by Joyce Lavene
“Look! There he is!” she whispered.
I didn’t need to look to know it was Chase. I could feel that he was close by. He and I had a bond that was difficult to explain but it was very strong. Knowing it was gone made me want to cry.
“Jessie. How are you this morning?” He sat close to me, concern in his eyes. “You look much better.”
If I have to win you back, I might as well start now.
“I look like a wet dog. That’s what happens when you spend the night at a frat house and sleep in wet clothes.”
He laughed. “I didn’t notice that part. Really. I meant you don’t look so sad and confused.”
“I think I’ve found an answer to my problem. Thanks for helping me last night. You’ve always been such a good friend.”
It was true. For years before we were lovers, we were friends. We joked around when we saw each other. I went to watch him at Vegetable Justice where visitors and residents could hit people with squishy fruit and vegetables when they were angry at them. We liked each other before we loved each other.
We still had that between us here, wherever here was. I had to find that spark that had brought us together in a more romantic way.
“Well I’m glad things are better for you. You scared me yesterday. You know how people sometimes go off the deep end. I’m glad that didn’t happen to you.”
“Me too. I’ll see you later.”
He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and squeezed my shoulder. It wasn’t anything he wouldn’t have done for any other woman in the Village that he considered a friend. That was just the way he was.
Canyon arrived with our coffee and rolls. He nodded to Chase and sat possessively beside me. “Manhattan.”
Chase nodded. “Britt.”
We watched Chase get into the line for coffee. Canyon put his arm around me.
“What is it with you and him?” He stared at me. “Have you got a thing for him or something?”
“No.” I sipped my coffee, feeling like a spider in the middle of a web. “Of course not.”
He chuckled. “I knew it. Why would you want leftovers when you could have the main course?”
“That’s what I was thinking.” I smiled and touched his hand. “Now tell me what you know about the dead fairy.”
Chapter Five
I convinced Canyon to walk to the Good Luck Fountain with me. I tried not to feel guilty for pretending to like being with him. This wasn’t a real place anyway. I had to stay focused on what was important—getting Chase to love me and figuring out who killed the fairy.
“Don’t forget he must help you solve the murder to put the universe back into its proper perspective.” Starshine buzzed alongside us as we walked.
No one seemed to notice her. Chase had almost sat on top of her. Canyon couldn’t see or hear her. It was like she wasn’t there.
I hoped she was there. If not, I was doing all this for nothing and probably walking around in my real life like a crazy person. It made me cringe to think how worried Chase must be. Had I disappeared from our lives, and he was searching for me? Or was I there—just completely out of my mind—babbling about Canyon and fairies?
There was no way to know. I glanced at my fairy godmother and knew I had no choice but to trust her—and myself. I had to do this thing and hope for the best.
We’d reached the edge of the large, closed fountain. There was yellow police tape around it to keep out curious visitors.
“She was found here,” Canyon said. “You can see the blood on the lip of the fountain. Detective Almond said she probably hit her head and fell in. He just isn’t sure if it happened because someone pushed her or not.”
“How is he going to decide if that’s what happened?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. He does his thing and tells me when he has the answer. That’s the way it works.”
“Not in my Village,” I muttered, walking around the fountain.
Of course the lush grass was flattened everywhere around the area. There was no way the police could find the right footprints or have any idea how many people had been here when Apple Blossom had died. Could they get fingerprints from concrete? I was pretty sure that’s what the fountain was made of.
“When will you get the report from the police?” I asked.
“When they send it. What’s up with you, baby?” He started to put his arms around me and then took a step back, squeezing his nose with his fingers. “You need a shower and some new clothes. Instead of worrying about this dead fairy, you better worry about yourself and your apprenticeship.”
Was this what the real Canyon was like? He had always been punctual and respectful in my Village. Was this what I’d find eventually if I knew him long enough?
“Thanks for the reminder.” I managed a friendly smile. “I guess I should head over to Stylish Frocks to see Portia about a dress. You should get on the phone with Detective Almond before the Village opens. I need to know about the fairy.”
“Why? Was she a relative or something? What’s this new interest in fairies? You’ve always hated them.”
“Don’t remind me. Just get the report for me, please, Canyon?”
“Okay,” he agreed reluctantly. “I’ll see what I can do. Meet you for lunch today?”
“I don’t know. Let’s see what happens, okay? Paul might have extra work for me at the book store.”
Or I might be able to find some way to have lunch with Chase.
We said goodbye, and Canyon headed toward the Mother Goose Pavilion. She’d lost her goose, Phineas, again. Some things were exactly the same here.
I walked up the cobblestones to Stylish Frocks which was near the Main Gate and the Mermaid Lagoon. Only the Mermaid Lagoon wasn’t there. There was only Mirror Lake and the pirate ship Queen’s Revenge sailing across the clear surface.
It was an awesome sight with the morning sun glinting off the water, making the white sails even brighter against the blue sky. I could hear the pirates rehearsing their skits, yelling at each other and occasionally firing a musket. They saved the cannon fire for once or twice a day or during special events. It was expensive.
