The Telltale Turtle (The Pet Psychic Mysteries)

by Jim Lavene;Joyce Lavene

  She agreed as her cell phone rang. It was Detective Angellus. "Not that I'm encouraging the stunt you guys pulled last night, but I wanted you to know the man confessed at the station too. He called you after being paid for each call."

  "Who paid him?" she asked, thinking about her cousin.

  "He never met the person. After the initial contact, there was money left on his doorstep. We're following up. Leave it alone and let us do our job."

  "What about my apartment?"

  "You're clear there. We picked up some prints and some partials. I'll let you know if any of them turn out to be anything. In the meantime, in light of what's happened, we'll have a police car sit out there for a while. We'll hope whoever it is doesn't come back again."

  "Thank you, Detective Angellus. How is Bo-Bo doing?"

  "He's fine, I guess. I'll talk to you later."

  Mary Catherine changed her mind about going home. She took out Charlie's business card. "If you don't mind, will you take me to this address? I think it's down by St. James Episcopal Church in the historic district."

  "You got it." Danny turned the taxi around in the Cotton Exchange parking lot. "I thought we hated him?"

  "I think he's right and I might need him, unless I want to live with Buck for the rest of my life, which I don't."

  "I could protect you." He glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "You know I'm here for you. After all we've been through together; I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

  "That's very sweet and I appreciate it, but we need to resolve this. Angellus is a good man and probably a good detective. But I need someone to work outside the system. I don't want anyone to protect me for the rest of my life. We have to find out what's happening and why."

  "Okay. I didn't want you to feel like you had to ask that scumball for help. You have amigos, MC. You know that, right?"

  "Yes, thank you." She squeezed his shoulder. She couldn't find the words to tell him that Charlie might end up being more than a friend. She knew the signs were there but she was resisting this time. Maybe she wasn't ready for another romance yet. Or it was just the circumstance of their meeting.

  Charlie lived in an old house that had been made over into what looked like four apartments. His name was on one of the top floor mailboxes when they checked the door. Mary Catherine had insisted she'd be fine, but Danny had come with her anyway. She pressed the buzzer by Charlie's name and they waited.

  After another two tries on the buzzer, Charlie's voice called out, "What do you want?"

  "It's Mary Catherine. You said I could call on you. Can I come up?"

  There was no response for a long moment. Finally his voice rasped, "Come on. I'll buzz you in."

  Danny opened the door as the buzzer sounded. Mary Catherine put one hand on his shoulder. "I think I should go up alone."

  "That's loco! I should go up with you. You don't even have Baylor to claw his eyes out if he messes with you."

  Baylor's sentiments echoed his from the taxi where she'd left him. "I'll be fine. I'm a good judge of people. You and Baylor wait down here, please."

  He shrugged. "All right. But I don't like it. What if he's the guy who attacked you at your apartment and Baylor is wrong?"

  "I don't think he is. But I think he can help solve what's going on. I haven't treated him very well and I want to talk to him alone." Mary Catherine smiled and walked into the old house, the ornate stained glass door closing lightly behind her.

  NINETEEN

  MARY CATHERINE STARTED UP the steep stairway, looking at the crisscross network of stairs above her. She'd already looked for an elevator; there was none. By the time she'd reached the first landing, she wished she'd sent Baylor and Danny instead.

  She was breathing hard by the time she reached Charlie's door. She pounded on it and the door came open. "Charlie?" She wasn't sure if she should go in.

  "I'm here," he said in an unsteady voice.

  The room was dark but Mary Catherine could see the outline of furniture and clothes strewn everywhere. It was nothing more than a large living room that was made into a sitting area, kitchen, and bedroom. She could fit all of it into her sitting room. There was a bad smell that reminded her of a cheap bar: whiskey and cigar smoke. Was she in the right place?

  "Sorry the place is such a mess."

