Carrying the hefty load to the counter, she slipped the rubber band off and removed the piece of paper. It was soaked through with tank water, but when she unfolded it the message read loud and clear.
Her own mouth popped open from the scandal of it.
It read: Get out! Or I’ll make you.
11
Talk to the Paw
The police officer’s boots crunched on the broken glass. He assessed the damage, this time from a new angle. Piper didn’t know what was so tough to figure out. Brick fly through window; brick hit fish tank; tank go splash. Seemed simple enough to her.
She knew she wasn’t irritated with him so much as the near head wound experience. Even now nerves shook her hands. But so far, Officer Tucker had proved himself less than empathetic or even mildly concerned. Maybe there were more important crimes to solve or wrongdoers to vanquish. He acted like this was the equivalent of hoodlums spray-painting a garbage can. Well, maybe it was. But it was her garbage can.
He took out his phone and typed a few words, probably searching for the nearest coffeehouse for a post-investigation latte. Consulting his notepad again, he wandered back to where she watched from the side.
“So you didn’t see anyone when it happened? No one you could identify?”
“No. Like I said, I was busy studying.” Or staring off into space imagining Aiden without a suit.
“And you said you arrived at approximately nine thirty p.m.?”
“That’s correct.”
“And did you see anyone when you arrived? Anyone loitering around the building? Maybe a car you noticed parked in the lot or on the street nearby watching the place?”
“No. Not that I can remember.” Piper’s skin crawled at the thought of being watched, and she thought of her altercation with Barney Miller a few hours earlier. Of course, she’d mentioned his name first, but she’d never actually seen the culprit.
She could hear Marilyn in the back, soothing the dogs in that “keep calm and carry on” way of hers. Piper had called her right after she got off the phone with the police. The dedicated manager came right away, concerned for her guests, as she called them. She liked to think that they were only staying for a short time before someone came to adopt them.
The bell above the entrance door dinged as someone entered. Piper was trying to read Officer Tucker’s notepad upside down. She figured it was the other cop, so she didn’t turn around until Officer Tucker said, “Sorry, sir. You can’t be in here.”
Piper had been anxiously awaiting the crack CSI team to arrive and bag the evidence, unveil invisible footprints, search for microscopic clues, so when she spun around his face was the last she expected to see.
“Aiden?”
“You know this man?” Officer Tucker asked.
“It’s all right,” Marilyn said, coming in from the back, She was dragging a piece of cardboard to the front with her. “He’s the owner.”
“The owner,” Piper repeated. “The owner of what?”
“The property, dear. What else? Here, Piper, could you help me with this?” Marilyn handed her the cardboard. “We can use it to board up the window once the officers are all finished here.”
Piper took the board numbly. “You own this property?” She almost sounded indignant, like they were possibly lying to her.
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Caldwell.” Marilyn shook his hand. “But you didn’t need to concern yourself at an hour like this.”
“Oh, it’s no problem at all. I just thought I’d come by and take a look.”
“Well, how about I make us all a pot of coffee?” Marilyn hurried off to the kitchen.
Once she left, Aiden turned right back to Piper, his expression full of concern and surprise. “I didn’t know you would be here.”
“Sir,” Officer Tucker interrupted. “May I have your full name for the record, please?”
Both Piper and Aiden spoke at the same time. “Aiden Caldwell.”
“I was studying.” Piper still stared at him like he’d claimed to be the king of England. “You’re the new property owner?”
The officer cleared his throat to get attention. “I’d like to ask you a few questions too, Mr. Caldwell. If you have some time.”
“Yes, certainly,” Aiden replied without looking away from Piper. “That’s why I came to the center in the first place,” he told her. “My company recently bought this land. A few weeks ago, I came to renew the lease and discuss some future business with Marilyn. That’s when I met Sophie.”
Officer Tucker’s pen hovered readily over his notepad. “And who’s Sophie?”
“My dog,” Aiden told him, and then to Piper, “Were you hurt?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“That’s good.”
“Do you two need a minute?” the officer asked, although it didn’t sound like he was offering so much as making a point.
Aiden didn’t seem to notice. “If I’d known you were here, I would have come sooner.”
“Oh, but the ladies were hurt,” Piper said.
“And who are these ladies?” Officer Tucker asked. “Do they require medical attention?”
“Why are the ladies in the coffeepot?” Marilyn called from the kitchen.
The officer’s forehead creased. “The ladies are in the coffeepot?”
“The fish tank broke!” Piper called back. “They’re our goldfish,” she explained to the officer.
“Tea then?” Marilyn sang back.
“Yes, thank you,” Aiden replied.
“Excuse me,” Officer Tucker snapped. “May we continue, please?”
Piper had answered the cop’s questions three times over Aiden’s sudden appearance was a lot more interesting at that moment, but Officer Tucker’s tone of voice sobered the CEO up.
“Yes, of course,” Aiden said. “Go ahead.”
“Do either of you know of anyone who would possibly have a vendetta against the rescue center? Anyone with a grudge? Disgruntled employees?”
