by C. M. Sutter
Gurgling and hacking came from the other side. She bucked against the door until she went silent. Keith wished he could witness her strangulation, but having her die in the same manner as Kevin was what mattered most. Keith finally let go of the blouses and heard a thud.
He exited the bathroom and looked at Leslie’s lifeless body. She sat propped against the door, with her head resting on her right shoulder. The homemade shirt-sleeve noose remained tightly knotted around her neck. Keith walked to the foyer, picked up the bouquet, and carried it into the bedroom. He gave Leslie one more look and knelt to check for a pulse—there wasn’t one. He noticed how quickly her lips had turned blue.
Satisfied that she was dead, he tossed the bouquet on her lap and walked out. He could check her name off his list.
Chapter 10
“Wow, listen to those dogs yapping. I don’t know how anyone can stand the noise.”
“The question is, how can the dogs stand it?” Kate asked.
I pulled in from the paved road and onto the quarter-mile-long dirt driveway. Even with the windows closed, we could hear the barking. I saw the dust swirl as I looked out the rearview mirror. “So much for my freshly washed and waxed car.”
Kate let out a sigh. “But we can’t go in with the cruiser when we’re supposed to be undercover.”
“Yeah, I know.”
We reached a widened area in the driveway, which I assumed was for parking. I turned in and shifted into Park. To our left stood a double-wide mobile home, and to our right was a large pole shed, which I assumed housed the dogs. A sign above the door read Office.
Kate reached in the backseat and grabbed both hats. “Here, put this on before we get out.”
I took the blue hat, and Kate took the black one. Each had a baseball team logo above the brim, and a tiny camera was well-hidden within the embroidered text.
We exited my Prius and headed toward the pole shed. I spoke under my breath. “Don’t forget to activate the camera as soon as we pass through the doors. I have mine rolling already to catch some outdoor footage.”
“Got it.” She pointed at the side of the pole shed, where rows of chain-link fencing wrapped the area. “Looks like enclosed runs over there for each dog. I see a few of them outside.”
“Yeah, they’re probably doing their business and sucking in some fresh air.”
“Speaking of doing their business, it smells like sh—”
I smirked. “Yeah, I know. Hopefully, that’s all it is.”
I opened the door, and a bell rang as we passed over the threshold. Seconds later, a disheveled looking man, probably around forty-five, entered the office through a back door.
“Morning, ladies. Pardon my appearance. I was cleaning kennels. Looking for a pet?”
I gave Kate a gentle shove. “She thinks she wants a dog, but I’m still on the fence about all of that.”
He gave us a nod. “I’ve heard that before. Want to see our stock?”
“Sure thing,” Kate said.
I thought calling dogs stock was odd.
“Right this way. Any breed in particular?” He looked over his shoulder as he led the way. “Big, small, cuddly, aloof? Watchdog, maybe? We have them all.”
Kate gave me an elbow to the side. “A watchdog sounds interesting. I am home alone at night.”
He turned to the left. “Sure, our larger breeds are over here. Most are German shepherds or belgian malinois. Of course there’s the rottie and pit bull too, but they’re often given a bad rap. The pits aren’t a popular breed.”
“I don’t get it, because dogs aren’t born mean. It’s people who make them that way, right?”
He shrugged. “I guess you have a point. Which would you like to see?”
“All of them, if you don’t mind. I have to get a feel for their character.”
He gave Kate an odd look. “They’re only dogs.”
“Well, I’m a softie, and I want to have a trustworthy dog. It’s their job to protect the owner.”
“Go ahead and take your time. I need to get back to work. Come find me if you have any questions.”
“Thank you,” Kate called out as he walked away. “All right, let’s get a good look at these dogs. What do you make of that guy?”
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t get a warm, cozy feel from him. It seems like dogs are just a commodity, or stock, as he calls them. What the hell was that about?”
“Don’t know, but let’s start looking over these poor things.”
The wing we were in housed five rows of cages, each row at least fifty feet long.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard this many dogs in one place before. It’s no wonder they don’t have any neighbors.”
I cocked my head in the direction the owner went. “And I’m sure that sits just fine with him.”
Some dogs jumped against the cage, begging to be petted, and some lay at the back of their pen, curled up, shaking, and looking frightened. Others seemed to tune everything out with their backs facing us and heads buried in their cushions. Several looked as if they wanted to maul us, their eyes wide and teeth bared. Low growls came from their throats.
“Don’t get too close to those guys and keep your hands out of the cage.”
Kate knelt and faced the camera hat toward those dogs. “Do you see any marks on them?”
“Not yet, but look at the number of pit bulls compared to every other breed. There are triple the amount.”
“Yeah, weird. They have to be breeding them like crazy, but why? If they aren’t selling, then why have so many?”
We continued on and rounded the corner. The cages in that entire row were filled with pit bulls.
“This is so sad. How do they feed all these dogs? It has to cost a fortune. Your car was the only one in the lot, Amber.”
“So where is the money coming from then? There’s something suspicious going on.” I noticed more dogs scrunched in the corners, trying to stay away from human contact. I got on my knees and called over the brindle pit. His ears perked up, and he stared for a minute, then he dropped his head on his paws and closed his eyes.
