Fatal Fairies (Renaissance Faire Mystery Book 8) by Joyce Lavene, Jim Lavene Read Free Book Online Page A

addressed the second half of his comment to Officer Grigg.
    Grigg nodded, but didn’t say anything.
    “I’m not psychic. I do know a lot about the Village. I can tell that you’re working with the wrong person.”
    “You mean Bailiff Britt?”
    “Yes.” I was inspired as I thought of a surefire way to bring Chase into the investigation. “You should talk to Chase Manhattan. He knows everyone in the Village and has a wonderful sense of right and wrong.”
    “So you’re saying this Manhattan person knows about the fairy being killed?” Detective Almond’s squinty eyes narrowed further on my face. “Are you trying to tell me he had something to do with it?”
    “No. Of course not. I didn’t say that. You misunderstood me.” Was it too early to panic?
    “Yeah. I get it.” He nodded to Grigg. “Find the Bailiff. Have him bring Manhattan up here for questioning. Maybe now we’re gonna get somewhere. Thanks, Ms. Morton.”
    Detective Almond started walking toward the Good Luck Fountain again.
    Grigg was already heading toward the Dungeon.
    What had I done? In my eagerness to involve Chase in this, I had implicated him in the murder.
     

Chapter Six
     
    “Chase didn’t kill the fairy.” I stalked after Detective Almond with determination in my squelching boots and dirty dress. “I just meant he might have some insight into what happened.”
    “Look. You don’t have to worry about it. I won’t tell him where this came from. He’ll never know you gave us his name.”
    “No. No. No.” I put my hand on his arm to stop him. “You’ve got it all wrong.”
    “Are you saying you were part of it too? Is that how you know Manhattan was in on it?”
    “Of course not. Chase would never kill a fairy or anyone else. I wouldn’t help him either. I only meant that he knows his way around the Village and could be useful to you.”
    He grunted. “What does he do here?”
    “He’s a highly respected jouster on the Field of Honor and Queen Olivia’s favorite. Everyone loves him.”
    “A jouster, huh?” He glanced back at me as we reached the crime scene tape. “Funny that. The ME found traces of metal on the fairy’s shoes. She was wearing those real pointy ones. He says she could’ve done some damage with those pointy toes. I wonder if she made some dents in Manhattan’s armor.”
    I was horrified by this turn of events. I tried to think of something else to say that would take Chase out of the equation, but nothing came to mind. Maybe that was a good thing since it seemed I’d done such a bad job.
    Grigg and Canyon approached with Chase between them a few minutes later. I panicked again when Chase looked squarely at me as though he knew what a mess I’d made of everything.
    “You’re Chase Manhattan?” Detective Almond leaned his head back to look up at him. “They make them big were you come from, huh? Where is that, by the way?”
    “Arizona. But I haven’t live there for years. I live here at the Village, at the castle.”
    Detective Almond’s eyebrows went up and down rapidly. “So you’re living the high life up there on the hill with the royals. What’s that like?”
    “It’s all right.” Chase glanced at me again. “Why am I here? Are you accusing me of something?”
    “No. Just thinking we might have a conversation about someone named Apple Blossom.”
    “The dead fairy?”
    “That’s right. Your little girlfriend was right about you. You catch on fast.”
    What happened to keeping me out of it? So much for getting close to Chase by being his squire. He’d probably never forgive me if he thought I’d fingered him for Apple Blossom’s killer.
    Chase wasn’t angry when he looked at me again—his dark eyes were betrayed and hurt.
    “I didn’t even know her,” he told Detective Almond. “I can’t tell you anything about her or her death. You’ll have to ask someone else.”
    “Okay. But I think I’ll ask you a few more questions down at the station if that’s okay.”