My jaw dropped, and I glanced back at Mark who looked equally stunned. That was the most diplomatic speech I had heard Lillian give in a long time.
Harry cleared his throat. “Officer Banks,” he waved to Banks who was picking up the scattered files, “will accompany you to the restaurant. I will wait here until officer Moore arrives. As soon as your meal is over though, you will return here to the police station where you can wait for officer Moore to arrive.”
Alma step forward, nodding at Harry, and extended her hand to Mrs. Compton. “Alma.”
“Edith,” the woman said, shaking her hand.
“Can we eat now?” Taylor complained.
“Mreow.”
“See. Saber is hungry too.”
Mrs. Compton smoothed a hand over her grandson’s shoulder. “Yes, honey, we can, but he can’t accompany us to a restaurant. They don’t allow pets.”
Alma laughed. “In this town they do.”
She turned to Ms. Peabody. “Will you join us?”
She nodded in the affirmative.
In a few moments it was agreed that Mark, Lillian, along with Paw, Saber, and I would join Alma, Taylor, and his grandmother plus Ms. Peabody and officer Banks for a meal.
As we trooped out, Harry called from behind us, “I’ll have Miss Margaret call ahead to Harriet’s and let her know you’re coming.”
Chapter 24
Harriet had our table ready when we arrived. She had pushed several tables together in front of the Café’s main window.
Banks declined to eat with us, instead taking a stool at the counter and accepting a cup of coffee from Harriet. Harriet was one of two restaurant owners in town who allowed pets. So when we entered, no one batted an eye at Saber riding on Lillian’s shoulder and Paw trotting ahead of me. The restaurant was three-quarters full, so it took me a moment before I noticed Charlotte Tanner and her artist boyfriend sat at a table in the back. I noticed as we assembled ourselves around our table that Turner scowled fiercely at us. I didn’t know why. Whether it was Paw he disliked, or me, or whether he was disturbed by officer Banks. Charlotte glared at Lillian, who paid her no attention. We sat down and were soon immersed in ordering our meal. Ms. Peabody sat at the counter with Banks.
We arranged ourselves around the tables. I sat with my back to Charlotte Tanner and her boyfriend. Paw, who I expected to sit next to me, lay down by Taylor’s chair, who sat three places to my right next to his grandmother. Alma sat next to me on my right, on the other side of Taylor’s grandmother, and Lillian sat on my left. Mark sat to Lillian’s left which completed the circle in that he was sitting next to Taylor across from me. I wondered if he had taken that chair to keep an eye on Charlotte Tanner and Turner.
Harriet bustled up with a stack of menus clutched in her arms. To Lillian she said, “Keep that cat under control.”
“Humph,” Lillian scratched under Saber’s chin who closed his eyes and purred in delight. “Saber’s no trouble.”
Harriet handed out menus then propped her hands on her hips. “He was the last time he was in here. I warned you, Lillian.”
“It was only a little accident, Harriet,” Lillian waved her hand. “Besides, Paw isn’t on a leash.”
Harriet crossed her arms. “Paw behaves himself.”
Alma burst out laughing and self-consciously covered her mouth. “I’m sorry, Harriet. It’s just that Paw doesn’t behave himself.” She wiped tears from her eyes.
Harriet staunchly defended Paw. “He has always behaved himself in here.”
I said a silent prayer that Paw would behave himself again. This time. There was no point in arguing that Paw was a gentleman in other situations, because he had been known to cause a great deal of mischief.
“He’ll behave himself,” Taylor said in defense of my St. Bernard. “He’s going to sit right here next to me. Aren’t you boy?”
“Woof.”
Harriet smiled. “I believe he will, young man. Now what would everyone like to drink?”
We placed our orders for drinks. Harriet bustled away, giving us time to peruse the menu.
Saber curled up in Lillian’s lap and seemed content to take a nap. I peeked under the table to check on my fur baby. Paw seemed quite content with his head under Taylor’s foot, acting as a prop.
Taylor’s grandmother announced, “Everyone order whatever they want. I’m paying.”
Alma started to protest, but the older woman raised a hand in a staying motion. “I am grateful to you for finding my grandson and that your husband can prove that I am who I say I am. You all have taken such good care of Taylor. It is the least I can do to repay you.”
Our voices mingled in a chorus of protests assuring her we were more than happy to care for Taylor with no recompense.
