The Bark of the Town

by Stella St. Claire

  “Cute?” Willow asked, feeling annoyed.

  “Yeah,” Daniel said, not picking up on her irritation “And they’d bring me presents or offer to do my homework, which I always accepted because I wouldn’t say I’m especially book-smart. But then, I started to think that maybe it was time to settle down. You know? Pick one of them. So I started going out with Cassandra first. She’s really the sweetest of them. And we went out through the rest of high school. And we had some great times: study hall, prom. But then I thought it was time for a change. And I went out with Patricia for a while. She’s the most passionate of them. You wouldn’t think this because of her cleaning business, but she could get dirty.”

  Willow wrinkled her nose and then tried to hide it. She knew that when she was investigating a case, she should try to learn everything that she could about the victims and potential suspects. However, she couldn’t help thinking that this was too much information. She listened to a few more details about their hot affair, but was happy when he continued on with his story.

  “And then I started dating Becca this year. She’s the most determined of the group. She waited for me and she finally got me. Intimately. And she took over that nail salon. And she told me how great it was doing. And that’s why I – allegedly – robbed the place.”

  She decided not to comment on his “alleged” crime and just focus on his relationship to the victims.

  “How did these women feel after you dumped them and went out with their friends?”

  “I mean, I think they missed having all of me to themselves, but they were okay with it. We’ve been on really good terms, you know? We’re still friends. We still talk. They still give me Christmas and birthday gifts. It’s really great to have people who care about you so much. Even when I changed who I was dating, not too much changed. You know?”

  “Did you ever think that maybe those women didn’t like being swapped around?”

  A strange look crossed Daniel’s face as if he had never considered the idea before. Then, he shrugged. “They never turned me down.”

  Willow admitted that that part of his story was true. Any one of the trio could have turned him down and didn’t.

  “I know that you prize loyalty very highly,” Willow said.

  “Of course. That was one of the reasons why I loved each of those ladies. They were devoted to me,” Daniel said, blinking away tears. “And, coming from the family that I do, you know how important loyalty is.”

  “What family is that?”

  “The Blakemore clan,” Daniel said proudly. “I’m sure you’ve heard about us. At least a rumor or two.”

  “Wait a minute,” Willow said, making her voice sound impressed. She guessed that flattery might be the best way to keep him talking and hopefully incriminate himself. “You’re related to the Blakemore Blakemores? I have heard rumors. Scary ones. About ties to the mob.”

  “Well,” Daniel said, smiling nonchalantly, “nothing has ever been proven in court. People will believe what they want to believe. But I won’t deny that impressive reputations might be there for a reason.”

  “Do a lot of people know about this connection?” Willow asked, just to see what he would say. Maybe wanting to cover up his family’s crimes had also played a role in his desire to get rid of his exes.

  “No. I mean, not really. But,” Daniel said, leaning a little closer over the table, “I think it’s pretty obvious that some people know it now. The police! They learned about my family’s possible connections and wanted to try to take me down. That’s why they’re accusing me of taking the sixteen thousand and twenty-nine dollars from Becca’s office that night.”

  He was glaring at the guard with sass, but the guard seemed utterly unperturbed by these accusations. Willow brought his focus back to her.

  “Speaking about that robbery, why is it that you think you were caught?”

  “Police bias,” Daniel said with a definitive nod.

  “It wasn’t because someone fingered you for the robbery?” Willow suggested. “Maybe Patricia?”

  Daniel let out a hearty laugh. “What? No. Patricia wouldn’t do that to me.”

  Willow shrugged as if she didn’t believe him. “I’ve heard some rumblings that say she did.”

  “Well, she didn’t,” Daniel said firmly. “I know she didn’t. She wouldn’t. And you can take that straight from the horse’s mouth. I’m the horse in this example.”

  “I don’t know,” Willow continued. “I heard from a seemingly reliable source. They told me that Becca said that Patricia was the one who did it.”

  Willow didn’t want to bring the living Cassandra’s name into all this just in case it could get back to the mob, but she thought it would be all right to mention Becca because nothing worse could happen to her now. Besides, she needed to see whether Daniel had heard the same information that she had been originally told.

  “That’s crazy talk. Did you escape from the psych ward?” He laughed a little too hard at his own joke.

  Willow remained serious as she said, “I think it’s entirely possible that you heard the same thing I did. You used your connections to take out Patricia so she wouldn’t be a witness against you. Then, you decided to get rid of Becca as well, either because you learned that she had lied about Patricia or because she had more information about the robbery.”

  Daniel stared at her, seemingly dumbfounded. Finally finding words, he asked, “Who did you say you were again?”

  “I’m someone who is trying to solve this double homicide and figure out what happened to these women. I do want to find justice for them because nobody deserves to be murdered. But I also want to make sure that the wrong person isn’t arrested for this crime. I think the police are looking at the wrong suspect, and I want to protect them.”

  “Wait,” Daniel said. “Are you here to help me or not? I thought you said you were a friend. Doesn’t that mean that Becca and Patricia told you told look out for me? Because they loved me.”

