After enjoying the children's Halloween Parade on Main Street in Cabot Cove Jessica and Seth returned home to light their pumpkins and hand out full sized candy bars to the urchins who came begging.
Jessica pushed the front door closed with her shoulder and leaned against it. She cradled a purple bowl in her left arm. With her free hand she pushed a wisp of hair from her forehead. "Whew! I hope that's the last bunch of trick-or-treaters, Seth. We're just about out of candy - I gave that last kid extra bars since he had such an original costume."
"Trying to get rid of the surplus candy, Jess? You know it won't go to waste!" Seth called from the kitchen where he was making tea.
"No, it was just such a scary costume. He was dressed in a nice black suit, white shirt, and black tie with his hair neatly slicked back, wearing black horn-rimmed glasses and carrying a little black briefcase."
"What's so scary about that?"
Jessica giggled. "He yelled 'trick-or-treat' as he opened his briefcase. Inside the lid was a big black lettered sign that read 'IRS! Pay Up or Get Audited!'"
Seth joined in the laughter. "That is scary! We surely had a bumper crop of kids this year. But the official trick-or-treating hours just ended so we should be done."
On her way to the kitchen Jessica put the mostly empty bowl on the dining room table. "In that case, you and I need to change into our costumes for the Mayor's re-election Halloween bonfire bash and pep rally."
"I think it's a good idea that the city council changed the mayor's term to coincide with the November elections," opined Seth. "But I just can't get used to seeing all these placards with Sam Booth's face all over them on so many lawns."
"Apparently, he feels like he has a challenge to his office this year," noted Jessica. "So he's putting on this party to garner more votes."
"Do we really have to go?" groaned Seth. He reconsidered and added, "I mean, I will, if you really want to…"
"I do. It'll be fun. Sam promises cider, doughnuts, hot dogs, s'mores, live music, and don't forget the big prize for the best costume."
"Hmmm, it would be really nice to have someone else do all the snow shoveling this winter," considered Seth. "All right, I'm in!"
"That's the spirit!" said Jessica as she came up to him. "Now, about the costume you picked out for me to wear…"
Uh-oh, thought Seth. Aloud he challenged her, "Have you figured out what I selected for you to go as?"
"Yes," Jessica confirmed with a big smile. "You're dressing me up as Sherlock Holmes."
"Confound it, Woman! After I went through all that trouble to hide that purple cape, white satin sash, and crown in my closet to mislead you, you still figured out the real costume I planned for you," a cheerfully exasperated Seth complained.
Jessica grinned at her husband's good-natured consternation. "I noticed the gown, sash, and crown. But I also saw your new ulster coat with the cape that you got two weeks ago and haven't even tried on yet and the deerstalker hat you supposedly bought for yourself last week. I also noticed the stem of a Calabash pipe peeking out of the coat's pocket - of course you don't smoke. Besides, I haven't been able to find my magnifying glass for the last couple of days."
Jessica put her arms around Seth's neck and smiled into his hazel eyes. "I put them all together and came up with - Sherlock Holmes! But I'm curious, what was the other outfit supposed to mislead me into thinking?"
Settling his hands on her waist Seth admitted, "I was originally going to have you go as The Queen of Mystery. But it's going to be near 30 degrees tonight and I didn't want you to catch a chill. Holmes wore woolens - it'll keep you warm."
"Now," Seth continued, "I am not the sleuth you are, so let us save a lot of trouble and please just tell me. What costume did you pick out for me? I haven't been able to find a single clue."
Jessica released him from her embrace and went to a lower kitchen cabinet where she pulled out a large brown paper bag and the hat box under it.
"You too will be warm in your gray herringbone tweed suit, a high-collard white shirt and,…" She then pulled from the bag ",… a crossover black tie,…" The lid came off the hat box ",… a black bowler hat with red cardinal feather, and lastly,…" Jessica dipped once more into the bag, ",… a big brown hairy mustache!" she said as she pressed the brown strip above Seth's mouth and then kissed him.
Jessica put her hand to her mouth and rubbed it a little, then she snickered. "It tickles!"
Seth chuckled. "Am I to understand that I am… Dr. Watson?"
"Oh, yes! I almost forgot." Jessica dove into the brown paper bag once more and produced a small brown plastic toy doctor's bag, complete with a red cross on one side and "Dr. J. Watson" stenciled in on the other.
"Yes! I figured you'd be most comfortable being what you are. You don't mind being Watson to my Holmes, do you?"
"Mind?! I'm ecstatic," claimed Seth. "I was afraid you were going to wrap me in a white sheet and make me go as an extra large marshmallow, or something!"
Jessica threw her arms back around her husband and they both laughed heartily at the image he had conjured up. Seth picked up his ersatz medical bag and noticed that something in it rattled a bit. "What's in here, anyway?" He opened the lid to find it filled with miniature candy. "For me?!" he happily observed.
"No, Seth," Jessica smiled at him. "We've had enough candy for one night. I was thinking that you could treat any 'patients' you come across at the bonfire with these little goodies."
