by Leona Fox
Thrills And A Kill
An East Pender Mystery Series Book 12
Leona Fox
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Copyright © 2016 by Leona Fox
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Chapter 1
It was a calm day in East Pender. Ellen was sitting with Kelly in The Chrome Cafe, enjoying the peace and quiet. The cafe was fairly busy, and for this she was glad. Ever since Maggie had opened her own cafe down the street Ellen had worried if people still were going to come to hers, but after the death of Ray and the suspicion that was cast upon her things had returned to normal.
Aside from Maggie’s cafe’s early surge of popularity, the people of East Pender showed their loyalty by returning to The Chrome Cafe again and again, much to Maggie’s chagrin. She and Ellen hadn't spoken much; the two of them went out of their way to avoid each other, only sharing glances and scowls as they passed each other on the street. Thankfully, in the interim there had been no cases for her to work on, so she had been able to devote her time fully to the cafe.
“You know, I popped into Maggie's the other day,” Kelly said. Ellen looked shocked and mock betrayal was written all over her face.
“I was just curious to see how she was getting along!” Kelly said defensively.
“I'm only teasing you, it's a free country. I'd actually like her to succeed. I still feel bad about the way I handled everything in the first place. I've even thought about going in there a few times myself but I don't think I'd be very welcome. How was it?”
“Still doing well. In fact, I think that she--” but Kelly cut herself off and angled her head to the side.
“Do you hear that?” she asked.
“Hear what?” Ellen said. The two of them stopped speaking as they stretched their ears.
“It's like...it's like music,” Kelly said, in a disbelieving tone.
It was difficult to hear at first because the noise in the cafe was loud with all the little sounds; people chatting, cups clinking against saucers, newspapers rustling, Scampy shuffling around the floor, and so on. Taken by themselves these would not have caused any noticeable distraction, but combined they formed a large wall of sound and the two women had to strain to hear what was outside. Gradually it became clearer and clearer and more people became aware of it. They whispered among themselves, then shushed each other. Suddenly the cafe was plunged into silence as everyone turned their heads to the window. For now the music was reaching them loud and clear, the upbeat, happy melody piercing the air and providing the perfect addition to the bright day.
Even Scampy was sitting in silence, his beady eyes blinking as he tilted his head to the side and tried to make sense of this music. It sounded like a big brass band, with trumpets roaring and trombones blaring out a fast rhythm, while loud drums banged and cymbals crashed together, making the air crackle with vibrancy and sheer, forceful noise. Yet there was something else contained within the music as well, something that reached down deep into Ellen's heart and reminded her of yesteryear, of a long-lost childhood memory that caused a wide smile to appear on her face. She remembered the smell of sawdust and all the colorful costumes, the impossible feats she saw performed...the sweet taste of candy floss, and the sheer joy that came from sitting in between her parents in the dim tent as she was thrust into another world.
“Come on,” Ellen said to Kelly, rising from her seat, throwing the door open to let the music flood into the cafe.
Now people were talking again, excitedly, and one by one they all stood up and made their way outside, drawn to the music. It was alluring, and it was as though they were caught in a trance, as if they were children being led away by the Pied Piper.
“What's going on?” Kelly asked, still a little puzzled.
“Don't you see? The circus has come to town,” Ellen said, relishing her words, then turning to join the throng of people who walked out of the cafe, moving along in a long line.
People poured out of the other shops as well and the crowd grew and grew until everyone was moving along with the same happy tune in their heart. The romp-pomp-pomp flew through the air and Ellen walked to the main street with wide eyes, longing to see that which had been absent from her life for years. Already the streets were lined with people and she could see all the children on the edge of the sidewalk, pointing with wonder in their eyes, and she remembered feeling that way herself when she was little. Their parents held them back, for if they had not it was likely the kids would have sprinted into the street.
There were so many people that it felt like the entire town had turned out, and East Pender was coming to a standstill because of this troupe. In the distance Ellen could see the band approaching, feathers sprouting from their heads as they played the music. Behind them came a long train of vans and wagons and trucks, all colored in red and yellow, promising excitement, adventure, and laughter.
Ellen pushed her way toward the front of the crowd, unable to quell the joyous feeling in her heart as she surprised other adults with her fervor. Kelly was struggling to keep up with her and was lost farther back in the crowd. Now that the parade was closer the music had reached almost deafening levels but nobody seemed to mind.
Around the sides of the wagons Ellen could see a few figures leaping about, although she couldn't make out any finer details yet. However, she did see that one man was standing on stilts, towering up so high he looked as though he could have tugged a cloud from the sky.
“I never knew you loved the circus so much,” Kelly said as she finally made her way back to Ellen's side. Her face was red after having had to exert herself to push through the crowd and join her friend.
“It's the greatest show on Earth,” Ellen replied, not taking her eyes off the parade for she was transfixed.