  “So you say.”

  “They did. And I loved them. And how dare you think that I might have killed them. I didn’t kill anybody. Especially my current-but-okay-yeah-it-was-complicated-since-the-robbery girlfriend Becca or the super sexy Patricia. And wait a second. How could I have killed them anyway? I’ve been stuck in a cell.”

  “Couldn’t your connections have helped you out?”

  “I mean, I am very important,” Daniel said defensively. “And they probably could have. But I haven’t had any contact with them recently. And I wouldn’t have told them to do that. Those ladies were useful to me.”

  “Useful?” Willow asked. “How?”

  “Because I’m in here and they’re out there. And they would do anything for me. I was going to have Patricia help me with a few things too. Something that was not involving a robbery by the way. But now I’m not going to be able to do that. Because she’s dead.”

  “What were you going to have her do?”

  “I’m not going to tell you that,” he said, finally starting to wise up about what he was revealing. “But I can tell you that it’s going to be a lot more annoying without her around. Besides, I was looking forward to having visits with those ladies that I loved. If Becca was serious about it being over, which I don’t think she was, because I know she didn’t believe this alleged robbery of her safe. But if Becca was a no-go, at least for a little while, it would have been nice to have options.”

  “Wait. Options?”

  “You know, Patricia or Cassandra. Or I guess someone new. But what I had with them was real special. And I think it will be pretty hard to meet people while in jail. And it looks like I’m going to be in here at least a little while.”

  “Yes. I think so.”

  “It sure would have been nice to have my full web of women to help me with things while I’m stuck here,” he said wistfully. “It’s really a shame that they seem to be dying off.”

  Willow looked up at him suddenly. The way he said that didn’t so
und as dumb as some other remarks he’d made. This statement sounded dangerous. Was this a threat against the other women that he dated? Did this mean that Cassandra was in danger?

  “There better not be any more murders in town,” Willow said, issuing her own threat, though she wasn’t quite sure how to follow up on it.

  “Oh. I really hope not,” Daniel said, nodding in agreement. “Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do about it while I’m stuck in here. Nothing!”

  He leaned against the table, looking sorry for himself and Willow tried to determine if this was an act or not.

  “Nothing? So you’re also saying without Patricia you’re not able to accomplish anything outside of prison?” Willow asked.

  “Well,” Daniel said with a mischievous smile. “I might have one other source.”

  Willow was about to pump him for more information about the source when the guard informed her that their time was up. Daniel gave a little wave as he was led out of the visiting room.

  Willow watched him go, trying to make sense of their back and forth. Unfortunately, she didn’t feel like she had uncovered a smoking gun to clear her sister.

  9

  “Look out, Tele,” Willow warned.

  She, Griffin, and Wednesday were moving some of the challenges on the indoor doggie obstacle course. The gym had already closed for the day, but Willow wanted to make sure it was set for the next morning. After an inconclusive interview with Daniel Blakemore that afternoon, she was happy to focus on a clear-cut task.

  Willow had promised that some competitive hot dog runners could have full use of the course the next day. The nearly dozen dachshunds dressed in little buns and covered with costumed ketchup, mustard and relish would be running around cones and under fences. Since it would be all little dogs that were similar in height, Willow wanted to make it specific for them instead of her usual setup with something for dogs of every size. They had opted for the indoor arena rather than the adjoining outdoor course in her yard so the weather couldn’t become an issue. Willow knew the owners didn’t want their dogs’ buns to get wet.

  Telescope was zooming around as they moved the obstacles, proving that he could complete the course even when it was in motion. Willow was always proud of how her boy did on the course, but she was afraid that the small dog might accidentally get squished today as they worked.

  “You need to be careful,” Willow said to him. “Some of these things are heavy.”

  Telescope barked and wagged his tail as if daring the obstacle to try and stop him. She smiled and told him to carry on.

  Meanwhile, Griffin was grumbling, “Yeah, yeah. Most of these things weigh more than five pounds.”

  He seemed a bit disappointed that Wednesday and Willow were moving the big pieces like the see-saw on their own while he was relegated to picking up chew toys and depositing them in a box.

  Willow wanted him to know that she appreciated his help. In fact, Shelly had reported that Griffin had been great at delegating tasks, and that he had already recruited several new clients over the phone when they called with questions. Willow thanked him and he began to grin.

  “So, you’re not coming in now to check on me?” he teased.

  “No,” she assured him, knowing that he would have asked some of the other trainers to help him with the dachshund-friendly set up if she hadn’t arrived. “Working helps me think, and I have a lot to think about tonight. And I hoped you could both be a sounding board for me as I try to figure out this Daniel Blakemore situation.”

  She moved a line of cones and Telescope weaved around each of them, and then twirled around to face Willow, looking proud of what he had done.

  “You’ve got some good moves, Tele,” she said. “And that’s an accurate representation of how my mind feels right now. All twisted around, trying to come up with answers.”

