The Falls: County Fair (The Falls small town mystery series Book 18) Read online

  The Falls: County Fair

  George Jackson

  The cover was created by the author using myecovermaker.com.

  This volume of The Falls small town mystery series, the 18th, uses a county fair as it’s backdrop. In New England, every autumn, dozens of county fairs crop up all over the landscape. They are usually held around the agricultural buildings of the local 4-H or similar organization. This county fair, as many, combines the old fashioned agricultural contests where the local farmers and ranchers come to display their prize winning animals or vegetables along with a small traveling midway and circus to entertain the local citizens.

  These county fairs are looked forward to and widely attended. They are an eagerly anticipated mini-celebration before the cold tentacles of winter reach out and grab ahold of the land and people.

  As is the way with most things, they can also be the place where people who are less than honorable come to ply their shady wares. Such is the plot of the story that is about to unfold. Enjoy!

  Other Mystery Stories by George Jackson:

  The Falls small town mystery series:

  The Falls: In the Dead of Winter

  The Falls: Summer Nightmare

  The Falls: Fall of the Rotten Apples

  The Falls: Mud Season

  The Falls: Making a List, Checking it Twice

  The Falls: Fourth of July

  The Falls: Cupid’s Arrow

  The Falls: May Flowers

  The Falls: Election

  The Falls: The Trial

  The Falls: Return

  The Falls: Revenge

  The Falls: Thanksgiving

  The Falls: Pretentious Withdrawal

  The Falls: Brotherly Love

  The Falls: Boneyard

  The Falls: Coldblooded

  The Falls: County Fair

  The Falls: County Fair

  Chapter One

  Paige Turner stood in the gloomy depths of the old barn and glanced all around. It was huge, dusty, obviously deserted for some time and all in all, the perfect place to house whatever loot Ulysses and his gang of scoundrels happened to come up with during their stay in the green mountains of Vermont. It was the largest of the three barns that went with the old Poljacik farm. The farm was located just inside The Falls town line out on Route 4, approximately two miles away from The Falls Town Square.

  Old John Poljacik, his wife Frieda and the last of their four children, Frank, had abruptly moved to New Hampshire to be near Frieda’s ailing parents three years ago. They had gone on Frieda’s dogged insistence in order to support Frieda’s mother Florence while her dad, Norman suffered through the end of his long and painful battle with cancer. Amazingly enough however, Frank had lingered on and was still alive. So an increasingly antsy and unhappy John Poljacik found himself and his family still living at his in-laws while his farm remained untilled and fallow.

  Paige smiled to herself as she walked through the old barn. She had inquired quietly around town about Poljacik’s empty farm and the friendly residents of The Falls had been most helpful in telling her everything she needed to know. It was deserted at this point, with John and his family not scheduled to return anytime soon. Most of the townspeople had also shaken their heads, and volunteered that although they felt truly sorry for Frieda’s dad and what he was going through, it was a real shame letting good farm land like that go to waste.

  Paige walked out the side door and glanced around at the secluded back entrance to the massive structure. There was a private dirt road that wound across the deserted pasture back to Route 4. On either side of the road there was a thick grove of birch trees, which made it virtually impossible to see any trucks that might be parked and unloaded at the back entrance. All in all, the location was perfect, she thought as she walked back to her small SUV.

  Five minutes later, she pulled up outside Tina’s Diner, fed the meter and walked inside. Tina immediately greeted her cheerfully. “Good morning, Miss Turner! Good to see you back! It’s a beautiful morning for the first week in September!”

  Paige grinned her ‘girl next door’ grin and replied with a twinkle in her eye, “Good morning Tina! It is a beautiful day at that! I just made a new business contact and have some possible sales coming up in the future! So, I’m just in the mood for a piece of that delicious pumpkin pie I saw one of your patrons devouring yesterday! Coffee too, please!”

  Tina grinned and nodded Paige toward a small booth toward the front of the diner, “It certainly is the perfect time of year for a warm slice of pumpkin pie and a nice hot cup of coffee! I’ll have it for you in three shakes of a lamb’s tail!”

