A Fair to Die For (31 page)

“As you noticed, he’s still concerned about everyone’s safety. He sent the two new deputies who’re on guard outside, and asked that I spend the night here if there is some way to accommodate me. He also wanted me to tell Roger and Shirley to stay in their house and lock up after dark.”

“Whoee,” Shirley said, “with those rules, how is anyone supposed to milk cows in the morning?”

“Get Junior to come in and work with you, if he isn’t already scheduled,” Henry said. “Leave your farm lights on all night. Junior’s truck lights will add to those, and he can survey the place when he drives in.”

“We’ll do it,” Roger said. Don’t want anything to mess up this deal.”

Shirley said, “Speaking of that, since Roger and I are regulars at the Marshalls I don’t reckon we need disguises, but looking around at you all, I feel almost nekkid without one.”

“You are indeed a master of disguise art,” Carrie said.

Ignoring the compliment, Shirley asked Henry, “What do you think of Carrie’s red hair?”

“It’s okay, now that I’m used to it, but I’ll be glad to see the grey curls again when all this is over.”

Edie said, “We talked to Jo and Ben Marshall at length before we left their house. Maybe unfortunately, both of them think of this as an adventure, not a potentially dangerous law-enforcement operation. The sheriff reminded us that we don’t know yet how many of our phones the drug dealers have access to, so no one here is to call them. He’ll talk to them this evening about possible liability issues, but I’d bet they will still welcome the entire—to them exciting—operation.”

Neither Carrie nor Henry dared look at either of the Booths.

“We’ll be ready, whatever is decided,” Milton said. “The sheriff suggested that Henry, Carrie, Edie, and the Booths stay locked in at home during the party, but I told him I already knew that wouldn’t fly.”

“You’re darn tootin,’” Shirley said.

Milton nodded and went on. “So, we’ll all be at the party, though you guys are to stay on the porch and keep out of harm’s way. Henry will either be out of sight or, using some degree of disguise, mingle on the porch with the deputies.

“If the people we’re concerned with come outside during daylight, proving they’re at the location, and then go back inside, the sheriff might make a move then. If not, as the day darkens, deputies will spread out around the metal buildings, keeping at a distance, since there is undoubtedly some kind of detection system guarding against intruders.”

“Is there parking for us behind the Marshall’s house?” Henry asked.

“Yes, between the picnic table area and the workshop and kitchen garden,” Milton said, “but we think crowding the road with party guest’s cars is a good idea. That will make it harder for anyone across the road to jump in a car and drive away quickly.

“We’re all hoping this operation can be completed without firing weapons, but there is the possibility we’ll need to.

“Oh, Shirley, the sheriff asked if you could send a few of your gift-wrapped boxes back to the office with the deputies who’re keeping watch outside tonight. Then, tomorrow afternoon, those parking on Marshall Road can walk toward the house carrying packages. He’s also going to have food prepared for some of them to carry. Potato salad, beans, that sort of stuff, and maybe some kind of dessert.”

“Whoee,” Shirley said, so we really are going to have us a party.”

“You bet,” Milton told her, “and there’ll be a tub of pop. No beer. The tub, along with ice and cartons of pop will be delivered there tomorrow morning.”

Shirley said, “Roger and I will blow up the balloons left over from the birthday party we had for Carolyn’s youngest a while back. I’ve already got some boxes wrapped. Carrie, you got any empty boxes and gift paper here?

“Yes. Edie and I’ll wrap several this evening and be sure the deputies have them to take back to the department in the morning.”

“All right,” Shirley said. “Looks like we’re ready. Roger and I will say goodnight now ‘cause we’re up early. Thanks for the good food, Milton. I think Roger and I might get Chinese ourselves some time, as long as we can eat with forks and not sticks.”

Everyone laughed, and watched from the door as a deputy walked Shirley and Roger to their truck.

“I’ll sleep on the couch,” Milton said. “I’m afraid to take a shower though, for fear my tattoos will wash off. Have you got an old sheet I can throw over your upholstery in case anything rubs off?”

“We do, and I can loan you a razor.” Henry said.

“Not necessary. I always carry shaving gear and a few other necessities in my truck in case of the unexpected.”

