by Cindy Bell
Joyce jumped, as her phone rang. She picked it up when she saw that it was Brenda.
“Hi Brenda. How is your evening going?” She stroked Molly’s ears.
“Not so good. Charlie might not be able to bring Sophie to the show tomorrow. He has a meeting.” Brenda sighed. “I’ll be there of course, but I’m disappointed that Sophie might not be there.”
“Just bring her.” Joyce sat up and adjusted the rabbit on her lap. “You can take a break from baking. Family first.”
“Joyce, thank you. But I have an obligation to the business. Hopefully, he’ll work it out and bring her.”
“Hopefully. But like I said, do what you need to do.” Joyce set Molly down on the floor, then stood up from the couch.
“I appreciate that. I’m sure it will work out.” Brenda sighed again.
“I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow. It was such a long day today. I’ve been trying to figure out who might have killed Rocco. I just can’t get my mind off it.” Joyce stepped into the kitchen and popped open the fridge to scrounge for something to eat for dinner. Her life had changed so much as a widow. Once she had eaten a cooked meal every night, even though Davey usually cooked it, now she did her best not to turn the oven on. She had always been a hopeless cook. When she came across a leftover sandwich, she pulled it out and put it on a plate.
“Maybe a good night’s sleep will help both of us.” Brenda yawned into the phone. “All of this has been a lot to take in.”
“Yes, it has. By the way, I stopped by Rowan’s shop on my way home tonight.” Joyce unwrapped the sandwich.
“You did? What did he have to say?”
“Only that he didn’t know anything about the murder, and he didn’t want to say why he was at the circus. Something odd is going on there.”
“It does sound odd. But Rowan? He doesn’t seem like he could hurt a fly.”
“Yes, well sometimes it’s the quiet ones. And, he certainly is hiding something. Get some rest, Brenda, we’ll regroup in the morning.” As Joyce ended the call, she closed her eyes and tried to enjoy the taste of her sandwich, but she couldn’t get the events of the day out of her mind.
Chapter 9
Early the next morning, Brenda woke up to a heavy sensation on her chest. When she opened her eyes, she discovered it was Sophie sprawled across her. She couldn’t help but smile. As she snuggled her daughter a little closer, she thought about how excited Sophie would be if she was able to see the show that day. She turned her head to the right and saw that Charlie was still asleep. She hoped he would be able to bring her to the circus.
Carefully, Brenda eased Sophie off her chest and tucked her in beside her father. Once Brenda was clear, she slid out of the bed as quietly as she could. After a quick shower, she dressed, then grabbed a cup of leftover coffee from the pot on the counter. She didn’t mind sludge in the morning, once she arrived at the truck, she’d be able to have a fresh cup. But this would at least get her going.
As Brenda went through the motions to get ready to leave, she decided to write Charlie a quick note explaining that she understood if he couldn’t bring Sophie. Once she was finished, she posted it on the fridge. On her way out the door she grabbed an extra pad of paper. If there was a chance to break down different parts of the investigation, then she was sure she and Joyce would need it. Perhaps if they made a list of suspects and motives, they might be able to narrow things down. When she arrived at the truck, she discovered that Joyce wasn’t there, yet.
After getting a batch of donuts started, Brenda checked her phone and found a text from Joyce saying she would be about an hour late. She made another batch of donuts, while the first one cooled. As she began to set out the first row of donuts, she heard the sounds of cars and trucks arriving. A few other vendors were there to offer their wares during the small show.
Several performers had begun to congregate near the tent. They were only using a section of the tent today as part of it was still sectioned off as a crime scene and they weren’t including an aerial show. Brenda waved to a few people, but no one seemed interested in having a donut just yet. While she waited for the next batch of donuts to cool, she checked her phone to see if Charlie had sent a good morning text. Although it was nearly nine, he hadn’t. He must be getting ready for his meeting.
