by Gerald Lopez
“I ran into my old friend Arnou on the beach,” the detective said.
“Pops was kicking Arnou’s ass before Robertito split them up,” Gabriel said. “Pops, will you teach me how to fight?”
“Sure, kid,” the detective said.
“Papa Walt, we even got to take a ride on Robertito’s boat,” Gabriel said. “He doesn’t let a lot of people on it. It’s because it was my birthday, I’m sure.”
“Take the next left, Mr. Peters,” Jimmy said. “Then you just keep going straight for a long while.” He turned to Gabriel. “I thought we liked Arnou.”
“We do but he still sort of needs his ass kicked,” Gabriel said.
“I’m bored,” Galen said, when they’d been on the one lane country road a while.
“Rest while you can, kiddo,” the detective said.
“What?” Galen said. “Are we gonna have to walk back? I’m little, I can’t walk that far.”
“You’re not gonna have to walk back,” Walter said. “I don’t think.”
“Turn right on the next road, Mr. Peters,” Jimmy said. “Then it’s the farm to the right.”
“Farm?” Galen said.
They passed through an open gate, and drove up to a two-story farmhouse.
“I’m scared, Gabi,” Galen said.
“It’s OK, Galen,” Jimmy said. “We’re all here with you.”
“Everybody out,” the detective said.
Everyone got out of the car except for Galen, who held onto the seatbelt.
“No, no,” Galen said. “Don’t leave me here.” He started crying. “You’re dumping me in this far away farm.”
“He’s breaking my heart,” the detective said to Walter.
“That’s kids for you,” Walter said.
Gabriel started to get back in the car, but the detective held his hand up for him to stop then got in himself.
“C’mon now, lil guy, it’s time to get out,” the detective said.
Galen started kicking and screaming.
“Gabi! I wanna stay with Gabi.” He cried again.
“You and Gabi are both staying with us,” Walter said from the open door of the car.
“Don’t leave me here,” Galen said. “I’ve been a good boy.”
The detective managed to get hold of Galen, and hugged him tightly.
“You don’t wanna make a grown man like me cry, do you?” the detective said quietly in Galen’s ear.
“I don’t know,” Galen said, trying to wipe away his tears, but starting to cry again. “Please don’t leave me here, Popsy.”
“You’re mine and Papa Walt’s now, so is Gabi,” the detective said. “You belong with us at our home.”
“I do?” Galen said, then yawned.
“You know what?” Walter said. “I think he’s just tired and needs a nap.”
The detective heard something and smiled. “No time for naps now. We’ve got a couple surprises to pick out. Can you hear that, Galen?”
“What?” Galen said.
“Listen real good and you’ll hear it,” the detective said.
“Oh my goodness,” Walter said. “I definitely hear the surprise.”
“So do I!” Gabriel said. “Listen, Galen, listen!”
“I hear barking, that’s all,” Galen said.
“We’ve come to pick out two puppy dogs,” the detective said. “One for you and one for Gabi.”
Galen rushed to get out of the car.
“Papa, are we really getting two puppies?” Galen said to Walter then held his hand.
“Sure looks that way,” Walter said.
They walked toward the farmhouse and were met by a gray-haired man in overalls.
“Hello, Mr. Gaston,” Jimmy said. “These are the people I told you about who are interested in two boy puppies.”
“A couple of brothers for two brothers, eh,” Gaston said. “Let’s head on over to the barn then, follow me, folks. My wife has fresh, homemade, apple pie with homemade whipped cream for us when we’re done.”
“Yum,” Walter said.
“You speak perfect English, Mr. Gaston,” the detective said.
“I spent some time in the states,” Mr. Gaston said.
Galen was pulling Walter forward. He grabbed the detective’s hand and pulled him along as well.
“Look at all the puppies!” Galen said, then squealed.
They were inside an old stone barn that was suddenly filled with the noise of barking puppies.
Galen clapped his hands happily. “We’re really gonna get a puppy, Gabi.”
