Chapter 4
Finch knocked, after a fashion, on the tent flap. "Hello! Anyone home?" He was greeted by a loud chorus of barking. He frowned. "It's so tedious to pick dog hair off wool pants," he said to himself.
The tent flap was pulled back. A tall man with a pale complexion introduced himself. "I'm Julian Griswell, the animal trainer. Everett Miklas said to expect you."
"I'm Detective Larimer Finch," he said trying to avoid stepping on numerous small dogs sniffing him as he made his way over to the chair Griswell motioned toward. At the back of the tent, a woman was quietly sniffling and dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. Across from him, the miniature pony was sitting with her hind quarters squeezed into a rocking chair. One dog began romancing his leg while he unobtrusively tried to push it away.
"You'll have to forgive my wife. She's in the family way and is easily upset by the recent tragic event." Griswell thumped the pony on the noggin and she climbed up on the bed next to Mrs. Griswell. The animal trainer sat down in the rocking chair and immediately several dogs jumped in his lap.
Finch thought, "This is the interview from hell!" However, he put on a professional smile and asked, "How well did you know Marco Muzzi?" Mrs. Griswell let out a wail.
"Dear, why don't you make sure the tigers are fed? We wouldn't want them to be hungry and eat me during the show, now would we?"
Mrs. Griswell left the tent. Mr. Griswell balefully turned his attention back to the detective.
"How well did you know Marco Muzzi?" Finch repeated.
"We've known him about five years."
"Did you consider yourselves friends?"
"We winter camped together in Indiana so we saw each other year round," Griswell answered, "I think we were very close."
"Do you know why anyone would murder him?"
"No. He was always very good at amusing people. He had a way about him," Griswell stated somewhat distastefully.
"So no one disliked him enough to kill him?" Finch restated. A dog pulled out a ladies silk undergarment from under a blanket. Another dog grabbed on and a tug of war ensued. There was no reaction from Griswell.
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Simultaneously, Stone was going through his own version of hell. "I'd like to ask you a few questions concerning Marco Muzzi's murder," Stone said opening his notebook and preparing to write.
"Sure, hon, go ahead," Penelope, the bearded lady, said as she arranged her skirt a little higher on her extremely hairy leg. Stone immediately stared at his notebook although nothing was written on the open page yet.
"Uh.OK then," he cleared his throat, "Did you know Mr. Muzzi very well?"
"As well as any of the performers. We're all one big happy family. Speaking of families, are you married, Marshal?" Penelope pursed her lips together making her long whiskers wiggle.
"I'll ask the questions here if you don't mind," Stone said gruffly. "Do you know of anyone who had a grudge against him, maybe wanting him dead or out of the way?"
"Marco liked to gamble and carouse, if you know what I mean," she replied, accompanying her last remark with a wink. "Maybe he rubbed someone the wrong way."
The expression on Penelope's face told Stone that she wouldn't mind rubbing up against him. He stood and moved to the door of the tent, seemingly to need better light for writing.
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In the first tent, Katie was getting nowhere. The Rubber Man was more interested in giving her a preview of his show instead of providing answers. He was in the process of demonstrating how he could cross both legs over his shoulders behind his neck.
"How long have you known Marco Muzzi?" she insisted.
"Do I look like a human pretzel?" Rubber Man asked.
"Answer my question," Katie said.
"Long enough," Rubber Man replied evasively, "but Sybil liked me best. She called me her little pretzel."
"Too much personal information," Katie thought at first. However, when discussing the burial arrangements, Flip Muzzi mentioned that Marco's wife was named Sybil. She decided to pursue that angle. "Doesn't your wife travel with you?" she asked innocently.
"I'm not married," Rubber Man said with a jerk of his body, untangling his legs.
"Sorry, my mistake," apologized Katie.
Rubber Man came close to her. Katie felt a little twinge of trepidation. She could smell from his breath he'd been drinking, but he picked up a bottomless water bucket from the table next to her. He proceeded to wiggle into it until it was positioned firmly around his hips.
"Do you know of anyone who disliked him?"
