Circus of Shadows: A Deadly Performance

Chapter 14: Seeking Answers at The Carnival of Curiosity

Detective Connie Black had an extremely busy, yet hugely enlightening morning in the town speaking with her fellow villagers. It felt such a long time since she was under the big top as her morning in Haven had led her to the Post Office, the Bookstore and the Solicitors office. All three visits had provided her with key pieces of information relating to the performers at the circus. It also created many more questions that she needed to delve and explore much deeper with the employees of the former Ralph Ortiz.

Detective Black returned to the circus grounds, the stalls shutters in the fairground were flapping ferociously in the wind. Her mind buzzing, with which direction her conversations, with several of the circus performers, would lead her to. As she observed the swinging boats rocking back and forth in the gusts, she was determined to peel back the layers of illusion and intrigue to uncover the truth.

She knew she needed to speak with Luna Alvarez, the juggling contortionist, over the startling discovery of the package from the post office and the contract acceptance of Felicity Fontaine, a fire breathing contortionist from France.
Was Luna aware of Madame Fontaine's forthcoming arrival? Were they due to form a stunning double act or did Felicity's arrival mean it was curtains for Luna? Detective Black also wanted to know more about her argument she witnessed with Victor Miguel and the confrontation she had with Mr Ortiz. Connie knew how important Victor valued their relationship so wanted to see how it was reciprocated by Luna Alvarez. Why has she been missing performances? Was she really ill on the night of the murder?

The Post Office package also identified a note that was addressed to Madame Hattie from Felicity Fontaine that read "is everything in place" which although has very innocent connotations it could have a darker context relating to the death of Mr Ortiz. It also appears Madame Hattie is perhaps more closely linked to Mr Ralph Ortiz that initially thought and Detective Black wanted to investigate their connection further along with how she knows Miss Felicity Fontaine.

She wanted to seek out Marco the Magnificent as he seems to have eluded Detective Black since a brief encounter shortly after she had arrived on the scene to begin the investigation. Marco the Magnificent had lived up to his act, as an escapologist, and just like on Haven's town square, he escaped Connie once more, this time with a mysterious lady in tow as they slipped into the town's doctors surgery. Connie knew there was friction with Marco and Ralph over the spotlight in the circus, and although Marco's defence was passionate as it was all part of the act, Connie was keen to see how the other performers saw it. There was an eagerness to identify the mystery lady and her connections to Marco and the circus.

The rendezvous with Mr Rupert Fowkes at the bookstore, the former editor of the Haven Herald, provided her with many key factors to consider. The morale boosting meeting with Rupert provided Connie that Gabriella Giggles, the circus clown, was in fact where she said she was at the time of the murder. She was performing in the audience when the tragic incident occurred. At least someone Detective Black could eliminate from further questioning. Rupert though, did mention the acrobat twins, Felix and Sofia Bauer and how their disappearance couldn't be unrelated to the murder one way or another.

Then finally, and more crucially, the information provided to Detective Black from Mr Oscar Harrison, one of the partners of Haven's local solicitors. His secret meeting he held with Bella the Brave over seeking legal advice to break free from her contract was already known to Connie. It was the uncovering that her family ran 'The Fonseca's Fairground Circus' back in Portugal, that was the key revelation. Was this the reason she wanted to break free from Ralph Ortiz? Mr Harrison also unveiled that Bella had divulged that since Ms Delights was no longer the trainer Bella began to resent Mr Ortiz. His training methods became too strict and his desire to push them to take greater risks had caused frictions in the big top, to the extent Bella was quoted as saying. "Something really bad was going to happen sooner or later."

Connie knew conversations were needed, which would cause uncomfortable emotions within the circus troupe, but Detective Black knew she was holding all the aces and that it was time to reveal her trump card. Choosing the right cards was never in her own hands, but playing well with the cards she was dealt in this murder investigation was what would determine her success.