by Destiny Ford
“Seems like a shame to waste that candy.”
“There’s plenty more on the stick if you want it.”
“I want it on you,” he said in a low voice. And that’s when I tripped, Rice Krispie and candy pieces going in every direction. It was an impressive maneuver considering I’d barely been moving. At least I didn’t have to worry about the Rice Krispie treat inconvenience anymore. I picked up the remaining pieces and threw them in the trash.
I turned to Drake and hissed, “You can’t say stuff like that here.”
“Sure I can.”
“No!” I said, eyes wide. “You can’t.”
“Why can’t I?”
I waved my arms around. “Public! People! Phones! Cameras! Everyone! Earlobes!” I was so flustered that I couldn’t make sentences and was just spouting words—all relevant words, but lacking sense-making modifiers, verbs, and conjunctions.
Drake looked at me, amused. “Your life would get so much easier if you stopped caring about what people think.”
“Says the politician who has to worry about what everyone thinks.”
“No, I stopped doing that a long time ago. It’s the only way to survive politics.”
I had no response. And it seemed Drake had decided to keep me company and was going to follow through with his whole go-to-the-carnival-with-me plan. We walked and I took pictures and stopped at various booths to talk with people and take notes. We said hello to my mom and dad as we passed. My mom gave Drake and I both a sweet smile that I knew from experience was anything but sweet. I’d surely hear about her opinions on my boob chocolate retrieval methods and mine and Drake’s lack of discretion later. We were almost through the entire carnival when we got to Axel and Sasha’s booth. Kids had been running around the carnival all night with the most detailed face painting I’d ever seen. Now I knew why. Axel and Sasha were doing it. “Hey!” I said with a smile. “How are you guys?”
“Good,” Sasha said, her smile wide. I hadn’t seen her this happy since they’d opened Inked AF. “All of these kids are adorable.”
“I’ve been watching your line all night,” Drake said. “You’ve been busy.”
Sasha nodded. “It’s been good.”
“If only the shop was this busy,” Axel said, disappointment lining his face.
“Things still haven’t picked up?” I asked.
“No.” There was an entire world of meaning in that one word.
“We’ve been talking about adding some other options,” Sasha said. “Ways to expand and offer things people in Branson might be more inclined to try. We’re going to start offering face painting all the time. Cosplay is big here and we think we could tap into that market as well by doing makeup and temporary body art.
I nodded, thinking that was a really good idea. “Targeting cosplayers is smart. Face painting will be good for Halloween too. I’m sure you’ll get a lot of business from that.”
“It’s a lot of work for something that gets washed off though,” Axel said, his tone despondent.
I could see his point. I wouldn’t want someone to take my hard work and wash it off either. “That would be frustrating.”
“But it helps pay the bills so that’s what matters,” Sasha said, giving Axel a look.
“How is the piercing side of the business going?” I asked.
“It’s keeping us above water. People love their pierced ears here,” Sasha said. “And we’re talking about doing some retail sales with makeup and jewelry as well.”
“I think cosplay is a good idea,” Drake said. “I know the people who run a few of the popular comic conventions in Utah. Let me introduce you and see if you can work together somehow.”
Axel’s face brightened at that. “That would be amazing. We would really appreciate that, Representative Drake.”
“Please, call me Dylan,” he answered. “And it’s my pleasure. I like to see good people succeed.”
“That would…” Sasha paused, her voice cracking. “That would mean a lot to us. We’re very grateful,” she said, her eyes watery.
“Happy to help,” Drake said. “I’ll get in touch with you next week.”
“Hey,” I said, “You don’t happen to remember a client with a full tattoo sleeve around town this past week, do you? A big guy, at least six-foot-three or taller and strongly resembling a linebacker.” The guys who had been wandering around my neighborhood were still bothering me and I wondered if Axel and Sasha had a connection to the one with a tattoo because my house wasn’t too far away from the tattoo shop. Very few people in Branson had tattoo sleeves, so I thought the guys might be there supporting Axel and Sasha. I hadn’t recognized either of them, and neither had Phyllis.
Sasha and Axel both thought about it. “I can’t think of anyone who fits that description,” Sasha said.
“Me either,” Axel agreed.
“Okay, well let me know if anyone comes to mind.”
They both nodded.
The next kids in line were anxiously waiting their turn and I didn’t want to deprive them of the masterpiece Axel and Sasha had in store for them.
“I’ll talk to you both later,” I said, giving Sasha a quick hug and then walking away with Drake.
I leaned in so my voice wasn’t too loud. “Thanks for doing that for Axel and Sasha. It’s been a struggle since they opened, and I’ve been worried about them.”
He lifted his shoulder in a negating way. “I don’t like to see anyone suffering, especially when there’s something I can do to help.”
“I know they appreciate it, and I think it’s really admirable of you.”
He flashed his perfect smile. “Anything to make you happy, Katie.”
I frowned. That “anything” part is what worried me.
We started to walk away when I saw Jackie Wall in line for Axel and Sasha’s booth. I was surprised to see her there since she’d literally been holding the largest, and most glittery, protest sign during the Inked AF shop opening. “Hi, Jackie,” I said.
