The effect was definitely what Chase was looking for. His eyes lit up when he saw me. “You look great! Let’s go get some coffee and we’ll talk.”
I looked at myself in the mirror one more time. Maybe if I wore a little more eye makeup I could pull it off. It definitely would suit Roger’s requirements, and I wouldn’t have to worry about Livy flirting with me again. The idea of that was still too vivid in my brain.
We walked across the Village to the Monastery Bakery. The monks had added a sit-down coffee and pastry area that I hadn’t tried yet. If they were as demanding about their coffee as they were about their bread, the coffee should be exceptional.
Sunday mornings were quiet after the late-night revels on Saturday. The main gate didn’t open on Sunday until noon. That gave residents a chance to relax and get ready for the rest of the week, including Sunday night’s King’s Feast, which required a lot of preparation.
During the Renaissance, it would’ve taken a month to feed the number of people who attended the feast. Fortunately, labor-saving devices were okay behind the scenes. If not, I’m sure there’d be far fewer job applications at the Village.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” Chase asked as he opened the front door to the bakery.
Already, mouthwatering aromas were wafting from the popular shop. A few monks in their traditional black robes, accented with the red satin sashes, were outside blessing the bags of flour before they were made into bread. They ignored us as we walked by. That’s just as well since they get a little theatrical when they have something to say. And all I could think about was drinking a hot mocha and biting into a freshly baked roll.
“Good to see you this morning, Bailiff, Mistress Jessie.” Brother Carl bowed a little as he greeted us. “What can I get for you? ”
Brother Carl was the head of the bakery and of the Brotherhood of the Sheaf. It was unusual to see him taking orders behind the counter.
“Good morning, Brother Carl. I’d like a latte and a cinnamon bun,” Chase said. “And Jessie wants a mocha for sure, and what are you eating? ”
“I’d like a cinnamon bun, too.” I smiled at Brother Carl. “I haven’t seen you since I got to the Village. How are you?”
Normally I’d never ask a monk (or most of the other residents) this question. The answer could include massive drama that would be too much to handle this early in the morning. But something was up for Brother Carl to be out here waiting tables. The monks had a certain hierarchy that never changed.
“Things have been better,” he replied with a sad smile. “I have been voted out of my position as head of the bakery and lead brother. My brothers have sent me a message of humility.”
I didn’t know what to say, and truthfully, I was sorry I’d asked. I didn’t really expect him to be so honest with me. The monks are usually closemouthed about what’s going on with their internal politics. “I—I’m sorry,” I stuttered as he handed me coffee and bun. “I hope it all works out for the best.”
“I’m sure it will.” He glanced up as Brother John came in through the back. I could tell from the look Carl gave him who Carl’s successor was.
He didn’t say anything else, and Chase and I went to sit down at one of the square block tables and chairs. They were crudely made but effective. I’d heard lots of people call them rustic and charming.
“What’s up with that? ” I whispered to Chase as we ate. “I wonder how John was able to overthrow Carl that way.”
“Rumor has it that Carl ordered too many ingredients for the bakery in August and John jumped on him being irresponsible. The other monks were just ready for a change, I guess. Good cinnamon bun, huh? Kind of small though. I think I need another one.”
I was watching Carl and John from a side angle in the back of the bakery. John seemed to be making his position felt in the new order. I shrugged and let it go. The monks were a strange group anyway. The chances were that no one besides the Brotherhood would ever know the difference.
“So what did Detective Almond find at the dungeon this morning? ” The cinnamon bun was really good. I licked the sugar off my finger.
“He decided it was just a prank.” Chase sipped his coffee. “Good coffee, too.”
“What do
you
think? ”
“It would be a lot easier to say it was something serious if hundreds of people hadn’t seen the same phrase written all over the Village during the last few days. It wasn’t blood like it was on Ross. I think it was the strawberry jelly again.”
“Except for two major issues. Number one, that Death guy was really threatening behind the Dutchman’s Stage last night. Number two, I was in the shower when whoever it was snuck in there and did his Godfather routine. I feel kind of front and center on this guy’s list right now.”