The contortionist doubled over plunging his arms down through the bucket, preparing to follow with his shoulders and head. "He didn't care whose woman he dallied with," he said. He was now doubled over with his chest and thighs squeezed together by the encircling bucket. His butt was sticking up the highest. Katie fought not to giggle.
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A dog was eyeing Finch's lap. Finch tried to stare him down. The dog took it as an invitation to jump up. "Coco doesn't bite," Griswell said in a monotone, "He'll sit on your shoulder." Finch gently put Coco on the floor. "No thanks." he said while thinking, "I'd kick the dog across the tent but then 'Mr. Happy' would sic the big cats on me."
"Where were you from dusk to about nine last night?" Finch asked.
"Settling down my animals. The train ride is stressful for them," Griswell stated.
"Did anyone see you during that time?"
"My wife was assisting me. A local man brought the meat I'd ordered." Griswell stared at Finch, daring the detective to contradict him.
Finch continued on. "Who was the local man?"
"I didn't care about his name, only the meat."
"I need the name to verify your statement," Finch said.
"Maybe my wife knows."
"I certainly intend to ask her." Finch looked to see any reaction from Griswell. The man kept a poker face. "When did you take the pony and cart to the big top?"
"I didn't." Griswell's left eye twitched a bit.
"Who, then?" asked Finch.
"Snowball is trained to perform in the ring. She must have been confused after the train ride." Griswell's eye twitched again.
"She hitched herself to the cart and went there on her own?" asked Finch in a mocking tone.
"Of course not. Other performers use her to haul trunks, furnishings and household items after their quarters are set up. She must have wandered off."
"Any particular performers?" Finch asked.
"Most all of them," replied Griswell. "I'm a very generous man."
"Will Mrs. Griswell be coming back soon?"
"I don't know."
"Please tell her that I want to speak to her," Finch said as he stood up to leave.
Griswell remained where he was but the dogs jumped down to excitedly accompany Finch to the door. He breathed some lungfuls of fresh air outside before going to find Katie and the marshal. Inside the tent, Mr. Griswell took several gulps from a bottle of Gude's Pepto-Mangan elixir, then upended the bottle and drank the rest.
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"Umm.can you account for your whereabouts last night?" Stone asked.
"I was pampering myself with a long, hot bath," Penelope whispered huskily.
"Was there anyone, I mean can anyone verify.?" Stone seemed to be examining his pencil quite closely, "uh, provide an alibi for you?" he finally finished.
"Just what kind of a woman do you take me for. I most certainly bathe alone!" she answered indignantly. "For now," she muttered under her breath.
"Don't leave town," Stone said lamely as he spun around hitting the pole as he barged out of the tent. He almost collided with Finch.
"Marshal, who did you interview?" Stone looked around as though he wasn't paying attention. He was clearly uncomfortable and Finch wasn't going to miss a chance to goad him. "Well?"
"The bearded lady," Stone mumbled. "She didn't see anything."
"Does she have an alibi? Finch struggled to keep from grinning.
"Pretty much." Stone nervously cleared his throat. "She was taking a bath."
"It doesn't sound like you had a very professional conversation," said Finch.
"Drop it, Finch," Stone growled.
"I still need to interview Mrs.Griswell, the animal trainer's wife," Finch said back on a serious track. "Mr. Griswell is connected to the murder. I'd bet money on it."
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Rubber Man extricated himself from the bucket by pulling it downward. He removed his feet and ended up in a hand stand when the bucket hit the ground. "I sing the song, 'There's a Hole in My Bucket', while I perform my amazing feat," he bragged.
"Can you give an accounting for yourself last evening?" Katie pressed on.
"I was at the saloon. Ask the blonde gal. I'm sure she'll remember my limberness," he leered.
Katie blushed. She quickly looked about the tent, noticing a small chest similar to the one in the cart under the table. "Do you use the chest in your act?"
"Come to the show this afternoon and you'll see. I don't want to give away all my secrets, even to a beautiful woman such as you. Care to join me in a drink?" He smiled.
"No thanks," she refused. "I think you've had enough for the both of us."
"Too bad you're a teetotaler. The booze lubricates me for my work and other activities, you know," he hinted suggestively.
