Merlini’s expression was one of polite interest, nothing more. “What time did she leave the Waterboro lot?”
“I dunno.” Gus shook his head. “She was still there when Stella and I pulled out, but—”
“She must have blowed the chalk, Gus,” Joy put in. “I stopped for gas just outside of Waterboro, and she passed me. But I didn’t see her on the road any place. Better have Lee report it to Mac. If she doesn’t show up soon, he can send out a rescue party.”
Gus went back into the side-show tent.
“But I don’t get it,” I said. “The Headless Lady has an alibi.”
“Alibi?” Merlini asked. “For what?”
“Why, for last night, for Pauline’s fall—”
“You mean, she was working?”
“Yes.”
“And what doing? Being headless. How many of the people who saw the act can swear who it was? For that matter”—he turned to Joy—“who is the Headless Lady, anyway?”
“Who?” Joy asked. “Her name’s Mildred Christine. That’s about all I know. She’s only just joined.”
“Yes. I’ve heard that. But I’ve a feeling she may be important. Can’t you tell me anything more than that?”
“That’s all anyone seems to know. She’s damned upstage for a kid-show attraction. She hasn’t eaten in the cookhouse once yet. She cooks all her own meals in her trailer. I don’t think she’s been in the show business long. I never heard of her before.”
“Description? What’s she look like from the neck up?”
“Blond. And without the dark sunglasses she always wears, I think she’d be a looker. I’m afraid that’s not much of a description, but I’ve just barely glimpsed her. As I say, she keeps to herself.”
“Sunglasses that she always wears?”
Joy nodded. “Rain or shine. I think she sleeps in them. There’s the spec music. I’ll have to dash.”
Joy wheeled her horse and cantered off.
“The more we discover, the more interesting it becomes, Ross,” Merlini said.
“You mean, the more we don’t discover, the more— There’s Keith,”
“Where’ve you two been all morning?” he hailed. “Hell’s been popping hereabouts.”
“Hell?” Merlini asked in a startled voice. “What sort?”
“Shakedown,” Keith said. “The local cops were waiting at the city limits this morning. They got difficult about little details like driver’s licenses, noisy mufflers, and the like. They picked up nearly every other driver as fast as they came in, and I raced along just in time to get nabbed for speeding. A dozen of us spent about an hour in the jug until Mac arrived and paid off the Chief of Police. The one in this burg is poison, and I can see where Mac is going to put up an awful beef if we threaten to give him this murder dope.”
“Mac late getting in this morning?”
“Late?” Keith asked. “No, not particularly. He comes over with the ticket wagon, Calamity driving. Why?”
“What made you so late? I thought you were making the jump last night?”
“I intended to, but when I started to leave, I discovered my jalopy was missing on half its cylinders, so I left the car at a garage overnight. Figured that anyway it was a pretty long jump, and I could make better time by daylight. I didn’t get away as soon as I should have because the desk clerk didn’t call me and I had to wake myself.”
“Did you know that the side show has a very special attraction this afternoon? Something never before seen on land or sea? Might be good for a press release.”
“No. What?”
“A Headless and Bodiless Lady. Her head’s invisible, and now the rest of her is missing. Ross and I found her empty trailer. It would appear that she has lammed. I don’t suppose you know who she is either?”
Keith shook his head, frowning. “No. And I don’t know who does. I asked Mac about her when she joined, but he said he hadn’t the slightest idea. You might try Pauline.”
“I hear she’s able to talk this morning.”
“Yes. What do we do now? Tackle her?”
“I think so. And in the meantime I’ve a job for you. I want to know if anyone besides the Headless Lady is missing this morning. Someone with a car. Would you find out and then hotfoot it around to Pauline’s trailer? We’ll be there.”
Keith asked, “Someone else missing? What, does that mean?”
“Yours not to reason why,” Merlini evaded. “Yours but to get me an answer.”
Keith clicked his heels and saluted. “Aye aye, sir!” He was trying hard to be nonchalant, but it didn’t quite ring true. Beneath it he was worried.
Merlini started off toward the back yard. The spec had just finished, and we stood aside for a few minutes out of the way of the performers as they issued from the big top and scattered to their trailers to make wardrobe changes. The clowns had their props set up against the side wall near the entrance, and were making their changes in the open. One of them was inserting himself into a prop horse, donning the costume in such a way that the horse appeared to be walking on his forefeet, his rump high in the air.
A big grinning Negro buck on a campstool was tipped back against the side of Pauline’s trailer by the door — fast asleep.
Seeing him, Merlini scowled. “It doesn’t look as if we would have any trouble getting in to see Pauline,” he said. “Let’s go, before Mac sees us and tries stalling. If he’s been having cop trouble already this morning—”
Merlini never finished that sentence. His hand was on the trailer door, turning the latch, when a loop of rope settled quickly around his shoulders and jerked him backward. Tex Mayo on his horse was at the rope’s other end, hauling in.
“Who the hell are you and where do you think you’re heading for? There are more damned lot-lice around here today than—”
Merlini loosened the lariat, stepped out, made a reaching movement with his hand, produced a business card from nothing, and handed it up to the cowboy.
Mayo looked at it and tossed it aside. “Magician,” he growled. “See the side-show manager out front. But stay out of this back yard.” He called to the man who had been bossing the guying-out gang. “Hey, Joe. Chase these back-yard customers behind the ropes and keep them there.”
“We weren’t looking for a job, Mayo,” Merlini said. “We’ve got one. I thought that, since the guard I asked Mac to post had fallen asleep, I’d take a look and see if Miss Hannum was all right. Someone tried to kill her last night; and, if she isn’t looked after better than that, a second try might very well be more successful.”
Tex stared at him. Merlini, holding a four-foot length of the lasso’s end, tied several knots in it without letting go, impossible as that may sound, of either end.
And before Tex replied we heard Mac’s voice behind us. “Damn!” it said. “You two still around, are you?”
“Morning, Mac,” Merlini answered, rapidly tying more knots in the lariat. “Yes. We’re still getting in your hair. I want to see Pauline, that is if nothing has happened to her yet. Your sergeant-at-arms isn’t any too efficient.”
“Pauline?” Mac asked. “But she—” He looked at the sleeping Negro. “Didn’t she go to the hospital this morning, Tex?”
Mayo got off his horse and answered, “No. The doc said—”
Mac turned and ran for the trailer. As he passed the sleeping guard, he hooked his foot in the chair and pulled. Whatever dreams the Negro was enjoying came to an abrupt end as he hit the ground. Mac disappeared within the trailer.
Tex confronted Merlini. “Just what the hell are you talking about? Who tried to kill who?”
But Merlini lit out after Mac without answering. His second attempt at entering the trailer was also thwarted. Mac stepped out just as Merlini got there, and pulled the door after him.