He nodded. “I know. I think the problem is that Detective Almond has a hard time deciding what’s normal for us in the Village and what isn’t.”
“Which is where you come in, right? You’re the Village law and you know what isn’t supposed to happen. Like what happened last night.”
He looked at me over the top of his coffee cup. “Exactly. I told the police that I think there’s something more going on here. I also told them you’re leaving the Village until we figure out what it is. I think it would be okay for you to work with Roger today and go to the feast tonight, but that’s it. I’ll stay close by in case something weird happens.”
I could feel my eyes bug out and my mouth drop open. “What do you mean I have to leave? You don’t realize what I went through to be here now. I made promises I’ll never be able to keep and lied to everyone I know. I can’t just
leave
.”
“Tell me you weren’t thinking about leaving this morning while you were with Debby after we left the dungeon? I
know
you were scared. Your hands were shaking and your face looked like someone put ghost paint on you.”
“I was scared earlier,” I acknowledged. “But I’m okay now. No tall, black-hooded guy with a big stick is going to drive me off, Chase. You can’t really want me to leave.”
He took my hand and stared hard at me. “I want what’s best for you. I don’t want you to be that scared ever again. And I really don’t want something to happen to you.”
I took his other hand and stared right back at him. “And I appreciate that. But let’s just think for a minute. Who’d want to hurt me? I can’t think of anyone. And it can’t have anything to do with Ross’s death. I didn’t even know him. How can I leave with something like this happening in my favorite place? ”
“Jessie—”
“And how would I get my revenge on Rafe? There’s too much to do. Once I talk Roger into taking me back this morning, I’ll be heavily involved with making glass art, but I’m sure I can find some time to help you figure out what’s going on.”
He shook his head, dark eyes worried. “I can’t let you stay like that. We thought the message at Roger’s was just a copycat. But you were in the building at the time. You found the same message, probably in blood, outside Cupid’s Arrow. It could’ve been written while you were shopping in there. Don’t you see the pattern? This guy might be after
you
.”
I shrugged. “Why don’t we go and pay the new Mr. Death a visit and find out what’s going on? I can go see Roger after we do that.”
I could see he wasn’t happy with my idea, but I talked him into it. We finished our coffee and breakfast, then headed for Death’s Village housing.
“I don’t see what this will prove.” Chase continued to argue even as we walked across the King’s Highway toward Sarah’s Scarves. He had a listing in his Palm Pilot of where every resident was living in the Village. “Unless you immediately recognize this guy as a former assailant or lover, what are the chances it was really him in the costume last night? ”
“We can check to see if he still has his scythe,” I suggested. “If he lost his, or we find some large amounts of blood or strawberry jelly, we’ll have him. End of investigation, right? ”
He smiled and kissed me as we walked. “You’re completely insane. You know that? ”
“Of course. Why else would I be here? ”
I told him I needed to get Roger and Mary back together as we passed several green trolls swinging their clubs as they walked. One of them nodded and winked at me. I adjusted my revealing bodice. “I think that’s why Roger is so abrasive right now. Mary didn’t quite say she’d be up for getting back with him, but I think everything will work out.”
“That’s a lot on your plate for right now, isn’t it? ” Chase smiled at a group of young witches who giggled as they walked by. “You’re going to solve the mystery of who killed Ross, play matchmaker, and learn to do glass art, all while staying alive. Sounds like a full-time job.”
“Maybe. But if I don’t get Mary and Roger back together, I may not learn to make glass art, and if I don’t find out who might want to kill me, well, you can see the outcome of that.”
“Which is why my original idea of you leaving the Village until this is solved is workable.”
I watched several of the fairies-turned-wraiths as they practiced being scary instead of prancing around with their little sparkling wings, flirting with male visitors. It was such a change of pace for them. I was surprised they could maintain the new role. They were better actors than I’d thought.
