The safe was untouched, the register was untouched. Not that there was much to take; I’d made a bank run last night before I went home.
“What do you think?” Hostas asked.
I shook my head. “I’m confused. Why break in and not take anything? Other than Betty’s vase of flowers knocked onto the floor, nothing else seemed to be disturbed. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“We’re working on a few leads. Do you have a working surveillance camera?”
I shook my head. “I meant to get one, but I kept putting it off. What about the other break-ins? Did they have cameras?”
“A couple.”
“And,” I prompted.
“Not helpful.”
I sighed. “When do you think I can open for business?”
“We should be out of your way soon.” He looked out front. “Here comes trouble.”
Suddenly, Betty and Grey burst on the scene. I wondered which one Hostas considered trouble.
Betty, in a hot-pink jogging suit, her straw handbag swinging from the crook of her elbow, raced toward me. “Cookie, are you okay?”
She lunged for me, hugging me tight as soon as she made contact.
I patted her back. “I’m fine.”
She let go of me and surveyed the shop. She shook her head in denial.
I looked at Grey. “From what I can tell, the boutique is fine. Nothing’s been disturbed. Nothing taken. Just a bashed-in front window and door. How did you know about it?”
“It’s on the news,” Grey said softly.
“Look what they did to our little shop.” Betty found her favorite products. Assured they weren’t damaged, she opened her purse. “Don’t you worry, Cookie. I’m on the case.”
“No you’re not. This is police business.”
Betty ignored me. She sidled up to Officer Hostas. “You’re dusting for fingerprints, right?”
He grunted. Taking that as a yes, Betty moved on.
“What time did you leave last night, Cookie?” She pulled notebook out of her handbag.
I sighed. “The same time as you. We all left together.”
“That’s right.” She scribbled a few notes on the paper.
Grey gingerly pulled the spiral pad from her hands and tucked it in his back pocket. “Come with me.”
“This isn’t a good time, Handsome. Cookie and I need to figure out who’s behind the Smash and Dashes. I’ll take my notebook back now.”
I shook my head; she couldn’t even get the name right.
“No, you don’t. Once the police have finished their part, we need to help Mel clean up. We need to get the shop open as soon as possible. People need to know we’re open for business.”
Betty had been so caught up in solving the Bash ‘n Dash, she hadn’t noticed her flowers were no longer on the counter. “Where are my flowers?” She ran to where her flowers laid strewn on the floor by the wall.
“They knocked over my flowers.” Betty gingerly gathered her beat-up flowers by their broken stems. “This was unnecessary. Why?” She sounded like she was about to cry.
Grey bent over to help. “Be careful of the glass.”
“You just wait until I get my hands on whoever did this,” Betty said.
“Don’t move,” Grey barked out.
Everyone froze. He called over Officer Hostas and pointed to something on the ground. Hostas pulled a latex glove from his back pocket and tugged it on. He picked up whatever it was he and Grey were studying to take a closer look.
“You’re right. I’ll bag it,” Hostas said.
Betty and I pushed our way over to Grey. “What did you find?” I asked.
“A bug.”
Betty let out a disgruntled, “Humph.” She kicked a piece of debris aside. “Why is he going to bag an insect as evidence?”
“Not that type of bug. A listening device. Someone was eavesdropping on Bow Wow.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
A LARGE CROWD had gathered on the sidewalk in front of Darby’s studio, mostly loyal customers concerned for Betty’s and my safety. The overwhelming show of support moved me to tears. I jokingly tried to guilt them all into buying the last of the dog sweaters. They didn’t feel that bad.
Darby had texted, checking on us and asked if we needed anything. I reassured her we were fine and promised to call that afternoon. I even had a voicemail from my sassy cousin, Caro. She’d seen the report and wanted to make sure we were okay. I swallowed past the lump in my throat. It was moments like this when you missed your family.
I’d given Betty the day off. She rambled on about timing and graduation. I had asked her to explain, but she’d clammed up. I had a strong suspicion whatever she was talking about had to do with her one-thirty appointments. And an even stronger suspicion it had to do with a private investigator’s license.
“Grey, go home.” We stood on the sidewalk across the street from the boutique.
“No.” His one word packed a wealth of emotion.
I could hear the faint sound of birds chirping over my steady pulse beating in my ears. A slight breeze rustled the leaves in the trees we waited under. Judging by the weather it should have been a calm, relaxing day. Life had other plans.
I stared at the clean-up crew Grey had managed to find in less than two hours. They moved quickly, cleaning up the broken glass, and had already covered the front door with plywood.
At last we were alone and I could ask the one question that had been begging to be answered. “Please tell me that was an FBI-issued listing device.”
“It’s not.”
I’d been afraid that’s what he was going to say.
My hands shook as I pushed up the sleeves of my hoodie. Adrenaline, I reassured myself. “I’m fine. I promise.”
His sharp blue eyes focused on the men across the street as if willing them to work faster. “The crew will be finished by the afternoon. I’ve called a window company to take measurements and replace the broken glass. They’ve assured me you’ll be back in business by tomorrow.”
Conflicting emotion clogged my throat. I couldn’t speak. I nodded my thanks.