  She tried to tell from the direction of the voice where Charlie was located. It was definitely his voice but she didn't believe he lived here. Something seemed wrong-or maybe she thought she knew him better than she did. Lucky thing for her she was taking her time and being cautious at this stage of her life. "Where are you?"

  "Actually, I think I made a mistake. You should go."

  "Charlie, I made it up the stairs, I think I can handle seeing you. What's wrong?"

  "I think I know who hurt you; who was looking through your apartment."

  She tried again to peer through the darkness. It was no use. She could see the outline of a window behind a large blind. She walked over and lifted it, sunlight streaming into the room.

  "What the hell did you do that for?"

  Mary Catherine pulled the blind open all the way and made sure it was secure. "I think you need to take a shower and I'll make some coffee. Then we'll talk." "

  I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for a long time now. I'm not a rescue animal you can understand."

  "We'll talk about that when you get out of the shower." She ignored him and started cleaning her way through the room. She wasn't much of a housekeeper herself and understood a certain amount of disorder, but this was ridiculous. There were week-old pizza boxes heaped on top of two-week-old Chinese carry-out. No wonder the place reeked.

  Charlie's puppy whined from the corner of the kitchen area. She bent down to stroke him and see if he had any idea what was going on. Baxter was sad and confused. His relationship with Charlie was good, but the man was unhappy. Was there anything Mary Catherine could do to make him happy?

  She wasn't sure. When she looked up, Charlie was standing beside her. He hadn't shaved and his eyes were bloodshot. From her wilder days, she knew he was hung over. Empty Jim Beam bottles on the counter told their own story.

  "Why are you here?"

  "I'm here because you said you'd help me." She stood up straight and stared back at him. Baxter was right. He was a mess. She'd seen worse, but not in a long time.

  "Didn't you hear me? I think I know who hurt you and I'm pretty sure I led him to you."

  She bustled away from him, giving herself the excuse of looking for coffee. "I'm sure you didn't mean to. You've been very kind to me. I know you wouldn't hurt me."

  "I'm not so sure." He ran his hand across the dark stubble on his face. "These days I'd do anything for money. It wasn't always like that. This damn curse of knowing things ahead of time has ruined my life."

  "Maybe. But I know you can help me. The police can't. I need you to pull yourself together, Charlie. I know what it's like to know things other people don't know. I know what it's like to be ridiculed for it. I wasn't always a world-famous talk show host, you know. I've had some dark days. There have been whole years I didn't see daylight. I know what blackness looks like inside."

  His eyes assessed her face. "So I was right. You're here to save me from myself. I knew it the first time I saw you.

  She laughed. "I've never tried to save a human being. I don't know for sure that you need saving. But I know I need your expertise and I'm sorry I doubted you. Will you help me?"

  He stood there for so long, not moving or speaking, she didn't know if he was going to agree to help her. Finally, he nodded. "All right. I'll get dressed. But you don't have to clean up while I'm gone. It might not be much of a life, but it's the only one I have. Save me some dignity at least."

  "I'll make some coffee."

  "I think the pot's over there." He pointed toward a pile of clothes and food containers that seemed to be on a tiny stove. "Coffee is above it in the cabinet."

  Mary Catherine didn't m
ove until she heard the water running in the shower. She really hated that she wasn't as drawn to Buck with his big house and fat bank account as she was to Charlie with his messy apartment and obvious issues with society. She'd always made the right choices with the men in her life. They were wealthy and good to her. She loved every one of them and felt they'd enriched her life. She wasn't sure if she could be the guiding light in the darkness for a man like Charlie.

  She fed Baxter and made a pot of coffee. She wasn't sure about that either, since she never made coffee at home. She wished there was a coffee shop she could pop out to and come back with a cup, but she did her best with what she had.

  Danny called and she assured him and Baylor that everything was all right. She might still be a while so if he had any pressing engagements or wanted to take a fare or two, that would be fine. "With the cat?" Danny asked. "I don't think my fares would like that. When are you coming down?"