Housing for residents is located literally throughout the Village. Sometimes supply sheds are outfitted with a cot and a few other necessities if all the real housing units are full. The only residents guaranteed a regular place to stay are the shopkeepers, who traditionally live in the small apartments upstairs from their shops. Sometimes they even let their employees bunk there, too.
Death’s place wasn’t too bad. It was located between Galileo’s tent and Sarah’s Scarves, just off the King’s Highway. I think it was once a thriving incense and candle shop that had closed. Of course, next year it could be a shop again, and the residents living here now would be looking for shelter someplace else.
Chase stopped and knocked on a door. “I’m looking for Bart,” he told the young man who answered.
“Bart?” The young man yawned and scratched his head.
“Death.”
“Oh yeah. Just a sec.”
The young man disappeared, leaving the door partially open. I looked in and saw pizza boxes and dirty socks littering the floor. Costumes were thrown everywhere. It was enough to give Portia a migraine.
“Is this guy as tall as Ross?” I asked Chase as we waited.
“Not really.” He shrugged. “Maybe. I didn’t pay too much attention. Some of that might be prosthetics.”
“You mean you haven’t met him in person? ”
“I don’t screen employees, if that’s what you mean. It’s one of the few things I
don’t
do around here.”
The young man finally wandered back to the door. “I don’t see him. He was here last night. I guess he’s out getting something to eat.”
“Thanks. I’d like to see his room.”
“Is that legal? ” The young man looked at me. “I mean, don’t you need a warrant or something? ”
Chase laughed. “This is Adventure Land property. I don’t need anything to look around.”
The young man scurried before us picking up leftover food and dirty clothes while shouting out a warning, “Look out! The queen’s hired thug is here. Hide what you can.”
I was proud of Chase that he didn’t squash the poor guy like a bug. I thought I remembered seeing him waiting tables at the Pleasant Pheasant. Not a great job.
We finally reached Bart’s room through the maze of small rooms that had been quickly converted to house dozens of residents. Chase thanked the young man, then closed the door, shutting him out.
“What’s Bart’s last name? ” I’d dated a guy named Bart a few years back. He’d played the Big Bad Wolf before graduating to being a knight. I hoped it wasn’t the same guy.
Chase consulted his Palm Pilot and smirked. “It says Van Imp. That seems a little hard to believe. These Adventure Land people don’t notice anything.”
I looked through the clothes on the floor, the bed, and tossed over the chair and chest of drawers. I didn’t see the big, black Death costume or the scythe. I opened the drawers in the chest. There was nothing in there at all. “No blood or jelly. Dead end.”
“Recognize the name?” Chase asked as he looked around.
“No. Van Imp doesn’t sound familiar to me.”
“I don’t see any blood. No costume or weapons. If he’s the guy who left that message on the scythe last night, he must be a lot neater about hiding his trail than how he lives.”
“Somehow this makes it much worse.”
“How so? ”
“Well, if our Death isn’t stalking me, that means it’s a strange Death. Maybe even one that isn’t from the Village at all. That means it could be anybody.”
“True.” Chase put his arms around me. “Reconsider? I think you should leave. I don’t like the idea of not being able to protect you.”
“Not a chance. Maybe this wasn’t the answer, but there
is
an answer. We have to find out more about Ross. Maybe if we know why he was killed, we can figure out why Death is following me around.”
“Stubborn.”
“But beautiful,” I added as he kissed the corner of my mouth. The next thing I knew, we were on the bed even though it was littered with old, smelly clothes. Really, I didn’t notice at the time. But a moment later when I looked over Chase’s shoulder and saw at least six pairs of eyes watching us, all of it became clear to me.
I jumped up, kind of taking Chase with me. He ended up falling back on the bed while I stood facing our intruders—Death’s housemates, I assumed. “What do you want? ”
They ignored me, except to stare at my bodice. Chase got to his feet, and they hustled out of the way. Now
that’s
power.
“Sorry.” He grinned at me when we were alone. “Want to head back to the dungeon? ”
“I wish I could, but as you pointed out, I have a lot to do and not enough time to do it. Maybe we could meet for lunch.”