Till Death Do Us Bark

by Judi McCoy

  “From the way Sam talks, the city has more drugs than what you’ll find out here. I’m too busy to notice, but according to him and Rudy, druggies walk the streets of Manhattan right next to the normal folks and no one suspects a thing.”

  “All I know is I’d find it debilitating to juggle a drug habit. How can you make the money you need to buy the stuff if you’re too hyped up or strung out to work? It would be a huge chore for me to hide it from my superiors, my coworkers, and my friends.” She waved a hand in Ellie’s direction. “And you’d know immediately.”

  “Probably, but maybe not. Remember, when we first arrived I thought Arlene was high from all the prewedding adrenaline pumping through her system. Could be she’s hyped up now because she just learned someone murdered her fiancé.” She shrugged. “I hate to admit it, but I’m a complete novice where drugs are concerned.”

  Viv took her turn at heaving a sigh, something she’d been doing often since they arrived. “Don’t sweat it. Drugs are nasty business. You’re lucky you never got involved with them or the people who take them.”

  “Can I ask you a question?”

  Viv stretched, then stood and walked to the deck railing. “Of course you can.”

  “Even if it’s about your sisters . . . and your parents?”

  “The supercilious snob family? Sure, go ahead.”

  “Are you upset about that?”

  Viv turned and rested her bottom on the railing. “What? That my father is an overbearing bore who thinks he’s always right? Or that my mother thinks her two eldest daughters are paragons and can’t see what they’ve become, even though it’s staring her in the face?”

  Mr. T stood on his hind legs and rested his forepaws on his mistress’s knee. “Tell her, Ellie. Make her see that those folks are the nut jobs and my girl’s okay.”

  Ellie rubbed her nose, attempting to come up with an answer that wouldn’t hurt her best friend’s feelings. “I do think your dad is a bit pompous, but considering his occupation, it sounds as if he had to be.”

  “And Mother? She’s always treated me as if I was second best. The whole time we were growing up, Arlene and Adrianne were her perfect daughters, while I was her disappointment.”

  “Is that the reason you never tried to join Mensa? Afraid you’d fall short and prove her right?”

  Viv bent and scratched T’s ears. “Ha! I’d ace Mensa.”

  “Really? And you know this because . . .”

  “Because when I was a freshman in high school, Mom had us tested by some specialist who did IQ studies. She wouldn’t tell us our scores, but I sneaked into her office and found them. That’s when I learned I’d outscored Arlene and Adrianne by twenty points.” She crossed her arms. “It was one of the highlights of my life.”

  “Then why does your mother baby them and not you?”

  “I’ve wondered the same thing, and I worked out a simple solution that I can accept. They did what Mom asked and I didn’t. I never let her opinion influence me, and I think that made her angry, which put me on her shit list.”

  Rudy nudged Ellie’s knee. “Viv’s story makes the ex-Terminator sound like a cupcake.”

  “I’m sorry I brought up bad memories, Viv, but—”

  “Hey, no worries. I’ve grown used to it. I have a great job, good friends, Dr. Dave and Twink . . .” She grinned. “And a fabulous best friend and her faithful companion. What else does a girl need?” Viv walked over and sat next to Ellie on the chaise. “I’m good . . . really.”

  They remained side by side until Ellie checked her watch. “I’m starving. Think we can talk Rosa into letting go of some of that food no one got to eat last night?”

  “I don’t see why not. Besides, you’re going to need your strength for later.”

  “Me? For what?”

  “For breaking into Dr. Kent’s office, of course.”

  Chapter 5

  An ocean breeze blew in from the beach, filling the night air with a salty tang. Ellie, Viv, and the dogs were taking the long way around to the guest cottage so they wouldn’t activate the security lights. They’d waited until all was quiet in the main house, Myron was under wraps in the foyer, and Arlene was in bed before they slipped down the back stairway. Lucky for them, the moon was bright, giving them enough light to find their way.

  “I must be crazy, letting you talk me into this,” Ellie whispered. “If we get caught—”

  “Nothing will happen,” Viv hissed. “Besides, you said you wanted in. What’s the problem?”

