by Emmie Lyn
Jasper loped toward Izzy, standing between Jess and Ron. She burst free and threw her arms around the big Newfie. “Jasper! Are you helping me today with the kittens?”
It was just the excuse that Tilly needed. She winked at me and took Izzy’s hand. “Let’s go do a head count, shall we? That’s something Jasper thinks she can handle, but I think we have to double-check her math. What do you think, Izzy?”
“Oh, Tilly. You’re silly.”
“I try, Miss Izzy. I’d rather make people smile and laugh than scare them half to death.” She swung Izzy’s hand to the rhythm of their steps.
Mick started to say something, but when Tilly sent a searing glare his way, he got the message.
Izzy skipped along next to Tilly. Her pigtails bounced with each skip and Tilly’s skirt swished around her legs as they followed the flower-lined path under the arbor and up to the door. She unlocked it, and they disappeared into Shakes and Cakes.
I sighed with relief. Two less people to worry about. Izzy was out of harm’s way and Tilly out of Mick’s line of fire. Her sense of timing, for once, was perfect.
I tapped Mick’s arm. “So? Shouldn’t you get going and find the Chief?”
He flicked my hand away and turned to Ron. “I want to take another look at your security tapes.”
“I showed you the tapes from yesterday morning through the time when you and the Chief arrived. There was nothing on them. And, since then, I discovered someone had hacked in and tampered with the tapes.”
“Maybe you tampered with them yourself, Ron.”
Ron smiled like he would indulge this annoying accusation for now. “Even if I did, how would you figure out it was me? I mean, whoever hacked in didn’t leave fingerprints or anything. Listen, does Pineville’s PD have a big enough budget to do a sophisticated analysis of the time-stamping and find missing footage? Think you’re CSI or the FBI, Mick?”
My eyes popped open. Ron’s friendly tone flipped to irritation. “I showed you the tapes yesterday. If your intention is to snoop around through my private business, you’ll need a warrant. Now, I have important things to do.”
He whispered something to Jess. She nodded and got in her car.
Mick jogged over and slammed his palm on her window. “Where are you going?”
She rolled the window down. “To work. Maybe that’s what you should be doing too instead of scaring a little girl half to death.” She backed up without giving him a chance to say anything else. Mick jump out of the away. It was either that clumsy move or get his foot crushed under the tire.
“What did you say to Izzy?” I asked, ready to give Mick a piece of my mind. “She’s ten. She went through a lot yesterday. What is wrong with you?”
“I have a job to do, Sunny. Yesterday, I heard Isabella tell you and Ruby that she covered Ron’s body. I want to know exactly what she saw and heard.”
“Nothing! She was hiding.”
“Yeah, that’s what she told me, too, but who coached her to say that? Who is she protecting? Her mother who was at the barn? Twice!” Mick sneered like needling me was his most enjoyable activity.
I stood in front of him. “You are not going to go in and harass that little girl. If the Chief wants information, I’ll see to it that Izzy works with him. But, not you, Mick. You don’t have a clue how to be gentle.” I stepped closer and stared at him. Anger burned in his eyes. He spit his toothpick out and looked away. It felt like an enormous victory.
“You think you’re smart, but you have no idea what you’re dealing with, Sunny.” Mick’s voice hissed out with a low warning. He brushed past me, climbed into his SUV, and left.
Hitch put his arm on my shoulder and pulled me close against his side. “You okay?”
“That’s all we keep asking each other this morning,” I said, trying to lighten the heavy mood. “Mick is such an in-your-face, tactless bully who can’t get out of his own way.”
“Is that all? Don’t hold anything back, Sunshine.” Hitch gently turned me to face him. With one finger under my chin, he tilted my head up so I looked into the deep pools of his sea green eyes, filled with caring and concern.
“Every word of what you just said about Mick is the absolute truth but… never, ever say it to his face. Okay?” Hitch’s lips twitched at the corners. “It might not go over like a grand slam.”
“All the more reason to tell him,” I said, feeling like silence was not the answer. “Why hide the truth?”
“Mick will never change,” Hitch answered, and I knew he was right.
