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Saturday morning, Drake was up early. He made a pot of coffee and some toast for breakfast. When he was CeeCee the Clown at the hospital, he didn’t have time to apply much make-up, but this morning he was going to do it right.
Today was for Jonathon.
He sipped his coffee as he sat in front of the large mirror in his guest bedroom. This was where he kept his paints, brushes—supplies for his tricks and acts—and his three different costumes, the wigs, shoes, and socks. Not only did he make balloon animals, but he also juggled and was a ventriloquist with a puppet. He’d purchased all these props and taken lessons with the money he saved when he quit drinking. Now he offered his services to community fund raisers around the city free of charge. He just asked that a donation be made to charity.
Drake used a sponge to cover his face with his white water-based clown make-up. He gave himself large green brows with green hearts beneath them. There were so many different types of clowns—rodeo, mad, crazy, killer, happy, sad, angry, monster, and evil—and they all had appropriate faces. When working with children, he liked to give a cheerful look to his face, so he painted a big red smile around his mouth and put a matching red dot on the end of his nose. He looked through his wigs and picked out a curly yellow one and chose his yellow and green costume as well as matching green oversized shoes. He put the costume and wig on and checked himself in the mirror.
Yes. He always felt good when he was dressed as a clown on his way to lift the spirits of the children he met.
Drake took his balloons and stuffed them in the two large pockets of his outfit. He put more balloons, his shoes, and juggling rings and clubs into a bag. His juggling was for when he didn’t have any little children waiting expectantly for their balloon animals.
Drake arrived an hour early to miss the rush of drivers looking for an empty parking spot. There was a large truck attached to a long trailer parked at the back of the lot. Mobile Petting Zoo was painted on the side of the trailer.
What a good idea, Drake thought as he pulled into a spot. He took out his shoes but left his juggling gear in the car. He didn’t want to have to worry about them and it would be easy to come back if he needed to.
Once he’d explained who he was to the security guard at the gate, he went looking for either Simon or Amy. Last-minute preparations were being made. The bouncy house and castle were being inflated, stuffed animals were being hung in the booths with games, and tables were being set up in a tent for people to eat out of the sun. Drake marvelled at the work it must have taken to organize all these activities. His admiration for his sister-in-law increased, for while she disliked, maybe even hated him, his feelings for her had never changed. She was one of the smartest, most hard-working women he’d ever met, and he envied his brother.
He still hoped he would find a wife like her.
“Hey, Drake, over here!”
Drake saw his brother helping a woman tack a garland along the top of a kiosk that advertised huge pretzels. He walked over and held the garland in one corner while Simon nailed it in place.
“Thanks,” Simon said, returning the hammer to the tool belt around his waist. He was older and taller than Drake but had the same blonde hair and well-built physique.
“This is bigger than I expected,” Drake said.
“It’s bigger than Amy and I expected,” Simon smiled, ruefully. “As soon as individuals and organizations heard what we were doing they all wanted to be part of it.”
It is for a good cause, Drake thought. If it wasn’t for him, this wouldn’t be happening. Depending on who looked at it, it was either a good thing or a bad thing.
“Where do you want me?” Drake asked.
“We have a kiddie’s corner where we thought you would be a perfect fit.” Simon led the way past a large blow-up slide, a stage for a band to perform, and the start/finish of the little shot and 5K walk/run. They stopped at a canopy over a table. “You’ll be sharing the table with a face painter and a juggler.”
“Okay,” Drake said, glad he hadn’t carried his juggling gear with him. Maybe he could learn some new skills, though.
“You can stay here or wander around until we open if you want.”
Simon’s cell phone pinged, and he looked at the text message. “Got to go,” he smiled tiredly. “One of the fences of the petting zoo just fell over. See you later.”
Drake looked around and saw that he had a view of the race start and finish and the petting zoo. He put on his oversized shoes and began blowing up a long balloon. He always tried to have some animals already made before the children appeared. Some liked to watch him make their toy, while others just wanted one immediately.
A lady in her early fifties, a large basket in one hand and a folding wooden chair in the other, came over to the table. “Hi. I’m Serena. I’m doing the face painting.”
“Drake.” He held out his hand. “Clown and also balloon animal maker.”
“Nice to meet you, Drake.” She leaned the chair against the table and shook his hand. “How much space do you need?”
Drake set a yellow lion on the table. “I guess I’ll need about a third or half of it for my pre-made animals. Once they’re gone then I have everything I need in my pockets.
