“At the playground, watching the kids on the bouncy thingy; and of course, the leprechauns helping and making sure that the kids play well,” Jackson said. “Let’s go and join them—”
“No need. They saw us. They’re coming here.”
They were indeed. Zach and Skye, with Deirdre unbeknownst by the crowd, were coming toward them.
“You found the tunnel. Great work,” Jackson said as the group arrived.
“Great, icky work,” Skye said, grimacing.
“But she saw the leprechaun carrying the girl here!” Zach said. “The tunnel lets out in back of the haunted house things, whatever that is.”
“We just went in it,” Angela said quickly. “There’s no reason for us to do it again. If we’re looking for a leprechaun—”
“We checked the kids’ play area. None of the ‘leprechauns’ watching over the kids there is our leprechaun,” Skye assured them.
“Mini golf,” Jackson said. “I’ll get in line for our clubs and balls, and we can play and give you a chance to study the leprechauns there.”
“That looks fun. Wish I could play!” Deidre told them. “And . . . well, I’m not going to be much help. I wasn’t there. If only I had been! Well, I couldn’t have stopped what happened, but I’d be able to tell you how to move forward!”
“It’s okay. You are helping us,” Angela assured her. It was Skye, of course, who had helped them the most. Her talent was so unique. It was good to have “The Crows” on board with the Krewe. More than good; more than they had ever hoped.
“So, putt-putt with leprechauns,” Zach said as they followed Jackson who paid for their entry as they all picked out their clubs and different colored balls.
A leprechaun was selling tickets.
And a leprechaun was helping customers choose clubs and balls.
But Skye shook her head. Neither of them was the leprechaun who had taken off with Colleen Donegal.
And so they played mini golf. Leprechauns were running around here, there, and everywhere.
“Most of our leprechauns are women,” Angela noted.
“Because there just aren’t that many men who are five feet and under?” Zach suggested.
“True, though, I’ve noticed that it’s after school time; and I think some of our leprechauns may not even be old enough for the haunted house,” Skye observed. She shrugged.
Angela took a swing at her ball.
Horrible.
She just wasn’t good at this. She winced as the others took turns.
Jackson had just nailed a ball through one of the holes—a tunnel beneath a pixie cuddling a shamrock—when Skye suddenly gasped.
“Our leprechaun!” Skye told them.
“Where?” Jackson asked.
Skye pointed across the field. Jackson dropped his mallet and started in the direction, toward the “leprechaun” that Skye had pointed to.
But the leprechaun saw him and turned, starting to run. Run hard behind the haunted house.
Naturally, they all tore after the leprechaun.
There was a tangle of woods behind the haunted attraction.
It was while she headed out on the chase that Angela saw Deidre was looking at the haunted house.
