by V. M. Burns
He shrugged. “Maybe it’s all the same family member?”
“Maybe, but all of those cameras are freaky.” I shuddered.
David drove home, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Red’s truck in the driveway. He had thoughtfully angled the car so David and I could get in the garage.
I was puzzled not to see anyone sitting in the car. We climbed the stairs and went inside. I went to get Aggie so I could let her out. When I got to the back door, I saw Red and Joe sitting at the patio table drinking beer. “Well, isn’t this cozy.”
Aggie nearly leapt out of my arms at the sight of her friend Turbo, Joe’s service dog. I put her down and the two ran down the stairs to play in the grass.
I hugged Joe. “Stephanie only told us you were coming last night. When did you get here?”
Joe Harrison was a handsome Lighthouse Dunes police officer with strikingly vibrant blue eyes. He wore his hair cut short in a fashion common to ex-military and men in law enforcement.
He looked at his watch. “I got here about two hours ago.”
“You drove?” I asked.
He nodded. “It was a last-minute thing.”
“Have you two met?” I pointed to Red and David.
“Joe introduced us.” David used his beer bottle to point and both men acknowledged that introductions were made by clinking their bottles.
“Sit down.” Red rose to stand, but I waved him back down.
“I’m going to change clothes.” I walked back into the house but turned and came back. “How did you two get back here?”
Red smiled. “You have two law enforcement officers here. There are very few places we can’t get into.” He laughed.
I tilted my head and stared. “Are you serious?”
Red pointed to the side of the house. “When I was here the other day, I noticed your gate latches from the outside.” He pulled a screwdriver from his pocket. “I planned to change that for you.”
I changed out of my work clothes and into a pair of jeans and a casual top and then went back outside. This time, when I went out, I noticed at the foot of the first level of the deck, there was a large gas grill. “Where did that come from?” I looked around.
Joe and David both pointed to Red.
He shrugged. “Housewarming gift.”
I teared up and gave him a hug. “It’s beautiful, but…”
“You don’t like it?” He pulled away and stared into my eyes.
“It’s not that. I love it. It’s just I haven’t had time to go to the grocery store.”
Joe laughed and bent down and slid out a cooler he had been using as a footrest. “We came bearing gifts.” He opened the lid.
Inside the cooler were steaks, corncobs, beer, wine coolers, and ice.
“You thought of everything.” I looked at Red.
He shrugged. “A man’s got to eat.”
Red took the steaks inside and prepared them for the grill. After a few minutes, I followed him in and took a few moments to show him how much I appreciated the grill and his thoughtfulness.
After a few moments, he pulled away. “Wow. If I knew a grill would get that kind of response, I’d have gotten you one sooner.” He fanned himself. “In fact, I might bring another one tomorrow.”
I gave him a playful swat.
He laughed. “Now, you better give me a moment to compose myself or we’re never going to eat.”
I got the dishes and silverware together while he prepped the food. Then he went outside and cooked.
The food smelled delicious. Aggie and Turbo were interested in the grill, but Red was adept at keeping things moving. Before long, the food was ready and we all sat down and enjoyed dinner.
The steaks were huge, and I wasn’t able to eat all of mine, but Red finished it off for me. When we were done, we all sat around and talked while we drank.
Joe talked about the Plott hound puppies he hoped to see tomorrow. David entertained them by talking about our trip to visit Jacob at his parents’ house. However, the conversation eventually wandered to the murder investigation.
“Any more news on Keri Lynn?” I asked.
Red shook his head. “According to her husband, he expects her back sometime this weekend.”
“Really? You talked to Dallas? We didn’t see him at Pet Haven—” David must have realized too late he’d said too much.
I don’t know if it was due to the way I tried to shake my head without moving any part of my body or if it was the mental telepathy I was sending through my eyes to tell him to stop talking.
Red glanced from David to me and I forced my lips to smile, although I could tell it came out more like a grimace. “You went to Pet Haven?”
I took a drink of my wine cooler and frantically racked my brain for a response that wouldn’t cause the vein to pulse on the side of his head. However, by the way he was pinching his nose, I knew the vein had started to pulse.
I took a deep breath. “We did go to Pet Haven…twice.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t believe you went back to that place.” He glanced over at David. “You let her go?”
Before David could speak, I intervened. “We went together. So I wasn’t alone.” He seemed about to speak, so I raised a hand and hurried on. “We went together so I wasn’t alone. Besides, most of your fellow law enforcement people don’t even believe he murdered his wife. And he wasn’t even there today.” I folded my arms across my chest.
He stared at me in silence and I defiantly met his glance.
Joe and David looked at the table, and after a few moments, their bodies started to shake. Eventually, they weren’t able to contain their amusement and they both laughed out loud. I scowled at Red and he glared back at me.
Joe finally stopped laughing long enough to say, “Let me give you a piece of advice.” He stared at Red. “I’ve learned it’s easier to just give in to these Echosby women. You will never win an argument with them.”
David nodded. “That’s true. You’d probably have to arrest them to stop them.”