"Great idea! Chocolate is a natural anti-depressant. I always thought it was about time science proved something tasty was good for you! We'll be sure to win the grand prize, now!"
….. ….. …..
A short time later Jessica and Seth, suitably attired as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, joined Mayor Sam Booth's pep rally in a farmer's field at the edge of town.
"My, things are already in full swing," Jessica noted as they approached the bonfire out in the clearing. A dozen costumed revelers were roasting hot dogs or marshmallows around it, their happy faces aglow in the light of the flames while the newly risen full moon shone down from above.
They stopped at the smokey blaze to greet their neighbors and fellow townsfolk.
Music came from the open double doors of the hay barn and dancers could be seen twirling around inside. "Let's head in and pay our respects to Sam," suggested Seth.
After they walked into the barn Jessica started laughing and waved towards the six musicians gathered at the back wall. "Just look at the the band's name on the big banner above them." Seth chuckled too as he read, The Mummies and the Deaddies - Playing Both Ancient and New Music Just For You! - Half the musicians were wrapped in white gauze while the other three sported greenish faces and wore tattered gray robes.
Abraham Lincoln approached them with outstretched arms. "Jessica! Seth! I'm so glad you could make it!," exclaimed the incumbent mayor, decked out in a black frock coat and black stovepipe hat, along with fake whiskers. He shook their hands vigorously. "What wonderful costumes you have on! You know, the band is going to have a hard time selecting the winner tonight - there are so many creative get-ups. Well, enjoy yourselves, I've got to move along and press the flesh," he breathlessly said as he waved and moved away.
While enjoying some refreshments the couple evaluated their competition. "Well," observed Jessica, "there are pirates and zombies galore, as well as other more outlandish outfits. Over there is Sandra in a yellow dress, pearls, and tall blue hair as Marge Simpson, Brett on the other side with a red cap, red and white striped shirt, and round glasses going as Waldo, and look, her comes Sally from the bakery in that oversized bright yellow, coat. I wonder what she's supposed to be?"
The vision in yellow came up to them. "Hi Jessica, hi Seth!" She greeted just before tugging her knee length coat open from both sides to reveal the lining littered with suspended sea shells of every type and shape.
Jessica chortled heartily as she got the joke. "You're Sally, who sells sea shells by the sea shore, aren't you?"
"There's just not getting anything by you, Jessica!" was Sally's good-natured reply. "See you in the winner's circle."
Mort and Adele walked up and as she left. "Wow, you won't miss her in a snowstorm," said Mort. "Say, how do you like the get-up Adele made for me?"
Jessica and Seth took in the coonskin cap and fringed buckskin coat and breeches, along with the small wooden cork pop-gun the sheriff carried. "Daniel Boone?" guessed Seth.
"Right you are, doc," beamed Mort. "Now, guess Adele's."
Jessica apprised Mort's wife, who was adorned with a white cotton cap, white apron, nearly floor length blue cotton dress and carried a sewing circle with a bit of red, blue and white material in it and a large plastic needle with red thread twined through it. "Hmm, and I'd say Adele was Betsy Ross. Am I right?"
"Spot on!" agreed Adele. "Mort and I were just going outside to roast some wieners, we'll see you later!"
Just as they left the band began to play the eerie old Hitchcock tune "Music to be Murdered By." "Would you like to dance, my dear?" offered Seth. Jessica took his hand and they cuddled closely on the dance floor for a slow sway.
"Mmmm," cooed Seth. "You smell wonderful."
Jessica inhaled, "Oh, you like my perfume, do you? "At this point I believe I'm wearing Eau de Smoke."
"Yes," Seth agreed as he put his nose to her cheek and sniffed gently. "You smell absolutely delectable!" He enjoyed a small nuzzle, followed by a tender kiss.
Jessica leaned into him a little more and purred, "Perhaps I should wander by bonfires more often…"
Before Seth could reply the band of mummies and deaddies played a loud fanfare and the leader, with only his eyes visible through the layers of gauze encircling him, announced that a winner to the grand prize of a winter's worth of snow removal had been selected.
"Guys and Ghouls," he addressed the crowd, to good natured groans. "Would Trevor Taggert and Lorraine Merrill please step up to the front of the band."
Five foot one inch Lorraine led her fiancé, six foot five inch Trevor up to the band to a rising tide of laughter and appreciative applause from the crowd.
Lorraine was clad in a short dress that hung from her left shoulder, made of overlapped green felt leaves. Pixie shoes, also of felt, bedecked her feet and her head was capped off by an actual large cabbage leaf. Under it all she wore a long sleeved green shirt and green pantyhose with matching green make-up painting her face.
Trevor followed along behind her and was similarly dressed, except for having a headdress made of felt leaves.
The bandleader announced, "Here are our winners! The Jolly Green Giant and the Little Green Sprout!"
The crowd laughed harder and applauded louder.
Seth remarked between chuckles, "Well, I can't argue with them being the winners. I just hope he doesn't sit down, that dress is so short Mort might have to arrest him for indecent exposure!"
