Liz Marvin - Betty Crawford 03 - Too Long at the Fair by Liz Marvin

pointing out new booths and those who had been coming to the fair for years.
     
    Betty described the midway rides and introduced Gladys at the first aid tent then wandered through the livestock barn on her way to the reviewing stands.  She stopped to say hello to a few of the young contestants and was pleased to note the reporters and photographers busy taking notes and pictures.
     
    Finally, when she couldn’t comfortably stall any longer she led them to “the grandstand” as she called it.  The yellow police tape still blocked off the entire area and a number of state police were busy combing the area and taking photographs.  Betty spied Bill talking, or rather listening as the county sheriff and state police captain argued.  Smiling, Betty asked the reporters to wait there and headed for the trio, reaching them before anyone could stop her.
     
    “Hey Bill, which of you three want to talk to the press?”  The discussion stopped abruptly.  Bill belatedly covered his mouth to hide his smile.  The sheriff and police captain glared first at Bill, then at Betty.
     
    “What are they doing here?”
     
    “Why they’re doing their job!”  Betty replied innocently.
     
    “Get them out of here!”  The sheriff demanded.
     
    “Great idea!” Bill responded “sounds like a job for the county sheriff’s department.”
     
    “Not me!  You’re the local authority.”
     
    “I’ll go tell them you’re in charge Bill.” Betty said and turned to go.
     
    “Now just a second!  Nobody said he’s in charge!”   The captain fumed.
     
    “So is he the spokesman?”  Betty asked.
     
    “No he’s, we – the state police in murder investigations” the state police captain sputtered “just never mind!  I’ll go myself!”
     
    “Not without me you won’t!” The county sheriff added and the two men headed for the gathered reporters almost racing to see who would reach them first.”
     
    Bill laughed quietly and gave Betty a quick hug.  “Thank you.”
     
    “Don’t mention it.  Just glad to get them out of my hair and yours.  Do either of them know anything?”
     
    Bill became suddenly serious.  “No.”
     
    One word answer.  Bad sign.  The investigation was going worse than Betty imagined.
     
    “How about the pickpockets?  Anything come from the video surveillance?”
     
    “No.  Wes is on it.  Haven’t heard from him.”
     
    Wherever Wes was it was a sure bet that Clarise was with him.  He was probably at the State Police command center watching multiple screens for signs of suspicious activity and another set of eyes would help.  But Clarise had a director’s eye for watching how people moved; if anyone could spot something out of the ordinary it would be her. 
     
    Betty wished she could help Bill in some way but the area had more than a dozen people looking searching for any clue.
     
    “Maybe they’re looking for the wrong thing.”  Betty found herself blurting out.  Bill looked at her questioningly.
     
    “Maybe they should be looking for what isn’t there.” 
     
    “We’ve got the serial number for the purse.  And a picture.  We’re looking for it.”  He tried to smile. “Thanks for the heads up on that.”
     
    “I wasn’t thinking about the purse.  I was thinking about her jewelry.”
     
    Bill frowned.  “There wasn’t any jewelry missing.” 
     
    “Exactly.  She had rings, bracelets and a necklace.  All understated but all very valuable and easy to take.  At least as easy as a purse.”
     
    “Hmmm.” Bill frowned.  “But – hmmmm.  So you think that either there was something in the purse worth more than the jewelry or the killing had nothing to do with the pick pockets.”
     
    “Or both!”  Betty gave Bill’s hand a squeeze “I have to get back to the cooking competition.  We’ll be meeting the contestants in half an hour. Wish me luck!”
     
    “Luck.”  He said “not that you’ll need it!”
     
    “Yes I do!”