Foul Play at the Fair

by Shelley Freydont

  But Ted had had advance warning. He’d admitted that he’d recognized Pete. Had he told anyone else?

  He might have told Bill. Being the sheriff, he would naturally take an interest in Pete’s return. But he’d seemed more angry that they had tampered with the body than he was concerned over the death.

  Because they had interfered with the investigation? Or because they’d messed up clues he’d carefully planted to implicate someone else?

  A sudden stitch in Liv’s side told her she hadn’t been paying attention to her pace or her breathing. She’d been indulging in too much speculation.

  Then again, if she didn’t speculate, who would? It was becoming more and more obvious that the detectives weren’t searching too far afield. They’d be content to arrest Joss, and since they hadn’t arrested him, they must not have enough evidence to make a case.

  And where did that leave Celebration Bay? Stuck in the quagmire with its livelihood put on hold.

  She slowed her pace as she ran downhill, keeping her stride steady, though her step stuttered when a gray pickup rattled past going toward town. She ran in place and turned to watch its retreat. Two of the brothers were sitting on the truck bed, which meant there were probably two sitting up front.

  Fine with her, though she’d meant to stop and inquire about Junior. It was just as well they weren’t at home. She wasn’t exactly afraid of them, and she actually liked Junior. He’d been nice to Whiskey, and Whiskey had taken to him. Of course, Whiskey was friendly to everyone, especially if they had food. But the others, she could live without.

  She’d run about two miles when she heard a car coming up fast behind her. She veered onto the shoulder, felt the prickles of sticks and dirt on her legs as a beige Cadillac sped past her.

  Janine. Now, where was she going in such a hurry?

  Liv ran back onto the pavement and picked up her pace. She was only a few hundred feet behind the Cadillac when it made a left turn into Andy Miller’s farm.

  Interesting. It seemed a little early for a social call. Liv was on her way there only because she knew Andy would be working on the maze this morning.

  But Janine didn’t stop at the maze or the house. Instead, she cut off to the left and followed the tire tracks across the field to the Zoldosky trailer.

  Liv sprinted across the highway and stopped to watch as Janine got out of her car and looked quickly around before she climbed up the steps to the trailer door. Liv had seen the Zoldoskys drive by. Surely Janine had seen them, too. So whom was she meeting?

  Liv’s appointment with Andy could wait. She eased through the wire fence and headed across the field. She circumvented the car and hid in the shadow of the trailer, listening for voices. But the only thing she heard was someone moving around inside.

  Searching for something. And Liv bet she knew what. What she didn’t understand was why.

  Checking over her shoulder to make sure no one was coming, Liv edged around the side of the trailer and crept up the two steps. The door was ajar. Janine was leaning over an open drawer. Liv watched as she grabbed a notebook and shook it out. Dropped it back into the drawer and rifled through a stack of bills. Threw them back.

  “Fingerprints,” Liv said from the doorway.

  Janine jumped, and a handful of papers fell to the floor. She glanced at Liv but knelt down and began gathering them up. She stuffed them back into the drawer and pushed it shut.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “When the Zoldoskys realize that someone has been burgling their trailer, they’ll have the police dust for prints.”

  “I’m not burg—stealing anything.”

  “No? Probably because you couldn’t find it.”

  “I was just looking for a piece of paper to leave a note.”

  Liv just shook her head. “Try again.”

  Janine’s eyes darted past Liv to the open door. Then around the room. Calculating and frantic. And so readable. It was amazing how well you learned to read people in her business. She could tell exactly what Janine was thinking. She was weighing escape against the need to keep searching.

  “The police already have it.”

  Janine reeled back. Grabbed the edge of the built-in dresser, scattering more papers.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “So you keep saying. So let me help.” And do it fast before we’re both caught trespassing. “The check you stole from the festival checkbook and wrote out to Pete Waterbury for a thousand dollars.”

  Janine feinted toward the door.

  Liv stepped in front of it.

  “I didn’t.”

