Perilous Pranks (Renaissance Faire Mystery) by Joyce Lavene, Jim Lavene Page B

think I’m any closer to knowing who killed Wanda.” I told him about Marcus and Shakespeare. “I gave Detective Almond Marcus’s name. He still thinks I did it.”
    “He’ll figure it out. Have you been over to Stylish Frocks yet? Portia was looking for you. Beth needs you to come over for a fitting.”
    “I don’t think I can do that with Wanda hanging around. She kind of puts a crimp in my life, like she always did.”
    He hugged me. “Is she here now?”
    “No. She wandered off following Diego because he could see her.”
    “Interesting. I wonder why some people can see her and others can’t.”
    “I don’t know. Sir Marcus couldn’t see her. I wish I couldn’t see her.”
    “Well maybe now would be a good time to head down to Stylish Frocks,” he suggested. “I’m headed that way myself. There’s trouble at the Frog Catapult.”
    I shuddered, having worked at the Frog Catapult one year. It was an awful job. Throwing slimy rubber frogs should be banned.
    “Maybe I’ll do that. I’m my way to talk to Ginny Stewart about her and Wanda sharing the same knight.”
    “You know you should leave this to Detective Almond and me. I’ll talk to Ginny. You shouldn’t be involved.”
    “That’s fine, except I’m the one with the evil blue ghost following me around. I need to figure this out.”
    We stopped walking, and Chase studied my face. “This will all be over soon. Don’t forget that whoever killed Wanda might be willing to kill you too. Let me talk to Ginny. Don’t go into that blindly. Okay?”
    “Okay.” I hugged him. “You talk to Ginny and let me know what she says. I’ll go let them stick pins in me again. I’ll be glad when the wedding is over.”
    “Me too. I love you. Be careful until we catch the killer.”
    We split up in front of Sherwood Forest. I went to Stylish Frocks, and Chase headed toward the Frog Catapult.
    Portia was leaning her head on her hand in the costume rental window, as usual. She was Beth Daniels’s assistant and she hated her job. Beth was the head costume designer and seamstress for the Village.
    There was a long line of visitors waiting to rent or return costumes. Most residents got their costumes early in the morning each day. This left the costume shop free to handle the requirements of visitors who wanted to dress as woodcutters, high-born ladies, knights, and other characters.
    “It’s about time,” Portia called out as I waved to her. “Beth has been looking for you. Go around back.”
    In the shop, hidden from visitors, were dozens of seamstresses at buzzing sewing machines. Many times, they worked around the clock to keep up with demand.
    Beth was attending to the details on a beautiful green silk gown for a visitor who was planning to be at the Ren Faire the following week. The work was demanding, but the fees for special orders like this made it worthwhile.
    My wedding gown was on a mannequin dummy. I lifted the dust cloth that covered it. The split-skirt pink gown was simple—high-waisted with a low cut bodice. I would be wearing a white silk chemise beneath it. The gown was trimmed and laced in gold threads. I’d also bought a white corset for the ceremony that was done of handmade lace.
    I’d opted not to wear white. It wasn’t a good color on me. The deep pink was so much nicer. Beth was making a six-foot, matching train for the gown that would be carried by several children who lived in the Village.
    “There you are,” Beth addressed me when she’d finished the green silk gown.  She was a very plain-looking woman whose personal style never showed what marvelous creations she made each day. “I was beginning to think you’d lost interest in your gown.”
    “I’ve been a little busy.”
    “So we’ve heard.” Andre Hariot was the Village hat maker who was dating Beth. “You finally got Wanda back for her prank at the Lady of the Lake. I’m guessing her death was something you hadn’t planned on.”
    I’d apprenticed with