That was true. Sofia did have an alibi. But receipts could be faked. She could’ve reached out to several close friends and asked them to cover for her.
No, that would create too many weak links, and killers didn’t like weak links in their chain of subterfuge.
Except this killer had been sloppy.
“What size shoe do you wear Jamie?” Heather asked.
He looked down at his feet and frowned. “Uh, that’s kind of a weird question. I’m size eleven. You want my social security number, next?”
“You crack me up,” Amy said and laughed again.
“No, I think that will be all,” Heather replied. The guy was fine. Just a bit strange. Or maybe releasing birds back into the wild was a noble thing to do. It all depended on the perspective.
“Good,” Jamie said. “Because I’ve gotta help out some friends.” He turned back to the cages, then bent and unhooked their little metal meshed doors. He tapped the backs of the wire cage on the left, then whistled.
Three birds flew out and fluttered off toward the trees.
He did the same with the next cage, and the rest of the chirpy buddies twittered off into the morning.
Amy looped her arm through Heather’s and smiled. “Would you look at that,” she said.
“They’re free.” Jamie shut the cages, then stacked one on top of the other. “I’d better get back to work and tell Sofia what I’ve done, so she can fire me.”
“Stay safe, Mr. Purdue,” Heather said.
The man gathered a cage under each arm and walked off toward the street, his back straight as a rod and his shoulders relaxed.
Heather turned and directed Amy in the opposite direction. “Time to get back to work,” she said.
“Suddenly, I wish I was one of those birds.”
Chapter 16
Donut Delights bustled on any given afternoon, but Friday’s were by far the busiest. People wanted their sweet treats before the start of the weekend, or maybe it was to celebrate the start of the weekend.
The rush hour had just ended, at least.
Heather handed out another coffee and a Donut Delights box. “Enjoy your Iced Pumpkin Donut, sir. Have a great afternoon.”
“Thanks a lot,” the businessman replied. His phone trilled in his pocket, and he balanced his coffee and box in one hand and whipped it out. “Hello? Peterson. Yeah, yeah, I’ve just arrived.”
He turned and wandered to a table, then plopped his suitcase down.
“These darn foreigners invadin’ our town,” Amy said, and made a fist. “They’re rootin’ tootin’ stealin’ our jobs.”
“Don’t ever do that again,” Heather said and laughed.
Amy stuck out her tongue. “The quality of my jokes has gone downhill this week. We have been busy, though, to be fair.”
“To be fair,” Heather said and sighed. She lowered her aching body into one of the stools behind the counter, then stretched out her legs. “Boy, it has been one heck of a week.”
“You can say that again.” Amy held up her palm to forestall Heather. “But don’t. And it’s not over yet.”
“Yeah, I still have to figure out who actually slipped the snake into the poacher’s apartment.”
“That honestly sounds like a movie,” Amy replied. She plonked down in the seat beside Heather’s, then whipped out her smartphone and fiddled with it. “What does your gut tell you about the case?”
“My gut has been wrong before, so I’ll reserve judgment until I have all the facts.”
Amy wiggled her nose, gaze focused on the screen of her phone. “But it sounds to me like you already have all the facts.”
“If that were the case, this mystery would’ve been solved already.” Heather gave a wan smile. She couldn’t muster the energy for a better one. She’d expended it all on the case and running around town, searching for the answers.
“So, let’s go over it again.”
Heather glanced around the store, but every customer had a full mug or plate, and Emily had the waitressing job under control. No one would hear them amidst the chatter and joy.
“Our killer had small feet, or wanted to frame someone with small feet,” Heather said.
“All right, what else?” Amy asked, and tapped on her screen again.
“Are you playing Candy Crush, right now?”
“No, Cookie Jam. Far superior game in my opinion,” Ames replied. “You were saying.”
“As if we don’t get enough sweets in our everyday lives,” Heather said, then cleared her throat. She raised a finger. “Right, as I was saying. The killer opened the netting and let the snake through.”
