Page 71 of Death at a Scottish Halloween

I was well aware of that, as I had treated them. “Right?”

“So you’re a prominent person in Sea Isle, and we need you to judge tonight.”

I scrunched up my face.

“I know. I know,” she said. “You don’t like choosing favorites, but we have lots of categories and everyone wins a little something.”

Mara pulled on Jasper’s hand. “I need you, too. It seems the headmaster has strep as well.”

“We don’t really have a choice, do we?” Jasper was brave enough to ask.

“No,” she said bluntly.

She was our friend, so we followed her to the front where a table had been set up.

“Who is the other judge?” I asked as there were three places.

“Me,” Ewan said. He wore his regular jeans and sweater, but like Akif, he had a black eye mask on.

“Will Elsie and Flora be OK?”

“Yes. I have four of my team stationed with them. Baird and Isobel are with them, too, so they have plenty of company.”

I glanced back and saw little Elsie standing on a chair in the back, waving at me. I waved back. Isobel was talking with Flora.

“OK, so these are your notebooks and pen,” Mara handed out one to each of us. “The categories will be announced by me. You pick first, second, and third, and then everyone gets an honorary ribbon for participating. You’re looking for originality and theme. Got it?”

I almost saluted her. She was in drill sergeant form, but I nodded with the rest of them.

A band played on the stage, and I recognized them as a group of folk performers who had sung at the pub a few times. They were some of my favorites. They played some creepy music, and then there was a shift in the room.

A parade of adults and children came down the center aisle and they danced their way onto the stage. The crowd was ebullient, and it was hard not to smile. Then they went out the side door, except for the clowns.

Jasper and I glanced at one another. Neither of us was a huge fan of clowns.

“I’m sure you’ll be professional,” Ewan whispered in my ear. “Given your dislike of any sort of clown.”

I smiled. “I seem to remember you saying the same thing. I think the word abomination came up.”

He grinned back at me. “Except for the ones who work to cheer children in hospitals, I have no use for them.” He winked.

I ignored the little flutter in my heart.

After the clowns, came vampires, and then the parade continued. Some of the costumes were quite ingenious. Lulu and her ladies’ group were all dressed as sixties aliens. They had green faces, huge hair, and the wildest clothes.

Everyone in the place was laughing, and it was more fun than I ever expected.

Right up until I felt a chill go down my spine. My spidey senses were on full alert. I glanced back, but I didn’t see anyone. Well, I saw a lot of people dressed in costumes, but no one who seemed to be focused on me.

“What is it?” Ewan whispered.

“Nothing,” I said. I glanced back again. This time he followed my gaze.

“Who?” he asked.

“I don’t know. I just have that feeling that someone is watching me.”

Another category was called, this one, for the best individual effort that didn’t fit into typical categories.