Zach was embarrassed, although he was getting used to Cammy’s directness. “It will give them something to talk about.” Then he whispered in her ear, but I could still hear him. “I can’t wait to get you alone.”
“Ha!” Cammy punched him in the arm softly. “You’ve got to earn your private moments with me, Mister.”
“I thought I earned that last weekend when I visited you in Savannah, dear.” Zach had a bright, flirty smile on his handsome face.
Cammy just gave him a look. “You already cashed in that ticket, Zach – twice!”
“All right, then!” I blurted nervously. I didn’t really need to know about all of their most intimate moments. “Sit down, guys. There’s room for all of us.”
Arthur came dashing out the front door of the Inn and up onto the porch swing.
“I guess I’ll stand,” Zach said. Arthur had pretty much stolen Zach’s spot.
Arthur was happy to see Cammy Jo again, and he put his head on her lap as she rubbed behind his ears.
“So, Kyle and Lexi should be joining us here soon – and Travis too, if he’s got things wrapped up out back.
“That was quite the little rodeo Travis put on there,” Zach said, “ It was a lot of fun being the announcer for it, but I had to miss the greased pig chase so I could meet my demure little sweetheart.”
“That’ll be the day.” Cammy smiled, but she was deadly serious. She would never be the demure type for any man.
We heard a mechanical noise out on the stage, and I looked to see what it was. The big sky basket had been decorated and was being hoisted from this end back up to the other stage. They had it covered with a big tarp so we couldn’t see what it looked like. It gradually disappeared onto the far stage. I heard they had several baskets and were going to use the cable lift for more things during the show this year. A few minutes later we heard some microphone feedback, and the announcer welcomed us all to the big event.
“But first,” he said, “we would like you to meet the champions of our kissing contest! Please welcome this year’s kissing champions!” The cable lift clunked into gear, and a small plain basket arose in the distance.
The spotlight on the lower stage was aimed at the carrier above the crowd as it descended slowly towards us.
“Setting a new record of two hours and twenty-three minutes, ladies and gentlemen, let’s have a big round of applause for…”
I couldn’t believe my eyes! “Oh, my gosh!”
“…Mr. Happy Doyle and Maddy Warren!”
A roar went up from the crowd. All of the locals knew Maddy, who was usually at the front desk of the Inn…and Happy was the nose-to-the-grindstone bachelor who ran the Vintage Auto Shop on Antique Row. They were both smiling and waving at the crowd, which was really out of character for both of these long-time timorous loners.
“Woo-hoo!” Zach cheered and let out a loud whistle, clapping robustly. “It’s about time, man! Happy has been mooning over that woman from the day I met him!”
Zach had just come to Whispering Pines a few months ago to take the Deputy position with the security company, and he rented a bedroom from Happy. It seemed to be good for both of them – especially Happy. Zach was a dapper dresser, always nicely groomed; and old Happy had shed quite a few pounds, started dressing better, was shaving regularly, and was getting out for a little excitement with Zach a few nights a week now. And, now that I think of it, Maddy often mentioned Happy and seemed to know a lot about his work on the old cars.
“I wonder what finally got into those two!” Zach was really excited for Happy. “I taught the man everything he knows about courting a fine lady,” he said proudly.
That was probably true. And I was happy for Maddy too. She was 39, and I think Happy was about 42. She spent way too much time at home with her cats watching Girls on HBO. Maybe that mischievous demon did something right after all. I wonder where Lucius is now? I couldn’t spot him anywhere.
Maddy threw her arms around Happy’s neck and gave him another big kiss as they landed on the main stage, much to the delight of the crowd.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please stand as our talent show winner, Earl Aho and the Swampbillies, sing Sweet Georgia Brown!”
Earl won the contest practically every year, and it never ceased to amaze me how well old Ralphie Moore – one of our Tea Room breakfast regulars – could whistle and play the washboard. Elmer played the banjo and Joey harmonized.
“What did I miss?” Travis asked as he came out onto the porch.