  “Sure you did. You’re the only one besides Ted and me who had access to the checks.” Not totally true, but she knew how to wheedle payment out of a recalcitrant client. She figured it would work on getting the truth out of Janine. “Did you think you could really get away with something like that? Even if Pete had cashed it, we check the bank statement every day just as a precaution and would have caught it. But Pete never got a chance to cash it. Did you have anything to do with that?”

  Janine’s expression was blank; then slowly, as Liv’s words sank in, it changed to horror. “You think I killed him? I didn’t.”

  “Was he blackmailing you, too?”

  “Too?”

  “I guess that answers my question.” Liv sighed. She was way out of her league and trying not to show it. She kept an ear out for the sound of a truck.

  “I have nothing to hide.”

  “Everyone has something to hide.”

  Janine’s mouth worked and Liv was afraid she might burst into tears, which wouldn’t help at all.

  “Look, I’m just trying to help.”

  “No, you’re not. You’ll tell everybody.”

  Jeez, the woman was stubborn. Liv reached in her pocket for her cell, though she had no intention of calling the police.

  “Okay, okay, don’t shoot.”

  It was everything Liv could do not to burst out laughing. She bit the inside of her cheeks to keep her composure, and slowly she dropped her hand. Took a breath.

  “Then tell me.”

  “Can we go someplace else?”

  There was nothing Liv would like more, but she might lose her advantage if she gave Janine time to relax. She shook her head. Glanced at the door to drive her point home. The Zoldoskys could come back any moment. And we’ll both be in big trouble if they do.

  “All right, but you have to swear.”

  Liv deliberated. What was it with this town and their secrets? First Roseanne, then Dolly, now Janine all begging Liv to swear. “If you didn’t kill him, I’ll keep mum on why you wrote the check.”

  Janine hugged herself. “It’s nothing I did. It’s not my fault.”

  Liv glanced toward the door. “Janine, I think you should hurry up.”

  “Pete knew my brother, Joey. They used to hang out together in high school. I didn’t know him; they were much older than me.”

  She swallowed, looked toward the door, then hurried on. “Pete left a note in my mailbox that Joey killed that boy, and he said he’d spread it all over town if I didn’t pay.” Janine shivered. “I’m not responsible for what Joey did—it’s not my fault—but if people found out, I’d never be able to show my face in town again. Can we leave now?”

  “Excuse me, but why steal the town’s money? Don’t you have a savings account? I mean, you sell real estate, and I have it on good authority that you get beaucoup bucks from your ex-husband.”

  “They’re going to be back any minute. Let me go.”

  Liv gave her a look.

  “I thought I could make you look bad and keep Pete off my back. Nothing is working out the way it should.”

  “Did you kill him?”

  “No!”

  “Can you prove it?”

  “Yes.” Janine’s lip curled. “I have an alibi for that night.”

  “All night?”

  The smile became smug. �
�All night. Do you want to know who with?”

  “Not really.” Liv really didn’t want to know that part. She just hoped whomever she was spending the night with didn’t turn out to be Chaz. Not that it was any of her business. Not that she cared what or whom he did. But still. Ick.

  “I’m leaving now, no matter what you do.” Janine fled past Liv to the door, and Liv didn’t try to stop her. She heard Janine’s car start up and speed away.

  Liv quickly looked around the trailer. It was a mess. But she wasn’t about to try to clean up after Janine. Then she heard another car coming closer. Janine couldn’t be coming back. Which meant only one thing. The Zoldoskys had returned.

  Liv ran for the door, slammed it shut, and jumped to the ground just as the gray pickup stopped at the side of the trailer.

  It was too late to run; she’d just have to brazen it out. Hoping that Junior would stand up for her since she’d helped him out, she turned to face the four Zoldosky brothers.

  There were only three.

  Anton climbed out of the driver’s side and scowled at her. Serge, of the broken arm, came to stand beside him, looking ominous. The third brother hopped down from the back of the truck and stood with his hands on his hips. Junior was nowhere in sight.

