to be?” Ryder demanded.
Beckett dipped his chin, checked Owen’s work. “I’m Carpenter X. Faster than a skill saw, more powerful than a nail gun. I fight for truth, justice, and plumb corners.”
“That’s so lame.”
“I bet the kids don’t think so. And I bet I get more candy than you.”
“Out of pity,” Ryder called out as Beckett walked out.
“Pretty good for costume on the fly,” Owen commented.
“Yeah, not bad, but I’m not telling him that.”
Vesta buzzed. A lot of people, Beckett noted, had the same idea. Get some pizza before hitting Main Street. He saw Avery, long blond wig tied back, tossing dough to the delight of her audience of pint-sized superheroes, fairy princesses, and ghouls.
“Hannah Montana?” he called out.
She tapped the plastic wood-grained stake in her belt before she caught the dough. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
“Cute.”
“Not if you’re a vampire.”
Amused, he walked over to the booth of superheroes, checked out Clare. She made one hell of a Storm of the X-Men, he decided, in a white punk-style wig and snug black skirt and thigh-high boots.
“Excuse me, ma’am, I’m looking for three boys. They’re about this high.” He used his hand to measure like steps. “They go by Harry, Liam, and Murphy.”
“I’m sorry, I haven’t seen them. I’m Storm, and these are my friends and coworkers, Wolverine, Iron Man, and Deadpool.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Carpenter X.”
“You’re Beckett!” Murphy slid off his seat, pointed up.
“By day I’m Beckett Montgomery, brilliant architect, handsome man about town. But at night, when evildoers walk the streets, I’m Carpenter X, defender of Boonsboro and the tristate area.”
“Do you got superpowers?”
“I have my keen wits, my catlike agility, and super strength.” He plucked up the miniature Deadpool, lifted him overhead and onto his shoulders.
“It’s us.” Murphy leaned down to whisper in Beckett’s ear. “It’s Murphy and Harry and Liam and Mom.”
“Wait a minute.” He lifted Murphy off, held him out. “You mean all this time you didn’t tell me you were Deadpool?”
“Just for Halloween.” Murphy lifted up his mask. “See?”
“How about that?” He dropped down, set Murphy on his lap. “You sure had me fooled.” He gave Murphy a bounce when Heather set the pizza on the table. “Good timing.”
“We have to call each other by our superhero names,” Liam informed him. “Murphy keeps messing it up.”
“I can tell Beckett ’cause he’s with us.”
“I don’t want pizza.” Harry scowled at the slice Clare put on his plate. “I’m not hungry.”
“That’s fine. I’ll just hold all the candy Marmie and Granddad gave you, and what you get later until tomorrow.”
“I’ll take your share. I’m hungry as the Hulk.” Beckett made as if to reach for Harry’s plate.
“I can eat it,” Harry muttered as he shifted it out of reach.
“Is it okay if I trick-or-treat with you guys?”
“You’re too old to trick-or-treat.”
“You, Wolverine, are mistaken.” Carpenter X shook his head at Harry. “You’re never too old for candy. Or pizza. Which as everybody knows is the favorite food of all superheroes.”
AT SIX, SUPERHEROES, villains, pop stars, fairies, and a variety of undead swarmed Main Street. Teenagers ran in packs, parents pushed strollers inhabited by bunnies, cats, puppies, and clowns. Some led or carried toddlers, others herded older kids from shop to shop, house to house.
Hope sat on the steps of the inn, a big bowl of candy in her lap. “Power rations for superheroes.”
She held the bowl out as the boys shouted “trick or treat.”
“Great look for you,” she told Clare. “And you’d be who, Contractor X?”
“Carpenter X. My tool belt is always loaded.”
“So I hear.”
When Beckett laughed, poked an accusatory finger at Clare, Hope held out the bowl to the next group, answered a handful of questions about the inn.
“Everyone asks,” she told Beckett. “When you can give me an absolutely we’ll be done and ready date, I’m going to open reservations.”
“We’ll work out best calculation.”
“I love this.” She eased back. “I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but this is fun and sweet and a great way to people watch. But I seriously underestimated on candy.”
“You can get some from the bookstore,” Clare told her. “Or from Avery. We always get too much.”
“Mom!” Liam forgot his own directive as he tugged at Storm. “We want to go before the candy’s all gone.”
“Just go across the street for more supplies if you run out,” Clare called as her kids towed her down the sidewalk.
“It is fun.” Beckett stood with Clare while the kids dashed to the next bowl. “More fun with kids. They get such a charge.”
“And