She fetched a plastic bag from the kitchen and set it beside the phone. Russell’s missing phone. In her latest update, Roxy had told Sadie the police had yet to find the device. And now she knew why.
“Oh dear, Coco,” Sadie blurted out. “I’m afraid you’re an accessory to murder!”
Could a dog be charged? No, of course not. Sadie’s thoughts were becoming muddled again. She took several deep breaths, which calmed her down temporarily, until the next realization hit. But I could be charged!
She would just have to explain her possession of the phone to Detective Higgins in a logical way, if only she could think what that might be. It would be easier to do if she had more information before she turned over the phone.
“Coco, the only way out of this is to solve the crime,” Sadie said. Coco switched paws and continued her grooming session, never looking up.
The sound of an incoming phone call caused her to jump before she realized it was from her own phone, which rested innocently beside the morning paper.
I really need to get a grip, Sadie said to herself. She took another deep breath as she reached for the phone. Not surprisingly, it was Roxy.
“Good morning, more like afternoon,” Roxy said. “Just checking to see when you’ll be driving down. I’m having terrible cravings for potato skins.”
Sadie remained silent, debating whether or not to tell Roxy about Russell’s phone. She decided to wait. “I’m leaving soon. I’ll text you when I get there.”
“You sound shaky,” Roxy said.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine, Sadie. Are you sure you’re OK?”
“Of course.” Sadie could hear the lack of certainty in her own voice. “I’ve just made a small … discovery, you might say.” Understatement of the century…
“Oh, cool,” Roxy said. “You found out something the police haven’t discovered yet?”
“You might say that,” Sadie said.
“Do tell!”
“I’ll explain when I get there,” Sadie said. “I’m almost done packing. I’ll be there in a few hours.”
Sadie ended the call and set her phone next to her car keys, not to confuse it with the more recent, unfortunate discovery. She opened up the plastic bag and attempted to slide one edge of it under Russell’s phone, hoping to nudge it inside without touching it again. But as she pushed the slim plastic edge against the device, it simply moved forward instead of sliding inside. She changed strategy and held the plastic bag’s edge firmly with both hands and pushed down against the couch’s surface, attempting to bounce the phone slightly toward the bag’s interior. This was equally unsuccessful. She finally picked up Coco and told her to “sit” on the couch and “stay.” She then pushed the plastic bag against the phone, which, now blocked by Coco’s paws, could not slide away. Within moments, the phone was bagged, the bag was sealed, and the evidence was safely tucked away.
Twenty minutes later, Sadie and Coco were on the way to Monterey.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The hotel charmed Sadie just as much on this visit as it had the first time she’d stayed there. She even managed to score the same luxurious room. She could hardly wait until it was time to crawl under the heavenly linens, though she had hours to go before she could sleep. She made a mental note to find out what brand the sheets were so she could pick up a set for her penthouse.
It didn’t take long for her to unpack her suitcase since she’d packed light with the intention of filling the extra space with things she knew she would buy in Carmel. She planned to hit Ocean Avenue, a spot that she rarely visited though it was only a short drive from San Francisco. It would be a shame to waste the opportunity.
Coco settled in just as easily, as if the plush surroundings were standard treatment for a star. The hotel concierge had even arranged a welcome basket of canine treats and toys with Coco’s name on it, cleverly set on a plush dog bed, at just the right height for a Yorkie. The staff had also left a basket with human treats at desk level.
Sadie shot off a quick text to Roxy, letting her know she’d arrived, then, with Coco napping comfortably in her travel palace, left for The Sea Urchin. It was too early for Happy Hour, but the perfect time for a serving of chocolate lava cake and an espresso. She took her tote bag with her since she didn’t want to leave the newly found evidence in the hotel room. Even without Coco’s minor, extra weight, the bag felt heavy with the knowledge of what was inside.
As Sadie entered the bar and sat in a back booth, Roxy returned her text. On my way, it said.
“Welcome back. What can I get you?”