A car pulled into the parking lot, rounding the corner faster than necessary. Stones and dust spun out behind an old Honda sedan.
“Stacy? What’s she doing here?” I asked, not that I expected Hitch to be able to read her intentions. “I hope Little Blue is okay.”
Stacy slammed her car door and hustled toward us. “Is Ron here?”
“What’s wrong?” My stomach twisted into a knot.
“Melanie showed up at his house a little while ago. I’d just arrived to check everything, liked I’d promised Ron when I saw her with a bag from A Donut A Day. The police were finishing their investigation at the barn. She sashayed over to them and chatted and smiled and did that flirty thing that pretty girls get away with. Her arms were flying all over the place, then she pointed to the far side of Ron’s property. I don’t know what she’s up to, but she trotted off through the fields like she didn’t have a care in the world. I think Ron should know. Is he here?”
“Maybe she decided to go out and look for birds,” I said. Although, I did have to admit that Melanie, being a city girl, didn’t seem like the type to go traipsing off in the woods by herself.
“Melanie?” Stacy said, staring disbelieving over her sunglasses. “If she’s lucky, she’ll get lost out there. But it’s more than likely that she’ll slip down one of the steep paths to Blueberry Bay and get herself into a heap of trouble. “So, I really need to talk to Ron.”
“He’s in the Kitty Castle with Izzy.”
She harrumphed with what sounded like displeasure. “He should be home taking care of his own business instead of babysitting someone else’s kid.”
I was about to escort her inside, but that comment fried my nerves. She wouldn’t get any cooperation from me. I didn’t understand what Ron saw in this bossy woman besides her excellent cooking.
25
“Welcome to a new day at Shakes and Cakes,” Hitch said as we walked toward the door, his step light while mine dragged.
I heard the crunch, crunch on the gravel behind me as Stacy followed on our heels.
“We aren’t open yet,” I said to Stacy when we’d arrived at the entrance. “You’re welcome to wait while I tell Ron that you’re here.” I didn’t need her barging in and upsetting Izzy by tactlessly dragging Ron away.
“You’re joking,” she said, pushing past me to stand in front of the door.
“Not at all.” I managed to find my sugary sweet voice that I pulled out especially for annoying customers.
Hitch blocked her path with his six-foot frame and pulled the door partway open. With just a narrow gap to squeeze through, I turned sideways, sucked in my stomach, and wiggled and squirmed my way inside.
“You can’t do that,” Stacy yelled after I was inside and the door clunked behind me, muffling her voice.
Actually, I can. And, I did. And it felt good to keep her away from Izzy.
I looked back at Hitch who grinned at me like he was thrilled to use some of his security guard training. Perfect. I was more than happy to leave him behind to deal with Stacy’s wrath.
The cool calm interior of Shakes and Cakes wouldn’t last long, so I savored the moment. Happy chatter and the earthy aroma of lavender pulled me into the greenhouse. Tilly caught my eye and snapped her finger to her lips.
“Sit, Jasper,” Izzy commanded. Four and a half feet tall and skinny as a sapling, she stood in front of my dog, outweighed by more than a hundred pounds.
&nbs
p; Jasper sat and kept her focus on Izzy. As she slowly raised then lowered her hand, Jasper’s body followed until she was stretched out on the cement. Next, Izzy rolled her hand in circles and Jasper followed as if hypnotized and rolled onto her side. That was as far as she made it. The tabby kittens pounced on her like she was their big mountain to climb and jump around on. Even Whisker Puff showed a new amount of bravery when she swatted at Jasper’s tail.
I muffled my chuckle. Jasper could probably roll all the way over, but not under the current situation as a kitty jungle gym.
Izzy plopped down and pulled Jasper’s big head onto her lap. “That’s okay. You don’t have to do the whole roll over thingy if you don’t want to. I get it. Sometimes there’s stuff I don’t want to do.” She leaned her head on top of Jasper’s in a tender Kodak moment that pulled on my heart strings.
I tiptoed in so as not to disturb the scene and tapped Ron’s shoulder. “Got a sec to help me?” I whispered.