  Anton frowned until his eyebrows met above his nose. “What were you doing in our trailer.”

  Drat. Surely they hadn’t seen her close the door? She’d already been on the ground when they drove up. She could outrun them, make it to Andy’s.…Liv, you’re being ridiculous. She tried another tactic.

  “Good morning. I was out for a run. I had to see Andy about Halloween and thought I’d stop by to see Junior while I was out here.” TMI, Liv. Just stay calm.

  “He is in town.”

  “Oh, well. I’m sorry I missed him. Tell him I said hi. Gotta run.” Literally. She took off over the field. She saw Andy coming out of his barn, and thankfully he saw her, too, though he was probably wondering why she was running across his field like a madwoman.

  “Look like you just saw the ghost of Henry Galantine,” he said as she skidded to a stop in front of him.

  Liv sucked in breath. “I won’t ask who Henry is.” She sucked in more air. It really didn’t pay to run in a panic. She was sure she must have sprinted across that field without taking a breath.

  Andy waited patiently until she caught her breath and took a few hits off her water bottle. “Actually, I was planning to check on the maze and the hayride today, so I figured I might as well get my exercise in.” She wondered if Andy had seen Janine’s Cadillac speeding over the field.

  If he did, he didn’t ask, just looked toward the trailer.

  Feeling that he might expect an explanation, she said, “I wanted to see if Junior was okay. He had a run-in with the Weaver brothers the other night.”

  “Did they hurt him?”

  “Just trash talk mostly.” Except her knuckles were still bruised. “But I thought he might be upset about it. He wasn’t home. So how about that maze?”

  “It’s ready,” Andy said. “Would you like a tour?”

  “Sure.”

  They walked around back of the barn. “This here’s the kiddie maze.” He pointed to a configuration of rectangular hay bales about four feet high. “Fun but not scary. Most of them can see out over the bales. They can have fun getting lost without really getting lost.”

  “Fun getting lost,” Liv said. Mainly it just made Liv want to sneeze.

  “Yeah.” He kept walking and she followed him into a field of cornstalks. A sign with ragged black letters dripping in bright red blood marked the entrance to the Maze of Madness.

  “This is the big one. A quarter of an acre of maze.”

  “That sounds really enormous.”

  “We have guides and an observation tower in case anyone panics. You want to see inside?”

  “Love to.”

  He led the way, walking along a narrow path cut through the rows of corn higher than their heads. It was a good thing she wasn’t claustrophobic, Liv thought. Because she felt really enclosed.

  “There’s not much to scare you in the daylight,” Andy said over his shoulder. He rounded the first corner. A skeleton sprang out of the stalks, swung across the opening, and disappeared again. “See what I mean. Kinda hokey in the daylight, but at night with the lights popping on and off, and the spooky sounds, we get some good thrills and chills.”

  Liv sidestepped the skeleton and hurried to catch up.

  They came to a wall of cornstalks so thick Liv couldn’t begin to see through it.

  “Right or left?” Andy asked.

  “Left.”

  He turned to the left. Nothing happened for a while; then the stalks began rattling and strange noises echoed around them. Okay, that was pretty scary even in the daylight.

  “It’s not like a regular maze,” Andy explained, as they turned left and right and Liv became thoroughly lost. “Normally, there’s only one entrance, but in the spirit of commerce, we have two. That way we get ’em in one way and keep ’em moving to the exit. More or less. That way we don’t get bogged down with slowpokes.”

  Something dropped behind them and Liv whirled around. A mass of black material writhed on the ground. She moved a little closer to Andy.

  “Good, huh?” he said proudly.

  “Great,” said Liv.

  Another turn and they stepped into sunlight. “There’s more, but you get the idea.”

  She did and she’d seen enough.

  “Is it all automated?” she asked, brushing dried stems and dust from her interval jacket.

