Yolks on You Box Set

Chapter 19-2

It turned out the section of tables Kiko was assigned was at the end, right next to Karen’s. The bank handled not only the raffle winners, but also the tables of prizes that could be distributed. Some businesses gave away merchandise, and that was collected and displayed to drive up interest. Kiko was given a table full of Yolks on You items, as well as snack items from Gord’s and handmade crafts from the school. Dom sat grumpily next to him, frowning at his list. Karen scooted over as Kiko checked the time; nearly noon. Parents and children were gathering not far off, waiting for Buddy Miller to announce the beginning of the Grand Hunt.

“I’m surprised at the turnout this year,” she said, nodding to the participants. There were nowhere near as many as in a normal year, which was not unexpected considering everything, but there still were at least two hundred people present, which actually surprised Kiko, too.

“They must be brave,” he said, and Karen laughed.

“I’m sure the police have it all under control now. I heard there’s an undercover cop. You think they brought him in from Chicago?”

Kiko stared at her. She was raising her eyebrows and indicating past him; he turned and saw only Dom, scowling over his list. He blinked.

“What?” he asked. She leaned closer to whisper.

“It’s smart of you to get close to him, too. Throw off public suspicion. But he tipped his hand when he asked too many questions at the raffle back at the Farm Breakfast. He won’t get many more clues now. Everyone knows.”

“You think Dom is an undercover cop?” asked Kiko, so astounded he started laughing. Karen looked offended; Dom moved over at hearing his name.

“What about me?”

“You’re an undercover cop,” said Kiko. “Now I know why you were so interested in me. All along, it was just to see if I was the culprit.”

Dom’s expression was completely blank. He was truly confused. Karen looked worried, flustered. She straightened the pastel tablecloth covering her table and flashed Dom an awkward smile.

“I really, truly, didn’t mean to blow your cover, sir,” she said. “It’s just that, well, everyone already knows…” She gave an awkward unamused giggle. “Unless of course if you were trying to get enough dirt on Kiko here to arrest him…”

“Who are you?” asked Dom.

“Karen from the bank,” said Kiko, shaking his head but still smiling. “Karen, Dom’s not an undercover cop. I wonder who started that one.”

“He did,” said Karen, now appearing uncertain. She pointed to his notepad. “He’s got a suspect sheet and everything. The girl working the raffle tables said he let it slip.”

Kiko turned to Dom now, frowning. If he’d been going around lying about his identity, they could both be in very big trouble, even if the police didn’t think they set the bombs. Dom should have been smarter than that. Seeing the warning in Kiko’s face, Dom held up his hands.

“I never said that,” he said. “She asked if I was an undercover cop or something. I chose the ‘or something’ option.”

“So?” asked Kiko. “What else did you do? Why does the entirety of Mount Angus think you’re an undercover cop from Chicago?”

Dom shook his head.

“I have no idea. This place must just need a new thing to whisper about every day. Exploding cows are old news now.”

“Rude,” said Karen, glaring at Dom now. She seemed less inclined to like him now that he’d been reduced to just another tourist. “We aren’t a gossip mill. It’s not our fault if you go around acting like someone you’re not.”

“I never said I was an undercover cop,” said Dom, shaking his head. Karen gave a single laugh.

“Really! You let the poor girl think that. Told her to say ‘not a word to anybody’ and everything.”

Kiko sighed, turned to Dom. He clearly had no idea how things worked around here.

“I didn’t tell her I was a cop,” Dom was saying. Kiko touched him on the arm. “And she wasn’t supposed to tell anyone.”

“Dom,” said Kiko. “‘Not a word to anybody,’ means it’ll be around the town within the hour.”

“How was I supposed to know that?”

Now Karen was laughing. She sat back in her chair, no longer angry at being fooled by a tourist but rather entertained by how clueless Dom had been.

“Well that makes a good story,” she said. Kiko pushed Dom back to his folding chair, ignoring his frown. He could just simmer it off. “I can see why you like him, Kiko.”

“You really can’t blame us for being curious,” said Kiko, settling back in his chair himself. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Mount Angus.”

“I’ll say! So glad it’s over now though—it is over, right? The police would have been stupid to not check for explosives here, wouldn’t they?”

“There aren’t any explosives here,” said Kiko as Dom rolled his eyes.

Buddy Miller was making his announcement now, the last few straggling families dashing in to participate. Kiko looked around, surprised to see that the police station had sent a car and an officer, currently standing near Buddy Miller. He had to be there to make people feel safer; he certainly hadn’t been there early enough to check for egg bombs.

Despite the thorough job he and Dom had done, Kiko kept waiting for an explosion to go off as the children hunted eggs. Nothing happened, but he could not sit less stiffly in his chair. Eventually Karen set aside the paperback she had brought and rubbed her hands together, leaning toward Kiko.

“Have you been able to keep your customers this weekend?” she asked. “It’s a shame about Chad. And Buddy Angus, of course.”

Kiko sighed.

“There was a drop-off, yes, but Yolks on You should recover.”

Karen nodded, smiling.

“Good, good. I can’t believe you’re still going sometimes. A little novelty shop like that!”

“Yolks on You has actually been doing really well the past few years.”

“Oh I know, I know,” said Karen, looking wide-eyed and solemn. She looked about ready to start dropping more private information; Kiko hoped Dom was listening. “You wouldn’t imagine the number of people recently that have needed loans…Joy and Briana, even!”

“That’s unfortunate,” said Kiko, trying not to be offended they had said nothing to him.

“They wouldn’t really mention why…Obviously the Pickle’s going through turmoil, but everything’s still up in the air since the divorce is so recent. Noodlebeard keeps trying to take out more money. He has his heart set on transforming that apartment above Pasta la Vista, but we just can’t give him further loans at this point. A shame, really. He’s got great plans to make it into one large space, for parties and weddings and the like.”

“Hadn’t heard that,” said Kiko, thinking that was actually a good use of the space. He could hear the scratch of Dom’s pen on paper and figured he was writing that down.

“It’s such a shame for everyone recently, really,” said Karen. “So many people have been having financial worries. Gord’s even needed a loan…And poor Sam’s going to have to file bankruptcy soon.”

Kiko nodded, trying to look appropriately dismayed for the various town residents that were going through money troubles. At least half the places on Dom’s list seemed to be having financial woes. Kiko felt so weary about it all. The Eggstravaganza was nearly over and it still seemed like it could be anyone who was setting the bombs. All he really wanted was for it to be over, to be able to take Dom back to his place, cook him a nice meal, and enjoy the final hours they had together. When he glanced over at Dom, though, and saw him so intently staring at his notepad, he knew that would not be happening. He sighed, smiled at Karen, and made small talk.