  “I hope we can help you untwist some of them,” Wednesday said. “I’m glad you asked me to come over and help. I feel like I’m going crazy at home all day, but I don’t think I should be posting about my activities online. Even if my followers want to see me having a good time, I don’t think the police would like the look of that. Gallivanting while being a person of interest. And also, I don’t really feel like going out and having people stare and whisper about me being a murderer.”

  “Is that really happening?” Willow asked, pausing in her changes to the course to look at her sister with concern.

  “Well, I’m not completely sure,” Wednesday admitted. “I went to the supermarket, and I thought some women were talking about me. But in retrospect, it was possible that they were talking about the weekly specials that begin on Wednesday. And that it was about crab and not a stab. But they could have been talking about me. This whole situation has got me paranoid. I don’t like that people could think that I could do something that I didn’t.”

  “Don’t worry,” Griffin said, picking up a bone. “Willow is working on it.”

  “I know,” Wednesday said, leaning against a piece of fencing that she had just moved. “And I appreciate what she’s been doing, and that she got me out of the house. I don’t really like staying home either. Especially if McMillan is going to be driving by my house.”

  “What?” Willow asked. She was so angry that she dropped the tube that she was moving. Luckily, Telescope had already danced far away from it.

  “That part I know isn’t just my paranoia,” Wednesday said. “He has a car that only an off-duty detective would drive, and his license plate reads McMillan but condensed and with 1s instead of ls.”

  “That’s unacceptable,” Willow said bluntly.

  “It’s okay,” Wednesday said quickly. “Let’s just get to the bottom of what happened so that he’ll stop.”

  “Exactly,” Griffin agreed, moving closer to Willow and placing a hand on her arm. “What did you find out about Daniel today?”

  “It’s a little difficult to sum up,” Willow admitted, thinking back on her encounter with him. “For most of the meeting, I thought that he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Then, at the end, I wasn’t sure if he was threatening or not.”

  “He was threatening you?” Griffin asked, gritting his teeth.

  “No. I don’t think so,” Willow said, and she described the whole meeting as best she could.

  “Yeah,” Wednesday said when Willow was finished. “Based on how he was talking about the robbery, he doesn’t sound that bright. And even if he didn’t know that he was on someone’s security tape, taking his mask off during the getaway wasn’t that smart either.”

  “So,” Willow said, testing her ideas aloud as she made the final adjustments to her side of the course. “Is Daniel just an awful criminal? And when he was describing using the women, it was the same sloppy way he had when he said he committed the alleged robbery? Or does he really have a person on the outside now?”

  “When he said he had one other source, he might have been trying to trick you into thinking that he still had backup,” Griffin said.

  “Or he was just trying to sound more impressive,” Wednesday added. “It seemed pretty important to him to be thought of that way.”

  “Maybe he was talking about using Patricia for help outside of prison because he wanted to cover up someone else who was helping him?” Willow suggested. “But then why would he reveal he had another source?”

  “Because he’s dumb,” Wednesday said.

  “Regardless of his intellect or whether he’s a terrible criminal or not,” Griffin pointed out, “he still could have ordered the hit against the two women. If his family really is as linked to the mob as you think.”

  “They are,” Wednesday said with a nod.

  Willow leaned against one of the walls. She deemed the work on the course finished and perfect for the doxies. If she looked out one set of nearby windows, she could see the outdoor doggie obstacle course that was still set for canines of all sizes, and through the other set of windows, she could see her much-loved house. In this
comforting surrounding, it felt strange to think about potential mob threats.

  Wednesday and Griffin joined her as Telescope continued to play in the new closer to the ground version of the athletic challenges. Willow enjoyed watching him, thinking it was a happy distraction when their murderous conversation was so grim.

  Willow rubbed the back of her neck as she thought aloud. “If Daniel did order a hit on Patricia, it was because Cassandra told him that Patricia was responsible for him being behind bars. That she had told the police he was the robber. And she heard about this straight from Becca.”

  “Just like she told you,” Wednesday agreed. “But it’s not true because he was caught on a store owner’s security tape. So this was just what Becca thought originally. Or a false rumor she wanted to spread.”

  “Because she didn’t want Patricia to be competition again?” Griffin offered.

  “But then Daniel must have learned that what he was told was wrong?” Willow asked. “He was adamant with me that Patricia had not betrayed him. So, then, maybe he had Becca killed because she lied about Patricia’s involvement?”

  “It sounds like a plausible scenario. Especially if the mob is involved,” Griffin said. “More believable than Wednesday being the culprit.”

  “Thanks, Griff,” Wednesday said with a smile.

  “But,” Willow said, as another idea dawned on her. “If Becca was killed because she gave Cassandra false information, does that mean Cassandra could be the next victim?”

  They all paused to think about the ramifications of this line of thought. Telescope finished his run of the course and ran back to the humans to see why they weren’t praising him. He must have seen their worried expressions because he gestured for Willow to pick him up and when she did, he licked her face.

  Wednesday was looking pale. “I think we ought to warn Cassandra. Tell her that someone might be after her. I don’t want anybody else to die in town. And I don’t want any more blood on my hands. In any sense of the phrase.”