Canal Days Calamity

by Jamie M. Blair

“No way. I’m not letting her out of my sight.”

  “Thanks for calling and letting me know you’re a free man again. Have a good night, Andy.”

  We said goodbye and hung up. I was more than relieved to hear that he and John and Paul were out of jail, but I was also concerned about what new evidence the police found. Maybe I should call Ben? My stomach clenched with the thought. If I had him on the phone, I’d have no reason to keep what I knew about Stewart from him. If I didn’t talk to him, I could keep thinking about the best way to break the news.

  For now, while there was still a killer on the loose, at least my friends were all in the clear of being convicted.

  “Are you ready?” Monica asked, knocking on my door.

  “I’m ready.” I opened it and told her the good news.

  “Thank goodness. I can’t imagine how they kept them for as many days as they did.”

  We went downstairs to find Mom with a pair of scissors hanging around her neck by twine. “What’s this?” I asked.

  Mia picked up another twine necklace from the table, this one with a rock tied to it, and hung it around my neck. Then she hung a third with a sheet of paper dangling from it, around Monica’s neck. “Paper, rock, scissors,” she said. “Your costumes.”

  “How adorable!” Mom said, hugging Mia. “You’re as smart as you are pretty.”

  “Great idea, Mia,” Monica said, giving the next hug.

  “Thanks,” I said to her. “It really is a great costume for three people. What made you think of it?”

  She shrugged. “It just came to me.”

  “Are you going anywhere tonight?”

  “I’m grounded, remember?”

  “Right answer,” I said. “Just testing you. We won’t be long.”

  “Be as long as you want. Doesn’t matter to me. I’ll be here wasting my life either way.”

  “Sounds like a good time to study.”

  She rolled her eyes. Someday they would get stuck like that, if my grandma knew what she was talking about. I’d been told that enough times when Mia was my age. I never believed it, but now that I was on the receiving end, I kind of hoped it was true.

  “Come on, Rock,” Mom said from the front door. “Time to rock and roll.” She burst out laughing.

  “Cut it out, Scissors,” I said.

  “This is going to be the longest hour of my life,” Monica said, shaking her head.

  Mom was already outside. “What are you waiting for, Mon, your walking papers?” She howled with laughter, making the dogs run to the windows barking.

  We walked down the road and over the bridge in the waning moonlight filtering between the thick black clouds. The wind had kicked up and blew ripples across the canal. Mike and his harem of lady ducks quacked and flew into the empty horse stalls where the draft horses that draw the canal boat from the banks rest during their working hours. The leaves on the trees were showing their silver sides, which meant it was going to rain soon. I’d learned that from John Bridgemaker.

  The palpable static in the air from the looming storm mixed with what I was keeping from Ben about his father, and the worry over tomorrow’s festivities being rained out, had me on edge.

  Something was about to break, I just wasn’t sure what or how to prepare for it.

  • Seventeen •

  Elaina had a clock on a thick chain around her neck and a baseball hat on backwards. “I’m Grandma Diggity, you dig?” she folded her arms over her chest in a rapper pose. It was quite the costume for a ninety-three-year-old woman.

  “Rock, paper, scissors!” Brenda said. “What a great idea!”

  She ushered us in to the back where she kept an area clear for author visits and book signings. She’d decorated a table with handmade black paper flowers in vases and miniature pumpkins. The centerpiece was a tall owl statue painted black and silver. It reminded me of the antique owl fireplace andirons that used to be at Ellsworth House—before Irene stole and sold them and one ended up a murder weapon.

  A chill slid down my back and I turned away from the decoration.

  “Cameron,” Brenda said, leading a stout, older woman in a purpled and silver headscarf up to me. “This is my cousin, Amelia.”

  “Nice to meet you, Amelia,” I said, shaking her hand.

  Amelia turned my hand over and regarded my palm. “Interesting,” she said. “You’ve experienced a lot of change in the recent past.” It wasn’t a question, she was reading my palm. “You’re always in the midst of things. In the midst of tragedy and trouble, but you’re a savior, too—you save people from trouble and harm. Are you a police officer?”