"I have to go now," Katie said. "See you at the show." She tried to stroll out nonchalantly. She was relieved to see Stone and Finch waiting for her although she'd never admit it. At the same time, the interview had given her a little rush. "Katie Owen, Detective Extraordinaire!" she thought.
"I think the chest from the pony cart belongs to the Rubber Man. His girlfriend and Marco's wife were both called Sybil. What if he hated Marco Muzzi because Marco stole his girlfriend and married her?" she conjectured eagerly. "Let's arrest him!"
"Not so fast," said Stone. "All we have is circumstantial evidence. The chest was there but no one saw the Rubber Man."
"There were two different fingerprints on the trapeze bar, Marco's and an unidentified person's. That could be the Rubber Man," Finch pointed out. "If we can place him at the scene, then we can put pressure on him to tell the rest of the story. On the other hand, I think creepy Griswell isn't telling the whole truth as well. The print could also be his."
"Flip was up there too. What about his fingerprint being on the bar?" asked Stone.
"No, I've already ruled him out with no match since he was good enough to consent to give me his prints," Finch replied.
"The Rubber Man has invited me to watch his act for the matinee show. There'll be an opportunity to lift a print from one of his props while he's performing," Katie said.
The trio split up again to finish the interviews. Nobody had seen much. After the initial scurrying around to set up camp, the circus people spent the evening resting in their tents from the long train trip into Silver City. One of the clowns mentioned he thought he saw a woman near the big top about the time the Muzzi brothers were working on their equipment. The roustabout helping with the exotic animals said both Mr and Mrs Griswell were in the area but he wasn't sure of the time. He left periodically to handle other performers' requests for assistance. Everyone did agree that Marco Muzzi had a reputation as a "ladies man". After conferring with each other, Stone, Finch and Katie headed back to town
In the time remaining before the show, Katie finished preparing Marco's body for shipment. Stone went to the telegraph office to check on information from Indiana. He stopped by the office briefly to find out if Chip needed any help. Some townspeople waylaid him to complain about the lack of the aerialist act at the circus, wanting a reduction in the ticket price. When Stone reminded them that a man had died, they hardly seemed contrite. Finch asked Luci's girls if the Rubber Man had been at the saloon. One of them said that he went upstairs with her around eight o'clock but didn't stay long. When questioned further about his demeanor, she giggled and said sure he acted strangely. She thought that was normal for a circus performer. Afterwards, Finch tried in vain to find a useable fingerprint from the smudged collection off the chest.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" the ringmaster loudly intoned, starting the circus matinee performance. Katie was outside the entrance among the circus acts waiting in line for the big top grand parade. Stone was keeping a protective watch a little distance away. Katie was pretending to be interested in the Rubber Man in order to have access to his things. He hadn't liked the idea but he was overruled by Finch and Katie. At least, he didn't have to worry about the bearded lady hitting on him; she was busy in the sideshow tent.
Stone turned his attention back to the circus action. After the parade, the animal trainer began the dog and pony show. In the other ring, the fire jugglers were amazing people. Some roustabouts were standing with water pails at the ready. Fire in the big top could be a major disaster. Tiny and Bart were patrolling with shovels near the pony to scoop up any mess right away. "Ideal job for those two," he thought.
Katie came to stand with Stone and whispered, "He told me to go away. I didn't want to make him suspicious." They moved beside the front row of spectators to have a wider view of the events. When the dogs and pony left the ring, the clowns ran in. One paused to harass Finch by trying to dance a jig with him. Finch wouldn't cooperate so the clown headed in the marshal and Katie's direction. Stone pointed to his badge and the clown made an exaggerated motion of being handcuffed. The crowd laughed loudly. Finch casually left the tent unnoticed.
When the clowns' entertainment was finished, Mr. Miklas announced the Rubber Man. The pony galloped into the ring with the chest in the cart. A great silence filled the big top and then a drum roll began. Nothing happened after several minutes. The ringmaster went to the chest and tapped it. He appeared upset. Finally, he jerked the lid open. The chest was empty. He stomped over to Marshal Stone. "He's supposed to be in there. The Rubber Man has disappeared!"