“Which means the killer had to know how to handle a snake,” Amy replied.
“That’s correct. Coral snakes are dangerous. They’d have to have some experience with handling snakes,” Heather said and massaged a sore spot on her neck. “Only two of our suspects have any knowledge when it comes to that. Sofia, who owns the store, and Jamie.”
“But Jamie’s shoe size doesn’t match,” Amy replied, and made another connection on her game. “C’est Bon!” The game announced.
“Right, but he could’ve squished –”
“I dunno about that, Heather. I’m being biased here. I just highly doubt the man who frees birds in the park would squish his size eleven feet into size seven lady’s shoes,” Amy said. “Besides, he’s a military man.”
“Ex-military man,” Heather replied. She stopped massaging her neck and dropped her hand into her lap. “Then we’re out of options. Sofia has her rock solid, potentially fake alibi. Jamie probably wasn’t as experienced handling snakes, and the shoe doesn’t fit.”
“So he can’t wear it,” Amy said.
Heather tilted her head to one side. “Huh, I can almost hear the drumroll and cymbal crash for that one.”
“You’re mean.” Ames swatted her with one hand then returned to her game. “You know what this means, right?”
“What?”
“That your next suspect, or lead is a person who could handle snakes. I only know of one place in the entire town that does that.”
“Hillside Snake Rescue,” Heather hissed. “Of course! Why didn’t I think of it before?”
Amy exited her game and opened her Google search bar. She typed in Hillside Snake Rescue, then searched. “Ah, instant results. Got to love technology.”
Heather scooched closer. “What does it say?”
“Uh, just a disclaimer about what they do. Rescuing snakes. Snake removal. Reintegration into the wild. They have a charity page, too.”
“What’s that?” Heather asked and tapped on a tab on the screen.
“Volunteers, new and old,” Amy said, out loud. She scrolled down the page and clicked her tongue. “Nobody I recognize. I guess you could phone the place and ask –”
“Stop!” Heather called out. “Go back up. Scroll up, for heaven’s sakes.”
“All right, all right, keep your donut on.”
“That doesn’t even make sense.” Heather leaned closer to the screen and hummed The Sound of Silence under her breath. “There! That’s the killer.”
Amy stared at the picture. “Volunteered between the years of 2000 to 2004.” She looked up and met Heather’s gaze. “Penelope Walsh.”
Puzzle pieces clicked together in Heather’s mind. Penelope Walsh the activist with a penchant for shooting. She could handle snakes efficiently. Her prints had been on the outside of the tank.
She’d checked out the snake before stealing. All they had to do was match the shoe size to the shoes, and it was done.
“Heather?” Amy asked. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I just have to call Ryan and ask him to meet me here,” she said.
“You’re going to go with him?”
“Yeah, I need to understand what happened better,” Heather replied. She smooshed her phone out of her pocket, then unlocked it and clicked through to Ryan’s contact number for the second time that day.
&nb
sp; “I think it’s pretty clear what lady. That cat lady strikes back,” Amy said. “Oh boy. I need to get a joke book or something.”
“Look after the store for me until I come back?” Heather asked.
“Don’t I always?”
“If you call eating the stock looking after it,” she replied. She didn’t mean it, of course, and Amy knew that.
Heather strode between the tables in Donut Delights and stripped off her apron. Finally, she’d understand why this had happened and why Penelope had been so messy about cleaning up after herself.
Heather pressed the phone to her ear.
Chapter 17
Heather and Ryan stood side-by-side in front of Mrs. Walsh’s door and exchanged a single glance.
Ryan couldn’t be nervous. He’d done this kind of thing hundreds of times.
Heather swallowed her butterflies whole, then raised her fist and knocked on the dark wood. “Mrs. Walsh? It’s Heather Shepherd.”
“Coming dear,” the old lady called out from the inside. “Out the way, kitty.” Her muffled whispered to her cats made Heather’s insides twist.
Why had this kind old lady risked everything to kill the poacher?
