Murder at Pawprint Creek

by Cindy Bell

  “That sounds perfect.” Nikki nodded. “I’ll get that.” She set down her menu and gazed at her friend. “Are you doing okay? I know this must be so hard on you.”

  “I’m fine. I’m just a little disappointed that this happened while you are visiting. I really thought I had found a wonderful place to live here, but now it’s hard to see it that way.” Hannah paused as the waiter approached.

  “Hi, I’m Kevin, what can I get for you today?” He tapped a pencil lightly against a pad.

  “We’d like two of the local produce tasting plates and then the baked peaches and ice cream for dessert, please.” Nikki offered him her menu.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, we don’t carry the honey peaches and ice cream anymore.” Kevin pushed the menu back towards her. “Would you like to take another look?”

  “What do you mean you don’t carry it anymore?” Hannah looked at him with surprise. “I just had some last week.”

  “I understand, but it’s no longer on the menu.” He shrugged, then sent an impatient glance in the direction of the front door, where more customers entered. “I’m very sorry about that. There are many other great selections on our menu, so please let me know when you’re ready to order.” He walked off to greet the new customers.

  “I’m sorry, that’s so strange. It was one of the most popular things on the menu.” Hannah frowned. “Why don’t we have the tasting plates then decide what we want for dessert, later? Honestly, everything here is good.”

  “Won’t it be quite different, though, now that Rocky is gone?” Nikki set the menu down.

  “I doubt it. I don’t think Rocky was here all that much. As far as I know Shawn did most of the cooking. So, everything is probably still going to be delicious.” Hannah turned her attention to the waiter as he returned.

  Once they gave their orders, Hannah lowered her voice and leaned across the table to be closer to Nikki.

  “I heard that the restaurant might not close at all.” Hannah glanced over her shoulder to be sure that no one was listening, then continued. “Rocky might have left the restaurant to Shawn. If he did, then he could just keep running it.”

  “Oh wow, that would have been very nice of him. They must have been close.” Nikki smiled as the food was delivered. “Thank you.”

  “Enjoy.” The waiter flashed them a smile, then walked off.

  “Honestly, I can’t imagine anyone being close to Rocky, but I guess it’s possible. Shawn is so different to Rocky. He’s sweet, and quiet.” Hannah blushed some as she glanced down at her plate of food.

  “Oh, is he?” Nikki grinned as she studied her friend. “And perhaps altogether dreamy?” She fluttered her eyelashes.

  “Stop!” Hannah balled up her napkin and threw it across the table at her. “It’s not like that. I mean, he doesn’t even know who I am.” She sighed as she poked at her food. “I’ve just seen him a few times. When we have local events he will usually set up a table with some samples from the restaurant. But I’m sure he wouldn’t know me if he saw me.”

  “You shouldn’t sell yourself short. I’m sure he knows exactly who you are.” Nikki gazed at her friend for a moment. She avoided make-up, and her hair was always draped down over her shoulders. Her clothes were generally plain, and she didn’t wear anything too bright. She was quite shy, she always had been. However, after starting her own business she had been forced to come out of her shell a bit. One thing Nikki was sure about, was just how beautiful Hannah was. She might not see it, but it was clear as day to Nikki.

  “You should go talk to him.” Nikki leaned across the table and met her friend’s eyes. “See if he needs anything. I mean, he lost a friend, right?”

  “I suppose he did, if they were friends.” Hannah took a bite of her food. “Mm, yes it’s perfect just like always.”

  “And a nice portion, too. I bet he knows you’re out here.” Nikki peered at the door that led to the kitchen. “Let’s go say hi, then we can come back and eat. It’s a cold dish, it’s not like the food is going to get ruined if we wait a bit to eat it.”

  “No way, Nikki.” Hannah shook her head. “I can’t do that. I just can’t.” Her cheeks grew bright red.

  “Why not?” Nikki stood up and grabbed her friend’s hand. “Let’s just go say hello and thank him for the meal.”

  “That’s so weird!” Hannah laughed. “Who does that?”