“Nothing yet – well, Maddy won the kissing contest.”
“Well then,” he said, taking off his Stetson, “looks like we got some catching up to do.” He gave me a small kiss, which he rarely did in public. That was sweet.
“Where’s your dad?” I asked. “Is he sticking around for the show?”
“I’m here.” Percival Yates came out of the front door of the Inn with our junior chef, Ginny, on his arm. “This pretty lady said she didn’t have a date for the show, so she kindly agreed to let me escort her.”
Ginny was kind of a backwater country girl without a lot of social graces, but she was getting a little better at doing her hair and makeup and choosing something flattering to wear – but not tonight. Her red curly hair was tied up in a red bandanna, and she was still wearing her somewhat soiled kitchen smock with green and white horizontal-striped knee socks.
“Yessiree,” she said with a grin, “I’d say I got me one of the best-looking gentlemen in Ware County!”
“You sure do.” I had to smile at the joy on Ginny’s face.
“Well…” Travis put his arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer into the group. “…just let me know when I need to start calling you Mom.”
Ginny turned the deepest shade of red I’d ever seen, so we all controlled our laughter. But…who knows!
“Where are Carson and Beth?” Cammy Jo asked Travis as the song came to an end.
“He’s doing the laser light show for the play.”
“Nice!” I said. “You Yates boys have certainly upgraded things for us swamp dwellers here in Whispering Pines since you came to town. The new Carson Yates Ghost Walk, the remodeled Swamp Fox nightclub…”
“Not me.” Travis put his hand on my shoulder and looked out over the crowd as all the lights went out and the crowd grew silent. “I’m just a plain old cowpoke with a horse-riding ranch. That’s all Carson and Beth – mostly Beth.”
The deep, sinister tones of a string base came over the sound system followed by thunderous red flashes in the night sky. The villainous TerroDemos, the Lord of Darkness and winter, came riding down the cable on his frost-breathing dragon, laughing ominously. Blue laser flames of frost were shooting from the beast’s mouth.
“Wow…this is way beyond anything I’ve seen here before,” I whispered to Travis.
It was Percival who answered. “My boys know how to pick ’em. Beth is as creative as they get – and Carson can bring all of her visions to life. And Travis was smart enough to pick you, Jessie.”
What a sweet man…but I’m pretty sure I picked Travis.
“More frost, Nestor! Freeze this miserable land, and let us have an endless winter!” the villain hollered out, and the crowd was fascinated. The new wireless sound system was working wonderfully.
“Oh, no you don’t, pal.” Cammy Jo grumbled under her breath. “Punxsutawney Phil already said winter was over – so buzz off.”
The show went on for thirty minutes. Everybody was spellbound and nobody wanted it to end. The music and the synchronized laser effects, as well as the costumes, sound system, and props were the best they had ever been.
The nymphs and faeries woke up Prince Darling from his slumber and got the magic sword from the Faery Queen. The Dragon of Winter was slain in a jousting match in the sky, using both sides of the cable lift, and TerroDemos was sent packing for another year.
Now was the big moment. The lights were lowered as the Goddess of Light was raised to the
top of the cable lift from the far stage – along with Pamela Tedesco, Miss Georgia herself. I could see Miss Georgia’s sparkling emerald gown, but it was too dark and far to see who had been selected as the Goddess of Light – soon to be crowned Miss Bacchanalia – and the dim crescent moon, directly over the action now, didn’t help at all. This was a pretty big honor in our little town, and the excitement was intense.
Lexi and Kyle were on the porch now too, and Lexi was looking through her husband’s binoculars. “I can see Pamela Tedesco,” she said, “but…”
The spotlight was gradually brightened and fireworks came over the rooftops of the antique shops on both sides of the boulevard.
“It’s Karen!” Lexi said, jumping just a little with excitement. “It’s Karen Coon!”
Then the announcement came: “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome your new Goddess of Light, Miss Karen Coon!”