“I used to like the circus as well until I found out about how they treated their animals. That pretty much ruined the whole thing for me.”
“Things have changed. Most of the circuses aren't like that anymore. They focus on the skills of the performers rather than training animals to do tricks. I can't wait to see what they have in store for us,” she said, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
Kelly laughed softly, amused at Ellen's hypnotic state, for she never had seen her friend react to anything like this before. The music faded a little as a booming voice came through two megaphones that were sitting atop the first van, blaring out so that everyone could hear.
“Hello to all you lovely people! Yes, it is true, your eyes do not deceive you. The circus has come to town! Wave to us as we pass by but be sure to come and see us in our big top in Freedom Park. We will be there all week, offering to show you things the likes of which you never have seen before. We will dare to do the impossible and you never will forget the experience that the Red State Circus will give you! Enjoy the show.”
The words were followed by a hearty laugh and the music struck up again. By now the slow convoy had reached Ellen and she peered into the window, where she saw the man who had been speaking. He looked to have a thin face with a curled pencil mustache. She recognized him as the person who had popped into the cafe recently to hand out leaflets for the circus.
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One by one, the vans and wagons and trucks all passed by, painted on the side with pictures of the acts. A few of them were standing up through the roofs of the vans, waving down to the people as though they were royalty. The sparkling costumes shimmered in the sun and everyone pointed in astonishment at these larger-than-life figures. Around the wagon there were some clowns causing mischief, rolling about and hiding from each other, running in between the vehicles manically, causing everyone to howl with laughter.
The vehicles themselves were different types. Most were vans, but there were a couple of trucks that held the equipment. Ellen wondered what it must have been like to travel in a convoy like this all over various countries. There was one long truck and this must have been for the big top, although it was being kept under green tarpaulin for the time being.
When the convoy had reached a certain point it stopped and all the performers jumped down to greet the crowd. They made their way around the street shaking hands and smiling widely, all except one. A girl remained standing atop the roof of a van, shining in the sun, and Ellen recognized her from the leaflet as Aurora the Angel. She was a young girl and she looked almost ethereal in her silver leotard and platinum hair. Everyone gazed up at her as she did a flip, landing expertly. Applause rippled through the crowd, and she again moved with almost supernatural grace, catching the attention of everyone, including the circus performers. From just one look Ellen could tell she was special, the star of the show.
Aurora curtsied and then disappeared back into the van to another round of applause, and the other performers caught the attention of the crowd. Without all the circus equipment some of them only could leap about, but there were jugglers and a fire breather, and these made the people of East Pender go 'ooh' and 'aah'. They spoke in a variety of accents, although most of them sounded Russian, and they seemed to keep a steady rhythm. They all had high energy levels, and seemed as excited as the crowd to be there, although as Ellen looked more closely some of them seemed dead in the eyes. She imagined the life of a circus performer was in some ways similar to that of a cafe owner, in that they always had to be friendly with people even if they weren't in that particular mood.
Soon enough the performers were back in the vans and the convoy moved off again. The loud voice shouted out the times of the shows and ticket information, and from what she could tell Ellen figured they were going to be in high demand. The music grew louder and louder once again as the circus made its way into the park, many people following to see them setting up their equipment. Ellen watched everyone flood behind but she took a moment to enjoy the feeling of nostalgia that washed over her.
“You are really happy about this, aren't you?” Kelly said.
“It's been years since I've seen a circus, I'd almost forgotten how much fun they are,” she replied.
It wasn't long before Andy came up to them. The chief of police had been making sure nothing bad happened, as he always was wary when a large crowd gathered.
“This is going to be fun,” he said in a dry tone. Ellen pouted toward him.
“Don't be such a grump, just enjoy what the circus has to offer!” she said.
“I don't know, it's never good news when a large group like this comes to town. You always hear stories, you know?...We don't know anything about them.”
“We know they're going to make a lot of people happy, and that's good enough for me,” Ellen said.
“I'm surprised you're here, though, I would have thought you'd be following the crowd. Wouldn't want them to get away from you.”
“I've got Iris on it, I think she can handle it,” Andy said, referring to his deputy who he had taken under his wing. Ellen still was unsure about Iris. The young woman often was too rigid in her way of thinking, especially when it came to the procedure of solving a crime, but there was hope for her yet.
“I sure hope she can, because there's going to be at least one night when we are going to go to the circus,” Ellen proclaimed, sliding her arm around Andy's.
They began walking slowly toward the park, far behind everyone else. After the excitement some people had returned to their stores, having seen all they wanted to see, but for others the adventure still was beginning as they longed to be around the circus. Kids were dragging their parents to the park and the air still was filled with their gleeful cheers and laughs.
“We are?” Andy said, trying to look to Kelly for some salvation, but he would not find it from her.