"What I'd like to know," grinned Jessica, "is where on Earth Trevor found green pantyhose to fit a six foot five body?!"
Trevor just smiled widely, hugged his fiancée tightly, and dreamed of not having to push one single snowflake around in sub-zero temperatures for the entire winter!
"About ready to head for home, Jess?" Seth asked a little while later. She agreed and they were nearly home when Jessica noticed that Seth kept sniffing the air in the station wagon.
As they turned the corner and started to pull up to the front of the house she asked, "You're not catching a cold, I hope?"
Seth's reply was drowned out by Jessica's cry of, "What is going on in the front yard?!"
The Cutless Cruiser came to a stop in front of the white picket fencing that enclosed an entire yard filled with pumpkins of every size. Over a dozen of them were lit, in addition to the ones they had carved and left on the doorstep.
"Good Gravy!" Seth exclaimed as they got out of the station wagon. "Who did this?" He looked about but saw no-one.
They both stood there in stunned surprise for a few minutes, just looking at the yard aglow in soft orange light with the full moon flying high in the sky above them. Then Jessica smiled softly and remarked, "You know, Seth. This is really quite pretty - in an ethereally pumpkin sort of way…"
"A-yuh, it's a charming prank, at that. What I wonder is what we're going to do with all those pumpkins tomorrow?"
Jessica just shook her head as she led him up the front stairs. "Let's not worry about that. It's been a wonderful day, but I'm a bit tired."
While preparing the coffee maker for the next morning's java Jessica laughed a little to herself.
Seth had just come into the kitchen. "You're having too much fun over there all by yourself, young lady. What are you chortling about?"
"I was just thinking, neither Sherlock Holmes nor Jessica Fletcher Hazlitt is able to figure out who left all those pumpkins on our lawn tonight. Some detective I turned out to be!"
Seth came up to her and nestled a kiss at the back of her neck. "You're by far the best smelling one I know. Yum!"
"Ah yes, we are a little aromatic, aren't we. Oh well, let's just go to bed. We can change the sheets tomorrow."
With Seth leading the way to the bedroom, Jessica spied a half-full bottle of his favorite barbecue sauce on the side board. She plucked it off the counter and tucked it into her pocket not even trying to conceal the large smile that was forming on her face.
While Jessica was in bed and waiting for Seth to finish his nightly ablutions she took the plastic bottle, now hidden in her nightstand's drawer, and flipped up the top before squirting out a fingertip full of the reddish-brown sauce and dabbing it on her lips. I'll give him a treat of a spicy good night kiss, she giggled to herself as she set the bottle on her nightstand, slightly behind the lamp.
Seth slid into bed and rolled over close to Jessica, first kissing her cheek, and then finding his way up to her earlobe and nibbling there. "Mmmmm, you're just deliciously irresistible," he whispered in her ear.
"I'm glad to hear that," Jessica replied setting her hand on his head. Guiding it gently to her she wished, "Good night, my dear," and pulled his mouth to hers.
Seth leaned into the kiss and was surprised at the smokey hickory bourbon seasoning of his wife's lips. Pressing his mouth more eagerly to hers he deepened the kiss, greatly enjoying the taste of it.
Then his tongue slipped out and ran teasingly along her bottom lip. Jessica hummed with pleasure as warmth began to course through her body and weariness left her.
When they both drew back for air Jessica murmured gaily as she ran her hands up under his shirt and along his sides, "Mmmm, I'll have to wear that brand of lipstick more often."
A fire was steadily building inside Seth as he happened to look up and see the bottle of liquid flavoring half hidden behind the lamp.
"Oho! Teasing me again, Woman! Just like the first time we made love in this room. We'll just see about that," he cryptically said as he reached over her and took the barbecue sauce from the table.
All the while smiling enigmatically at Jessica, Seth shook the bottle up well and then unscrewed the top.
"Whhhat are you planning to do with that, Seth?" Jessica asked with mirthful anticipation as her eyes grew wide.
In answer, Seth reached over again and deposited the bottle top onto the stand. Looking down into Jessica's eyes, now sparkling back at him with wonder, he transferred the bottle to his other hand.
"Well, my love, I'm going to see just how delicious your other body parts are with this spicy barbecue sauce on them!" And with that he clicked off the light.
... ... ... ... ...
Six of Señor Alvarado's family members rolled up quietly to the house at 698 Candlewood lane at 3 a.m. with two large landscaping trailers and made short work of removing the yard full of pumpkins.
While his uncles and cousins were quietly at work a newly awoken, and slightly confused, Pablo asked of his father. "Papá, why do we do this? They are our friends, sí?"
"Sí, my son. They are good friends and neighbors for many years. Señor and Señora Hazlitt are very smart people. Especially Señora Jessica is good at solving problems. But life should always have a little mystery to it, that gives it tang! Gives it flavor! And that is why we gift them with this little mystery tonight."
... ... ... ... ...
Jessica and Seth, sated, quite sticky, and fast asleep in each other's arms didn't hear a thing.