  "As soon as I can. Charlie is ... sick."

  "Okay. I'm supposed to run a package out to the airport. I'll do that and come back for you."

  "Thank you. You're the best. Baylor, behave yourself or no extra tuna tonight."

  The cat meowed loudly, unhappy with her threat and not afraid to give her one of his own; it was very unpleasant trying to sleep with a cat jumping up on you.

  Mary Catherine ignored him and closed her cell phone. She looked in the tiny refrigerator but there was nothing to eat. Charlie looked like he needed food as much as he needed coffee. She finally found a box of Rice-a-Roni in the cabinet and while that wasn't what she had in mind, it was better than nothing. She found a dirty pan and washed it. By the time Charlie emerged from the bathroom, it was nearly cooked.

  He sniffed appreciatively. "You found food?"

  "I'm pretty good at that." She brushed an angry spider out of a coffee cup she found hanging on the wall. "That and talking to animals. And marrying well. Those seem to be my gifts."

  She poured him a cup of coffee and found a plate for the rice. Charlie looked and smelled better as he sat down at the table she'd uncovered. "You know, I wouldn't have taken you for a domestic kind of woman."

  "Oh? What kind of woman do you think I am?"

  "From your background, I would've thought an opportunist. Self-centered, egotistical."

  "I'm glad I don't have to use that personality profile at Match. com. It might make it hard to get a date" She scooped the rice onto the plate and set it down in front of him with a little unnecessary force. Opportunist indeed!

  He sipped his coffee and made a face. "Who taught you how to make coffee?"

  "I'm really a tea maker, along with being self-centered and egotistical;" she said. "But I guess you couldn't tell that from my profile."

  "Profiles can be wrong." He shrugged. "I'm sorry. Would you rather me be honest or tell you what you want to hear?"

  She was tempted to ask for the latter but she knew it wouldn't be true. The conversation was too personal. She needed to get it back on track. "I want to hire you to help me." "

  "You don't have to. I owe you. Like I said, I think I led this guy to you. I think your cousin is responsible for what happened to you.

  I spoke to his attorney. Why do you think he's responsible for what happened?"

  "It all makes sense. I think he was looking for the deed to the property when you caught him there. He was probably the one who called your show and trapped Baylor. I don't know about your car, but that could've been him too."

  Mary Catherine explained about capturing the psycho caller at the convenience store. "I suppose my cousin could've hired him. Is there pirate gold hidden in the basement or something? Why would anyone go to those kinds of lengths to get that old building? Obviously he's never paid an electric bill there."

  "Some people get a bug about doing things. I think he's angry about not inheriting the building. He wants it. That's enough if you have the right personality."

  "But we can't prove any of that." She tapped her fingernail on the tabletop impatiently. "Do you think I'm in danger if I go back?" She told him about Angellus' offer of police protection for the next few days.

  "If it helps any, I don't think he set out to kill you or anything. Like any other thief, he reacted badly when you caught him." "

  "What do you suggest?"

  I think you should call his lawyer and set up an appointment. If he believes you're suddenly willing to negotiate about the building, I think the other stuff will stop. We can meet with him and if he's all scratched up, we'll know he's responsible. Angellus can get his fingerprints and tie him to the breakin."

  "Good plan," she complimented. "Any theories on who killed Ferndelle Jamison?"

  "Maybe. But they all involve your friend Colin. I know you don't like it, but he looks guilty from where I'm sitting. He had everything to gain from her death. I don't know how much money is involved, but their feud over it has been pretty public."

  "What about it being the result of a thief she caught?"

  "It's always possible, but most thieves will do what they have to and run away. Whoever did this stuck around and killed her. I think her death was the intent."

  "What about the person who called Colin to have him show up at the crime scene and put him in the middle of the investigation?"

  "The truth?" He looked at her over the rim of his cup. "I don't think there was a call. Killers like to come back and take a look at what they've done. Firebugs are the same way."