After spending a moment dwelling on the possibility of Sophie not coming to the circus, Brenda put her phone back in her purse, then she set out another row of donuts. She looked out the window towards the tent. More people had gathered around the entrance. More than she expected to see. She wondered if perhaps the invites had extended a bit further than just family of staff and vendors. With this on her mind, she turned back around to make another batch of donuts.
“Morning.” A cheerful voice called out to her from the serving window.
“Good morning.” Brenda turned around with a smile to find Slappy at the window. “How are you this morning?”
“Oh, you know, it’s a difficult day.” Slappy cleared his throat. “I’d like a few of those vanilla frosted donuts, please. My daughter really likes them.”
“Sure. Two?” Brenda began to collect them into a box.
“Better make it four, she’s a little upset this morning. And, I’ll take two of the baked chocolate donuts as well. Do you have a half dozen special?” Slappy pulled out his wallet and began to sort through it.
“Yes. It saves you fifty cents.” Brenda added the donuts he requested, then turned to face him.
“Fifty whole cents, huh?” Slappy chuckled as he slapped a ten-dollar bill down on the counter. “Might be able to buy a new pair of shoes with that.”
“Or maybe shoelaces?” Brenda grinned and picked up the ten-dollar bill. As she gathered his change, she noticed his wallet open on the counter between them. One of the business cards in the slots that faced her, was bright purple with bold type across the top. Rowan’s Shoes and Socks. It surprised her to see the name of Rowan’s shop, as she knew the circus hadn’t been in town long. How had the two connected?
“Maybe.” Slappy laughed and took his change as well as the box of donuts. “Thanks for these, I’m sure they will cheer her up.”
“I’m sure, you’re all like family, traveling together all the time. You must all be devastated.” Brenda peered at him with deeper interest. She couldn’t tell much beneath the face paint. She began to wonder if he ever took it off.
“We are.” Slappy nodded. “Some of us are closer than others. Just like family, we don’t all get along.” He winked at her, picked up his wallet, then walked away. As she watched him go, she debated how to take his statement. Was he talking about Rocco? Was he saying that he and Rocco weren’t close? She recalled the argument between Cecilia and Slappy’s daughter, Paisley, that Joyce had relayed to her. Cecilia had insisted that Paisley stay away from Rocco. She wiped down the counter and turned her attention to the next customer, however her thoughts remained on the clown and his response. Was Slappy really so protective of his daughter that he killed Rocco? She didn’t want to believe it. She was probably just reading too much into what he said. When Brenda turned back to the serving window again, she found another familiar face, this one without any paint to mask his grim expression.
“Good morning, Brenda.” Detective Crackle gazed at her from beneath thick eyebrows. “Is Joyce here?”
“Good morning, Detective Crackle. No, she’s not here, yet.” Brenda glanced at her watch. “I’m sure she’ll be here any minute. Did you need to speak with her?”
“With both of you actually.” Detective Crackle tipped his head towards the coffee pots. “Anything fresh?”
“I just brewed some.” Brenda poured him a cup and set it on the counter along with a donut. “On the house of course.”
“You know I can’t accept bribes.” Detective Crackle smiled as he set down a few dollars on the counter. “I wanted to ask you both about your experiences yesterday, if you noticed anyone acting strangely.”
Bre
nda’s heart began to beat faster as she realized that she needed to tell him about Rowan’s presence near the tent. Joyce’s conversation with him the night before had confirmed that there was reason to consider him a suspect, and although she didn’t know what Slappy’s connection with Rowan might be, she did know that there was one. If she withheld the information now, she really would be interfering with the investigation, and that wasn’t something she wanted to do.
“There is something I should share with you. It’s something that I didn’t think would be of any concern when it first happened, but now, I just think I should mention it.” Brenda clenched her teeth as she realized that she was rambling. Some part of her still didn’t feel comfortable pointing the investigation at a local man that she’d known to at least some degree, for much of her life. She could easily be wrong, and a man’s life would be invaded over it.