Several more dogs came to the wires and sniffed our hands.
“That one has a lot of scars.” Kate turned her head so the camera would catch the marks. “They don’t take in rescues, do they?”
“Don’t know. It isn’t advertised that they do.” I looked up and noticed an exit sign at the end of the row. I didn’t see any cameras in the building. “Keep looking. I’m going to snoop around outside for a minute.”
Kate looked down the row we had just come from. “Amber, I don’t know if you should.”
“The creep is busy cleaning kennels. If for some reason he pops in, just say I went to find a bathroom.”
She nodded. “Don’t be long.”
I looked above the door and followed the cable from the exit sign. It plugged into an outlet about six feet up on the wall. Nothing fishy about that, and I didn’t see any alarm system. I turned the doorknob and slowly pushed the door outward. I stuck out my head and looked both ways. I was on the east side of the building. I saw the edge of the mobile home, but no windows faced me. There was nothing but land on that side of the building, and as I turned my head toward the rear of the property, I saw nothing but dense woods. The property line was deep in those trees, according to the aerial view, and I was doubtful that I’d see a building from my position, anyway. I stepped out and hugged the side of the shed as I headed toward the back. I wanted to see what was directly behind the building. That stench came from somewhere nearby. I was two feet from the corner when I heard twigs snap. I spun to see a woman standing behind me, her arms crossed over her large chest.
“Why are you snooping around out here?”
“Oh, sorry, I’m not snooping.” I coughed into my hand. “I needed some fresh air, that’s all. My friend”—I pointed at the door—“wanted to look at more dogs, and the smell of urine was making me nauseated.”
She gave m
e a raised brow. “Bobby just cleaned that wing this morning. There’s no reason for it to stink.”
I laughed. “I guess I’m backward, then. Maybe we were in a different wing. I was all over the place, trying to find the bathroom.”
“The public bathroom is inside the office entrance. You couldn’t have missed it.”
“Duh, I guess I did, though. I’ll go around to the front and start over. I totally got lost in there. You have great dogs, by the way.” I took off in the other direction before she had a chance to say another word. I entered the front of the building and ran down the hallways that Bobby had escorted us through. I didn’t need him to see me walk in after hearing the bell ding, then wonder why I was coming through the front door.
Kate looked over her shoulder. “What the hell, Amber. How did you get behind me?”
“I’ll tell you in the car. See anything else?”
“Yeah, more scarred dogs. Anything outside?”
“Yeah, a big Bertha who didn’t believe my BS story.”
We headed toward the office and bumped into Bobby in the hallway.
“Did one of you open the front door?”
“Sorry, that was me. I couldn’t find the bathroom. Your wife directed me.”
“Humph. See a dog you like? Our prices are right, and they all have papers.”
“I saw dozens that I’d love to have. We have to discuss it at home, but we’ll be back. Do you take in rescues too?” Kate asked.
“Nope, don’t have the room.”
“Okay, then. Thanks.”
We left the building and climbed into the car. I backed up and headed out then handed Kate my hat. “Here, turn those cameras off. Damn that lady. I was two feet from peeking around the corner of the building when she spotted me. Something back there smells really bad. Did you catch that about the dogs all having papers?”
“Sure did.” Kate lifted her hip and pulled the buzzing phone out of her back pocket. The screen showed Jack was calling. “What’s up, boss? You’re on Speakerphone.”
“Are you guys still at Friends for Life?”
“We just left and are headed back. Why?”
“Change of plans. Go toward Big Cedar Lake.”
“Hang on. Amber, did you catch that?”
“Yep.” I pulled into a driveway and spun the car around.
“Go ahead, boss.”
“Plug this address into your GPS. We’ve got a murder on our hands.”
“Shit. I guess the dog case goes on hold.”
Chapter 11
“Turn in here.” Kate pointed at the boulder that sat alongside the stacked stone pillars. The words Hawk’s Nest engraved on the stone told us we were at the right place.
“What’s the address?” I gave Kate a quick sideways glance.
“It’s 4833 Rockridge Circle, but I don’t think we’ll have any trouble finding it. It looks like it’s the house up there on the left.”
“And it looks like half the crew is already there.” I pulled against the curb four houses down and parked. Kate and I exited my car and dipped under the yellow crime scene tape that spanned the street, tied to mailboxes on each side. Two patrol deputies stood near the tape and kept onlookers at bay.
Clayton rubbed his brow as he walked toward us. “Did Jack fill you in?”
“Only that there was a murder at this address.” Kate took in the storybook-looking street. “Seriously, back here in this exclusive neighborhood? What gives?”
“Don’t know. The homeowner’s hysterical daughter called it in. They had a lunch date and then an afternoon of shopping planned. She said she got here around eleven thirty and turned the knob, but the door was locked. She thought it odd since the mom normally unlocked the door when she expected the daughter to drop in.” Clayton pocketed his hands and jangled his keys. “Anyway, nobody answered when she rang the bell, so she dug the spare key out of the flower bed. Once inside, well…” Clayton trailed off.
“Pretty bad scene?”