  “No, but my husband is.”

  She looked closer at my palm. “Your husband. I see.”

  Did she see me having a husband? If so, was it for much longer? I was afraid to ask.

  “Did you get something to drink, Cam?” Brenda asked. “There’s punch on the table.”

  “Thanks, I’ll get some.” I wouldn’t. I wasn’t going anywhere near that owl. I eased my hand out of Amelia’s, put it on Monica’s back, and eased her over in front of me. “Amelia, this is my sister, Monica.”

  Monica shook hands and had hers confiscated. “I see you have new love in your life,” Amelia said. “And he’s Irish isn’t he? Well, you’re going to love our little treat we have planned, isn’t she, Bren?”

  I walked away before I could hear any more, like about how Monica was destined to move to Ireland.

  Palm reading wasn’t real. Certainly Brenda filled her cousin in on all of us and dressed her up in her headscarf to play the part for the party. I wondered if the punch was spiked. I could use a little nip of something to help calm my rattled nerves and enjoy the festivities.

  I made my way to the other side of the table where Sue was chatting with Betty. Sue was dressed as an old-fashioned soda jerk, a costume she broke out every Canal Days for her Soda Pop Shop. Betty wore a blue, fuzzy sweater with googly eyes on the front. “Are you Cookie Monster?” I asked.

  “Of course I am. Did you see the cookies I brought?” She pointed to a tray of round sugar cookies iced with blue squiggly fur, complete with big googly eyes like her sweater and a mini chocolate chip cookie sticking out where the mouth should be.

  “Those are so cute, Betty,” I said. “Are you selling those at your table tomorrow?”

  “Those and a whole slew of other monster cookies. That’s my theme this year. But don’t worry, I made snickerdoodles, too, just for you.”

  “You’re too good to me,” I said, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “Cass called me and told me Andy’s home.”

  “I heard. That poor boy should’ve never been arrested to begin with.”

  “They must know who really did it if they let all of them go,” Sue said. “I hope they arrest someone soon.” She rubbed her arms. I noticed she had goose bumps.

  Thunder cracked, echoing through the old building.

  “I think it’s time,” Amelia called out, smiling mysteriously.

  “Everyone please follow me upstairs,” Brenda said.

  The door in the very back left corner of the bookstore opened to a stairwell leading up to Brenda’s apartment on the second and third floors.

  Judy came rushing in just in time, lowering her umbrella. “It’s starting to come down out there,” she said. “Sorry I’m late.”

  “You’re just in time,” Brenda said, stashing Judy’s umbrella in a stand by the door.

  “Wonder what’s in store for us upstairs,” Theresa whispered in my ear, coming up behind me. “A seance, perhaps?”

  “I hope not. The last thing I need is a rogue spirit following me home. I already have a cat who wanders in uninvited and a duck that’s surprisingly loud.”

  Theresa let out a sharp laugh. “Out of everyone here you would definitely be the one to attract a stray gh
ost.”

  “She’s a stray magnet,” Johnna said, reaching between us for a Cookie Monster cookie. “And a dead person magnet.”

  I couldn’t argue her on either point.

  We all trodded up the steps single file into Brenda’s spacious living room lit with nothing but about a hundred candles. The shades were drawn, but a steady patter hit the window panes behind them. A room divider was set up in the corner, behind it more candles flickered. The building creaked as a gust of wind howled through the floor above us.

  “Amelia is a fortune teller by trade,” Brenda said. “I don’t personally partake in the activities she specializes in, but I recognize the fun in it for a Halloween party. She’s going to set up behind the divider and one at a time, you can go have your fortunes told. Then when you come out the rest of us can pester you for the details.” She laughed.

  “I’ll go first,” Monica said, darting forward. She saw me looking at her, questioning her eagerness. “What? I have to leave early.”

  She disappeared with Amelia behind the divider. Mom sneaked closer, hoping to catch a snippet of their conversation, I was certain.