She looked at me, then at Drake standing next to me. Realization that we were there together flitted across her face and I swore I saw murder in her eyes before she pasted on the fakest smile I’d ever seen. Like, so fake that she probably deserved some sort of award for it.
“Kate,” she said, trying to keep the distaste for me from her tone. I found her dislike of me amusing. She was a bully and when I had interactions with her, I refused to let her BS slide. She resented me for speaking up and calling her out, so I tried to do it frequently. I read a quote once that said, “Some people won’t like you because your spirit irritates their demons.” I kind of wanted to high-five my spirit for being so antagonizing. She turned her attention to Drake and her entire demeanor changed, her face softening into a sweet facade that concealed a slew of razor sharp teeth. “Drake, it’s so good to see you,” she said, taking his hand.
I rolled my eyes. I knew Drake had no interest in Jackie Wall, though she’d been throwing herself at him for years.
“Good to see you, too, Jackie.” He noticed her spot in line and gave her a quizzical look. “Are you here to get your face painted?”
She threw her head back in an exaggerated laugh. “Oh no, I’m holding a spot for my daughter while she’s over at the dart booth.”
“You’re letting your daughter get her face painted?” I asked, confusion showing in the angle of my brows.
She moved her gaze to me slowly like she was deigning to give me attention. “Of course I am.”
“You realize it’s Inked AF doing the face painting? And you’ve been one of their loudest protesters.”
She rolled her eyes. “This is paint, Kate. Not a tattoo. I fail to see how the two compare.”
Jackie failed to see a lot of things.
“Will we be seeing you at the trunk-or-treat this year, Dylan?” Jackie asked.
I had strong opinions on trunk-or-treats and firmly felt that kids, especially kids in small towns where everyone knows everyone, sh
ould have to work for their candy not simply wander around a parking lot.
“Maybe,” Drake said. “I’ll have to see how my schedule lines up.”
“Well,” Jackie put a hand on his forearm and squeezed a little, “I really hope you’re there. I always love seeing what costume you’ve chosen.”
My eyebrows went up at that. I didn’t realize Drake frequented the trunk-or-treat, or that he dressed up.
“What will you be going as?” I asked Jackie. Because I had some suggestions.
She batted her eyelashes at Drake like she was trying to be demure—that was not an easy feat for her. “It’s a surprise.”
“Well, you should definitely check to make sure your costume can accommodate an entire flock of flying monkeys,” I said with a sweet smile, then took Drake’s arm and walked away.
Drake managed to hold his laugh in for about five seconds. “You know you’re making her hate you even more.”
I shrugged. “She’s a manipulative bully who refuses to take responsibility for her actions and loves to play the victim. Most people are too afraid to stand up to her or call her out on her behavior. I have no problem being the person who pushes back.”
Drake put his hand on mine, his eyes soft. “It’s one of the things I admire most about you.”
My heart did a little flip flop as Drake steered me toward a booth with freshly caramelized nuts. It smelled like paradise and I closed my eyes, letting my olfactory receptors bathe in joy, and in the process, I almost ran straight into a giant squirrel. “Sorry,” I muttered, trying to steady us both. At first I thought it was another kid in a costume, but then I realized I’d seen this particular squirrel before. Nut Man. “Hey, Nut Man!” I said, happy to see him. “I’ve been working on the story about your Vendetta League and the Speedy Superheroes.”
“Thank you,” he said, putting his hands together in a praying gesture and giving me a little bow.
I’d never been bowed to before and it made me slightly uncomfortable. I put that aside and continued, “How many members does the Vendetta League have now?”
He thought about it for a minute. “Over thirty.”
That was more than I was expecting. “You said there were five of you in the Vendetta League to start. Did you all split the cost of the application fee?”
Nut Man shook his head. “No, one of the members covered it.”
“The whole thing?” I asked, surprised. It was a thousand dollars. That wasn’t cheap. I could pay my rent for two months with that.
“Yeah,” Nut Man confirmed. “They said they could take care of it. None of us argued.”
“How long ago was this?” I asked.
“We put the application in and paid the fee around six months ago.”
That coincided with everything the Speedy Superheroes spokesperson had told me about the chapter approval process. But I was still curious about the person who had bankrolled their application.
“Any chance I can talk to the person who paid for the application fee? I’d like to know more about how they got involved with the Speedy Superhero organization and why they’re so passionate about it.” Passionate enough to drop a grand on an extracurricular activity.
Nut Man shook his head slowly. “I wish I could help, but that superhero hasn’t been at any of the gatherings recently.”
That seemed odd. They paid a thousand dollars for an organization they weren’t even planning to continue participating in? “How long has it been since you’ve seen them?”
“A couple of months at least.”
But the chapter had only been around for six months. “Any idea why this person stopped attending?”
Nut Man shook his oversized head again. “We only see each other when patrols are assigned and that’s all done through the website. Available superheroes join the patrols. The person who paid the application fee for us hasn’t joined patrols for a while.”