  As Paige settled into the booth she glanced around the diner. Jebediah Smith and Ezekiel Smith were just finishing up what they often liked to call their second breakfast of warm pie and coffee in one booth, while in the booth next to them, Dr. Serafina Messina and her husband William Frasier were having an animated discussion over ham and eggs.

  “This is going to be a real big deal!” William exclaimed, his eyes wide and filled with eager enthusiasm. “My agents, Mallard and Alice, said that this award is pretty prestigious, and that I should be jumping up and down with joy that I’m even being considered for it!”

  Serafina smiled and watched her husband. When he got excited, his face transformed into what she liked to think of as his little boy face. His eyes twinkled, his face lit up and he looked for all the world like a kid racing down the stairs to find out what’s under the Christmas tree.

  “Anyway, only the biggest names have won this award, like Grisham, King, Clancy, Patterson, Bradbury, Riordan! To even be nominated is an honor!” His voice rose up in pitch and volume, until everyone in the diner turned and stared curiously at him for a moment before smiling kindheartedly and going back to their meals and their own conversations.

  Serafina chuckled and reached out, taking his hand in both of hers as she leaned forward and exclaimed quietly, “Will, that’s wonderful! And of course I’ll make time so we both can go! You know I wouldn’t miss it for the world! Just calm down a bit before we make people wonder what’s going on!” Her adoring smile and wink made him stop, take a breath and smile.

  A bit sheepishly he shrugged and continued, “Sorry! I was just so surprised when Mallard and Alice called me with the good news a few minutes ago! They were all excited for me! I ran right out of the house and straight to your office! I just couldn’t wait to tell you! I’m not even sure I locked the door!” He leaned forward and kissed her impulsively on the lips, his eyes twinkling with joy and excitement.

  Paige carefully watched the couple for a few more minutes, lost in her own thoughts. It was obvious how much the two of them loved and adored each other. That was something that was missing from her life. She often told herself it didn’t matter, but in truth, when she was alone with her thoughts, it did.

  Tina’s arrival with her pumpkin pie and coffee broke into her thoughts. “There you are, dear! Can I get you anything else?” Tina smiled and asked cheerfully.

  “No, that’s great, thank you Tina!” Paige replied smiling back at the owner of the diner.

  Tina nodded and turned to leave, then thought better of it and turned back, glancing down at her young customer. “Say, are you going to be around this weekend? It’s the county fair you know! Only happens once a year! The fairgrounds are about halfway between The Falls and Brown Bear Junction. Just thought a charming young lady like you just might have some fun attending it! There’s all sorts of contests and awards for the local farmers and there’s going to be a circus and midway s
how as well this year from what I’ve been told.”

  Jeb, who had heard Tina mention the county fair to the young lady eagerly called out, “It’s going to be awesome this year from what we’ve been told, young lady! You need to make time to go!” His eyes were twinkling as he waved at Paige. Zeke, whose mouth was at present crammed full of pie, simply gave her a wink and a thumb’s up sign.

  Tina grinned, shook her head tolerantly and turned back to Paige. She gestured over to where Zeke and Jeb were now back to finishing up their pie and chuckled. “They’re right, you know. And they seem to know everything that goes on around here!”

  Paige smiled and her eyes met Tina’s, “Oh really? Well, that does sound like fun! Guess I’ll have to stay at Miss Maeve’s B&B just a few days longer to see what’s going on! Thanks for the tip!” As Tina walked away, Paige’s smile vanished and a slight frown crossed her brow as she watched the older woman go.

  Her mind raced. She was always extremely careful to keep her distance from being associated in any way with the circus and midway show where Ulysses and his crew worked. That way, if anyone ever happened to remember that the circus had been in town when robberies occurred, there would be no reason to remember her as well. She took a few deep breaths and calmed her elevated heartbeat.

