She glanced up. The accessory wouldn’t have fallen through the cracks around the hidden trap doors. They were too small. So small that she hadn’t even noticed the doors were there in the first place. And by the lack of footprints in the settled dust, neither had the cops. Paw prints, however, were a different story.
Addison hadn’t noticed the prints before, but now she saw them everywhere. Big ones, little ones, scattered haphazardly around the floor. Or at least they appeared that way until she followed them with the light and saw that they all headed in the same general direction. She was tempted to follow them, but if the cops hadn’t been down there to investigate, then they’d want to see all the evidence intact.
She put the tiara back on the ground where she found it and carefully retraced her steps. She didn’t want to disrupt the crime scene any more than she already had.
As she made her way back, her fears began to creep up again, tickling her scalp like a thousand bugs crawling over her skin. By the time she stood beneath the opening in the stage floor and Felix’s face hovered above her, she’d never thought she could be so happy to see him.
Darcy’s face appeared next to Felix’s. He on the other hand, didn’t look particularly happy to see her. However, she didn’t exactly care at the moment. The monsters were converging again, the dusty floor pulling her under. With shaking hands, she reached up to Felix.
His strong hands gripped hers. Grunting, he hoisted her out of the pit of doom. She stumbled against him and her fingers curled automatically around his shirt, allowing his solid presence to soothe her frantic heartbeat, grounding her from the inexplicable terror that had consumed her down below.
“Are you all right?” Felix asked, his eyes scanning her face.
She wasn’t sure what expression she wore, but it made that crease form between his brows.
She nodded, but still hadn’t let go of his shirt. “Yeah. I found it.”
Felix inhaled sharply, indicating that he understood more than she was saying. Handing him back his phone, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the “missing” earring.
“Good. You found it.” Darcy clapped his hands. “So you’ll be on your way now.” He waved toward the stage stairs, in a polite “get the heck out” way.
Addison stayed put, her hand still gripping Felix’s shirt. “Is there any way out from under that stage? Does it go anywhere?”
Darcy frowned, clearly anxious to be rid of them. “Yes. It leads to a side entrance. Why?”
Addison let out the breath she was holding. “Bingo.” When Felix gave her a strange look, she made a mental note to come up with a better “aha” word. “Call the police. They’ll want to see what’s down there.”
“I’ve had just about enough police for one week,” Darcy said. “They’ve already completed their investigation.”
Felix ignored him. “What’s going on?”
“That’s how the dogs got out of the building. From underneath the stage. I found evidence down there.”
Without any more explanation, Felix pulled out his phone again and dialed. Addison managed to pry her hand free of him to replace her “found” earring.
Darcy’s face had turned red since she last looked at him. He glanced at his watch. “I have an event booked in this room in four hours. This was the last thing I needed today.”
Addison scowled. “I’m sure losing their beloved pets was the last thing the cocktail mixer guests needed too, but this might help them get the dogs back. So suck it up.”
Felix was half-listening to their conversation. His eyebrows rose at her lecture. She shrugged at him and he stifled a chuckle.
Darcy shut his trap, thankfully. But now that the subject had been broached and he was a bit sheepish, Addison decided to take advantage.
“Are there any cameras in this room?” she asked, scanning the corners.
“Only at the exits,” he said. “And before you ask, there isn’t one at the exit for beneath the stage. Only ones that guests would normally use.”
But Addison wasn’t thinking only about the dogs. She was thinking about her assistant. “Do you have access to the video footage from the cocktail mixer? Of the back alley exit?”
“Yes. But the police have that now.” He stiffened a little with self-importance. “Not that I would be able to show anyone if we did have them.”
Addison figured he’d say something like that.
“I can tell you that if it hadn’t been for your assistant neglecting the dogs for a cigarette, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“She didn’t neglect the dogs. She took a break.” She crossed her arms. “Maybe your facilities are to blame.” Then it dawned on her what he’d said. She paused. “How did you know she went out for a smoke?”
“Because the camera caught her heading outside holding a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out what she was doing.”
Felix covered the mouthpiece on the phone. “The police are on their way.”
Addison nodded in response. She was surprised at how well their investigation was going already, considering the only experience she had solving crimes was watching Sherlock Holmes. Even then, the context was a bit outdated.
The new evidence was good and bad. She was happy it supported Melody’s innocence. It didn’t completely absolve her, though, since she could have had a smoke while helping load up the dogs into a truck or something, but it certainly looked a whole lot better for her. However, with the discovery of the real escape route for the dogs, it opened up all new possibilities. Now the dognapper could have been almost anyone at the party.
Addison suddenly realized how much work they had ahead of them.
12
Sniff Out
Addison sped through the streets of San Francisco until they arrived at Laurel Heights for another undercover operation. This time, they planned to engage a suspect. She took the next corner without slowing down, and Felix white knuckled the doorframe.
“Where did you learn to drive?”
Addison thought for a moment. “The Fast and the Furious, Days of Thunder, The Love Bug.”