Sadie recognized the server, who also seemed to remember her from the previous weekend. She also recognized the bartender as the one who’d been on duty when she’d overheard Russell talking to him. Her fingertips tingled, as if they were about to feel their way to a few answers.
“Ma’am?”
“Oh, sorry,” Sadie said, realizing her thoughts had kept her from giving her order. “I’d love an espresso, please, and a serving of chocolate lava cake.”
“Coming right up.”
“And,” Sadie added quickly before the server walked away, “an order of your potato skins for a friend who’s joining me. In fact, there she is.”
Roxy, clad in jeans, boots and an oversized sweatshirt, ordered black coffee and sat down across from Sadie as the server walked away.
“I ordered potato skins for you,” Sadie said, admiring a bejeweled bracelet Roxy wore, which looked strangely incongruous with the rest of her outfit.
“Perfect,” Roxy said. “I haven’t eaten all day, other than a toasted bagel eight hours ago.”
“Busy? Even without a show tonight?”
Roxy shrugged. “Yes and no. Not so much busy as just frantic and frustrating. I’ve had constant interruptions, which makes it hard to get anything done.”
“Detective Higgins still?” Sadie glanced around, as if she expected him to pop up at any moment.
“No, not the last couple of days, thank goodness,” Roxy said. “He’s called a few people down to the station for questioning, like I told you, but I don’t think the theatre itself interests him anymore. They’ve searched it several times. They haven’t found anything new.”
She glanced at her tote bag nervously. How was she going to explain having Russell’s phone, even to Roxy?
“You said Higgins called Alex in the other day,” Sadie said, stalling for a moment. “But he resisted going in?”
Roxy shrugged. “He didn’t resist. He just had an attitude about it.”
“Why wouldn’t he want to cooperate? That just makes him look guilty, don’t you think?” Sadie paused as the server delivered the food and beverages, and watched as she walked away. She turned back toward Roxy. “Do you think Alex has something to hide?”
“Who knows?” Roxy said. “Maybe he does. Everyone knew he was sweet on Brynn.”
“Then he’d be the last person to want to hurt her, right? Unless…” Sadie fell silent.
`“Unless what?” Roxy asked. She reached for a potato skin, twisting it sideways as melting cheese dripped onto the serving plate.
“Unless he didn’t want anyone else to have her,” Sadie said. “Maybe he knew she was seeing Russell, and was jealous. You said they competed for her attention.”
“True,” Roxy said. “But to kill someone just so no one else could have that person? Seems extreme to me.”
“Murder is extreme,” Sadie pointed out, “whatever the reason behind it.” She picked up a spoon and dug into the chocolate lava cake.
“So,” Roxy continued, “spill it.”
“Spill what?” Sadie took a sip of espresso and glanced at her tote bag again.
“You know,” Roxy said. “The discovery you told me about earlier.”
“Oh, that…” Sadie hesitated. Even though she knew Roxy well, she wasn’t sure divulging the information about the phone was smart. Maybe she’d be better off going straight to the police
and turning it in. And explaining…explaining what? That her dog was a kleptomaniac? How believable would that be?
“Sadie?” Roxy prompted.
Sadie took another bite of chocolate and debated her approach, finally deciding to just lay it all out, starting with the phone itself. She looked around the nearly empty bar and pulled the plastic bag from her tote. Setting it on the table, she watched Roxy frown.
“I don’t understand,” Roxy said. “Why do you have your cell phone in a plastic bag? Did you drop it in something? Are you trying to muffle the sound? You know phones can be set on vibrate.” Roxy reached out for the bag, but Sadie stopped her.
“You won’t want to touch that,” Sadie said.
Roxy froze, her hand halfway to the questionable plastic bag. Slowly, she drew her arm back. “Why not?”
“Because it’s not my phone,” Sadie said, pulling her own phone out of a side pocket and holding it up.
“Not your phone? Then whose is it?” Roxy frowned, and then her eyes grew wide. “Oh, no, Sadie. Don’t tell me.”