The whole crowd erupted with cheers as the two royal ladies waved from their heavenly perch. Cammy started recording the arrival of the queens on her phone as they reached the midpoint of their cable ride in the Leopard of Love. Cupid took center stage and aimed his bow at the Goddess of Light, with Prince Darling onstage beside him. The music rose to a climactic peak, and a red laser arrow flew magically toward the cable basket.
The crowd roared as the arrow hit its mark, and Karen threw kisses to her admiring subjects. But then something very strange happened. A hooded figure dressed in black took the stage and pushed Cupid aside. He pulled a flaming arrow from his quiver and took aim at the basket, still high above the crowd that filled the street between the two stages.
“Is this something new?” I asked Travis. “Usually we just wait for them to land on the stage to crown the new queen, and then it’s over.”
He just shrugged. “It’s all new to me.”
We all just stood there and watched as the fiery arrow was launched and flew toward the girls in the basket. There was a gasp from the crowd as the arrow hit Miss Georgia in the chest, followed by a stunned silence as we all waited to see what magical special effect would come next. To our horror, we all quickly realized that this was not part of the show.
Miss Georgia’s glittery emerald gown was quickly engulfed in flames. I could see her crown fall to the ground as she slumped forward in the basket, setting it way off kilter and causing it to swing perilously from the cable. Karen clung onto the edge for her life, brushing flames away from her chiffon ball gown, and Pamela Tedesco fell head over heels out of the basket, 20 feet into the crowd below. The people in the street backed away as we all watched the beauty queen become incinerated in less than a minute.
The crowd was stunned…then horrified…then aghast. Then the screams and the chaos began. We just stood there and looked at each other as Kyle and Zach dashed out to the scene of the fallen body.
By the time people arrived with fire extinguishers, we were told there was nothing left but smoldering cinders and bones. Karen Coon was sprayed with an extinguisher just in time as the basket landed, and the Prince and others pulled her out safely. I could see her mother, Marsha, flailing her way through the crowd, which opened a path for her.
I looked for the hooded black figure who had shot the arrow, but he was gone. I looked up when I heard a mischievous cackle and saw Lucius swiftly circling the scene several times, and then he vanished into the distance. I knew this was not his doing. This was something very human…and very personal.
A stiff breeze swept down the boulevard, and I could hear the tall pines behind the Inn whispering their secrets, mixing lies with the truth, just like the thousand witnesses to this horrific event.
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Chapter Eight
Within minutes the crime scene had been secured with yellow police tape and armed deputies. A manhunt was underway. No one was allowed to leave or enter the square block from where the assassin had shot the flaming arrow. It seemed that everyone’s eyes had been focused on the gruesome scene of the girl on fire, and nobody noticed what became of the shooter.
Sheriff Matthew Muldoon and Audrey Gastineau, his girlfriend and head of crime scene forensic investigations, were already gathered near the body, which landed only 20 yards from where they were watching the play. The big Rites of Spring event had also brought several of his deputies across the river from Stony Point to town tonight as well, and they were all called into action. Kyle had Zach and his full cadre of security officers dispatched to strategic points around the scene too.
Lexi’s three traumatized kids made their way back to the Inn from Sugar Beaton’s fudge shop. They always liked to watch the play from there because she had a nice little balcony that she let her favorite children use…and, of course, she gave them plenty of fudge too.
Katy Lyn just turned 15, but this was one of the few days that she liked to use her “kid card” instead of trying to be a grownup. Right now, though, she had to be the big sister. She had her arms around Kramer and little Kristin – the sheep rider they call KC – and they all had far away looks and blank faces. Lexi got her kids cozy and comfy in the solarium. Once she got a smile and a tear from each of them, she hugged them tightly and then set about comforting the rest of the guests and spectators around the Inn too.
She sent Ashley out onto the porch with a tray of finger sandwiches that had been prepared for the Lovers’ Ball, and she followed behind her passing out paper cups of iced tea.
