One Bark And Stormy Prom Night (Happy Tails Dog Walking Mysteries Book 3)

by Stella St. Claire

  “Busy. I’ve got a lot of projects going on.” She struggled to keep the emotion out of her voice. “I looked at Deedee’s blog, but there was no mention of any upcoming news or celebrity endorsement. I hope this works. I don’t think Nick’s going to look into her unless we’ve got proof.”

  “All right. Let’s go get you some proof.” He held out his hand, and she just stared at it. “I thought we might tell them that we’re getting our engagement pictures done. They wouldn’t question that.”

  God, she hadn’t even thought about why they would want to get their pictures done. He apparently had, and as she took his hand, she searched his face, but there were no outward signs of emotion.

  As his fingers immediately laced with hers, she felt a warm sense of comfort that she hadn’t even known was missing. For a brief second, she closed her eyes and tried to feel like maybe it was all going to be okay.

  The bell above the door tinkled as Andrew opened it, and the same bored man at the front desk looked up with a sigh. He recognized her. “I told Elspeth when she called this morning that we’d gotten everything straight. Don’t tell me that she wants to change the theme again. I swear, having the mother of a nominated Prom Queen handling the prom is a nightmare.”

  “No, I’m not here for that,” Olivia said with a tight smile. “Your name is Frank, right? I was actually impressed by the photos that I saw yesterday, and thought I might speak to someone about engagement photos.”

  “Engagement?” he asked coolly as his eyes strayed to her naked fingers. Olivia colored slightly and took a deep breath as she fished the diamond out from under her shirt. She felt Andrew’s hand tighten against hers, but he didn’t say anything.

  “Congratulations,” Frank muttered as he leaned under the desk and pulled out a book. “Flip through these photos. I’ll get one of the photographers out here to talk about what you might want.”

  Andrew let go of her hand to take the book, and Olivia tried not to wince at the bereft feeling. “I guess you guys are excited to work with Deedee, huh?”

  Frank lifted an eyebrow. “I got the impression yesterday that you two weren’t friends. What’s the story there?”

  Ah, so maybe Frank was a gossip. Olivia could use that to her advantage. “The truth is that I just met her a couple of days ago. I own a dog-walking business. She owns a dog-food business. She just thought that we might start a business relationship, but I heard that she’s got big things coming up.”

  The man just shrugged. “I just answer the phones and take notes.”

  Useless. She waited for a second for him to leave the waiting area, but he just stared at her. She cleared her throat meaningfully. “I thought that you were going to get a photographer for us?”

  “She’s in the middle of a shoot. She’ll be out in about fifteen minutes.”

  Great. Fifteen minutes of pretending to look through engagement photos with her ex. That wouldn’t be awkward at all. With one last desperate look at Frank’s computer, she slowly headed to the couch where Andrew was seated. “Fifteen minutes until we can talk to a photographer,” she said with a tight smile.

  “He’s a delightful person,” Andrew said in a low voice. “I take it he wasn’t very chatty about Deedee?”

  “Not at all, but if I can get to his computer, I can probably find the notes on Deedee’s contract with them.” She swallowed hard as she glanced down at the open book. A young, attractive couple were laughing as they hugged in front of a dilapidated barn. With the cowboy hats and cowboy boots, it was obvious that they were going for a Western theme, but it wasn’t those details that made it so difficult to look at.

  The couple was obviously happy together, excited for the future, and in love.

  Andrew turned the page and glanced up at Frank. “I mentioned Deedee’s name at the hospital after we talked this morning. It turns out that she’s pretty well known. They say that she comes in at least once a month and thinks that she’s dying.”

  “Drugs?”

  “No. They don’t think that she’s a hypochondriac, either. I think it’s just the attention. They said they usually try to pamper her a little to make her feel better before sending her home.”

  Olivia frowned. The more she learned about Deedee, the more she wondered if the woman was mentally unstable. She glanced down at the book again and inhaled sharply. She barely even registered the happy couple but couldn’t take her eyes away from the gazebo in the background.

