This is one chapter of a longer crime/romance story that is connected to the other parts. To fully appreciate the story, please start at Part 1 and read through. Thanks.
Part 5 A Carnival Rendezvous and a New Threat
Jordan returned to her motel room to change into casual clothes for the stakeout at the Carnival that night. She slipped on a pair of jeans, her short boots, and a pullover knit top. A trip to the dry cleaner was in order; she had never expected to be this long away from home. She removed her compact .40 cal from the gun belt and placed it inside her handbag along with her cell phone and FBI identification.
An hour later she drove the two miles to the Carnival at the County Park on the edge of town. She met Sheriff Bill Hagan at the gate and he escorted her onto the grounds. They went straight to the biggest tent where enticing aromas filled the air.
The ladies were serving standard American picnic food plus Southwestern style beef fajitas, spicy tamales, cheese enchiladas, posole, Spanish rice, borracho beans, guacamole dip with blue corn tortillas and all kinds of other Mexican delights. Jordan didn't want to experiment so she had a small plate of the American style BBQ with fresh string beans cooked with ham, cold slaw, potato salad, and iced tea.
She sat at a picnic table with Bill's family, the whole time watching the people around her. The kids wolfed down their food, begged their father for money and ran off to enjoy the rides.
A masculine voice yelled out to Bill, "Bill, how you doing? Keeping things under control?"
"Hi Bob. This is Jordan Conner with the FBI, she's helping us with the murders, but I am sure you already know that. Jordan, this is the Fire Chief of our Volunteer Fire Company and sponsor of the carnival."
Jordan shook hands with the man as he maneuvered himself onto one of the picnic table benches. She saw it as an opportunity to leave the trio to talk so she could search the grounds.
Getting up from the bench, she said, "Nice to meet you Bob and a pleasure to see you again Evelyn. Bill, I am going to have a look around. See you later."
Jordan left the tent and noticed the crowds were getting thicker. All sorts of people were at the festive affair, the Anglos who owned the ranches and the Hispanics who worked as ranch hands and at all the trades. Older retired people mixed with younger families and a few singles with their friends. The sound of a marching band could be heard from a few blocks away where the parade was taking place.
Jordan smiled as the smell of popcorn, cotton candy and peanuts made her reminisce about carnivals and fairs she used to attend as a child. The neon lighted rides filled the whole parking lot while the midway tents were out in the grass with their hawkers. ' Guess your Weight', 'Hit the Ball', 'Throw the Ring', 'Shoot the Balloons', they were all there in their cheesy, but fun glory.
She began a casual tour of the grounds, primarily walking around the peripheral areas. It enabled her to get better view while she was separated from the crowds rather then get caught in the middle of jostling bodies. She walked the circumference once and was starting a second loop when she noticed someone familiar starting to head toward the midway.
The individual was unmistakable with her long black hair. Jordan stood and waited for the woman to turn around. She recognized Raven and was happy to see her. Raven seemed to be looking for someone or something, but her wandering eyes stopped when they landed on Jordan. The two women both started to approach each other when a tall blond woman stepped in front of Jordan, blocking her way.
"Jordan, I didn't expect to see you here? I thought you would be working in the office." Casey said. Jordan tried to non-chalantly look past Casey to see what Raven was doing, but she couldn't get a glimpse of her.
"Oh? If there is a possibility that the killer is here, it would be prudent to have as many bodies as possible looking for him."
"Well, I'm real glad you're here girl." Casey slurred her speech and Jordan suspected that she had been drinking.
"Likewise. Don't you think it's better if we are all split up." Jordan answered without conviction. She was still trying to see past Casey.
"Yeah...right. See ya around, Jordan." Casey laid a heavy arm across Jordan's back and gave her a little rub. She sauntered away, trying to hide her disappointment.
After Casey left her view, it was Jordan's turn to feel disappointed, Raven was nowhere in sight. Jordan walked over to the area where Raven had been standing and looked around.
She couldn't have disappeared that fast.
Little did she know that Raven had slipped under the tent of a nearby booth and leaned against the wooden framework to observe Jordan as she was talking to the tall blonde woman; she didn't know who the detective was. Raven noticed Jordan looking around and was glad; she's looking for me. She walked over to Jordan and tapped her on the shoulder. Jordan whirled around and her facial expression revealed her joy at seeing Raven.
"Hello Raven. Nice to see you again."
"Indeed, it is a treat to run into you Jordan. I hope I am not keeping you from your friend."
Jordan was puzzled, "Who are you referring to?"
"The tall blonde."
"She is not my friend. Her name is Casey Samson, a detective from the state police assisting with the investigation." The relieved look in Raven's eyes was not lost on Jordan.
"How are ya enjoying Shawnee's little fete? It's our last blast of the summer."
"It's nice. Lots of good food." Jordan replied, "But I would enjoy it more if I didn't have a murderer to worry about. And how about you? Are you here alone?"
Raven sighed and shook her head, "Believe it or not, I am supposed to meet this guy here." Jordan felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, but she let Raven continue.
"Jason Thomas, he owns the body shop over on 4th? Well, he has been pestering me to go out with him for a year. I have turned him down more times than I care to remember, giving him every excuse in the book. He is quite persistent. I finally relented and agreed to meet him here, if anything to get him to cease. Perhaps that was foolish of me. I suppose now I will never get rid of him."
"So, where are you supposed to meet him?"
"Right here. At the entrance to the midway. We decided on 7 p.m. and...oh" She glanced at her watch, it was 7:10. "I guess he's a no show. That's too bad."
Raven was lying about meeting someone; she just didn't want Jordan to know she was that anxious about meeting her.
Jordan was pleased by Raven's explanation; it led her to think more and more that maybe Raven would be open to her.
It was nearly twilight as the two women stood talking. The days had gotten shorter and the sun was dipping below the horizon. A chill was creeping into the air. The carnival would continue into the night, but even with the lights strung up, it would be too dark and too crowded to get a good look at potential suspects. Jordan decided to take one more walk around before calling it quits. She asked Raven if she would like to join her to which she readily agreed. Neither woman heard Jason calling to Raven as he tried to make his way through the crowds. By the time he got to where they had been standing, Jordan and Raven has disappeared among the throng of people.
Raven began telling Jordan about some of the stories that circulated about her, "Did you hear I was accused of being a witch?"
"I believe I heard that somewhere along the way." Jordan answered amused.
"Allegedly, I was the leader of a sorcerer's cult. I am surprised they didn't put me to trial and hang me. Probably because that rumor barely got started when I was accused of being an ex-con, escaped from prison and hiding out from the law."
"Did you ever offer them an explanation of who you really are?" Jordan inquired. Raven looked at Jordan inquisitively, "Do you know who I am, Jordan?"
"I know that your name is Raven Summers and you own the Shawnee Inn and have earned the title 'mystery woman'. You like to be anonymous, but it's quite ironic, isn't it, because I think I saw you on TV last night. Your past has brought you some fame."