  “The ‘problem’ is Detective Wheeling. If he finds out I crossed the line, he’ll throw me in the slammer so fast, I won’t realize I’m there until Big Betty hits on me.”

  She couldn’t believe Viv was the one who had encouraged her to break the law. But she knew her best friend was just trying to be supportive. She’d voiced her desire to see Dr. Kent’s office, and Viv had come up with a way to make it happen. She’d even promised to take care of the fingerprints, so Ellie would be safe if the cops checked. But still . . .

  “There’s no way he’ll find out,” Viv said. “Stop whining and get down to business.”

  “You have the keys, right?” asked Ellie as they made a wide loop around the parking lot and headed for the far side of the building. According to Viv, that side of the house was protected by a stand of trees and, though it had no lights, was where they’d find the fuse box.

  “You saw me take them off the board near the back door, remember?”

  “Okay, okay. I just want to make sure we can get in.”

  “I know these keys work because I’ve used them before. Mom and Dad have a set, Adrianne has a set, I’m sure Dr. Kent had a set, Arlene keeps a set on her key ring, and this is the spare.”

  “Sounds to me like everybody in the Hamptons has access to the cottage.”

  Viv stopped walking. “Maybe you should take that as a clue. Anyone who was here could have gone into Dr. Kent’s office.”

  The idea was so logical, Ellie decided to add it to her list. Wait, no! There was no list. She was on vacation. This little foray was just a bit of fun to stop the nagging questions knocking around in her brain. She tiptoed ahead while her best friend continued to whisper.

  “If someone came up from the beach, no one would see them and they could have mugged the doc and escaped. And look at us. We’re taking a route that’s hard to see from the house. Anyone at the party might have done the same.”

  “We can talk about that later.” Now in the shadows of the cottage, she inhaled deeply and took control of the situation. She spied the dim figure of a metal box mounted on the wall next to the air-conditioning unit. “Are you sure Adrianne and your parents are asleep?”

  “They left the main house a couple of hours ago, and the second floor is dark. That’s all I can say.”

  “And you’re certain they’re heavy sleepers.”

  “They were while I grew up. My guess is Adrianne took something from Arlene’s pharmaceutical-grade medicine cabinet to help her get through the night. Maybe Mother did, too. Dad is the one we have to worry about.”

  “Great,” Ellie muttered. The last person she wanted to be caught by while breaking and entering was Evan McCready.

  “Come on, just do it. If he shows up downstairs, I’ll take the blame.” Viv flipped on her flashlight and zeroed in on their target. “Go ahead.”

  “Keep your fingers crossed that every fuse is labeled. We have to get those security lights turned off around the back entry or we’ll never be able to get in without being noticed.”

  “I still think you should have worn gloves. What if I screw it up and forget to take care of a set of prints?”

  Ellie rolled her eyes. “The only gloves in the house were those thick yellow ones Rosa uses for cleaning, and they wouldn’t have worked. We made a deal, remember? I do the tricky business, while you wield the flashlight and wipe clean whatever I touch.” She shrugged. “I have no idea if the cops would run another fingerprint scan, but
I’d rather not chance it. Now hold that light steady. Here we go.”

  Viv did as ordered, and Ellie pulled the metal loop attached to the box. The door sprang open and they jumped. Then she peered at the breakers, relieved to find them marked.

  “Hang on a second,” she said, still examining the box. “It looks like they’re already in the off position.”

  “Off? Are you sure?” Viv asked, her voice low.

  “Fairly sure, but I’m not an electrician, so it’s just a guess.”

  “The only people who’ve been out here are my family and the cops. I doubt they’d turn anything off.”

  “We should probably do something to check it out,” said Ellie. “We need to know before we take the next step.”

  “So, which of us gets to run a test?”

  “I don’t—”

  “No problemo. I’ll do it,” said Rudy.

  “Me, too,” added Mr. T.

  The dogs had been so quiet, Ellie almost forgot they were there. After thinking a second, she came up with a plan. “How about using the dogs? If anyone sees them, then spots us, we can say we took them out for a last walk and they ran down here.”