  “We do.” Nikki hooked her arm around Hannah’s. “You can blame it on your weird friend!” As she tugged her towards the kitchen she did her best to ignore a wave of guilt. She did want to play matchmaker, but she also wanted to get to know Shawn for other reasons. If he was in line to inherit the restaurant, that might just be enough reason to make him want to kill Rocky. Or at the very least, he might have something nice to say about the man.

  Chapter 6

  Hannah tried to tug her arm free as Nikki led her down the hallway towards the kitchen.

  “Oh, this is terrible, he’s not going to want to talk to me.”

  “Sh, just trust me.” Nikki gave her friend’s arm a little squeeze.

  “Trust you?” Hannah sighed. “Trust you to what, embarrass me?”

  “It’ll be great.” Nikki shot her friend a wink.

  “You’re nuts!” Hannah sighed, but followed after her.

  “Shawn?” Nikki poked her head into the kitchen. She saw several employees working, but no one in particular that stood out as being in charge. She wondered what these men and women thought of Rocky, but she didn’t dare ask. She didn’t want to get kicked out of the kitchen before she had the chance to talk to Shawn.

  “He’s in the back.” One of the men at the fryer tipped his head towards another door. “Do you want me to get him?”

  “No, that’s okay.” Hannah blushed and tugged at Nikki’s arm. “I’m sure he’s busy. Let’s just go, Nikki.”

  “Is someone looking for me?” A man stepped through the door, his blonde hair nearly hidden under a tight, white cap, and his boyish features filled with curiosity. Nikki could easily see why Hannah had a crush on him.

  “Yes, me. Well, us.” Nikki grinned as she pulled Hannah closer to her. “You know Hannah, don’t you?”

  “Oh sure.” He smiled a smile that convinced Nikki that her suspicions were right, Shawn knew just how beautiful Hannah was. “It’s good to see you, Hannah.”

  “This is my friend, Nikki,” Hannah stammered out, then shot a murderous look at Nikki.

  “I’m sorry to bother you. I just wanted to say I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “My loss?” He raised an eyebrow as he studied her.

  “Rocky.” Nikki cleared her throat. “Wasn’t he your friend?”

  “Oh.” Shawn seemed startled for a second, then nodded. “Yes, of course. It’s just that no one has said that to me.” He glanced around at the kitchen staff, then gestured for the two women to join him in the office. Once he’d closed the door, he managed another small smile. “Sorry, it’s just the staff is not exactly grieving over his passing.”

  “They’re not?” Nikki settled in a chair in front of his desk, and Hannah sat down in the chair beside her. “Aren’t they worried about the restaurant closing?”

  “Honestly, they might be relieved. Rocky was not the easiest person to work for. I don’t blame them for not being heartbroken, but some of them take the comments a little too far.” Shawn shook his head slowly. “I still can’t believe it happened.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Hannah frowned as she watched him. “I know this has to be hard for you.”

  “He wasn’t the easiest man, like I said, but he did treat me well. He made sure I had a good salary, and we even shared dinner a few times.” Shawn sat back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment. “I honestly can’t say he was a friend, but he certainly didn’t deserve this.”

  “At least he was kind enough to leave you the restaurant, that must give you some comfort.” Nikki caught his eyes to gauge his reaction. To her surprise, anger creased his featur
es.

  “I wish people would stop saying that. It’s not true. He didn’t leave me the restaurant. I don’t think he left it to anyone. Rocky thought he was immortal, I doubt he planned at all for his death.” Shawn crossed his arms. “It’s simply not true, or if it is, no one has told me about it. I mean, he’s not even in the ground yet.”

  “People gossip so much.” Hannah frowned. “I’m sorry that you’re going through that.”

  “Thanks.” He met her eyes and his smile returned. “It was so thoughtful of you to take the time out to check on me.”

  “Of course. If you ever want to talk, I’m available.” Hannah’s cheeks flushed. “I mean, to be a listening ear.”

  “That’s great. Maybe I could have your number?” Shawn pulled out his phone and programmed it in as she told him each digit.

