Free Candy-Coated Secrets by Cynthia Hickey Page A

If you don’t strike it, you have to make the box, and varnish it, plus two straight months of Sunday school. Deal?”
    “Yes, sir!” David pumped Ethan’s hand. “What if we both make it?”
    “If we both make it, you can turn in an unvarnished box for full credit.”
    Ethan took the mallet, then raised it high. He slammed it on the red circle in the center of the platform. The puck rose. The ding of the bell rang over our heads. I clapped and jumped up and down, shrieking like a cheerleader.
    “That’s one month of Sundays, David.” Ethan handed him the mallet.
    David laughed, raised his hand to high-five another kid, and raised his mallet. The puck rose three-fourths and fell.
    “That’s two months.” Ethan slung an arm over the boy’s shoulder. “Can’t wait to see you in church tomorrow morning.”
    “But I’m entered in the rodeo.”
    “So am I. The rodeo isn’t until two o’clock. You’re steer roping, right? That isn’t until three.”
    Ethan punched the young man’s shoulder then turned to the prize booth. With a chuckle, he chose a giant stuffed gorilla. “They say a person needs to face their fears.”
    “How closely?” I pointed toward the space between two game booths where one of my gorilla friends stood. Ethan shoved the stuffed animal under his arm and with his free hand, grabbed mine and dragged me after him while we gave chase.
    Our feet pounded on the dirt-packed surface between the sideshows and attractions. We leaped over stretched cable. We sprinted past Ginger’s corral, and she lumbered alongside the fence, keeping pace. Children shrieked with glee and jogged with her.
    “Your friend?” Ethan barely panted with our effort, while I could hardly breathe.
    “Sort. Of.” My lungs burned.
    Thank You, Lord, for giving me the sense to wear my gym shoes. Still, at the speed Ethan darted across the midway, I felt as if I really were Tinkerbell flying behind Peter Pan. We finally came to a blessed halt before the entrance to the maze. I bent over to catch my breath.
    “He got away. We’ll never find them in there.”
    Somebody screamed, then laughed, and I pulled back. “Good, because I’m not going in there. Not at night. I’ve seen too many scary movies.”
    “Don’t worry. We aren’t going in. Whoever our friend is probably knows his way around. We’d come up against all the dead ends.” He glanced at the stuffed animal. “Nothing we can do now. Let’s stick this guy in the truck and play some more games. Or would you like to go on another ride?”
    “I’d like to check on Aunt Eunice, if you don’t mind. See if she needs me.”
    “Sure.” My brave knight took me by the hand again and moved at a much slower pace toward his Ford.
    We stashed my furry friend behind the front seat, then followed a group of people into the arts and crafts building. My spirits soared at the sight of a crowd in front of our candy booth. As we got closer, I realized they weren’t there to buy chocolate.
    Aunt Eunice’s angry voice rose above the mob of onlookers. Mabel and Ruby stood in front of her. All three women’s faces resembled prize-winning tomatoes in color. Ethan shouldered his way through the crowd. I followed in his wake.
    My aunt shouted—her face inches from Mabel’s. “You stole them. I want them back.”
    “I didn’t take anything!” Mabel put her hands on her hips to imitate Aunt Eunice. “I just got here.”
    “Then Ruby took them. One of you did. You knew I’d win.”
    “Excuse me?” Ruby joined the melee. The other two women’s plump frames dwarfed her skinny one. “How dare you accuse me—”
    Uncle Roy squeezed his bulk between the women. “Ladies, settle down. You’re creating a spectacle.”
    All three women turned on him.
    “We don’t care if we’re causing a spectacle or not.” Aunt Eunice narrowed her eyes. “Just chalk it up to another sideshow at the fair. Look at the old biddies making a fuss.”
    “Speak for yourself,” Mabel