“Moon dust for sale.” Gloria read the sign aloud.
Ryan flipped it over.
“Vendor booth twenty-four. This I have to see.” Gloria followed her grandson to the booth. “You have moon dust for sale.”
“Yes, ma’am. Gen-you-ine moon dust.” The man held up a small jar.
Gloria studied the contents. “How do you know this is real?”
“My buddy used to work for NASA. An astronaut friend of his brought it back. Two hundred bucks, and it’s all yours.”
“For this?” Gloria wrinkled her nose. “Do you think this is your customer base? Some of these people look like the tents are their permanent homes.”
“I figured it was worth a shot,” the man shrugged.
“How many times do I have to walk around?” Ryan asked.
“One full walkthrough now and one in a couple of hours.”
“After lunch,” Gloria said.
“Yes. After lunch,” the man confirmed.
“Well?” Gloria placed a light hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “Is this something you want to do?”
Ryan snatched the sign off the table and gave it a twirl. “Yep.”
“Sign spinning it is,” Gloria said. “We’ll be back later.”
Ryan spun the sign, dropping it several times before getting the hang of it. “This is the best day ever.”
“I’m glad you’re having a good time. Now we need to find the location of the photo area.”
Ryan was the first one to spot the poster board, a silver orb beaming a ray of bright light onto an empty cornfield. “Cool.” He ran ahead.
By the time she caught up, Ryan was talking Leonard’s ear off. He smiled patiently as Gloria’s grandson rattled on about the Alien Allure attracting a creepy old lady who began following him.
“You think she was an alien?” Leonard asked.
“You shoulda seen her eyes. They were black, like deep space.” Ryan used the tips of his fingers to pry his eyes open. “I think it was the Alien Allure.” He thrust his wrist in Leonard’s face, and the man made a gasping sound.
“Gross, huh?” Gloria chuckled.
“Disgusting. Where did you get that?”
“From Gram’s friend, Rose. Her booth is on the other side of the pavilion. All you have to do is look for the sign, ‘Rose’s Potions.’”
Gloria helped Leonard finish assembling the photo area and noticed a stack of cardboard boxes near a small table. “What are these?”
“My books,” Leonard said.
“Books? You’re an author?”
“I am.”
Gloria studied the cover, Surveillance for the Savvy by Leonard Navoy. There was small print near the top. Over a million copies in print. “Very impressive.”
“I sell most of my books at conventions. With all of the media attention on the FBI investigations and Russian spy conspiracies lately, there’s been a lot more interest.”
“I can only imagine.”
They moved the table away from the photo area as attendees began lining up. “We better let you get to work.” Gloria guided her grandson off to the side to watch.
Several people waiting in the long line had brought books with them for Leonard to autograph. He also sold quite a few, completely emptying one box.
Finally, the photo op and book signing ended. Gloria’s feet were beginning to ache, and she shifted back and forth to ease the pain.
“I’m sorry it took so long,” Leonard apologized.
“No need to apologize. I didn’t realize we had a celebrity in our midst,” she teased.
Gloria and Leonard, along with a little help from sign spinner Ryan, made quick work of tearing down the photo set before placing the pieces inside an RV.
“Is this where you’re staying?” Gloria asked.
“It is. My friends from Nevada own the RV. They made a road trip of it and spent several days driving here.” Leonard closed the top on what was left of his box of books and eyed Gloria with interest. “You and Ruth are good friends.”
“We are.”
“And you have a nose for investigating.”
“I do, sometimes by choice and others not so much,” Gloria said.
“Not long ago, Ruth needed help figuring out a custom remote. Were you a part of that?”
“I was. The custom remote accessed a secret room, which was filled with illegal drugs. We never would’ve found it if not for you. Thank you for helping clear my sister’s name.”
“You’re welcome.” Leonard changed the subject. “Any word on the boy’s attempted abduction?”
“No. That sort of thing doesn’t happen around Belhaven,” Gloria said. “Of course, we didn’t have many young people living in the area until a new residential neighborhood recently went in.”
