Till Death Do Us Bark (Happy Tails Dog Walking Mysteries Book 2)

by Stella St. Claire

  "Yes, but it's not serious," he said quickly.

  "She's nice," Olivia hedged, "for a cat lover."

  "Yeah," Derek said softly. "I guess she's nice enough. And I like cats."

  It was all Olivia could do not to smile. "You're allergic to cats, Derek. C'mon. You can do better."

  "I called Andrew after Dispatch got ahold of us. I didn't think that you'd want to go home to an empty house. He said he'd leave work as soon as possible," he said, ignoring her statement.

  "Thanks." He was right, she didn't want to be alone, but after their fight, she wasn't sure how Andrew would feel, once he discovered that she'd gone straight to Lacy's afterward. It wasn't like she’d been seeking out the woman. She'd just wanted some shelter from the rain.

  A few minutes later, the squad care was pulling up the driveway. "Here you go. We'll give you a call in the morning, once we look everything over. I'm sure Sheriff Limperos will have some questions for you."

  "I might not be home, but I'll keep my phone on me. Thanks again for the ride, Derek." The rain had let up, so she and the dogs managed to get inside without getting drenched. Immediately, she coaxed the dogs into the bathroom to towel them off.

  They were tired from their adventure, and once she’d gotten the worst of the water out of their coats, they curled up on their blanket on her bed. She turned on the shower and relaxed under the hot water. When she closed her eyes, she could still see Lacy's body, sitting so still in the chair.

  Poison.

  More than anything, she hoped that she was wrong. After all, who would want to kill Lacy McBride? She made brides' dreams come true.

  5

  "Olivia."

  Resting on the couch, Olivia pushed herself up on her elbows and turned her head at the sound of Andrew's voice. The lamp on the side table flickered to life, and he sat down next to her. "Are you okay?"

  "Lacy's dead." Breathing in deeply, she rubbed her eyes and sat up. "She didn't even look dead. She was just sitting in her chair like, maybe, she was writing a note."

  "I'm sorry, Olivia. I know that you two were becoming close." He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her up to settle against his side.

  Curled up in his warmth, she closed her eyes.

  "What were you doing there?" His voice was calm and even, but she stiffened anyway.

  Pushing away from him, she stood and glared. "I know what you're thinking, but I didn't go running to her just because we had a fight. I didn't even know that she'd be there, since she closes early on Mondays."

  "Olivia—"

  "I was just walking Goodwin and Fender, and it started to pour, so I took shelter under the awning and realized that her lights were still on. I didn't see any harm going in," she said, not realizing that her voice was rising quickly.

  "Olivia—"

  "Don’t you be angry with me, Andrew! I didn't know that you were upset about the wedding plans, and I didn't go to complain about you. I wouldn't have said anything."

  "Olivia!" Andrew practically yelled at her as he stood and grabbed her wrists to stop her from pacing. "I'm not angry at you, sweetheart. I'm just trying to piece everything together."

  "You're not mad?"

  "You know me. I'm rarely angry," he said with a charming smile.

  "You were pretty angry this morning."

  "I'm sorry about the fight, Olivia. I really am. I want you to have the wedding of your dreams, but we also have to be able to afford it. I should have explained my concerns to you a while ago, but I didn't realize how you would throw yourself into the planning. I was actually a little concerned that I'd have to drag you kicking and screaming down the aisle," Andrew admitted ruefully.

  He guided Olivia back to the couch and pulled her back down next to him. Goodwin jumped up easily to curl up next to her, and Fender stared at them with accusing eyes. His legs were too short to make it onto the couch, and he sat, eyes fixed on them, expecting someone to help him.

  With a sigh, Andrew got up and helped lift the basset hound up.

  She wanted to ask him about the question that he hadn't answered, but she decided to let it go. As a rule, Olivia abhorred women who constantly needed to be told that they were loved. Of course Andrew loved her and wanted to marry her. It was ridiculous for her to doubt it.

  Instead, she stared at the rain that beat lightly against the window. "It's supposed to clear up tonight and be beautiful tomorrow," she said idly as he settled next to her again.