  That was where Andrew had proposed to her.

  They both stared at the photo, but neither of them said anything. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he turned over another page. She let a couple more minutes pass before she calmly excused herself to the bathroom.

  Luckily, she didn’t cry. Staring at her reflection under the harsh lights, she stiffened her back and glared. “Get it together, Olivia. You are here to solve the murder of a dear friend, and wallowing in self-pity is not going to help!”

  Running her hands under the cold water, she scolded herself quietly until she could finally return to the lobby. To her surprise, Frank was gone and Andrew was behind the desk. “Did you find something?” she asked as she hurried over.

  “I did,” he said grimly. “But it’s not a celebrity endorsement. It’s a nationwide shelter.”

  Feeling her heart drop, Olivia looked over his shoulder and sighed. He was right. Deedee was partnering with the North American Lab Rescue organization. She hadn’t stolen Kimberly’s endorsement after all.

  “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I know you were hoping to find something different.”

  The door to the side swung open, and Frank marched in. “Hey! What are you two doing back there?”

  Thinking quickly, Olivia snatched up the pad of sticky notes and a pen. “We were just going to leave you a note. I have an emergency with one of the dogs and have to go, so I can’t meet with the photographer, but we loved the pictures. I’m sure we’ll be back. Thank you for your help!”

  Before Frank could ask any more questions, Olivia grabbed Andrew’s arm and dragged him out. Adrenaline coursed through her as they jogged away from the shop, but when she turned around, it wasn’t excitement on Andrew’s face.

  He looked almost angry.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. You’re good at this, you know?”

  Alarm bells went off in her head. “Good at what?”

  “Investigating. Lying.”

  “I have never lied to you,” she said fiercely. “Please tell me that’s not what you were thinking.”

  “No, of course not.” He looked around, deliberately avoiding her questioning gaze. “I’m thinking about paying the fee to get out of the lease. I think it’ll just be easier that way.”

  She couldn’t speak, couldn’t even breathe as she stared at him. Finally, she nodded her head. “If that’s what you want.” Her voice cracked, and she couldn’t even say goodbye as she turned around and walked away.

  It had been stupid of her to think that this would have changed anything.

  10

  Andrew had parked his car in the parking lot several streets down, but he didn’t feel like going home yet. Instead, he walked in the opposite direction from the one Olivia had taken, toward the park where he’d proposed to her.

  She wore his ring under her shirt.

  When she’d tugged it out, he’d almost kissed her right then and there and promised that they’d find a way to make it work. Maybe he should have. All he knew for sure was that when he’d listened to Olivia lying to Frank, he’d felt dirty. For the past year, he’d told Olivia not to get involved investigations, and here he was helping her. And for what? Just to spend a few precious minutes standing next to her?

  Then, like an idiot, he’d mentioned the fee for breaking the lease. It had been a split-second decision, made from his sudden need to either make a clean break or go home with her for the night so he could feel his arms around her again.

  “Idiot,” he mut
tered to himself.

  “Are you speaking to yourself or to the spirits? I can say from personal experience that most spirits don’t like to be called idiots.”

  Surprised, he whirled around to find Lady Celeste studying him. She was dressed in a screaming red floral print with a matching headscarf, and a large red stone hung around a gold chain around her neck. She was a favorite among the townspeople, but while Olivia might think there was some truth behind her psychic abilities, Andrew knew better.

  A small part of him blamed her for his relationship falling apart. If she hadn’t started that nonsense about the Bride’s Curse, maybe he could have held Olivia’s attention long enough just to talk to her.

  “Lady Celeste,” he murmured. They were nowhere near her little shop. “Out for a walk?”

  “Following the energy,” she said as she waved her hands around. Her long nails were painted bright green, and they matched the green crystals that she wore on her fingers. “I’m surprised to see you here, although there have been sightings of you at a few coffee shops around town.”