Izzy’s head popped up. “Can I have a strawberry smoothie?” she asked. “Please?”
So much for stealth. “Sure enough. I’ll have Ron bring it right in.”
“Tilly,” Izzy said without skipping a beat. “Wait till you see what I’m going to teach Jasper next.”
I was curious about the Izzy agenda, but I wanted to give Ron a head’s up before Stacy pushed down the front door. “Stacy’s here looking for you.”
“Why?” He pulled out his phone, tapped a message, and then looked at me. “I see Melanie made a visit this morning and headed off through the fields. It’s odd that she’d do that alone.”
“Maybe she’s meeting someone? Peter perhaps, or Scott? They both seemed to be infatuated with her.”
He swiped his finger across his phone screen. “The other cameras aren’t showing anything. Oh, wait. It looks like Officer Walker is walking out to meet her.” A crease formed between his brows. “I’d better go talk to Stacy. Maybe she’s got more information for me.”
I hadn’t thought of that when I’d forced her to stay outside. I’d reacted based on her apparent dislike for Izzy.
“Wait.” I held his arm. “Is Mick part of the drug surveillance team? I mean, he was out on your property last night, nosing around for something. Maybe he suspects one of the people in the bird group, too.”
“If he is, I’m not aware of it. I wanted to work with the local law enforcement people, but we determined that the smallest profile was the most secure.” He glanced at the door where Stacy had her hands cupped around her face, peering inside.
“But wouldn’t the local police be aware of a drug problem right under their nose?”
“I’m sure they’re concerned about local use, but they probably aren’t aware of the distribution part. I hope Mick isn’t sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong, or he might step right into a trap. These people are ruthless. With Andy’s death, the whole mission is both compromised and more urgent than ever.”
“If Mick is taking this on, maybe that’s why he wants a look at your security tapes. He’s been known to follow leads on his own before.”
“Maybe, but that’s not gonna happen. If he’s working under the radar, he’ll never get a warrant.” Ron took a step toward the front door. “Now, I’d better find out what bug got up Stacy’s butt before she finds a rock to bust through the glass.”
“Would she do that?” I was horrified that she’d go to that extreme.
Ron looked at me with an amused expression. “Stacy’s a tough bird. She looks out for me, and to be honest,” he leaned down and whispered in my ear. “I’m a little bit scared of her. And, not much scares me, Sunny.”
He pushed through the door and patted Stacy’s shoulder. I couldn’t hear what transpired between them, but I could see Stacy’s mouth moving as she wagged her finger in his face. She even took a second to glare at me when Hitch opened the door to come inside. I shivered. Maybe Ron thought her behavior was amusing, but her unyielding personality and one-track focus scared me more than a little. More like a great white shark circling in the water.
Hitch joined me behind the counter. “Wow,” he said. “That woman would be a one-person wrecking team if you gave her an inch of space. Seriously. I’ve never seen anyone in such a small package act as focused as a heat-seeking missile. It’s a good thing Ron got outside when he did, or I’m not sure what she would have done.”
I found the strawberries and yogurt in the fridge and handed them to Hitch. “Here. Izzy requested one of your smoothies. I think it’s the beginning of a healthy addiction.”
Hitch leaned on the counter, ignoring the smoothie ingredients. “There was something interesting in Stacy’s rant, though,” he said, still stuck on her. “She doesn’t trust the local police as far as she can throw them. You’ll love this, Sunny. Stacy said, and I quote: ‘especially that mealy-mouthed Officer Mick Walker with an attitude like a snarly vulture’.” Hitch snorted. “So, surprise, surprise. We do have something in common with Stacy after all, and maybe that’s where we should try to connect with her.”
“Maybe.” Had I misjudged Stacy’s rudeness for an overly protective trait? I pushed the yogurt in Hitch’s direction. “Smoothie?”
“Oh, right.” He dumped ingredients in the blender and whirred it together while I unlocked the door and hung out the OPEN flag. Cars were beginning to pull into the parking lot as I saw Stacy’s car leave. Ron stood a few feet away with a faraway glaze in his eyes.
“If you need to go home, that’s okay. Izzy will be fine here with us today.”