“That explains it,” he said.
“I’m making up for lost time, okay? Talking to the police really set us back.” She pulled up to a stop sign. “Do you think they believed my earring story?”
Felix gave her a Seriously? look from the passenger seat. “I don’t think you’re as good of an actress as you think you are.”
“But I don’t think I’m a very good actress at all.”
“Exactly.”
She stuck her tongue out at him and whipped into traffic. “Just for that, you can talk to William Jackson. I think I remember this guy from the cocktail mixer. Kind of balding on the top, right?”
Felix ran a hand through his hair. “Not everyone can have ridiculously luscious locks like mine.”
Addison snorted, but had to admit it was true. His hair was so full and wavy, it was unfair. He probably just rolled out of bed that way too. She couldn’t see Felix waking up a few minutes early to style it—although, it could help with the messy look. But she didn’t know many guys who could pull off hair that was any longer than your usual man-clip. With hair as awesome as Felix’s, it would have been a crime against humanity to cut it.
“I think he had a Maltese, right?” she asked. “What do you know about him?”
“Just that he’s been competing in dog shows for years and has never won,” Felix said. “Last year his dog actually made it to the podium. Just as the judge went to congratulate them, the dog shook his coat out like it was a living powder puff, covering the judge in talcum.”
“I remember reading something about that in Doggy Digest,” Addison said. “He was disqualified for using unnatural products to enhance his dog. Serves the selfish jerk right. Powder can be terrible for a dog’s respiratory system.” She made a mental note to jot that down in her notebook when they pulled over.
Addison would never have thought
of a suspect like William Jackson without Felix, not that she’d admit she actually needed him. “So I take it he falls under the revenge category of motives?”
Felix pulled a face, like Oh yeah. “I served him at the bar last year after he’d been disqualified, and he spilled his guts to me. Let’s just say I wouldn’t put it past him to go to extremes.”
She thought back to the cocktail mixer. “I think he’s the one who ordered the pawdicure. I remember he liked the Rainbow Frenzy nail polish. I brought a sample of it with me.”
Felix glanced back at the multitude of pink gift bags in the backseat. “You hand out a lot of free stuff. You know you’ll never get anywhere if you keep giving it away.”
Addison snorted. “You’re one to talk.”
He glowered at her from the passenger seat. “What does that mean?”
“Oh please.” She rolled her eyes. “You and Red Bra seem close.”
“Yes,” he replied evenly. “Charlotte and I are close.”
Addison frowned at the response. She’d expected a smart comeback, but now she just kept recalling the image of them sitting next to each other in Joe’s Dive. Not that she was jealous or anything.
“Besides, you gave me free drinks at the bar,” she said. “Think of it like promotional services. You give someone free drinks and that person will tell their friends about your bar, which in turn will generate more business. I’m doing the same thing.”
“That’s the kind of marketing help I need when I open my own bar. But I didn’t give you those drinks as freebies. I was just testing out a new concoction on you.”
“You used me as a guinea pig?” she teased.
“I didn’t see you complaining.” His eyebrow quirked up. “I certainly wasn’t.”
“You liquored me up just to get a kiss, didn’t you?” She pretended to be outraged, but looking back, she knew it wasn’t the liquor that had her fired up over him.
“Excuse me. You kissed me, remember? Besides”—he grinned—“if I wanted to get in your pants, I would have gotten in them.”
“Yeah right.” She batted her eyelashes. “I’m a lady, I’ll have you know.”
“Right.”
Her mouth dropped open in real offense. “Excuse me? You think I’m not? Who do you think—”
“No, right. Turn right.” He pointed at the intersection they were driving through. “Right!”
“Hang on.” She cranked her wheel. The tires screeched around the next corner as a couple of angry honks sounded behind them.
Felix gripped the door, holding on for dear life. When they’d made the turn and were still alive, he said, “Maybe a little less flirting while we’re driving. I don’t think you need any distractions.”
“Who’s flirting?” she asked innocently, but she knew very well that she was.
He was fun to flirt with. It was impossible for her not to. He had a personality that double-dog-dared you to just try and ignore him, which only made you think of him that much more. But she promised herself she wouldn’t go down that path with guys like Felix anymore. Guys just out to use her.
She recalled her sort-of date with the far more appropriate Phillip, smiling at how well things had gone. Now there was a guy she could bring home to meet her dad. Not a guy who wanted to take her home after the bar closed. Then her smile disappeared just as quickly. Well, the date had gone well before all the dog stealing, and police interrogations, and accusations. That was probably why she hadn’t heard from him yet. They must be keeping him very busy. He’d probably text her any moment.
She glared at her phone in its holder, willing it to ring.
Felix pointed up the road to a peach-colored home with white trim. “Number thirty-four. I think that’s Jackson’s house over there, but park here across the street. We don’t want to be seen together.”
“I’ll agree with that,” she said, eliciting a glare out of Felix.
Addison pulled over and parked behind a van to block her Mini from sight. She decided to leave the top down just in case Felix needed to make a quick getaway.
