Canines and Crime

by Sandra Baublitz

  “I thought we agreed you weren’t investigating.”

  “I told you, you agreed, not me.” Lillian looked back at Paw. “We have the big lug with us, so we should be safe.”

  “Uhuh.” I adjusted my seatbelt and started the engine which purred to life. “Fine, but we need to pick up Shelbee and Jac. I promised they could be in on the investigation too.”

  “But they’ve been in your previous investigations a lot more than me. Besides I know Tammy, and if it weren’t for me, the church ladies wouldn’t have given you the information that we received.”

  I shook my head. “The church ladies would’ve told me too.”

  Lillian huffed. She turned her gaze out the window on her side. As I backed out of the parking spot at the church, I wondered where we would find Tammy at this time of day as she was seldom in her office. I said as much to Lillian.

  “Check at her office first.” Lillian fiddled with her cardigan buttons. “Then we’ll check David’s place. If she really is interested in acquiring the property, she might be there assessing it.”

  “I don’t have time to run all over town looking for Tammy,” I protested as I turned left onto Main Street.

  “Maybe Jac and Shelbee will know,” Lillian pointed out.

  I doubted that. But I didn’t say anything. After a short drive we arrived at Shelbee’s apartment and I parallel parked outside. “Why don’t you wait here with Paw?”

  “Why?” Lillian asked with a frown. “Are you going to try to ditch me?”

  I sighed to myself. “No. But I must go upstairs to let Shelbee and Jac know we’re here. I didn’t think you would want to climb the stairs to her apartment.”

  Lillian grunted then settled back in her seat. I took that as a sign that she was going to wait and turned back to Paw who stared at me with expectant eyes. “Stay here, boy. I’ll be back soon.”

  Shelbee lived in an apartment over the former candy shop’s storefront. The owner, Mr. White, had recently retired and moved to Florida and the storefront was unoccupied. While Mr. White had owned it, Shelbee could access her apartment through the store, but now she used the outside stairwell. I climbed the steps reflecting that I was glad I didn’t have to climb the steep steps with groceries, and especially, a large bag of dog food.

  I knocked on Shelbee’s door and Jac opened it, gesturing me inside. Bitsy yipped and pranced over to me, wiggling her butt in excitement. Samuel, Shelbee’s mastiff and Paw’s best friend, lifted his head from his paws where he lay on the rug in Shelbee’s living room, chuffed out a greeting then lay his head back down, rolling his eyes at his Pomeranian friend.

  Bitsy stood up against my leg, eager for a cuddle. I lifted the little dog in my arms and scratched the top of her head. Paw was slowly coming to accept the Pomeranian, but he still resented when I gave the little dog attention.

  “Where’s Paw?” Shelbee asked as she filled a travel mug with her special blend of homebrewed tea.

  “In the car. With Lillian.”

  “Lillian?”

  “Yes. She was at the church and is investigating David’s murder.”

  Jac popped the lid on the container of muffins. “I wish Miss Lillian wouldn’t get involved. It can’t be safe for her to stick her nose into a murder investigation.”

  I nodded. “I agree, but there is no way we’ll convince her to give it up. Better she comes with us where we can keep an eye on her.”

  Shelbee grinned. “Don’t tell her that.”

  “I know.” I settled Bitsy on the floor. “We plan to go find Tammy Williams and question her about David. Which reminds me, Charlotte Tanner was at the church.”

  Jac raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know she was part of the church.”

  “She’s not,” I said. “From what the church ladies told Lillian and me, Charlotte was there asking questions about the Betterment Foundation.”

  “Why?” Jac placed the container of muffins in a tote bag.

  Shelbee popped the top on her travel mug. “Let me guess, Charlotte is looking to contest the will, am I right?”

  “Yes.” I snapped the leash on Bitsy’s collar. Shelbee kept the leashes hanging by her front door. “And according to Marcy Holt, Tammy wants to sell David’s house and his neighbor’s. I want to know whether they want to sell. Marcy Holt and Violet Meadows think that Tammy wants that land for the Betterment Foundation’s new headquarters.”

  Shelbee turned off the stove and set the teapot on a wooden cutting board. “Sounds like something Tammy would want. She’s always been ambitious.”