  Viv gazed at the boys, sitting at attention between them. “I don’t know about your little man, but T isn’t trained or anything. How will they know what to do?”

  “Trained? I’ll show you trained, fool,” mumbled Mr. T. Rearing up on his hind legs, he began to dance in a circle. Rudy immediately took to the idea and did the same.

  Viv looked on in amazement while Ellie grinned. “See, T and Rudy already know what we want. This is their way of telling us they can help.”

  “I’ve never seen T do that before.” Viv stared openmouthed at her boy, then gaped at Ellie. “I don’t know what to tell them or how. You’re into canine-speak. You’ll have to take the lead.”

  Ellie stooped and put a hand on each dog’s head. “Just walk around the parking lot and circle the house. We’ll watch from here.”

  “Roger that,” said Rudy.

  He and Mr. T scampered to the lot while the girls squatted and peeked around the corner. When the lights remained off, they exhaled in tandem. Ellie gave a low whistle and the boys came running back.

  “I don’t believe it.” Viv gave her Jack Russell a hug. “You are such a talented boy.”

  “Talented, nothin’. I’m a star,” he reminded her.

  Ellie hugged Rudy, then stood. “I say we go in around the back. That’s the private entrance for both floors and it’s where we found the body. It’s also more secluded.”

  They crept along the dark side of the building while Viv trained the flashlight on the ground. The quartet slipped around the corner and Ellie raised her hand. The dogs immediately took a stand, one on each side of the door, their expressions as wary as if they were guarding a pharaoh’s tomb.

  “How do you do that?” asked Viv in a tone of frustration.

  “It’s a gift,” mouthed Ellie. She nodded to the boys.

  “We’re on the lookout, Triple E,” said Rudy, giving a doggie snort.

  She waggled a finger at Viv, who passed her the keys. Ever so slowly, Ellie inserted the first key. When it turned, they opened the door and stepped into the dark foyer. She motioned for Viv to shine the flashlight on the office door, and Viv did as asked. Holding her breath, Ellie used the next key, and grinned. They were in.

  They shuffled into the middle of the waiting room and surveyed the space, taking in the sofas, chairs, and tables that made up the area. Ready to find the doc’s office, she stopped in her tracks. Laying a hand on Viv’s arm, she shivered when the hairs on the back of her neck rose and her skin tingled.

  Before she could speak something prodded her hard in the back. “Don’t move,” said a man in a dark and even tone.

  Ellie swallowed, her mind a blur. “Who are you?” she whispered, attempting to look over her shoulder. Did the guy really have a gun? “What are you doing here?”

  Viv tried to turn at the same time, and he pushed her forward. “Uh-uh-uh. Seems to me I should ask you two the same question. Now be quiet while I think.”

  “Think? What do you have to think about?” asked Viv, her voice wavering.

  “Probably where he can shoot us,” Ellie muttered.

  He gave them each another jab. “I said be quiet.”

  It was then Ellie recognized the intruder’s voice. “You know what? I don’t think he has a gun,” she said quietly in her best I-dare-you bravado. “I think he’ll run if we turn around.”

  “You sure you want to do that?” asked the guy.

  “Not me,” squeaked Viv. “We should cooperate, Ellie. I don’t want to die.”

  “There’s not a chance of that happening.” Spinning around, she faced their attacker. “Is there, Mr. Bond?”

  “Mr. Bond?” Viv turned, too, and stared at their faux Agent 007. Her flashlight illuminated his chiseled face and the watch cap pulled low over his brow. “For Pete’s sake. What are you doing here?”

  “That’s what I’d like to know,” Ellie demanded. Her gaze raked his dark, long-sleeved polo shirt, then dropped to his hand and—Good Lord, he was holding a gun. “Is that thing the real deal?”

  James Bond blew out a breath. “I should have known you’d be sticking your nose in here sooner or later.” He pocketed the pistol and crossed his arms. “Didn’t the police tell you to stay away from the crime scene?”

