by JL Simpson
“Are you deaf? I told you why. We’re here to buy a dog.”
Mr. Randall crossed the room, and came back carrying a step ladder. Once it was set up, he stood back. “I'm going to put Herculia and the puppies in her kennel, and then we're going to have a little chat.”
Randall strode down the walkway. The dogs followed. Cliff put Molly down, and moved to steady the ladder. Daisy scrambled back to the ground, and scooped the little girl into her arms.
Molly wriggled to get down. “Puppies, Daisy.”
“Not now, darling.” Daisy glanced at Cliff. “I think we should leave.”
Cliff frowned. “He knows you're up to somet'ing.”
“He suspects, which is different altogether.”
Molly wriggled harder. “Puppies, Daisy.”
“Fine. We’ll stay. What do we have to lose?”
Cliff shrugged.
Mr. Randall approached. “Follow me. I think you'll be more comfortable away from the dogs.”
As they followed the man outside, Molly wailed and struggled to be free. “Puppies. Puppies.”
Daisy hugged her, and rained kisses on her teary cheeks. “Shh, angel. We'll get you a puppy later. Do you want some sweeties?”
Molly stared at Daisy with her big brown eyes. “Sweeties. Sweeties.”
Daisy set the toddler on her feet, before pulling a bar of chocolate from her pocket. As they followed Mr. Randall into the house, Daisy unwrapped the chocolate and handed half to Molly, before shoving the rest in her mouth. She was only eating it for medicinal purposes. Everyone knew sugar was good for shock, and chocolate calmed the nerves. Now they were away from the dogs, she might be able to focus on what she was here for, unless she’d completely blown her cover with Mr. Randall.
* * * * *
Solomon had promised to have a beer with Paul later. As he weaved through the traffic toward the office, he took out his phone. Daisy hadn't answered. She might be in the middle of something other than a disaster. He keyed in another quick text, before pulling into his parking space and climbing from his SUV.
The florist shop was still open. He ducked behind his vehicle, and slunk around the side of the building. Fingers crossed Belinda hadn't noticed his arrival, or was too busy to come and hassle him. He might have made a decision not to finish what they started, but he was only human. If she showed up, he might not be able to resist. Especially if she was wearing that skimpy gym outfit. He scrubbed a hand through his hair, wishing he hadn't recalled that particular vision.
He made his way down the steps. The office door stood ajar. He growled with frustration. Daisy should have checked her new friend had locked it before they left. Solomon shoved the door wide open, and stopped on the threshold. Papers were strewn across the floor. The desk drawers hung open, and both of the office computers were switched on. Fecking hell.
He checked out the other rooms. Nothing was missing, so it was clearly not a burglary. He righted his chair, and stood staring at the mess. He should call Dan and tell him. This could be a message from Lisa’s cronies, to stay away from whatever the hell she was involved in. If he was being targeted, then Molly could be in danger. What better way to get Lisa to do as they wanted, than to take her kid? He growled with anger.
He tugged his phone from his pocket. Dan had given him a name. Leo Thompson. It meant nothing to Solomon, but he bet his life the cops knew who Leo Thompson was by now. Not that Dan would give him the information, if he asked. He needed to find another way inside Dan’s investigation. He tapped the number for the police station into his phone, and held it to his ear. When he finally got an answer, he didn't even wait for the operator to finish the greeting.
“Can I speak to PC Mavis Mills, please?”
“Who's calling?”
“Solomon.”
“Just one moment, Mr. Solomon.”
He paced the office.
Mavis’s voice purred down the phone. “Solomon?”
“PC Mills. I was hoping you'd agree to a drink with me, as a thank you for your kindness.”
“A drink?”
“Aye, something sweet and girlie in a glass with an umbrella, or a pint of something warm and heavy. Whatever you prefer.”
“And when were you thinking of taking me for this drink?”
“When do you get off duty?”
“Half-an-hour.”
