With a wave of her hand, a purple shimmer casts through the crowd and two things happen at once. A rope goes up, the fairy equivalent of police tape, and a team of uniformed security personnel arrive in a rush.
Godmother and Seven approach River and the victim, but when I try to join them, a large hand shoots out in front of me.
“Sorry, ma’am. Only authorized personnel.”
From behind the rope, I watch River, Seven, and Godmother exchange heated words, and then with a snap of Godmother’s fingers, River rises from the cobblestone as if lifted by an invisible force. Two leprechaun security guards rush forward and clamp blue-iron cuffs around his wrists.
I can’t read Seven’s expression from this angle, but he’s not smiling.
“Gods, they’re arresting him,” Penelope says from beside me.
I hadn’t even noticed her arrive. Her kids are young, so she wasn’t at the graduation today.
“Pen! When did you get here?”
“Only a second ago. I was having lunch in River’s when I heard the shot.”
“What the hell is going on?” I press the tips of my fingers into my temples. “Did you see what happened? Was there some sort of altercation?”
Penelope leans in to whisper in my ear behind a curtain of her platinum hair. “I didn’t see. No one seemed to. After it happened, everyone went wild talking about it and watching through the windows, but the incident itself… No one saw.”
I stare at her for a beat. “That’s… odd.”
She nods.
“Why did they cuff him? River’s not capable of causing someone intentional harm. Not unless he was defending himself or someone else.”
An emergency vehicle cuts through the crowd, and a team of paramedics rushes out with a stretcher. In no time, the stranger is wheeled into the back. River, still in handcuffs, is also helped into the back of the vehicle. In literally seconds, the gun and all signs of blood have been wiped from the walkway as if the incident never happened.
“Wow, that was fast,” I mutter.
“Shhh. I think Godmother’s going to speak.” Penelope points her chin toward the center of the crime scene.
“If I could have your attention please,” Godmother booms in that larger-than-life voice that reverberates in my bones. Her skin glows with power, as do her eyes, bright amber and intense. “Take heart, my dear guests—no one is in any danger. What happened today was a quarrel between two men that ended in an unfortunate accident. The injured party is being rushed to Elderflame Hospital as we speak, and the shooter, River Foxwood, will be held until this incident can be fully investigated and charges brought. Thank you for your patience and please know that we in Dragonfly Hollow do not tolerate any violence in our theme parks. Crime within our borders is so low as to almost be nonexistent, and guns are strictly prohibited. Please know this was an isolated incident and we will be taking steps to ensure it never happens again.”
I bristle at the lie. Only recently, Seven and I helped solve two murders that occurred in the park. But thisisthe first act of violence where Godmother hasn’t been able to hide the crime scene from the public. It’s broad daylight, and the man responsible for the previous murders is in Ashgate Prison. Whoever did this—and I know it wasn’t River—wanted this to be seen. And that’s terrifying, because if I’m reading the situation accurately, River just became a very convenient scapegoat.
“Poor River. What can we do?” Penelope presses a hand to her chest.
My gaze drifts to the nearest security camera, and I point up at it. “Everything here is recorded. We’ll know soon enough exactly what happened. The faster we can pull the footage, the sooner we can clear River of suspicion and refocus the investigation on the actual perpetrator. I’ll ask Seven to do it right away.”
She makes a face. “Are you still working with him? I thought that was over?”
“It is, but we’re still… on speaking terms. I’ll ask him nicely.”
Penelope chuckles. “Good luck with that. I’m going to go talk to some people inside again. Maybe someone saw something.” She strides off toward the restaurant.
Seven makes eye contact with me and has started walking in my direction when he’s swarmed by security officers. He’s Godmother’s head of security. Has been since the night he bargained with her for a second chance with me. It looks like he might be a while. I’m sure the officers need a debrief, especially when it’s clear Godmother is spinning this.
I find myself itching to know exactly what River said before he was hauled away. I’m not a detective or anything like it. I’m a poker pro and I’m a pixie. Does that make me qualified to investigate a crime? Hades, no. But it does make me an expert at reading other people’s body language and a damn good liar when I need to be. That and my archery skills were enough to put Seven’s father, Chance Delaney, away in Ashgate Prison for murder. So if there’s anything I can do to save my friend River from being prosecuted for a crime he didn’t commit, you bet I’ll do it.
“Gods, Sophia!” Evangeline appears in front of me, her usually composed persona visibly flustered. “This is a complete disaster. Have you seen Seven?”
“He’s over there with the other security officers and Godmother. I think they’re trying to contain the situation.”
“This is a fucking nightmare.” She frowns and shakes her head.
“You’re a PR genius. I’m sure you’ll find a way to spin this just like Godmother did. I’m just worried about River. There’s no way he’s responsible. Can you get your hands on the surveillance video?” I point toward the dark orb under the streetlight that houses the security camera.