Finch knocked, after a fashion, on the tent flap. "Hello! Anyone home?" He was greeted by a loud chorus of barking. He frowned. "It's so tedious to pick dog hair off wool pants," he said to himself.
The tent flap was pulled back. A tall man with a pale complexion introduced himself. "I'm Julian Griswell, the animal trainer. Everett Miklas said to expect you."
"I'm Detective Larimer Finch," he said trying to avoid stepping on numerous small dogs sniffing him as he made his way over to the chair Griswell motioned toward. At the back of the tent, a woman was quietly sniffling and dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. Across from him, the miniature pony was sitting with her hind quarters squeezed into a rocking chair. One dog began romancing his leg while he unobtrusively tried to push it away.
"You'll have to forgive my wife. She's in the family way and is easily upset by the recent tragic event." Griswell thumped the pony on the noggin and she climbed up on the bed next to Mrs. Griswell. The animal trainer sat down in the rocking chair and immediately several dogs jumped in his lap.
Finch thought, "This is the interview from hell!" However, he put on a professional smile and asked, "How well did you know Marco Muzzi?" Mrs. Griswell let out a wail.
"Dear, why don't you make sure the tigers are fed? We wouldn't want them to be hungry and eat me during the show, now would we?"
Mrs. Griswell left the tent. Mr. Griswell balefully turned his attention back to the detective.
"How well did you know Marco Muzzi?" Finch repeated.
"We've known him about five years."
"Did you consider yourselves friends?"
"We winter camped together in Indiana so we saw each other year round," Griswell answered, "I think we were very close."
"Do you know why anyone would murder him?"
"No. He was always very good at amusing people. He had a way about him," Griswell stated somewhat distastefully.
"So no one disliked him enough to kill him?" Finch restated. A dog pulled out a ladies silk undergarment from under a blanket. Another dog grabbed on and a tug of war ensued. There was no reaction from Griswell.
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Simultaneously, Stone was going through his own version of hell. "I'd like to ask you a few questions concerning Marco Muzzi's murder," Stone said opening his notebook and preparing to write.
"Sure, hon, go ahead," Penelope, the bearded lady, said as she arranged her skirt a little higher on her extremely hairy leg. Stone immediately stared at his notebook although nothing was written on the open page yet.
"Uh.OK then," he cleared his throat, "Did you know Mr. Muzzi very well?"
"As well as any of the performers. We're all one big happy family. Speaking of families, are you married, Marshal?" Penelope pursed her lips together making her long whiskers wiggle.
"I'll ask the questions here if you don't mind," Stone said gruffly. "Do you know of anyone who had a grudge against him, maybe wanting him dead or out of the way?"
"Marco liked to gamble and carouse, if you know what I mean," she replied, accompanying her last remark with a wink. "Maybe he rubbed someone the wrong way."
The expression on Penelope's face told Stone that she wouldn't mind rubbing up against him. He stood and moved to the door of the tent, seemingly to need better light for writing.
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In the first tent, Katie was getting nowhere. The Rubber Man was more interested in giving her a preview of his show instead of providing answers. He was in the process of demonstrating how he could cross both legs over his shoulders behind his neck.
"How long have you known Marco Muzzi?" she insisted.
"Do I look like a human pretzel?" Rubber Man asked.
"Answer my question," Katie said.
"Long enough," Rubber Man replied evasively, "but Sybil liked me best. She called me her little pretzel."
"Too much personal information," Katie thought at first. However, when discussing the burial arrangements, Flip Muzzi mentioned that Marco's wife was named Sybil. She decided to pursue that angle. "Doesn't your wife travel with you?" she asked innocently.
"I'm not married," Rubber Man said with a jerk of his body, untangling his legs.
"Sorry, my mistake," apologized Katie.
Rubber Man came close to her. Katie felt a little twinge of trepidation. She could smell from his breath he'd been drinking, but he picked up a bottomless water bucket from the table next to her. He proceeded to wiggle into it until it was positioned firmly around his hips.
"Do you know of anyone who disliked him?"