After a few minutes I finally found my voice. “I need to have a cry and release all my pent-up emotions, but I can’t with you standing here.”
He nodded. He gently placed a hand at the small of my back. “I’ll walk you to the Jeep.”
I sighed, facing him. “I’m not going to break. I just need to let go of . . .” I motioned with my hand, hoping he understood what I was struggling to put into words.
“This isn’t only about you.”
The air stilled around us. He reached out and gently caressed my cheek. “Don’t worry about the shop. I’ve got it under control. Call your family and tell them you’re on your way.”
I shook my head. “No. I will not run. No one was hurt. Bow Wow will open at eleven o’clock on the dot tomorrow morning.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
I’D MADE IT HALFWAY home when I realized it was obvious who was behind the listening device. I had to believe Grey had already figured it out, which would explain his stoic demeanor. If it wasn’t the FBI, that left only one person. Leo Montana, the man who had bestowed the flowers to Betty in first place. How could I have missed that?
Now that I knew, I wanted to talk to the person who seemed to understand him best—Quinn Reed. I hung a tight U-turn and aimed the Jeep to Hot Handbags. I parked a few stores down from my destination, not wanting to alert Quinn of my arrival in case she was looking out her window.
I entered the store determined to learn the truth about Leo and why he wanted to buy Quinn’s boutique so badly. And why Bow Wow had caught his interest.
An offer I couldn’t refuse? Really?
Imagine my surprise when the f
irst person I saw was Betty Foxx standing in front of the sales counter of Hot Handbags.
“Cookie, what are you doing here?” She looked like she’d been caught with her hand in the treat jar.
I narrowed my eyes. An interesting turn of events. “What are you doing here?”
“Just catching up, right, Quinn, Old Buddy?” Betty shuffled away from me.
It didn’t look like she and Quinn were chatting. It was just the three of us in the store. The perfect opportunity to question.
Quinn pressed her lips together. “Your associate thinks I had something to do with the break-in this morning.”
Betty huffed. “I don’t like the way you said ‘associate.’”
I walked toward them slowly. Betty had obviously been giving Quinn the third degree, and now Quinn was on edge.
“I don’t think you did, but I do think you know who is behind them.” I continued moving toward them.
She shifted her weight, keeping the counter between us. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her uptight face didn’t match her indifferent tone.
“Leo offered me a blank check to buy Bow Wow. Why?”
“Ask him.” Defiance dripped from her words.
“I’m asking you,” I said. “He made it clear to me he also wants your shop.”
“You’re not selling, right, Cookie?” Betty’s distress at the possibility of my selling the shop only confirmed my suspicions about Leo.
I shook my head. “Never. The shop is ours.” I faced Quinn and locked on to her irritated green eyes. “Quinn, why does Leo want to get his hands on our businesses? He’s behind the break-ins, isn’t he?”
Betty rubbed her hands together. “Oh! Cookie is on a quest.” She pulled out the notebook Grey had returned to her on the condition she not investigate the Bash ‘n Dash. “I overheard Leo on the phone. He thought I was in the bathroom, but I was snooping in his bedroom.” She flipped pages. “He likes Chinese food, hair is fake. That’s not it,” she mumbled. “It’s in here somewhere.” She flipped through more pages.
Good lord, I did not want to know why she was nosing around in his bedroom. Thankfully, she bypassed that intimate detail as she read from her notes.
“Ah, here it is. He’s running multiple illegal operations, including counterfeit phones, purses, and wine. He wants to use Hot Handbags as a cover. Plan B is to take over Bow Wow Boutique and turn it into a tourist shop.” She flipped the notebook closed with satisfied grin.
I smiled like a proud parent on graduation day. “Nice work, Betty.”
“He didn’t have me fooled for a second. At least not once I learned he wore a rug,” she scoffed.
“Hmmm.” I didn’t try to follow her logic. “Do you know who Leo was talking to?”
Betty narrowed her eyes in Quinn’s direction. “That’s why I’m here. I’ve graduated with honors from my PI class. I’ve got skills,” she boasted. “I’ve started my own investigation, and I think it was her.” She pointed at Quinn.
“Well, it wasn’t.” Quinn pressed against the counter. “Now that you know about Leo’s side adventure in crime, you can leave. I suggest you go straight to the police. I have nothing to say.”
I wasn’t ready to depart just yet. I had more questions. A lot more. “Did Leo kill Mason?”
“If Colin didn’t kill Mason, it must have been Leo. He pretends they were great friends, but the truth is, Leo hated Mason. Leo was always trying to convince me to leave Mason.”
Betty shook her head. “Nope. Not buying it, Sister. Leo told me he keeps his friends close and his enemies closer. If that’s true, Leo wouldn’t kill him.”
“Leo’s connections were counting on him to close the deal with Mason. If Mason had changed his mind, Leo had bigger problems,” Quinn said evenly.
I worked though Quinn’s implications toward Leo. And her earlier comment about the word of a dead man. I had a bad feeling she was throwing Leo under the bus to protect herself.