  “They told me everyone had to stay away. I assumed that meant you, too.”

  “It did mean me, in a roundabout way. Now I suggest you leave and let me take care of business. Once I’m through, I won’t bother—”

  “What was that?” said Viv, her voice rising.

  He laid a finger on his lips. Footsteps sounded from above, then stopped. A moment later the toilet flushed and footsteps again crossed overhead.

  “That has to be Dad,” whispered Viv. “He’s getting up in years, so prostate problems abound.”

  “Really? I had no idea. It’s not serious, is it?”

  “Nah. Mom says he’s on medication and doing—”

  “Will you both please shut up,” 007 ordered, his voice low and harsh. “And get the hell out of here.”

  Tired of Mr. Bond and his antics, Ellie grew bold. “Look, I don’t know what you’re doing here and I don’t care. Just go away and leave us to do our thing.”

  He raised his hand and pushed aside their flashlight. “You’re being ridiculous. I’m the one with the gun, and I just might decide to use it.”

  “Well, I don’t think you will.”

  He focused on Viv. “Do me a favor and talk some sense into your friend. Tell her I mean business.”

  Vivian smiled. “You know what? I don’t think you do. This is my sister’s house, so I have a right to know why you’re here.” She made a move for the door. “Unless . . . maybe my dad should be the one to ask that question.”

  He again crossed his arms. “You two are certifiable. You know that?”

  “I’ve been called crazy by better than you,” said Ellie. “We want answers and we want them now.”

  Mr. Bond heaved a sigh, grabbed them each by an elbow, and steered them toward the door. On the way out, Viv stopped and wiped the doorknob. He pointed to the exit and the girls did as he indicated while he followed behind them.

  “You actually expect us to believe you’re just a nosy neighbor wanting to take a look at a crime scene? In the middle of the night? Because you have nothing better to do?” Ellie shook her head. “That’s ridiculous.”

  “You forgot the nosy-neighbor-with-a-gun part,” Viv chimed. “And you still haven’t said that you have a permit to carry that thing.”

  They were gathered around the end of the dining table on the back terrace with Rudy and Mr. T at their feet. Between Viv’s flashlight and the bright moon, Ellie could read every expression on James Bond’s toohandsome face. Though he’d told several different-yetconnected stories to explain his presence in Dr. Kent’s office, s
he hadn’t believed any of them—a fact not lost on Viv.

  “Maybe if you told the truth, we wouldn’t be so pushy,” she offered. “It’s not like we can do anything about it.”

  His smile was more like a sneer. “You two are a trip. I don’t have to answer to you. And you’re right, you can’t do anything about it, because telling the cops will incriminate you as well.”

  “That’s what I’m trying to say,” said Ellie. “It’s best we both keep quiet about tonight. Just clue us in on the real reason you were there.”

  Running a hand over his head, he swiped off his knit cap and folded it in front of him. Then he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a wallet.

  “Please don’t think about offering us a bribe,” said Viv. “Because we can’t be bought.”

  “I’ve got a feeling there isn’t enough money in the world to shut the two of you up.” He flipped open the wallet. “Here, this should do it.”

  Viv flicked on her flashlight and focused on the table.

  Ellie stared at what appeared to be a badge tucked into one side of the wallet and an ID on the other. The circular badge had the letters DEA in the middle and a golden eagle with outstretched wings on top. On the other side was a card with a photo, but the print was too tiny to read.

  “You work for the DEA?”

  “I’m a special agent for the Drug Enforcement Agency. That’s my identification.”

  She locked gazes with Vivian. “What do you think?”

  “I haven’t a clue. Does it look like Sam’s badge?”

  “Sam? Who’s Sam?” he asked.

  “Her boyfriend,” said Viv.

  “A detective I know,” Ellie said at the same time.

  “Great. You’re a wannabe cop.”

  “I am no such thing,” she huffed. “I’m just close to someone who’s a homicide detective.”

  “She knows lots of someones,” Viv added. “She has friends in high places. Very high places.”

  “Viv, please, give it a rest.”