The contortionist doubled over plunging his arms down through the bucket, preparing to follow with his shoulders and head. "He didn't care whose woman he dallied with," he said. He was now doubled over with his chest and thighs squeezed together by the encircling bucket. His butt was sticking up the highest. Katie fought not to giggle.
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A dog was eyeing Finch's lap. Finch tried to stare him down. The dog took it as an invitation to jump up. "Coco doesn't bite," Griswell said in a monotone, "He'll sit on your shoulder." Finch gently put Coco on the floor. "No thanks." he said while thinking, "I'd kick the dog across the tent but then 'Mr. Happy' would sic the big cats on me."
"Where were you from dusk to about nine last night?" Finch asked.
"Settling down my animals. The train ride is stressful for them," Griswell stated.
"Did anyone see you during that time?"
"My wife was assisting me. A local man brought the meat I'd ordered." Griswell stared at Finch, daring the detective to contradict him.
Finch continued on. "Who was the local man?"
"I didn't care about his name, only the meat."
"I need the name to verify your statement," Finch said.
"Maybe my wife knows."
"I certainly intend to ask her." Finch looked to see any reaction from Griswell. The man kept a poker face. "When did you take the pony and cart to the big top?"
"I didn't." Griswell's left eye twitched a bit.
"Who, then?" asked Finch.
"Snowball is trained to perform in the ring. She must have been confused after the train ride." Griswell's eye twitched again.
"She hitched herself to the cart and went there on her own?" asked Finch in a mocking tone.
"Of course not. Other performers use her to haul trunks, furnishings and household items after their quarters are set up. She must have wandered off."
"Any particular performers?" Finch asked.
"Most all of them," replied Griswell. "I'm a very generous man."
"Will Mrs. Griswell be coming back soon?"
"I don't know."
"Please tell her that I want to speak to her," Finch said as he stood up to leave.
Griswell remained where he was but the dogs jumped down to excitedly accompany Finch to the door. He breathed some lungfuls of fresh air outside before going to find Katie and the marshal. Inside the tent, Mr. Griswell took several gulps from a bottle of Gude's Pepto-Mangan elixir, then upended the bottle and drank the rest.
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"Umm.can you account for your whereabouts last night?" Stone asked.
"I was pampering myself with a long, hot bath," Penelope whispered huskily.
"Was there anyone, I mean can anyone verify.?" Stone seemed to be examining his pencil quite closely, "uh, provide an alibi for you?" he finally finished.
"Just what kind of a woman do you take me for. I most certainly bathe alone!" she answered indignantly. "For now," she muttered under her breath.
"Don't leave town," Stone said lamely as he spun around hitting the pole as he barged out of the tent. He almost collided with Finch.
"Marshal, who did you interview?" Stone looked around as though he wasn't paying attention. He was clearly uncomfortable and Finch wasn't going to miss a chance to goad him. "Well?"
"The bearded lady," Stone mumbled. "She didn't see anything."
"Does she have an alibi? Finch struggled to keep from grinning.
"Pretty much." Stone nervously cleared his throat. "She was taking a bath."
"It doesn't sound like you had a very professional conversation," said Finch.
"Drop it, Finch," Stone growled.
"I still need to interview Mrs.Griswell, the animal trainer's wife," Finch said back on a serious track. "Mr. Griswell is connected to the murder. I'd bet money on it."
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Rubber Man extricated himself from the bucket by pulling it downward. He removed his feet and ended up in a hand stand when the bucket hit the ground. "I sing the song, 'There's a Hole in My Bucket', while I perform my amazing feat," he bragged.
"Can you give an accounting for yourself last evening?" Katie pressed on.
"I was at the saloon. Ask the blonde gal. I'm sure she'll remember my limberness," he leered.
Katie blushed. She quickly looked about the tent, noticing a small chest similar to the one in the cart under the table. "Do you use the chest in your act?"
"Come to the show this afternoon and you'll see. I don't want to give away all my secrets, even to a beautiful woman such as you. Care to join me in a drink?" He smiled.
"No thanks," she refused. "I think you've had enough for the both of us."
"Too bad you're a teetotaler. The booze lubricates me for my work and other activities, you know," he hinted suggestively.