“Get on with it.” Detective Crackle locked his eyes to hers. “Don’t hesitate, whatever you think you might know, it will be valuable to me I can assure you. I need to know anything that might be relevant.”
“I just don’t know if it’s really important information, or information at all. But on the day that Rocco was killed, I did see someone walking around the tent, someone who didn’t belong there.”
“Who?” Detective Crackle narrowed his eyes. “Give me a name.”
“His name is Rowan Stout. He owns a shop in town. Rowan’s Shoes and Socks.” Brenda shrugged. “Like I said, it’s probably nothing.”
“Or it could be something.” Detective Crackle jotted the name down on his notepad, then looked back up at her. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”
When the morning came, Joyce found it a little surprising. Time marched on, despite the tragedy of the day before. It had taken her weeks after her husband’s death to remember what it was like to participate in a normal day. But everyone else continued on, as they had to. Now, she had to do the same. As she dressed for the day, her mind zoned in on the possibilities of what happened to Rocco. She decided there was one perfect resource for information about everyone at the circus. Cecilia. Joyce took a chance and placed a call to see if she could meet up with her.
Once the time and place had been set, she slipped some carrot through the bars of Molly’s hutch, then stepped quickly out the door. She didn’t want to be too late to the truck, but she couldn’t wait a moment longer to have the conversation that was on her mind. With her purse tucked under her arm she hurried to her car. Once there she drove straight for the diner. The call she’d made that morning had been a spur of the moment decision. She wanted to find out the truth about a particular situation. When she arrived at the diner, she found Cecilia waiting for her at one of the small tables.
“Good morning, Cecilia, I’m so glad that you could join me.” Joyce sat down at the table across from her.
“I’m just so glad that you and Brenda agreed to have your truck at the circus today. It means a lot to all of us to have your support.” Cecilia fiddled with her cup of coffee. “I hope that you don’t mind that I ordered already. I only have a few minutes.”
“No, not at all. And we are happy to be at the circus today. I’m actually here about a personal matter. There’s a young woman that works for the circus. Paisley, I think her name is?” Joyce paused.
“Yes, Paisley. She’s my assistant. She keeps everything running when I’m not around to do it.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. She’s so young, too. She must be very mature for her age to have so much responsibility.” Joyce accepted her cup of coffee from the waitress and smiled. “Thank you.”
“Yes, I suppose she is. Although most young people that grow up in the circus are. They aren’t treated as children as long as most children are.” Cecilia shrugged, then took a sip of her coffee. “So, what about Paisley?”
“I’m just a little bit concerned about her. She is so young, and Rocco’s death is a big thing to deal with.” Joyce took a deep breath. “I just hope that she has the kind of support around her that she needs. I spoke to her dad yesterday and he seemed concerned about her.”
“Ah, Raphael, yes.” Cecilia nodded slowly. “He loves Paisley so much. You don’t need to worry about Paisley, though, she is in very good hands. We’ll make sure that she heals well from this loss.”
“Good, that’s such a relief.” Joyce sighed and sat back in her chair. “I spoke to another colorful fellow yesterday by the name of Carter. He seemed to think that Slappy, I’m sorry, Raphael, had quite a big problem with Rocco.” She narrowed her eyes as she leaned forward. “Do you think that’s true?”
“Carter.” Cecilia frowned. “He’s always trying to start trouble. He’s never happy unless someone else is angry.” She rolled her eyes. “He probably just saw an opportunity to swing the suspicion away from himself. Everyone is pretty upset with him, since he was the last one to check the equipment, including the ropes and bars. He insists that he did the full check and that they were perfectly safe. But I think we both know that’s not possible.”
“You think he might have done it?” Joyce leaned forward, her eyes wide. “He just got tired of all of the abuse from Rocco?”
“Oh no, of course not.” Cecilia laughed so loudly that she drew a few looks from people at the surrounding tables. “Carter may be a lot of things, but he’s not a murderer. He’s just not smart enough to pull something like that off. However, it was his job to check the ropes, and if he didn’t notice the loose bolts, then he must not have checked them very thoroughly.”
