a big lump halfway down the gap between buildings. I stepped into the dark space, leaving the cheery glow of the nearest streetlamp behind.
“Hello?” I called out, apprehension shimmying up my spine.
There was no response. The only sound I could hear was that of my feet crunching on the snow.
I stopped after taking a few steps. My apprehension had now morphed into fear.
The lump looked like it could be a person lying on the ground.
I wanted to turn around and run, but I couldn’t. What if someone needed help? I swallowed my fear and moved deeper into the shadowy gap.
“Hello?” I said again. “Are you all right?”