Deal With the Deviled Eggs

Chapter 3-1

Chapter 3

Katie changed into her witch costume while Kiko pulled Mother out of his pen to draw the children over. The current plan was to read two or three books and then have the costume contest. Everyone and their children should be out by eight or eight-thirty at the latest, and Kiko could get home to see what mess Travis had left him today.

The mother who mistrusted candy, of course, also had her misgivings about Mother. While Kiko let the bouncing children stroke the goose’s back, she held her three kids back, glaring. The door opened and a few latecomers trickled in, including Martha Bobo, which was a surprise considering her children were at least twelve and fifteen years old.

“Who’s ready for a story?” asked Katie, appearing in her flowing costume. Kiko returned a now irritated Mother to his pen and helped Katie get the children seated before moving to the front of the store where Martha and the Mother Who Mistrusted Candy seemed to be exchanging verbal daggers. Most of the other parents were hunkered down at the café tables, heads in phones, the adult eggnog Chad had sold them sitting before them.

“Nothing wrong with geese,” Martha was saying when Kiko approached. She kept pushing her youngest at the seated children, but the girl would not go.

“Oh, yes, apart from the disease,” said Mother Who Mistrusted Candy. Her children were gathered tightly to her; apparently now that everyone had touched Mother she wanted no contact with them.

“Disease? Oh, honey. I—”

“And how are you two doing?” asked Kiko in an upbeat whisper. Katie had begun reading a book about a little lonely pumpkin and he did not want a fuss.

“I wasn’t aware you had a filthy animal in your store,” said Mother Who Mistrusted Candy.

“It’s a goose,” said Martha, tossing her long, brown hair. “What do you think it’s going to do, give your kids bird flu?”

The flush drained from Mother Who Mistrusted Candy’s face. Kiko held up his hands.

“No need to have a disagreement in front of the children,” he began, but Martha rolled her eyes and briefly pulled back her leather coat with an arm, a quick movement that nevertheless displayed the gun she had.

“Won’t be any problems here,” she said. Mother Who Mistrusted Candy drew a sharp breath; Kiko was surprised she didn’t drop dead.

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to remove that from the store,” said Kiko.

“No sign posted,” said Martha. Kiko stared at her. He hadn’t realized that would be necessary.

“Please. I’m not going to ask again.”

Martha rolled her eyes dramatically and blew a strand of hair out of her face. She reached to pull the gun out and passed it to her fifteen-year-old.

“Here, Angel, take this out to the truck for me.”

Angel moved to do what her mother said and Martha gave her other child another push toward the seated children. Mother Who Mistrusted Candy was looking at Kiko like she wanted to lay into him but was unsure whether that would be a good idea at the moment. After what must have been a strenuous internal debate she gathered her children to her and left.

“Sorry if I cost you a customer, Kiko,” said Martha as Mother Who Mistrusted Candy attempted to slam the door and failed. Kiko shook his head.

“She wouldn’t have bought anything anyway.”

Katie finished her book reading and approached them as parents got their children ready for the contest. She was frowning at her phone.

“Did you hear what happened at the Haunted House?”

“What?” asked Kiko, worry flooding over him. After Dom had tripped over a dead body in July he’d been half-convinced the man was in danger ever since. He wouldn’t even be surprised if a real corpse turned up at the Haunted Halloween House, or someone had poisoned the ham. He pulled out his own phone, but Dom had neither called nor texted.

“There was a razor blade in someone’s deviled egg,” said Katie. “Elena’s not sure it’s a joke, it wasn’t visible at first.”

“Good thing the concerned parent didn’t hear that,” said Martha.

Kiko was secretly relieved. A little annoyed Dom hadn’t bothered to text him, but relieved nevertheless. But he could think about it later. For now, the parents and children were growing anxious and he wanted to get the judging underway. He glanced around.

“Where’s Chad?”

While he and Katie made a visual search for their third judge, Martha pointed over her shoulder with a thumb.

“Went to the truck. Angel’s probably showing him how to hold a rifle.”

“Oh, God,” muttered Kiko, shooting Martha a horrified look. “That’s a terrible—”

“She’s fine. He tries anything, Angel’s got great aim.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” said Kiko. He dashed outside, relieved to find an unharmed Chad drooling over a shotgun Angel was showing him. “Chad!”

He jumped. Angel leveled a glare Kiko’s way, but he didn’t care.

“Judging. You’re up. Get in here.”

“For real, boss?” asked Chad, groaning. He stuck his hands in his pockets but he left Angel to pack up the weapons. “You’re literally the worst boss ever.”

“I am. Don’t go running off alone with fifteen-year-old girls.”

“What? We were looking at guns.” Chad seemed genuinely confused. Kiko sighed and held the door for him. He’d have to explain it to him later. He was ready for this day to be over.