  “Are you going to do it?” Sue asked, jutting her chin toward the closed off area.

  “I don’t know. Are you?”

  “I don’t know. I kind of like having life be a surprise, especially the bad parts.”

  I nodded, knowing what she meant. The last thing Sue needed after losing her oldest daughter over the summer was any bad news. “I’m sure Brenda told her what to say to each of us,” I said.

  “True. I don’t believe in hocus pocus like this, do you?”

  “No.” But it still creeped me out.

  Brenda passed around glasses of warm mulled wine, which eased my nerves a bit. Elaina downed a glass and was trying to rap “Blue Suede Shoes” while winding the oversized alarm clock to the beat.

  Theresa yawned. “I would’ve felt terrible for not coming tonight, but after all the Canal Days prep, I’m exhausted. I spent the afternoon making fancy pumpkin-shaped guest soaps. I’m going to have to leave soon and get to bed if I’m going to be worth anything tomorrow.”

  I needed to get home soon myself, and make a bunch of calls to invite the town teens and tweens to bring their pets to the parade.

  Thunder rumbled overhead again, and lightning flashed beyond the window shades.

  I really hoped there would be a parade.

  Monica emerged from behind the divider glowing. Whatever Amelia told her had her floating on air. “She asked for you next, Cam” she said.

  “I’m not sure—”

  “Go!” Mom said. “Have some fun!”

  I sat my mostly empty glass of wine down and stepped behind the divider. Taking that step was like walking off a tight rope without knowing if there was a net below. I reminded myself that whatever Amelia said, it was planted by Brenda. This was only a party game.

  “Take a seat,” Amelia said, smiling. “We can do this a couple of ways. I can continue reading your palm, or we can read cards, or tea leaves.”

  I wasn’t thirsty, so tea leaves were out, and I’d had enough of her holding my hand. “Cards,” I said.

  She picked up a deck of large painted cards. Tarot cards, I figured, although I’d never seen any in real life, only on TV. She had me select a few, but not look at them, then she laid them out in a cross pattern. “Alright, let’s begin.”

  She flipped the first and narrowed her eyes. Then she flipped the second, and made a humming noise. After the third, she said, “I see.” She continued on like that until they were all face up. “Well there’s a lot here,” she said. “There’s a bit of marital strife, but it’s passing. Something ongoing with in-laws, something particularly troubling about your father-in-law. Then there’s a daughter, or stepdaughter I think since there’s this other woman in the dark over here,” she tapped one of the cards. “Nothing more than normal teen and mother angst. Nothing to worry over there.” She set two fingers on a pair of cards. “Your family ties are growing or strengthening. Both perhaps. Marriages, adoptions …” She wobbled her head back and forth. “It’s growing and will continue to for some time. This one though,” she said, jabbing a finger to the card in the dead center, “is disturbing. There’s someone in need of help. Your help. He’s in a barn and needs rescuing. Does that mean anything to you?”

  Someone in a barn who needs saving? “Oh, Roy. That already happened.”

  “No, it’s still here in the cards.”

  Well cards or not, it happened. “I think I know what it means.”

  “You can help this person?” She shook her head. “Maybe not a person, I see an animal.”

  A horse, or several, at the race track in the barn with Roy. “That makes sense. I’ve got it covered.”

  “Good,” she said, sitting back. “Then there’s only the father-in-law, but that’s removed from your immediate influence, although it could come around into your house, so to speak.”

  “My house?”

  “Planetary house. I read the stars as well.”

  “I see.”

  “So all good things, just watch out for anyone in need of rescuing in a barn.”

  “Will do. Thanks, Amelia.”

  “You’re welcome. Can you send Elaina back please?”

  “Elaina? Sure. Good luck.”

  She laughed. “You’d be surprised what that woman’s palm has to say.”

  “I’m sure it has something to do with polka dots.” Amelia gave me a confused look. “I’ll send her back,” I said, and stepped out from around the divider.

