“You should probably get Jack loaded up right now,” I said to both Dave and George.
“Are you worried that people are blaming your llama?”Dougie asked, piling frying baskets into a box.
How the heck had he heard that was the popular theory?I didn’t bother trying to figure out the gossip phone tree of Friendship Harbor.
“Yeah.I think that it’s best we just get him out of here.”I glanced over my shoulder, half-expecting a marauding horde with torches and pitchforks charging our way.
Instead, I saw Cameron striding toward us.
“You’re breaking down?”he said as he reached us.“Why are you breaking down?”
I frowned at his agitated reaction.“I figured, given the situation, you’d be ending the festival early.”
“Sheriff Pelletier assured me that the situation would be dealt with promptly,” he said, his words clipped with frustration.
I just stared back at him.Was he seriously saying that even after a man’s death, he still intended to have jugglers, carolers singing Christmas carols, and a puppet show go on?
I struggled to find the right way to react.“I just assumed that you wouldn’t want to keep the festival going.A person lost their life.”
He must have seen my stricken expression, because the tight scowl of aggravation faded from his face.He raked his hand through his hair.From the way his perfect locks stuck out wildly, I could tell he had done it several times already.
“I’m sorry.That sounded callous.I’ve just put so much time and money into everything.I wanted this grand opening to be spectacular.”
“Well, it was certainly memorable,” George Sprague said as he finished putting containers of lobster meat into one of the coolers.He started over to where Dave stood waiting for him.On his way past the booth, he snagged his barstool.“They’ll be talking about it for years.I’m ready when you all are.”
Have barstool will travel, I guess.
“Soph,” Dave said.“Don’t worry.We’ll get Jack back safely.”
I nodded.“Thank you.”
The two men cut across the lawn directly toward the parking area, but not before Dave paused to call back to Cameron.
“I think it’s okay to call it a day on the festival.It looks like the parking lot has already thinned out a lot.”
I was sure that Dave actually meant that as a reassurance, but when I looked back to Cameron, his mouth was set in a grim frown.He swiped a hand through his hair again.
“I know you’re really disappointed,” I said to him softly.“I know how hard you’ve been working.I’m sorry this happened.”
Cameron closed his eyes in frustration, but then opened them and forced a smile.
“Well, George is right.I guess it’ll be memorable,” he said.
I nodded, offering him a weak smile.
“And I guess it was better people think your llama knocked him over the edge of the cliff rather than questioning the integrity of the retaining wall or some other issue that could fall back onto me and the inn.”
My smile disappeared.
I wasn’t sure if I was more upset that maybe he suspected my pet too.Or if he was just willing to let Jack be the scapegoat.Scapellama.
Cameron’s frown returned as he registered my stricken expression.He immediately reached for my hand, gently squeezing my fingers.
“Sophie, I agree with Sheriff Pelletier that the old guy was just drunk and fell, but I’m relieved there is no talk that this is somehow the fault of the inn.”
I could understand that, but it still hurt that he was okay with my beloved pet being the subject of gossip.Gossip that said he was a killer.
“But you don’t think Jack could possibly be responsible, do you?”