“Two,” the detective said. “One for the birthday boy that will be all his own and one for you.”
“This is the best birthday ever,” Gabriel said.
“You two can thank Jimmy for telling me about this place.”
“Thanks, Jimmy!” Galen said, then hugged Jimmy.
“Thanks,” Gabriel said to Jimmy and smiled.
Galen let go of the detective and Walter’s hands, and ran to a stall that was filled with hay and puppies.
“There’s a whole bunch of them!” Galen said.
“How do we go about this, Mr. Gaston?” Walter said.
“Listen up, boys,” Mr. Gaston said. “If the puppy has a collar with a name on it, he’s taken, and just waiting for his or her new parents to come get ‘em. The ones with blue or pink ribbons haven’t been adopted yet.”
“Stick to blue ribbons, boys,” the detective said.
“When I open the stall door, you can go in and see who picks you,” Mr. Gaston said to Galen.
“You mean they pick us,” Galen said.
“That’s usually how it works,” Mr. Gaston said.
“Galen, you go in first and I’ll wait,” Gabriel said. “We don’t want to crowd the puppies and scare them.”
Mr. Gaston opened the stall door, and looked at Galen.
“Go on in, little fella,” Mr. Gaston said.
“What kind of puppies are they?” Galen said. “They’re all white with brown spots.”
“Those are French Spaniels,” Mr. Gaston said. “They’re good dogs—loyal and easy to train with a lot of energy.”
“That means you’re gonna have to walk him every day,” Walter said to Galen.
“I can do that,” Galen said.
“Galen needs to walk more anyway,” Gabriel said.
“Gabriel, you can walk your dog to visit me sometimes,” Jimmy said to Gabriel.
“It has to be every day, remember,” Gabriel said, and smiled.
Galen was in the stall by himself, surrounded by eager, jumping puppies.
“Hey get down, boy,” Galen said.
The puppies were too much for him, and he fell down and looked to Walter and the detective.
“Papa, Popsy,” Galen said.
“Time for the calvary to join in,” Walter said, then went in followed by the detective.
They managed to save Galen from a multitude of happy puppies who were trying to lick him.
“Look,” Galen said, pointing to a corner. “That puppy is scared and hiding.”
“He reminds me of you in the car,” the detective said.
Galen made his way to the puppy, crouched down and petted him.
“He licked my hand,” Galen said.
“That means he likes you,” Mr. Gaston said.
“Him, Papa, Popsy!” Galen said. “I want him.”
“Pick him up and bring him on out,” Mr. Gaston said. “We’ll take him to the side room and see how you two get along.”
“Let me give you a hand, Galen,” Walter said, then lifted the puppy and put him into Galen’s waiting arms. “Hold him securely so he doesn’t fall.”
“I will,” Galen said as his Papa and Popsy helped him and the puppy out of the stall.
“Your turn, birthday boy,” Mr. Gaston said.
“Come help me pick one, Jimmy,” Gabriel said, then he and Jimmy went in the stall.
“I want to wait and see Gabi pick his
puppy,” Galen said.
“OK,” Walter said. “But don’t drop your little puppy.”
They were watching Jimmy and Gabriel petting the puppies when one puppy made his move. He boldly walked up to Gabriel sniffed him, then crouched down by his foot. Jimmy laughed then spoke.
“He’s peeing on your foot, Gabriel.”
“That’s what they do when they’re marking their territory,” Mr. Gaston said.
“He picked you just like Mr. Gaston said he would,” Galen said.
“I think so,” Gabriel said. The puppy had stopped peeing, so he picked him up with one hand and held him. “He’s the one. I think I’ll call him lil Pisser.” He chuckled. “Just kidding.”
Everybody laughed, and Jimmy and Gabriel exited the stall.
“There’s a hose around back you can use to rinse off your foot,” Mr. Gaston said. “I’ll show you where it is.” Along the way he pointed out a room where Galen and his puppy could play.
“What do you think?” Walter said to his detective as they watched Galen playing with the puppy.