“Then let me show you around the house now. You can share the guest bath with Edie.”

“I guess he could sleep in the bed Olinda was using,” Edie said. “I wouldn’t mind.”

“Couch will be fine,” Milton said. “Don’t know you well enough yet to spend the night in your bedroom, woman.”

“We’ll bring out blankets and a pillow for you,” Henry said. “I slept on the couch not long after Carrie and I met. I felt she needed a guard when a murderer was stalking her. I found it quite comfortable.”

“Any bad guys show up then?” Milton asked.

“No, it stayed quiet.”

“Let’s hope tonight is quiet, too,” Edie said. “Tomorrow is going to be quite a memorable day for all of us.” She looked at her cousin. “I suppose you’re already praying about success and safety, or something like that.”

“Yes,” Carrie said, “and so much more.”

Chapter Thirty-Four
MISSING PAPERS?

“This feels like a real party,” Edie said as she and Carrie looked in vain for a place to put their loaded plates down. “Everyone is either having a good time or they’re all good actors.”

“Taking advantage of the moment, I guess.”

“I’m glad they can. I’ve been afraid from the first that this isn’t going to be as easy as it sounds. I just hope no one gets hurt.”

“Amen,” Carrie said as a tall man carrying a plate of food and a Pepsi careened into her after an even taller man bumped into him. Both men apologized, and went to join friends perched on the porch railing.

“Hey, I have an idea,” Edie said. “The Marshalls have picnic tables out back. Let’s go there. We won’t have competition for seating since people here have to keep watch across the street.”

Carrie shook her head. “I don’t know if . . . ”

“We can check every so often to see what’s going on in front. I’ll tell Milton and Henry where we’re going. Maybe they’ll want to come too.”

Both men were involved in what looked like a heavy conversation with Sheriff Cook, so Edie interrupted only long enough to say, “We’re going to sit at a picnic table out back.” She got a brief nod from Milton, and Carrie followed her through the central hall and out the back door.

“See, it’s nice out here. Quiet, and we have the whole place to ourselves.”

Carrie said, “Uh-huh,” put down her plate and can of Dr.Pepper, and, after she was settled on a bench, asked a question she’d been puzzling over. “Why did you stay away from the kitchen table at Shirley’s after the deputy came to look at the animals with powder in them? Shirley and I both wondered. It was kind of obvious to us, though none of the guys seemed to notice.”

“That’s easy. I didn’t want to be part of the discussion because of my involvement with the DEA. Better to stay out of it than get into an awkward conversation.”

“Ah, I understand. Okay if I tell Shirley?

“Of course.”

“Then I have another, bigger question. What are your plans after today? Will your work here be finished, and can you go back home? I’m sure your mother would like that.”

“Yes, I plan to go home before long. Milton has said he wants to come back with me, meet Mom—you know, that stuff. My leaving will have something to do with his schedule, and how long it takes to clear things up here.”

“Maybe he can give your mother some interesting information about your father that isn’t too harsh?”

“I think that’s his plan.” Edie bit off one end of her hot dog, chewed, and looked at Carrie with an expression that said she was waiting for the next question.

“And then what?”

“Carrie, you are so transparent. Yes, Milton and I have become good friends. Yes, it may develop into something more.”

“I’m glad. You two seem attracted to each other, and you certainly have a lot of interests in common.”

“That’s true, though living so far apart is a problem. I can’t move Mom from the only home she’s known for over fifty years, and Milton loves this area and his craft work here. We’ll see. I admit it would sure be nice to have someone, but I’m leery of being swayed by observations of your closeness to Henry. My previous attempt at marriage makes me extra cautious. You and Henry have the ideal marriage. How many can expect that?”

“We are blessed, but so are many others. And you know, Edie, I think maturity helps. We’re softened in our wants and expectations by this time in our lives. Not so demanding, maybe? They say we become more rigid as the years pass, but I don’t believe that’s necessarily true. In fact, it can be just the opposite.”

“Perhaps your faith in God has something to do with it.”

“I’m sure it does.”

They ate in silence for a few minutes, then Edie said, “I don’t want you to worry about me becoming a permanent house guest. If Milton needs to be here for a while I plan to get a furnished apartment. If it’s only going to be a week or two, I’ll move to a motel. I’ve imposed on you long enough.”