  "I'll certainly be happy when the house doesn't smell like wet dogs all the time," he said, wrinkling his nose and glaring at the offending mutts. "We could just get rid of the problem altogether by trading Goodwin and Fender in for some fish."

  "Fish!" Olivia laughed and punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Don't even try to joke. You think I don't notice when you save the biggest pieces of bacon for the dogs? I think you might just be marrying me for them."

  "More like marrying you in spite of the dogs," he teased, but then he added, in a sudden change of mood, "Do you think her death was natural?"

  Surprised, she raised her head and stared at him. "Are you the same man who forbid me from trying to solve Yvette's murder?"

  "You only got involved to avoid my proposal," he pointed. "Now that you've said yes, I don't have to worry about that anymore."

  She had opened her mouth to dispute his claim when her phone rang. Wondering who would be calling her this late, she picked it up and frowned. "It's Nick," she said quietly.

  Accepting the call, she put it on speaker. "Hi, Nick."

  "Olivia, I'm sorry to call you so late. I hope I didn't wake you up."

  "You didn't. Andrew and I were still up, talking."

  "Hey, Nick," Andrew said.

  "Andrew. I've actually called because I need Olivia to come into the station tomorrow and answer a few questions."

  "Of course," she said quietly, exchanging a glance with Andrew. "Is something wrong?"

  "It would seem that Ms. McBride didn't die of natural causes."

  Olivia reached over and gripped Andrew's hand. "What do you mean?"

  "She was poisoned."

  The next morning, Olivia joined the sheriff in his office. The last time she'd been here, she’d been giving her statement on Samantha's confession. Olivia had been so sure that Jacob, wanting revenge after Yvette had left him at the altar, had murdered her, but it was Samantha, Jacob's ex-girlfriend. Sitting here only served to remind her of how terrible she was at solving crimes.

  "I know this is a difficult conversation for you," Nick said as he settled behind his desk. The chair creaked under the extra weight. Nick's wife, Mary, had been after him about the pounds he'd put on recently. He was supposed to be exercising by walking their dog, Tucker, but he often secretly delegated that task to Olivia. "But I need you to walk me through exactly what happened."

  Olivia closed her eyes and pictured the scene. She verbally recalled as much as she could from the moment she’d walked into the office until Nick and Derek had shown up. When she opened her eyes, Nick frowned.

  "Is it possible that Goodwin or Fender licked up some crumbs on the floor?"

  "Not where Lacy was sitting. I didn't let them near the body. Do you think she ingested the poison or was injected?" She shuddered to think of what would have happened if one or both of the pups had eaten something from the floor.

  "From the autopsy, it looked like she'd just eaten a slice of cake beforehand, but the poison would have been instant. She would not have been able to clean up after herself."

  Olivia shook her head. "Probably wedding cake. Vendors are constantly sending Lacy new recipes to try, plus I'm sure she has cake at the weddings that she plans and attends. When we’d be talking, people were always coming and going from the office with wedding cake. Lacy had a bit of a sweet tooth, so she might set it aside for later, but she always ate it."

  "So you're telling me that we have a number of suspects," Nick said with a sigh as he leaned back in his chair. "This is
deliberate, Olivia. Someone waited until after she'd died to clean up all the evidence. Can you think of anyone who would want to kill Lacy?"

  Olivia had been half in love with Lacy McBride herself, so it was hard to think of anyone hating the woman, but the truth was that Lacy ran a tight ship. The wedding planner didn't hesitate to argue, yell, demean, and demand to get what she wanted. Everyone wanted to work with her because she was the best, but that also meant she wasn't the easiest. "I honestly don't know much about her private life, but I can't imagine that anyone would hate her enough to kill her. She was a strong woman—but murder?"

  "All right. Well, if you think of anything else, don't hesitate to call. I'm not asking you to get involved, Olivia. I'm just asking you to get in touch if you think of anything that might be helpful," Nick said, holding up one hand in subtle warning.

  "Don't worry. I learned my lesson last time."

  "Were your wedding plans finished?"

  Olivia blew out her breath. "I thought so, but apparently, Andrew isn't happy with them. I guess I could always finish it myself, but I'm not great at this, Nick. I don't really have a feminine touch. I thought I might check out the other two wedding planners in town and see what they have to say."