They’d fired all the cannons on the day Chase and I had gotten married. Sigh.
“Don’t get caught up in what hasn’t happened,” Starshine said as I fought to keep perspective. “You have a job to do. I suggest you toughen your skin and stiffen your backbone.”
“Why is it you can grant life-changing wishes, but you can’t help me get Chase back or tell me who killed the fairy?”
“Because I’m the one who created this answer to your wish.” She frowned and looked around. “Well, not exactly created. That was something that came from you. Possibly facilitated might be the right word.”
“I don’t understand the difference. What if I wish to be with Chase right now?”
“I’m your fairy godmother, dear. If that is your wish, I shall make it come true.”
“That is my wish,” I reiterated. “I want to be with Chase right now.”
There was no puff of smoke. No earthquake or high winds. I didn’t even have to take a nap this time.
I was instantly with Chase in his dressing room—as he was getting ready to exercise his horse and practice for the joust. He had his shirt off and was changing pants.
He stood up straight. “Jessie! What are you doing here? Where did you come from?”
I was embarrassed and angry, but I knew I should make the most of the situation. It was unfortunate that I needed a shower and a change of clothes. I couldn’t look less sexy if I’d tried.
“Sorry. I just needed a place to hang out for a while—until the bookstore opens.” I tried not to stare at him. “I hope you don’t mind.”
He’d been facing the outside door to the dressing room so he knew I hadn’t come in that way. Before he could ask, I told him that I’d been waiting for him.
“Why didn’t you say something?” he questioned.
“I didn’t want to emb
arrass you or make Isabelle jealous.”
He laughed and finished changing. “Too late for that. Isabelle is jealous of every woman in the Village.”
“I know.” I hated to speak ill of the dead. Like Wanda, Isabelle was dead in my Village, but still alive here. “She knows you and I are just friends anyway, right?”
“She’ll be fine.” He sat in a chair to put on his boots. They were obviously new and stiff. “I wish I knew where my squire was. I spend more time looking for him than I do anything else.”
It was a light bulb moment. I could literally feel the cartoon light going on above my head.
“I’ve been a squire before. I could be your new squire.”
“I really don’t think Isabelle would like that. But thanks for offering.”
“No. Really.” I dropped to the floor at his feet and took the boot from his hand. “I was a squire for Sir Mauny and Sir Reginald for a while. I’m very good, and discreet. I’ll dress like a boy. No one will know it’s me.”
He stared down at me. “What about your apprenticeship?”
“I’m really not happy there.” I’d never apprenticed with Paul Samuels anyway, so I had nothing to feel guilty about. “He’s very impatient and sometimes downright mean. I’m stuck here for the rest of the summer. I have to do something to stay on the payroll.”
“I don’t know.”
It only took me a moment to put on his boots. I brushed his doublet and handed him his sword. Maybe I wasn’t very attractive at the moment, but I was useful.
“Please, Chase. You know I only come here to work on my dissertation over the summer. Don’t make me go back early.”
“Okay. But you’ll have to dress appropriately for the field. Are you sure you want to do that?”
“With all my heart.” I smiled, not getting too close to him. I could always do that later once I’d insinuated myself into his life—and had a bath. “Thanks. You won’t be sorry.”
“You couldn’t be any worse. I’ll see you later. The first joust is at eleven. Don’t be late.”
This wasn’t the time to hug him. “Thank you. I’ll be the best squire you ever had.”
I left the dressing room before he did, hoping no one would see me and report back to Isabelle. I knew she had spies all over the Village. She’d always complained about losing Chase to me. Even in this muddled mess, she was bound to be angry if she learned I was working as his squire.
Halfway down the hill from the Field of Honor, Starshine appeared again.
“That wasn’t what I meant about being with Chase, and you knew it,” I accused.
“Maybe not, but I’d say it worked out very well, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes.” I grinned. “It did, didn’t it? I was thinking I could probably never duplicate that moment at the King’s Feast when I believe we fell in love. I’ll have to settle for this. I have the advantage of knowing how Chase feels about Isabelle. He didn’t really love her, didn’t even really like her. They just got along well . . . in other ways.”
“You don’t have to mince words with me, Jessie. I know all about the birds and the bees.”
We walked along the cobblestones as I thought about what this was going to take.
“I have to get britches and a shirt from Portia. It won’t be easy since she’ll have me listed as working at the bookstore where I should be dressed in a peasant gown.”
“I’m sure you’ll find a way. But how will you get Chase involved in the murder investigation? Since he’s not the Bailiff, he won’t be part of it.”
She was right, of course, but I thought I had the answer to that too.
“He’ll be interested once I get some information about Apple Blossom. I know that much about him. Curiosity and wanting to take care of people was why he became Bailiff. If he wasn’t here in the Village, I think he might’ve been a cop.”
“Do you need me to do anything else?”
“No. Not right now. Maybe not ever unless you’re going to reverse all this and put me back where I belong.”
“Oh, of course not, dear. Where would be the learning experience in that? You’ll be able to find all the answers you need. I’m going to rest for a while. I’ll see you later.”
