Murder at the Art & Craft Fair Read Online Free PDF

we can get the back row.”
    “You rascal you. You mean you don’t want to get the
front row so we can show those young people a thing or two?”
    “I thought we’d get there early and practice kissing.”
    “Cy, you don’t need any practice. And believe me, your
lips will be numb before we leave there.”
    That was it for me. She had me when she mentioned the
back seat. And when she added that I didn’t need any practice, that was it. I
thought of the two of us eating pizza, stuffing popcorn into each other’s
mouth, licking ice cream off of each other’s lips, and giving each other
artificial respiration, or something resembling that. I wouldn’t think of that
dreaded art and craft fair again. Well, not until we arrived there on Saturday
morning. And then all that I’d be able to think about would be the drive-in. I
didn’t care what movie was on. I didn’t care if she went back to each booth
three times before we left the craft fair. I just knew that at some point,
after so many endless hours, Saturday would be over, and Saturday night would
be upon us, and I would be upon My Jennifer. Well, upon as in snuggled up next
to her, kissing on her luscious lips and coming up for air only long enough to
eat something we’d purchased from the concession stand, something that would
give me enough strength to kiss Jennifer some more.
    “Cy, are you still there?”
    “Sure, I was just thinking about Saturday night.”
    “Well, I’m thinking of Saturday morning first.”
    “Morning? Shouldn’t we wait until afternoon to go,
give the crowd a chance to thin out?”
    “You mean you don’t want to be seen with me?”
    “No, I want all the guys to eat their hearts out. I
just didn’t want either of us to get tired before Saturday night. I thought
maybe we could get there around 2:00, leave around 4:00, and get to the
drive-in around 5:00, so we’d get a good spot in the back, before the teenagers
get all of them.”
    “You’re to get to Thelma Lou’s at 8:00. We’re fixing
breakfast for the two of you. That way we can eat and still get there around
9:00, when the thing starts.”
    “So, you want to go in the morning, rather than
afternoon?”
    “Oh, we’ll probably still be there until the middle of
the afternoon, but don’t worry. I have money of my own. I don’t expect you to
buy me anything.”
    Cy sneezed.
    “Are you coming down with something?”
    “No, there’s a tent salesman at the front door.”
    “Good. Make sure you buy one. They say the best way to
get over your allergies is to be around whatever it is you are allergic to.
That way you can work up immunity to it.”
    “If that’s true, I should be over my allergies by
Sunday.”
    “Oh, good. I might come back up in a few weeks. I hear
there’s another art and craft fair over in Connersville. Too bad most of the
good craft fairs up your way were last month.”
    I said a quick prayer and thanked God for small
favors, then got back to Jennifer before she thought I’d hung up on her.
    “That reminds me. When are you moving up here?”
    “Soon, my love. Very soon. I can’t wait until
Saturday.”
    We said goodbye and five minutes later I remembered to
hang my phone up. No End button for me. I think I’m one of only two people in
the county to have a phone with a rotary dial. And the other person is over
ninety years old.
    When I was able to think somewhat rationally again I
called Lou back to see if he knew about the drive-in. He did. If he had told me
that part first the other part would have been easier to take. Oh, well! At
least I would be with My Jennifer. And then I remembered. No woman over the age
of thirty would pay more attention to the man she was with than the merchandise
she came to check out. I knew what merchandise I would be checking out, and it
wouldn’t be some guy’s cuckoo clocks, or whatever they sell at those events.
     
    +++
     
    It didn’t seem like it was already the first of
October, but it was. It wouldn’t