The lock scraped back, and the door opened a second later. Penelope’s drawn face appeared in the crack. “Oh hello –” She cut off and stared at Ryan’s uniform. “Officer? May I help you?”
“Mrs. Walsh, I’m Detective Shepherd. We need to have a talk,” he said. He didn’t have to move an inch. His words came with an authoritative presence.
“Of course,” Penelope said. She opened the door all the way, then stepped back a pace. “Please, come in.”
Helpful, as always. Surely, she had to realize why they’d come. Heather inhaled and stepped into Penelope’s home.
The elderly woman shuffled through to the kitchen, then gestured to the coffee pot. “Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thank you,” Heather said.
Ryan shook his head. “Please, take a seat, Mrs. Walsh.”
Penelope hesitated, then stumbled to one of the chairs and lowered herself into it. “All right,” she replied.
“Do you know why we’re here, Penelope?” Heather asked, softly. She sat down opposite the woman, but Ryan stood. He placed his palms on the back of Heather’s chair and leaned on it.
“I – I have some idea. Is it about the poacher?” Penelope asked.
“It is about the poacher,” Ryan replied. “Mrs. Walsh we have evidence which has led us to believe that you not only broke into the Sunny Hill Pet Store and stole a coral snake but further used that snake to murder Jimmy Bob Jones.”
Penelope sat back and sucked in deep breaths. Her face screwed up into an expression of agony, then relaxed again. “I did it,” she said, immediately.
Heather contained her shock at the easy admission. “Why?” She asked.
“I didn’t want to endanger the coral snake. I felt terrible afterward. I was about to knock on the front door and warn the man, but then I heard him yell and bang into something and –” Penny cut off and shook her head. “I knew it was too late. Is the snake all right?”
“Uh, yes, the snake is all right,” Heather replied. “But you realize the gravity of the situation, don’t you, Mrs. Walsh?”
“I guess. I mean, it’s not like I outright murdered him. I just put a snake in his apartment. It’s not like I can be charged for anything, right?”
Ryan exhaled behind her, and his breath brushed the top of Heather’s head. “I’m afraid your information is incorrect, Mrs. Walsh. By placing the snake in his home, with intent to kill, you are responsible for Mr. Jones’ death. It’s third-degree murder.”
Penny’s eyes went wide as donut holes. She looked from Heather to Ryan and back again. “No, that can’t be true. I – I just wanted him to go away. I – he threatened my cats!” Penelope yelled.
“Please, calm down, Mrs. Walsh,” Heather said. That was why the evidence had been left all over the place. Penny hadn’t cared about being found out because she’d believed it wouldn’t matter either way.
“He threatened my cats,” the old woman repeated.
“Please, explain,” Heather replied.
“I spotted him, as I told you, while I was walking my dog, Pebbles,” Penelope said. “I yelled at him, and he yelled back. He said he knew where I stayed and that the Labrador was too muddy to sell, but my cats would do just fine.”
“Oh wow,” Heather said, and her lips twisted in disgust. “Did you report the incident?”
“No, of course not.” Penny shook her head, and her eyes filled with tears. “Then I saw him a while later, and he yelled at the lady at the pet store. I got so angry. I usually go to the range and take out my frustrations, but this was the last straw.”
“You went to the pet store,” Heather said.
“Yeah, and I looked around, and I saw that darling coral snake and things just clicked into place in my mind. He had to die. And what a perfect way to go. Killed by the very animals, he hunted and displayed,” Penny said, and her bottom lip quivered. She balled her hands into fists. “I’m glad he’s gone.”
A lot of people and animals were glad the man was gone, but that was no excuse.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Walsh, but what you did is illegal,” Heather said. “And deplorable.”
“Don’t you tell me what’s deplorable, young lady,” Penny replied, and wiggled her finger in mid-air. “I’ve lived longer, and I know far more than you. That poacher decimated our local wildlife. He needed to die.”
Nausea drifted through Heather’s stomach. She couldn’t argue with that opinion because it would never change Penelope Walsh’s mind.