Joe shook his head. “Actually I tried that, but it didn’t work.”
I looked at him and noticed the way his lips twitched. Eventually, I laughed too.
Red took longer to come around and sat in silence.
Joe looked from Red to me. “Okay, what did you find out at Pet Haven?”
I made a point of looking at Joe and not Red while I told him about volunteering to do the books so I could find out about their financial state. I think I noticed a look of respect in his eyes as I talked.
“For a company with so many technological advances, I’m surprised their books are so antiquated.”
“What do you mean?” Joe asked.
I talked about the gated entry, security cameras, and guards. However, I could tell that I hadn’t made an impression with him.
Red took a drink and turned to Joe. “Twenty-four-hour CCT footage on all areas of the building with automatic backup for all video feeds to a central server. There are thumbprint keypads on all employee areas.” He took another drink. “It’s pretty high-tech for a dog kennel.”
“Did you look at the camera footage?” Joe asked.
Red shook his head. “Apparently, the footage got corrupted when they uploaded it to their offsite servers.”
Joe smirked. “That was convenient.”
Red shrugged. He talked about motion-activated sensors, night vision enhanced cameras, and a lot of gobbledygook that sounded like Greek to me. David and Joe both nodded, so I guessed it made sense to them. When he finished, he turned to me.
Red shook his head. “It’s a bit over the top for a dog kennel, but the owner, Dallas Simpson, is a bit over the top.”
David described Dallas Simpson’s white designer clothes, super tanned skin, and highlights. Joe and Red
got a big laugh as David described how Aggie licked off his spray tan.
When the laughter died down, I continued, “So with all the security and cameras and…whatever, I expected they would at least have an up-to-date accounting system that was linked to their bank account and allowed mobile access and digital upload of receipts. I mean, even the museum has moved away from handwritten ledgers.”
“That does seem strange, but there are a lot of people who like gadgets and electronics but don’t know anything about accounting.” Joe yawned.
“I know, but it’s more than that.”
“Maybe he just put the ledgers there for you. Maybe there’s a completely different system,” Red said.
I sighed. “I don’t think so.” I struggled to find the right words to explain. “Why go to all that effort? He couldn’t have known I’d volunteer to do this before yesterday.” I stared at Red. “These books go back to the beginning of the year.”
“So, did you find anything?” Red asked.
I thought for several moments. “They’ve spent a ton of money, too much money. I don’t see that they can possibly bring in enough to cover the expenses. In fact, it looks like they’re in the hole pretty deep. The marble entry and the security, the chef and masseuse—”
Joe choked and started to cough. When he finally collected himself, he stared at me. “Chef? Masseuse? For dogs?”
Joe, Red, and I all nodded.
Joe yawned and then looked at Turbo, who had worn himself out chasing Aggie around the yard and was sprawled at Joe’s feet. “Wow, Turbo, you’re being neglected.” He petted the dog. “You want a massage, boy?”
I leaned forward. “I think that’s a great idea.”
He nearly fell out of his seat. “The Lighthouse Dunes K-9 unit expense budget won’t extend to massages for the police, let alone the dogs,” he joked.
I scooted to the edge of my seat. “I would pay for it. I was thinking about taking Aggie to day care tomorrow when I go to work on the books.”
“Tomorrow?” Red exploded. “You’re not going back there.”
“Yes, I am. I have to. I said I would get the books ready for the end of year and I’m not done.” He looked ready to speak and I hurried on. “Before you ask, I offered to take the books home, but Dallas Simpson gave strict instructions nothing was to be removed.”
He took a few deep breaths and calmed himself.
Joe looked from me to Red. Eventually, he shrugged. “If you’re going back, then it might be a good idea to take Turbo and Aggie with you.” He yawned.
The air was still and the night was quiet. Red stared at his friend.
Joe shrugged. “She’s going whether you want her to or not.” He paused to let his comment soak in. “Besides, if she has David with her, he can keep an eye on her.”
David leaned forward. “It’ll be broad daylight and there will be tons of people around.” He said quietly, “I’m not going to let anything happen to my mom.”
Joe leaned forward. “Aggie may be small, but she’s a fierce little thing and has risked her life to defend Lilly before.” He looked at Turbo. “Plus, I pity the fool who would lay a hand on either of them with Turbo around.”
Joe and Red stared into each other’s eyes. Some conversation transpired without one word being spoken. Eventually, Red nodded.
The tension went down slightly, but the air was still filled with static.
David grinned and rubbed his hands together. “Great. Now, what’s the plan?”
Chapter 12
We talked a bit longer, but Joe’s yawns grew more frequent and his eyelids drooped. The poor man had driven six hundred miles and was exhausted. David, Joe, and Turbo walked to Red’s truck together. Red hung back.
When we were alone, he turned to me. “Look, I know you’re an adult…an independent woman, and you’re free to make your own decisions.” He looked at me and released a sigh. “I also know I can come across as controlling, but it’s only because I want you to be safe. I care about you, and I don’t like the idea of you deliberately hanging around a murder suspect.”