  The first bite of delicious, warm pie brought her smile back and as she ate, she kept her eyes and ears open. That was, after all, her job. She was the scout into enemy territory. At least that was the way that Ulysses had always described it to her. She shook her head. She preferred to think of herself as an information gatherer: analytical, skilled, nonviolent and inconspicuous. But in her heart, she knew that her job was much more deceitful than that.

  At that moment, her eyes shifted to the front door of the diner. As the door opened, in walked a tall, thin, dark haired and beautiful deputy sheriff. Paige concentrated for a moment. Yamato. Ericka Yamato was her name. Not making eye contact, and turning carefully away from the deputy, Paige Turner quietly savored her pie, making herself as small and nondescript as possible in her booth.

  ***

  Cash Green was back in the office. He had been out for almost two weeks. It had been a very long and trying two weeks for both Cash and his staff, not to mention his doctors. He had champed at the bit the whole time, even though he was obviously unable to perform his duties at a level that even he could concede was acceptable. He still subtly favored his side as he walked and moved around, he had lost fifteen pounds, his breath was still a little short and his stride was a bit slower and more cautious than usual, but his gray eyes were as sharp and piercing as ever. He was hungry to be back at the job he loved. So, he stood on the front porch of the sheriff’s office glancing contentedly around at his town and sipped his hot mug of coffee, feeling lucky, very lucky indeed.

  “Hey boss,” came Horace’s cheerful voice as he opened the front door and stuck his head out, “Doc’s on the phone.” Horace was still thrilled to have the sheriff back and grinned delightedly every time he saw or spoke to him. Horace was no longer the only man around the office and that relieved him no end.

  Cash grunted softly as he turned too quickly and replied, “Okay Horace, be right in.” As he walked a bit stiffly back inside, the sheriff of West Sugar Shack Falls hoped that Horace hadn’t noticed his momentary discomfort. Cash was a very proud man and he didn’t like showing any weakness or limitations. But if Horace had noticed, he didn’t show it, so Cash felt relieved.

  “Hey Doc, good to hear from you. Even better when I’m not one of your patients,” he spoke calmly into the phone, his deep voice betraying his eagerness to get fully back into the swing of things. He smiled as he stood by the phone, his eyes glancing proudly around the office he had come to love and call his own.

  “Cash, you’re still my patient,” Doc reminded him, one old friend teasing another, as he sat in his office in the old Mulroney Funeral Home. “You’ll always be my patient. That’s just a little something to remember when you feel yourself getting a bit uppity.” Doc paused for effect, smiling on his end of the call. A smile he knew Cash could sense if not feel.

  Cash grinned and shook his head, “Okay, okay, point taken. What exactly did you call me about? I’m sure it wasn’t just to poke the bear, so to speak.” Darlene glanced up from her typing and stared curiously at Cash over her reading glasses at that last comment.

  “Well, truth is,” Doc’s voice turned quieter, more solemn, “we may have something for you and Yamato.” He hesitated a moment and Cash’s eyes narrowed. “There’s been a body found on the mountain. Old Jabot Moore just called it in. He said that he came across a middle-aged man in camouflage gear in a deep ravine near the top of the mountain. He couldn’t reach him. He said the body must have fallen thirty feet or so and was wedged in a tight crevice.”

  Doc paused for a moment and continued, “On the surface it might well be a hunter that got lost and simply fell down into the rocks, but who knows. Are you feeling like a climb up the mountain, my friend, or should you send Yamato and Horace?” The last question had a bit of uneasy apprehension attached to it. Doc knew well enough what Cash’s answer would be.

  “Sounds like we’d better have a look. We’ll be over to pick you up in a few minutes, Doc,” Cash replied, ignoring Doc’s question entirely. With that, the sheriff hung up the phone, walked over to his desk, buckled on his gun belt, and grabbed his hat and jacket. At that moment, Yamato walked in the front door, carrying a warm bag from Tina’s. Her face was slightly flushed with the brisk fall air and the quick walk across the square and down West Street. She glanced at Cash putting on his hat and coat. Her eyes quickly narrowed and her smile immediately vanished.

