Page 29 of Promise Keeper

"We're here," Cass said, swinging her dress around. "How's business today?"

"Doing okay," he said, tucking the cash back into the register and slamming it shut. "I don't suppose either of you know how to paint faces, or maybe make balloon animals?"

Cass and I looked at each other. "I guess I could paint faces," I said. "As long as it's something easy like a rainbow or a flower."

"I'm not sure I can make balloon animals," Cass said. "I did take a juggling class once. I'm not great, but I could give it a shot."

"That's great. Thank you both. With only one fire eater, I'm in an entertainment lurch, and what's a carnival without entertainment?"

"Honestly," I said, "I think Roy can make balloon animals. I saw him making dogs at Canal Days."

"I wouldn't have guessed it. I'll ring him up."

Roy would be three sheets to the wind right now, and hopefully he wouldn't be angry at me for volunteering him. If anything, maybe the alcohol would make balloon animals sound like a good old time.

Anna and Logan strolled in holding hands. "Hey, you two," I said, greeting them. "How was school today?"

"Rumor filled," Anna said.

Logan nodded in agreement. "Everyone's talking."

"About the bones?" I asked.

"About your tribunal," Anna said. "What happened? I heard Roy pushed Irene on the floor or something."

"No! Irene was on video. Fiona had her on a laptop that fell on the floor. Roy didn't touch anything. Well, he did mop the floor with Fiona in a figurative way, of course. He got me out of the whole thing."

"Roy did?" Logan was shocked.

"He told me he'd always wanted to be a lawyer and today he proved himself. It was something to see."

Anna and Logan shared astonished glances.

"He's on his way here," I said. "I'm sure he'll tell you all about it."

Cass went outside with the fire eater, and Steve gave me some face paints. Logan helped him set up a card table and chairs not too far from Cass where I could do my painting.

Roy showed up before too long, marching and singing an army cadence. Johnna followed along behind him with her dog, Charlie the greyhound, and his dog Ginger, the Chow Chow. Charlie wore a hand knitted sweater with a big C on the back and Ginger wore a flouncy knit skirt with a matching headband. A great big pink rosette sat between her ears. Johnna definitely kept the dogs in town stylish.

Roy's singing attracted Metamora Mike who flapped his way up the bank of the canal and started quacking and honking like a one man band, or one duck band, rather. Ginger and Charlie began barking and howling. Johnna shouted "No!" as both dogs gave chase to Mike, pulling her along after them. She tried to dig her heels in, but only dug up mud and stumbled along trying to stay upright.

"Johnna!" I called, running after them around the tent. "I'm coming!"

Who knew how far those dogs would chase Mike if Johnna let go. They might end up over in Brookville at my in-laws house if left to chase that duck!

Back around to the front of the tent, Mike darted inside. Steve shouted, "Out! Get out of here!" The dogs put on the breaks before they made it inside, turning and heading right into the side of the tent flap, knocking down the sign and an old framed photo.

"Come with me you rotten hounds," Johnna said, leading the dogs away. A second later, I heard her sweet talking them and saw her wiping mud from their paws with an embroidered hanky.

Roy helped Steve lift the hand-painted wooden circus sign. I knelt and picked up the framed photo--and there he was. Dalton Stokes, the Pharaoh's Cursed Mummy. I wanted to take the picture out of the frame to see if there was a date on the back. Did he end up running away with Estelle?

* * *

Roy cameup to my table and sat down. "You're going to paint faces?" he asked. "I hope you paint better than you bake."

"I should probably be offended by that, but I'm not. I hope I paint better than I bake, too."

"Whatcha got under there?" He leaned to the side, angling his head to see what I had on my lap.

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