by Cindy Bell
Bryan’s shop had only been open for about a month. He was generally friendly and eager to meet people. She recalled a few occasions where he’d joked with her, and even asked her advice on some of his designs. He seemed like an open person. So, why would anyone want him dead? Perhaps if he actually lived in Dahlia she would know him a little better. As she neared the police station she recalled the woman who had threatened him that morning. At the time it seemed like a fairly innocent tantrum, but now that Bryan was dead she had to wonder if maybe this woman had something to do with it.
Nikki pulled open the door to the police station and stepped inside. Right away she was hit with the scent of cinnamon. A little surprised to associate that smell with the police station, she followed her nose in the direction of it. It wasn’t long before she discovered a tray of freshly baked apple and cinnamon pastries. She smiled to herself as she knew exactly who they came from. Gina must have dropped them off to the police officers. She liked to surprise people with gifts like that.
“Nikki.” Quinn called out to her from the door of his office.
She smiled as she caught sight of him. For a moment she recalled what it was like to be a gangling teenager with a hopeless crush. Was she still that gangling teenager in her heart? She did her best to focus on the matter at hand as she walked towards him. Quinn had a career, and he had to prove himself as a detective. She didn’t want to do anything to distract him from that.
“It looks like Gina love-bombed the station.” Nikki stepped past him, into his office.
“Yes, she did, thankfully. It gave everyone a boost after the events of this morning.” He gestured to the chair across from his desk. “I promise I won’t keep you long.”
“Oh, it’s no problem, anything I can do to help, I’m happy to do.” As Nikki sat down across from him she hoped he wasn’t that eager to send her off. But then, perhaps the connection she still felt between them was just her imagination.
Quinn glanced up at her, met her eyes, then looked back down at the file open on his desk.
“So, it seems that you had some recent contact with Bryan. Is that correct?”
“Yes, some.” Nikki cleared her throat. “But I don’t know anything about what happened at the shop.”
“So you’ve told me.” Quinn looked up at her again, his eyes inquisitive as they searched hers.
“I just don’t want to waste your time.” Nikki shrugged, then directed her attention to the photographs on the walls of his office. She’d never noticed them before. Had he recently put them up? She recognized some of his family, and one of a familiar place, the section of bay where they’d had their encounter many years ago.
“You could never do that.”
“Hmm?” She glanced back at him.
“I just mean, time with you, could never be a waste.” Quinn looked back at the file on his desk.
“Thanks.” Her cheeks flushed. She stared down at the desk, too.
“Listen, we looked over the surveillance footage from Bryan’s shop today. Unfortunately, it was not running the whole morning, but it did capture some stuff before the murder. You’re on the recording.” He folded his hands on top of the file. “Can you tell me what your interaction was like with Bryan? Did you notice anything out of the ordinary in his behavior?”
“Oh yes, I stopped in to try to find a birthday present for Princess. You know, every other time I’ve been around Bryan he was always so nice, and talkative. He loved to discuss art, and anything that had to do with animals, so we got along pretty well.” Nikki smiled at the memories that trickled through her mind. “But this morning, he was very stand-offish. I wanted to purchase a particular item, it was a key ring with a fake green gem, and he insisted that it was not for sale. He refused to sell it to me, even though he had it right there behind the counter. It wasn’t just that he refused to sell it, it was more about how he refused to sell it. He was short, and acted like me being there annoyed him. It was strange.”
“I see. Was there anything else he mentioned? Did he say anything about why he was upset?” He picked up a pen and made a note in the file.
“No, he didn’t say anything else to me. But then as I was leaving, this other woman came in.” Nikki’s eyes widened as she recalled the way she behaved. “She started accusing him of trying to kill her. And they argued back and forth a bit. I left after that, though.”
“Heather Cantrells.” Quinn nodded as he glanced back up at her. “We saw her on the surveillance video as well. Thanks for filling in some of what was said. There was no audio on the recording. We plan to speak to Heather as soon as we can find her. Did she mention what she was upset about?”
“Yes, she did. It was something about an accident, him almost hitting her, or something like that.” She shook her head. “I don’t know exactly.”
“That’s all right. That fills in some blanks for us. We were able to identify her from the video, and we did find a record of an accident she reported, so this confirms why she was there, and why she was upset. When we speak to her, hopefully she will be forthcoming with some additional information.” Quinn sat back in his chair and wiped a hand across his eyes. “Was there anything else strange about his behavior? Anything at all?”
“Well, when I saw him later at Mrs. Whitter’s—”
“Wait,” Quinn interrupted, and sat forward at the same time. “You saw him again? At what time?”
“It was just after I left you at the café. I walked to Mrs. Whitter’s and I found him inside, speaking to her.” Nikki narrowed her eyes. “I think maybe around eleven. Anyway, he was quite nervous. He demanded that she give him back the collar she’d purchased for Princess’ birthday. Of course, this upset her, and she didn’t want to give it to him. But when he explained it was a safety issue, she gave it back to him.”
“What made you think he was nervous?” He made another note in the file. “Thanks, you’re filling in the timeline for me.”
