Murder Can Confuse Your Chihuahua Read online

  “But you admit he is suspicious?” I asked.

  “Of course, but that’s not reason enough to arrest him,” Pierce said.

  CHAPTER 3

  Mingle with other crafters. Unless, of course, you suspect one might be a murderer. Then maybe you should stay away.

  Now that the police had gone, I hoped things would seem less spooky, but so far that wasn’t the case. I’d set out my paintings, and the fair had started without a hitch, though word had already spread that there had been a death. Questions were being asked as to why the fair hadn’t been canceled. Regardless, I tried to focus on my art, but my mind kept going back to the morning’s horrific event.

  On the plus side, I’d sold a painting today. It was a landscape of the mountains. There were some paintings I would never sell, though. Not just because they were beautiful to me, but because they had special meanings. I picked up the jar that had held some of my clean brushes and placed it up to my eye. I closed my other eye and peered through the glass at a recent painting of trees and searched for the hidden image.

  I found it in the middle. The skeleton was tiny, but he was there. Even though I hadn’t added the image of water to the painting, it was there with the skeleton. He knelt down to the river and peered at his reflection. Only the reflection was of the man as he’d been while living. I had no idea what this meant, but I wondered if the river had anything to do with the river here at the fair?

  I didn’t recognize the man in the image, but now I was more than a little curious about his identity. He had long dark hair and wore a headband around the crown of his hair. Could he be connected to the murder? Should I go to the river now and see if something else came to me? After all, the fair had ended for the day, and I had extra time now. I could take my paints and canvas down by the water.

  Yes, I was still creeped out by the thought of being there, but if the images I painted could actually help find the killer, it would be worth it. I’d leave Van in the trailer for a nap. Since the sun would set soon, I knew I only had about an hour to work. Undoubtedly, Caleb and Pierce would think this was a bad idea. That was why I wouldn’t tell them.

  I gathered up my supplies: a new canvas, paints, brushes, and rags. It was a lot of stuff, but luckily, I had a tote with me to carry everything. After feeding Van, I said good-bye and locked him in the trailer. When I peeked in the window at him, he was already fast asleep. It had been a long day for him, and he was ready for bed. I’d already decided I wouldn’t go to the same location where I’d found the body earlier today. That was too creepy. On the opposite side of the craft area was another path that led to the river. It was a more open space.

  With the tote looped over my shoulder, I clutched the easel under one arm and carried the canvas with my other hand. I headed toward the other path. This was also scary since I hadn’t been that way since the first day I’d checked out this area. That was the day I’d signed up to be a part of the craft fair.

  I wasn’t sure what was in store for me, but I’d certainly had no idea what had awaited me this morning either. I hoped there wasn’t a repeat this time. If someone else was discovered murdered, I was out of there. No way was I sticking around for a serial killer. One murder was horrendous enough.

  I checked over my shoulder several times to make sure no one was following me. I’d kept my eye on Danny all day. Why hadn’t the police arrested him? Oh yeah. Not enough evidence. I had my Mace with me, and I was ready to put up a fight. Luckily, when I reached the other path, I saw that it was still much less overgrown, just as I’d remembered it. That gave me a sense of relief. What if I’d walked this way this morning? Would Erica still be undiscovered? The same stillness that I’d experienced this morning surrounded me. Pine trees and oaks shaded my pathway like a canopy, but much more of the sky was visible.

  Water flowed along the river, and a warm breeze drifted along my skin. I placed the easel down, trying to make it as steady as possible on the uneven dirt. Next, I propped the canvas up and studied my surroundings. I was all alone. At least I hoped I was all alone. Thank goodness, it wasn’t a long walk back to the fair area. I pulled out the paints and brushes from my tote bag to start my work. I figured I’d paint the river and see what happened from there.

  As I brushed paint across the canvas, I quickly settled into a zone. It was almost like a trance. Watching the brush stroke across the white emptiness was therapeutic and comforting. It suddenly came to an end, though, when a rustling from over my shoulder caught my attention. I stopped and peered around. My heart sped up.

