Solve-it-yourself mystery
As I settled onto my couch with a big bowl of candy and the opening credits of The Amityville Horror scrolling across my TV screen, my cellphone started to ring.
“There’s been a theft at the Halloween festival, Detective Jones.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I sighed, closing the call. Had I really expected Halloween to be a quiet night? Who was I kidding?
Half an hour later, I drove up to the festival manager’s trailer, and a woman dressed as a giant chicken came out to greet me. Her white feathered head, plastic beak and all, was tucked under her left arm.
“I’m Detective Will Jones,” I said, offering my hand. “I understand you’ve had a robbery tonight.”
“It’s gone, all of it!” the woman screeched, her sobs sounding a bit like clucking as she led me into her office.
“Tell me what happened, ma’am.” I pulled out the taffy stick I’d started on the couch and popped it into my mouth as she took a long, quavering breath.
“The name’s Claudia,” she said. “And thanks for coming. I was getting the festival’s deposit ready for the bank tomorrow when I was called away from my desk. When I came back five minutes later, all $2,000 was gone!”
“Did anyone else go into your trailer?” I asked.
“Yes, my assistant, Jocelyn, Mike, our intern, and the janitor, who was cleaning up for the night. They were in and out all night, but I told them to finish up quickly so they could enjoy the best event of the festival: the costume contest.”
“That explains the chicken,” I observed. “Could you please send Mike in to talk to me?”
Minutes later, a tall man dressed as a pirate entered, waving a hooked hand at me.
“Why am I here?” he growled, pitching his black hat and plastic sword onto the visitor’s couch. “I didn’t steal that money. I didn’t do anything!”
“Just some routine questions,” I answered coolly. “No need to be upset. Where were you around 10:15 tonight?”
“I don’t know,” he huffed. “I was done with work, I know that much. Maybe I was at the food court—you think they’d feed us something here, but I work for free and have to pay for all of my own food, too.”
“I appreciate your time, Mike. Would you mind telling Jocelyn to come in next?”
“The queen? You’re in for a treat,” he said as he walked out.
I began to unwrap another candy as Jocelyn swept in. By the looks of her, Mike had been spot on. Her costume was straight out of a medieval stage show, and her makeup—with a white base covering her face, black accents around her eyes and two tiny crimson hearts visible on each cheek—just served to heighten the effect.
“Hello, Jocelyn. Could you walk me through your whereabouts tonight?”
“Of course,” she said, flashing a pearly smile my way. “After I finished my work for Claudia early, she told me to go enjoy myself. So I went to the other side of the fairground, ran the potato sack race and won first place in the bobbingfor-apples contest! But as soon as she called and told me what happened, I ran back to the office, and here I am.”
“Did you notice anything unusual this evening?”
“Well…that creepy janitor took forever cleaning up the office tonight. He’s usually long gone by eight.” “He’s still here?” I asked. “I think so,” she answered. “And wearing a homemade ghost costume…how original.”
It took no time to find the man with the white sheet folded in his lap.
“Sir, why did it take you longer than usual to clean the trailer tonight?” I asked.
“Because they left it a mess!” he nearly shouted. “Costumes all over the place, candy and silly string stuck to the carpet... and who had to clean it up? Me! I’d like to leave— can I do anything else for you?”
“No thanks,” I said, smiling as I pulled another piece of candy from my pocket. “I think I’ve got this case all wrapped up.”
—Michael D’angona
Q: Who stole the festival deposit?
A: Turn to pg 49