Sinful Suspense Box Set (37 page)

Chapter 19 

Jackson

The carnival strongman
with his short white hair and equally bleached moustache looked almost like a caricature in a book. He was massive and powerful. The man could plow his own fields without an ox or a horse. Even Gideon, the biggest man in Harper’s Cross, looked small and insignificant next to Hector.

I stood near the corner of the ring to tend to Gideon in between bells. There was plenty of spit and some puddles of blood on the canvas tarp below their feet, but the two raging behemoths were putting on a damn good show. Aside from Bodhi and Noah, I knew only a few faces in the crowd, people Gideon and I had grown up with. I was sure they’d placed money on the Crusher. But the rest were out-of-towners, from across the bridges mostly, college kids on summer break and businessmen from the Hill. They’d come to see the undefeated champion, Hector, knock out the tough local boy. I had to hand it to Griggs, in less than a day, he’d managed to stir up huge publicity about the fight. Rumor had it the bookies couldn’t keep up with the bets.

The bell clanged and both men staggered to their corners. Gideon landed on the stool like a bag of sand. I grabbed a cup of water from the bucket. He lifted his swollen hand to bring it to his mouth. He winced as the cup hit the gash on the side of his mouth. He leaned his head back and poured in the water to let it cascade down his throat, draining the cup before handing it back to me for a refill. Even in between rounds, the roar in the tent was deafening. I had to lean closer to hear Gideon speak.

“Fuck. Now I know why he’s the goddamn strongman. Maybe I need one of those fucking leopard print outfits. What was that movie we saw in Arlington? Tarzan. I want to be fucking Tarzan.” He was rambling, something my brother did when he was tense or when he’d taken too many blows to the head. This time, I was sure it was both. He swallowed some of the water and then turned to spit most of it back out, spraying several of the spectators.

“Hey, watch that, you losing pig” one of them sneered.

Gideon stood so fast the stool flew out of the ring. The man who’d called him a pig, blanched white beneath Gideon’s glare. I climbed through the ropes and put my hand on Gideon’s shoulder to calm him. It didn’t work. He waved his big arm in a half circle. “This is the fucking spit zone, so beware.” He spun back around so fast, he swayed back into the rope. The tension in the rope bounced him back to his feet.

“You ready for more, Crusher?” I asked enthusiastically.

He pounded his gloves together. From beneath swollen lids, he stared at his opponent across the mat. “Fuck, that man is big. But I’m ready.”

“Hey, brother, let’s end this, huh? I think you’ve had enough.”

He nodded and swayed forward enough that I had to stretch my arm out to stop him from falling on his face.

“You’re right. I’ve had enough.” His shoulders straightened. He drew in a steadying breath before stepping back into the center.

The bell clanged, and the roars went from deafening to explosive. I glanced across to the risers where Charli and Rose clung to each other like two bunnies in the middle of a pack of hungry dogs. Rose looked pale and nearly sick. Charli didn’t look much better.

It seemed that my little pep talk had bolstered Gideon some. He went at the white haired giant with fists swinging. A good solid hook to the chin sent the strongman stumbling backward. The ropes nearly snapped beneath his weight.

A group of spectators pooled their strength and shoved him back upright. He shook his head, and a tooth came flying from his mouth. Gideon lunged at him, not giving him enough time to recover. He pummeled the man until Hector dropped to his knees. The crowd grew angry. The bulk of the bets fell on the strongman’s side. That was the way Griggs had planned it. One thing Griggs hadn’t counted on was Hector refusing to take a dive, even if it meant the carnival was on the line. I’d been wrapping Gideon’s hands in back of the tent when we overheard Griggs telling Buck that his ‘carnival sideshow freak better cooperate or he’d burn the whole fucking place to the ground’. Hector was probably the closest match my brother had ever had in a fight, but I still had faith that Gideon would eventually lay him flat. I just hoped, for Gideon’s sake, eventually was sooner rather than later.