  A squirrel hopped from one branch to another. Whew. It was just a little critter. Van would have loved to chase after that furry guy. My thumping heart settled back to a regular rhythm. I added more colors now, but I couldn’t get back in the zone. It felt as if someone was watching me.

  I added another image to the painting now. It was no longer just a landscape. The figure of a woman appeared as if painted by unseen hands. Her long, dark hair flowed almost to her waist as she knelt beside the river’s edge. She peered into the water as if studying her reflection. I wasn’t sure why I’d painted her image, but it was as if she had belonged there in the painting all along. Wait. This reminded me of the hidden image I’d painted earlier. Were the two images connected?

  The sound of rustling leaves made me stop. My heart sped up, thumping in my ears loudly. I reprimanded myself for coming down here in the first place. The killer hadn’t been caught yet, and I’d thought this was a good idea? Movement came from my right. A woman walked toward me.

  She had long black hair that reflected the sunshine like a mirror. She wore a leather dress with beaded trim along the top and the bottom. Moccasins were on her feet, and a band with a feather was around her head.

  I didn’t know if I should speak to her or run for my life. She didn’t seem like a killer, but what did I expect? Someone wearing a Halloween mask and wielding an ax? She certainly didn’t have that same creepy glower like Danny.

  “My name is Ama,” she said in a sweet, soft voice.

  For a bit, I was speechless.

  After a few seconds, I managed, “I’m Celeste.”

  She continued walking toward me until she was just a couple of steps away. Instinctively, I backed up a few steps, careful not to fall in the water. She stopped in front of me. Her beauty was even more apparent from up close. Her face was so flawless I could have never painted it with accuracy.

  I glanced back at the canvas still on the easel. This was the woman from my painting. Had I seen her somewhere before and unconsciously painted her? How would I explain that I’d added her unknowingly? She studied the image as if she’d read my mind.

  “That’s me in the painting,” she said, pointing at the portrait.

  “Yes, I don’t know you. Have we met before?” I asked.

  “I’m from another time.” She surveyed the surroundings.

  Her comment seemed calm, as if I should know exactly what she meant. And it clicked. I thought I knew what she was talking about, but I just couldn’t believe it. How could this happen again?

  “I lived here almost two hundred years ago.” She pointed across the river. “My family’s land is right there.”

  A lot of questions ran through my mind. Like why was she here? I thought I already knew how. Well, not exactly how, but I knew that I had painted her here. Call it a psychic ability . . . I wasn’t sure, but it happened, and I knew it was all my doing.

  “That’s a long time. How do you know what year it is now?”

  “Since I pop in and out from this dimension to the other, I keep up with things,” she said with a wave of her hand.

  “Really? Fascinating.” I raised an eyebrow. “But why are you here now?” I asked.

  “You need me, and I think I need you. Yet I’m not sure how or why.”

  She sounded just as confused as I felt.

  “I don’t understand,” I said.

  “I think when you painted me, I came to this world. I’d
been on the other side. The alternate dimension.” She pointed into the distance.

  “It’s not the first time I’ve done that,” I said.

  Ama stepped over to the flowing water. She knelt along the riverbank and peered at her reflection, just as she had in the image I’d painted. This was surreal. I expected to wake up. Except I was already awake. I remained still, watching her, and wondering what would happen next.

  After a couple of seconds, she faced me. “You connect with the earth for your paintings.”

  I peered around at the lush trees and green landscape. “Yes, I suppose I do.”

  Ama walked over to me. “Why are you upset? Something unsettling happened today, didn’t it?”

  “Yes, something terrible.”

  “Tell me about the terrible thing,” she said.

  “Someone was murdered Well, I don’t know for sure that she was murdered, but I think she was,” I said.

  Ama gasped. “Evil is everywhere. It watches us all the time, waiting for the right chance to attack.”

