Chapter 3

The security guard's laugh followed Jazz's descent for the first several feet, sparking a surge of butterfly tingles that almost made her forget the pain in her palms.

He waited until she was on solid ground before he added his own weight to the rope.

She stood at the bottom and watched him rappel the first few feet.

"Nice rescue." Sofia's amused tone came from behind Jazz.

"Thanks." Jazz turned to face the raven-haired stunner.

"A little showy, but I approve." She glanced down at Raksa and Flash as the dogs vied for the best position to smell Jazz's jeans as if she'd been to another planet and back.

Jazz reached to pet Flash, but he buried his nose in her hands instead.

Sof chuckled. "I guess you have Flash's approval, too. Though he wasn't too happy with you leaving him behind."

"Aww." Jazz stroked the Malinois' smooth head as she took the leash from Sof. "Next time, I'll take you along. Okay, bud?"

"That'll be an even better show." The twinkle in Sof's dark eyes signaled she was teasing.

But was there some truth in the joke? Did she think Jazz shouldn't have climbed the Ferris wheel to help? Maybe the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency didn't get into rescues of this kind. Though they did standard search and rescue all the time. She wasn't sure when she'd learn all of Phoenix Gray's unwritten rules.

"Jazz. There you are."

Recognition came fast on the heels of the woman's voice. Only Aunt Joan could make it sound like Jazz was tardy or had been goofing off when she'd been saving a person's life.

Jazz turned to see her aunt walking her way in a navy blue pantsuit that must be stifling in this weather. But it was expensive, elegant, and professional. All the things Aunt Joan prized, and Jazz could never achieve.

"Have you seen the damage?" Aunt Joan's makeup and hair were still perfect, even in this humidity, but lines crossed her forehead. A rare sight for her foundation-slathered skin and always-controlled demeanor.

"Briefly."

"Come with me." Aunt Joan led the way at a brisk pace toward the damaged car lying on the ground.

Jazz scanned the area as she followed.

Two EMTs rushed toward Bob where the man lay on what looked like a blanket.

Sofia and Raksa went to join a line of other security guards at a perimeter they'd established outside the fence.

A larger crowd than Jazz would've expected gathered there, given how many entertaining activities they could be enjoying at the fair instead. But some people apparently thought injuries and disaster were always the best entertainment.

Jazz slowed as Aunt Joan stopped near the fallen car.

Butch Klika gave Jazz a gruff nod as she approached. But everything the head of security did was gruff. Even the way he wiped the sweat off his forehead with his large hand was gruff.

"Well?" Aunt Joan looked at him, then glanced toward the two police officers crouched by strewn parts from the damaged cabin.

He tilted his broad head toward the officers who must have come from an offsite department. "They have a theory."

Aunt Joan took three steps to stand over the officers. "Hello, officers. I'm Joan Cracklen, General Manager of the Tri-City Fair." Her tone cooled to the patient and pleasant one she used for public relations. "Have you found anything?"

The men stood and faced her, their expressions calm but serious. The taller of the two men gestured to the shorter guy. "Officer Burns. And I'm Sergeant Wentworth."

Aunt Joan nodded. "A pleasure, though not under these circumstances, perhaps. Have you been able to determine why the car fell?" Her features relaxed as if she wasn't worried at all. But Jazz spotted the barely perceptible vertical depressions on either side of her mouth. They only showed when she was tense or upset.

The sergeant pointed down at small bits of something on the blacktop. "These rivets have come apart. They're nearly rusted through."

"Hmm." Aunt Joan kept her face as unreadable as she could.

"If you'll come this way, I'd like to show you something." The sergeant picked up a long piece of flattened metal and headed toward the crushed car.

Aunt Joan shot Jazz a look before she followed. A look that said Jazz was supposed to come, too. Though why her aunt wanted her there was beyond Jazz. She usually had the opposite desire where Jazz was concerned—to get rid of her as soon as possible.

Jazz kept a couple feet between them, preserving what Aunt Joan called the polite personal space window, as they stopped at the rear of the car.