  I handed a leash to Shelbee and she snapped it on Samuel’s collar. Shelbee pointed to the rack of leashes. “Do you need one for Paw?”

  Shelbee knew that I sometimes forgot Paw’s leash. He wasn’t fond of walking on the leash. But the town had an ordinance that dogs should be on leashes and I had gotten away without having a leash, partly because my uncle Harry was chief of police. “It’s in the car.” I didn’t tell her that Paw hadn’t been using it that morning.

  Shelbee picked up her travel mug and Samuel jumped to his feet. “Let’s go.”

  Jac gathered up her tote bag and took Bitsy’s leash from me. Shelbee locked up and we descended the outside stairs.

  Shelbee sighed. “I’m glad Mr. White could retire near his niece, but I do miss being able to go in and out of the store to get to my apartment.”

  Jac stopped in front of the storefront. “I wonder who will lease the store next. Seems a shame for it to be empty.”

  Shelbee opened the back door of my car and Samuel jumped in. Over her shoulder, she said, “I don’t know. Tammy has the responsibility of finding a new tenant as she owns the building. But I think she’s not having any luck so far.”

  Jac stared pensively at the empty storefront a moment longer then turned to us and handed Bitsy’s leash to Shelbee, who put her in the back seat. Shelbee climbed in and held Bitsy on her lap while Jac went around the other side and slid in next to Paw. They were scrunched in together, but I knew Lillian, as did Shelbee and Jac, wouldn’t want to share the front seat.

  I climbed into the driver seat, closed the door, and snapped on my seatbelt. “Okay, let’s try Tammy’s office first.”

  Everyone nodded in agreement. While my big St. Bernard lay across Jac’s lap with his back turned to Bitsy. Oh dear. We still had a lot of work to do to get Paw and Bitsy to be good friends.

  I parked in front of Tammy Williams’s real estate office, and before I had even put the car in park, Lillian was opening her door. I turned off the engine and Shelbee and Jac jumped out, the dogs on their heels.

  Tammy’s real estate office sat at the end of a cul-de-sac in the new development. Green lawn surrounded a white two-story home with blue shutters, and she had a black lacquered lamppost at the entrance to the well-manicured walk leading up to her front door.

  Lillian led the way through the front door into the reception area of the real estate office. A young woman with long, straight, blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail sat at a computer at the reception desk to the right of the front door. “Can I help you?”

  Before Lillian could bluntly announce our intentions, I said, “We’d like to see Ms. Williams.”

  The young woman stood up, smoothing her black pencil skirt. She frowned down at the dogs who were sniffing the floor in the reception area.

  The young woman stayed behind her desk but said, “Ms. Williams isn’t here right now. Perhaps I can help you?”

  “No,” Lillian said as she stomped to the desk. “We need to see Ms. Williams. Where is she?”

  The young woman stepped back, uncertain at Lillian’s advance. “Uh...”

  Jac stepped next to Lillian and placed a hand on her shoulder. Turning to the receptionist, she said, “We are interested in the empty storefront on Main Street. I’m considering a location for my new business and I wanted to speak to her about renting that storefront.”

  Shelbee and I glanced at each other with puzzled expressions.
I’d never heard Jac mention a business before and figured she was simply using that as a good cover story. Lillian, however, wasn’t so subtle.

  “What new business?” She demanded of Jac.

  Jac smiled faintly at her. “It’s something I’ve been working on for a while now. But I prefer not to discuss it until I know whether I can get a suitable storefront location.”

  The receptionist, sensing a customer for the business, smiled broadly. “I can give you specifics on the storefront.”

  Jac shook her head. “I really want to speak with Ms. Williams about the location first. It’s rather urgent,” Jac said as she glanced at her watch. “My dad has some locations in mind and wants me to look at them, but when I saw that store, I thought it looked ideal.” Jac glanced at her watch again and shrugged. “If Ms. Williams is unavailable—”

  The young woman jumped in not wanting to lose a customer. “Ms. Williams is at the theater. She has business there this afternoon, but I think you could still catch her if you go over there right now.”

  “Excellent,” Lillian said as she turned on her heel and marched to the door.

  Jac smiled and nodded to the young woman. “Thank you. We’ll go see her right now.”