“He just seemed that way. Again, he wasn’t very friendly. He looked agitated. He just kept insisting that she return the collar to him. I know he cares about animals, but it struck me as him being a little overly concerned.” She frowned as she looked across the desk at him. “I’m sorry that I don’t have more to share with you about it.”
“It’s actually very helpful.” He scribbled down a few things. “I’m surprised he went to Mrs. Whitter’s house. I may need to speak with her as well.”
“If you do, be prepared. She’s already pretty tense about the party, and after what happened to Bryan, she’s even more stressed.” Nikki winced as she recalled the woman’s anxiety. “I offered to help, but she’s too stubborn to take it.”
“I’ll be sure to sweet talk her.” Quinn winked lightly at her, then set his pen down. “And you, are you okay?”
“What do you mean?” Nikki met his eyes.
“I mean, you saw this man twice today, and now he’s been killed. That has to be a little jarring.”
She studied him, curious as to whether he asked the question for personal reasons, or to get an idea of whether she might be a suspect. Could he really consider her one?
“It’s still setting in I think.” Nikki looked down at her hands, which were splayed open across her lap. “It is upsetting to think about.”
“Try not to be too worried. I’m sure that this was a targeted attack which means the public shouldn’t be at risk. But it’s always good to be cautious.” He picked up his pen, again. “Oh, one more question. Did you hear or see a motorcycle nearby the shop around the time of the murder?”
“No, I didn’t. Why?” She stared at him with interest.
“A witness recalls hearing a motorcycle nearby. I just thought you might have heard it as well.” He tapped the pen against the file.
“No, I’m sorry I didn’t. I did hear one near the shops earlier in the morning.” She sighed as she looked back down at her hands. “Like I said, I really don’t know anything about what happened.”
“
You’ve helped quite a bit.” Quinn stood up behind his desk. “I’ll walk you out.”
“You don’t have to do that.” She stood up as well, and couldn’t avoid looking directly into his eyes.
“I don’t mind.” As he opened the office door for her, he brushed his hand lightly along the curve of her back.
Nikki felt like she had butterflies in her stomach. There it was again, that chemistry that always seemed to be there. Too bad it appeared to be one-sided. As a sensation of awkwardness rushed over her, she remembered seeing the man who stood across from the shop.
“You know, Quinn, there is one other thing that was strange today.” Nikki paused as they reached the door of the police station. She winced as she glanced at the other officers. “I’m sorry, Detective Grant.”
“Please, call me Quinn.” He smiled, though the expression faded, replaced by the intensity of his gaze. “Now, what else was strange?”
“I was on my way to take Coco home, and I noticed this man.” Nikki sighed and shook her head. “It’s probably nothing, and it’s silly to even tell you about it, but something seemed so off.”
“Who was he?” He pulled a notepad from his pocket. “It’s not silly at all. When a crime like this is committed, it’s important to pay attention to every detail. You never know where a clue might come from.”
“I don’t know who he is. But the way he was staring at the shop, it made me think he was really invested in what happened there. Maybe he knew Bryan? I don’t know for sure.”
“Can you describe him to me?”
“He had short, brown hair and was quite tall with a bit of a belly. He looked to be in his fifties. I followed him a short time, and saw him go inside a real estate agency, the one on Main Street.” She shrugged. “It’s more than likely nothing, but I thought you should know.”
“About what time?” He didn’t look up from his notepad.
“It was about one-thirty.” Nikki pushed the door to the police station open. “Like I said, it’s probably nothing.”
“It may be, or it may not be. It’s not unheard of for criminals to return to the scene of their crime. Thanks again for your time, Nikki. If you think of anything else, you have my number.” Quinn locked eyes with her as she stood in the threshold of the doorway.
“Yes, I do.” Nikki stepped all the way through the door and let it fall closed behind her.
Chapter 4
As Nikki started off towards her apartment, a wave of tiredness washed over her. She had been through some ups and downs throughout the day, and now all she could think about was getting some rest. However, as she walked past Bryan’s shop in the direction of her apartment, something else caught her attention. The shop was still roped off with wide, yellow police tape. However, it appeared to be empty. It was dark inside. Yet a second before, a flash of light had drawn her attention. As she watched, a flashlight beam traveled across the interior of the shop. It traced along rows of leashes and collars, sparkling as it struck metal surfaces. Her heart pounded as she wondered why anyone would be inside with a flashlight. The police had plenty of equipment to light up the shop, but she was sure that the electricity still worked. She could only guess that whoever was inside, was up to something. But what? Why would anyone risk prowling around a crime scene?
A quick glance up and down the street revealed that there was no traffic, and no sign of any police vehicles nearby. Could it be an officer doing some kind of extra search? But why with a flashlight? Her curiosity drove her right into the alley beside the store. She crept close to one of the windows on the side of the building. It was small, and high. She had to stand on her tiptoes to peer through it. As she did she saw a figure pacing through the shop. His flashlight swung past the small window. She winced, and drew back. Had he seen her?
