Murderous Matrimony(6)

I passed Mermaid Lagoon. It was closed for the year. No one had been able to convince the mermaids that they should splash around in the water during the cold months. It was too bad. The mermaids were one of the most popular attractions. Several young men were already standing at the edge of the lagoon, and mourning that they had missed them.

The smells of a hundred different kinds of food—from pizza and turkey legs to roasted corn and stew—assailed my senses. Across the Village, cooks were getting ready for lunch, and the hearty appetites of the visitors who kept all of us here. The cool November breeze wafted the aromas of baking bread and funnel cakes to tease the senses.

There were so many choices: Baron’s had beer and brats, Three Pigs had several variations of barbecue. Polo’s had pasta and pizza. There were pretzel carts and pickle carts. It was almost impossible not to find something you wanted to eat.

I ran into an old friend as I walked toward the castle. Rita Martinez was the head of the enormous kitchen staff there. She was a hardworking, older woman with gray-streaked black hair, and dark eyes that didn’t miss a thing.

I’d worked for her when I’d first come to the Village. We hadn’t exactly been friends then, but after we’d known each other a while, that had changed.

“I can’t believe Madman Dave is dead.” She shook her head. “You just never know.”

I told her that the police were questioning Manny. “I know he wasn’t responsible, but his arguments with Dave look bad.”

“So what are you gonna do about it?” She used her work-roughened hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she talked to me.

I was at least a foot taller than her. I leaned a little closer. “I’m going to find out what I can about Dave. Maybe someone had a grudge against him. He wouldn’t be dead otherwise, not like that anyway.”

“Too much of that going on.” She crossed herself. “Look at what happened to Wanda just two weeks ago! We’ll probably never find another qualified nurse to work here.”

I couldn’t help but feel some responsibility for Wanda’s death. Chase was right about that, but I didn’t think it was what had drawn her ghost to me. “I know.”

“Don’t get all down in the mouth about it.” She flicked my chin. “Yes, you dyed her blue, but you weren’t the cause of her death. Poor thing—going through eternity that way.”

I stopped walking and stared at her. “Can you see her?”

She gave an exasperated sigh and kept walking. “How could I see her now? They buried her last week!”

“Rita, her ghost has been with me since she died. I know it seems like it can’t be true, but it is. I don’t know if Chase really believes me either.”

“Do you see her right now?” She surveyed the people around us.

“No. She comes and goes when she wants to. It’s been crazy for me and Chase. She was doing this weird trick—turning her eyeballs inside out—two nights ago when Chase and I—”

“Hmm.” She smiled knowingly. “That explains the expression on the Bailiff’s face for the last two weeks.”

“Two weeks before the wedding—and I’m pretty sure he thinks I don’t love him. I don’t know what to do.”

We continued walking past Mirror Lake. I watched the pirate ship Queen’s Revenge sailing toward her berth near the Main Gate. Her full white sails picked up every stray breeze against the clear blue sky.

The cannons were being fired onboard the ship—as they were every day at ten, twelve, four, and six p.m. Large plumes of gray smoke accompanied the thunderous sound. There were children standing beside the lake with their parents, fist-pumping and yelling Huzzah! at each blast.

“You’ve got the shakes, Jessie, that’s all,” Rita said. “Everybody gets them right before they get married. You’re seeing blue ghosts—I saw giant meatballs! Once the wedding is over, you’ll be fine!”

I looked at my unique engagement ring. It had originally belonged to Chase’s grandmother. He’d had it changed from a plain gold band with two ruby hearts to a dragon holding two ruby hearts. It was perfect.

I loved the ring, and I loved Chase. Maybe Rita was right. Just getting married was a big deal, without the Village adding in their ideas about publicizing it. I never wanted that, but what was good for the Village was also good for me and Chase.

“Thanks. You’re right. I was a mess without Dave getting killed right outside the museum. Only two more weeks. That’s all I have to keep it together.”

“You can do it, Jessie. The two of you have always been perfect for each other. I’m so glad you’re staying in the Village.”