Foul Play at the Fair (13 page)

Liv peered at Roseanne’s profile, trying to read her emotions.

She turned back to Liv so fast that Liv stepped back.

“Mom sent me over to tell you to get some food.” Roseanne rolled her eyes. “She’s always trying to get people to eat. Like that’s gonna solve anything.”

“Does something need solving?” ventured Liv.

Roseanne gave her a look that only a teenager could manage, halfway between
Are you blind, deaf, and dumb?
and
You know exactly what I’m talking about but are treating me like a child.

And she would be right. That was exactly what Liv was doing. And she imagined everyone else was, too. It was human nature to want to protect a child from all the ugliness in the world. But this child was no dummy. She hadn’t taken the photo in order to give Liv a better look; she’d carefully removed the picture from Liv’s view. On purpose, because she didn’t want Liv studying the photo. Because she, too, had seen the resemblance?

Except that Pete had always appeared in public in his clown white. And now it was painfully obvious why. When could Roseanne have seen Pete without his makeup? The night she and Joss had gone into the park looking for Donnie, Pete would have still been in costume. After he was dead? As far as Liv knew, there had been no viewing. And the casket had been closed for the funeral.

“Come on,” Roseanne said. “I’ll take you to get a plate.” She moved closer. “Take some of everything even if you don’t like it. It’ll hurt their feelings if you don’t eat.”

“Thanks for the tip,” said Liv, walking with her to the dining room.

Roseanne hovered over her while she dabbed food onto
her plate. It was an amazing array of choices. Jell-O salad, brisket, chicken, meatballs, ham, vegetable casseroles, fruit salad, pickles and relishes, rolls and biscuits. When Liv was finished, her plate was filled to the edges.

“You want something to drink?” Roseanne pointed over to the sideboard where a variety of liquids was displayed, as well as another table of desserts. Liv liked to eat, but she didn’t think she could do justice to all of this.

“Thanks, but I don’t think I can juggle the plate and a glass. I’m more comfortable with a glass and food that comes on a toothpick.”

“Is that how they eat in New York?”

“That’s how we generally eat standing up in a crowd.”

“Smart.”

“Have you ever been to New York?”

Roseanne shook her head. “But I want to go. We were supposed to go see the Rockettes last year, but Mom got really sick with pneumonia and we had to cancel. But I want to go someday. Is it safe?”

An odd question from a girl whose uncle was just murdered in her father’s store. “As safe as most places. You just have to have street smarts; don’t go anywhere that doesn’t look safe and don’t act like a tourist.”

“Do you know any Goths?”

“Um, I’m acquainted with a few.”

“Have you ever been to a mosh pit?”

“Once. Mainly I just worked.”

“But you met all kinds of fabulous people, right?”

“Right. Fabulous. And also a few not so fabulous.”

“Like the Real Housewives?”

“Oh yeah. A lot of those.”

“Did you ever see a murder?”

Liv nearly dropped her fork.

“I mean being from the big city and all. It probably happens all the time.”

“Not all the time.” Where was this going? Was the girl
afraid that it would happen again? “And it usually happens over drug deals gone bad, or in a domestic dispute that got out of hand.”

“But it could be random, right?”

“Yes,” Liv said slowly. “But, Roseanne, it’s unlikely to happen here again.”

“I know. Bill will arrest the Zoldoskys and it’ll be over.”

“Most likely. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried. I’m just…curious. We’d better get back.” Without waiting for Liv, she took off toward the archway. By the time Liv reached the living room, Roseanne was gone.

Liv joined Dolly and Fred, who were standing with the mayor. Gilbert Worley was one of the last people she wanted to see, but at least she knew the man and wouldn’t have to meet and greet people she didn’t know while plowing through her plate of food.

“You’ll be popular with all the ladies,” Mayor Worley said, indicating her full plate.

“Roseanne showed me the ropes.”

“Such a sweet girl,” Dolly said.

“Terrible business,” the mayor said. “Amanda says Rosie was all cut up about Pete’s death.”

“Even though she’s seventeen, she’s still just a child,” Dolly said. “And to see something like that, her uncle all trussed up in the cider mill. No wonder she’s upset; they shouldn’t have let her inside.”

So the details were out, not that Liv thought they could keep it quiet.

“I just don’t know why they had to dump the body on Joss.”

“And who would
they
be?” asked Bill Gunnison, coming up behind Dolly.

