Chaos in California

by Lucy Quinn

  There was that. Dora was looking forward to an actual bed as well as the private bathroom to clean up. They’d both used the pay showers at a truck stop the day before, but Dora’s had been cold, and she was more than ready to luxuriate under a stream of hot water. She just hoped they didn’t smell like the pig pen after filling their trough with slop earlier in the day, because they’d decided they needed to go into town to question the residents and find out what, if anything, they knew about Matt and the day he fell from the cliff.

  “Ladies,” Windy said as she held the door open for them. “Did you find anything useful?”

  Dora watched as Evie scooped up Sunshine, who’d been snuggled up in an overstuffed dog bed on the floor, and held the pup close to her chest as she rained kisses over her head.

  “No,” Dora said. “We’re going to go into town and start asking around. But we need the keys to our VW.”

  “Nah, you don’t need those,” Windy said. “I’ve got some errands to run. You can come with me.” She glanced over at Evie. “Besides, there’s a doggie barkery I want to take Sunshine to.”

  Evie’s lip curled, and Dora thought her bestie was going to growl at the woman. But Sunshine was wiggling with excitement at the mention of the barkery, so Evie put her down and closed her eyes as the pup ran over to Windy and jumped on her leg. “She’ll obviously love that,” she said graciously.

  Dora felt pride well in her chest as she watched Evie swallow her jealousy. There was nothing and no one Evie loved more than Sunshine. She’d never deprive her little friend of a trip to the doggie haven just because of jealousy.

  “Good. Are you two ready?” Windy pulled a set of keys out of the pocket of her overalls.

  “Just about as ready as we’re going to get,” Dora said.

  “Sure.” Evie walked over to Sunshine and picked her up, tucking her once again close to her body. Sunshine laid her head on Evie’s shoulder and let out a contented sigh. Evie cut her gaze to Windy and gave the woman a self-satisfied smile. Dora nearly laughed. The message was clear. Windy could spend time with the pup, but Evie was Sunshine’s person and always would be.

  Windy, however, wasn’t fazed. She swept past both of them and strode outside, heading for a large three-car garage.

  “Sunshine isn’t going to leave you for Windy,” Dora whispered to Evie.

  “I know.” Evie pressed another kiss to the dog’s head. “But if Windy thinks she’s going to bribe my dog for love with treats, she’s sorely mistaken.”

  Dora snorted out a laugh. “Please. Sunshine could be bribed with nothing more than a handful of kibble. You know she’s not discerning when it comes to her stomach.”

  “You have a point. But I’m not going to make it easy for her.”

  Dora was still chuckling when the two of them and Sunshine slid into Windy’s truck. All three of them sat side-by-side on the bench seat with Sunshine in the middle on Evie’s lap.

  “What errands do you need to run?” Dora asked Windy.

  “Oh, you know. This and that. A few deliveries and a run to the grocer. Nothing too pressing. I’ll drop you two off at the local café. Matt usually stopped by there after his morning chores,” Windy said, steering the truck along the tree-lined winding road that headed straight for the dramatic coastline of northern California.

  By the time they made it to downtown Clamshell Cove, the tiny village that sat right by the sea, Dora’s stomach was rumbling again. The power bar she’d gobbled down at the cabin wasn’t cutting it, and she was relieved when Windy stopped in front of a diner called Crab’s Counter.

  “Meet me back here in a couple of hours,” Windy called as Dora and Evie slipped out of the truck.

  “Will do,” Dora said, already striding to the door as she gaped at the beautiful view just ahead of them. The harbor was nothing like the Florida coastline that was all flat and white beaches. This place had dramatic cliffs, plenty of trees, and lots of rocky outcroppings poking out of the churning sea. It was both gorgeous and wild at the same time.

  “Whoa,” Evie said. “It’s even better up close, isn’t it?”

  They’d seen glimpses of the oceanside on their way into town, but it had been just after dawn and they hadn’t stopped to admire the view. They hadn’t thought they had time. As Dora held the door open for Evie, she said, “Let’s sit at the counter and have a late lunch while we chat up the waitress.”

