Chapter Four

From Jason’s perspective, Jenny’s presence proved an absolute godsend. For the next several minutes, she positioned Neil in a couple of different poses, ensuring that the fair was equally evident as she took her photographs, all the while talking him up and pandering to his over-inflated ego.

Just as she was about to move him again, the flaps of the tent drew aside and a pale-faced woman exited, walking quickly away without so much as a glance in the dour attendant’s direction.

A swirl of purple followed and Morena emerged. She stopped, looked directly at Neil and beamed widely.

“Ah, good. You came.”

Having the advantage of standing some distance away, Jason watched both Neil and Morena. To him, the fortune teller’s smile still lacked both humor and warmth.

I hope she never smiles like that at me. She looks like she’s about to eat him alive.

Although Jason knew he should stay close to Neil, he darted over to the woman who’d just come out of the tent. She’d stopped some distance away, and he felt the urge to make sure she was all right.

“Are you okay? Do you feel faint?” Jason asked.

“No, I’ll be fine.” The woman offered him a weak smile. “That fortune teller has great power. She’s a real seer. It was just a bit tiring to make sure that she didn’t see me as I saw her. Be careful what you ask her to reveal to you.” The woman patted Jason’s arm, which set her pink crystal necklace jingling, and she tugged her colorful wrap closer and hurried away.

For a moment, Jason gazed after her before a shout from Neil pushed her from his mind.

“Jason, for fuck’s sake, get over here and help out. I need to make sure I’m shown in the best light.”

“Yes, yes. I’m coming now.” Jason hurried back to Neil and Jenny.

“I thought we could get a photograph of Madam Morena and her tent, with or without, um…” Jenny indicated the tall man and Morena smiled.

“This is Mr. Kite, my companion.”

“Yes, well, Mr. Kite.” Jenny nodded. “Then one of Neil going inside and maybe one with him at your table, Madam Morena.”

“I’m afraid no cameras are permitted in my tent.” Morena held up her hands. “It destroys the ambiance and the spirits stay away. By all means, take your photographs outside the tent. Then, while the gentleman spends half an hour with me, Mr. Kite will take you on a tour of the carnival. Mr. Kite, make sure the others know that these are my guests.”

“Yes, Madam.” Kite bowed low.

Jason couldn’t help but wonder at the oddness of the man’s name. But then, so much of the fair and what I’ve already seen of it is odd, so he’s not really out of place here.

“Right… Let’s get the pictures taken, and we can leave you with Madam Morena.” Jenny took several of the tent and combinations of the fortune teller and her assistant, before taking several more with Neil. “Right then, Neil, I have enough here. You go get your tarot reading or whatever. Jason and I will meet you at the big top. There’s no point in us coming back here.”

“None at all.” Morena waved her hand. “If they wish to play at one of the stalls, it’s on me, Mr. Kite. I have a lucky feeling about them tonight.”

“As you wish, Madam. This way, if you please.” Mr. Kite bowed and indicated for Jason and Jenny to head toward the rest of the fair.

“Are you okay with that, Neil?” Jason felt obliged to ask. He’d prefer not to have to stand around, but if Neil wanted him to…

“Yes. Go ahead. I have a feeling Madam Morena and I will be having a long, detailed discussion.” Neil waved him away with a dismissive gesture.

“Okay. We’ll see you at the big top then.”

“Fine.” Neil didn’t even look around, and Jason smothered a sigh.

“I wish you didn’t have to put up with that,” Jenny whispered into Jason’s ear as she leaned in close.

“It’s keeping the farm safe. When it’s all over, I can go back there and forget I was ever Neil’s beck-and-call guy.”

“Please don’t tell me that you and he share a swimming-pool-sized bath.” Jenny gave an exaggerated shudder and Jason laughed.

“Not a hope.” Jason shook his head firmly.

“You dislike him intensely.” Mr. Kite’s voice cut into their whispered conversation. “Do you never wish yourself free of him?”

“Frequently.” Jason looked around at Kite. The man’s insight was as accurate as it was disconcerting, and he’d blurted out the truth without thinking. Fuck! I hope he doesn’t blab. But then, Neil probably knows and dislikes me with an equal passion. “But it’s not for long, now. The worst is over.”

“I see.” Kite smiled and Jason almost shuddered. There was something chilling about the smile that Jason just couldn’t put his finger on, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. “Follow me. If you want to stop at any of the stalls, let me know. As Madam’s guests, I can assure you that luck will follow your steps.”

Kite’s prediction proved eerily accurate. By the time they got to the big top, Jenny had won a huge teddy bear and a bottle of expensive perfume. Jason also carried a stuffed toy—a tiger—and he’d won a bottle of champagne.

“This is the best haul I’ve ever had at a fair. It almost makes dealing with Neil worthwhile.” Jenny grinned and Jason nodded.

“Considering how tatty the place looks in places, these prizes are good quality.” Jason looked at the label on his bottle. Lanson was a good wine. Shame I don’t have anyone to share it with. As Jason looked up, he noticed a tall man standing with one of Neil’s competitors for the council.

The man seemed to feel he was being stared at and turned to lock gazes with Jason. Heat suffused Jason and his cheeks burned, and for a few seconds, he couldn’t look away. The man was as good-looking as they came—thick, dark hair, warm, brown eyes and a clean-shaven jaw.

“Did you hear me?” Jenny jabbed him with her elbow, and Jason shook his head.

“Sorry, no. What was that?”

“I can see a family of four being escorted this way. Are they the winners?”

Glad of an excuse to pretend he hadn’t been staring at the handsome stranger, Jason looked to where Jenny pointed and he nodded.

“I guess so. The family was told to come directly to the big top when they arrived.”