  “A lot of it is.” Andy pulled off his John Deere cap, slapped it on his knee, pushed his hair back, and replaced the cap on his head. “Some of the simpler effects are spring-loaded. It takes about five guys to run the more complicated ones. If anybody seems to be getting freaked-out”—he flashed a quick half smile—“the grim reaper leads them out. Though I’m thinking about something less gruesome, considering the current situation.”

  “Well, hopefully that will be cleared up before too long.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I guess you know they let Joss come home.”

  Andy nodded slowly. “About time, too.”

  “Do you know what he’s going to do about the hayride? I would go up there but I hate to bother the family.”

  “Donnie’s planning on doing it, and I guess Joss will help. Work is a good way to forget your troubles.”

  Liv nodded and wondered if he was speaking from experience. “There is one other thing. I’m worried about the Zoldoskys.”

  “They won’t cause trouble.”

  “I was thinking more that they might have trouble with some of the rowdier locals. I know people are upset, and Halloween and Mischief Night are good excuses for troublemaking.”

  “That’s what the run-in with Junior and the Weavers was about?”

  “They were upset that Joss was arrested.”

  “He wasn’t arrested. Nobody would let him be arrested.” Two dark red flags had broken out on Andy’s fair skin.

  “Bad choice of words. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  “It won’t come to that.” Andy seemed certain of the fact. Liv hoped he was right.

  “I hope not. Do you think one of the Zoldoskys did it?”

  “I don’t know what to think. I’ll tell Joss that you came by. If there is any change of plans, he’ll call you.”

  There was a sudden chill in the sunshine. And it was coming from Andy.

  “Thanks. You guys have been doing this a lot longer than I have. You’ve got it all under control.”

  “Yeah…we do.”

  “Well, I’d better be running. The maze looks great.” She headed toward the road at a slow lope, picking up speed by the time she hit the tarmac. She turned right at the gate and waved back at Andy, but he didn’t see her. He was moving pretty fast himself. And he was headed right toward the Zoldoskys’ trailer.

  Chapt
er Eighteen

  Liv was sweating by the time she reached her carriage house. Physically because she’d pushed herself on the run back from the Miller farm, and mentally because even though she’d turned the murder over and over in her mind, she’d came no closer to finding a suspect. Except Janine.

  But she couldn’t see Janine hauling Pete’s body into the apple press. Which meant someone had helped her. The someone she’d spent the night with. Which brought her to Charles Bristow. She shuddered. She really hoped he wasn’t her accomplice.

  She was jolted from that thought first by the smell and then by the sight of a thin curl of smoke coming from the Zimmermans’ backyard. A month ago she would have panicked and called the fire department. But she was an old hand at country ways now and knew Miss Edna must be burning leaves.

  This was confirmed a moment later when a flying ball of white fur ran down the drive and launched himself at Liv. She leaned over to brush pieces of leaves and dirt from his whiskers and fur. “Are you helping with the fall cleanup?”

  Edna Zimmerman, wearing a battered canvas hat, overalls, a fisherman’s sweater, and work gloves, came around the side of the house. “I thought that must be you. Whiskey never takes off like that.”

  Ida was a few steps behind. She was wearing her green car coat over her tweed skirt; her flowered gardening gloves and sneakers were her only nod to manual labor.

  “So don’t you worry with him being out with us. He’s a good doggie. Aren’t you?”

  Whiskey lifted his head and barked in agreement, then pranced by Liv’s side as she went over to say hello to her landladies.

  “You heard that Joss is back home,” said Miss Ida.

  “Yes,” Liv said. “That’s wonderful.”

  “I knew they couldn’t keep him.” Edna sniffed. “There’s no way they had enough evidence to arrest him. I don’t know what Bill Gunnison is about. Letting those two morons from the state police take over.”

  “Bill was always such a fine, polite boy.” Ida sighed. “I never saw him as a police officer, though. Still waters run deep, you know.”

  “Still waters?” asked Liv.

  “Never saw him get angry like some of the boys. Never got into fights.”