Chapter 4
Matt made his way to his seat, which was always near the ring where Evie did her dance.
Something was bothering him. he was still worrying that his brother's would-be frat brothers were going to try something. Because they hadn't gotten the free tickets they had been promised.
As the acts progressed, Matt found that he was spending more time looking around at the different ways in and out of the big top than he was spending looking at the acts. Suddenly the house lights went down again, but thanks to his night vision Matt could see the stage hands rushing out to put down the sections of flooring that made up the dance floor that Evie used. Everybody else was distracted by the high wire act over in the ring on the other side of the big top.
A few minutes later the highwire act ended and the crowd broke out in applause. Even though he hadn't seen much of the act this time, Matt applauded too.
Suddenly in mid-applause Matt caught a whiff of something in the air. It was a faint chemical smell similar to the smell of furniture varnish.
The scent was familiar to him but he couldn't quite place it.
While he was trying to figure out where he knew that scent from, Rafael announced Evie's act. The other lights went down and several costumed performers appeared in a procession around the ring where Evie was about to make her appearance. They were all carrying lit candles.
When Matt saw the candles, he stopped short. that was it, the scent he couldn't identify, it was wax, floor wax, and it was coming from the dance floor!
"Somebody waxed Evie's dance floor!" Matt gasped he jumped up intending to try and warn Evie but it was too late. Evie's entrance for this dance was a flying leap into the ring, but as soon as her slippered feet touched the floor they went flying out from under her and she went down hard. Her head made a sickening thud when it hit the ground.
Matt was over the railing, between the audience and the performance area in an instant and was the first to reach her. he heard running footsteps behind him, Evie's family was coming.
"Evie!" cried Matt
But there was no answer. Evie was unconscious.
"What happened?!" said Rafael, but as he stepped onto the dance floor his feet almost slid out from under him!
"That happened," said Matt, "Somebody waxed Evie's dance floor! Be careful"
"It couldn't be one of us," said Risa, as Matt checked Evie's vitals, "Nobody in the clan is that stupid!"
"Will figure all that out later," said Lisa, "First we have to tend to your sister."
Matt carefully picked up Evie cradling her neck and carried her out of the ring. Rafael took off his ringmaster's jacket and hat and handing them to His sister Carmen, told her to take over and go on with the show.
Carmen nodded though she was clearly concerned about her niece.
Matt carried Evie back to the family trailer and laid her on her bed while Lisa sent Risa to get the camp apothecary, Catherine.
Catherine checked Evie out, and, after assuring them that Evie would be fine, she prescribed a painkiller to help with the headache that she said Evie would have when she woke up.
Matt was fuming. Controlling himself, he turned to Rafael.
"Where is Evie's dance floor kept before the act?" he asked
"Just outside the side entrance in the staging area where the grand procession starts." Said Rafael
Matt nodded and headed toward the door.
"Where are you going?" asked Risa
"To snoop." Replied Matt, "I don't think this was just a dumb mistake!"
To be continued…Please Review
