CIRCUS RIVALRY TURNS LETHAL
The Gay Detective: Quick — Send in the Clowns!
Costume malfunction has deadly consequences
Bread and circuses — Emperor Nero used them to placate the Romans. Kept everyone happy while he fiddled the taxes. Harry figured if our current mayor fed a few city councilors to the lions it’d entertain our ratepayers.
Though, judging by the screaming and headlong rush for the exits, the sight of three big cats fighting over the lion tamer’s mangled remains wasn’t entertaining this elegant, black-tie gathering. Nor liable to raise funds for the event sponsors’ charity, either.
“Where are the damn clowns?” Scowling, my work partner of twenty years headed for the top-hatted Master of Ceremonies.
Under Harry’s prompting, the horrified MC snapped into action. Side curtains dropped around the big cat cage. Deafening, up-tempo music drowned the screams while a motley crew of stilt-walking, unicycle-riding, lapel-flower-squirting zanies barreled into the center ring.
The leader of the pack strode over. A tall woman in polka-dot flounces sporting a giant, rainbow-striped bouffant. She jerked her head towards the exit where some of the clowns were helping people from the arena. “Anything else we can do?”