“If he killed Mason, he’d lose the store. They only had a ‘gentleman’s agreement.’ And from what you and Evan have said, it sounds like Leo had spent too much time priming Mason to sell. Leo unequivocally thought he was getting the store.”
“Who’s Evan?” Betty asked.
“Their bookkeeper,” I explained. At the mention of Evan’s name, I remembered there was something Quinn had said that bothered me. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
Quinn refused to comment.
I tried a different angle. “Leo bugged my shop. Do you know why?”
Quinn sighed in annoyance. “Why do you think? You had what he wanted.”
Bow Wow. “Because I refused to sell to him? He thought he could blackmail me into selling?”
She shrugged. “I wouldn’t put it past him. If he couldn’t find someone’s Achilles heel, he’d have his crew break in. Most of the time customers were scared off. Businesses that were cash poor were looking for a quick sell.”
“And Leo would come to the rescue. Swoop in and offer to buy them out. Probably dirt cheap.” Only in my case it had strengthened my resolve. Exactly how dangerous was Leo?
Betty frowned. “The scoundrel.”
“It was working,” Quinn said simply.
“Until someone pushed Mason down the stairs,” I said.
A glint of evil flashed in her eyes just long enough for me to catch it. A shiver of fear ran down my spine. Maybe it was time to leave. Quinn knew an awful lot about Leo’s dealings to be completely innocent. Betty and I needed to get out and head straight for the police station and talk to Malone.
I grabbed Betty’s arm. “Let’s go. We have enough to hand over to the police.”
I could see the change of plans on Quinn’s face. In a split second she realized that she’d cleared Leo. And implicated herself.
And I realized the same. Holy crapola.
Quinn pulled out what looked like a toy gun and pointed it at us. “Now that you’ve put it all together, you didn’t think I’d let you just waltz out of here, did you?”
Well, yes, I did.
I swallowed hard. “Where’d you get the gun?”
“It’s Mason’s. Never left home without it.”
My stomach tightened in fear. I slowly raised my hands showing I wasn’t armed. “This is a bad idea. You don’t want to do this. As it stands you can still claim Mason’s fall was an accident. If you shoot us, that’s murder, no getting around it.”
“Only if they catch me,” she spat out. “I’ve gotten away with it before.”
Betty glared at Quinn. “The Dog Whisperer was right. You did kill his mom.”
She shrugged. “Mason pushed her off a cliff while they were hiking.”
How fitting that he was pushed to his death. Nothing as grand as a cliff, just a staircase. Karma was a pain.
“The skeletons you mentioned to Bree,” I said.
“And they would have stayed that way if you two hadn’t kept sticking your nose into my business.”
My stomach dropped. What was that saying? “Curiosity killed the cat”? Yeah, it looked like that applied to Betty and me too.
My thoughts immediately turned to Grey. Just as we were reconnecting, I was about to die in a handbag store. I guess there were worse places to be murdered. Fear gripped my chest so tightly I thought I was having a heart attack. That fear was an incredible motivator.
“You made it my business when Grey was accused,” I said.
I could hear Grey’s voice in the back of my mind telling me to stop talking. But if she was spilling her guts to us, she had no intention of letting us walk out the door alive. Betty and I needed to save ourselves. The longer we kept her talking, the more time I had to formulate a plan.
“That was Mason’s fault. He was ruining everyth
ing, carrying on about the painting like that.”
“You never really know someone until you marry them,” Betty said.
“You’re not helping,” I muttered.
Quinn waved her gun. “So true. Mason wasn’t happy with what we had; he always needed more. More money, more women. I was over it. I had my own plans. And then he tried to sell that damn painting. Why couldn’t he leave it alone? Evan and I had it all worked out.”
I sucked in a deep breath. Well, shoot. That was it. I’d read everything wrong. It wasn’t Leo and Quinn. It was Evan and Quinn. Evan’s girlfriend was Quinn. They were planning on running away together. Quinn said Evan had sold the original painting weeks before Mason had tried to sell it himself.
Good grief. That explained an awful lot.
“If my man was cheating on me, I’d give him a knee strike right between the legs.” Betty demonstrated, including a loud, “Ha!”
That was it. I could have kissed her. We just had to get close enough to Quinn. “Betty has taken self-defense. She’s pretty good.”
“Great. Granny has a hobby. It’s time to go, Ladies.”
No, no, no. We were not leaving the store. If we did, there was no telling where she’d take us.
“If you kill us, how will you explain our murders to Malone? He’ll know we were here. He’ll see our cars.”
“Uh, Cookie, I walked.”
Quinn, unimpressed with our comedy routine, waved her gun toward the backdoor. “Get moving.”
I dropped my hands. “No. If you’re going to shoot us, do it here,” I challenged her.
She looked at me like I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had.
Quinn reached across the counter and grabbed Betty’s sleeve. “I said, we’re leaving. I can’t shoot you here. That would ruin my purses.”
“Insurance doesn’t cover that.” Betty winked at me.
Betty yanked her arm from Quinn just enough to cause Quinn to lurch in to the counter. With a loud shout, Betty jumped up and shoved the heel of her palm directly to Quinn’s nose.
The Dogfather Page 20