I opened my mouth to object, but he placed a finger over my lips.
“Wait.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I know what you’re going to say. You don’t need my permission to do anything. You’re capable of taking care of yourself, and I have no right to interfere.” He released a big breath. “That’s all true, and I’m working on not being controlling.”
I waited. “May I speak now?”
He nodded.
“I wasn’t going to say any of that. What I was going to say was that I appreciate the fact you want me to be safe. I know your heart’s in the right place. It’s just part of your nature to want to protect. From your military service to law enforcement, it’s in you and I appreciate that.” I leaned up and kissed him. “So, thank you. However, I have to do what I think is right.” I sighed and took a minute to find the right words. “I saw a woman murdered. I barely knew her, but she deserved more than to have her life taken from her.” I paused. “I raised my kids to do the right thing. I raised them to follow the Golden Rule and treat others the way they want to be treated. If someone murdered…” My eyes filled with water and I had to take a moment to catch my breath. “If something happened to Stephanie or David, I hope that if anyone saw something, they would come forward. If they could help, then they would.” I sniffed. “Too many people don’t want to get involved. I don’t want to be one of those people.”
He hugged me tightly for a few moments.
I jumped when the screen door slammed. David sidled past. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but—”
I wiped my eyes. “It’s okay, come in.”
Red kissed my forehead. He offered his hand to David. “It was nice meeting you.” They shook. “I need to go. I don’t want to have to carry Joe inside when we get to the house.”
He left and I watched as he backed out of the driveway and drove away before I closed the door.
David helped load the dishwasher. Before he went to bed, he looked at me. “I like Red. He seems like a nice guy.”
I stared at him.
“You deserve a nice guy.” He kissed me on the cheek, turned around, and walked to his bedroom.
My feet were frozen in place. After what felt like a minute, I smiled, scooped up Aggie, and went to bed.
The next day I woke up early and made a quick run to a nearby grocery store and picked up bacon, eggs, and a few other necessities. David was still asleep when I returned. By the time I finished cooking breakfast, he was up. We ate and discussed plans for our trip to Pet Haven. I wasn’t sure if Red had discouraged Joe from helping me sleuth until the doorbell rang. I was pleasantly surprised to see both Joe and Turbo.
I craned my neck around Joe, but Red was nowhere in sight. Joe explained that Red had planned to come with us this morning, but he had gotten a call and had to leave at the last minute. He said he’d join us later.
I struggled to keep the disappointment I felt from showing on my face, but my smile felt fake, even to me.
Aggie was thrilled to have her buddy and would have been content to play “catch me if you can” all day. However, that wasn’t the plan.
Joe and Turbo followed David, Aggie, and me over to Pet Haven. He said he wanted to see this place with his own eyes. However, I wondered if he didn’t feel comfortable leaving his best friend in my care. Regardless, we made our way to Pet Haven.
At the gate, I gave all of our names and explained that my daughter’s boyfriend’s dog would be joining Aggie for day care today.
The guard must have accepted my explanation because the gate swung open and we were both allowed to drive onto the property.
David, Aggie, and I waited for Joe and Turbo to get out of the car. We all walked in together.
I could tell by the look in Joe’s eyes, he
was impressed by the facility. He stood at the counter and took in the luxurious details.
Once again, Madison was there. She smiled broadly as I introduced her to Joe and Turbo. I explained that my daughter’s boyfriend and his dog were here for a short time and that I’d told them how nice the facility was and wanted Turbo and Aggie to get an opportunity to play, plus massages. I assured her I expected to pay.
She typed on the computer and told me there was a grooming, massage, and private play package on sale today.
When she told me the amount, I nearly passed out. Instead, I forced a fake smile. “That will be fine.”
Joe’s eyes got as large as silver dollars.
As she was checking Aggie and Turbo in, a door opened, and Dallas Simpson walked out. He was, as always, dressed all in white. He smiled big and walked around the counter.
“Lilly, it’s so good to see you again.” He looked around. “Who do we have here? Don’t tell me it’s another son.”
I smiled. “No, not exactly.” I explained who Joe and Turbo were and the two men shook.
Turbo sat quietly by Joe’s side, while Aggie tried to get out of my arms and over to Dallas Simpson. However, I was ready for her today and tightened my grip so she wasn’t able to escape.
Dallas Simpson acted like a perky used car salesman almost every time I’d ever seen him. He looked and acted like a fake. However, today his act was even perkier. Even more used-car-salesman-esque and even more fake. He took his already over-the-top personality and turned it up about five hundred notches.
David and I exchanged glances.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to greet you both yesterday, but…” He waved his hands. “Family, what can I say.”
I thought about it. What was there to say? In fact, I couldn’t think of anything to say either. I couldn’t help wishing Dixie was here. She always seemed to know the right words at the right moment. We stood in awkward silence. “How about I take you both on a tour of our beautiful, state-of-the-art facilities?” Dallas smiled.
Joe and David accepted his offer and the three of them were just about to leave when Barney Fife shuffled over and whispered something to Mr. Simpson.