Lillian set down her menu and said, “Where are you from?”
“I live in Moreland. That’s in Traverse County. I have a small farm where I raise alpacas and goats.”
Taylor nodded his head and said, “She’s got a llama too.”
Harriet returned with our drinks and we placed our orders. Before she left the table, Harriet placed her hand on my shoulder. “Do you want a dish of water for Paw? You want me to make a hamburger for him?”
“Yes, would you please?” Harriet nodded and turned to go but stopped when Lillian said, “What about Saber?”
Harriet sighed. “What would you like me to bring Saber?”
“Some chicken breast and a dish of water.”
Harriet nodded and hurried away to fill our orders.
Edith watched her go. “I would have thought that she had a waitress if she is this is her business.”
Mark took a sip of his drink and placed it back on the table and said, “She does. She has two, Lois and Marie. Marie’s over there behind the counter managing the takeout orders, but they’re one short today because Lois has been out on maternity.”
I raised an eyebrow at Mark.
He shrugged. “I like to know what’s going on in town.”
Lillian grumbled, “Nosy reporter.”
Edith raised her head and stared at Mark. “You’re a reporter?”
“Guilty.”
Edith glared at him. “None of this goes in your paper. I won’t have Taylor’s predicament bandied about for all to read.”
Mark sat back and raised his hand in supplication. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Lillian snorted but refrained from saying anything.
Alma gently placed a hand on Edith’s arm. “Don’t worry. We will handle the situation discreetly.” She turned a stern eye on Mark, who avoided her gaze and took a huge swallow of his drink.
Changing the subject, Alma turned to me. “Has Mrs. Booksteen collected all the donations for the thrift store event this weekend?”
I nodded. “As far as I know. I helped her the other day collect a bunch of bags around town. And the thrift store was full the other day when Bruce and I visited. I believe she needs to collect a few more donations. I’m not sure if anyone else was collecting. I have a few items that I collected I need to still drop off to her. I’ll do that tomorrow.”
Lillian nudged me.
I turned to look at her as a voice behind me said, “Isn’t this a cozy gathering?”
I stiffened and heard Paw growl low in his throat. Charlotte Tanner and Ned Turner stood right behind my chair. He was the one who had spoken, and he stood leering down at me.
Saber, who had awoken, hissed long and low, and I saw from the corner of my eye Paw’s head appear at the top of the table, the hair on the back of his neck bristling. Alma pushed back her chair and stood up. “Yes, it is. Looked to me like the two of you were having a cozy little lunch too.”
Charlotte huffed. Grabbing Turner’s arm, she tugged and said, “Come on, Ned. Looks to me like the Café has just gotten crowded with poor company.” She stalked off, dragging him behind her. Turner glared back at me. They nearly collided with Harriet bringing out our tray of food. Harriet stop suddenly, but
her years of waitressing served her well. She managed to keep the tray aloft. She scowled after them then said, “You have to pay at the counter.” Charlotte never turned around but flicked her finger and pointed to their table. “It’s over there.”
Marie, who had no customers at the counter, hurried from behind the cash register, across to the table, and checked for payment then nodded to Harriet. By then Charlotte and Turner were halfway out the door, so Harriet resumed her path to us. I glanced back to Marie who collected payment then grabbed a rag out of her pocket and began wiping down the table.
Harriet set her tray down and handed out food with a forced smile on her face. “Be right back with the rest of your meal.” She turned with the empty tray in her hand and hurried back behind the counter and into the kitchen. She returned in a moment and passed out the rest of our meal. “Anything else I can get you?”
I nodded in the negative, as did everyone else, and Harriet left the table.
We enjoyed our food in silence. Marie came by and placed a bowl of water and hamburger in front of Paw and a bowl of water and chicken next to Lillian, smiled at me, and returned to the counter. Saber jumped down and delicately ate his chicken while Paw gobbled his hamburger then sat next to Taylor with his chin on the boy’s leg and big eyes begging for more. Taylor looked down at Paw then, as surreptitiously as he could, handed down a French fry.
Edith admonished him. “You must ask Clarissa if you can feed her dog.”
Taylor glanced at me with a worried frown.
“A few.”
He smiled and handed Paw another French fry. I glanced toward the counter where Banks and Ms. Peabody sat.