Interesting. “Okay, well if they come back or you see them anywhere, let me know. I’d love to talk to them more.”
Nut Man nodded and Drake and I walked away.
“Nut Man?” Drake asked, bemused.
“You can read all about it in the next issue of the Tribune.”
He chuckled. “I thought I met some pretty interesting people in my line of work, but I think you have me beat.”
“You have no idea,” I said.
My phone started belting out “Forever In Blue Jeans,” Spence’s ring tone. Drake tried to hold back a laugh. He thought my Neil ringtones were hilarious. Except for his.
“Hey,” I said, answering. “I’m at the carnival. What’s up?”
“Another robbery,” Spence said.
My eyes went wide. Now would be a perfect time for a crime since almost everyone in town was at the carnival and a criminal would have their pick of almost any house on any street.
“Where at?” I asked, grabbing my keys and hurrying toward the door.
“Inked AF.”
My eyes went wide and I raced to my car, Drake close on my heels.
Chapter Sixteen
I pulled up to Inked AF to see the front door smashed open. It looked like someone had thrown a very heavy rock through it. The bright moon reflected in the fragments of glass on the ground and the door was partially open.
“This doesn’t look good,” Drake pointed out obviously.
I sighed. “Axel and Sasha are going to be devastated.” Since we’d beaten them to the store, I guessed that they hadn’t heard about the robbery yet.
Bobby came out the front door, saw me, and shook his head. “It’s a mess in there.”
“Was anything taken? Or was it an act of vandalism?”
Bobby looked back at the shop. “We’ll have to wait and see what Axel and Sasha say after they walk through, but right now it looks like vandalism.”
Fred and his wife, Molly, were standing by their antique store, watching the situation play out. “This is such a horrible shame,” Molly said. “They’re good kids trying to make it and they don’t deserve to be treated this way.”
I couldn’t agree more. “Were you here during the robbery?” I asked them.
“Molly had run over to Sticks and Pie to grab us dinner. I was in the back working on a piece I recently got in,” Fred said. “I heard glass crashing and thought someone was in the shop. When I got out to the front, I saw the glass on the ground and called the police.”
“Did you see anyone?”
Fred shook his head. “They must have left before I got there, or maybe they went out the back way.”
“Any cameras in the area?” I asked Bobby.
“Not that we know of.”
A car came screeching to a halt in front of the store and Axel and Sasha jumped out. Sasha looked at the front door, the glass and their plans for the future littering the sidewalk, and immediately broke down in tears. Molly went over to comfort her. Axel’s expression wavered between defeated and rage. I felt awful for them. They spent some time talking to Bobby and walking through the store while I waited and asked some questions of the other officers. When the officers gave me the okay, I took photos. Axel and Sasha finally came out of the store and I went over to them. “I’m so sorry.”
“Maybe it was a mistake to come here,” Sasha said.
I shook my head. “No. You need to be here. Your presence matters. Not only because you matter, but because being here is showing the people who live in Branson Falls and communities like it that just because you’re different, it doesn’t mean you’re bad or scary. You’re brave and I hope you continue to stand your ground.”
Sasha sniffed at my words. “Thank you,” she said, giving me a hug.
“Were you able to tell if anything was taken?”
“Four of our art pieces hanging on the walls,” Axel said. “They were all pieces I’d painted.”
My heart clenched at that. Having someone break into his space and take his personal property was one thing, but when that property included somethin
g he’d created from his heart using his talent, it must feel like a whole different level of violation.
“Do you have insurance?” Drake asked.
Axel nodded. “We’ll be able to cover the damages and the missing pieces. But I don’t know how long we’ll be able to stay in town if something doesn’t change.”
“There was another note left on the front desk by our computer,” Sasha said. “We gave it to the police”
My eyes widened. “What did it say?”
“We warned you. Get out, or you’ll get worse next time.” Sasha looked totally defeated as she relayed the message.
I pulled Sasha in for a hug and could feel the tears falling on my shoulder. I glanced at Drake and Axel across from me. Axel looked as discouraged as Sasha. “The police will put more patrols on your building. We’re going to find out who did this and make sure it doesn’t happen again. No one is going to run you out of town or stop you from pursuing your dreams.”
Drake patted Axel on the shoulder. “I’ll get you in contact with my convention friends and make sure you’re in business for a long time.”
“You’re talented and excellent at what you do,” I said, putting my hand on Sasha’s arm. “The police will figure out who did this.”
Axel looked off in the distance like he wasn’t even really there. I was sure he was absorbing everything that had happened and trying to process it all.
“Let me know if you need anything,” I said.
They both nodded, and I walked over to talk to Bobby.
“Sasha and Axel said a note was left. Did they tell you they also had threatening notes left at Inked AF and mailed to them before it opened?”
Bobby nodded.
“Can I see the note?”
Bobby shrugged. “Sure, follow me.”
I walked into the building with him where the note was still sitting by the computer and hadn’t been picked up for evidence yet. It was a standard white paper, with the words printed in a large Times New Roman font. There was nothing about the letter that would help me track down the author of it. “Do you think you’ll be able to get prints off the letter?” I asked.