  “Things must really be slow if the town is keeping up with my coffee habits,” he said evenly, and with a nod, he turned and started down the sidewalk again. Celeste fell easily into step with him. For an old woman who hobbled most of the time, she had no trouble keeping up with him.

  “Hardly slow. Too much death,” she said with a frown. “And your beloved is going to get herself into trouble, again.”

  “Olivia is always in trouble.”

  “True, but she’s usually cautious. She has people reminding her to be cautious.”

  Andrew let Celeste’s words sink in. He knew what the old woman was insinuating. “Just because things didn’t work out with us doesn’t mean that Olivia is alone. She has friends and family.”

  “She does. Olivia is a well-loved woman.”

  Irritated that she didn’t elaborate, he frowned. “But?”

  “But nothing. There is no one, not even the spirits still haunting this town, who knows Olivia better than you do. If you believe that she’ll be fine, who am I to argue with you?”

  Stopping and turning to confront her, he let a little of his anger loose. “Everything was fine, you know? She was so easy to love in spite of her issues, and we were happy. If I had known that asking her to marry me would ruin everything, I would have kept my mouth shut. I could have been happy if we’d never gotten married.”

  “Really?” she studied him intently, and for a moment, her piercing eyes seemed older than the town itself. “I find that very hard to believe.”

  She wasn’t wrong. He wanted Olivia as his wife. He wanted to know that she couldn’t just leave him if the wind blew in the wrong direction.

  But in the end, he had left her.

  “She would have married me,” he said hoarsely. “But she would have been miserable.”

  “As I said, you know her best,” Celeste said with a strange smile. “But I don’t for one second believe that’s true.”

  “Is that what you came here to tell me?” he demanded. “That I made a mistake?”

  “I told you. I’m following the energy.” She started walking again, but he didn’t follow. Before she turned the corner, she glanced over her shoulder. “Those who can’t let go of the past will do anything to avoid repeating it. Tell her to be careful, Andrew.”

  She’s just a batty old woman, he thought to himself, but her warning haunted him. Still, it didn’t make any sense. Olivia wasn’t clinging to the past. What did that have to do with anything?

  But Celeste was right about one thing. Twice Olivia had investigated a murder, and twice she’d nearly died doing it. Would she be lucky enough to survive a third attack? Would she be focused enough to see it coming?

  Abruptly, Andrew turned and headed in the opposite direction. He needed to have a word with someone.

  By the time he stormed into the sheriff’s station, he was shaking with fury. He didn’t even bother with Carol, the deputy at the front desk but stamped past her and into Nick’s office.

  The sheriff, phone to his ear, gave him a surprised look. “And you weren’t able to find any other traceable DNA on it?” Nick asked the person on the other end of the line. A frustrated look crossed his face as he sighed and nodded. “Okay, thank you. Keep me updated.”

  Hanging up the phone, he gestured to the chair. “You look pissed.”

  “I am.” Andrew was too keyed up to sit down. “Why aren’t you looking into Deedee as a possible suspect?”

  “What makes you think that I’m not?”

  “You told Olivia that you weren’t.”

  A slow smile spread across Nick’s face. “I told Olivia that there were some things that I needed to check out first. If you haven’t noticed, I’m a little short-handed around here with Derek gone.”

  “Jameson?” Andrew immediately thought of the handsome deputy who sometimes looked a little too long at Olivia. “He’s gone?”

  “He’s taking a few courses in Richfield. He should be back in a couple of days, but until then, it’s a struggle. That was the lab that just called. They confirmed that the weapon was a trophy shaped like a dog bone. Can you imagine?” Nick shook his head. “But there are no fingerprints or DNA. It’s been wiped clean.”

  “So—not premeditated since the weapon was just lying around, but the killer had the sense to clean up after himself,” Andrew said softly. If Olivia was right, and Deedee was unstable, would she have thought to wipe off the weapon?