The detective looked at Galen dressed in tan shorts, a La Mer T-shirt, and La Mer flip-flops then spoke.
“Our boys are not billboards for La Mer. They need real clothes.”
“Already ahead of you there,” Walter said. “Their closets are full of non branded clothes from the gift shop including jackets and long pants for brunch tomorrow.”
“Good. The pup in front of us is a keeper, as are you. The dog works for me too.” He smiled.
“You’re enjoying this whole thing, Popsy,” Walter said. “I’m glad.”
“I still have a job to do before retiring to watch kids and puppies.”
“Any progress there?”
“None so far but here’s hoping tonight brings some new enlightenment.”
Chapter 24
Possible Clues
“THESE TWO ARE getting along just as well as the ones in back,” Mr. Gaston said after he had walked into the side room and watched Galen and the puppy for a while. “I’ve got the leashes, collars, and crates in a corner waiting to go, as well as a bag of puppy chow.”
“Let’s get the financial part squared away then,” the detective said.
Gabriel and Jimmy walked up then, all of them and their four-legged additions followed Mr. Gaston to the house. They walked in through the kitchen where Mr. Gaston’s wife was washing a plate.
“You all wash your hands in the sink while I get you some pie,” Gaston’s wife said. “You can leave the puppies on the floor, I’ll keep an eye on them.”
While the others took turns washing their hands, the detective paid Mr. Gaston, then washed his hands. There were plates with pie waiting on the large farmhouse table, and a big bowl of whipped cream in the center of the table.
“My wife Marie is a fine cook,” Mr. Gaston said. “Sit and enjoy the pie.”
“Mmm,” Walter said, after eating his first bite of pie. “This is delicious, Mrs. Marie.”
“It really is,” the detective said.
“You have a few puppies left, Mr. Gaston,” Jimmy said. “But my parents still won’t let me have one.”
The puppies started barking for attention and scraps.
“Don’t feed the puppies anything, boys,” Walter said. “We don’t want them getting bad habits.”
“I don’t understand why your papa won’t get you a puppy,” Mr. Gaston said. “You’re a hard worker and responsible.”
“He really is,” Gabriel said. “Jimmy works so hard in his dad’s restaurant.”
“Maybe he can help with your puppy,” Mr. Gaston said. “Just remember that puppies—and dogs in general—pick up on the feelings of their owners and the significant people in their lives.”
“We still have a couple of the female dogs left,” Mrs. Marie said. “Mr. Chambers paid for one but we heard he passed away.”
“Heard from who?” the detective said.
“This is a small community, detective,” Mrs. Marie said. “My cousin’s son works with the wife of someone employed at La Mer.”
“Was Mr. Chambers getting a puppy for me?” Gabriel said. “It is my birthday today.”
“Happy birthday,” Mrs. Marie said. “But, sorry, he was buying the puppy for some girl he was trying to impress.”
“Galen!” Walter said, when he saw Galen lift his plate and lick it clean. “We don’t do that, young man.”
“But it was so good, Papa, and I’m still hungry,” Galen said.
“You had lunch earlier, Son,” Walter said.
“I have another pie if anyone wants seconds,” Mrs. Marie, said then looked at Galen and smiled.
“I do,” everyone but Walter, who was staring at Galen, said.
“I’m not sure boys who lick plates should be allowed seconds,” Walter said, then looked at his detective.
“Heck, I’m tempted to lick the plate myself,” the detective said, then raised his plate and stuck his tongue out.
“Don’t you dare,” Walter said.
Mrs. Marie and the others laughed.
“I heard through the grapevine that the boys are Cabot Chambers’ sons,” Mr. Gaston said, while his wife served up more pie, “that means the female puppy belongs to them. The man already paid for the dog and I’m no thief to keep what’s no longer mine.”
Gabriel looked at Jimmy.
“My parents won’t let me keep a dog,” Jimmy said.
“Maybe you can find a good home for her, Mr. Gaston,” Gabriel said. “Give her to a poor kid who would love her.”
