That sat wrong in my gut. “So what were you doing, sitting at your window in the dark?”
His cheeks flushed. “I was… online. Bidding on something.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “Didn’t want to say because it’s—well, it’s embarrassing, all right?”
I raised an eyebrow but kept my tone even. “Embarrassing how?”
He muttered, “It was a porcelain cock. Don’t ask.”
I almost smiled but held it back. If Leon had a thing for collectible cocks, that was his own business. “So you were on the computer all night?”
“Yeah, I was watching the clock tick down on an auction. That’s when I saw Elwood—through the window.”
“An online auction? For cocks?”
“Roosters, Gideon. Porcelain rooster figurines. They’re very collectible,” he said defensively.
I held up my hands in a sign of surrender. “Okay.”
He’d said it was embarrassing, so I’d assumed he had some obsession with phallic-shaped porcelain figures, not chickens. I don’t think I could be blamed for that assumption.
“Look, I was anxious after the festival meeting because it didn’t go so well. I swear, it’s like no one understands how important it is that these festivals succeed. The economic success of the town depends on it.”
“We all appreciate all the hard work you put in on those, Leon,” I said, hoping he could tell I meant it. None of us wanted to take the job on.
“Well, no one acts like it.” He grumbled. Then he cleared his throat. “Anyway, as I was saying, I was stressed, and when I get stressed, I go online and look for roosters to add to my collection.
“You have a collection? Of roosters?”
“Yes, Gideon, that’s what I was saying, weren’t you listening. It’s a competitive market, and I didn’t dare take my eyes off the screen. I’d just got the notification I had the winning bid when I looked outside and saw Elwood rushing down the sidewalk.”
I studied him a moment longer. “Did you see anyone else?”
“Just that silly girl, the one always fussing with those weird coffee flavors. She saw me sitting here and knocked on the door to ask me about the value of Beanie Babies, of all things. Ridiculous. That’s it.”
I nodded slowly. “Did you know your dagger was used to kill Jim?”
His head snapped up. “What? That’s impossible.”
“Someone says they saw a dagger just like it on your table the day you were setting up.”
“I didn’t sell any daggers this weekend, so if it was one of mine, someone must have stolen it off the table.”
“We’ll have to check.”
“Oh, believe me, I’ll be looking, and if someone took it, I will be having a long talk with the company providing security. Besides, why would I use my dagger? I’m not stupid.”
“Of course not. But maybe you thought that would be a good defense.”
“Hold on, when do they think Jim was killed exactly?”
“We don’t know exactly, but Grady thinks it was sometime in the afternoon when everyone was setting up for the festival.
“Well, there you go. I couldn’t have killed Jim. I was busy dealing with festival issues all day that day. You can ask anyone. I barely even managed to get my own booth set up. I spent most of the afternoon running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I swear, if people came to events like this prepared, so many issues could be avoided.
“Who comes to a festival with a cotton candy machine and doesn’t say they need a power outlet? I mean, magic is wonderful, but it doesn’t power the motor on their doggone equipment. I had to beg people to switch spots with them, and it was such a hassle.”
“So I assume there are people who were at the festival when Jim was killed who can attest to you being there?”
He rolled his eyes. “Great Goddess, I could give you a list. Everyone was so needy yesterday.”