  Evie glanced down at Sunshine. She was hooked to her leash now, trotting along as if she had every right to be in the café. “We might have to sit outside.”

  They should’ve gotten Sunshine one of those service dog training vests, Dora thought. As much as she abhorred people who used them fraudulently, she couldn’t deny that it would be a great cover for Sunshine. “Let’s just see what happens.”

  To Dora’s surprise, no one said a word about Sunshine. One of the patrons even reached out and gave the pup some scratches behind her ears. Dora and Evie climbed up onto a couple of barstools at the counter while Sunshine curled up under Evie’s feet and closed her eyes. Apparently, the small dog was tuckered out after the time she’d spent with Windy. The day had been a bit overwhelming, and Dora decided she was a little jealous. A nap sounded really good right about then… but only after she had lunch.

  “Hello, ladies,” the pretty blonde said from behind the counter as she handed each of them a menu. She wore a name tag that read Connie. “Do you need a water dish for that cutie patootie?” She pointed down, indicating Sunshine.

  “Um, sure,” Evie said, glancing around as if she were checking to see if anyone noticed their conversation. She lowered her voice. “Is it okay that she’s in here?”

  The waitress waved an unconcerned hand. “The owner is a dog lover. He doesn’t care as long as she stays on that side of the counter.” She leaned in and whispered, “Everyone around here is a dog lover, even the health inspector. Sometimes small towns have advantages.”

  Evie smiled at her. “That’s amazing. Thanks. She’s a good dog. You don’t have to worry about her.”

  “I can see that. Did you want something to drink?”

  “Yes, a diet soda please.”

  “You got it.” Connie glanced at Dora, flashing her a mega-watt smile. “How about you, gorgeous?”

  Dora wasn’t sure if the waitress was flirting with her or if she was just working hard for a tip. Either way, she was willing to go with it to get the answers they needed. “Iced tea, please.” She gave the waitress a big smile of her own. “And a few moments of your time if you can spare any. We have some questions about Matt Williams. We heard he used to come in here pretty regularly before his accident.”

  Connie’s happy expression vanished as she frowned, and her eyes turned glassy with unshed tears. “Matt was such a nice man. It’s terrible what happened to him.”

  “Did you know him well?” Dora asked, wondering exactly how close she’d been to the drifter.

  “No. Not really. But he was here almost every day for a few weeks. I was really starting to get used to him. Matt had such a sweet smile and was always kind to everyone.” She shook her head and wiped at her eyes, letting out a humorless chuckle. “I don’t know why I’m so emotional. All I did was serve him coffee and waffles.”

  Dora reached over and patted the waitress’s arm, trying to be sympathetic, but the touch just felt awkward to her and she quickly shoved her hands in her pockets. When she glanced down, she spotted a brown dog snuggled up to Sunshine, the two of them sniffing at each other. Dora quirked an eyebrow at Evie and nodded to the dog.

  “Isn’t he cute?” Evie whispered in Dora’s ear. “It’s nice Sunshine is making friends.” Evie waved her fingers at a gruff-looking fisherman with a long beard and flannel shirt who was sitting in one of the booths.

  “That fluffy King Charles belongs to him?” Dora asked, her eyes wide.

  Evie nodded. “Sure looks like it.”

  “That’s Hook,” Connie said, gesturing to the dog in question. “He’
s a real lady’s man, just like his papa.” Connie flashed the fisherman a flirty smile and winked at him before turning her attention back to Dora. “Spike over there adopted Hook when he was just six months old. Those two are inseparable.”

  “Except when it comes to adorable little white dogs, right, Sunshine?” Evie cooed.

  How old was Spike? Dora wondered. The man looked to be about twenty years older than Connie, but the way they were looking at each other, age didn’t seem to be an issue for them.

  Dora cleared her throat, trying not to think of Spike and Connie as a couple. “So, you don’t know what happened that day Matt… um, fell?” She didn’t want to imply that anything nefarious might’ve happened. Not before they had more information anyway. She wasn’t sure how to ask questions without it looking like they were investigating, so she lowered her voice and tried for morbid curiosity, hating the way she sounded like she was gossiping. “We heard he was a pretty experienced climber.”