“What about the juggler?” Serena placed the basket on the table and opened it. She began removing her supplies of brushes, paints, stencils, and a large mirror. She arranged them on half the table.
“I don’t think he’ll use much,” Drake said, as he twisted together two balloons to make a green turtle.
It was 9:00, time for the fair to open. The Little Shot children’s race was going to start at 9:30, and it wasn’t long before children were running around laughing and yelling while their parents picked up the numbered bibs for them to wear. It was amusing to watch parents try to get their children to stand still while they pinned the bibs on the front of their clothes. Drake saw Simon helping his daughters with theirs.
Amy had on a headset and was trying to be heard over the crowd. Finally, they quieted down and she was able to thank them for coming and then lead the children through some warm-up exercises. When they were finished, the children lined up behind Simon, who was on a bicycle. The gun went off and they raced behind Simon in a large circle around the wire fence set along the outside perimeter of the grounds. At the end of their second lap, Simon led them across the start/finish line.
Drake had half the table covered with balloon animals piled two and three high ready for the rush of children.
By now, Amy was leading participants of the adult races through some warm-up exercises to loud music. They all had their numbered bibs on, and he was surprised to see Hillary and Jenna on the edge of the group. He was amazed that Hillary would feel up to the run. After all, it had only been a week since she’d suffered one, possibly two, concussions.
The warm-up finished and Amy gave a little pep talk telling everyone to have fun, to walk and run with care, and to please thank the volunteers who would be directing them out on the course. She then held up an air horn and blew it. The clock started ticking and the runners and walkers headed through the start/finish arch.
Drake watched Amy as she waited for the last runner to leave. She was short and slender with long, straight, black hair. Like Simon, she looked tired.
“Uncle Drake! Uncle Drake!”
Drake turned to see his three young nieces sprinting towards him. They each had a ribbon pinned to their blouses. He knelt down and all three hurled themselves into his arms. Jonathon had been an only child, but, since his death, Simon and Amy had had these three lovely girls.
“How did you know it was me?” Drake asked, standing.
“We know all your costumes,” nine-year-old Kathy said.
“And Daddy said you’d be here,” seven-year-old Melinda added.
“I want a swan,” Kyla said. At four years old, she always got right to the point.
Drake laughed. It was one animal he hadn’t made ahead of time. “What colour do you want it?”
“Pink.”
As Drake pulled out a long pink balloon, he noticed a man dressed in a bright orange volunteer t-shirt worn watching them. He had a baseball cap pulled over his eyes. The man quickly turned and walked away. A number of scenarios ran through Drake’s mind as he blew up the balloon and twisted and folded it into a swan. The man wanted to steal his balloon secrets, the man was watching Drake’s three nieces, or the man was wondering about a clown’s intentions towards three young girls.
He kept watch but didn’t see the man again.
Children began appearing, ribbons on their chests, delight in their eyes at the pile of balloon animals. Drake picked up a butterfly and a young girl reached for it. He held out a monkey and a boy with red hair took it. The others crowded around and soon most of the animals on the table were gone and there was a line up for the face painter.
Drake turned back to his nieces. “Where are you going after this?” he asked as he made a purple unicorn for Kathy. He didn’t like the idea of them running around on their own, especially if that man was watching them.
“Mommy said we have to stay near the petting zoo,” Kathy said, giving the unicorn a hug.
“Yes. Mrs. Rooney is going to keep an eye on us while Mommy is running this fair.”
“Who is Mrs. Rooney?” Drake began a red snail for Melinda.
“She’s my best friend’s grandmother,” Kathy said, pointing to the other side of the petting zoo. “She has a table there and she’s selling her pottery.”
“Well, let’s get you over there.” Drake turned to Serena. “When more children come could you just tell them to pick an animal? I’ll be back soon.”
Drake removed his large shoes so he could keep up with the girls. As they walked to the petting zoo Drake surveyed the grounds for the volunteer. He didn’t see him and began to wonder if he was actually a volunteer, or someone who liked to hang around children.
The fence of the petting zoo had been fixed and contained individual pens holding three baby goats, five geese, two chickens, three rabbits, and a miniature horse. Melinda and Kyla immediately ran over to the pen with the baby goats and reached over the fence to pet them. The zoo owner went to talk with them.
“Come and meet Mrs. Rooney,” Kathy said.