"I have to go now," Katie said. "See you at the show." She tried to stroll out nonchalantly. She was relieved to see Stone and Finch waiting for her although she'd never admit it. At the same time, the interview had given her a little rush. "Katie Owen, Detective Extraordinaire!" she thought.
"I think the chest from the pony cart belongs to the Rubber Man. His girlfriend and Marco's wife were both called Sybil. What if he hated Marco Muzzi because Marco stole his girlfriend and married her?" she conjectured eagerly. "Let's arrest him!"
"Not so fast," said Stone. "All we have is circumstantial evidence. The chest was there but no one saw the Rubber Man."
"There were two different fingerprints on the trapeze bar, Marco's and an unidentified person's. That could be the Rubber Man," Finch pointed out. "If we can place him at the scene, then we can put pressure on him to tell the rest of the story. On the other hand, I think creepy Griswell isn't telling the whole truth as well. The print could also be his."
"Flip was up there too. What about his fingerprint being on the bar?" asked Stone.
"No, I've already ruled him out with no match since he was good enough to consent to give me his prints," Finch replied.
"The Rubber Man has invited me to watch his act for the matinee show. There'll be an opportunity to lift a print from one of his props while he's performing," Katie said.
The trio split up again to finish the interviews. Nobody had seen much. After the initial scurrying around to set up camp, the circus people spent the evening resting in their tents from the long train trip into Silver City. One of the clowns mentioned he thought he saw a woman near the big top about the time the Muzzi brothers were working on their equipment. The roustabout helping with the exotic animals said both Mr and Mrs Griswell were in the area but he wasn't sure of the time. He left periodically to handle other performers' requests for assistance. Everyone did agree that Marco Muzzi had a reputation as a "ladies man". After conferring with each other, Stone, Finch and Katie headed back to town
In the time remaining before the show, Katie finished preparing Marco's body for shipment. Stone went to the telegraph office to check on information from Indiana. He stopped by the office briefly to find out if Chip needed any help. Some townspeople waylaid him to complain about the lack of the aerialist act at the circus, wanting a reduction in the ticket price. When Stone reminded them that a man had died, they hardly seemed contrite. Finch asked Luci's girls if the Rubber Man had been at the saloon. One of them said that he went upstairs with her around eight o'clock but didn't stay long. When questioned further about his demeanor, she giggled and said sure he acted strangely. She thought that was normal for a circus performer. Afterwards, Finch tried in vain to find a useable fingerprint from the smudged collection off the chest.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" the ringmaster loudly intoned, starting the circus matinee performance. Katie was outside the entrance among the circus acts waiting in line for the big top grand parade. Stone was keeping a protective watch a little distance away. Katie was pretending to be interested in the Rubber Man in order to have access to his things. He hadn't liked the idea but he was overruled by Finch and Katie. At least, he didn't have to worry about the bearded lady hitting on him; she was busy in the sideshow tent.
Stone turned his attention back to the circus action. After the parade, the animal trainer began the dog and pony show. In the other ring, the fire jugglers were amazing people. Some roustabouts were standing with water pails at the ready. Fire in the big top could be a major disaster. Tiny and Bart were patrolling with shovels near the pony to scoop up any mess right away. "Ideal job for those two," he thought.
Katie came to stand with Stone and whispered, "He told me to go away. I didn't want to make him suspicious." They moved beside the front row of spectators to have a wider view of the events. When the dogs and pony left the ring, the clowns ran in. One paused to harass Finch by trying to dance a jig with him. Finch wouldn't cooperate so the clown headed in the marshal and Katie's direction. Stone pointed to his badge and the clown made an exaggerated motion of being handcuffed. The crowd laughed loudly. Finch casually left the tent unnoticed.
When the clowns' entertainment was finished, Mr. Miklas announced the Rubber Man. The pony galloped into the ring with the chest in the cart. A great silence filled the big top and then a drum roll began. Nothing happened after several minutes. The ringmaster went to the chest and tapped it. He appeared upset. Finally, he jerked the lid open. The chest was empty. He stomped over to Marshal Stone. "He's supposed to be in there. The Rubber Man has disappeared!"