As Nikki’s heart pounded she considered whether she should run. But an instant later she was back on her toes, with her eyes locked to the man inside. This time she recognized him. It was the same man that she’d seen earlier at the café. The man who wore a motorcycle jacket. He certainly wasn’t a police officer, and certainly didn’t belong inside the shop. Determined to find out just what he was up to, she decided to call the police. They needed to know that their crime scene was being invaded, and she needed to know why. As she dug in her purse for her phone, a sinking sensation rippled through her. She didn’t have her phone. She’d left it on Quinn’s desk during their conversation. Which meant that she had no way of calling for help. She could run to the next shop, or even to one of the nearby houses, but that meant she would have to leave, which would give the man a chance to get away. What if he was gone by the time the police arrived?
At least if Nikki stayed, she might get an idea of what he was doing, something that she could share with the police when she was able to contact them. She got back up on her toes and looked through the window again. He seemed to be more determined than ever. As she watched, he pulled paintings from the walls. Then he began to shove shelving away from the walls. It became clear that he was looking for something, and had no intention of leaving until he found it. When he bent down to pry at the floorboards, she wondered what could be driving him to search so thoroughly.
Nikki climbed up on a loose brick in an attempt to get a better view. The brick tumbled loose of the foundation, and her body slammed forward against the wall with a loud thump. She cringed as pain burst through her body, but a moment later she realized she had more to be concerned about. Had he heard anything inside the shop? She peered through the window just in time to catch him looking in her direction. As they locked eyes her chest tightened. She knew in that instant that she had been spotted, and within seconds he could be outside, demanding to know what she saw. Uncertain of his purpose for being there, she was aware that he could be the person who killed Bryan. Would he kill her, too? She wasn’t going to stick around to find out.
Nikki burst into a run. As she propelled herself through the familiar streets, and passed the shops and homes that she knew so well, she was sure that someone inside would help her. But she couldn’t risk slowing down, or stopping. If she did, the man in the shop might be right on top of her. If only she hadn’t peeked in the window, if only she hadn’t been too curious to resist, she might not be in this situation. Her chest threatened to burst from the intense exertion as she ran as fast as she possibly could. The only place she could think to go was home. It was where she felt the safest. However, as she reached her apartment, she realized it might not have been the best decision. She would be alone, and her neighbors weren’t the type to pay attention to anyone else’s business. She fumbled with her keys. Once she managed to get the key into the lock, she shoved her way through the door and slammed it closed behind her. She leaned back against the door and closed her eyes for just a second. She listened for the sound of footsteps on the walkway. Had he followed her? All she heard was silence.
Only then did Nikki peer out through her windows to see if the man had followed her. Once she was satisfied that he wasn’t lurking outside she began to double-check that all of her windows and the front door were locked. Again, she reached in her purse for her phone, only to recall that she didn’t have it. She didn’t want to go outside, yet. She perched on the edge of the couch and thought about what she had seen. She was sure it was the same man that she’d seen in the café that morning. She recalled the words the two men exchanged, and how unsettling they could be. They may have been having an innocent conversation, but it may have also been about Bryan. Why else would the man be searching through the shop when no one else was there? Maybe there was a reasonable explanation for what happened. Maybe she was overreacting.
Nikki took a few deep breaths. She was okay. He hadn’t followed her. He might not have even seen her. Maybe he’d just looked at the window, and she thought he met her eyes. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a knock on the front door. Her body stiffened in reaction to it. Would a murderer knock on the front door? She wasn’t sure.
; After another set of knocks Nikki convinced herself to get up. She approached the door as quietly as she could. Maybe whoever was outside would assume she wasn’t home and leave.
As she stood on the other side of the door, she held her breath. Seconds passed. She thought perhaps whoever it was had given up and walked away. Then a third set of knocks, firmer this time, shook the front door. Her stomach twisted as she realized that whoever it was outside, knew that she was inside, and they weren’t giving up.
Slowly Nikki reached for the door knob. With one hand raised in the air, prepared to defend herself, she pulled the door open.
“Hey Nikki.” Quinn smiled, though it faded when he noticed her balled up fist. “Is everything okay?”
“Sorry Quinn.” She dropped her hand and blushed. “I didn’t know it was you.”
“Well, that’s reassuring.” He raised an eyebrow. “But apparently you were expecting someone else that you wanted to knock out?” He held her phone out to her. “You left this at the station, I just wanted to return it.”
“Oh, thank you.” She grabbed her phone.
“Nikki.” He looked into her eyes. “What’s going on? What has you spooked?”
“It’s probably nothing, I’m just being silly.” She shook her head, but then took the time to look in all directions past him. “There was no one else around the apartment when you walked up, was there?”
“No, not that I noticed.” He frowned. “Do you mind if I come inside?”
“Sure, of course.” Nikki stepped aside to allow him in, and closed the door behind him. Then she locked it.
“You’ve got to tell me what’s wrong.” Quinn turned to face her. “Did something happen?”
Nikki stared into his eyes, then everything about what she witnessed at the shop and the café earlier in the day began to spill out.
“I thought he saw me, but now I’m not so sure, and I was going to call the police, but I didn’t have my phone.”