He jerked his head toward the house and blew out a breath. “Come see for yourself. Lena, Jason, Kyle, and Dan are here. Kyle set a box of gloves and booties at the door.”
I gave Clayton a nod as we headed up the sidewalk. “Where’s Jack?”
“He’ll be here as soon as he can. He had to stop at the courthouse first, some mix-up with documents he hadn’t signed.”
We stepped up to the porch and sat on the bench that hugged the wall. We each grabbed booties and gloves from the box and slipped them on before entering the house. Clayton led us in.
I took in the scene in front of us. The large home, likely very welcoming before that day, seemed somber now. I looked to the right, beyond the living room, and heard voices, maybe from the kitchen. I tipped my chin in that direction. “Who’s in there?”
“Billings is sitting with the daughter. She won’t leave the house until her mom has been taken out.”
“She’s given her statement?”
“Billings took it earlier.”
I turned back to the foyer. “Looks like a surprise attack. That chair is knocked over”—I pointed—“and there are blood smears on the floor.” I squatted over the tile and looked closer. “Rose petals? Where did they come from?”
“You’ll see once we get in the master bedroom. I’ll admit, I’ve never witnessed anything like this in my eleven years at the sheriff’s office.”
Voices sounded at the end of the hallway. We crossed into the master bedroom and saw a scene that could have come from a horror film.
“What in God’s name?” Kate turned the other way for a second and took in a deep breath.
I whispered, “I doubt if God had anything to do with this. What we’re looking at is pure evil.”
Kyle busied himself dusting the room for prints while Dan snapped pictures of the deceased. They each gave us a nod when we entered the room. Lena stood against the wall near the open closet. I went to her side.
“What the hell do you make of this?”
She shook her head. “I’m at a loss, Amber. The blouses torn from the closet and used as a noose make no sense to me. The person responsible obviously came here with the intent to kill. If his plan was to strangle the woman, then why not bring along a rope?”
I rubbed my chin as I thought. “Unless there’s some significance in using the clothes to hang her.” I looked at the bouquet on her lap. “Scorned lover, maybe?”
“A widowed woman in her mid-sixties? I overheard the daughter telling Billings that her mom didn’t have a boyfriend as far as she knew.”
“That’s the problem”—I glanced at Lena—“nobody tells their family every secret they have.”
Dan approached us. “Go ahead, Lena. I have enough photos of Mrs. McDonald and the murder scene.”
Lena pushed off the wall and excused herself. I remained in place and watched as she removed the noose from around the woman’s neck and gently placed her body flat on the floor. Kate came to my side. I gave her an inquiring glance. “Anything buzzing around in your head?”
“Not yet. I’m still shocked by the brutality, and then the bouquet on her lap? That’s a double insult.”
“Or a clue.” I tipped my head toward the door. “Let’s go talk to the daughter. You never know how much more we might get from her just because we’re women.”
We backtracked to the front of the house and continued on. A custom ranch, probably built in the ’70s, the house was expansive, with a split floor plan. All of the bedrooms and two baths veered to the left, the living room and library were nearly straight ahead of the foyer, and the kitchen, dining room, laundry, half bath, and garage were to the right. Kate and I entered the kitchen, where Billings and the daughter sat. Each had a cup of coffee in front of them. The daughter pushed back her chair as if getting ready to stand.
I put up my hand. “You’re fine. Please, stay seated.” I reached out. “I’m Detective Amber Monroe, and this is Detective Kate Pierce. We work with Detective Billings.”
I looked at Billings and gave him a subtle signal that we’d take over.
“I think I’m going to see how it’s going outside.”
I nodded. “Thanks, Adam. Do you mind if we sit?”
“No, please do.”
I let out a sigh. I knew far too well what Tracy was going through. “I’m so sorry you had to see your mother that way. You have the sheriff office’s deepest sympathy.” I took out my notepad and pen from my jacket pocket.
“Thank you.” She pulled a tissue from the dispenser on the table and wiped her eyes. She dropped it into the nearly full wastebasket at her feet.
“May I get you a refill?” Kate asked as she reached for Tracy’s coffee cup.
“Please. There’s plenty for both of you too.”
I nodded when Kate looked my way. “Tracy, can you think of anyone who had a beef with your mother?”
“No, never. She was the kindest woman I’ve ever known. My mom was retired. She had great neighbors and even greater friends. There’s nobody who would want to hurt her.”
“Somebody wanted to, we just don’t know who or why. What do you make of the flowers? Did your mom have a fondness for roses?”
Tracy rested her head on her open hand. “No more than any other flower. She actually preferred to cut her own from her garden when they were in bloom.”
“Did she buy fresh flowers during the cold season?”
“I guess she did once in a while.” Tracy thanked Kate for the refill.
Kate placed a cup in front of me and one where she was sitting then returned to her chair.
“Do you know where she would have purchased them?”
“Um”—Tracy pressed her temples—“I suppose at the grocery store. She didn’t make special trips to florists or anything like that.”
“What grocery store did she shop at?”
“Millards.”
“Good.” I wrote that down. “How about a special guy in her life? Any names that popped up during your conversations? Even someone she liked as a friend?”