Sadie nodded. “Yes, I’m afraid so. It’s Russell’s phone.”
Roxy gasped. “How? Where? Are you sure?”
“Very sure,” Sadie said. “It’s obvious from the text history.”
“You looked at the phone? You touched it? Your fingerprints are on it?” Roxy leaned forward, staring at the plastic bag.
Sadie waited until Roxy fell quiet to answer. “Yes, I looked at it and touched it. I had no idea it was Russell’s until I’d already pulled it out of the tote bag. I didn’t decide to handle it. I already had my hands on it when I realized what it was.”
“How did it get…” Roxy sighed. “Never mind. I can figure that much out. You know, some people have toddlers who are easier to control than that Yorkie of yours.”
“She just has that joie de vivre, you know,” Sadie said in Coco’s defense.
“That much is clear,” Roxy said. “Anyway, what did the text history show?”
Sadie lowered her voice. “You remember the police said there was a text on Brynn’s phone that made them suspect Russell, but they didn’t release the content?”
“Yes,” Roxy said.
“Well, here it is.” Sadie lifted the plastic bag up and pushed the message icon, which brought up the last text.
Roxy’s hand flew up and covered her mouth. “Meet me tonight at the usual place,” she whispered. “Then it was Russell! Oh, this is terrible! And to think that he’s running around loose – and back in the show, no less! Now we’ll need to put Alex back in, which puts Coop back in…” Roxy held up fingers as she counted off steps she’d have to take before the next show.
“Hold on, Roxy.” Sadie said, calming her friend with a gentle tap on her arm. “This doesn’t prove anything. Remember Russell said he hadn’t sent her a text. In fact, he claimed he’d lost his phone.”
“But he could be lying,” Roxy said.
“Yes,” Sadie said. “But he could also be telling the truth. Anyone could have sent that text – anyone who had the phone, that is.”
“It sort of looks like you had the phone,” Roxy pointed out.
“That exact thought occurred to me,” Sadie said. “Which is why we have to figure out who did have it that day.”
“When was the text sent?” Roxy asked.
Both women leaned close to the phone, attempting to see through the plastic. Sadie adjusted the phone’s angle, moving it to avoid glare from the bar lights, until she found a position that allowed them to read the date and time stamp.
“Five thirty-five the evening of the dress rehearsal,” Roxy noted.
Sadie nodded. “Right. So it was before the rehearsal started at seven o’clock.”
“But after the call time, which was five o’clock,” Roxy said. “Which means Russell was already at the theatre, but so was everyone else. Just about anyone could have taken the phone and sent that text.”
“Exactly,” Sadie said. “In a way, that makes Russell look less guilty. He’s only one of dozens of people who could have gotten ahold of his phone.”
“True.” Roxy nodded her head and reached for a potato skin.
“Who else would have been at the theatre that day?” Sadie took another sip of espresso and waited for Roxy’s response.
“Anyone involved with the show,” Roxy said. “You know, you were there. Penelope was working the box office, Freda was handling wardrobe, Coop was helping me, and Sid was running around barking at people, as usual.”
“And Ernie and Mitchell were around, at least down at Curtain Call, where I saw them,” Sadie said.
“They would have watched the dress rehearsal, too,” Roxy said. “From the back row, their usual spot.”
“That makes sense,” Sadie mused. “Though I sat about halfway to the front and wouldn’t have thought to look around the audience. So I can’t say I saw them, except at the café.”
Sadie finished off the chocolate lava cake and set the dish aside. She propped her chin in one hand and drummed her fingers on the tabletop with the other.
“Let’s say Russell is innocent,” Roxy said. Sadie suspected this was as much wishful thinking as it was an actual presumption. Roxy had already made it clear that she wasn’t willing to accept that she’d have a killer running around during the performance.
“OK,” Sadie said. “That means someone else took his phone in order to send the text. How would they get it?”
“That’s easy,” Roxy said. “Russell always left his phone sitting out on the dressing room table. Anyone could have grabbed it.”