  While they chatted, Nikki glanced around the office. It was messy, with paperwork everywhere, old chefs’ uniforms, and even a pile of sports equipment that she couldn’t quite understand being there. On shelves behind the desk there were several gourmet food items. She noticed a few jars of honey among them. Maybe her luck was changing after all.

  “Oh, is that local honey? Could I buy some?” She reached for her purse.

  “Sorry, no.” Shawn frowned. “I’m not allowed to sell it. In fact, if Rocky knew I even still had it in here he would have lost his mind.”

  “Why?” Hannah leaned forward. “What’s going on?”

  “Rocky refused to tell me, just insisted that we couldn’t sell it anymore. I have people coming in daily for the honey peaches and ice cream, and people even call to order jars of honey and I have to turn them down.” Shawn pursed his lips. “Just Rocky being strange I suppose. He often changed the menu all of a sudden. He did start some hives of his own. Maybe he planned to use his honey instead.”

  Nikki was tempted to convince him to hand over a jar. It wasn’t as if Rocky could get upset about it now, but she decided against it. She didn’t want to dampen anything that might have started between Hannah and Shawn.

  “We’d better get back to our meal.” Hannah stood up, her cheeks still pink.

  “Would you like to join us, Shawn?” Nikki stood up as well. She knew that she was being bold, but she couldn’t help it. She wanted to hear every tidbit that Shawn might have to offer about Rocky. In her own love life, she was far more timid, and had always shied away from anyone she thought she might be interested in. But when it came to heating things up between Hannah and Shawn she didn’t hesitate.

  “Oh, I’m sure that Shawn is far too busy to join us, Nikki.” Hannah gave her foot a light kick.

  “Actually, I have some time. I’d love to join you. If you don’t mind.” Shawn stood up from his chair and rounded the desk. “I’ve been hoping to have the chance to speak to you about some of the products that you offer.”

  “Oh?” Hannah smiled as he fell into step beside her. “Well, once you get me started talking about that I might never stop.”

  “That’s okay with me.” Shawn smiled and placed his hand on her back as he guided her through the office door.

  Nikki felt pretty confident that Hannah wasn’t going to be upset with her after all. As she sat at the table with the two of them, she could barely get a word in. They chatted about everything from Hannah’s products, to Shawn’s experiences as a chef, but not one word was uttered about Rocky. Disappointed, but glad that her friend had made such a good connection with Shawn, she excused herself before they ordered dessert. She wanted to give them some time alone.

  “I have to get back to the dogs. Thanks so much, Shawn. You two should absolutely have some kind of scrumptious dessert.” She leaned over to give Hannah a hug.

  “Oh, maybe not.” Hannah blushed again.

  “I’ll share something with you.” Shawn met her eyes with a warm smile. “I know the chef, it’ll be delicious, I promise.”

  Nikki walked away as the two shared a laugh. She was certain that Hannah would have a great time with him. Unfortunately, she hadn’t found out much more about Rocky.

  When Nikki arrived at the house she found two energetic dogs waiting for her. She could tell that they needed to go for a walk, from the way they bounced and bounded from one end of the house to the other.

  “You two are really going to wear me out!” Nikki laughed. “All right, pups, settle down, we’ll go for our walk.”

  Of course, saying the word ‘walk’ caused them to gear up instead of calming down. On their way out the door she felt a light breeze cut through the summer warmth. Back home in Dahlia, it was a bit cooler, due to being so close to the bay. The winds that carried across its surface would tousle her hair the moment she stepped outside. For just a moment she felt a twinge of homesickness. Perhaps it was because of the tension in the air over the murder, or maybe she just wanted to sleep in her own bed. Either way she hoped that the walk would get her attitude back in the right place. As tempted as she was to dig deep into Rocky’s life, she wondered if she should just leave it alone and not get too involved.

  Detective Spade would do a fine job, she was sure. However, a new concern had cropped up within her mind. What if Shawn was the killer? He claimed not to know anything about an inheritance, but he might be lying. Also, that wasn’t the only possible reason he might have killed his boss. Everyone in town, and everyone in his restaurant, appeared to have some serious animosity towards Rocky. How could Shawn be the odd man out? He worked with Rocky on a regular basis, he had to endure his behavior and attitude probably more than anyone else. Was he a saint, or did he just want to appear that way?