“Half-an-hour it is.”
“How's Molly?”
He smiled as he remembered the PC taking care of his little angel. “Fine. She had a bad night, but she's doing better today. My partner has taken her to look at puppies.”
“Your partner?”
“Business partner. I'll pick you up out the front of the station in half-an-hour.”
“Okay.”
Solomon said his goodbyes and hung up. He checked his messages. Daisy still hadn’t replied to his texts.
Chapter Thirteen
Daisy sat at the large pine kitchen table, balancing Molly on one knee. She sipped cautiously at a cup of hot sweet tea. Dirty dishes, piled high in the kitchen sink, threatened to topple onto the draining board at any minute. She studiously ignored how unhygienic the cup she was using could be. Fortunately Molly had refused a drink, but Daisy didn't have that luxury. She needed to get Mr. Randall on side, if she was to find out what he knew.
Molly yawned and snuggled into Daisy, giving her an excuse to push her cup aside. She caught Cliff's eye, and he smiled. He seemed to have no problem with the mess. He was busy tucking into a chocolate biscuit. When you usually lived on a park bench, cleanliness was probably not such an issue.
“Feeling better?” Mr. Randall asked her gruffly. He pulled out a chair, and sat next to Cliff.
She nodded. “Much. Thanks.”
“Are you going to tell me why you’re really here?”
Daisy’s cover was well and truly blown. He didn’t believe she wanted a puppy, and nothing she said now would change that. She let out a sigh. “Candy Mars suggested I speak to you.”
He leaned back and folded his arms. “What did that nosey old gas bag send you here for?”
Cliff got to his feet. “Mind if I use your bathroom?”
Mr. Randall glanced at him, and frowned. “Up the stairs, second on the left.”
Cliff shuffled out of the room, and Daisy turned her attention back to the conversation. “Are you not a fan of Candy, Mr. Randall?”
“She was thick as thieves with my wife.” He stared at the table and sighed loudly.
“And the problem with that is?”
“She persuaded her to leave me. Said I needed to pull myself together. Easy for her to say. Her prize champion wasn't run over by a truck.”
Daisy knew a motive when she saw one. “Were you at the Cirencester dog show last weekend?”
“Why? What is the old cow accusing me of now?”
“I never said she was accusing you of anything.”
Mr. Randall snorted. “You might not have said it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not what’s going on. Whatever she thinks I did, I didn't.”
“Why are you convinced she thinks you did something?”
“When my wife left, I went a bit mental.”
“Mental how?”
“I took to the drink, and when Candy showed up, I might have told her a few home truths she’d rather not hear about her precious son. I told Candy one day she'd know what it was like to lose something she treasured.”
“You were talking about losing your wife?”
“I was talking about my dog.”
“Candy's stud poodle was stolen, Mr. Randall.”
“Johnny?”
“Yes. So were you at the show last weekend?”
Mr. Randall pushed to his feet, and leaned heavily on the table. “She knows I was. And you know that she knows I was. That's what you're doing here isn't it?”
“Candy just wants him back, Mr. Randall. If you took him as part of this ongoing feud, don't you think you should be the better person and
end it now? So far she hasn't called the police, but if I don't rescue him, she might decide that's the only course of action left to her.”
“Let her call the cops. I don't have her dog. Now I have nothing more to say. It's time for you to leave.”
Damn. She'd wanted a chance to snoop around a bit. “What about the puppy?”
“You're not here to buy a puppy.”
“I told you it's not for me. It's for Molly. Besides, maybe having a puppy would help me deal with my phobia.”
“You don't need a puppy; you need to see a shrink.” Mr. Randall frowned for a moment and then started toward the back door. “Actually I’ve just the dog for you. Come along.”
Daisy's phone sounded in her bag. She tugged it out, and rejected the call. Whatever Solomon wanted he could wait. She glanced at Molly, who had snuggled in and fallen asleep with her face resting on Daisy’s chest, and then at the phone, before hastily tapping out a text message and hitting Send.