  “I haven’t brought Deedee in for formal questioning, but I did ask around. I would not call her harmless by any means, but there’s no evidence that she did it. Competition isn’t the biggest motive that I have, especially since Olivia was wrong about the possible motive. Deedee doesn’t have a celebrity endorsement. She’s pairing up with . . .”

  “North American Lab Rescue,” Andrew finished wearily. So they’d done all of that for nothing.

  Nick gaze sharpened. “How did you know that?”

  “We did a little investigating of our own,” Andrew admitted. “Why didn’t you put Olivia’s mind at ease and tell her that you were looking into it?”

  Nick shrugged. “I’m not saying this to make you feel guilty, but Olivia is going through some stuff. I like to know that her mind is still working. I don’t want her investigating the case, so you need to shut that down right now, but I like that she’s thinking about it. I see a little of that old spark in her when we talk about it.”

  “This whole town is against me,” Andrew groaned. “You do realize that Olivia has been nearly run over, nearly poisoned, and threatened with a gun, right? I don’t need you encouraging her to investigate. I need you to keep her mind at ease so she doesn’t get herself killed. If she is distracted, it makes it that much more dangerous for her.”

  “So maybe you should keep an eye on her.”

  Nick’s words hung between them, and Andrew eyed the man wearily. The sheriff had always been a friend, always been an ally in helping to keep Olivia out of trouble. There had been a time or two when Nick had asked Andrew for help, but they didn’t really talk about personal things. Nick shouldn’t be saying this unless he felt strongly about it, but Andrew wasn’t so sure. He was tired. Tired of second-guessing everything. Tired of obsessing about what might be—but at the same time, he wasn’t ready to just jump right back into Olivia’s life.

  “It’s not that easy,” he said softly. “You know that.”

  “I’m not telling you to move back in with her. I’m just saying that it might be good to keep communication open between you. Your emotions are written all over your face. Whatever is between you and Olivia is far from over, and no offense to her, but that woman finds more trouble than anyone I know. Did you know that she’s helping plan the prom? Prom, for God’s sake. Teenagers. She’ll have them all playing Nancy Drew for her before it’s over. And just the other day, she had some questions for me about hanging drywall! Apparently, she’s gotten it into her head to r
efinish the apartments above her office all by herself. She’s going to electrocute herself, the first time she tries to install a light fixture.”

  Andrew opened his mouth to speak, and then he closed it again.

  Nick shook his head and sighed. “I’ve never seen her struggle like this before, and I’ve known her for a long time. This is hardly her first breakup, but if you think she’s walking away from things lightly, you’re wrong.”

  It would be nice if Andrew could believe that. If he knew for sure that Olivia wanted to be with him, wanted a future with him, he’d have her back in his arms in a heartbeat, but Olivia was so difficult to read. If she wasn’t running away from something, she was hiding. It was impossible to tell what she wanted. “Just don’t push her into anything stupid,” he muttered as he got to his feet. “All you have to do is mention the investigation, and she’ll be chasing down another killer.”

  Nick didn’t say anything as Andrew headed for the door, but the silence spoke volumes.

  Andrew hesitated and turned his head. “Thank you for the advice.”

  The sheriff nodded, and Andrew left the office feeling no better than he had when he’d walked in. In the end, Olivia was going to do whatever it was that she wanted to do, but what if no one was watching her back, the way Andrew used to?

  Maybe it was time to face Jackie and Janelle.

  11

  The next morning, Olivia still wasn’t feeling herself. Trying to push Andrew’s last words out of her head, she used the back entrance in an effort to avoid Janelle. She had a feeling that her pain was still visibly lingering around her, and she didn’t want to have to answer any of her sister’s questions. Fender was feeling much better, happy to mope around the yard as Goodwin bounded happily in the grass. She’d barely gotten any sleep, and she had a good two hours to kill before her first walk. Since she didn’t have Tanya to help her today, she wasn’t open for daycare, but she’d take two of her regular dogs to the park this afternoon and let them run around for an hour.