The clown cackled its evil laugh.
“Where the hell is that coming from?”Charlie demanded.“It’s damn creepy.”
“That’s what I said,” Maia muttered.“I heard a crash from the rear of the house.A broken window.”
“Stay there while we check it out.Shout if you see anyone,” Laura ordered.
“You’ll hear me scream,” Maia said dryly.“Half of Middlemarch will hear me.Did you see where Juno went?”Maia was worried about Juno.She’d hate to tell Henry she’d lost his dog.His favorite.
As if she’d sent a message, Juno appeared from the darkness.She ran to Maia, and Maia petted her, full of relief.
Laura trotted around the corner of Maia’s house.“Can I check your window?It’s too dark to see the damage.”Laura’s tone had her warning antenna pinging.
“What’s going on?”
“Not sure yet.We need light.”
Maia led the way to the rear bedroom.Her steps slowed, and she halted in the doorway, reaching around to flick on the light.Her gaze went straight to the broken window and she let out aneepof alarm before her eyes and her brain caught up.
The upper torso of a skeleton, decked out in a clown’s costume and curly red wig, was halfway through her window.It even had a red bubble nose on its leering face.
She took an involuntary step back.“Who does that?”
“They appear to be working to a theme,” Laura said.“The laughter was evil-clown from a horror movie.I’m impressed.This prank shows planning.”
“Laura,” Maia chided.“They scared me half to death.”
“You didn’t see anyone?”
“No, the creepy music started.It moved, which means someone had a portable speaker and wandered to give me a surround sound effect.”
Laura snorted.“That’s one way of putting it.Charlie, you still out there?”
“Yeah.Do you want me to pull it out?”
“Let me take photos first.”Laura whipped her phone from her pocket.She snapped several shots before shouting at Charlie to do the same.
Once they’d taken evidence, Charlie pulled the clown skeleton back through the window.
“Let’s get the entire effect,” Laura said, and they headed for the front door.
Maia opened the door to find Charlie leaning against a verandah support, his arm around the clown skeleton and wearing a broad grin.“How do you like my mate?”
“Not much,” Maia said.Someone wanted to scare her.“He’d look better dressed in a tutu.”
Laura let out a laugh.“We don’t have any use for it; we have evidence photos.Why don’t you use it as a scarecrow?”
“I could have fun with the skeleton.Could you take a photo of me and the clown so I can send it to Henry?He won’t believe this.Actually, on second thought, could Laura be in the photo too?Then Henry will believe me when I tell him I did everything right.”
Laura nodded approval.“I like to keep two steps ahead of my husband.”
Maia led the way inside.“We should take this inside in case the person is watching.”
“I agree,” Laura said.
“Would you like tea or a coffee before you head out?”Maia ran her hand over Juno’s shoulder, and the dog leaned into her.Juno seemed calmer now, which told Maia the person had left.
The two cops shared a glance.
