Hop 'Til You Drop

by J. M. Griffin

  His look centered on me, Jack barked, “You let her take this to show a professor, but you don’t want me to keep it at the police station?”

  In a soft voice, the kind of softness that can defuse a volatile situation, Molly said, “I never took it anywhere. I have photographs of it. Jules was worried the person searching for it would see it, and that might put me in danger.”

  He sighed, leaned back in his chair, and glanced at Adam. Why? I wasn’t sure, but knew Adam would try reasoning with me. Not.

  “Juliette, the medallion would be safer at the station than it is here. If the owner knows you have possession of it, then that could be more dangerous for you.”

  My head pounded. He was right, but some unknown reason held me back from agreeing to let the medallion go. “I can’t let you take it.”

  “Why?” Adam asked gently.

  “I don’t know. I have to keep it here for now. I’m not trying to be difficult. The medallion might have more meaning than we’re aware of.” I raised my hands, palms up, and said, “You have every right to take it from me, and I understand if you do.”

  Jack nodded at Adam, who slid his chair back and retrieved the medallion from the desk. That Jack refused to understand my reasoning pushed my patience to the limit. The headache might have had something to do with it, as well.

  I pointed to the sack and remarked, “If anything happens to that, I’ll hold both of you responsible. It’s an ancient relic with major history behind it. If the person who owns the medallion killed Frank, then she shouldn’t have it, but if she didn’t, I must return it to her.”

  “And who would she be?” Jack waited for my answer, an answer I didn’t want to give him.

  I fiddled with my coffee mug handle and said, “Felicia Brandt.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I do my homework, Jack. Now, you do yours.” I left the table, marched upstairs, gripping the handrail for all I was worth, and slammed the door to my bedroom behind me. I took a couple over-the-counter pain relievers and settled into the softness of my bed. A light scratch sounded at the door, then I heard, “Are you okay? I want to come in and see for myself.”

  I let Bun in, rubbed my cheek against the top of his head, and began to cry. Between tears and sniffles, I whispered, “I know you were frightened. I’m sorry, Bun.”

  “It’s okay. I knew you’d be fine. Get some rest. I won’t leave you, all right? I had to be certain you were okay. The sheriff and his sidekick have left. I think Molly is making you a cup of tea.”

  Footsteps on the stairs and the rattle of a teacup in its saucer meant Molly was on her way. Bun backed out of my hold and eyed Molly from the doorway.

  I rose and thanked her for the tea.

  “I’ve called Jessica. She’s on her way over to help finish up with the rabbits and settle them for the night. I’ll give her a hand with that while you rest. Jessica will make your supper, so don’t worry about anything.”

  “Thanks again, Molly. You’re the best.”

  “I don’t say this to be mean, but you need to resist the temptation to investigate this sort of thing. It’s too dangerous, Jules.”

  “I know.” Teacup and saucer in hand, I turned toward the bed.

  She waited until I’d settled in, and then said, “Your hero is right here. I don’t think he’ll leave you for a minute.”

  Her footsteps receded as she returned to the kitchen.

  Bun huddled in the hallway across from my door. I set the teacup on my nightstand, smiled, and closed my eyes, sinking into the mattress and huddling under an afghan. Huddling felt rather good right about now.

  At seven o’clock in the evening, I awoke with a start. Deep shades of twilight filtered through the windows. What had awakened me? It wasn’t apparent. Yet.

  Footsteps sounded on the stairs and in the hallway. Bun sat next to my bed, his ears straight up in anticipation. “Jess is bringing you food.”

  His senses on high alert, he could smell her essence and identify her footsteps much better than I ever would.

  Jess entered the room, a bright smile on her face that failed to reach her eyes. “How are you?”

  “Hungry, less of a headache, and happy to be home.” And alive, but I didn’t say it.

  “Good, then you’ll enjoy supper. Mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, and pork chops with bread and butter on the side. Would you like coffee or tea?”

  “Ice water would be fine. I’m parched.” I sat in the chair near the window and set up the small folding table beside it. I’d spent many a day in this room, eating meals and practically living in here while I recuperated from the car accident I’d had some time ago.