  “What’s up, boss?” she asked quickly, her dark eyes glancing quickly from Horace to Darlene and back to the sheriff again, looking for a quick answer.

  “Got a body up in the woods,” Cash replied as he walked toward her. He peeked inside the bag and grinned, pulling out a warm croissant and winking playfully at Yamato. “Thanks partner! These look great! Grab one and let’s go!” With that, he strode across the room, pulled open the door and stepped outside.

  Yamato stared at Darlene and Horace for a moment, who both simply shook their heads and shrugged noncommittally. Grabbing a croissant herself, she tossed the bag to Horace and hustled after her boss.

  As the Jeep Liberty cruiser took off from the curb, Horace glanced over at Darlene and frowned slightly. “Do you think he’s up to…”

  Darlene’s eyes flashed with both annoyance and concern as she spit out the reply, “How in Heaven’s name should I know, Deputy Scofield! The man’s as stubborn as old Frank Haskins’ mule!”

  Horace retreated a step from Darlene’s outburst and with a slight frown, watched the cruiser turn the corner and head toward Doc’s office. As he trudged thoughtfully over to the back counter with the warm croissants, he wondered silently if he should call put in a quick call to Meg over at the hospital.

  ***

  Forrest Pritchard stood beside the old John Deere 70 series tractor with the combine hitched to the back and mopped his sweaty forehead with an old red bandana. He had purchased the tractor in 1993 and miraculously the 300 horsepower, four-wheel drive model 8770 had been running without a major hitch ever since. At the moment, he was standing in the middle of a hay field, taking a well-deserved break. He and his younger brother Kyle and his brother-in-law Job were in the middle of the last cutting of the summer. There were dozens of hay bails lined up like small round mountains of silage around the already cut portion of the field.

  He took a long drink of water from the large battered water jug, the still cool water dribbling down his stubbly chin and running down onto his sweaty undershirt. Then he turned and squinted into the sunlight toward the large garden plot where his son Monty was in the process of tending to his pumpkins and squashes. He smiled in spite of how hot and tired he was. A certain sense of pride welled up in his chest as he watched his son lovingly tend the three pumpkins
and four squashes that he had been targeting to take to the county fair in less than a week. Monty had proudly boasted to his dad that he was sure he would win at least one blue ribbon at the fair with his huge pumpkins and had even higher hopes for his massive squashes.

  Taking a deep breath and letting a few drops of water splash across his face, he lowered the water jug and handed it off to a thirsty, waiting Kyle. “We should finish the field by suppertime,” Forrest declared, which brought encouraging nods from his two coworkers. He glanced up into the sky and added, “Weather man said no chance of rain ‘til late tomorrow. That means we can start the east field at sunup. Shouldn’t be a problem.”

  The two younger men nodded and watched wearily as Forrest wiped his face off with the bandana and then climbed back up on the tractor. His eyes twinkled as he turned and glanced at Kyle and Job and bellowed out, “There’s no time like the present boys!” and started the old John Deere up.

  Over in the garden, Monty heard the tractor start back up and he glanced over at the three men in the hay field. He stood up and waved and smiled happily when he saw that his dad waved back. Then he glanced back down at the vegetables that he hoped would win him a prize at the county fair. They were magnificent. Even bigger and with more color than the ones he had grown and entered in the fair last fall. At that memory a scowl skipped across his usually cheerful face. Last year, Jonathon Clancy had beaten him out in both the seventeen and under pumpkin and squash categories. The Clancys had a farm in Silver Birch Landing. Jonathon and Monty disliked each other.

  Actually, it wasn’t so much that Monty and Jonathon didn’t get along. It was that their families didn’t like each other. Really didn’t like each other. It all went back to Forrest’s dad, Benjamin who had been dead and buried these past fifteen years, and Hezekiah Clancy. Hezekiah and Benjamin had been best friends when they were in high school. They did everything together and the two families were as cordial and friendly as any around the area.