“Do you think the abductor is a local?”
“I…” Gloria’s voice trailed off. Leonard struck her as unusually interested in the case. “I’m not sure. It could be an isolated incident. I hope so. I better grab my grandson.” She turned on her heel and walked off. She could feel the man’s eyes following her and an uneasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.
Ryan chattered on as they walked back to the office. Ruth was nowhere to be found, but Lucy was inside. “Hey, Gloria.”
“Hey, Lucy. Did you just get here?”
“Yeah. I was checking out the new reno Margaret and I are going to start working on next week. The place is pretty much a gut job.”
“Business is picking up again?” Gloria asked.
“Sort of. Now that Margaret’s house is almost done, we’ll have more time to take on projects. How’s it going around here?”
“It’s great,” Ryan answered. “An alien followed me. You can buy real moon dust. I got a job as a sign spinner.”
“An alien followed you?” Lucy asked.
“She was scary.”
“I’m sure aliens are,” Lucy said solemnly. “Where’s your brother, Tyler?”
“He didn’t want to come. He’s with Grandpa Paul.”
Gloria eased onto an empty stool and began rubbing her aching feet. “I don’t think I could do this all of the time.”
“I’m thirsty,” Ryan said. “Can I get a pop from the vending machine?”
“You can. There’s a machine right around the corner.” Gloria handed Ryan a dollar bill. “Come right back. Until we can figure out who was following you, I want you to stick close by.”
He darted out the door.
“I want to keep an eye on him.” Gloria limped to the doorway and waited for him to return.
When he returned, Ryan plopped down in a corner chair and slurped his pop.
Lucy shifted in her seat. “I don’t blame you for keeping an eye on Ryan. A boy went missing from the Lakeville park this morning.”
Chapter 9
“I heard it on the news on my way over here,” Lucy said. “A group of boys were playing football at the park. One of them went to use the restroom. He never came back. Several of the boys interviewed said they saw a man with long hair in the area. He matched the description of the guy who tried to grab the Bearney boy.”
“The boy is missing?” Gloria’s jaw dropped.
“Yeah. They’re searching for him now.”
“They need to catch this person.”
Ryan guzzled the rest of his sugary soda and burped loudly. “I’m hungry.”
“I’m sure you are.” Gloria glanced at the clock. “Tell Ruth we’re heading out for an early lunch break. We’ll run over to Dot’s so I can grab Ryan a burger and fries.”
“And a chocolate milkshake,” Ryan said.
“Maybe. I don’t need you bouncing off the walls.”
Ruth burst into the office, her cheeks flushed and out of breath. “I’m freaking out.”
“What happened now?”
“I just sent Leonard off to run some errands for me. I can’t find my other assistant, Bernadette, and Cliff is trying to coordinate the lunch.”
; Lucy hopped off her stool. “What can I do? Put me to work.”
“I need someone to help with food prep. We’re serving hotdogs and hamburgers at the pavilion. I have enough people to work the grills, but I need help setting up the condiments.”
Gloria tapped Ryan’s arm. “We can stay here and eat lunch.”
Ryan crossed his eyes. “What about my chocolate shake?”
“We don’t have chocolate shakes,” Ruth said. “I saw a few trays of cupcakes on a table near the front.”
“Yum. Yum.” Ryan patted his stomach. “A cupcake is almost as good as a milkshake.”
Ruth’s cell phone rang as the trio exited the office. “Bernadette, where are you?”
“I think she’s in over her head on this one,” Lucy said.
Ryan walked in front of them, spinning his sign.
Gloria lowered her voice. “I can’t help but wonder about Leonard.”
“I was thinking the same thing. Other than the long hair, Leonard looks a lot like the sketch the police released. I don’t trust him. You may want to keep a close eye on Ryan.”
“Leonard met him this morning,” Gloria said. “He seemed a little overly curious about the attempted abduction yesterday. I wonder if Leonard borrowed Ruth’s van again.”