A deep, guttural roar rolled across the ring, and Hector pushed to his feet. He was disoriented and bloodied, but he came at Gideon like an angry bull with his ass on fire. My brother took a step back. I’d never seen him move away from anyone. But this wasn’t just anyone. This was a beast. He nailed Gideon once. Even through the thunderous cheers of the crowd, I heard Gideon’s solid grunt of pain. He stumbled back but managed somehow to stay upright. The muscles in his back and arms tightened into long hard ridges, and he flew at Hector. Now it was the beast’s turn to step back. Gideon shot a left and a right and a left again. The posts holding the ropes around the arena bent down like thin trees in a wind storm as Hector’s body bounced off the ropes. He managed to get his giant feet beneath him, but it seemed he was seeing stars.

Fists were in the air. Everyone was yelling for their man to take the other down. 

One solid punch would send the giant to the mat. “Now’s your chance, Gideon,” I yelled. “Knock him out.” But Gideon’s attention had been drawn outside the ring. I followed the direction he was looking.  Even though the clamor and enthusiasm in the tent hadn’t subsided, an unnatural clearing had formed around the outside of the ropes. Instead of spectators pushing forward, crushing each other in an attempt to get near the ropes, an open path circled the ring. It was the snake charmer, the petite little woman who Charli had mentioned was Hector’s girlfriend. Her partner, Rusty the snake, was draped around her shoulders.

My eyes shot back to the ring. Hector had shaken off the haze in his head.

“Gideon, watch out!” I yelled, but it was useless. His attention was on the snake. From the angle I sat, I saw the massive fist plowing right toward my brother’s face. A giant, simultaneous gasp, strong enough to temporarily suck in the canvas walls of the tent, silenced the room. Gideon went down like a sack of potatoes. Rose screamed. I climbed into the ring and raced to Gideon’s side as the referee declared victory for Hector.

Just as the collective gasp had drawn in the sides of the tent, the loud, discordant cheers of the money winners billowed the striped canvas out like a balloon.

I tapped my brother’s face. “Gideon, it’s me.” I patted his cheek. It was swollen and a large cut started at his brow and ended at his cheek. “Giddy, talk to me. It’s Jackson.”

His eyes fluttered open. It took him a second to focus on my face.

There was a frenzy of activity going on around us. “Hey, you all right?” I held up some fingers. “How many?”

“Three,” he muttered.

I dropped the breath I’d been holding and patted his face again. “Yeah, you’re all right.”

“Jacks,” he said weakly.

“Yeah?”

“I hate that fucking snake.”

Chapter 20

Charli

I pulled a
sobbing Rose through the sea of flying elbows to the nearest edge of canvas. I yanked it up and prodded Rose to slide through the narrow opening. I followed. It seemed a large crowd of curious carnival goers had gathered outside to see what all the excitement was about.

“Hector the Strongman has laid another poor sap out on his back,” someone yelled across the midway.

“I wish they’d just shut the hell up,” Rose cried as I dragged her along behind me.

“Let’s get to the tent, Rose. Jackson will see to his brother.”

Jackson had had to deal with getting Gideon safely away from the mob of spectators. The majority had bet on Hector. They were celebrating with raucous behavior that nearly brought down the tent. Before Rose and I had fled from the fight, I’d caught a brief and chilling glimpse of Griggs. He looked ready to tear the whole place apart with his bare hands. Buck had somehow managed to vanish in the midst of the chaos. But I could no longer worry about him. I needed to get Rose back to our tent.

A cold, foreboding feeling overcame me as we dashed along the midway, running against the stream of people. Gideon’s unexpected loss was only the beginning. A hurricane was about to blow through the Starfield Traveling Show, and something told me that once it was over, nothing would be left.

We pushed into our tent. Rose dropped onto her cot face down to finish her cry. Ridiculously, I’d hoped that Emma had already been returned, despite how the fight turned out. I was wrong. Her things, her creams and lip rouge and hairbrush remained untouched on her trunk.

“Rose, pull yourself together. The Jarrett brothers are fine. Let’s focus on getting Emma back.”

She pushed to sitting and wiped her eyes. “How will we do that?”

“I’m not sure. I need to find a way to get to Griggs’s speakeasy. Once the chaos dies down, I’ll sneak out to find Jackson. He knows the place better than me. Maybe he knows a way we can sneak in and find Emma.”

