A Tale of Two Carnies

10 - The Interrogation

Marcus Green's Traveling Amusements was a second-rate carnival. The big circuses with exotic animals, clowns, and trapeze artists disappeared from the American scene in the early twenty-first century, victims of lawsuits by animal rights advocates and increasing insurance and operating costs. When the latest generation of kids became more enamored with virtual entertainment offered by video games instead of live entertainment, ticket sales dwindled, and the industry died.

Our troupe eked out a profit by contracting with local volunteer fire companies that sponsored us during their annual summer fundraisers. We traveled a seasonal circuit from Michigan to Florida setting up a week at a time in small towns.

The murder of Marlin Cleveland caused our fire department sponsor to cancel the carnival, and the county sheriff ordered all us carnies to remain on the fire company grounds. Mr. Green pitched a fit, because the delay meant we wouldn't be able to make it to our next venue in time. We would not only lose sales from this week but next week as well. All of us were nervous and grumbling because we couldn't afford to take such a financial hit, especially during the peak season.

A swarm of crime scene investigators descended and bagged evidence and dusted for fingerprints. The coroner released the body shortly before lunch.

Cozbi and I were first to be interviewed since we were the ones who discovered the body. They called her first, just after lunch, and kept her for almost an hour. I worried about her well-being. Ever since I had known her she had been emotionally fragile, and now she was scared. I hoped the cops weren't being too hard on her.

The sheriff commandeered Mr. Green's air-conditioned trailer which also served as the carnival office. He was using it as a makeshift interrogation room. A deputy knocked on my trailer door and shouted, "You're up, kid."

He walked with me to the office. Cozbi wasn't there when I entered.

The deputy left me with the sheriff and another man dressed in a suit with black shoes polished to such a high gloss, I could see myself in them. They took a seat behind Mr. Green's desk.

"Are you Jason Muir?" the sheriff asked.

"Yes, sir."

He pointed to a visitor chair. "Have a seat."

I did so and tried not to squirm. I was always nervous around law enforcement because of what I had done in the past with Clint. I worried someday, somehow, the truth would come out and they'd come looking for me.

"I'm Sheriff William Pine." He nodded toward the man in the suit. "This is Detective Hector Blades of the Pennsylvania State Police."

The sheriff opened a file folder and pulled a copy of my driver's license. "Mr. Jason Muir. You have a valid state of Florida ID. I checked to make sure." He looked up at me.

That was a statement, not a question. Did he expect me to say something?

He glanced again at the copy. "You're twenty-years-old."

Another statement. I just nodded in agreement. Was this some sort of new interrogation technique, making statements instead of asking questions?

The sheriff settled back in his chair. "How long have you been with Marcus Green's Traveling Amusements?"

Finally, something I could answer. "Six years, since I was fourteen." I could see no reason to lie.

He raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been in a relationship with Ms. Miraslova?"

Did his question imply that Cozbi told him we spent the night together? If I now told the truth, it would make trouble for her. I didn't know what to say.