“That’s another thing,” Lucy said. “Ruth never lets anyone borrow her spymobile, and now Leonard is driving it all over the place.”
Gloria mulled over the boy’s disappearance as she helped coordinate the food setup. What if the incidents were related? Since the abductor wasn’t able to get the Bearney boy, was it possible he tried again and was successful this time?
Lucy pitched in setting up the food lines. While Ryan grazed the tables, helping himself to some of the finger foods, Gloria organized the beverage area, the plates and silverware, along with the condiments.
After finishing, they stood near the back and watched the guests begin lining up in front of the grilling stations.
“You better go get in line,” Gloria nudged her grandson.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Maybe because you ate a bunch of junk food.” Gloria shook her head.
“I only had two cupcakes, some chips, cookies and another soda.”
“You can grab a burger or hotdog when Lucy and I get in line,” Gloria said.
Thankfully, the line moved fast, and the area cleared quickly. Gloria had finished filling her plate when Ruth, accompanied by Margaret and Rose, filed in behind her. “It’s a shame Dot couldn’t make it.”
“As soon as the lunch crowd clears and Ray can handle it without her, she’s gonna head over.” Rose gave a quick wave. “I see Alien Elvis.”
“Where?” Lucy snatched her cell phone from her pocket. “I want to take a picture.”
Gloria waited for the others to grab their food before making her way to a table in the back corner. After everyone was seated, she prayed a blessing over the food and finished with a prayer that Ruth would be less stressed.
Leonard joined them moments later, accompanied by Cliff and Bernadette. “I figured we could have a brief meeting since we’re all here,” Leonard said. “Any issues, problems or complaints we need to address?”
“I just got here,” Lucy said.
“Me too,” Margaret said.
“The vendor area seems to be running smoothly,” Rose reported.
“Gloria?” Leonard asked.
“No. No issues on my end, either.”
Ruth told them she’d checked the weather and discovered there was only a slight chance of rain forecast for later that evening. “It shouldn’t affect our Alien Invitation, which starts at dusk.”
“I can’t wait,” Ryan said. “I’m gonna have another alien encounter.”
“Another one?” Margaret asked.
“It was a creepy old alien lady with a cane. She was following me around.” Ryan kicked the bottom of the table with his shoe. “I need some more of Rose’s alien stuff before tonight.”
“I still have a lot left in the sample bottle,” Rose said. “My potions are flying off the shelf.”
Gloria reached for her hotdog. “How is Helena doing?”
“She’s doing fine. In fact, I see her now.” Rose motioned to someone behind her.
Helena wandered over, juggling a plate of food in one hand and a Dixie cup in the other. “Mind if I join you?”
“Not at all.” Gloria scooched to the side and patted the seat. “I was just asking Rose how you were doing.”
“Business is booming. There’s a lot of interest in prepping.”
“I want to try the space food,” Ryan said.
“I’ll buy a meal pack for you later,” Gloria promised, “when we return the spinner sign and you pick up your voice changer.”
“And I can get more of Rose’s alien stinky stuff.”
“I don’t think so.” Gloria took a small bite of her hotdog. “Not if you’re riding home with me.”
“I’ll leave the window rolled down,” Ryan promised. “Please?”
“Tell you what – if you can convince Grandpa Paul to let you ride in his car, then you have my permission. Speaking of that, I want to run home and check on Paul and Tyler.” Gloria told her friends about the incident with the deer stand shifting and trapping Paul’s leg. “Thank goodness Tyler wanted to stay behind.”
“I’m ready to go.” Ryan hopped off the bench.
“Hold on.” Gloria polished off the rest of her food. “We’ll be back in a little while.”
During the ride home, Ryan chattered on about aliens, how he was convinced the woman who was following him had smelled Rose’s potion. “I can’t wait to get my voice changer. Maybe it has an alien voice I can use,” he said excitedly.
“Between the scent and the voice, you should get more than your share of attention,” Gloria chuckled.