He startled like I’d pulled his thoughts away from something. “No. I’m not going to leave just yet. Stacy’s going back to my house. She panicked when she saw Melanie and needed to vent her frustration about how everything has gotten turned upside down since Andy’s murder. I think she feels guilty that she arrived late for work yesterday. She thinks that if she’d been there earlier, the murderer wouldn’t have had a free run in the barn.”
“Or, she might have gotten killed, too.”
“Maybe. You wouldn’t know it, but Stacy’s got a few tricks up her sleeve and can take care of herself. I don’t worry about her, but one thing does have me stumped. I can’t figure out who was strong enough to overpower Andy. He was built like a linebacker, had the brains of a scientist, and could fight like a ninja. I can’t think of anyone who could have snuck into the barn and surprised him. Maybe Scott or Peter?”
“I think you missed something, Ron. The ladder up to the hayloft had a broken rung. Maybe Andy was climbing up for some reason when the killer came in. He knew all the members of the birding group, so he probably wasn’t expecting to be assaulted.”
“But still, he’d be prepared in an instant.”
“Not if the rung broke and he tumbled down. He’d be off-balance. Or if he’d landed on the ground, he’d be in a helpless position for just about anyone to finish him off if that was the intention.”
Ron stared at me like I’d just solved the biggest mystery ever.
“Of course! I’ve been thinking about it all wrong. I was stuck on someone overpowering him, but you’re absolutely right, Sunny. Anyone could have taken advantage of the situation if he’d fallen down the ladder. The local drug contact had to fit into the community, have easy access to landing spots on Blueberry Bay, and fly under the radar.”
“So, the question is, who figured out Andy Schultz’s real identity?”
26
Ron headed back toward the Kitty Castle where Izzy and Jasper were tasked with keeping a close eye on the litter of energetic tabbies. “I promised Jess that I’d watch over Izzy today,” he’d told me. He carried Izzy’s smoothie carefully on his way into the jungle-like greenhouse. Hitch had filled it to the brim, and it was close to spilling over. “And I always keep my word,” he said, opening the door without spilling a drop.
Ron won Izzy over, or maybe it was the other way around. At any rate, they enjoyed a close bond, and I suspected it wouldn’t take much before Jess
was back in his life. How tragic, though, that it took a murder to bring those two people back together.
A steady stream of customers entered our shake shop. Friends greeted each other and chatted while they waited at the counter to order. The hustle and bustle and friendly banter revved up my energy level. When a customer exclaimed “this is delicious” or “you’ve got to try this mint-flavored shake,” a warm fuzzy feeling made my heart soar. Shakes and Cakes was here to stay. And customer’s loved Tilly’s experimental combinations. Especially the minty chocolate combos. Who would have guessed?
Hitch whipped up smoothies, I served cupcakes and donuts, and Tilly meandered around the tables like a pro. With a quick swipe with her cloth here and a stack of empty plates there, she cleaned, cleared, and chatted with just about everyone. I’d hear her chirp, “great to see you again,” or “be sure to check out the kittens,” or occasionally give a mock stern warning to “finish every last drop of that shake,” her good cheer always bringing out smiles and laughter.
The rush, rush, rush of making shakes and serving cakes pushed Andy’s murder to the back of my thoughts. But when the door jingled and Melanie walked inside, the rush of past events hit me like a tidal wave. I waved her over to the counter. She had some explaining to do.
“Melanie, what a surprise. It’s good to see you this morning.” I waved my hand over our sweet selection. “Can I tempt you with something?”
“I’m looking for Ron.” Her reply curt, but not rude. “Mick told me that I might find him here.” Her eyes scanned the desserts and lingered on one of our newest offerings.
“Officer Walker?” I asked like I wasn’t sure who she meant.
“Yeah,” she looked up at me. “I can’t believe he asked me to meet him at Ron’s place. When I got there, he wasn’t even at the barn with the rest of the investigators. He’d left a message with one of the other officers to tell me to meet him at the edge of Ron’s property where the trail heads into the woods. Does he think I have nothing better to do than traipse around at his command?”