  Her words rang true for me. It felt as if evil was watching us right now. The sun was setting rapidly, leaving streaks of red and purple across the blue sky, and I knew I had to get back to the trailer soon. There was no way I wanted to stay out here after dark.

  “I have to leave now.” I pointed toward the path.

  “I’ll come with you,” she said.

  I had a feeling she would say that. I couldn’t believe I was talking to a ghost. It had happened before when I’d painted a portrait of a woman. She’d appeared in my trailer and had a lot to say. I wondered what Van would think of Ama? He’d liked the last ghost, and I hoped he liked Ama too.

  “I suppose you can come if you want,” I said.

  As if she would listen to anything I said. It wasn’t like I could stop her from following me.

  I gathered up my things and headed back toward the craft area. Ama walked beside me. She had a bounce in her step as if she was excited about what was to come. Apparently, this was a new adventure for her.

  As she kept pace with me, she said, “Do you feel as if someone is watching us now? I think it’s more than the trees and the animals.”

  “The trees watch us?” I asked.

  “Of course, they do. They’re living things. They know what we’re doing.” She waved her hand through the air.

  Luckily, we were almost at the end of the path. No one had appeared, and I hoped we’d reach the end of the path safely. Ama and I stepped out from the path and into the open grassy area. Lights in the other trailers had been turned on, and some people had set up their tents. I was thankful I wasn’t sleeping in a tent. Not with a killer lurking around. It was like some kind of slasher movie. If others were brave enough to do that, good for them, but this girl wasn’t doing it.

  “My trailer is right over there. I want you to meet someone,” I said. “I think you’ll like him.”

  “I like everyone,” she said.

  We’d just neared the trailer when I screeched to a halt.

  Ama stopped beside me. “Is that who you wanted me to meet? I don’t like him.”

  Danny stood near my trailer. He held his arms straight beside him with his fists clenched at his sides. He got weirder by the minute. Without saying a word, he eyed me up and down. Of course, he couldn’t see Ama beside me.

  “What do you want?” I snapped.

  I wouldn’t even pretend to be nice to this creep. His eyes narrowed as he glared at me. He didn’t appear happy at the way I’d talked to him. I didn’t care. He shouldn’t lurk around like that and try to scare people.

  Without answering, Danny walked away. I suspect he was just trying to intimidate me because I had told the police about him.

  “I’m glad he’s gone,” Ama said.

  “Me too,” I said.

  To be on the safe side, I thought, perhaps I shouldn’t go anywhere alone here until the murderer was caught. It was too dangerous. I realized that now after seeing the menacing smirk on Danny’s face.

  “What are you staring at?” Caleb asked from over my shoulder.

  I clutched my chest. “Oh, Caleb, I didn’t hear you walk up. Danny was just by my trailer. He gave me this creepy gaze without saying a word. I thought he would be at the police station by now.”

  “I think they questioned him as long as they could. He threatened to call a lawyer, and they left him alone. There’s really no evidence that links him to the crime.”

  “That’s not good to hear.” I released a deep breath. “I thought I was safe now.”

  “I need to have a talk with this guy,” Caleb said.

  “Who is this?” Ama asked, pointing to Caleb.

  Should I tell Caleb about Ama now? No, I should probably wait. One strange experience for the day was enough.

  “I’ll be back in a bit,” Caleb said as he headed down the lane.

  “Be careful,” I called out.

  I wasn’t sure if he’d heard me. Of course, I knew he could take care of himself. Nevertheless, I worried.

  Ama followed me into my tiny trailer. She peered around in bewilderment. Sure, it was tiny, but for traveling it was plenty of space for Van and me. A sofa changed into a bed and a table. The kitchen area had a cabinet, refrigerator, and cooktop. I’d added pink curtains and cute little pillows to spruce up the space.

  “This is your home?” she asked.

  “I have a house, but this is my traveling home,” I said with a wave of my hand.