Dolly let out a squeak. “Oh, Bill, the way you creep up on a person.”

Liv thought he’d approached more like a lame bear, but whatever.

“She’s talking about those Zoldoskys, of course.” Mayor Worley patted Dolly’s shoulder. “Everybody’ll feel a lot better once you’ve arrested them or sent them on their way.”

“I’m working on it,” Bill said. “But I don’t want people deciding it’s the Zoldoskys, until we have proof. I won’t have people getting all riled up and taking things into their own hands.”

“Bill Gunnison. We’re civilized, God-fearing Christians.”

“I’m sure you are, Dolly, but I wouldn’t attest to a lot of folks in this town.”

“How’s the investigation coming?” Fred asked. “If you’re at liberty to say?”

“It’s in progress.”

Jeremiah Atkins stepped up to the group. “Which means nothing much is happening.”

“Jeremiah, you know that’s the way the law works,” Bill said. “And let’s remember why we’re here.” He glanced over to Joss and Amanda, who were standing by the door and seeing a group out.

“You’re absolutely right,” Fred said. “It’s about time we were going, Dolly. I’ll get your coat.” Fred went off down the hall. Dolly said good-bye to Liv and she and Gilbert went to take leave of Amanda and Joss.

“I guess I’ll get going, too.” Jeremiah wandered off after Fred.

Which left Liv alone with Bill. A faint, dull red slashed his cheekbones. He was caught right in the middle and she didn’t envy him, and she couldn’t think of a thing to say. Fortunately BeBe, Ida, and Edna were ready to go.

As Liv stood behind Andy Miller waiting her turn to say good-bye to Amanda and Joss, she looked around for Donnie and Roseanne, but they were no longer there. She caught Bill’s eye for a split second before he turned and left the room. A few minutes later they were climbing back into BeBe’s Subaru.

“Well, that was a nice reception, wasn’t it,” Ida said as they followed Andy’s truck out of the Waterburys’ drive.

“More than Pete Waterbury deserved, and that’s a fact,” added her sister.

“I’m just glad it’s over,” BeBe said. She honked as Andy Miller turned into the lane to his farm. Liv couldn’t keep from looking into the field where the vendors had camped. In the distance, she could see the Zoldosky trailer and the gray truck parked next to it. It looked sad and lonely, and Liv felt a stab of empathy for the men who might or might not have killed Pete Waterbury.

BeBe slowed down and swung wide to avoid a man walking down the road. As they passed he looked toward them, then quickly looked away, hiding his battered face. It was the one they called Junior, the balloon maker.

“Poor boy,” said Ida. “What will he do if they send the older brother to jail? I’m sure he protects him from the cruelty of the world. And I’m not so sure the other brothers will take care of him.”

“Oh, Sister, you are a pushover for every stray dog, feral cat, and misfit in the world. They’ll do just fine with one less brother. And the farther away from here, the better.”

“Well, I’m not sure that one of them was the killer at all.”

“You think it was one of us?” Edna scoffed.

“Not us, but somebody just passing through, and Pete was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe he got into trouble out there at that Soapy’s place.”

“Wearing a clown outfit?”

Liv jerked. How did Edna know about the clown outfit? Surely Bill hadn’t released that detail. Who was she kidding? The whole town probably knew all the details.

“Clown outfit?” asked BeBe, horrified. “You mean he was still dressed in his costume?”

“Where did you hear this?” Liv asked.

Ida blushed and tried to look innocent.

“We’re not at liberty to say,” Edna said primly.

There it was again. They were shutting Liv out because she wasn’t one of them.

“You know, ladies, I’m here for good. This is my home now and I’m responsible for the success of the festivals that keep everyone employed. I wish you would trust me.”

BeBe glanced over her shoulder. “You should trust her.”

Edna sighed. “It was Susie Andrews over at the Bayview Diner out on Lakeside Road. She overheard two of the county cops talking about it at breakfast. Everybody knows.”

Ted was right about the Celebration Bay gossip. The whole town must know what was going on.

“So has everyone agreed that one of the Zoldoskys killed him?” Liv asked.

“Let’s just say everyone hopes it is,” Edna said. “Though it is possible that there is someone who recognized Pete and decided to put an end to his shenanigans.”

“Hush,” Ida said. “No one in Celebration Bay would commit murder.”