  “Yeah, I heard that, too,” Connie said, appearing to not think anything of Dora’s questions. “But he just didn’t talk that much. Or at least not to me. Ours was more of a quiet friendship.” She chuckled. “You know, an understanding that no one talks until the caffeine kicks in.”

  A couple of yelps sounded from near Evie’s feet, and Dora glanced down to see the two dogs rolling around on the floor, paws in the air as they played.

  “Awwww. So adorable,” Connie said, pressing a hand to her heart.

  “Aren’t they though?” Evie beamed.

  Dora sucked in a breath and tried to get back to the reason they’d come into the café at all. “Was Matt friendly with anyone else that you know of here in town?”

  Connie’s eyes finally narrowed as she studied Dora. “Why? Do you two work for the police? You’re undercover investigators, aren’t you? Was there foul play? Oh, my goodness! I knew it!”

  Evie let out a snort, and Dora had to hold back one of her own. The very idea that they worked with law enforcement was laughable. Although if they did, Dora’s life wouldn’t be such a complete mess at the moment. Or at least she hoped. “No. We don’t work for the police. We’re staying with Windy, and she was considering having a memorial for Matt,” Dora lied. “I was thinking it would be nice to invite anyone he was friendly with here in town.”

  “Oh.” Connie’s expression turned tender. “That’s really sweet. Windy really is the best, isn’t she?”

  “Sure,” Evie said, sounding upbeat and cheerful, but Dora didn’t miss the tiny hint of ice in her tone. This thing with Sunshine and Windy really was getting under her skin.

  Dora nudged her friend with her elbow and turned her attention to Connie. “Who do you think we need to invite besides you?”

  Connie’s lips twisted into a smirk. “You really should talk to Porsche. According to her, she and Matt were extra friendly, if you know what I mean.” She gave Dora an exaggerated wink. “She works at the bar down the street. The Mooring. It’s at the end of the block; you can’t miss it.”

  Dora glanced at the clock. “Are they open now?”

  She nodded. “Nine to two a.m. every day.”

  “Whoa, really?” Evie asked, blinking at Connie. “Seriously? The town just isn’t that big. How could they have enough business to support those hours?”

  Connie laughed. “Honey, what else is there to do around here when the fishermen are done for the day?”

  “Waste the day away on social media?” Evie asked.

  “Oh, they do that, too,” Connie confirmed. “They just do it with a drink in their hands.”

  “Well, that explains a lot about online behavior,” Dora muttered.

  Chuckling, Connie got her order pad out. “It certainly does. Now what can I get for you, ladies?”

  5

  Two cinnamon rolls later, Evie coaxed Sunshine out of the diner and patted her stomach. “I might need to go on a diet when all of this is over. I can’t even remember when I ate my last salad.”

  Dora, who was leading the pack, glanced over her shoulder at her friend. “Diet? You haven’t gained any weight at all. If anything, you’ve lost a few pounds.”

  “That’s probably true. But I definitely need to get something green in my system. Diner and road food aren’t going to do good things for my complexion.” Evie, who was interested in fashion and considered herself stylish, usually wasn’t quite that vain. It was more that she was getting tired of being on the road. The thought of making herself a simple dinner and sitting at her own table back in Pensacola made unexpected tears sting her eyes. Or maybe it was because she pictured Trace at her table, sharing the giant seafood salad she made that he liked so much.

  She shook her head. Now was not the time to get nostalgic. All they had to do was figure out what happened to Matt and they’d have the evidence they needed to clear Dora’s name. They’d be back soon enough, right? She lifted her head and gazed out at the harbor. She could get used to this. It was really too bad Windy lived east of town in the redwood forest because Evie would’ve loved to wake up to the ocean view every morning. But they weren’t in Clamshell Cove to vacation. They had a job to do, and Evie needed to put her game face on. She couldn’t let Dora do all the work. Not if they wanted answers. Her friend asked the right questions back at the diner, she just wasn’t super subtle about it. They didn’t want the town to start wondering why two strange women, who were all over the news, were asking about a dead man. It was too risky.

