I touched the wood cudgel. “I remember. They were stored in the basement. Who knew they could do so much damage?”
Detective Almond snatched it from both of us. “That’s evidence in two assaults, if you don’t mind. I have a confession from Isabelle’s maid. It seems Sir Dwayne was the cause of all this. Not sure he even knew it.” He glared at the paramedics. “Get her out of here. I think she’s caused enough trouble for one night.”
* * *
I was back at the Village in a few days. Manny had stepped in splendidly to make sure Bill’s personal items and shoemaking supplies were moved from Fred’s house and the museum. Bill’s new shop and housing looked wonderful. Bewitching Boots was going to be a hit.
The king and queen threw a party at the castle to celebrate Bill’s new shop and to welcome the group of new performers to the Village. Out of three hundred actors who’d auditioned, fifteen were chosen to become full-time residents. Another twenty were tagged to be part-time actors with a chance of being full-time in the future.
The throne room was full of older residents rubbing elbows with newer ones. A huge feast had been laid out by the kitchen staff. Rita directed her workers, despite her injuries from Victoria.
I could see there were several interesting new characters that would be roaming the cobblestones. Some of the actors were a little chagrined to be taken on to replace others who’d left instead of being able to create new characters, but everyone seemed happy to be there. The big, white angel had made the cut as a new character with his questionable ‘costume.’ So had some steampunk characters.
Chase came to me with a glass of champagne for my good hand. “I have secured a small table for us to share, my lady. Please accompany me.”
His words matched his blue velvet doublet and black satin breeches. He even wore the jaunty new blue velvet cap I’d bought him for his birthday. It was a good fit.
He’d helped me into my blue velvet gown that made sure everyone knew we were a couple. He’d been wonderful with everything since I’d been injured, even though he’d spent a lot of time on the phone and the internet with his brother and father. Chase still wouldn’t talk about what they were doing. I tried not to worry.
We’d given our statements to the police—no way I wasn’t pressing charges against Victoria. I didn’t know what would come of that, but I hoped she would be put somewhere she couldn’t hurt anyone again.
One thing I hadn’t mentioned to anyone—not even Chase. I’d found Isabelle’s purple velvet cloak in my closet when I got home from the hospital. It was the same one I’d admired in her closet after she’d died. I didn’t ask how it got there. I accepted it as a token from her. Maybe that was crazy, but it had been a crazy time.
Chase and I sat at the table he’d managed to find in the crowded hall. He went to fill our plates at the banquet table, and Bill joined me.
“I’m glad you’re up and around, Jessie. Business is so good. I can’t thank you enough for bringing me here. And look—the Village costume shop ordered sandals for all the fairies. I think you’ll like them. I have a pair for you too.”
As I watched, several fairies that were flirting and carrying on did a few pirouettes. One of them laughed as she leaped at least five feet straight into the air, whirling madly as though she really had wings.
Bill smiled and winked at me. “Elf magic. It works every time.”
About the Authors
Joyce and Jim Lavene write bestselling mystery together. They have written and published more than 60 novels for Harlequin, Berkley and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications.
Pseudonyms include J.J. Cook, Ellie Grant, Joye Ames and Elyssa Henry
They live in rural North Carolina with their family, their cat, Quincy, and their rescue dog, Rudi. They enjoy photography, watercolor, gardening, long drives, and going to our local Renaissance Fair.
Visit them at:
www.renaissancefairemysteries.com
www.joyceandjimlavene.com
www.Facebook.com/JoyceandJimLavene
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJLavene
Amazon Author Central Page: http://amazon.com/author/jlavene
Other books in this series
Book 1 – Wicked Weave – ISBN 9780425223307
Book 2 – Ghastly Glass – ISBN 9780425230305
Book 3 – Deadly Daggers – ISBN 9780425236444
Book 4 – Harrowing Hats – ISBN 9780425242773
Book 5 – Treacherous Toys – ISBN 9780425251584
Book 5.5 – Perilous Pranks – a novella ASIN: B00EJMVTDM for Kindle
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
About the Authors
Other books in this series