Drake obediently followed her to the nearby table where a gray-haired woman was talking to a potential customer. She was pointing to her colourful, handmade plates, bowls, cream and sugar sets, coffee mugs, and much more.
“Mrs. Rooney, this is my Uncle Drake,” Kathy said, when the customer picked up a plate to look at it.
“Pleased to meet you, Uncle Drake,” Mrs. Rooney smiled.
“My pleasure,” Drake said. “And what lovely work you have here.”
“Thank you.” Mrs. Rooney turned back to the lady who decided to buy a cream and sugar set.
Drake looked up and saw the volunteer staring at them again. He didn’t like it. Supposedly, all the volunteers would have had police record checks, so this guy must be okay. But Drake didn’t feel good about the way he seemed to be watching either the girls or him. The guy turned and left again.
Drake leaned close to Mrs. Rooney and whispered, “A man in an orange volunteer t-shirt and baseball cap has been watching us and I’m not sure if it is because of my nieces or me. Could you keep a sharp eye on them until I find out who he is?”
Mrs. Rooney glanced around. “Yes, I’ll keep them here until my daughter and granddaughter or the girls’ parents come.”
“I have to go,” Drake told his nieces. “You three stay together and wait here until your mommy or daddy come to get you.”
The girls nodded. “We will.”
“Thank you for looking after them,” Drake said to Mrs. Rooney.
Drake headed off in the direction where he’d last seen the man. He wanted to get close enough to confront him and get his name. Simon or Amy would have a list of volunteers he could compare it to. He walked past some tents with children throwing baseballs to knock over water-filled plastic bottles, tossing rings over pegs, and throwing bean bags through holes in a large box. A mother was trying to convince a little boy that the pony was safe to ride.
Drake went past his tent and saw Serena painting a superhero mask on a girl’s face. Two more children waited in line. The juggler was tossing balls in the air to keep them occupied. There were still a few balloon animals on the table. He should be staying at the table, but finding that volunteer was more important. There were too many children who could be at risk if he ignored his instincts.
Some of the runners were returning from the race, checking their times on the clock then doing stretches. He didn’t see Hillary or Jenna. He scanned the crowds of people wandering the grounds. No one stood out, no one was staring at him.
“Damn, damn, damn.”
“Drake!”
Drake turned at the shrill sound of his name. Amy was striding towards him.
“Why aren’t you at your table?” she demanded. “Kids are asking for the balloon clown.”
“Sorry. I’ll go there now.”
Jenna and Hillary were both tired after the stress of the past week, so they’d decided to meet at the park. They wore shorts and t-shirts and had fanny packs around their waists. This was their usual attire when they jogged together. Hillary had pulled her hair into a ponytail, which was stuck through the gap in the back of her baseball cap. Jenna didn’t like wearing a hat of any sort so she’d pinned her hair back from her face.
They arrived in time to pick up their bibs and join the crowd as Amy called everyone for the warm-up exercises. Jenna wasn’t sure if Amy would remember her and, when their eyes met, she gave a little smile and wave. Amy nodded back as the music started. She began swinging her arms across her body. The crowd followed suit.
“Oh,” Hillary moaned, as she went through the motions.
“Do you want to quit?” Jenna asked. She still wasn’t sure if this was a good idea for Hillary.
“No,” Hillary shook her head. “It’s just some parts of my body are still sore.”
After the exercises, the crowd lined up and waited for the horn. When it sounded, everyone took off at their own speed, whether it was walking, jogging, or running. Jenna and Hillary started at a slow jog, or slog, as they liked to call it. They followed the course out into the streets where large arrows on cardboard backing and volunteers directed them.
“What time did you pick Michele up at the police station?” Hillary asked.
“It was almost midnight, then I stayed with her for a while talking. And, of course, once I got home, I couldn’t sleep. My mind kept going over and over the predicament she’s in.”
“What did Detective Brennen decide about the bowl?”
“Michele said the police are keeping it as evidence.”
“Brennen really thinks Michele stole it?”
“He believes Michele and Bruno were committing the robberies together. He kept asking her the same questions over and over. He even asked if Michele knew people in Abbotsford, New Westminster, or Burnaby.”
“Why?”
“Don’t know,” Jenna said. “We did wonder if it had anything to do with Colleen. You said she lived in Burnaby.”
“Yes, but what would she have to do with all this?”