Liv studied the two sisters, wondering how two women who looked so alike, who had lived together forever, could be so different. Like Pollyanna and Eeyore.

She wanted to side with Miss Ida’s compassion toward the Zoldoskys, but she was afraid that Miss Edna was right.

“Well, I say good riddance to bad rubbish. He got what he deserved. An eye for an eye. Not that it will bring back poor Eleanor Gibson’s son, rest her soul.”

“Eleanor Gibson?” Liv asked. It was the first time she had ever heard the name.

“She was Ted Driscoll’s sister,” said Miss Ida. “Her boy, Victor, went out fishing one night and never came home.”

“Hmmph,” Edna said. “He never came home because Pete Waterbury murdered him, and that’s a fact.”

Murder.
The word bounced around in Liv’s mind and finally settled on her tongue. “He murdered someone?”

“It was never proven,” said Ida with little conviction. “No body and no witnesses,” she added almost apologetically.

“No arrests?” asked Liv. This information cast a whole new light on Pete Waterbury’s murder and the reason everyone had wanted to keep Liv out of the loop. They did know something she didn’t, not that her finding out could sway things in any way.

And strangely enough, her first thought was not of the victim, or the details of what happened, or how it would play out now, but that Ted hadn’t confided in her.

“Well, the boy was never seen again after that night,” Edna said.

“Never?” asked BeBe. “How horrible for that poor mother.”

Liv dragged herself back to the conversation. “Why do you think Pete Waterbury killed him?”

“Because of what happened before,” Edna said.

“What did happen before?”

“It was a long time ago,” said Ida. “Maybe we shouldn’t stir it all up again.”

“I don’t think anyone will be able to stop it, Sister. Bill is bound to take a look at the people involved then. History repeating itself. Uh-huh.”

“What happened?” Liv prodded.

BeBe pulled into the Zimmerman driveway, turned off the engine, and turned around. “I want to know, too.”

The two sisters exchanged looks; then Edna said, “It seems that Victor and Andy were out looking for night crawlers when Pete and some of his bully friends accosted them.”

“Andy Miller?” asked Liv.

Edna nodded. “Andy Miller.”

“Beat them,” Ida said barely above a whisper. “Terrible, just terrible. I remember. Andy didn’t come to school for a week afterward, and even when he did, his face was all bruised and he had stitches in his forehead and his cheek. He walked like an old man. And him just a boy.”

“Victor never came home at all,” added Edna.

“Didn’t Andy know what happened to him?” Liv asked.

“As I remember it,” Edna said, “Andy told Victor to run and tried to hold them off. They found a missing rowboat down at the south end of the lake, but they never found Victor.” She shook her head, remembering.

Ida sniffed. “Victor was a shy little thing, a couple of years younger than Andy. He was always getting picked on. Andy, such a sweet boy, stuck up for him, would let him tag along when he did things.

“Andy was an ideal student, always so polite. Never married, though. I think what happened just took the heart out of him.”

Liv’s mind was whirling. Andy beaten by Joss’s brother, his friend missing, presumed killed by Pete. Andy showing up right after they discovered Pete’s body. Ted and Joss
standing over the body of the man who could have destroyed Joss’s standing in the community, who had allegedly murdered Ted’s nephew. Talk about your six degrees of separation. “They never brought charges against Pete or the other boys?”

“They couldn’t,” Edna said. “It was Andy’s word against Pete’s. And they never found the body. A few weeks later, Joss sent Pete away.”

“And he’s never come back until this week.”

“That’s just awful,” BeBe said.

“And now it’s all going to be dredged up again,” Ida said, and opened the car door. “Well, thank you for the ride, dear.”

“Dead and still causing trouble,” said Edna in ominous tones. “Thank you, BeBe.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Liv said, getting out the other side. “I really appreciate you givng me a ride and including me.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re one of us now. See you tomorrow.” BeBe backed out of the drive.

“Would you like to come in for a cup of tea? It’s been a very exhausting day.”

“Thank you, Miss Ida. I would.” Liv could use a cup of tea, and she needed a lot more information if she was going to navigate the town through this maze of secrets and intrigue.

She followed the two sisters up the steps of the porch and waited while Edna unlocked the leaded glass door. They settled Liv into one of the padded horsehair chairs in the parlor, and Ida disappeared into the kitchen to start the tea while Edna excused herself to get something she thought Liv might be interested in.