I patted his arm reassuringly.
“Everyone, let’s move back,” Cameron shouted over the din of murmuring guests.“We need to clear the path for the emergency workers.”
As if on cue, I could hear sirens in the distance.The festival attendees followed Cameron’s directions, moving back onto the lawn.Some of the families with children herded them toward the parking lot.
Good call, but I knew Cameron would be upset that the event was coming to an unfortunate end.Not as unfortunate as Santa’s however.
I grimaced at my thoughts.Apparently I had the same macabre sense of humor under stress as Dave.
“Who is down there?”I overheard a woman I didn’t recognize ask the man with her.He was also unknown to me.Probably flatlanders as the locals would call them.
“The Santa,” the man said with a shake of his head.
“Oh no.”The woman shook her head then started toward the inn.
“Where are you going?”her companion called after her.
“Canceling our reservation.I’m not staying here after someone died.This was supposed to be a romantic getaway for our anniversary.”
The man, who was clearly her husband, rolled his eyes in exasperation.“We don’t even know if he’s dead.”
“He’s dead,” Dave stepped forward to inform them.
The wife gave her husband a pointed look, then continued her march toward the inn.
The husband sighed but fell into step behind her.“I guess you’re going to get to stay in Bar Harbor like you wanted.”
His wife didn’t slow her pace.“Looks like it.”
“Great,” Oliver muttered, rubbing his hand over his face.“This is a disaster.”
“Don’t worry,” I reassured him.“The authorities will quickly have this situation under control, I’m sure.”
I felt badly referring to a man’s untimely demise as a “situation,” but it was better than saying,I’m sure the authorities will have the dead Santa out of the way in a jiff.
I looked around.More families steered their children toward the parking lot.It was probably safe to say that Santa tumbling over a cliff had put a damper on the afternoon.
A few moments later, an ambulance and two police cars pulled into the parking lot with their lights flashing and sirens blaring.If anybody had somehow remained oblivious to the incident, they were now well aware.
“I’m sure it’s going to be okay,” I continued to say to Oliver as we watched EMTs race toward the still-gathered crowd at the edge of the lawn.“I mean, it was an accident.”
Both Oliver and Dave gave me astonished looks.
“What?”I said.“Sometimes things like this are just accidents.”
“I never thought I’d see the day you’d go straight to an accident,” Oliver said with a wry chuckle.“The town’s detective actually thinking there was nothing suspicious?”
I mean, I wasn’t going to rule out that there might be something suspicious about the Santa’s death, but right now was not the time.
“Which Santa was it?”Oliver suddenly asked.
I realized then that we did actually have two Santas who could be the possible victim.
“It was definitely Peanut,” Dave answered before I could.“The guy down there on the rocks is short and round.And even in death, his beard is on crooked.”
Poor guy.
Beside me, the teenager with the space buns said, “Gross.”
