Page 64 of Death at a Scottish Halloween

The zombie smiled. “Thanks Doc,” I didn’t recognize the heavy Scottish brogue, but I had a feeling he was a patient.

This wouldn’t be so bad. I just needed to follow the crowd.

Except we were then separated by the undead. The zombies moved between us, and the next thing I knew, I was in a long dark tunnel alone. It narrowed like the one earlier but then split into two hallways.

Lovely. I had no idea which one to take.

I turned right and ran straight into Dracula. “Sorry,” I said.

He just stared at me. The mask was one of those that goes over the head, but in the dim light I could see his eyes. I couldn’t place him. I moved forward, and he followed me.

I picked up my pace, but so did he.

I ran into a wall. I tried to backtrack, but he blocked my way.

Anger swallowed my fear. “Look, you’re taking this a bit too far,” I said. “I get you’re trying to scare people, but it’s supposed to be fun.”

He didn’t move. I grabbed my pepper spray, extreme measure, maybe. But I had a terrible feeling this guy didn’t work at the maze.

“Where is it?” I didn’t recognize his voice.

My hands shook with fear. Was he going to hurt me? “Where is what? If you’re looking for items the dead men had, everything is at the station. All of it is in chain of evidence. It doesn’t matter how much you want to intimidate me, that fact isn’t going to change.”

“We know you have it,” he said menacingly.

“Well, you’re wrong.”

He stepped forward, and I thought I saw something glint at his side.

I had my hand on the spray, ready to attack.

“Em? Em? Where are you?” Jasper called out. “I swear I saw her go this way before we ran into the ghost.” I’d never been so relieved to hear his voice.

“In here,” I yelled. And then I pushed past Dracula and ran toward their voices. OK, it was more a jab, but I had to get away from that guy.

Mara rushed forward. “We’ve been going all over trying to find you,” she said.

I wrapped my arms around her.

“Hey, are you OK?” Jasper asked.

“Can we just get out of here? You won’t believe what happened.”

I glanced back, but Dracula was gone.

What was he after?

The booths at the festival had opened up, and we had planned to walk around. I just wanted to go home and shut myself away. But we’d promised Tommy we’d visit the animals. There were several Highland cows, goats, and sheep in a makeshift pen. He loved animals as much as he did gardening.

Mr. Jensen, who was one of my patients and a kind man, took the ticket and showed Tommy into the pen. Tommy, in his way, peppered the man with questions, but Mr. Jensen didn’t seem to mind at all. He obviously enjoyed his work.

“You’re shaking,” Abigail said as she stared at my hands.

I pulled the gloves from my jacket pocket and put them on. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not,” Jasper said. “Tell us what happened.”

“It was weird. A guy in a Dracula mask threatened me.”