"See here?" The sergeant bent to place the metal piece against the indented section of the cabin that seemed to be fitted for that part. He pointed at holes that aligned with other holes drilled in the metal piece. "Looks like the rivets were there."

"I see." Another careful answer from Aunt Joan. She needed to be cautious. Couldn't leave the door open for accusations or liability.

"So the rusted rivets broke off and allowed the cabin to fall." A man's voice drew Jazz's gaze over her shoulder.

The security guard.

Her pulse hopped at the sight of the tall, very swoony guy. How long had he been nearby?

Flash apparently didn't consider him a threat, since he hadn't given any warning.

Aunt Joan looked at the handsome guard but didn't appear impressed.

The sergeant nodded. "Looks that way."

"Thank you, Sergeant." Aunt Joan stepped closer to the policeman to shake his hand. "We'll have an inspector come immediately to conduct our own accident investigation, as well. Accidents with fair rides are sadly common, though we've had very few at the Tri-City Fair during our long history." She sounded like she was warming up for the press conference she'd have to hold soon. "If you'll excuse me, I need to contact the inspector and begin necessary reports."

The sergeant said a polite goodbye and went back to his fellow cop.

Aunt Joan turned toward Jazz with a stern expression that twisted Jazz's insides in a knot like she was still a little kid under her aunt's roof. "I need to talk to you." She said the words under her breath as she brushed past Jazz, clearly intending Jazz should follow her again.

The hunky security guard watched Jazz as she passed.

She gave him a small smile that she hoped didn't look too nervous or desperate.

As soon as they were out of earshot of others, Aunt Joan swung toward Jazz. "You need to help me with damage control." She kept her voice low and glanced around. "We haven't had an accident like this in decades."

"There was the time the kiddy train got stuck on the bridge."

"I mean something this serious." Aunt Joan's eyes flashed. "With injuries that could have been fatalities."

"But you said yourself, accidents happen on rides a lot more often than people realize. Didn't you tell me there are about twelve hundred accidents a year?"

"Yes. But the public doesn't realize that. This could make people feel our fair is no longer safe."

"Okay." Jazz looked at her aunt, trying like always to figure out what the woman wanted from her. She'd never figured it out yet. "So what can I do?"

"You can make sure the security team, staff, vendors—anyone you talk to—understands this was a rare accident that could happen at any fair. It's an anomaly. The Tri-City Fair is perfectly safe."

Jazz nodded. "Got it."

Aunt Joan stared at Jazz like she didn't believe her. "I know how rumors start and gain legitimacy among people who seem to have close access to the truth. If the people who work here spread a false story, that this was intentional or due to some negligence, the fair could be in jeopardy."

"I understand. I care about this fair as much as you do." Maybe even more. It was the only thing Jazz and her aunt had in common. For Aunt Joan, it was her life, her pride and joy. But for Jazz, it was the only place she'd felt special, accepted, and happy. She wasn't going to let anything happen to the fair on her watch. "I'll make sure no one is spreading harmful rumors."

"Excellent." Aunt Joan glanced around one more time, as if checking for eavesdroppers. "I wanted to catch you today. We'd like to invite you to Sunday brunch after church."

The swallow Jazz had been in the midst of stuck in her throat. She coughed, covering her mouth with her hand like her aunt had drilled into her as a girl. "Sorry." She coughed again.

Aunt Joan was inviting her to the house? With her and Uncle Pierce? Disbelief threatened to choke Jazz again. "Brunch?" It was the only thing she could think to say.

"Yes." Aunt Joan's eyebrows gathered as she watched Jazz like she was being the weird one. "Come at eleven."

"Um." Jazz swallowed back the tickle in her throat. "Okay."

"Good." Aunt Joan stepped around Jazz without so much as another glance and stalked away.

Jazz stared at her retreating figure before letting her gaze travel over the crowded bystanders, the medics, and the smashed Ferris wheel car.

She didn't know which of this morning's events surprised her more. Her Tri-City Fair—the safe haven of her childhood—becoming dangerous or her aunt inviting her to a family meal, voluntarily.

The nerves that tingled in her belly gave her the answer. Definitely brunch with Aunt Joan and Uncle Pierce.