It’s time for another Ever After Mystery. Enjoy!

Bright sunlight hit Eden’s eyelids, forcing them open. She stared into a brilliant blue sky. What was going on. A minute ago, she’d been about to step onto a train bound for her vaudeville troupe’s next stop. She tried to roll over and almost fell off the… park bench? 

She sat up and smoothed down the rhinestone-encrusted, fringed red dress she wore. Trees rose up around her and green grass spread out like carpeting in front of her. Central Park. Good. At least she had her bearings. Women rushed by on high-heeled black-and-white shoet. The clothes were fitted, and many of them wore bright red lipstick. 

Eden was used to painting her face in a such a manner, but not everyone. What was going on? 

“War bonds. Get your war bonds. Help defeat the Huns.” 

Something was not right here. Definitely not right. The Allies had defeated the Huns ten years ago. The Great War was over, and peace had settled over the world. So why was this man hawking war bonds?

She glanced in his direction, but such a crowd of men and women surrounded him, she couldn’t make him out. Many of the men were dressed in what appeared to be military uniforms, a familiar pale brown, but the trousers were long, not tucked into socks like she remembered from her childhood.

With her stomach grumbling, it was time to search for a bite to eat before heading back to Grand Central Station to catch the train. Hopefully she hadn’t missed it. But why was she alone? Her head ached so much, she couldn’t contemplate that question. 

She wound her way along the park’s paths, drawing stares from most of the women she passed. She was in costume, so that must draw a great deal of attention, but even if she hadn’t been, she still would have been in the spotlight because she was dressed so differently from everyone else. 

She left the park behind and got caught up in the stream of people on the street. Very few automobiles chugged by. What had happened to them? When she’d gone to the station after their final show in the city, they had clogged the street. This was just all too strange. 

One store she passed snagged her attention. Shiny boxes filled the window, round faces like clocks in the middle of them, but the numbers were all wrong. Some of the boxes were big, and some were smaller. Some stood on the floor. 

Attempting to find out what this was all about, she entered the shop. As soon as she did, noise assaulted her, and she jumped backward against the wall. Where was all this noise coming from? 

She stepped closer to one of the boxes. A man’s voice came from it, talking about the bombs the Germans dropped on London overnight. 

They were bombing London? What was going on?

Music sounded from another box, but not anything you could dance the Charleston to. There was a lot of brass in this music that almost swang. 

An older gentleman approached her.a  “Can I help you with something, ma’am?” 

She shook her head and shot from the shop. 

“Check out that dame.”

She turned the the sound of the male voice. Two men in white with sailor hats on their heads whistled at her.

Something was wrong here. Very, very wrong. Could it be possible she was in a different time? Everything here was so strange.

If only she could get back to Grand Central Station. She couldn’t miss the train. She had to return to Cathe’s troupe and the Empire, where they were to perform.

***

The Ever After Mystery concludes tomorrow with Cathe Swanson‘s post.

The Ever After Mysteries series continues, this time with the release of Cathe Swanson’s book, Murder at the Empire. Here’s a little bit about the book.

Gayle Wells is a killer organist, but does a killer have her in his sights?

They call him the Emperor.  John Starek fills his theater with fine artwork and treasures. He’s particularly pleased to have one of the country’s first female organists – and he thinks Gayle Wells is the bee’s knees.

Despite pressure from her social crusader mother, Gayle isn’t interested in changing the world. She just wants a car of her own – and a career playing the organ at the Empire movie palace would be especially ducky.

Then the Empire’s treasures start disappearing and employees start dying. Are a few pieces of art really enough motive for the string of murders? Will Gayle be next?

Murder at the Empire brings the Nightingale into an elegant movie palace in the roaring 20’s – but the real excitement is all off-screen.

You can get your copy here!

Lost in Time!

Can the before-show acts get to the Empire on time to perform? Follow along this week and find out which decade they are found. And play along for your chance to win a giveaway. 

• Chautona Havig (October 5)
• April Hayman (October 6)
• Denise Lauren Barela (October 7)
• Marji Laine (October 8)
• Sandy Barela (October 9)
• Rebekah Jones (October 10)
• Liz Tolsma (October 11)
• Cathe Swanson (October 12)

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