  "I'm sure you'll figure it out," the sheriff said, getting up from his chair. "Everyone is looking forward to your wedding."

  That didn't exactly make things easier. Olivia didn't always do so well under pressure.

  After leaving the sheriff's station, Olivia drove to Fannie's Fairytale Weddings. It hadn't been her first choice because the logo and the shop were just so pink, and Fannie herself had been so very peppy. It had made Olivia shudder to think of working with the woman for hours at a time. Fannie’s voice had a strange squeak to it, and she always reeked of hairspray. Even worse, the woman didn’t believe in coffee.

  Who didn’t believe in coffee?

  Still, Olivia would need help, and Fannie was the only other person she'd interviewed.

  Parking, Olivia rolled her shoulders back and tried to think of a good way to win over the woman's good graces. Fannie hadn't taken it well when Olivia had chosen Lacy over her. It would probably take a heaping spoonful of flattery to get her help.

  "Hello?" Olivia said cautiously when she’d opened the door. As had happened the first time she’d walked in, she was assaulted by pink. Pink curtains along the windows, pink tablecloths on the display tables, pink rugs on the floor. Even the white cat glaring at her from her bed in the corner sported a pink collar. "Fannie?"

  "Just a second!" came a squeak from the back room.

  While she waited, Olivia bent down to coax a purr from the pretty cat, but as soon as she reached for it, she was rewarded with the swipe of the cat's claws.

  "Ouch!" Olivia jerked her hand back and lifted the wound, welling with blood, to her mouth. "Evil!" she muttered through the coppery taste.

  "Olivia! What a surprise!" Fannie said in a high-pitched squeal as she emerged. "Last I heard, you were very happy with Lacy's help."

  "Fannie." Olivia stood erect and plastered a big smile on her face. "I am happy with Lacy. I mean, I was happy with Lacy. I'm not sure that you've heard, but Lacy has passed away."

  "Lacy's dead?" Fannie's voice returned to normal, and she stared at Olivia as though she didn't quite comprehend.

  "I'm so sorry. I found her body last night."

  Stumbling over to the round table in the middle of the room, Fannie sat heavily down on one of the chairs surrounding it. "I don't believe this," she whispered. "Poor Lacy. What happened?"

  "I can't really talk about it," Olivia said with an apologetic smile. She sat down at the table and reached over to take Fannie's hand. The poor woman looked completely shaken. Her pink-glossy lips were open as she took a shuddering breath, and she ran her manicured fingers through her blonde hair.

  For a moment, Olivia was afraid that the woman would start crying. Then what would she do? "Andrew, my fiancé, and I had a fight. The tailor who was supposed to do my wedding dress alterations called to say that my dress hasn't arrived yet. I called the shop, and they told me that they'd already sent it out—so basically, my wedding dress is lost. I was upset. I went out for a walk last night, but it started pouring down rain. I found myself at Lacy's shop, and I was surprised to discover that it was open. She usually closes early on Mondays. When I went in to talk to her, I found her. Until Sheriff Limperos makes an official announcement to the press, I can't disclose any details."

  "You and Andrew were having a fight?" Fannie asked as she took out a tissue and blew her nose. "About what?"

  Olivia wasn't entirely sure she should talk about her problems with Andrew, but she did want Fannie to help her. "It was the strangest thing, actually. Everything was going beautifully. I had no idea that a wedding could come together so quickly, but we'd pretty much settled on every single detail except for the cake design. Except that I guess things were moving too fast for Andrew, and he said we needed more time to afford it."

  "I see," Fannie said quietly.

  "First there was that torrential downpour that was totally unexpected yesterday, and then this thing with Andrew. And then to top it all off, I just happened to find Lacy's body. It wasn't exactly a normal day. Things were going so well, but it's almost as if something happened to me yesterday, and I'm . . ."

  "Cursed?"

  Olivia blinked and stared at her. "No. I was going to say paying for all the times I scoffed at other people's weddings. But I guess cursed works too, if you believe in that kind of thing."