  If he was the killer, and Hannah had a crush on him, what if she ended up with him? What if she had just left Hannah to share dessert with a murderer? What if Shawn was never caught?

  With that upsetting thought on Nikki’s mind she let the dogs lead her towards the creek. She had no interest in slowing them down or guiding them, she just wanted them to have their exercise while she thought things through. However, as she neared the edge of the creek, the dogs began to bark, and not in a friendly way. They pulled at their leashes in an attempt to break free from her grasp.

  “Stormy, Sunny. Calm down, everything’s fine.” Nikki tightened her grip and peered through the trees in an attempt to see what had the dogs riled up. She was alone out there and without many houses close by she certainly was vulnerable. Two little pugs weren’t going to do much to defend her. Although, she had been surprised at how strong dogs could be when they needed to protect someone. However, she didn’t see anyone lurking. She decided to let the dogs lead her, perhaps they had spotted a rabbit or squirrel. As she followed after them they continued to bark and tug. She didn’t realize that they’d left Jackson’s property until she noticed the shift from brownish grass, to lush, dark green grass. The dogs barked even louder.

  Only then did she notice the shadowy figure on the other side of the creek. She saw a foot swing towards the edge of the dam built across the creek. For a moment she thought it was a man because of the force behind the kick, but as the person glanced in her direction she realized who it was, and took a sharp breath. Jean stared back at her for a long moment, then slammed her foot into the dam again. She grabbed at the wood with her hands. Nikki realized the woman was trying to destroy the dam. She jogged towards her, as her heart slammed against her chest.

  “Jean, what are you doing?”

  “You stay out of this!” She shouted back at her.

  “Jean, stop! You’re going to get hurt!” Nikki watched as the woman swung her foot against the wood again.

  “I’m going to rip it to bits and pieces! I’m going to make sure that it’s gone!”

  “Jean, don’t!” Nikki gasped as the woman swung her foot into the dam again, then slipped. She tumbled back into the creek, the one area of it that was filled with quite quick flowing water, thanks to Rocky’s dam. Nikki tied the leashes to a nearby tree and rushed to the edge of the creek. She wasn’t a strong swimmer, but she would jump in
if she had to.

  “Jean! Are you okay? Jean!”

  Chapter 7

  Jean spluttered to the surface a moment later. Then she swam to the edge of the creek without much of a struggle. Nikki crouched down at the edge and helped to pull her out.

  “Jean, what were you thinking?” Nikki frowned as she put her arm around her shoulders.

  “Don’t fuss.” Jean shrugged Nikki’s arm off. “Don’t judge me either. I want that dam gone before the next person decides to move in. What if they plan to keep it?”

  “You’re not going to be able to take it down yourself.” Nikki sighed as she stared into the woman’s dazed expression. “You’re not okay, are you?”

  “All of my flowers are dying, Nikki.” She sniffled as a few tears mingled with the water already on her cheeks. “How could I be okay?”

  “I’m sorry.” Nikki wrapped her arms around Jean. “I know this is hard. But you can’t take risks like this. What if you had been hurt and I wasn’t here?”

  “Enough.” Jean drew away from Nikki’s grasp. “I know what needs to be done, and I’ll come back here every day if I have to until it’s done.” She shot her a brief look of gratitude. “Thanks for caring, Nikki, but this isn’t your problem. It’s not your land that’s dying, it’s not your town that is never going to be the same.”

  As she walked away, Nikki was tempted to stop her. She had more questions for her, but this didn’t seem like the right time to ask them. Instead, she took the dogs home, and changed into some dry clothes. Once she was in pajamas she curled up on the couch. Still a bit shaken by the sight of Jean so upset, she invited the dogs up for a snuggle. As the two settled in, well-exercised and content with their temporary caretaker she finally began to relax. A moment later her cell phone rang. When she picked it up to check who it was, there was no caller ID. After a few seconds she answered it.