“Good lord, Charli, that all sounds so dangerous.” A sob shook her shoulders. “I can’t lose you too.” She crossed her arms around her. I sat down and put my arm around her shoulder to comfort her, but there was little I could say to help. We were in a dire situation, all of us.

“You need something to eat, Rose. A hot dog will make you feel better. Let me go and fetch you one.”

“No, please. I couldn’t eat. I just need to rest for awhile. Gideon and Jackson will come soon. I’m sure of it. Then everything will be fine.”

I got up and lifted her feet onto the cot. She relaxed back against the pillow, and I pulled the wool blanket up around her. Her eyes drifted shut, and it seemed she might even doze off. The shock and worry of the day had caught up to her.

It had caught up to me as well. My head pounded and my stomach had balled up so tightly, I felt sick from it. My silly, little costume glittered back at me from the top of my trunk.

In an hour, no matter how I was feeling, I’d have to work up the enthusiasm and energy to perform.

Soft snoring sounds came from Rose’s lips. I was relieved that she’d fallen asleep. I wasn’t completely sure I could keep anything down in my nervous stomach, but I couldn’t ride on an empty one. The last thing I needed was to run out of energy while riding around in the sphere. It was nearly as dangerous as the bike stalling out.

I stepped outside of the tent and headed toward the midway. The sun had dropped behind the mountain peaks, leaving a chill in the air that matched the mood of the other carnies. Barking from game booths and rides had dimmed to unenthusiastic shouts to ‘come join the fun’.

Carnival life was always uncertain. There were so many things that could go wrong, bad ticket sales, extreme weather, accidents and even illness, like the time the flu wiped out fifty percent of the crew and the carnival had to limp along with only half the troupe for a week. But this last disaster, caused solely by Buck’s careless, thoughtless ways, was the worst. It was hard to know just how far Griggs would go to get back the money Buck owed him. But the main thing on everyone’s mind tonight was whether or not Emma would be returned safely?

I snagged a hot dog. After having a battle with the mustard bottle, a battle that I’d lost since more ended up on me than the dog, I nibbled just three bites before tossing it in a garbage can.

I headed across the midway to the main tent. The excitement had died down. I could only assume the winners had collected their winnings and driven off to spend them, most likely at the speakeasy. Griggs would probably earn most of the lost money right back in a night of drinking and gambling at Breakers.

Joey was the only person still inside the big top. He was sweeping up the trash left behind by the wild crowd. “Hey, Charli, Buck’s in his office.”

“Drowning his sorrows in all that moonshine, I presume. Are the two Jarrett brothers still here?” As I asked the question, Jackson stepped out from behind the opening. He’d removed his coat and rolled up his sleeves. His brother’s blood smeared the front of his white shirt. Just seeing him made all the anguish of the last few hours return. God, I had fallen hard for this man. Everything about him, the confident set of his shoulders even when he was upset, the little half smile he seemed to save just for me, even the tiny scar next to his eye, sent my heart fluttering. “How is he?” My voice was nearly lost in the giant, vacant tent.

“Bad headache and, as I just informed him, he’s even uglier now.”

The smooth as whiskey sound of his voice sent me running to him. Before he wrapped me in the arms that I craved so badly, he held out his hands. “I’m covered in blood and sweat.”

I pointed to the yellow stain on my dress. “That’s all right. I’m covered in mustard and frankly, Jackson Jarrett, if you don’t hold me right now, I’m likely to crumble into a hundred pieces right in front of you.” Tears threatened but I held them back.

He pulled me against him.

I melted against his hard chest. “It feels like everything is lost.”

He rested his chin on top of my head. “Gideon feels real bad about losing. But that damn snake— well, you know how he feels about that snake.”

I lifted my face and peered up at him. “None of this is his fault. We all owe him a huge thank you. He took that terrible beating when he really didn’t have to.”

“That’s not true. He had no real choice. And that’s where this all becomes my fault. Both my brothers warned me not to get involved with Griggs. But I got greedy. I saw some quick money, and now we’re partners with the slimy bastard.”

