Murder Loves a Fair by Thea Cambert

Author:Thea Cambert [Cambert, Thea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Summer Prescott Books
Published: 2021-02-20T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

After oversleeping, then rushing downstairs and checking on things in the bookstore, Alice left The Paper Owl in the capable hands of her assistant, Lacie Blake, and headed out to Main Street to oversee the big event of the morning: the decorating of the world’s largest conversation heart.

“Where have you been?” asked Owen when Alice hurried up. “You look . . .”

“Sleepy,” said Franny, picking up the teething ring Theo had just tossed out of his stroller and wiping it off. “You need coffee.”

“Tell me about it,” said Alice, rolling her eyes. “I never oversleep!” She gratefully took the cup of coffee Franny offered and took a sip. “I tossed and turned all night, worried about Dad and Norman and Stanley and Watson.” She shook her head and looked at her friends. “Do we have another killer in our midst in our little town?”

“Well thankfully, no one’s dead yet,” said Owen.

“Wait a second,” said Alice, looking at Owen. “Why are you not wearing your Cupid costume? Shouldn’t you be making the last of the love note deliveries this morning?”

Owen smiled. “Zack Spears agreed to take the job. My days as the winged son of Venus are over.”

“That Zack is a good kid,” said Franny.

Zack was the longtime boyfriend of Lacie Blake. The two were home for the summer from their nearby college, which suited Alice, since Lacie always worked at The Paper Owl when she was home.

“He’s not really a kid anymore,” said Owen. “He’s in his early twenties. And he’s not that good. I paid him fifty bucks. Virginia gave him the last batch of love notes and he’s on his merry way as we speak.”

“Good,” said Franny. “Now you can hang out with us all day.”

“And it’s going to be a fun one,” said Alice, patting her trusty red binder. “Lots going on.”

“Like this,” said Owen, pointing at the huge candy heart that had been set out on a grouping of large tables. “I thought conversation hearts were for Valentine’s Day.”

“They are, technically,” said Alice. “But I was trying to come up with original ideas. Glad I put Helen and her crew from the library in charge of this.”

Helen Hart, director of the Blue Valley Public Library, was overseeing the vote on what the giant conversation heart should say—and then she, along with her able-bodied assistants, library clerks Katie and Ann, would be painting the winning words on the heart.

“Did you vote yet?” asked Alice.

“Not yet,” said Owen.

They all walked to the ballot table and cast their votes.

When they’d stepped away, Alice asked, “What phrase did you vote for?”

“4Ever,” said Owen. “It’s the classic choice.”

“What? I voted for Cutie Pie,” said Franny, picking up Theo and giving him a kiss on the head.

“I picked Sweet Heart,” said Alice, yawning.

“I can see why you’re yawning,” said Owen. “That’s a boring choice. Sweet Heart? Really?” He looked at the giant piece of candy. “I mean, it is a sweet heart, though.”

“How big is this thing anyway?” asked Franny.

“Fifteen feet across.

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