Lynda Plante - Entwined

The girl beckoned the baron over to a map of the trailer park. "There is where she lives, but whether she will agree to see you, sir, I can't say. She is getting ready for the show."

The baron thanked her, and ushered Helen out, back down the slippery boards.

Mike showed off the meat trailer, the freezers, and the massive carcasses to Torsen and his party. Before he left them, Grimaldi had said they could park in the artists' area. Mike had been the one Torsen had first approached to inquire about parking.

As they began to head toward the main entrance, Mike offered to show them a shortcut. He led them behind the trailers, pointing out the ones owned by the big acts, and then offered to show them the meat trailer. Until the show started he had nothing else to do.

Torsen checked his watch, worried he would miss the opening parade, but Mike assured him there was plenty of time. He told them that the "Big Boss" would make sure every single ticket was sold before the parade began. "You always think they'll never get everyone seated in time, but they always do. Maybe five, ten minutes late — never more. Besides, I'll show you the artists' entrance. If your tickets are for the front row, it'll be much easier."

As they peered into the freezers and looked over the cleavers and hammers, Vernon came in, already in costume. He was Mike's assistant, a trainee keeper — the Grimaldis never paid much and Vernon was only eighteen years old. Mike made the introductions, and was about to suggest they follow him to the big top when Torsen asked nonchalantly if Mike had ever met Tommy Kellerman.

Mike said he had seen him the day he was murdered — seen him briefly, up by the lions' cages. Torsen repeated his question to Vernon. Vernon flushed, shrugged his shoulders, and muttered that he was not sure whether he had seen him or not.

"You know he was brutally murdered," said Torsen. "So if you saw him, anything you can tell me could be of great importance. I am heading the homicide investigation."

Mike gave Vernon a warning glance, then checked his watch. "I'd better go change!"

Vernon said that since he was already dressed, he could show Torsen to the tent, and Mike, after another warning look to Vernon, skipped off.

As they hurried across the muddy ground Torsen asked again about Kellerman. Vernon said nothing, holding open the tent flap and instructing them to turn right through the main arena entrance. "I hope you enjoy the show."

Torsen smiled and was about to step inside when Vernon called out to him. He turned. The boy held the umbrella down, the rain glanced off the black-soaked canvas. "I did see Kellerman, sir, but only for a brief moment. He was standing talking to Mrs. Grimaldi, up by Mamon's cage. It was early afternoon on the day he was killed." Vernon was not one hundred percent sure, but no one had deemed him even interesting enough to talk to — so he had the inspector's full attention.

Torsen stepped closer. "Was it a friendly chat?" He felt water trickle down his neck, and inched under the umbrella. Vernon was a little scared, wondering if he should have just kept his mouth shut. "I don't know, I couldn't hear, sir. In fact, I thought at first that he was one of the kids, you know, from one of the school groups. They take them around the cages. She looked as if she was telling him off. She was m one of her moods, Grimaldi was on one of his binges, so he was pretty useless and she'd had to do everything... and the plinths, the new pedestals were wrong. She's got a temper, Mrs. Grimaldi does, and she's always telling the kids off for getting too near the cages, but then I noticed his hat!"

Torsen stepped further under the umbrella. "His hat?"

"Yes, sir, it was a trilby, a black leather trilby."

"How did you know it was leather?"

"Well, I saw it again, in the meat trailer. Well, I think it was his hat — Mike was wearing it."

"Mike?"

Vernon was shaking, sure he had really made something out of nothing. "Yes, sir, the other helper, sir. He said he'd found it in, the meat trailer, but Mrs. Grimaldi took it from him, she said it was her husband's, but it looked like the same hat I saw Kellerman wearing. Dunno why I remembered it, but then everyone around here's been talking about the murder, so it sort of stuck in my mind, you know, wondering if it was him I had seen."

"But you said you did see him?"

Vernon was really nervous now. "Well I don't know for sure if it was Kellerman, sir. Just, well, he wasn't with this circus — I know that. He wasn't with any of the acts, or I would have recognized him."

They heard a loud fanfare, and Torsen looked to the tent.

"The parade is starting, sir, you'd better hurry or they won't let you to your seat."

Vernon sighed with relief when Torsen seemed no longer interested in him, or his theories, but at the same time, thinking it over again, Vernon was sure it was Kellerman he had seen.

Grimaldi had seen them all leaving the meat trailer, had followed Vernon and Torsen toward the big tent and watched them huddle under the umbrella. As Vernon hurried away, he stepped out and caught the boy by his coat.

"I want to know what he asked you. What did he want sniffing around the freezer truck like a stray dog?"

Vernon backed off, terrified.

"He said you'd told him he could park in the artists' car park, then he asked about the cats. Mike brought him in and offered to show him the trailer. That was all, sir."

Grimaldi patted Vernon's shoulder. "I'm sorry, son, just that I'm a bit on edge tonight. It's a big occasion. Have you seen Ruda?"

Vernon said that he had not, and was relieved when Grimaldi started to walk away.

"Oh, Vernon, tell Mike. I'll be watching the cages tonight."

"Yes, sir."

Grimaldi looked back, his eyes narrowed. "You sure that prick wasn't asking questions about Tommy Kellerman?"

"Yes, sir."

"Cats all ready, are they?"

"Yes, sir, I'll double-check them before we go in."

Grimaldi waved his big hand to indicate to Vernon he should carry on with his business. In truth he was not sure what he should do himself. He looked at his watch; there was still a good three quarters of an hour before it was time for Ruda to go on, but she had to be dressed for the parade. He didn't want to go back to the trailer yet, so he walked around, making his way toward the cages. He heard his name called and turned to see Mike waving to him.

"Boss, there's a guy and a blond woman. They've been asking the way to your trailer. They went toward it about two minutes ago.

Grimaldi hurried to Mike. "They say who they were?"

"Yeah, I think the guy was a baron, maybe one of the celebrity guests. There's a bit of a bash in the main conference room over in the administration block."

Grimaldi shrugged. There were always stars at these big openings. He ran his hands through his soaking hair. "Screw 'em. Oh! Mike, in future you want to show any people around the freezer and meat trailers, you get permission, okay, son?"

"Yes, sir."

They walked on to the covered tent where the animals were housed.

"What did he want to go in there for anyway?"

Mike was uneasy. He knew he should have got permission, so he lied. "Oh, he asked us a few questions, you know, if we'd seen Kellerman, Mrs. Grimaldi's ex."

"I know who he was!" snapped Luis.

"It was raining, so we took cover in the trailer."

"What did you tell him?"

Mike wiped his face. "Nothing, sir. I'd better see to the props." He tried to move away, but Grimaldi held on to his arm.

"The cats all settled and in order?" Grimaldi asked.

"Yes, sir, everything's in order."

Grimaldi walked from one cage to the next. As always, the cats filled him with awe. Their wild, menacing beauty affected him deeply. He checked each cage, and then he heard the low heavy growl, the dull rumble. Mamon's eyes glinted, his head hung low, feet splayed out. He sensed the man's fear.