A Tale of Two Carnies

12 - Severance

Early the next morning we disassembled the carnival, packed up all the games, and took down the food tent. While doing so, I hefted one of the tent stakes. The pointed iron rod was almost a meter long and weighed at least twenty pounds. The stakes needed to be solid and buried at least eighteen inches in the ground using a sledgehammer in order to protect the tent from blowing away during high winds. I held the stake like a spear and lunged forward with it, trying to picture in my mind a slight girl like Cozbi wielding the heavy thing and burying it into a man's chest.

It just didn't wash. Cleveland had been stabbed in the chest, so he would've been facing her and would've seen it coming. He could have easily grabbed the stake and pulled it from her grip. Surely the cops would come to the same conclusion. She couldn't have done it. She didn't have the upper body strength to handle the stake as a spear. It would've taken someone stronger. Why were they still holding her?

I decided to find out.

I knocked on the door to Mr. Green's trailer. He told me to come in.

Feeling anxious, I skipped the small talk. "Can I borrow the Beast?" The Beast was an old white van. We used it to make supply runs. The thing guzzled fuel like a beast, hence the nickname. The fender wells were rusting, but the motor remained sound. "I'm going to the sheriff's office. I want to find out where they're holding Cozbi. I need to see her."

Greenie sat at his desk studying a stack of papers.

He looked up and removed his reading glasses, waved a hand at a chair opposite. "Have a seat, Jace."

I did as he asked and hoped he wouldn't lecture me about interfering with a police investigation.

He tapped one of the stacks of papers with his finger. "The sheriff was here. You just missed him. He canceled his previous order. We can leave."

"Cozbi too?" I asked, feeling hopeful.

He shook his head. "We can go because the district attorney thinks the case against Cozbi is tight. She's been formally charged with the murder of Marlin Cleveland. They have no cause to hold the rest of us."

Dread swept over me. "We have to do something. We need to clear her."

Mr. Green said nothing and maintained a neutral expression. His lack of reaction angered me. "You're not going to help her?"

He leaned forward in his chair. "I would if I could, but what can any of us do? The sheriff has the case wrapped up, and nobody has come forward with a different version of events."

I came up out of my seat in a rage and pointed a finger in his face. "You owe that girl. You inherited this carnival from Cozbi's father."

"Don't you think I know that?" he snapped. "Did you not hear when I told everyone we're bust? I'm in debt up to my eyeballs and have to sell everything we have, including your trailer by the way, to dig out of this mess. I have a responsibility not only to Cozbi but to you and everyone else in this outfit."

"But she needs you more than we do."

"There are others in the troupe who would disagree with you. I need to pay every carnie enough severance so they can get home to wherever they all come from. The severance will eat up the rest of my cash."

That was it then. People had families to return to and wanted to get on with their lives, find other jobs. Cozbi would be left behind, twisting in the wind. Well, not if I had anything to do with it. Taking a calming breath, I returned to my seat. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I understand the situation. I'm just so frustrated and worried about her."

"We all are, Jace. Everything about the situation sucks."

"How much severance can you give me?"

Greenie swiveled his chair around and worked the dial to the safe behind his desk. He pulled out a cash box and started counting bills. When he finished, he met my gaze. "I can give everyone a couple hundred dollars each. Sorry, Jace, that's all I have."

It wouldn't go far, not even combined with the little over thousand saved in my poke. Looking out the window, my eyes settled on the battered old van. "Would you be willing to trade me the Beast for my severance?"

He sighed. "That van may have seen better days, but it's worth a lot more than a couple hundred."

"I have an extra thousand. Will that be enough to cover it?"

"I don't want to take your money, Jace. Tell me what you have in mind."

"You know my history. I have nobody, no home. Since her father died, neither does Cozbi. I'm going to stay. Find a job. Do what I can to help her. I'll need transportation and might have to live in a vehicle for a while. Once I'm on my feet, I'll return the van to you."

Mr. Green studied me. "You really love her, don't you?"

I didn't answer.

Greenie swiveled in his chair and glanced out the window at the Beast. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys, slid them across the desk to me. "Take the van. Take the cash too. Like you said, I owe her. I wish I could do more, and I wish you all the luck in the world."

I picked up the keys and the money. "Thank you, Mr. Green. Thank you for everything you've done for me, for taking me in when I needed a home. I'll never forget your kindness, and I hope things work out for you financially."

As I made my way toward the door, he called out, "Jace."

I turned.

"You're a good man and a hard worker. I've enjoyed having you around. As someone older and wiser, let me give you a word of advice. Whatever you're about to do, try not to see it as some grand romantic gesture. If by some miracle you're able to help Cozbi, she might not feel indebted to you in the same way you wish she would feel indebted to you. I don't want to see you get hurt, so use your head and don't pay so much attention to your heart."

His words reached me and made me think. If anyone from the troupe other than Cozbi were arrested for murder, would I be as eager to help? Maybe, but only because it would be the right thing to do. Did my motivation to help Cozbi spring from some deeper, hopeful desire?

Sure, I entertained the dream we would end up together. Beyond my desire was the fact she was like family. I could never abandon a girl who looked up to me as an older brother.

Do you think Jason will be able to think with his head instead of his heart?