  Jess perched on the bed while I ate. Bun never left my side and Jess noticed.

  “Bun’s been up here the entire time you were asleep. He hasn’t even taken a snack break.” She reached for my tray and lifted a food bundle from it, then placed it on the floor for Bun.

  He jumped at the meal and ate to his heart’s content until not a morsel remained.

  “I’ll be downstairs for a few minutes, and then I’ll come back.”

  I watched him hop away and looked at Jess. “He’s such a cutie.”

  “He certainly is, and from his actions, I think he was concerned for you. Molly filled me in on what took place. You’re lucky to be alive.”

  “I know. I think Bun saved the day.”

  “How’s that?”

  “He was in the underbrush and probably heard the person coming at me. The leaves and debris crackled and crunched when stepped on. Maybe my attacker heard the noise and thought somebody was nearby. It’s the only logical explanation I can come up with.”

  “Sound thinking. What did the doctor say?”

  “I’ll be fine, a headache from the assault, and he said to take it easy for a few days. He has no idea what it’s like to run a rabbit farm. Enough about me. Did your mother like the cottage?”

  Jessica nodded. “She loved it on sight. She and my father agreed to cosign a loan for me if my offer is accepted.”

  “Does the Realtor know who will end up with the money from the sale?”

  “Are you digging for information again?”

  “Not at all. I wondered if Della had any family to speak of.”

  “Sorry, I jumped to conclusions. I’m not aware of Della’s private affairs, or her last wishes. She may have made a trust or some such thing.”

  “That’s a possibility. I hope this works out for you. You work hard and deserve to have a home of your own. How soon will you know if the offer is accepted?”

  “I’m not sure.” She stared out the window as the sky darkened. “I’m not nagging you or anything, but you could have been killed today.”

  “I realize that. I can’t believe Eve struck me. Jack is going to speak with her and also with Felicia Brandt.”

  “What do they have to do with each other? I don’t understand.”

  “I believe Felicia owns the medallion and gave it to Frank. Eve knows her somehow and put me off the day we were at her farm. She had called to ask me to meet her somewhere private to talk.”

  “Are you sure it was Eve?”

  “She said she was Eve, and it sounded like her voice.” Silent for second, I said, “But now that I think about it, her brogue wasn’t as strong as usual. Someone could have impersonated her. I didn’t see my attacker.”

  “All I can say is that you were darned lucky. Bun protected you once again.” She stared at Bun, who had returned to his position in the hallway, to guard me from anyone he thought shouldn’t enter. Jess said, “You’re my hero, Bun.”

  Bun crouched as bunnies do, and relaxed.

  I watched Jess leave, finished my meal, then set the tray and table aside. I motioned for Bun to join me and closed the door behind him when he came in.

  “Are you certain you didn’t glimpse the person who attacked me?”

  He remained silent for so long. I realized he didn’t want to admit what he’d seen.
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  “Well?”

  “A human dressed like a rabbit.”

  Flabbergasted, I sank into the chair and studied him.

  “You’re sure that’s what you saw?”

  “I didn’t want to tell you since the rabbit costume was the same one I had seen before, but somehow different. A tad dirty and ill-fitting. Maybe that’s what threw me off.”

  “Ill-fitting in what way?”

  “The costume was sort of big, not like the rabbit impersonator at Della’s crime scene. That outfit was the right size and it fit perfectly.”

  “So what you’re saying is today’s rabbit wasn’t the same as the one we saw before?”

  “Exactly. Who do we know that’s shorter?”

  “Let me think about it. I thought that Della’s rabbit was about as tall as Adam. How much shorter was this person?”

  “How would I even begin to know the answer to that? I only got a glimpse as I was trying to save you.”

  “Okay, don’t get upset, we’ll figure it out. It doesn’t need to be right this minute.” I left the chair and took the tray downstairs. Food and medicine had made a difference in how I felt, as well as Bun’s information.

