I walked away from Condolezza Schwartz, only marginally clearer than I approached her. It was certain she was hiding something. Between the muddled conversation on my part, and the vapid intellectual flagellation she was infamous for, I still couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong about the entire situation. I said my good-byes and walked back into the park. We saw Logos' pickup truck, and I doubled back to see what he was up to. For a long while, Logos stared at the statue of Jacob McCurnin, one of the cities founding fathers and the inventor of the toaster waffle. He must have known I was there, because he looked towards Condolezza, then started down the park jogging path away from her.

By this time, Lucky had found the park swings and was sitting on one, traveling in a lazy pendulum, her toes tracing ellipses in the sand. You know, there are times when I hate myself for standing and watching and getting lost in the beauty of everyday things, but this wasn't one of those times. I watched the breeze twist the hem of her sundress and blow her ponytail, and the sun glow on her shoulders, and, then out of the corner of my eyes, I saw him.
The poor dolt was trying to watch her, through what I could only imagine were invisible little tweety-birds in a halo around his head, well that, and the working end of a hangover....I kept walking. Lucky had already made eye contact with the greaseball in his leather and SexPistols t-shirt, and he was on a collision course. I walked past them and sat at a bench, playing what I hoped was 'good father out watching the kids at the park' and not 'semi-finalist for McCurnin Park Pedophile of the Year 2001'.

"Hey," he managed, in the patois of the street thug, to greet Lucky.
Still swinging, Lucky looked up, "Hey stranger...how are you?"
Now, at this point, I wasn't sure if it was the hangover talking, or the fact that the kid was a few neurons shy, because I swear to you, he looked at Lucky and said, "Wait...we met.. yesterday at the carnival?? I'm Cosmo??" he even turned around and pointed over his shoulder at the writing on his leather jacket, just in case she needed proof, I guess..

"Yeah, I remember you." grinned Lucky. "What are you doing out here? It's kinda early isn't it?"
"I had to go into the police station this morning." he muttered
"Really?" Lucky perked up "What for?"
"Somebody stabbed my uncle, and I had to go give a statement and identify the body."

Lucky's swing stopped cold. She looked at Cosmo again, and asked in a whisper, "Ned?"
Now it was Cosmo's turn to drop jaw. "Yeah..."
"Aw, man," Lucky started "I can't tell you how sorry I am. I liked your uncle a lot." she unwrapped her arm from the swing chain and stuck out her hand, "Lucky Day, pleased to meet you."
If the kid was going to drop his jaw any further, he was gonna have to dig a hole. He took her hand and said, "Cosmo Loonbucket...same."

Cosmo took the swing next to Lucky, and she basically reiterated what she'd told the cops the day before. He just nodded. Then Lucky, god bless her little ponytailed soul, went right to work.
"You know, it was puzzling me a little bit," she said, "he mentioned 'cosmo' and 'pepsi' before he died. Well, now I know that Cosmo is you, but what is the Pepsi? Do you have any ideas?"
The kid took a deep breath, "When Uncle Ned got into town, I told him about the sponsorship for the festival being with Pepsi, and that their advertising department was looking for new old blood. Advance you Career.. You know, those 'come-back' stars to put in commercials and look hip? Anyway, Ned was a pretty big deal in the sixties, when he could still remember songs, and I thought it would be a nice shot for him...I never thought it would get him killed." the kid darkly stared at the ground.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, before Cosmo stood up. "Listen, I gotta go meet some friends. Are you going to the festival tonight?"
Lucky shrugged her shoulders and said, "Yeah, I guess so.."
"Well, there is a dance on the hardwood in the big tent after that Logos banjo workshop. If you make it, save me a dance?"
With that information on Theet's whereabouts dropped neatly in her lap, who was Lucky to refuse? She grinned up at Cosmo, "Yeah, we'll see..."

As the kid walked away across the park towards Condolezza, I came over and took the swing next to Lucky. "Well, that clears a few things up," I said, "but I still have one question.."
Lucky looked at me, "What's that?"
"Just what on earth is a SexPistol? I mean, by themselves, each of those things are just fine, but as a pair, I'd imagine them unstoppable..."
"Jeeziz, Madison" she laughed and stood up. "C'mon, lets walk, and you can tell me all about your visit with the blonde bombshell herself..."

We walked down the park path, both noticing Cosmo Loonbucket and Condolezza Schwartz deep in conversation, and the approaching Theet Logos.