There was a lot of quiet chatter all around, but nobody in our group had begun to speak yet. Percival had his arm around Ginny’s shoulder comforting her, and I had my head buried in Travis’ chest. Zach was out on the scene, so Cammy Jo walked over to our group.
“How could this happen? Right here, in front of all these people? That girl was so young with a bright future waiting for her.” Cammy was visibly upset, which was rare for her.
Ginny sobbed, trying to choke back her tears, and Travis and his dad were a bit misty-eyed too. I was totally freaked out too, but for some reason no tears were coming tonight. I had to figure out how to transform a Lovers’ Ball into a group therapy session for a town in need.
“Excuse me for a minute, guys. I have to figure out what we’re going to do. Obviously, the Lovers’ Ball won’t be going according to plan.”
“Don’t cancel it, Jessie.” Percival looked at me with red eyes. “The people need something.”
“I’ll give them something, Percival. Travis, call you brother. Can Carson pump some other music though that sound system he used for the laser show?”
“Well, he’s got his laptop hooked up to it, so I imagine he can pull up any kind of music you want.”
“Tell him to start playing some slow music – nothing sad, though. Something with a dance beat.”
Travis was on the phone right away, and a moment later Moonlight Serenade was playing at a moderate volume over the speakers.
“That’s perfect.” I asked him to have Carson make a couple of announcements over the sound system. I saw Gus at the window inside the pawnshop just staring out the window.
Carson made the announcements right away. “Attention: Sheriff Muldoon and Carnigan Security, the lobby of L’Auberge Hantée is being prepared for your use right now, and the back half of the Nirvana Tea Room will be reserved for members of the media. Ladies and gentlemen, the Lovers’ Ball will begin in half-an-hour. It will be outside only, in the street in front up to the yellow tape, and in the courtyard behind the Inn. Only law enforcement and their invited witnesses will be allowed through the main entrance, so please walk around. You can enter the Tea Room through the French doors on the porch.”
One of the deputies must have given him another message too, and he continued. “Also, will anyone who was taking videos or photographs before, during, or after the unfortunate event please see Deputies Rodney and Edgar in the grassy area in front of the Inn. Thank you.”
I turned to go inside to start the ball rolling o
n my new plan for an evening that had been turned upside down by the most horrifying event I’d ever been witness too – and that’s saying a lot. I almost bumped into Maddy, who had just come up the front steps with Happy.
We looked at each for a brief, still moment, and then she hugged me really tight and started to cry hot tears from her already-red eyes. I finally felt a tear stream down my cheek too.
“I’m so happy for you, Maddy.” I took a step back and took one of her hands and one of Happy Doyle’s. He looked pretty shaken up as well. “Guys, this horrible event is going to ruin everybody’s evening and will stay with us all for a long time…but don’t let it ruin the wonderful thing that you two have begun tonight. I know you’ve both been waiting for this for a long time, and you both deserve your happiness.”
We all had a group hug, and Happy was trying to choke back his tears. He embraced Maddy and kissed her forehead.
“I’ve loved this woman from a distance for a long, long time…and I’m never going to let go now that she’s returned that love.”
It was touching to watch the new middle-aged lovers on the threshold of a new life, and I had a feeling that this pair would immediately seem like they’d been together forever.
“Madz…Happy…come on in. Can you help me out a little tonight, Maddy?”
“Of course, Jessie. I was planning to be here to help out with the Ball anyway. What’s the plan?”
Lionel was just putting a long sawhorse in front of the main door.
“I heard the announcement, Miss Jessica.”
“Thanks, Lionel.”
Lexi came up to us with an empty tray and a phone in her hand. “Kyle is sending one of his young security guards to watch the door and direct customers to the Tea Room or around back to the courtyard.”
“Thanks, Lexi. Make sure he lets guests staying at the Inn come inside. Lionel, we’ll need a couple of eight-foot banquet tables, some chairs, a phone line, and a fax machine set up inside for law enforcement.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jesse Delacroix: Curse of the Bloodstone Arrow (The Whispering Pines Mystery Series Book 3) Page 5