  “I’ve got this round,” Evie said to Dora as she swept past her into The Mooring with Sunshine trotting at her side.

  “If you say so,” Dora said with a relieved sigh.

  Evie chuckled softly to herself. Dora was a very smart cookie, but making stuff up on the fly wasn’t her specialty. Evie, on the other hand, could charm almost anyone into anything. She strode over to the bar and hopped up onto one of the leather barstools.

  Dora joined her, and they both watched as Sunshine darted across the room and jumped into an overstuffed dog bed with a black and white dog that looked to be just slightly larger than her eight pounds. The other dog opened his eyes and immediately jumped to his feet and started sniffing her in earnest.

  “She’s popular,” Evie said.

  “Tell me about it,” Dora agreed. “She’s been making friends all over this town. First at Windy’s, then the diner, and now the bar. You’d think someone fed her a love potion or something.”

  Evie snorted. “At least one of us is getting some action.”

  Dora rolled her eyes just as the bartender appeared in front of them.

  “If you’re looking for action,” the tall brunette said, “It’s best to try the casino five miles south. Everyone who comes through town usually ends up there at the dance club or the buffet. All the regulars who come here are either married or smell like fish.”

  Evie wrinkled her nose. “Fish? That sounds… unfortunate.”

  “Yep. And depressing.” The bartender placed two napkins down on the bar. “What are you drinking today?”

  “Two Bloody Marys,” Dora said, surprising Evie. She figured her friend would order water and try to pretend she wasn’t in a bar in the middle of the day. Evie was definitely having an effect on her.

  “Sure thing.” The bartender deftly went about mixing their drinks.

  “Porsche, I need a refill,” a tall, tattooed man called from the other side of the bar.

  “Yeah, yeah. I’ll get to you in a minute, Stan,” the bartender said, rolling her eyes. She glanced at Dora and Evie and lowered her voice. “He always needs a refill.”

  “As long as he keeps the tips coming,” Dora said, glaring at him suspiciously. It was obvious she was skeptical.

  Porsche snorted, making it clear he wasn’t exactly the most generous patron.

  Evie leaned forward, eyeing the bartender’s formfitting shirt and painted-on jeans. She was definitely dressed for maximum tips. Evie couldn’t blame her. When she’d been a bartender, she’d definitely dress
ed in a way that showed off all her assets. But the lowcut T-shirt and push-up bra wasn’t what caught her attention. No, it was the small inked letters right over the bartender’s heart that had Evie placing her hand over her own chest and saying, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Porsche froze and rubbed at the ink on her skin. Her voice was slightly shaky as she asked, “Did you know Matt?”

  Evie shook her head. “No, but we heard about his tragic accident. It’s awful what happened. Were you friends or—”

  “More than friends,” she said with a sniff and quickly poured the Bloody Marys into the waiting glasses. As she set them in front of Dora and Evie, her eyes filled with tears and she added, “He was such a sweetie. I was really starting to fall for him.”

  “Oh, hon,” Evie said, reaching over and squeezing her hand lightly. “I’m so sorry.”

  Porsche sucked in a breath. “Thanks. I just can’t believe it most days. One moment he was here flirting with me and flashing me that shy smile, and the next he was gone. Just like that. He wasn’t even supposed to be climbing that day.”

  “Oh,” Dora chimed in. “What was he supposed to be doing?”

  Evie swallowed a groan. Again, Dora’s question was a good one, but the delivery sounded like they were conducting an investigation.

  “Um…” Porsche’s brow furrowed. “I wouldn’t say he was supposed to be doing anything. But he told me he planned to do some work for Windy, and then we were going to meet up after I got off work.” She swallowed hard. “But he never showed up.” After glancing down at her chest, a whisper of a smile touched her lips before she frowned again. “No one has ever stood me up before. I just knew something was wrong.”

  Evie almost laughed. The woman really did know how to flaunt her assets. “It must’ve been a long night. When did you find out about his accident?”

  “The next day. Word travels fast around here. Small town. You know how it is.” She wiped at her eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to blurt all this out.” She gave them a watery smile. “Isn’t the bartender the one who’s supposed to be the therapist?”