* * * * *
Solomon stared at his phone. What the hell did she mean, ‘Molly’s fine. Dog’s doing great as well?’' Surely she wouldn’t really buy Molly a dog. Would she? He should never have left Molly in her care. The woman was a living nightmare. He glanced around at the mess in the office. Not that Molly would be safe with him. The sooner he sorted out Lisa's life, the happier he'd be.
He scrolled through his contacts, until he found the one he was looking for and made a call.
“Yello.”
“Matt?”
“Solomon. What do you want? You’re not trying to frame me for hacking into someone's computer, are you?”
Solomon frowned. “I thought you were out of the game, after last time.”
Matt sighed. “I might have said that. A stint in the big house will do that to a man's confidence.”
“The cops would have caught you without my help.”
“No hard feelings, man. Actually, I should be thanking you. All that free time allowed me to hone my skills. You'd think they'd have better security protocols on a library computer system in a prison.”
Solomon wasn’t interested in library computers, but he was happy Matt was ready to leave the past in the past, because he didn’t know anyone else who could do what he wanted. “Someone was in my office. Could you come over and put it to rights?”
“Cleaning? You want me to do cleaning? I don't do manual labor, man.”
Solomon tugged his wallet from his pocket, and pulled out some notes. “I'll give you a hundred and fifty pounds, if you come over to tidy up and check out my computers. I want to know if anyone has accessed my files.”
“How soon do you need this done?”
“Now.”
“If you've been hacked, do you want me to clean it up?”
“If I’ve been hacked, I want to know why and what they’re looking for. Can you do that?”
“Man, I can do anything you want me to do, but it'll cost you.”
“If someone has accessed my files, we'll renegotiate.”
“Fine. I'll be over in half an hour.”
If he waited for Matt, he'd have to cancel his meeting with Mavis. Bollocks. “You'll find a key for the office at the florist next door. Call me when you're done, and I'll arrange payment.”
“Fair enough.”
Solomon hung up. He slid the office key off his key-ring, and took a deep breath. It looked like he wouldn’t be avoiding the pretty florist after all. He hoped Belinda would understand, once he explained that his life had gone to shite and he needed to focus all of his attention on finding out what Lisa was involved in, to ensure Molly’s safety. By the time the mess was sorted out, Belinda might well have moved on to a man who wanted more than a one-night stand.
Chapter Fourteen
With Molly safely secured in her car seat, and Cliff riding shotgun, Daisy slid the car into gear, and pulled away. Mr. Randall stood in the middle of the parking lot, watching them leave.
“Cliff?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you find anything when you went snooping upstairs?”
“I didn't go snooping. I went to use the toilet.”
“Really?”
“What did you t’ink I was doing?”
“I thought you were pretending to need so you could look around.”
“Is that what you were doing, when you took Molly to the toilet in the yard and got caught?”
“We were lost.”
Cliff snorted with laughter. “Where are we off to now?”
“How about some lunch, and then a spot of retail therapy? I need to buy dog supplies.”
“Isn't it a bit late for lunch?”
“It's never too late for lunch.”
“I'm not a charity case.”
“I'll deduct the cost from your wages, if you like. I'm charging mine to the company credit card. If I'm on a case, the least Solomon can do is pay for my lunch.”
“Isn't he paying the eight hundred quid for the dog you agreed to buy?”
“Business expense and he'll get it back in the finder's fee, once we return Johnny to his rightful owner. He should think himself lucky we chose a teacup toy poodle, and not one of those huge monster versions. And Mr. Randall gave us a discount on the full price.”
“That’s because you got the runt of the litter.”
“Molly wanted him. Besides, he was cute. So tiny and pathetic, sitting there while his brothers peed on him.”
“You convinced her she wanted him.”