  Van jumped up and ran over to me. He stopped short when he spotted Ama.

  I picked him up and said, “This is Van, my Chihuahua and best friend.”

  A huge smile spread across her face. “You’re beautiful, Van. Such a loving creature.”

  Van wagged his tail and watched her.

  “He likes you,” I said.

  “I told you he would,” Ama said.

  I wasn’t sure what to say now. I needed to get dinner and head to bed. I wasn’t expecting a guest. Much less one from the spirit world. Ama peered around the trailer again.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked. “Did it hurt to travel from one dimension to the other? It seems like it would be a huge energy drain . . . and very tiring.”

  I yawned just thinking about it.

  “I don’t feel physical pain,” she said. “However, it is sad to be away from my family.”

  “Do you have a large family?” I asked.

  “Yes, I have five brothers, but no sisters.”

  “I have brothers too. They can be a pain in the rear, but I love them,” I said.

  “My grandfather’s that way. He gets angry with me all the time.” Disappointment filled her eyes. “Mostly I try to ignore him.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” I said.

  Van barked and dashed over to his food dish.

  “It’s time for his dinner.” I gestured.

  As if I was watching dissipating fog, Ama was gone. Van and I studied the spot where she’d been standing. Wow, I hadn’t been expecting that.

  “Where did she go, Van?” I asked, as if he could answer. “Wherever she went, I hope she comes back.”

  I stepped over to the kitchen area and added food to Van’s dish. Once I filled up his water dish, he ran over and wolfed down his late dinner.

  Now it was time for me to eat. Though with the stress of the day, I just wanted to go to bed.

  I had the painting of Ama propped up against the wall in my trailer. Stepping in front of it, I studied her face. Her high cheekbones and gorgeous big brown eyes appeared exactly the same in the portrait as when I saw her in ghost form. Retrieving a glass from the counter, I placed it up to my right eye and focused on the painting. I had to know if one of the hidden images would give me an answer about why Ama was here. Maybe one of the images would lead to Erica’s killer. I had to admit, that might be wishful thinking.

  An image of a skeleton practically popped out at me. I hadn’t seen it before. The skeleton was peeking out fro
m behind one of the tall oak trees. The image creeped me out. It was as if the skeleton was watching someone and waiting for the chance to grab the unsuspecting victim. I sensed that this was exactly what the killer had done while waiting to attack Erica. If only I knew the killer’s identity. With only the image of the skeleton, that was impossible to know.

  CHAPTER 4

  Make sure you have all your supplies when you get there. You never know when one of your crafting supplies might need to be used as a weapon in self-defense.

  The next morning, I set out my paintings and waited for customers to arrive. The day would be another beautiful one weather-wise, with a bright blue sky and plenty of sunshine. I glanced down the way to see if Danny was anywhere around. In fact, he was sitting outside, working on another one of his creepy paintings. He sent a shiver down my spine.

  When an eerie feeling came over me, I scanned the surroundings. Had Ama returned? She was nowhere in sight, but across the way, Sarah Jane was watching me. I tossed my hand up in a wave, but she averted her attention. I supposed she hadn’t seen me. Although I thought she’d been staring right at me.

  Movement caught my attention. Excitement took over when I spotted a woman headed my way. Thank goodness—I hoped my first customer wasn’t my one and only customer of the day. The blond woman wore denim shorts, a white tank, and flip-flops. The frantic expression on her face confused me. Perhaps she just wanted to know where the restrooms were, or the concession stand. The woman walked right up to my booth, but she didn’t even bat an eyelash at my paintings.

  “May I help you?” I asked.

  She peered around as if she was about to reveal a secret. “I need information.”

  My senses had been correct. She hadn’t wanted my paintings at all. I knew she wanted something else.

  “The restrooms and concessions are that way.” I pointed.

  I was surprised that she hadn’t noticed the signs when she’d arrived.

  “No, that’s not what I need,” she said.

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  I shouldn’t have assumed. Now I was just being negative.