“Oh Edie, of course you can stay with us.”

“Hush. You and Henry are used to quiet and privacy. Goodness knows you’ve had enough company and riotous activity since I came. So, don’t give me arguments. Remember how I said when I came that I didn’t like pious protests? I don’t want to hear one now.”

She reached over to take Carrie’s hand. “It isn’t that I don’t enjoy being with you two. But, were I you, I’d long for peace and quiet with my husband after all this turmoil. If I find my own place, all of us will have that.”

Carrie squeezed Edie’s hand and, after a moment, said, “It is nice out here, with the forest on either side of us, and the view out back going past Jo’s gardens to pastures in the distance. Her cutting garden still has mums, and aren’t those zinnias? I always thought of them as hot weather flowers.”

“Yes, I’ve been looking at the garden too. I have a small garden at our home in DC, but it was mostly gone by the time I left. The only edible thing I grow is tomatoes. The rest is planted in flowers.”

“Henry is the gardener in our family,” Carrie said, loving the term
our family.

Once more they were silent—until the voice of a woman coming from the stand of trees behind them caused two startled exclamations.

“Ah, I was right to check out the party area before I went to the office, and look what I found. The jackpot. Oh, I admit you two were hard to identify at first. Those are excellent disguises, but am I not addressing Edith Embler and, oh my goodness, isn’t it Carrie McCrite—who, it seems, has been resurrected from the dead?

“No, don’t turn around. I’m holding a gun with a silencer. I’ll prove it to you the instant either of you starts to get up or turn around. The party goers out front are making so much noise they wouldn’t hear a thing if I shot you both right now.”

She stayed in the trees, but her words had brought them both to rigid attention. “Now, Ms. Embler,” she said, “I want you to tell me where I’ll find the copy of those papers your father prepared before he died. I wondered if Milton Sales had them, but no luck there. Arnie and Sid failed at the McCrite house on Blackberry Road, and I couldn’t chase them out of that house with fire. John missed making a promising connection with you when you were at the fair, which was just one of John’s many mess-ups, though trying to pin those hollow toys on Milton Sales and giving them to McCrite was his biggest mistake.

“Now it looks like Sid failed to remove a witness as well. No wonder he disappeared last Monday.

Sid,
Carrie thought.
And he’s gone.

The woman continued, “So, Ms. Embler, I’m not going to fail this time. You might as well tell me about those papers now. Where are they? I can’t assume you carry them with you, but I won’t let you out of my sight until I have them in my hands. We can leave here after I deal with the McCrite problem.”

Edie’s voice began with a quiver, but got stronger and stronger as she said, “If I’d ever had papers related to my father’s death, I would be very glad to turn them over to you, but I never heard about any such papers until I came here. I assure you I have never seen them and know nothing about what they said. “Liz—it is Liz, isn’t it?—why do you want them after all these years? Why do you think they still exist?”

The voice, sounding closer now, said, “Why would you come here if they didn’t?”

Edie’s answer was an explosive, “
What?
Is that it? Well, you are mistaken. I came here to visit my cousin Carrie, and to see if I could find out what happened to my father all those years ago. I wanted my mother to know, at last, why he disappeared and, if possible, be able to take her to visit his grave. I had been told that a man in this area who worked at craft fairs knew about my dad’s last hours and could help me gain closure for my mother.”

Carrie spoke up quickly, before Edie could say more or mention Milton Sales’s name, “That’s right. Edie wanted to find a man named John Harley because her source said he knew about the death of her father. She heard he’d be at the fair.”

The laugh was humorless. “Well now, I do hate to tell you this, but John Harley had no connection at all to Art Embler and didn’t know anything about his business dealings. It was my parents who were connected to him.”

Carrie saw Edie start to turn, and quickly put a hand on her knee. Without moving any farther, Edie said, “At least tell me why the papers matter so much to you.”

The silence went on for so long that Carrie hoped the woman had left, but then she said, “You really don’t know, do you?” She laughed again. “Gee, I hate to kill any imaginary dream you may have about your daddy, but he was a bigger crook than most. Worked both sides of the road, betraying men left and right. Had ties to distribution at this fair all those years ago. He also had two wives.”