“Do you remember anyone in particular back there?” Sadie asked.
Roxy shook her head. “No, not really. I was moving around a lot before the rehearsal, all over the theatre, really, getting things ready.”
“What about during the show?”
“I don’t remember,” Roxy said. “Wait, Ernie came back around intermission, but he just brought Nevada coffee.”
“And that was long after the text was sent,” Sadie pointed out.
“True,” Roxy agreed. “I’ll ask Coop if he remembers seeing anyone in or around Russell’s dressing room earlier.”
“In particular, before five thirty,” Sadie added.
“Right.” Roxy devoured the last potato skin. “Walk over to the theatre with me,” Roxy said. “I want you to see the new flyers Mitchell made up for the show. The entire border is paw prints.”
“Sure,” Sadie said. She waved the server over and asked for the check. She signed the charge over to her hotel bill and followed Roxy out of the bar. Sadie took a detour to her room so she could gather up Coco, rather than leave her alone for an indefinite period of time. Who knew how long the police station visit would take?
She rejoined Roxy in the lobby, and the two walked down to the theatre, ending up just behind the stage, where Roxy had saved a stack of the new flyers for Sadie to keep.
“Oh, I love them!” Sadie exclaimed. She set her tote bag down and carried one of the papers over to inspect under the brighter stage lights. “The paw print border is fabulous.”
“I knew you’d like them,” Roxy said. “As annoying as Mitchell can be at times, he does come up with great publicity ideas.”
“Just fabulous,” Sadie repeated. “Don’t you think so, Coco?” She turned the flyer toward the tote bag, which Coco was circling, as if on patrol. “Oh no, Coco,” she said. “No more shenanigans from you.” Placing the Yorkie back in the tote, she tucked a few of the papers in a side pocket and accompanied Roxy back outside.
“I’m off to run errands. What about you?”
Sadie managed a nervous laugh. “I believe I’m headed for a highly entertaining meeting with Detective Higgins.”
“Good luck,” Roxy said.
“Thanks,” Sadie said. “I’ll need it.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The police station loomed before Sadie with much the same intimidating look as the theatre had when she first s
aw it. Even without gargoyles, the building elicited from her a sense of dread. Not that the sleek, modern exterior of the building resembled the theatre in any way. It was the anticipation of confessing Coco’s crime that had her nerves in knots.
If her fingerprints hadn’t been on the phone, she might have been tempted to drop it off anonymously. But her responsible decision to not tamper with evidence meant leaving her own prints on the phone, as well as any others. She just had to face up to being in possession of what was likely the most important missing clue. And hope she could explain it.
Sadie climbed the half dozen steps, entered the station, and approached a reception desk manned by two officers.
“I’d like to speak with Detective Higgins.”
“What is this regarding?” The officer asking the question looked to be in her mid-thirties. She had short brown hair, neatly-manicured fingernails and a no-nonsense expression.
“It’s…personal,” Sadie said.
The officer exchanged looks with the second officer, an older man Sadie figured to be in his late forties. His expression led Sadie to interpret that by “personal,” she meant personal.
“No,” Sadie stammered. “That’s not what I meant to say. I’d just like to speak with him personally.”
“We can take a report here at the desk,” the female officer said, “if you need to file one.”
Sadie clutched the handles of her tote bag nervously. “I’d just like to speak with Detective Higgins, please. If he’s here, that is. It’s about the Brynn Baker case.”
“What is your name?”
Sadie gave the officer her name and watched as he picked up a phone on the desk.
“Higgins, there’s someone here to see you, a Sadie Kramer.” He paused. “All right, I’ll tell her to wait.” He hung up the phone and turned back to Sadie. “Just take a seat. He’ll be out in a few minutes.”
“Thank you,” Sadie said curtly. She silently reprimanded herself for being snippy. She wasn’t really impatient with the desk officers. She was just apprehensive about talking to Higgins. “Thank you,” she repeated, making a point of softening her voice.
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