  Shelbee tugged on Samuel’s and Bitsy’s leashes as I did the same to Paw, and we ushered them outside.

  Shelbee nudged Jac. “Good idea. That was fast thinking.”

  Jac shrugged. “Thanks.” She stared off at the car, deep in thought.

  Shelbee cut a glance to me and raised her eyebrows as if to say “you can’t possibly think she’s planning on a business can you?”

  I shrugged and hoped Shelbee interpreted that as we’d find out later. Lillian had already reached the car and was impatiently standing next to the passenger door, tapping her foot. I reached the driver side and unlocked it, hitting the button for everyone else to unlock their doors. I opened the back door and Paw eagerly jumped in, coming face-to-face with Bitsy who had jumped in from the other side.

  Paw growled softly then lay down as Jac sat down beside him and put her arm around him. Shelbee slid in from the other side, popping Bitsy on her lap as Samuel hopped in after her. She reached across and closed the door as I closed Jac’s door and hopped into the front seat.

  Lillian grumbled to herself, “What is Tammy doing at the theater?”

  Shelbee quipped, “Trying to buy it?”

  “Not funny.” Lillian tapped her fingers on her leg. “Clarissa, are we going or what?”

  I rolled my eyes. Lillian was being extremely grumpy today.

  Lillian, Shelbee, Jac, and I stepped into the theater.

  “So where do we start?” Lillian said as she stared around the theater with her hands on her hips.

  A gruff voice behind us said, “I hope you’re not referring to the murder of David Tanner.”

  “Woof.”

  “Yip.”

  “Ruff.”

  The dogs knew that voice and eagerly rushed to meet my uncle Harry. He stood, arms crossed over his chest, glaring at the four of us.

  Lillian, who had turned around, glared right back at him. “Well somebody has to figure out who the killer is.”

  Harry growled.

  The dogs cocked their heads at him, wondering why he was growling like they did. Paw bopped against Harry’s side, letting him know that he loved him.

  Harry uncrossed his arms and ruffled Paw’s fur while Samuel pushed his head in to get caressed as well. Bitsy promenaded around yipping excitedly.

  “They’re not the only ones who want to solve the murder. Maybe you need our help.” That voice came from behind Harry and was our local reporter, Mark, a man Harry often grumbled about. Next to our local reporter Bruce strolled in, stopping next to Harry as Mark joined the four of us. He smiled at Jac but frowned at Lillian. Harry threw his arms up in the air. “Is everybody investigating this murder?”

  Bruce clapped Harry on the back. “Not everyone. The cat’s not here.”

  Just as Bruce said this, Saber strode in behind us from the theater with a bloodied knife, the wooden handle clasped in his mouth.

  Chapter 8

  From behind us a voice called, “Hey, stop that cat. Give that back.” I glanced over my shoulder to see Jon Kenyon, the local director of the theater, hurrying up the aisle, pointing a finger at Saber.

  Shelbee whispered to me, “Is that the murder weapon?”

  I shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  Lillian hurried over to Saber who dropped the knife just as Bitsy ran forward and grabbed it in her jaws by the handle.

  Samuel, not to be outdone by his canine companion, rushed after her, knocking into Lillian, who wobbled. Bruce grabbed Lillian’s elbow, steadying her, while Saber arched his back and hissed then climbed Bruce’s back to perch on his shoulder.

  “Aargh!” Bruce shrugged his shoulders trying to dislodge Saber.

  Lillian, now steadied by Bruce, complained, “Don’t hurt my baby.”

  Bitsy took off up the aisle towards the stage, Samuel hot on her heels.

  Paw gave a joyous woof and ran after them, clipping Jon Kenyon on the shin as he ran past. Jon wobbled and fell into the theater seats on his right-side exclaiming, “Get those hooligans. Achoo.”

  I snapped my fingers. Out loud I said, “That’s right, Jon’s allergic to dogs.”

  Shelbee nodded. “Yes, he is. Let’s go get the dogs.” She ran up the aisle after them. Bitsy disappeared into a side door that had been propped open, which led to the stage.

  I glanced back at Bruce who was trying to dislodge Saber who kept slapping at Bruce’s hand with his claws.