Marilyn shuffled out of the small kitchen with a tray of four mismatched mugs. “A grudge? Oh, dear. Do you think this was a personal attack?”
“Well, I can’t say conclusively, but considering the note attached to the brick, I would speculate so.”
“Well, there are the neighbors,” she said. “They’ve been complaining about the noise for some time.”
“The noise?”
“Yes. We only have a small courtyard in the back and dachshunds can be noisy for such a small dog, on account of their large lungs, you see. That’s where they get that barrel chest from.” She stuck out her own chest, mimicking it. “There are a lot of residential buildings surrounding us and my little guests can make quite the racket during playtime.”
“Any neighbors in particular?”
“I don’t have any names specifically. A whole group of them, I suppose. They petitioned for the city to do something about it on several occasions. We would build a sound-reducing fence, but they’re rather expensive.”
As Piper thought about potential suspects, she recalled her run-in with Laura earlier that day. “There’s someone else. A local animal rights activist that belongs to a group called SFAAC.”
“Why would an activist have a problem with a dog shelter?”
“It’s a personal issue. I had a confrontation with her during a rally in the Presidio today.” She relayed the events of that afternoon, remembering Laura’s parting words to her.
“She threatened you?” he asked. “Did you report this to the police?”
“No. I didn’t really think anything of it. She’s made plenty of personal threats against me over the last few years. Just figured she was full of crap. I’ve lodged previous complaints about her with the police.”
“Oh, I see.” The officer made another note. “Do you have a restraining order against this person?”
“No.” She scowled. “Not yet, anyway.”
Marilyn frowned, watching the pen scribble across the page. “Do y
ou think she should take out a restraining order against this girl? I mean, if she’s a possible suspect. Maybe it could be a way to prevent further harassment.”
“I can’t say for sure, ma’am. Unless you know for certain it was her. Don’t worry, I will let you know if you need to take further action,” he assured her.
She didn’t look assured, so Piper reached out and squeezed her shoulder. Marilyn mumbled something about sugar and disappeared back into the kitchen.
He jotted a few more notes down. “Mr. Caldwell, do you have anything to add?”
“Well, the company is always receiving threats. It wouldn’t be the first time my property has been vandalized simply due to the association with my company.”
“And what company is that?”
“Caldwell and Son Investments.”
Another note. “Can you think of any reason why someone would target this property specifically?”
“Well, the recent property sale would have been pubic record, but…” He hesitated, turning to Piper. “The briefcase.”
“The one in my taxi?” Piper asked.
“You drive a taxi?” Officer Tucker asked.
“I did. Before it was stolen.”
“With my briefcase inside,” Aiden added. “Which contained the recently signed documents for the property transfer.”
Piper frowned, thinking back to the day before—although it seemed much longer. “You think that whoever stole my cab might have done this?”
“Or,” he said, “maybe it wasn’t a coincidence that your cab was stolen with my briefcase.”
Piper wondered if he might be right. Sure, she’d been pushing her luck that day with all three jobs, but she still found it hard to believe she was unlucky enough to have her cab stolen too. Maybe it was his bad luck and not hers.
“But that still doesn’t explain why the car thief would want us to get out of the neighborhood,” she said.
“Was a report filed for this incident?” the cop asked, breaking her train of thought.
“Yes,” Piper said. “Just yesterday afternoon.”
He made another note on his pad while Piper and Aiden shared a worried glance. Finally, he clicked his pen closed and tucked the notepad away.
“Okay, well, I think that will be all for now. I’ll contact you if I need anything further.”
Marilyn reappeared from the kitchen and took his cup. “Do you think my guests will be safe, Officer? Should we be worried about another attack?”
“For now, let’s hope this is an isolated incident. It doesn’t appear as though there was malicious intent. We’ll chalk this one up to mischief, for the time being.”
“Tell that to the brick that nearly rearranged my face,” Piper said, a little insulted.
“I understand,” he said, “but at that time the center had been closed for the day. There was no way to know anyone was inside, except for the dogs, and they’re kept in the back. In my experience, this type of vandalism is just a warning. No harm meant.”
Piper scowled at the officer, thinking about the poor ladies, but he didn’t seem to care about them.
Marilyn saw the argument on her face and swooped in. “Well, thank you for coming, Officer. I’ll walk you out.”
Piper’s glare session was interrupted when Aiden reached out to her. This time, it wasn’t for a handshake. He laid a hand on her shoulder, warm and comforting. For the millionth time that day, she remembered what his hand had felt like in hers. Her palm twitched with the desire to feel it again.
“Are you sure you’re all right? You seem rattled.”
“Yeah. I’m okay. Thanks.”
While she was still shocked to see him there, his presence calmed her. His confidence, his I’m-the-boss demeanor, all the things that had annoyed her earlier that day when she left his house. She must have been more rattled than she realized, because with his hand lingering she felt drawn to him, to lean against him for a second. But what was she? Some helpless damsel in distress? Shaking off the longing, she gave him her best “keep calm and carry on” smile.
“I’m fine,” she said again. “Just fine, fine, fine.”
Marilyn returned, and Aiden’s hand dropped to his side.
