Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks (Elemental Assassin) by Estep Jennifer

Author:Estep, Jennifer [Estep, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Pocket Star
Published: 2013-06-02T16:00:00+00:00

BRIA AND I were at the carnival late into the night. In addition to calling the cops, Bria also dialed Fran, the girl’s aunt. I watched as Fran got out of her car, ran over to where Elizabeth was resting in the back of Bria’s sedan, and hugged her niece tight. Jo-Jo would be here in a few minutes to fully heal her, and the girl would be as pretty and right as rain again soon enough.

Bria said something to them, then headed in my direction. I was sitting on top of the picket fence that lined the clearing, and she hopped up next to me.

“Elizabeth should be fine in a few days,” she said. “It looks like Esmeralda didn’t do any lasting damage. I talked to Jo-Jo on the phone. She said that since Esmeralda didn’t fully drain Elizabeth, it’s sort of like Elizabeth is suffering from severe dehydration. Some Air magic and a lot of fluids, and she’ll be okay.”

I nodded. “Good.”

“I also called Finn and asked him to do some research into the carnival,” Bria said. “He found an old newspaper article from the early 1800s that talked about a traveling Carnival of Wondrous Wonders. The main attraction was a knife-throwing act that featured a particularly beautiful woman.”

“Esmeralda the Amazing.”

She nodded. “There’s no telling how many people she murdered over the centuries to keep herself young. Dozens, maybe even hundreds. We’ve already started contacting law enforcement agencies in other towns where the carnival passed through so we can look into all of the missing-persons reports.”

I figured it would turn out to be something like that. “What about the other carnival workers? Were they all involved in it?”

Bria shook her head. “Apparently, Arturo was the only one who actually helped her abduct and kill the girls. The other workers were never allowed into that barn they set up at every carnival site, so they never actually saw what Esmeralda did to the girls. The workers were suspicious, but mostly they were too afraid of Esmeralda to really look into it. I need to get back and finish interviewing them. It shouldn’t take too much longer.”

“I’ll wait for you,” I said.

Bria nodded, hopped off the fence, and moved back into the crowd of cops. The carnival workers also milled around, looking shell-shocked. I wondered what would happen to the carnival now—if it would continue on or if the workers would have to find another one to join. I had a feeling that the wondrous wonders would be no more, just like Esmeralda and Arturo.

Since Bria was busy, I left my perch on the fence and wandered back through the carnival. Finally, I wound up at the main stage. I climbed the steps and looked out at the bleachers. They were empty now, but I could almost hear the roar of the crowd, feel the heat of the spotlight, see everyone’s eager eyes fixed on me. Esmeralda had loved this so much that she’d murdered for it. Well, I supposed people have murdered for less—including me.

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