“We tried to figure that out but couldn’t come up with a plausible reason. It just seems strange that the police are interested in someone or something in Burnaby and Colleen comes from there. And she’s suddenly back in your life.”
“That’s scary,” Hillary said. “I now make sure my drapes are drawn as soon as it gets dark, and I check my doors twice at night before going to bed.”
“Well, we come back to the question of what if Bruno really did steal it?” Jenna said. “After all, he has a criminal record, he changed his name, he was leaving without saying goodbye, and he knew many of the women who were robbed.”
“Who were also my clients.”
“But, I think the biggest problem is, how did the robber, or robbers, get in the houses? And if they had keys, where did they get them?”
“Maybe they had lock picks like we read about. I’m sure a robber wouldn’t worry about being arrested for taking them out of his house.”
“Probably not,” Jenna laughed. She then told Hillary about the ideas she and Michele had discussed the night before. “We never came up with any answers to all the questions we had, but we’re going to talk about it some more when I get to the bookstore later today.”
They passed some walkers and were passed by joggers faster than them. Sometimes, they slowed to a walk to catch their breath. At one intersection they followed a volunteer’s direction and rounded a corner.
“Thank you for volunteering,” Jenna called as they went by.
The woman smiled and waved.
They stopped at the water station halfway along the course and picked up one of the small paper cups from the table. They stepped out of the other racers’ way while they drank the water.
“How are you feeling?” Jenna asked.
“My headache is returning,” Hillary said, as she dug out a bottle of ibuprofen from her fanny pack. She took out two pills and swallowed them.
“Do you want to stop?”
“Oh, no. It feels good to be jogging again. I’ve missed this.”
They threw their cups in the recycle bag and resumed their jog.
When they crossed the finish line, they turned to look at the clock.
“Forty-nine minutes,” Hillary said.
“And with you just getting over a concussion,” Jenna grinned.
They moved to the side and did some cool down stretching.
“I could use a coffee,” Jenna said.
“Yes. I don’t have to be at the salon until 2:00, so I want to look around.”
They walked over to the kiosk selling coffee and tea and each ordered a cup. They wandered the area, smiling at the children trying to win a stuffed toy and the ones riding the pony. Jenna spied Drake in his clown costume. She steered Hillary in that direction. They stopped and watched the face painter paint a tiger face on a small girl.
“What lovely work,” Hillary said.
“I’ll pay, if you want one,” Jenna grinned.
“That would really impress my clients this afternoon.”
Beside the face painter a man juggled three bright red clubs in front of a small crowd.
“I tried that once when I was a kid,” Hillary said. “It didn’t go very well.”
The juggler added a felt hat, which he would put on his head with one hand and take off with the other while keeping the clubs in the air.
Drake was fashioning a green turtle out of two long skinny balloons. A child waited, an expectant look on his face. When Drake finished, he handed the turtle to the little boy who walked away proudly showing it to his father. Drake looked up and smiled.
“Hillary. Jenna.”
Jenna smiled as Hillary looked around and then at the clown.
“It’s me, Drake Ferrell.”
“Drake,” Hillary said, smiling. “I didn’t recognize you. You do look a tad different from the last time I saw you.”
“This is my alter ego CeeCee the Clown. How was the race?”
“We finished it,” Hillary said. “Not as fast as we’d hoped, though.”
“Finishing is good.”
Twin girls, followed by their father, came up to Drake.
“Can I have a penguin?” one asked.
“And I’d like a dinosaur,” the other said.
“What do you say?” their father asked.
“Please,” they both chimed together.
“You bet you can,” Drake said heartily. He dug one black and one white balloon from his pants pocket.
Jenna watched as he skillfully shaped the long balloons into the penguin. She had only seen him dressed in his clown suit once before and this was the first time she’d watched him make balloon animals. She was still impressed at how he had turned his life around and become an emergency room doctor and a clown to brighten children’s lives. He certainly wasn’t the same man she’d broken up with many years ago because of his drinking.
“We’re going to find something to eat,” Hillary waved. “Be back later.”
Drake nodded as he blew up a green balloon for the dinosaur.
“What do you want?” Jenna asked.
“Well, we did use up a lot of calories,” Hillary said. “I think we deserve a burger and fries.”
“I’m with you.”
They headed to the kiosk and got in line. More people lined up behind them. Jenna began to feel uncomfortable with the closeness of the man behind her.
“Don’t turn around,” a voice whispered.
“What?” Jenna’s first instinct was to turn and look at who was talking to her.
