Story of a Murder by Harper Lin

Author:Harper Lin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harper Lin Books

Chapter 14

It didn’t feel like Maggie had been in the pawn shop for very long, but more people had crowded the streets, making her journey back to the bookstore slower than the one from it. The sounds of people happily chatting, bits of conversations, and bursts of laughter made her feel like the only one with a problem.

She felt she was going in circles. Nothing indicated that Angel had done anything wrong, but still, Echo was dead, and whether she was his wife legitimately or not, she’d be the prime suspect. The sound of fire engines and police sirens could be heard several blocks away as the parade was about to get underway.

Maggie continued to walk and tried to enjoy the excitement. But the smiles on everyone’s faces and the cheery atmosphere made her feel anxious. She caught a glimpse of a squirrel dashing up one side of a tree with another in hot pursuit then they both circled down, around, and finally back up the tree out of sight. That was exactly how Maggie felt. She was running after Angel, who was all over the place, but neither of them knew where they were going.

Music was being piped through the speakers that lined the main downtown streets, a treat usually reserved for Christmastime when the snow was falling, and locals would donate ice sculptures of angels and reindeer to adorn the corners. Today, Maggie could hear the proud sounds of an orchestra playing The Battle Hymn of the Republic floating underneath the bustle on the street. A popcorn vendor on the street made almost the entire block smell of the warm, buttery snack.

An ice cream truck was also parked off the main drag, surrounded by kids with their parents eagerly hopping up and down as they pointed at the sign, identifying what cold dessert would be best on this warm evening. Maggie smiled but still wrinkled her face. This proved it. She was the only person in all of Fair Haven with a problem. Before she could even laugh at herself or find something to give her hope, she saw a sight across the street that made her gut seize up into a knot. Gary was talking with Angel, and neither of them was smiling. He had his notebook out, and it was obvious from Angel’s body language that she was not happy. Her hands were waving around like she was trying to give directions.

Maggie went to cross the street, but the wooden horses were in the way. To keep the celebrations safely out of the line of the slow-moving traffic, which included the mayor’s convertible and some of the farmer’s giant green John Deere tractors that moved at a heart-racing three miles an hour, police and volunteers were positioned every couple of yards to keep the masses back. Maggie didn’t care. She went to skirt around one of the wooden barriers but was caught quickly.

“Miss! Miss! You can’t cross here! You have to go to the corner!” ordered a man who wore blue jeans and a blue shirt with the word Volunteer in yellow letters on the back.

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