  I sent Elaina back to have her fortune told. I wan’t surprised by Amelia knowing about Roy in the barn. If Johnna new about it, the whole town did, so Brenda would’ve let her in on that tidbit. But Stewart was a whole different kettle of fish. Nobody other than Mom and Monica knew about Stewart and what we’d found at the kennel.

  Maybe there was a little merit to this fortune reading stuff after all.

  ∞

  When the fortune telling was over and everyone was back downstairs, Betty brought out a large round loaf of bread stuffed with raisins. “Barmbrack is a customary Irish Halloween tradition,” she said. “It just so happens that this year we have an Irish visitor to our town, which reminded me of this. Each of you will get a slice. Inside there will be a token. Depending on which you get, it will be your fortune for the coming year.”

  Betty sliced the loaf and sat the raisin bread on plates for us to select our own. “Now be careful and don’t choke on the tokens inside,” she said.

  We all dug in. The first to find one was Sue. “I think it’s a pea,” she said.

  “The pea means you won’t be getting married in the next year,” Betty said. “Sorry, dear.”

  We all laughed. Sue wasn’t dating anyone at the moment. She’d had her eyes set on Carl for the longest time, but he’d never returned the affection and now Mom was in the picture, at least for a couple more days.

  “I’ll survive,” Sue said.

  “I found something,” Monica said, digging it out with her fork. “It’s a ring.”

  “That means you’ll be wed within a year,” Betty said.

  Mom clasped her hands together. Monica beamed. I wondered how that could be with a man who lived so far away.

  Elaina’s alarm clock around her neck sounded. It was eight o’clock. “Oh, I’ve got to run,” Monica said. She bounded over and gave Brenda a big hug, and then Amelia. “This was a great party. Thanks so much for inviting me.”

  “I’m going, too,” I said. “Mom, are you going to stay a while, or come with us?”

  “I think I’ll stay a while longer.”

  I thanked Brenda and said my goodbye’s to everyone and we left.

  “Are you okay?” Monica asked as we raced across the bridge in the rain.
r />   It was pouring down now, the wind whipping through our hair.

  “I’m just tired, and have a lot on my mind after today.”

  “I’m sure Stewart doesn’t know Avery’s involved in money laundering.”

  “Even if he’s not, he’s giving him money for something, and it’s not to board a dog.”

  “You need to tell Ben so he can sort it all out.”

  “I know.”

  Thunder cracked, and rain blew sideways, pelting us. “Hurry!” Monica shouted.

  “Run ahead,” I told her. My knee felt worlds better, but I was never a good runner. Running and breathing are two things I can’t do at the same time, like walking and chewing gum.

  A pickup pulled up beside us and stopped. “Get in,” Quinn shouted from the window.

  We climbed inside the warm, dry cab and closed out the wind and rain. “Perfect timing,” Monica said.

  “I saw you bolting down the boithrin and couldn’t believe my eyes. What are you doing out in this? It’s bucketing down.”

  “Coming back from a Halloween party,” she said, grinning up at him.

  He grinned back. “Looks as if you had a craic time of it.”

  “If that means it was fun, then yes,” she said.

  “Good.” He leaned forward to see me around Monica. “You’re quiet,” he said. “Did you have fun as well?”

  “I did. I’m tired, that’s all. Thanks for asking.”

  Home was only the distance of a football field away, but it was nice not having to run in the rain. The lovebirds beside me snuggled together as I stared out into the dark night, feeling more alone than I had in a long time. I was losing Monica just as I got her back, Mom would be leaving again, and Ben and I … who knew what would happen with us.

  All night I’d been surrounded by friends and family, but I was apart somehow. My mind hadn’t been in the present, it had been busy worrying over Stewart and what to do about him. Maybe I should come right out and ask him what he was up to?

  The pickup pulled in the driveway and lurched to a stop. “I think I’m going to go with Quinn,” Monica said, but she didn’t specify where or if she’d be home tonight. She was an adult, though, so I didn’t question her.