How much fun! The next book in the Ever After Mysteries series is going to release soon – April Hayman’s When the Pilot Falls. That means we have another Ever After Mystery for you.

Through My Muddy Fingers

Poor April, having lost her hero, Hugh, from the pages of her book, When the Pilot Falls. I felt really sorry for her. Too bad Sandy wasn’t able to find him. But nothing was going to stop me from having a great time at the Wisconsin State Fair. It didn’t run at all last year, so I was determined to get there. I’d finally made it.

“Be careful. It’s really muddy here, and you have sandals on.” Ellen pointed toward the ground, even as she balanced her cream puff in one hand and a large glass of lemonade in the other. 

I gazed down, careful not to let my own cream puff slide from its paper plate. “You’re right. There’s not much grass left here at all.” I picked my way around other Wisconsin state fair patrons, garbage cans, and picnic tables. 

“At least the rain has finally let up.” The muck under Ellen’s foot squished as she stepped around a discarded beer can. “Oh look, there’s a free table.” She sped up and nabbed it before anyone else could. She whipped out her chamois, dried off the table and bench, and we sat.

At last, I could consume my cream puff, all golden brown and filled with a mountain of pure white, sweet whipped cream. The stuff of dreams, I tell you.

I separated the two halves (there’s a method to eating them) and took the first bite. Heaven. Absolute heaven. I closed my eyes so I could enjoy the experience to the fullest. Beside me, Ellen moaned about how good hers was.

I opened my eyes and handed her a napkin. “You have cream on your face.”

She laughed and took it from me.

I returned my attention to the people strolling down the central mall. In the midst of them, two mounted police trotted down the road from where we were sitting. They’d been around earlier in the day, but this time, there was a huge crowd around them. What could possibly be going on? 

I strained to see. Boy, I really need new contacts. Ellen gave me a gentle nudge in the ribs. “Hey, look. Isn’t that…?”

I willed my eyes to focus. 

She squealed. “It is. That’s April Hayman’s hero. He escaped from her book When the Pilot Falls. I’d know him anywhere.”

“You’re right.” By this time, I was already untangling my legs from the table. “We have to get him back. What kind of a book will it be without a hero?”

I sloshed through the mud, muck splattering my calves, but who had time to care about that when I had a hero to catch.

Ellen pulled in front of me. “Hurry up, Liz. He’s getting away.” 

I sped up, slipping and sliding all over the place. Meanwhile, April’s hero strutted down the street just like that—a hero. You’d think he’d led the Milwaukee Bucks to the national championship or something. 

Then I popped through the crowd, right in front of him. “Aha. There you are.” I reached out for him but got only air. “You have a book to get back to.” 

“Ma’am, please step aside.” The policeman gave me a glare that would have frozen Lake Michigan in July.

“You don’t understand, sir. He’s been missing and—”

“Doesn’t matter. This is the middle of a parade.” 

“He has to get back to his book.” 

Beside me, a breathless Ellen leaned over. “She’s right.”

The hero looked my way, shaking his head.

“Please. April needs you. We all need you.”

He just smiled, then turned and waved to the crowd on the other side of the street. 

I went after him, but the policeman stopped me with a jab of his nightstick to my middle. “No doing.”

The more I tried to move forward, the more the end of the nightstick hurt. Then the cop pushed me backward. I stumbled, windmilled my arms to keep from falling, and landed on my backside in the mud. Only a second passed before the dampness seeped through my clothes.

Though I staggard, I managed to get to my feet. “Come back. Come back.” I raced after the hero and his entourage, but they were far down the street by this time. 

I was too late. He had slipped through my very muddy fingers. 

I’m so sorry, April. Maybe Chautona will have better luck than me.

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