He got out of the car, stretching as he did so. “Why am I the one doing this again?”
“Because it was your idea to do a fake survey of our suspects experience with Pampered Puppies, remember? You said people love talking about themselves. So get them to talk about the dog grooming services they received while at the cocktail mixer. Then just go from there.” She smiled extra sweetly. “You’re good at reading people. I’m sure you’ll think of something.” She reached behind the seat, producing a frilly pink bag. “Don’t forget the samples and the coupons.” She shook it playfully.
“Anything else?” he asked sarcastically.
“Remember, you’re a representative of my company.” She bared her sparkling white teeth and pointed to them. “So smile.”
With an exaggerated eye roll, he reached over and grabbed the bag of samples. Waving it with a sour enthusiasm, he crossed the street.
Addison spun in her seat to watch him climb Jackson’s front steps and ring the doorbell. She couldn’t help but note how nicely those faded jeans hung on his hips. They might not have been an expensive label—heck, they looked so old that the label had probably fallen off by now—however, that butt could have made any pants look like a million bucks.
While Felix waited for someone to answer the door, a white Audi drove up and parked on the street in front of the house. Addison ducked down. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to realize they were sneaking around asking questions. It wasn’t like her car was exactly covert with its Caribbean Aqua paint job.
William Jackson stepped out of the Audi. She recognized him by the cul-de-sac hairstyle he unwillingly sported. He moved around to the back of the car and popped the trunk. Reaching inside, he drew out armloads of shopping bags.
Felix noticed him and descended the long stairs. By the gestures he was making, it looked like he was offering to help carry some bags. William waved his arms, almost shooing Felix away.
Felix just gave him a smile and took several of the bags up the steps anyway. Jackson rushed to unlock the front door. The moment it swung open, he practically flung the shopping bags into the house. Squeezing in after them, he smiled and waved at Felix, while simultaneously closing the door in his face.
Felix was left standing on the porch with the frilly pink bag still in his hands. After a few seconds, he shrugged and returned to the car.
“What was that about?” Addison asked.
“I’m not sure,” he said. “He was pretty edgy, though. He didn’t even want the samples.”
“Maybe you made him nervous,” she said. “I know you scare me.”
He threw her a sour look. “Ha-ha.”
“What was in the bags?”
“I didn’t get to see.”
She sighed, turning over the engine and pulling away from the curb. “Well that was a bust.”
Felix drew out a long, crumpled slip of paper from his pocket. “Not necessarily.”
She glanced at it while driving. “What’s that?”
“Jackson’s shopping receipt,” Felix said, scanning it.
Addison’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t just take that. What if he needs to return something? You know a lot of stores won’t do returns or exchanges without a receipt.”
“Did you want us to turn around and give it back?”
“No,” she said. “I guess not.”
Felix went quiet for a few moments as he read each item. “How many dogs did you say this guy had?”
“Just the one. Why?” She pulled up to a stop sign and looked over to see him frowning over the paper.
“Why would a man with one dog need twelve leather dog collars and leashes?”
“What? Let me see that.” She snatched the paper away and read it herself.
She scanned the itemized list. Not only were there twelve collars and leashes, but there were bones, food dishes, brushes, and chew toys.
“That’s a
lot of pet supplies,” she finally said. “Seems like he owns more than one dog.”
Felix took the receipt and waved it in the air like it was the winning lottery ticket. “Or we’ve just found our dognapper.”
13
Horndogs
Addison crouched down low to peer through the gap in William Jackson’s fence, feeling the cool night air blow up her short dress. Shivering as it caressed her bare legs, she wished she’d worn something a little more practical for their clandestine operation. When she’d planned her outfit that morning, she’d never imagined she’d be crawling through creepy spaces beneath stages or breaking into people’s property. At least her cute fifties-style dress was black so she could blend into the night.
Unable to see anything, she got on her hands and knees to look through a hole in the wood picket. There wasn’t a single light on in William Jackson’s backyard. Since his house was in the middle of the block, they’d been lucky it wasn’t a row house or they wouldn’t have had access to the backyard.
“Can you see anything?” she whispered to Felix.
“Oh yeah,” he said from behind her “I’ve got a great view from here.”
She glanced over her shoulder to find him standing back and enjoying the “view” of her backside.
Addison tugged her skirt down and returned to her peephole. “Stop screwing around and get over here. What if something happens and we miss it?”
“Oh, I think something’s going to happen.” She felt his hands slide up the back of her leg, pushing her skirt up. “I feel it.”
“I’m serious,” she hissed, slapping him away.
Felix sighed, letting her skirt fall back down. “All we can do is wait and watch. If the dogs are here, eventually Jackson will have to bring them outside to do their business.”
He settled down on his side in the grass next to her, head resting on his fist. “We have to assume he’s taking reasonable care of them if he bought all those supplies today. Leashes for walking them, dishes for feeding them, even toys for playing with them.”
Beauty and the Wiener Page 14