  At the bedroom door, I looked down at Bun and asked, “Why didn’t you want to tell me? You know you can share anything with me.”

  “I didn’t want to get you all riled up so you’d run off and start hunting for him or her. You weren’t feeling all that great, and I was worried.”

  “Thanks for being so thoughtful.”

  We walked along the hallway. At the top of the stairs, Bun said, “I figured tomorrow would be a great time to start.”

  So much for a couple of days of rest. I rolled my eyes and whispered, “Right, I thought that was your angle. Jessica and I give our lecture at the college this week, and I’ll need all the rest I can get before that takes place. No investigating until that’s over if we can help it.”

  “Sure thing, you betcha.”

  Chapter 19

  Two days later, Jessica wandered into the house as I practiced my part of the lecture. She stood just inside the breezeway door, her arms folded, and watched me walk back and forth talking about my business. When I stopped, she applauded.

  “Great work. Maybe we should get together and practice. That way, we can be more relaxed and possibly urge each other on or even play off each other. What do you think?”

  “Perfect, when?”

  “After work tonight? My last appointment is at four this afternoon. I should be ready by dinnertime.”

  “Okay, I’ll cook and we can practice after we’ve eaten.”

  “Sounds good to me. I’ll see you later. Oh, how are you doing today?”

  “Well enough to feed the rabbits and get some of the chores tended to. Jason came in early and handled the rest. All said, I’m better. The stitches will come out on their own, so I won’t have to see Dr. Sommers.”

  “That must be a relief. I know you aren’t a fan of hospitals.”

  “No, I’m not.”

  “Have you heard from Sheriff Carver?”

  “Not a peep. Have you?”

  She shook her head.

  “He’s got plenty of work to keep him busy. Did Molly mention if Meredith came to class?”

  “She hasn’t said. Maybe Meredith will stop in to see you if she comes to the spinning class tonight. Molly did say the plans for the student open house are progressing nicely, though. The students are excited about it.”

  “I’ll have a word with Molly about advertising. The ads must be placed in advance of the event if we want a good turnout. It’s nice to offer a giveback. The students and Molly work so hard and their talent shows.”

  “My mother is looking forward to it. She’s good at organizing and has assisted with details.”

  “That’s nice of her. Molly has a lot to handle these days, and I wouldn’t want her to become overwhelmed.”

  Jess headed for the door as a car arrived. “That’s Mrs. Chandler, she’s ahead of schedule, so I’d better go. Her cat is old and nearing the end of its life. I hope she doesn’t want me to euthanize it.”

  “See you later.” I couldn’t think of a thing to say about the subject. I know I would be hard-pressed even to consider it.

  “I can tell by the look on your face that you think you couldn’t do that, but sometimes, it’s the right thing to do. Animals shouldn’t have to suffer because their partner, in this case, Mrs. Chandler, can’t bring herself to help her cat move on. She’s not doing that animal any good by dragging out the cat’s agony. It isn’t fair.”

  “I suppose so, but humans are emotional, and feelings of guilt increase our loss of perspective over what’s right. We love our furry friends so much we can’t imagine living without them.”

  “Hmm.” Bun went to his room to snack on fresh veggies and fruit I had left for him.

  At his doorway, I asked, “Want to take a ride? We can take a spin down the road and back. I could use some fresh air.”

  “We aren’t going to the lake, right?”

  “We are not. We’ll ride in the opposite direction, instead. How’s that?”

  “Okay, I’m ready.”

  Pedaling along the driveway, I stopped midway as Molly drove in. The passenger-side window went down, and she greeted us with a smile.

  “Glad to see you’re out and about. You’re not going far, are you?”

  “No, why?”

  “I wanted to speak with you concerning our event.”

  “Sure, we won’t be gone long; our ride will be a short one. I’ll see you when I get back unless you want to discuss it now.”

  “There are a few odds and ends in the shop that need attention. I’ll be there when you get back. Don’t rush.”

  I pedaled off as Molly drove to the shop.