Kelly was intrigued as much by Ellen's response as she was by the circus’ arrival. She was glad for the distraction because Ellen definitely could use some downtime after the stress of being arrested under suspicion of murder, a fact that had taken its toll on Ellen and Andy's relationship. However, the two of them were back to their usual happy selves. It would take much more than that to challenge their love.
“Oh yes, we most definitely are,” Ellen said, and Scampy yapped as if to agree with her.
“Well, how could I possibly argue with that?” Andy said and sighed as he fell into step with Ellen and the three of them walked forward.
“I think we both know you never should never argue with me,” Ellen teased.
It was rare that something like the circus should come through East Pender. Most of the time it was a forgotten town, and the city would have been a far more profitable venture. Yet, for the Red State Circus, taking their show to small towns was just as important as playing to the large crowds of the city. For them, it harked back to a time when the circus was in its heyday. A time when there were not any distractions like the internet or television or even movies. The only place to see the circus was at the circus, and being in East Pender was a reminder of those halcyon days.
The lush green grass sank as heavy poles were placed carefully. The vans stopped moving. Crates and luggage were carried out as all the performers pitched in to get the circus ready. This was a much different show than Hollywood. The stars here had to muck in and get their hands dirty, unlike in the movies where they were stuck in their luxury trailers and dressing rooms, removed from the rigors of reality.
But the circus provided an escape for the people of East Pender. The close-knit community had suffered much with the crimes that Ellen had to solve, and it had been a blow to see Ray killed. The memorial service for him had been attended by almost the whole town and a visit from the circus was the ideal thing to lift their spirits and sprinkle a little bit of magic over their lives.
Chapter 2
“So neither of you two are big fans of the circus?” Ellen asked as the three of them sauntered along, keeping an eye on Scampy as he got caught up in all the excitement and bounded around, yapping loudly.
“I've never actually been,” Andy said. Ellen stopped and stared at him in disbelief.
“I have been!” Kelly said. “A long time ago...it was okay. I didn't really like the clowns...but that seems to be a common thing.”
“I think that's more because of Stephen King than anything else. Poor clowns have had so much grief because of him. It's amazing. But Andy, seriously, you've never been to the circus? How is that even possible?”
“I don't know. I guess when I was younger we just had different things going on. I'm sure it came to town once but I think we just missed it.”
Ellen sighed, and looked disappointed in him. “Well, at least I get to show you what it's all about. You know, I find it depressing how little love the circus gets. I mean, I know there was a lot of trouble with how the animals were treated but the industry really has changed that, and it's not like they were the only ones who treated animals poorly before we knew any differently. I really feel like it's one of the most overlooked things in the world. It's part of our cultural psyche but only in the most general terms. Like how many movies or books are about the circus? Not many.”
“That's probably because it's something of a bygone era. Are there even many circuses in the world right now?” Kelly asked.
“And like I said, there are jus
t more options nowadays. Sometimes things like these just need to die out.”
“Actually, I was doing some reading and the circus is undergoing something of a renaissance. Obviously it changed forms with things like the Cirque du Soleil, but I think there's a movement to bring it back. I get the feeling that as a culture we're trying to resist getting too obsessed with technology, with losing ourselves in virtual worlds. There's something to be said for going out and sitting in a crowd, watching a show unfold before your very eyes.”
“You read about this stuff? I knew you were always a bit of a geek, Ellen, but I didn't realize it had gone this far,” Kelly said.
“I have a wide variety of interests,” Ellen said pointedly, “and the history of the circus is rather fascinating if you look into it. I primarily was reading about the circus in Europe as that has the most written about it. It's fascinating to see how it evolved and rose, and eventually fell...and how now it's rising again. Of course, the first clown was Joseph Grimaldi, who had his own show, and that was a product from his days in the theater, as there was always a jester-type character. Even though that was the tradition, the clowns as we know them today are descended from Grimaldi, he had a very sorry life and ended up dying alone and destitute, unable to work because he basically crippled himself. That's the other thing people don't quite realize as well. There's so much dedication and work that goes into these acts, it's nice for them to get some appreciation. It's not like the skills they develop are that transferable.”
“I admit it's something a bit different but is there really a need for it anymore? I'm not begrudging them their livelihood, but you make it sound as though it's this deep cultural need and I'm just not seeing it,” Andy said.
“I'm not saying there's a need necessarily, just that the circus offers something different from anything else out there and we should encourage that. It speaks to the American dream more than anything else, I think, and it's a shame it largely has been replaced by Hollywood. Take this, for example. The dream now is to go to Hollywood and become an actor or actress, right? To run away from everything, you know, in search of stardom and fame, but for the most part you hear stories of how those dreams go wrong; how people get involved with the wrong crowd and they end up using drugs or just falling into oblivion. But the old dream was running away with the circus, and you never heard bad things about that!” Ellen said, speaking effusively and passionately, her eyes alive and dancing.