“He insisted that he did.” Joyce settled back in her chair and considered whether Cecilia didn’t know Carter as well as she thought she did. “What if he did, but whoever sabotaged the rope did so after his check? How much time is there between the final check and when the practice usually starts? Or the show?”
“Not long at all. Maybe twenty minutes at the most.” Cecilia ran her hand across her cheek and stared down into her cup of coffee. “Rocco. I still can’t believe he’s gone.”
“And he was late that morning.” Joyce recalled in a soft voice. “I remember there was a bit of an argument about it.”
“Rocco did work on his own schedule most of the time.” Cecilia finished the last of her coffee. “I’m sure the police will be digging as deep as they can to get to the bottom of all of this.”
“Yes, Detective Crackle is a great detective, and he will conduct a very thorough investigation.” Joyce took a big swallow of her coffee. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe her own words, she just knew that she wanted to help if she could.
As Joyce’s mind buzzed with all the potential suspects, she realized that a narrowed down window of opportunity would make it easier to pinpoint who might have committed the crime. If there was only twenty to thirty minutes for the nuts to be removed, who was in the area that could have done it in that time? Of course, that was assuming that Carter wasn’t lying, that he truly had done his job, and that as Cecilia seemed to believe, he, himself was incapable of murder.
“I really do have to get going.” Cecilia stood up from the table. “I want to make sure that everything goes smoothly today, and I’ve written a speech about my time with Rocco.”
“That sounds lovely. I can’t wait to hear it.” Joyce stood up as well. “I suppose you knew him for quite some time?”
“Yes. I’ve been in the circus my whole life, too. I was born into the circus, and I imagine I will always be part of it.” Cecilia waved her hand through the air. “Behind the scenes of course.”
“That’s where the real magic happens, isn’t it?” Joyce smiled as she walked with her to the door. “Don’t let this rattle you, Cecilia. I can tell that you’ve done an amazing job of organizing everything. It’s not your fault this happened, and you can’t let it stop you from succeeding.”
“I think success is the last thing on my mind right now.” Cecilia took Joyce’s hand and gave it a light squeeze. “But thank you so much for saying that.”
“I
mean it.” Joyce looked into her eyes a moment longer, then stepped through the door that Cecilia held open for her.
Once outside, Joyce realized just how late it had gotten. She hurried to her car and drove straight for the fairground.
Chapter 10
Brenda stared across the counter at Detective Crackle. She could see the tension in his gaze. He wanted an answer to his question. Why had she waited to tell him about Rowan?
“I just wasn’t sure that it was relevant.” Brenda swallowed thickly as she recalled the two men that demanded to see Rocco. That did seem relevant. Glaringly relevant. But was Cecilia’s warning valid? If she revealed to the detective that Rocco was involved in some kind of trouble, would that put herself at risk? She considered the possibilities for a moment, then focused her attention on the detective again.
“It’s my place to decide what is relevant, and what is not.” Detective Crackle tapped the counter with the tip of one finger. “I need all of the information that I can get. From there I will sort it all out.”
“I understand.” Brenda glanced past him to make sure that no one stood close enough to them to overhear their conversation. “Actually, there’s something more that I should tell you.”
“I’m all ears.” Detective Crackle picked up his pen and notepad again. “Is it something more about Rowan?”
“No. It’s about Rocco, actually.” Brenda took a deep breath, then began to detail the two men that she’d seen with Cecilia. This launched her into sharing the information that Charlie had discovered in his research. “So, you see, I’m sure that you already have a lot of this information, but just in case, I wanted you to know.”
“I was able to review Rocco’s criminal history, but I had no idea that he was involved with criminals here. I need to find out who they are.” Detective Crackle jotted down several notes on his notepad. “This is definitely a lead I need to follow up on.”