“Well Molly is hardly in the market for a bull mastiff. Is she? I might buy Rosebud a little coat to keep him warm, when Solomon takes him outside.”
* * * * *
Solomon peered through the florist's window. A dark haired teenage girl stood behind the counter, fiddling with her phone. He blew out a breath. Perhaps the gods were smiling on him, and he wouldn’t have to face Belinda. A bell tinkled, as he pushed the door open—not that the girl serving in the shop took any notice.
He approached the counter, and she shoved the phone into her pocket.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
“Is Belinda in?”
“She's on a delivery.”
“I'm Solomon.”
The girl smiled, and twirled a dark curl of hair around her finger. “The Solomon? Wow, she wasn’t lying. For an old geezer, you are fit.”
He frowned. Old geezer? No matter. Belinda obsessing about him wasn't good news. He'd hoped she'd come to realize she’d had a narrow escape, and that going to bed with him would be a mistake. A mistake he would gladly point out to her another day. He glanced at the door, and then back at the young girl.
“I was wanting to ask a favor.”
“She should be back in fifteen minutes, if you'd like to wait.”
“Perhaps you could help me out?”
“Oh. Will it be dangerous? Do you want to take me on a stake out?”
“I've a man coming to do some work at my office. Could I leave the key with you, for him to collect?”
“Sure.”
Solomon dropped his key ring on the counter, and frowned as the girl picked it up and sniffed it.
“Hmm, Old Spice?”
“His name's Matt.”
She glanced up at Solomon. “How will I know it's him? Does he have a secret word or something?”
“You'll know it's him, because he'll tell you.”
“I think we should have a code word or something. He could say, ‘the eagle has landed.’”
“There’s no code word. Now if you'll excuse me, I’ve somewhere I need to be.” Solomon crossed to the door, and grasped the handle.
“Tasha.”
He paused and glanced at her. “Sorry?”
“My name's Tasha. Is it true you've got an Aston Martin?”
“I've lots of things, Tasha. Have you been here all day?”
“Mostly. Why?”
“Did you happen to see anyone going into or out of the alley to my office?”
“There
was some skinny dark guy, who went out and came back, and then he got into a horrible bright green car with a chubby red headed woman.”
Solomon smiled. Cliff and Daisy, although she wouldn't appreciate the description. She preferred strawberry blonde and curvy. “Anyone else?”
“A white-panel van pulled down the alley.”
“Did you see who was in it?”
“Nope.”
“Did you notice the registration number?”
“HIT ME.”
“HIT ME?”
“That's what it said. Is that a big clue? If I see it again, should I tail it for you?”
Solomon pulled the door open. “Not necessary.”
“I don't suppose you're looking for an apprentice?”
“You suppose right.”
He made his escape before she engaged him in further conversation. He had neither the time nor the energy to deal with Belinda, who could be back any minute.
Solomon pulled his SUV up outside the Police Station, as Mavis was making her way down the front steps. He smiled when she approached. Her dark hair was freed from the tight bun she'd worn it in the last time he'd seen her, and hung down her back in soft fat curls. Her green eyes were as mesmerizing as he remembered, and the smile on her full lips was a little crooked, giving her face character. Taking her for a drink would be no hardship.
He stepped out of the car, and ran around to open the door for her. Her smile was reward enough for his efforts.
“Thanks.”
He closed her door, and climbed in behind the wheel. “I thought we'd have a quiet drink at Fortune's wine bar.”
“Fine by me.”
He edged out into the traffic. “Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.”
“I was intrigued. We’ve arrested your ex-girlfriend, and you’ve been left holding the baby. I would’ve thought you had enough on your plate without adding dating to your busy schedule, which makes me wonder if this meeting is business or pleasure.”
“Which would you prefer?”
Mavis laughed. “I’m not stupid enough to answer.”
Solomon smiled. “I'll not lie to you. My intentions are not entirely honorable. Even less so now I've seen you out of uniform.”