“Take me to Gideon.” I stepped out of his arms. “Jackson, tell me the truth. Is Emma in real danger?”

His lack of response was all I needed. “God, poor Emma.” I took hold of his arm to stop him. “We have to do something .There must be some way we can get to her. She must be hidden somewhere at Breakers.”

“It’s possible. I’ve only been in through the front door. I’ve walked as far as Griggs’s office. “

“You said the place was a library. There must have been a basement. Maybe there’s a cellar window.”

“You could be right. I’ll figure something out.” We continued on to the performer’s area where the troupe members came in and out of the tent. A cot had been propped open and Jackson’s oversized brother was draped over it, his long legs hanging off the end. He had a towel pressed against his face.

“Hello, Gideon.”

He lifted the towel. One eye was swollen shut. A deep cut pulled at the swollen edge of his mouth. The bruises and puffiness made him nearly unrecognizable. “Hey, Charli. Where’s Rose?”

“She’s resting. This was really hard on her.” I reached for his hand, but his knuckles were swollen as well. I placed my hand on his arm. “Rose will probably have my head for telling you this, but she is very fond of you, Gideon. I’ve never seen her attach herself to anyone. She was sick with worry when you got knocked out.”

“I wish you two hadn’t watched.” He lowered the towel over his eye again. “So damn humiliating. All because of a snake.”

“Hey, remember we’re talking about a snake that could swallow a large dog.”

“I guess. Just don’t get it. I’ve never dropped my guard like that.” A grunt came from deep in his chest as he pushed to sitting. He lowered the cloth. “I need to go see Rose. Do you think I’ll scare her with this mug?”

“Yes,” Jackson blurted at the same time that I said no.

“She’s worried about you,” I said. “I’ll walk back to the tent with you. I’ve got to get ready for my show.”

“What?” Jackson asked. “You still have to perform? Even with all the stuff that’s going on?”

“You know what us carnies say— the show must go on.” The worry on his face made me hop on my toes and kiss him. “The tickets have been sold. If people came here to see The Enchantress, then I have to be out there. The last thing we can afford is to return tickets or have disgruntled visitors telling their friends and neighbors to stay away. I’ll be fine. But stick around. I want to talk about finding Emma.”

He nodded, but the concern hadn’t left his face. “I’ll be around. In fact, until we find out what Griggs is up to, I’m not letting you out of my sight. Gideon will stick close to Rose as well.”

***

I glued a bright smile on my face and waved enthusiastically at the crowd. It was all an act. There were times when I looked forward to performing. Tonight was not one of those times. The only thing that gave me some comfort was that Jackson was nearby, somewhere in the flurry of spectators. Gideon had stretched out on my cot. Rose couldn’t have been more thrilled to nurse his cuts and bruises. It helped take her mind off Emma.

Tonight my glittery outfit was far too skimpy for the weather. Aside from the two thunderstorms, nights had been reasonably warm since we’d opened. But this evening a bitter cold had rolled in to go right along with my mood. Gooseflesh covered my skin as I took my introductory warm-up ride past the risers.

After a few circles around, the only thing warmed-up was my motorcycle. My limbs still felt cold and a little stiff. Thanks to Dodie, the bike was running smoothly. It would make up for the cold and my lack of zeal for the night’s show.

I dashed along the straightaway and then circled around and raced back. The sphere was opened. I flashed another smile as I rode into my round cage. Once inside, I went into my routine. I’d done this show enough that I could perform it in my sleep. And with my mind anywhere but on the show, that was probably a good thing. Even my bike had the routine down as if it had a memory.

Up the side a quarter turn and around. When I’d first learned how to ride in the sphere, I had a problem with dizziness. It was easy to lose direction inside a round world. Now flying upside down was second nature. I wasn’t human, hampered by the usual constraints of gravity, when I was in the sphere. I could defy nature. Halfway up and back down and again. The momentum gaining with each pass. I tended to block the crowd out completely once the bike had climbed to halfway up the side. It was easier to just concentrate on my ride without worrying about anything going on around me.

