the diner seems to think you’re a local celebrity. In fact, you’ve developed quite a reputation with the townspeople. And from what I’ve heard, you’re personally involved in this latest… episode. Surely you have some interest in it.”
“Of course I do,” Candy said, “but I’ve been asked to stay out of it.”
Preston gave her a discerning look, his eyes gauging her. “Perhaps I’m prying too much. There’s no reason you shouldbetray your confidences to me, of course. Perhaps, if I tell you a little bit of news I’ve heard, you’ll let me know a bit about your investigation.”
Clever
, Candy thought. “As I said, I’m not a detective, and I’m not conducting an investigation. But I’m always interested in the latest news. What have you heard?”
“Well, this isn’t public knowledge yet, but I can assure you it’s accurate.” He leaned closer to her and said in a low, conspiratorial whisper, “Victor Templeton has pulled out of the event.”
Candy’s eyebrows rose. “Really?”
“Indeed.” He drew back. “I received a communiqué from him just last night. He has been, well, he says he’s been irretrievably delayed, but I suspect there’s something else going on.” He gave Candy a knowing smile.
She was intrigued. “Like what?”
“Weeeelll,” Preston said, drawing out the word dramatically, “there have been rumors of, shall we say, ill feelings among some of the sculptors? Which, naturally, has led to some complications.” He turned to face the sculptors, then subtly nodded with his head in their direction, a smile like the Cheshire cat’s playing across his face. “See for yourself. It’s quite evident if you know what you’re looking for.”
So Candy looked.
The ice sculptors were busy at work, chipping away at the ice, following a pattern marked on the surface in broad sweeps. Most of them seemed absorbed in their work, but Baxter Bryant was cracking jokes with one of the onlookers and, in a playful moment, tossed a handful of shaved ice into the crowd, drawing a mixture of squeals, groans, and laughter. He did it again, much to the delight of the crowd. He appeared to have quite an outgoing personality.
Duncan Leggmeyer, on the other hand, was quieter and more studious, peering intently at the ice, as if searching for the perfect form within. He was working close by Felicia,who kept glancing his way, as if trying to catch his attention. But he either didn’t notice her or was trying to ignore her.
On Duncan’s other side was Gina Templeton, and on the other side of her were Baxter and Colin. They were all picking away at the same sculpture, working on different parts of it, as if in a team.
That’s when Candy realized what Preston meant. Liam Yates was working all by himself on the other sculpture.
It was as if the ice carvers were allied five to one, and Candy suddenly felt a wave of fierce, unspoken competitiveness wash over the field.
They’re all working together to try to beat Liam
, she realized.
Liam himself appeared oblivious to what was going on around him. He had an intent expression on his face, and despite the fact that he was working alone, he was proceeding nearly as quickly as the other five sculptors combined, efficiently trimming away at the ice with a steady hand.
“What’s going on?” Candy asked, turning back around. But she received no answer from Preston. He was no longer standing beside her. She twisted back and forth, searching for him, muttering under her breath about the strange behavior patterns of everyone in this odd little village, and finally caught sight of him headed away from her, turning just slightly to wave over his shoulder.
She also spotted someone else as her gaze swept the park. She focused in on his face.
It was Officer Jody McCroy, standing perhaps twenty-five feet away, almost directly in front of her, alternatively looking her way and down at his notebook. He was writing something.
Probably something about
“Of course I do,” Candy said, “but I’ve been asked to stay out of it.”
Preston gave her a discerning look, his eyes gauging her. “Perhaps I’m prying too much. There’s no reason you shouldbetray your confidences to me, of course. Perhaps, if I tell you a little bit of news I’ve heard, you’ll let me know a bit about your investigation.”
Clever
, Candy thought. “As I said, I’m not a detective, and I’m not conducting an investigation. But I’m always interested in the latest news. What have you heard?”
“Well, this isn’t public knowledge yet, but I can assure you it’s accurate.” He leaned closer to her and said in a low, conspiratorial whisper, “Victor Templeton has pulled out of the event.”
Candy’s eyebrows rose. “Really?”
“Indeed.” He drew back. “I received a communiqué from him just last night. He has been, well, he says he’s been irretrievably delayed, but I suspect there’s something else going on.” He gave Candy a knowing smile.
She was intrigued. “Like what?”
“Weeeelll,” Preston said, drawing out the word dramatically, “there have been rumors of, shall we say, ill feelings among some of the sculptors? Which, naturally, has led to some complications.” He turned to face the sculptors, then subtly nodded with his head in their direction, a smile like the Cheshire cat’s playing across his face. “See for yourself. It’s quite evident if you know what you’re looking for.”
So Candy looked.
The ice sculptors were busy at work, chipping away at the ice, following a pattern marked on the surface in broad sweeps. Most of them seemed absorbed in their work, but Baxter Bryant was cracking jokes with one of the onlookers and, in a playful moment, tossed a handful of shaved ice into the crowd, drawing a mixture of squeals, groans, and laughter. He did it again, much to the delight of the crowd. He appeared to have quite an outgoing personality.
Duncan Leggmeyer, on the other hand, was quieter and more studious, peering intently at the ice, as if searching for the perfect form within. He was working close by Felicia,who kept glancing his way, as if trying to catch his attention. But he either didn’t notice her or was trying to ignore her.
On Duncan’s other side was Gina Templeton, and on the other side of her were Baxter and Colin. They were all picking away at the same sculpture, working on different parts of it, as if in a team.
That’s when Candy realized what Preston meant. Liam Yates was working all by himself on the other sculpture.
It was as if the ice carvers were allied five to one, and Candy suddenly felt a wave of fierce, unspoken competitiveness wash over the field.
They’re all working together to try to beat Liam
, she realized.
Liam himself appeared oblivious to what was going on around him. He had an intent expression on his face, and despite the fact that he was working alone, he was proceeding nearly as quickly as the other five sculptors combined, efficiently trimming away at the ice with a steady hand.
“What’s going on?” Candy asked, turning back around. But she received no answer from Preston. He was no longer standing beside her. She twisted back and forth, searching for him, muttering under her breath about the strange behavior patterns of everyone in this odd little village, and finally caught sight of him headed away from her, turning just slightly to wave over his shoulder.
She also spotted someone else as her gaze swept the park. She focused in on his face.
It was Officer Jody McCroy, standing perhaps twenty-five feet away, almost directly in front of her, alternatively looking her way and down at his notebook. He was writing something.
Probably something about
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