“What a business, all this,” she said. “Who would want to attack a dog shelter?”
“Scum,” Piper said. “Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll catch the guy.” Not that she had all that much confidence in Officer Tucker. She said it more to reassure the woman, since Piper could already see that Marilyn would be up worrying half the night. Much like she would be.
“Perhaps I should cancel my vacation,” Marilyn said.
“What? No. Don’t be silly. You’ve been looking forward to this trip for months.”
“I was planning on going on a Caribbean cruise this week with my sister and her kids,” she told Aiden. “But I don’t think it’s such a good idea at a time like this.”
Piper interrupted her. “You’re going. And you’ll have a great time. I’ll take care of things here. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m sure you will, dear, but—”
“But nothing. Trust me. Go.” Piper knew she could handle it. Along with clinical shifts at the vet hospital, her telegram job, studying for her licensing exam, dealing with the cops, and graduation, oh, and don’t forget her new job with the world’s most distracting boss … She wasn’t taking on too much. Nope, not at all.
“I’ll be fine,” she said again, just to hear herself say it.
Marilyn clicked her tongue and walked over to the desk, fishing around in the junk drawer. After a moment, she plucked a roll of duct tape from its mysterious depths. “Maybe you’re right. Even if I stayed, I’m not sure what good an old woman like me would do fretting about the place.”
Piper made a show of rolling her eyes for Marilyn. She always referred to herself as an “old woman,” but she was barely in her sixties. Hell, she could have passed for early fifties. And Piper had a feeling she knew it too.
Marilyn handed the roll to Piper. “Well, Mr. Caldwell, it was nice of you to come. Is it customary to check on your properties yourself if something happens?”
“Not usually. I wanted to come in person to make sure everything was okay. As you well know, I have a vested interest in this particular property.”
Marilyn inclined her head and gave a knowing smile—or was it Piper’s imagination? “Of course.”
Piper’s shoulder still felt warm where Aiden’s palm had rested, but now he avoided her questioning look. She hoped that she was his “vested interest,” but the exchange that passed between him and Marilyn was a strange one. It spoke of confidentiality, like there was a loop, and Piper was out of it. Loopless.
“Well, we appreciate your concern,” Marilyn said. “Piper, would you mind helping me finish up here and settle the guests before heading home?”
“Sure, no problem.”
Grabbing a chair from the corner of the room, Piper dragged it in front of the broken pane and stepped up. She reached down for the cardboard resting against the wall, but Aiden got to it first. He traded her for the duct tape in her hand.
“I’d like to stay behind and help, if you don’t mind.”
Piper opened her mouth to say she didn’t need any help, but Marilyn answered before she could.
“Oh, certainly,” she said. “Thank you. Well, if you’ve got a handle on things here, I’ll check on the guests and grab a broom for all this glass.”
The woman mumbled to herself as she headed into the back. The door closed behind her, and a silence fell over Aiden and Piper. She held the cardboard while he ripped off pieces of tape to secure it in place.
After a couple of minutes spent gnawing at her lip, she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me you owned the property?”
He used his teeth to tear off another piece. “I suppose I just didn’t think of it. I was being honest when I said that I like to keep my business life and my personal life separate. I know it’s a bit old-school, but is
n’t that the golden rule? Don’t mix business with pleasure?”
Piper frowned. “Right.” She was dying to ask why he’d really come. What was his vested interest? He and Marilyn had done everything but tap the sides of their noses to hint at their little secret, but Piper supposed it was none of her business. No loop for her.
Aiden pressed the last piece of tape in place. Piper went to jump off the chair, but he reached up and put his hands around her waist. He helped her down, his arms and torso flexing beneath his shirt with what, she imagined, was thanks to a well-established gym regimen. Gym hater or not, she needed to join that gym. Just to look, of course. There was no harm in that, right?
When she was firmly back on the floor, he hesitated before pulling away, like he wanted to say something. That afternoon, he’d made it clear that she was just another employee. But the way his eyes softened, his hands still gripping her waist, made her doubt that.
“So, is this business?” she asked. “Or pleasure?”
The door to the back swung open, and Aiden’s hands dropped to his sides.
“All right then,” Marilyn sang out as she rounded the desk. “It seems the little ones have settled down already. I’ll quickly sweep up. I don’t think we can do any more here tonight. Might as well go home and get a good night’s sleep.”
“Oh, well, that’s a relief,” Aiden said, a little jumpy. “It was a pleasure, seeing you again, Marilyn.” He shook her hand and turned to do the same to Piper.
Beating him to it, she stuck out her hand. He only paused a second before taking it, but long enough that Piper knew it caught him off guard. She shook his hand firmly, no-nonsense. Just business. They wouldn’t want to confuse that thick sexual tension for pleasure, or anything.
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Caldwell,” Piper said. “Good night.”
Turning on her heel, she grabbed her backpack, whistled for Colin, and headed for her Volkswagen.
12
Teach an Old Dog New Tricks
Piper kicked off her military boots in Aiden’s front entry and sighed like she’d just fought the battle of her life. Well, it certainly felt like she had.
Must Love Wieners Page 9