As they waited for the family to reach their location, a man and woman, dressed almost identically as ringmasters, came out of the tent. The only difference was that the woman wore a purple jacket. Apart from the costume, she reminded Jason of his grandmother.

Jenny said, “Oh, look! The ringmaster. Perfect. I can get almost all the photos I need, apart from a few inside the big top. You can sit with me. Surely Neil won’t want you once the show begins.”

“I shouldn’t think so, especially since he said he didn’t have plans to stay. Either way, he doesn’t need me once the photo session is complete.”

To Jason’s surprise, the ringmaster was much younger than the woman at his side, and he smiled at Jason and Jenny. Noticing their prizes, he looked at Kite.

“I see we have some special guests here tonight, Mr. Kite.”

“Yes, Mr. Henderson, guests of Madam. She foresaw their luck.” Kite gave a slight bow, then indicated the couple. “Mr. Henderson and Mrs. Henderson senior, his mother.”

On hearing the man’s name, Jason immediately stuck out his hand. This is the man I liaised with when organizing all this.

“Pleased to meet you.” Jason stuck out his hand. “We’ve already spoken, Mr. Henderson. I’m Jason, the personal assistant of Neil Hoodman.”

“Ah, yes, I remember.” Henderson nodded. “Do please call me John. This is my mother, Niniane. You and your friends are very welcome here.”

“Shouldn’t there be another with you?” Niniane asked, looking around.

“Yes—” Jason started to reply, but Kite cut in.

“He’s with Madam. She found him to be a perfect subject. They’re coming now.”

With a frown, Jason glanced at Kite, but then Jenny chimed in.

“Yes”—she pointed—“over there”

“You’re right.” Jason peered in the direction she’d indicated to see Neil walking beside Madam Morena. “I have to say that I don’t think I’ve seen him look quite so happy. Whatever Madam Morena told him must have been exactly what he wanted to hear.”

“Oh, good. I want him amenable, not argumentative.” Jenny gave Jason a thumbs-up.

When Neil arrived, he was still smiling broadly.

“Madam Morena was very informative about my future. She say’s it’ll be bright—glistening, in fact.” Neil rubbed his hands. “She already sees me easily dispatching my rivals regarding the council elections. I’ll be crowned the victor.”

“Really?” Jason looked at the fortune teller. “That seems a little bit…um…”

“I believe her.” Neil nodded emphatically. “You should, too. Belief is key. Letting the forces guide me. Yes, this election is mine for the winning.”

“Oh, well, yes. The power of positive thinking.” Jason never thought he’d hear Neil espousing such notions. But then, I hadn’t expected Neil to come out of the fortune teller’s tent looking so…so confident. He’s like a different man.

“Mr. Henderson.” A young woman dressed in dark leggings with a T-shirt proclaiming the name of the fair approached with a man, woman and two small children. “This is Dave and his wife, Steph. They’re the guests of Mr. Hoodman.”

“Excellent, thank you.” Henderson beamed widely.

“If you come around to the back of the tent, I’ve prepared an area for your photographs, and I’ll take you into the tent through a different entrance. I have set aside two boxes, one for this most delightful family here”—Henderson indicated the smiling parents and wide-eyed children—“and another for you, Mr. Hoodman. Will you be sitting with him, Jason?”

“Well, Jenny would like to get a few more pictures inside, and I thought I’d help her select good views, so I rather thought I’d let Neil sit and enjoy the show on his own.” Jason crossed his fingers, hoping Neil didn’t decide to argue.

“That’s fine. Do as you wish.” Neil waved his hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Perfect.” Jenny leaned in to Jason. “We can get the pictures, and if the show’s a dud, we don’t even have to stay.”

“To be honest, that wasn’t like Neil at all, but I’m quite happy to leave at the earliest opportunity.” Jason nodded and dropped his voice to a whisper. “If the acts in there are anything like the atmosphere out here, it’ll be a boring show.”

For the next few minutes, Jason stood aside to let Jenny get her pictures. He watched with interest as she made sure to position the groups just the way she wanted them. By the time she’d finished, Jenny had taken several shots of the lucky family, plus some of them with Neil, multiple shots of Neil on his own and a few more that included the Hendersons, Madam Morena and Mr. Kite, to showcase the fair.

“Perfect.” Jenny beamed brightly as she finally looked up from her camera. “I think these will make a wonderful spread about both the fairground itself and your generosity and kinship with the town, Neil.”

“Thank you.” Neil bobbed his head. “The town of Pae Mārama and the people who live and work here are always at the forefront of my concerns. I’m pleased to have the fair here, and I hope Dave and his family enjoy tonight. I’ve decided that for the duration of the fair’s stay, if a family leaves a comment on my Facebook page, I’ll select one at random and more people can take advantage. Oh, and, Dave”—Neil turned to the smiling man and his family—“whatever drinks and snacks you and your family want during the performance are also on me.”

“Well, fuck me.” Jason breathed the words.

“I’m not your type, honey.” Jenny snickered and nudged Jason with her elbow.

“I never thought I’d hear Neil make that kind of offer, even to win votes.” Jason shook his head.

“Maybe Madam Morena’s a little more persuasive.” Jenny kept her voice low. “After all, she probably made a deal with him. You know, if he touts the fair, she’ll speak well of him to anyone who crosses her palm with silver.”

“When you put it like that, I guess everyone at the fair might do something similar to encourage customers.” Jason sighed. “I hope no one else thinks of it. That would really rile him up.”

“Don’t worry about that now. Let’s get into the tent and see whether this part of the fair is worth staying for.”

“Sure. Why not?” Jason looked around, but Neil was already indicating for the family to precede him, and the Hendersons were right behind him. Madame Morena nodded at Jason before she and Kite went back to her tent. With a shrug, Jason trotted after Jenny.