  “I hope this event will be spectacular. Molly has worked endlessly to keep everyone on board. I heard her talking to Mrs. Plain about postcard advertisements.”

  “We did that for our last open house and attendance was fantastic. I’ll see what she has to say and get more involved. I seem to have put everything aside for this investigation, and ignoring the farm isn’t smart. It’s my livelihood, and we know how important that is to all of us.”

  Bun wiggled around in the basket and faced me. “Are you saying we should let the police do their job?”

  “Not exactly, but I can’t keep getting attacked by somebody who wants me out of the way. Where would you and the other rabbits be if I ended up dead?”

  “True, you frightened all of us, that’s for sure. This last attack was the worst yet. I think the rabbit impersonator would have finished you off if I hadn’t made so much noise in the brush.”

  “I suppose we could always help the sheriff without physical involvement. Possibly in an advisory capacity. That way, danger wouldn’t be such a problem. It does seem to find us, doesn’t it?”

  “Yes, and when we least expect it.”

  A police cruiser slowed to a stop when I did. Adam put his window down and said, “You must feel better.”

  “I thought fresh air and exercise would be good for us. What’s Jack up to? I haven’t heard a word from him.”

  “We’re following up leads and questioning people. Why do you ask? Have you remembered anything that might be helpful?”

  “Kind of.”

  His brows arched, Adam waited in silence.

  “I think my attacker dressed in a rabbit costume. I saw what looked like bits of fake fur on the beach when I came ashore.” I lied, but couldn’t very well tell him what Bun had seen. “Did you guys check the scene for evidence?”

  “Yeah, but if there was fake fur lying around, the wind must have taken it, because we didn’t find any. I’ll look again.”

  “Okay. This person might have been short, too.”

  “How’s that?”

  “The wood he swung didn’t come from above, but from the side like a bat. If he was tall, then it would have been swung from a h
igher position, don’t you think?” From the look on his face, I got the impression he didn’t think my information viable. I didn’t press the issue. Again, I couldn’t very well say that Bun told me the outfit was ill-fitting because the person in it wasn’t tall enough for it to fit correctly.

  Adam gave me a nod, said he’d tell the sheriff what I’d said, and then drove off. Bun and I cycled for another half mile before we turned toward home.

  Silent on the trip home, Bun snuggled in the basket. His fur ruffled gently in the breeze created by the bike’s motion. Refreshing as it was to be outside, my thoughts were on the upcoming lecture and the shop’s event.

  “He didn’t believe you.”

  “I know. But, that’s not my problem, it’s his and Jack Carver’s. We have to focus on Molly’s open house and ask what we can do to assist her and the students.”

  “I’ll get focused, then. You know how brilliant I am at coming up with ideas.”

  I let the comment pass, not because I questioned Bun’s brilliance, but mostly because he could get underfoot while he tried to be helpful. I pedaled up the driveway, set the bicycle in its usual spot, and then went into the shop with Bun at my side.

  Molly looked up from behind a pile of yarn jumbled across the counter. “You seem refreshed.”

  “We are. At least I am. What can I do to help you?”

  “These skeins of yarn were stored under the counter. If you’d sort out the colors, I’ll add them to the display.”

  “Sure thing. What did you want to talk about?”

  “The event plans. They’re coming along nicely, but I wondered if we could afford to have postcards printed like the last time there was an open house. It made such a difference in attendance, don’t you think?”

  “It did. I dropped them off everywhere I could think of and even got calls for more. I’ll place an order if, or when, you have sample artwork ready. I’ll also need a mock-up ad for our website and to put in the newspaper. Can you handle that, or would Mrs. Plain be able to do it for us?”

  “Funny that you ask. Mrs. Plain and I have discussed those things.” Molly hesitated a second and then said, “You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Not at all. I’ve been lax about business lately, and that’s got to change. I’ll help you any way I can. Mrs. Plain is a valuable asset and can help as much as she wants to. It’s necessary to have input for this sort of thing. I’m not creative when it comes to ads. If you two can put your heads together for an advertisement, I’ll do my part by putting it in place and delivering postcards.”