Free The Marble Kite by David Daniel Page A

golden pinwheel. “Probably just as well the city is shutting this place down,” he said. “They ought to rethink the whole idea of carnivals coming to town, you ask me. If you ran criminal checks on some of these shitbuckets who work here, you’d be amazed how many got sheets. Well, I guess I’ll see you in due time.” He started off, then stopped and turned. “Hey, speaking of … how about our boy, huh?”
    He read my blank expression.
    â€œDeemys is prosecuting. I used to rib him about how he wore clothes they have to unlock cables before you can buy them—Mr. Fancy Pants. But he’s the man now.” He gave it his crinkled grin. “You, me, Gus … gonna be like old times.”
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    Pop Sonders was in his motor home, talking on the phone. Nicole sat at the computer. She cut a timid glance my way and went back to the keyboard. Pop sounded angry at whomever he was speaking to, his occasional words strained, his face ribbed with deep, disapproving lines. With a grunt of good-bye, he hung up and jabbed his chin my way. “How’s it look?”
    â€œThe police investigation? Like a noose tightening.” Nicole had turned now, listening. “They’ve got the coroner’s report and evidence from Pepper’s trailer. I don’t suppose you can alibi him between noon and around six last evening?”
    â€œAlready told you. That was a busy stretch. It got pretty hectic and noisy around here.”
    â€œAre you wondering if anybody saw him then, Mr. Rasmussen?” Nicole spoke up.
    I looked her way. “Did anyone?”
    She thought for a moment, then her small face darkened. “I seen him for some of the time. But everyone’s got jobs to do and we do ’em. Plus, part of the time he’d have been inside his trailer.”
    â€œHow about the woman—Flora Nuñez? Did you see her?”

    â€œI didn’t think so. But people saw him here in the morning, and I definitely saw them together on Saturday.”
    â€œThat’s the afternoon you opened?”
    â€œYeah … she was here,” Pop said. “Troy took her around. Won her a stuffed doggie sinking baskets or something. Women like that kind of thing.”
    Yeah , I thought, they do . “Did you know he kept a handgun?”
    He pulled a morose face and shook his head.
    â€œDoes Pepper use drugs?”
    â€œWhat are you getting at?” His bushy eyebrows tensed together.
    â€œJust fishing. Is that a no?”
    â€œIt better be. We got a policy about that.”
    â€œDo you go into each other’s trailers?”
    â€œOnly if invited. A person’s home is his castle here, same as anywhere. Going in would violate one of our unwritten rules.”
    â€œYou seem to have a lot of rules, written and unwritten.”
    â€œShow me a place that doesn’t.” He nodded with obscure meaning.
    â€œAnother one of ours is no go, no dough. Right now I’m sitting here on my duff, so if it’s all the same with you, I’ve got some things I’ve got to do to deal with this shutdown.” I wondered if this had something to do with his just-completed phone conversation, but I didn’t ask. He was already feeling a little harried, and I had things to do, too. As I got to the door, he said, “Why don’t you fall by this evening?”
    â€œWhat have you got in mind?”
    â€œI’m calling a meeting of my staff to talk about what we should do next. You could meet some of the others, maybe get a few answers to all those questions you got.”
    I told him I would, and we agreed on a time. Outside, I saw that the police had gone. As I opened my car, Nicole called me, and I turned and saw her hurrying toward me.
    â€œAre things going to be okay, Mr. Rasmussen?”
    â€œCall me Alex,” I said. She nodded. I had the feeling she wanted me to assure her that God was in his heaven and all was right with