Ryan grew quiet as he stared out the window. “I want to be an astronaut. Then I can find my own moon dust. I can look for all kinds of outer space creatures, not just the aliens.”
“An astronaut sounds intriguing.”
“I’ll have to move to Florida to the space place in Cape Canaveral. You and Grandpa Paul can come visit me.”
“There’s Tyler and Paul.” The garage door was open, and Gloria could see her grandson and husband standing at the counter, their backs to them.
Ryan bolted from the car and ran into the garage where Gloria caught up with him moments later.
“…and then this creepy old alien lady started following me around. Smell this.” Ryan shoved his hand in his brother’s face.
Tyler coughed. “Gross. What is that?”
“Rose’s alien potion,” Gloria answered.
“You smell like a skunk.” Tyler gave his younger brother a playful shove.
Gloria stepped between them. “How’s it going?”
“Good. The deer stand is up.” Paul gave his wife a peck on the cheek. “Did you encounter any aliens?”
“No. I’ll save it for later tonight. A boy over in Lakeville is missing. He was playing football over at the park with some friends. He went to the restroom and never returned. Some of the others who were with him said a man was hanging around. He gave the police a description of a man who fit the Bearney boy’s attempted abductor.”
“Maybe he left and didn’t bother to tell anyone.” Paul shook his head. “It happens.”
“Except for the fact the other kids noticed a man hanging around. I hope you’re right.” Gloria tapped her chin. “In the meantime, I don’t plan to let Ryan out of my sight.”
“I won’t let anyone take me, Grams,” Ryan promised. “If they do, I’ll kick them and run.”
“We were talking about heading down to Dot’s for a bite to eat,” Paul said. “Are you hungry?”
“We helped set up a potluck under the pavilion. After we finished, Ryan and I ate there.”
“How is Ruth doing?”
“She’s stressed. Thank goodness, it’s only for a couple of days
. Lucy, Margaret and I are all pitching in when we can.” Gloria consulted her watch. “I better head back. The Alien Invitation starts at dusk. You’re still planning on going with me, right?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Paul grinned.
“It’s going to be goat,” Ryan said.
“Goat?”
“Greatest of all time,” Tyler explained.
“Ah. I see.” Gloria coaxed Mally back into the house while Paul locked up his workshop. He and Tyler followed behind in Paul’s car, and then they parted ways in front of Dot’s.
Back at the flea market, Ryan and Gloria headed inside the office. Lucy, Margaret and Dot were staring at Ruth, who looked like she was getting ready to explode.
Margaret stood. “Ruth needs a break before she has a nervous breakdown.”
“I can’t abandon ship,” Ruth said. “I have to work through my stress.”
“I have to agree with Margaret,” Gloria said. “Perhaps a ride around town will help de-stress you. Why don’t you call Leonard to see if he can cover for a few and we’ll go take a ride in the spymobile?”
“I…”
Lucy cut her off. “You’ve been giving him plenty of downtime and even letting him borrow your van to run errands. I’m sure he would be happy to help.”
Dot joined in the chorus of voices insisting Ruth take a much-needed break. She finally caved and called his cell phone.
Leonard, Cliff and Bernadette arrived within minutes. “We’re here to relieve you from duties.”
“Thanks. I appreciate you covering for me.”
“We’re a team,” Leonard said. “We’re in this together.”
“We shouldn’t be too long.”
“Take your time.”
Gloria guided Ruth out of the office before she could change her mind. “Would you like me to drive?”
“Are you crazy?” Ruth asked. “I may be stressed out, but I haven’t lost my mind.”
“That’s debatable,” Margaret teased.
The friends climbed into the van with Ruth taking her spot behind the wheel. Ryan was the last one in. “Do I have to go? I want to see the sign spinner guy.”
“I’m sure Rose wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on Ryan,” Dot said.
Alien Allure: A Garden Girls Cozy Mystery (Garden Girls Christian Cozy Mystery Series Book 23) Page 7