  "Olivia, why are you here?" Fannie’s tone was abrupt, and she glanced at the clock.

  "Well, there are still some details that I have to plan, and I think Andrew is going to make me change the wedding venue and the date—which could possibly change everything. I don't think that I can do it on my own. I was hoping that I could hire you."

  "I'm afraid that I'm booked," Fannie said, her tone decisive. She suddenly pushed her chair back and stood.

  Olivia raised an eyebrow. "You don't even know when I'm planning on getting married."

  "It doesn't matter." Fannie hurried across the room and opened the door. "Have a good day."

  Desperation welled inside the prospective bride. Did Fannie want an apology? "Fannie, if this is about me choosing Lacy over you . . ."

  "No, no. This has nothing to do with that. I'm just terribly busy."

  Olivia glanced around the deserted room with a raised eyebrow, but the wedding planner didn't budge. Slowly, Olivia stood and made her way to the door. "If you change your mind . . ."

  "I won't. Goodbye." Before Olivia could say anything else, the wedding planner practically pushed her out the door and slammed the door behind her.

  Olivia could have sworn she heard Fannie lock the deadbolt. Turning, she watched, shocked, as the woman flipped the Open sign to Closed and lowered the blinds. "What in the world?"

  Bewildered by Fannie's inexplicable actions, Olivia trudged back to the car. Well, that was one wedding planner she could cross off her list. There was one more in Lexingburg—Candlelight Farms. If that didn't work out, she'd have to go into the city.

  Or plan her wedding on her own. The very idea was nothing short of a nightmare.

  Starting the car, she glanced at the clock and sighed. She had four dogs to walk before she could give Candlelight Farms a try. She'd have to put her wedding on hold for just a little bit longer.

  At least that would make Andrew happy.

  6

  Where Fannie's place was a little over the top, Olivia found Candlelight Farms to be tastefully done. Their set-up was similar to that at Lacy’s As You Wish Weddings, but the scope was much smaller. Since they weren't a one-stop-shopping venue, their displays were just suggestions. Everything was elegant, and their wedding packages ranged from low-budget to grand parties.

  Olivia didn't announce herself. As she perused the displays, she couldn't help but wonder if this was the shop she should have chosen all along. Ma
ybe if she'd gone with low-budget, Andrew wouldn't be so upset with her. She could have stuck with her original idea of pale green and maroon, and she'd be getting married in the town square.

  "May I help you?"

  A pretty woman walked toward her with a binder in her arms. She looked to be in her thirties, and while she was pretty, she wasn't as striking as Lacy had been. She wore a minimal amount of makeup and was dressed in a pair of black pants with a green blouse and black cardigan. Lacy had always worn the most expensive dresses and seemed to be trying to look like a model.

  "Hi, my name is Olivia Rickard," Olivia said as she stretched out her hand.

  "Oh! You're the woman who helped solve Yvette's murder a couple of months ago. That was just the most awful thing! I'm Tina Ferrone—I'm the owner of Candlelight Farms. Let's take a look at that beautiful ring on your finger! How did he propose?"

  Embarrassed that Tina had seen the small write-up about her in the newspaper, Olivia lifted her hand and let Tina examine the diamond on her finger. "My fiancée said that he'd had the ring a long time and was waiting for the perfect woman to give it to." Her heart still skipped a beat whenever she thought of his proposal. "He proposed in a dog park with the help of my mutt, Goodwin."

  "What a lovely story! I always adore it when the proposal is catered to the bride. I would say that the ring matches you perfectly! I take it that you're looking for a wedding planner. Come, have a seat. Let's chat about how we can make your dreams come true!"

  "Actually, I had a wedding planner," Olivia admitted. "I was working with Lacy McBride."

  "Lacy?" Tina paused and frowned. "I'm sure you're aware of her policy. She has exclusive rights to your wedding. I'm afraid I won't be able to offer you much help."

  "I did bully her into letting me bring in my own wedding cake designer," Olivia said with a small chuckle. "Everything was going so smoothly, but I'm afraid that things have gone pear-shaped. My fiancée is unhappy with some of the choices that I made. He wants a longer engagement, and my dress is missing."