  "I can't believe Colin did this. I know everything is against him right now, but there has to be another answer."

  Charlie ate the last of his rice. "If there is, we'll find it."

  Mary Catherine wasn't sure if he was serious about that commitment until she looked into his eyes. She knew what she saw there. He might be down on his luck right now but he was a man of his word. She knew she could trust him. She should've believed Baylor. "I'll never hear the end of it."

  "Excuse me?"

  "Baylor told me from the first that I should trust you. I hate when he's right. You have no idea how obnoxious that cat can be when he's right and I'm wrong."

  He laughed. "I'll have to remember to thank him. Where is he? Usually he's wherever you are. They had a heck of a time with him in the hospital."

  "I made him stay outside with Danny. Neither one of them were too happy about it."

  "You seem to attract a devoted following. No wonder you're so popular on the air."

  There was a moment or two of awkward silence until her cell phone rang, startling them both. Danny and Baylor were back and threatening to come upstairs. She calmed them down and hung up. "I guess that's my ride."

  "I'll set up a meeting with your cousin. His name is Bernard Caldwell, by the way. I'd rather go it alone but I'm afraid at this point we'll need your validation for Angellus to investigate anything we find."

  "I'd rather be there and face Cousin Bernard anyway. I might bring Baylor along. He'd like a chance to get even with the person who tried to trap him."

  "That could work." He smiled at her. "Thanks for coming up. I'll let you know when I've talked to him and his lawyer."

  Mary Catherine knew she was weak when she looked at him, freshly shaved and smelling of soap and aftershave. Her knees quivered. She didn't know why she was so attracted to him. Maybe this was the bad-boy stage of her life.

  "Thanks" She leaned forward and touched her lips to his. "Never mind the dark parts, Charlie. I think we could find some light together."

  "I should warn you I'm not any good at relationships." He pulled her closer.

  "At least your past efforts are probably still alive," she whispered in a husky voice. "I can't promise you won't die in some horrible accident if you're with me too long."

  "Not a problem. My longest try so far has been about two weeks. Maybe I can stay alive that long."

  Mary Catherine put her arms around him and welcomed his kiss. There would be nothing else between them then, at least. She was past the kind of passion that coul
d ignore old Chinese food on the table. She had a perfectly good, reasonably clean apartment that would be much better. But that would be later.

  "You're unbelievable, Ms. Pet Psychic." He opened his eyes as they parted and smiled at her. "Can you read my mind?"

  "Yes I can, Mr. PI. And it's not gonna happen." She winked at him. "At least not right now."

  She left him there, finding Baylor and Danny on the front steps of the building as they tried to figure out a way in.

  "What took you so long?" Danny asked when he saw her.

  Baylor didn't need to ask. He meowed at her, then ran back to the taxi. The cat told her he advocated trusting the man, not mating with him. She hushed him and lied to Danny about what had happened upstairs.

  "And what happens now?" Danny opened the taxi door for her.

  "Right now, we go home, take a nap, and wait for Charlie's call. I think you should work for a while. I don't want to be the cause of you getting in trouble."

  "Okay. But you'll call me before this meeting, right? I don't " want you going with this guy alone."

  I will if there's time. And Baylor has said all along that we should trust Charlie. I think we should take his advice."

  Jenny and Buck were cozy in the back of the clinic when Mary Catherine stepped out of the foyer. Fred the toucan was graphic about what had been going on between the couple while she'd been gone. Waldo the goat didn't care about the couple; he just wanted to go outside.

  "There you are." Jenny looked up, an attractive pink blush settling over her features. Her hair, usually drawn tightly back from her face, was a loose cloud of curls. She almost looked pretty. "I was wondering when you'd drag in."

  Mary Catherine considered it might take more time with Buck to change Jenny's attitude. Then again, love could only do so much. She told them about her meeting with Charlie and the possibility of trapping the person responsible for what had been happening at the clinic. "If Charlie's right, we might have our thief and saboteur."