To her, the choice had been obvious. She believed she’d done the right thing, the legal thing.
“My husband would’ve done the same, you know, if he’d been around. And he’d have chased you both out of my house,” Penelope said, in a low growl. “He wouldn’t stand for terrible police work or tomfoolery!”
Ryan stepped into view and unhooked his cuffs from his belt loop. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to come with me now, Mrs. Walsh.”
“Never!” She yelled. “You’ll never take me alive.” Penelope dashed toward the rifle on the wall.
Heather launched herself out of her seat and dove in front of the woman’s path.
Penelope pulled up short and glared at her. “Get out of my way,” she said and narrowed her eyes to slits. Tears still hovered there, in the corners.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Walsh,” Heather said, then nodded to her husband.
She despised the next part.
Chapter 18
“Thanksgiving festival,” Lilly sang, and gobbled up the last of her pumpkin pie off her paper plate. “I love this. It’s the best.”
“I can’t believe it,” Amy replied. “It’s not even Thanksgiving yet, and already they’ve put up a whole festival and games.”
“Oh dear,” Eva said and patted Amy on the arm. “Don’t complain. Just enjoy the lovely weather and the treats.”
Heather laughed and rested her head on Ryan’s shoulder. They strode through the crowds and toward a distant stall.
“There it is!” Lilly yelled. Dave barked at her ankles and wagged his tail. Lilly plopped her paper plate into a trash can then darted on ahead, with her doggy companion hot on her heels.
“Oh my,” Eva said. “She’s difficult to keep up with these days. Legs are getting longer by the second.”
“She’s going to be taller than you, Ames,” Heather said.
Amy threw back her head and laughed. “As if that’s difficult.”
The fall afternoon brought a gentle breeze, not too nippy for a change, and the skies were blue as a duck’s egg. No clouds, no rain, almost the perfect weather for fussy Amy.
Heather’s bestie shivered and dragged her coat closed.
Almost.
They group halted in front of the Donut Delights stall. Ken and Maricela waved from their
spots behind the wooden construction. “We’re almost sold out,” Ken said. “The Iced Pumpkin Donuts are a total hit.”
Heather’s jaw dropped. They’d made dozens of the treats for the festival. Surely, it couldn’t be true. Oh, well, she could always head back and whip another couple batches. “I’ll run back to the store and –”
“No ways, boss,” Maricela said. “All under control.” She gave her a thumbs up. “Angelica and Emily go back to the store. They make the donuts now.”
“Awesome,” Heather said.
Lilly grinned, but her face fell a second later. “Wait, that means there are no donuts for Dave and me?”
“Sorry, no,” Ken said. “But we’ll have new stock soon.”
Amy’s expression mirrored the eleven-year old’s.
“Look at the two of you,” Eva said and flapped her hands. “You both ate your body weight in pumpkin pie and caramel apples. You can’t possibly have room for more.”
“Eva, you underestimate them, greatly. Dave too.” Heather smiled at her best friend and the disheartened Lilly.
“Oh well,” Lilly said, “I guess we’ll have to do something else, Dave. They probably have games here.”
Ryan squeezed Heather tight, then walked to Lilly. “Come on, you two. I’ll take you to the games section.”
They wandered off together. Lilly slipped her hands into Ryan’s, looked up at him and proceeded to talk his ear off. He tilted his head toward her and listened, anyway.
Heather sighed and clasped her hands to her chest. This had been a good year so far. The best, actually, thanks to her friends, her family, and her store.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” A woman’s voice sounded right behind her.
“Not again,” Amy groaned.
Heather turned on the spot and instantly regretted.
Kate Laverne stood directly in front of the Donut Delights stall, her arms folded across her chest, and her foot tap-tap-tapped on the grass of the field.
“Oh dear,” Eva muttered and scooted over to Amy’s side of the argument.
“Kate,” Heather said. “To what do I owe the distinct displeasure of your company?”
Iced Pumpkin Murder: A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery - Book 26 Page 6