“Don’t turn around,” the voice hissed.
“What do you want?” She doubted that he was trying to rob her in this crowd.
“Do you know Dr. Ferrell?”
“Yes.”
“Tell him my friend’s younger brother was driving the red car. His name is Trevor and he lives in Richmond. Give him this.”
Jenna felt a piece of paper thrust into her hand and then she sensed the man leave. She quickly turned and saw a man in an orange t-shirt and baseball cap hurrying away. She glanced down at the paper. It had what looked like a phone number on it but no name.
“Come with me.” Jenna grabbed Hillary by the arm and pulled her out of the line.
“What?”
“We have to go.” Jenna headed away from the crowd. She stopped in the shade of a large tree and looked around. No one seemed to be paying any attention to them.
“What’s going on?” Hillary asked.
“Some guy asked if I knew Drake and, when I said yes, he gave me this for Drake and told me he knew who killed Jonathon.” Jenna showed Hillary the paper.
“A phone number?”
“That’s what I think.”
“What did he look like?”
“He told me not to turn around. I did when he left and only saw a volunteer hurrying away.”
“That sounds pretty melodramatic,” Hillary said. “Something you’d see on television. How did he know you knew Drake?”
“No idea. Maybe he saw us talking with him.” Jenna scanned the people going by again. “I have to take it to him.”
They started towards Drake’s table and stopped when they saw him talking with a young woman. The two were standing close and she had her hand on his arm. Their body language suggested intimacy.
“Oh,” Hillary said.
“That’s Julie,” Jenna said. “And it’s not what it looks like. She’s his former girlfriend.”
“How do you know?”
“I introduced them to each other a few years ago. They broke up last year.”
“As a dating coach, please explain to me why I am feeling a little jealous. I don’t even know the man, haven’t even had a date with him.”
“But he did ask you out, so a part of you thinks he should be somewhat loyal to you.”
“It’s silly, I know.” Hillary smiled. “I’ve no right to feel anything when seeing him with another woman. So far we’re just two people who met last week in the hospital under not so good circumstances.”
“You felt a certain attraction for him because of his caring manner in the hospital.”
“So, I thought he cared for me when he was just doing his job?”
“Well, he must have felt something in return or he wouldn’t have asked you to coffee. Right?”
Julie gave Drake a hug and left.
“Unless he’s a player,” Hillary said, as she watched the woman walk away.
Jenna wasn’t sure what to say. She knew Drake hadn’t changed that much in the years since they’d dated. Then, he’d been a one-woman man as the saying went. She led the way over to where Drake was now talking with the juggler.
“That was fast,” Drake said, when he saw them.
“A guy gave me this to give to you.” Jenna handed him the piece of paper. “He told me to tell you that his friend’s younger brother was driving the red car and his name is Trevor and he lives in Richmond.” Jenna wanted to get it all out before she forgot something.
Drake looked at her and then at the paper.
Jenna couldn’t judge his expression under the happy clown make-up.
“Was he dressed in an orange volunteer t-shirt?” Drake asked.
“Yes. But I only saw his back as he hurried away.”
“How did you meet him?”
“He came up behind me when we were in line for burgers and told me not to turn around. He asked if I knew you. I said yes and he told me what I told you and gave me the paper. When he left, I turned in time to see guy wearing a baseball cap and orange t-shirt.”
Drake stared at the phone number. “And he said his friend’s younger brother was named Trevor.”
Jenna nodded. “He didn’t give a last name,” she said before he could ask.
Drake seemed distracted by the paper and Jenna wondered if someone had finally decided to break their silence. After all, that was what this whole fair was about. To keep Jonathon’s death in people’s minds and hope that eventually someone’s conscience would make them speak up.
Hillary looked at her watch. “I have to get home and shower and then go to the salon,” she said.
At the sound of her voice, Drake looked up. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to ignore you. Are we still on for tomorrow?”
“We don’t have to,” Hillary said.
Jenna knew she was thinking of Julie and wondering if seeing her would cause Drake to change his mind.
“Oh, yes, we do,” Drake said emphatically. “I’ll meet you at 2:00 as we planned.”
“Okay.” Hillary’s face lit up.
Jenna was glad her little pep talk had worked.
“I’ll stop by later this afternoon and pick up that book you’ve been saving for me,” Hillary said as they walked to their vehicles. “I need to get immersed in a different world for a while.”