I walked quickly toward the Main Gate. The Village was still closed, and things were quiet. I was too late to get a new costume which might have worked in my favor. The long line of residents waiting to get their clothes for the day was gone. That meant all the best costumes were gone with it.
“Jessie.” Portia yawned, her face framed in the window at the costume shop. “It looks like you should have changed clothes yesterday. How are we supposed to get that clean for someone else?”
“I’m sure you can handle it, and you’ll be glad to know that Paul wants me to clean up at the bookstore today, including his hand presses for creating the newspaper. He wants me to dress like a boy.”
“Good idea,” she said. “A gown is much harder to clean.”
She reached behind her and grabbed a pair of heavy cotton britches and a blousy white shirt. “You’ll have to make due with those boots you’re wearing. I don’t have any other in your size.”
We both looked at my size twelve feet. I sighed, knowing I would have to wear damp boots all day. Portia turned away, finished with her part.
“Thanks.” At least I was working on one of my goals, I reminded myself. I was going to get Chase back.
I spied Detective Almond was headed into the Village, no doubt to work on the fairy murder. Beside him was Officer Tom Grigg. In my Village, he’d been put in as an undercover cop and had gone native, becoming a pirate on the Queen’s Revenge. It was so odd seeing him in uniform again. I followed them toward the Good Luck Fountain.
“Can I help you with something?” Detective Donald Almond asked after a short walk down the cobblestones.
It seemed he didn’t know me either. Another casualty of my wish.
“I’m Jessie Morton,” I told him. “I might be able to help you with your investigation into the fairy murder.”
Detective Almond was nearly a foot shorter than me. He had a chubby face, and his pants were always too tight. He didn’t have any food stains on his pale blue shirt yet, but the day was young.
“What do you know about it, Ms. Morton?”
“Not enough or I’d probably already have it solved,” I boasted. Maybe not a wise choice.
“Yeah?” He studied me. “How’s that? Do you know who killed her?”
“No. Of course not. Not yet anyway.”
“You’re some kind of psychic, right? This place is full of crazies.” He addressed the second half of his comment to Officer Grigg.
Grigg nodded, but didn’t say anything.
“I’m not psychic. I do know a lot about the Village. I can tell that you’re working with the wrong person.”
“You mean Bailiff Britt?”
“Yes.” I was inspired as I thought of a surefire way to bring Chase into the investigation. “You should talk to Chase Manhattan. He knows everyone in the Village and has a wonderful sense of right and wrong.”
“So you’re saying this Manhattan person knows about the fairy being killed?” Detective Almond’s squinty eyes narrowed further on my face. “Are you trying to tell me he had something to do with it?”
“No. Of course not. I didn’t say that. You misunderstood me.” Was it too early to panic?
“Yeah. I get it.” He nodded to Grigg. “Find the Bailiff. Have him bring Manhattan up here for questioning. Maybe now we’re gonna get somewhere. Thanks, Ms. Morton.”
Detective Almond started walking toward the Good Luck Fountain again.
Grigg was already heading toward the Dungeon.
What had I done? In my eagerness to involve Chase in this, I had implicated him in the murder.
Chapter Six
“Chase didn’t kill the fairy.” I stalked after Detective Almond with determination in my squelching boots and dirty dress. “I just meant he might have some
insight into what happened.”
“Look. You don’t have to worry about it. I won’t tell him where this came from. He’ll never know you gave us his name.”
“No. No. No.” I put my hand on his arm to stop him. “You’ve got it all wrong.”
“Are you saying you were part of it too? Is that how you know Manhattan was in on it?”
“Of course not. Chase would never kill a fairy or anyone else. I wouldn’t help him either. I only meant that he knows his way around the Village and could be useful to you.”
He grunted. “What does he do here?”
“He’s a highly respected jouster on the Field of Honor and Queen Olivia’s favorite. Everyone loves him.”
“A jouster, huh?” He glanced back at me as we reached the crime scene tape. “Funny that. The ME found traces of metal on the fairy’s shoes. She was wearing those real pointy ones. He says she could’ve done some damage with those pointy toes. I wonder if she made some dents in Manhattan’s armor.”
I was horrified by this turn of events. I tried to think of something else to say that would take Chase out of the equation, but nothing came to mind. Maybe that was a good thing since it seemed I’d done such a bad job.
Grigg and Canyon approached with Chase between them a few minutes later. I panicked again when Chase looked squarely at me as though he knew what a mess I’d made of everything.
“You’re Chase Manhattan?” Detective Almond leaned his head back to look up at him. “They make them big were you come from, huh? Where is that, by the way?”
“Arizona. But I haven’t live there for years. I live here at the Village, at the castle.”
Detective Almond’s eyebrows went up and down rapidly. “So you’re living the high life up there on the hill with the royals. What’s that like?”
“It’s all right.” Chase glanced at me again. “Why am I here? Are you accusing me of something?”
“No. Just thinking we might have a conversation about someone named Apple Blossom.”
“The dead fairy?”
“That’s right. Your little girlfriend was right about you. You catch on fast.”