Four more passes three-quarters of the way up, and I circled completely around, with my head and the top of the bike pointing straight down. My speed increased and the bike roared beneath me. My muscles had warmed now. I was in a perfect rhythm. Up and around and down. As the bike raced down the side of the cage, my stomach lurched up and down. The bike rounded the sphere again.

The crowd usually kept up a pretty persistent roar throughout the performance, but as I came back down the side of the sphere, the thunderous cheers sounded different. Quieter. Less like cheers and more like shocked gasps. I had to focus on my wheel placement in the cage. Pulling my attention away from my ride would be dangerous. I circled again. As I rolled around and came down the side, the acrid smell of smoke wafted toward me. It was subtle enough for my mind to register what it was, but I didn’t give it much thought.

My bike headed up the curved side and a thunderous roar rattled the sphere. My mind told me it was just a boisterous crowd cheering and hollering. But as I passed down the side, a brightness in the distance nearly blinded me. My attention was thrown off. I headed into the next turn too slow. As the front wheel headed up the side, I let off the throttle and made a sharp hairpin turn around before the bike headed upside down. The tires shimmied sideways down the wall, jarring my jaw so that my teeth snapped together. I managed to hold onto the handlebars as my bike rolled to the bottom.

I looked around and blinked twice to make sure I hadn’t been knocked unconscious.  My heart leapt into my throat. I’d been rolling around in my own little world, The Enchantress in her Death Sphere, completely unaware of the nightmarish scene outside my cage. Glowing, red flames shot up high into the night sky, their terrifying brilliance muted only by the ever-thickening veil of black smoke. Full chaos and panic swept along the midway like a tornado leaving nothing standing in its path. Carnival attendees raced toward the exit, paying little heed to the weaker or slower moving patrons.

The sphere was locked from the outside. I was stuck inside until someone released me.  

Smoke burned my eyes. Suddenly, that horrid night, the night when my mother died flashed through my mind. I grabbed the steel bars of the sphere. “Help!”

I spotted Dodie, hunched over and moving at his usual snail’s pace, across the yard. But as the steady stream of people ran for the exit and their automobiles, they carried poor, frail Dodie along with them.

“Help!” I yelled again. The sphere was as much wood as it was steel. All it needed was a good spark, and I would suffer the same grisly death as my mother. I yanked off my leather glove and tried to push my hand through the gap in the steel mesh. It was no use. Small as my hands were, they didn’t fit.

“Charli!” My name shot over the heads of people pushing and shoving their way to the exit.

A cry of relief bubbled from my lips as I saw Jackson pushing his way through the press of bodies going the opposite direction. He looked ready to tear some heads off by the time he’d freed himself from the stampede. He raced to the lock and flicked it open.

I jumped out of the sphere and into his arms. “I was sure I was going to die alone in that stupid sphere.”

“I’m sorry it took me so long to get to you. When the first flames broke out, I ran toward the tents to make sure Gideon and Rose were all right. They were already on their way out. I turned back to find you. Plowing through the confusion was like running against a herd of angry bulls.” He blurted the words out and then kissed me, hard, as if we’d been separated for years.

It nearly alarmed me at how quickly Jackson had taken possession of my heart. My whole life was going up in flames, real flames, and none of it mattered as long as I was in his arms.

The flames lapped closer to the risers around the sphere. “We need to go.” Jackson pulled his coat off, and I pulled it around my shoulders.”Everything is going up like kindling. We’ll be next if we don’t get down that midway.”

“Wait, I know a quicker way out.” I led him between the trucks parked at the back of the carnival. Small explosions, crackling wood and hundreds of car motors being cranked filled the smoky night air behind us as I pushed past the final wagon, the place where the dry food supplies were kept.

Our path, illuminated only by the dancing glow of the flames behind us, was not an easy one. The fields behind the carnival were still scarred with the remains of the ditches once used to irrigate the corn crops. With pure angst pushing us along, Jackson gripped my hand pulling me as far from the billowing cloud of smoke as possible. This was no ordinary smoke but a thick mist that carried with it a choking, poisonous odor.