“We can do that,” Mrs. Marie said. “That’s a very kind and Christian thought, Gabriel.”
“Louise!” Galen said. “We can give the girl puppy to Louise.”
“We need to talk to Louise’s papa about that first,” Walter said. “Maybe he’d even like to bring Louise himself to surprise her.”
“Oh yeah,” Galen said.
“Would you mind keeping the puppy for a while, Mr. Gaston?” Jimmy said.
“I don’t mind, but let me know when you get an answer one way or another from François,” Mr. Gaston said.
“We will,” Walter said.
The detective noticed everyone had finished their pie, so he spoke.
“OK, guys, time to load the supplies in the car. Walter and Mr. Gaston will go with you while I stay and talk business with Mrs. Marie.”
“No more pie for you,” Walter said to his detective, as he walked out with the others.
When everyone had gone, Mrs. Marie put another slice of pie on the detective’s plate and raised her finger to her lips. “Our secret.”
As the detective plopped some whipped cream onto the pie he spoke.
“Mrs. Marie, do you know who the girl is that Mr. Chambers was trying to impress?”
“No, or we would’ve told her about the puppy,” Mrs. Marie said. “But lately he liked them young… and blonde.”
“What did he like before that?”
“Naomi’s been his true love since Chantal died, but he liked to try all different types,” Mrs. Marie said.
“Some people are under the impression he was ready to settle down.”
“I can believe that to be true. But folks like Chambers and Naomi have their own set of rules which baffle simple people like me. Still it does seem to have worked for them for quite a while.”
“How long?”
“Not very long,” Mrs. Marie said, “They were friends for many years first, and Naomi was there for him when Gabriel ’s mother Chantal died. That’s when their relationship turned more… carnal in nature.”
“Why didn’t Chambers marry Chantal?” the detective said, then heard a puppy whining by his feet and picked him up. He put him in his lap and rubbed his ears.
Mrs. Marie picked up the puppy’s brother and rubbed his ears as she spoke.
“Chambers was madly in love with Chantal. She was quite the beauty, but very religious, and because she had always claimed to have a husband
, she couldn’t marry Chambers. The whole town knew it was a lie, but she stuck to it.”
“That’s why she wouldn’t let Chambers lavish the boys with gifts,” the detective said.
“Oh, we’re all pretty sure that he bought the two bedroom house Chantal and the boys lived in. Nobody believed her fake husband overseas sent her the money for it. We never really understood why Chantal would keep up the facade and deny the boys so much.”
“Religion is a powerful motivator. Who had a reason to kill Chambers?”
“He had just retired, so business wouldn’t factor into it,” Mrs. Marie said. “If he’d gotten into any fights with anyone it would’ve been the talk of the town. Whatever the reason someone had to kill Chambers, it must’ve been hidden and kept in the dark.”
“Kept from even Naomi?”
“She was always Chamber’s confidante, but who really knows what a man feels the need to keep secret.”
“Wouldn’t a young girlfriend or playmate make Naomi feel threatened?”
“You haven’t met Naomi. She’s still very much in her prime.”
“Thank you for the pie and the conversation, Mrs. Marie. I enjoyed both.”
“The people that matter in town admire you and Mr. Peters for taking Gabriel and Galen into your home.”
“Will we have problems from anyone?”
“No. Well, it’s never entirely peaceful in a family but there is quite the age difference between the brothers. Gabriel has been a sort of surrogate father as well as older brother to Galen. But he needs time to become his own man.”
“I told Gabriel something along those lines. They’re good boys. I’ll be retiring after this case and able to devote time to them.”
“That’s good, because they haven’t had a full time male role model,” Mrs. Marie said. “But they’ll be doubling down now with you and Walter—two dads. And don’t worry, there will be plenty of women around to offer a maternal influence.”
The detective smiled. “And every boy should have a dog.”
“I agree. Good luck solving the murder, Detective.”
“Mrs. Marie, do you have any insight into who the dancing man killer might be.”
“Yes, actually, but I’m scared to say what I think out loud.”
“Why?”