  Lillian continued to complain. “Don’t hurt my baby. Saber, come here sweetie.” Lillian reached up toward Saber who was so agitated at Bruce he hissed at her.

  “You’re irritating my baby, Bruce.”

  Harry stood with his hands on his hips, shaking his head. Jac joined Lillian in trying to soothe Saber who meowed at them as though he was the injured party.

  Looked like Bruce had plenty of help, so I ran up the aisle after Shelbee, stopping to assist Jon Kenyon to his feet who waved me away, saying, “Just get the dogs before they ruin everything.”

  I darted in the side door, but as I did so, I noticed Tammy Williams and Charlotte Tanner arguing in the shadowed alcove between the stage and the side door. I would have loved to have listened, but just then a whump sounded from the direction of the stage. I ran up the short flight of steps to the side wings, turning left toward the stage. Pieces of scenery littered the floor, and I carefully edged around them to the sound of a vase breaking and people’s voices complaining, “Hey, stop that.”

  “Watch out, Chris!”

  Another loud whump sounded and I hurried forward after clearing the initial debris.

  Bitsy, knife still clamped in her jaws, had taken refuge under a table on stage while Samuel sniffed the floor near her in a stealthy move to sneak up on her.

  Paw had abandoned the chase and was standing at the edge of the stage staring down in the direction that I had seen Tammy and Charlotte. His head was cocked to the side as though he was listening intently. On stage, Shelbee was apologizing to the actors, some of whom were lying on the floor while others bent or knelt to clean up various props that had been strewn about as the dogs ran through. Samuel had lain down next to Bitsy, who continued to hold on to the wooden handle of the knife. I worried that she would cut herself, but Jill Kent, one of the actresses, exclaimed, “She’s chewing the prop. We need that knife.”

  “Is that a real knife?” I asked her.

  Jill shook her head in the negative. “No, but I need it for my next scene.”

  Jill advanced on Bitsy who growled a warning. Shelbee left the other actors and went to Jill’s side, saying, “Let me get it from her.” To Bitsy, she said, “Hey, sweetie. Let mommy have the knife.”

  Since everything seemed to be partially under control, I stepped over to Paw and knelt next to him, so I could hear snatches of Tamm
y and Charlotte’s argument. They were so involved that they had not paid any attention to the dogs or the ruckus on stage.

  I was surprised Charlotte and Tammy’s argument hadn’t drawn attention, but with all the commotion of the dogs, and their chase, no one seemed to be paying attention to the two irate women. Except for Paw and me. Further up the theater Jon Kenyon stood talking to Bruce, who must have freed himself from Saber’s clutches. Jon waved his hands in the air and gesticulated to the stage. His voice was drawing the attention of the theater personnel, who were mingling in the theater. Behind Bruce and the director, Harry stood scowling at our local reporter. Mark was pointing his pen at Harry and I could see his mouth moving. Behind me on the stage, Shelbee was crooning to Bitsy, and Jill had knelt by Samuel while Jac and several of the actors moved props and swept up the broken vase. Where was Lillian?

  As I knelt by Paw, I could catch most of Charlotte and Tammy’s conversation.

  “You have no right to take that money from the Betterment Foundation,” Tammy said as she pointed a finger at Charlotte.

  “I have every right,” Charlotte said, standing with hands on her hips. “You coerced my husband into giving you that money.”

  “He wasn’t your husband anymore,” Tammy crossed her arms over her chest. “Besides, it was his choice to leave the Betterment Foundation a charitable donation, not yours, since it wasn’t your money.”

  “It was our money, not his.”

  The conversation continued in this vein, but movement in the theater caught my eye. Bruce and Jon Kenyon were moving closer to the stage as was Harry and Mark. Apparently, the women had not caught sight of Harry yet, but I knew once they did, they would both shut up and I wouldn’t learn anything. I stared at Bruce, hoping to catch his eye. He glanced in my direction and smiled, and I shook my head ever so slightly in the negative. Bruce raised an eyebrow at me, and I cut my eyes towards Tammy and Charlotte, arguing in the corner. Bruce cut his eyes that way, too, and then looked back to me and gave an imperceptible nod. He turned towards Jon Kenyon casually blocking the man’s progress and asked him a question. I hoped Bruce read my message enough to know to keep Harry at a distance.