"What I don't get is why did those men attack you?" Kelly asked once the party and the band had been moved outdoors to combat the stench inside the tent.
"I think that Eldo was there to get back the counterfeit Confederate money he'd lost to Betty."
"So," Kelly started to say, "Smith and Gold were the counterfeiters. Nathan Standish, the Treasury guy, gets too close. They have Eldo kill him."
"But," I finished her thought, "Eldo messed up when he tried to get rid of the body. I think Soo Jin was right in thinking the killer was planning to dismember the body but, after hacking off the leg, decided it was too hard."
"Why did the leg end up in the amputation tent?" Kelly asked.
I shrugged. "It's just a guess, but it's possible Eldo had planned to hide it among the fake legs. When he found that Doc had discovered it, he changed his plan."
We were silent for a moment, digesting this information.
"And Ralph?"
"I suspect that Ralph was involved, but probably as a low-rent flunky. Maybe he saw the body before I did and was trying to distract me with that warning message." I folded my arms. "I can't believe you were investigating Alister the whole time!"
She gave me an odd look. "You mean Major General Smith."
"You called him Alister!" I pointed out. "Like the entire time! You two were cozy!"
Kelly rolled her eyes. "I was working. Duh." Then she smiled. "You know, I kind of like it that you were fooled by my act."
"It was your act that gave me the idea that Stumpy was Mary's partner."
"I don't know where Riley got his information," Kelly said. "But I was glad he thought I could handle the assignment. I have to admit, I enjoyed it."
I grinned. "You might consider being a spy in the future."
"Merry!" Rex appeared and ran to me. "Are you alright?"
I threw my arms around him and kissed him. When he finally pulled away, he looked me up and down.
"I kind of like this girly side of you. Can you keep the dress?"
"Not on your life. I am never wearing a corset, pantaloons, a hoop skirt, or a wig ever again."
"Janie Peckinpah!" Obnoxious Redhead Tourist appeared, pointing angrily at Rex. "How could you cheat on Captain Beauregard! You, madam, are no lady!"
I smiled at her. "Never was." Looking back at my husband, I winked. "Would you like to dance?"
As the bad guys were dragged away, Eddie convinced the band to continue, and Rex and I began to waltz.
"I didn't know you could dance like this!" I said.
"I could say the same about you." My husband grinned.
"Oh yeah," I said. "Midori Ito, the Yakuza head, she had a thing for ballroom dancing. She wanted to be known as the Waltzing Assassin. We were required to take lessons. She had a fancy-dress ball once a month. And you?"
Rex laughed. "Nothing so dangerous as that. My parents made me take lessons as a kid. I had the same partner for three years."
"Really? Well, she did a good job. You haven't stepped on my toes once."
He nodded toward a fleeing redhead at the back of the tent. "It was Juliette. You'll have to thank her sometime."