Banks leaned against the counter and sipped his coffee while the social worker sat primly on her stool, sipping a cup of tea. I raised an eyebrow at Banks and tilted my head toward the table, but he shook his head slightly and resumed scanning the room. Conversation around our table was minimal as we ate, but once we finished, Lillian asked, “What are your plans for Taylor, Edith?”
“He’s coming to live with me on the farm, of course.” She ruffled her grandson’s hair. “My husband will be delighted that we found our grandson.”
I paused with a bite halfway to my mouth. “He doesn’t know?”
“No. I wanted to be sure this really was Taylor. Twice before we’ve had our hopes dashed thinking that a young man that was found was our grandson and he wasn’t. My husband has a weak heart, and I didn’t want to worry him and dash his hopes again.”
Taylor’s brow furrowed. “Grandpa’s sick?”
His grandmother laid a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Taylor. Grandpa will be fine. I just didn’t want to worry him.”
Taylor didn’t look convinced, but just then Paw inched his nose up for a French fry, planning on getting his own.
“No!” I said with a finger pointed at Paw. He eased back giving me his “I’m totally innocent” look.
Taylor giggled and everyone else laughed at our table. Before the conversation could resume, the bell above the Café’s door jingled and Harry strode in with a tall, middle-aged man dressed in uniform right behind him.
Edith jumped up. “Officer Moore.”
The tall officer nodded to Edith. “Mrs. Compton. How are you?”
“Much better,” she said. “I found my grandson.”
Ofc. Moore nodded. “I’ve confirmed your identity, Mrs. Compton,” Ofc. Moore said. “The chief and I agreed that you are free to take Taylor home with you.”
Edith enveloped Taylor in a huge bear hug while Paw leaned against the boy’s leg, wagging his tail, and Saber hid under the table as the rest of us erupted in cheers.
Behind us, I heard Ms. Peabody say, “A word, officer.”
I glanced over my shoulder as Ofc. Moore and Harry along with Banks spoke with Ms. Peabody.
Alma embraced Taylor and Mrs. Compton. “I’m so glad you two are back together. This calls for a celebration. I want to host a dinner in your honor.”
Mrs. Compton smiled with tears in her eyes. “Thank you, but I really want to get Taylor back home. My husband will be so relieved and want to see him right away.”
“I understand. But perhaps you and your husband and Taylor could come back in a few weeks and we can have the dinner then?”
Taylor tugged on his grandmother’s sleeve. “Please grandma. Can we?”
She wiped tears from her eyes and said, “Of course we can, dear.” She and Alma exchanged phone numbers while Lillian, Mark, and I spoke with Taylor.
“You behave and listen to your grandmother,” Lillian said. “Don’t worry. Mark and I will come and check on you.” She sniffed and swiped at her eyes. “You’re a good boy.”
Taylor hugged her, and I saw a tear slide down Lillian’s cheek. She awkwardly patted his back then released him and nodded to Mark who held out his hand to Taylor.
“Well, young man. It was a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to hearing your future adventures.”
Taylor shook Mark’s hand and said, “You bet.” Then he turned me. “I’ll miss you too, Miss Clarissa.”
I smiled and did a little sniffing back of tears myself. “And I’ll miss you, Taylor, but I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon.”
The boy nodded then wrapped his arms around Paw. “And I’ll miss you too, boy.” At his pronouncement, Saber crept from under the table and wound around the boy’s legs. Paw chuff at the cat as Taylor said, “You too, Saber.” He bent over to pet the cat’s back. When he stood up, he said to me, “I think I’ll get a dog just like Paw.” Turning to Lillian he added, “And a cat just like Saber.”
“Well, I don’t know about that.” Lillian shrugged. “Saber is one-of-a-kind.”
Half under his breath, Mark grumbled, “You can say that again.”
Lillian swatted him on the arm.
“Taylor,” his grandmother called. “Time to go.” Taylor followed her to the door but stopped suddenly, turned around, and ran back to Alma, hugging her tightly. “I’ll miss you,” he said.
With a huge grin on her face and tears on her cheeks, Alma embraced Taylor, placing a kiss on his head. “I’ll miss you too. I hope you and your grandmother can visit frequently.”
Taylor nodded and ran back to where his grandmother was speaking to Harry and Officer Moore. Harry ruffled Taylor’s hair before the boy walked out with his grandmother.
I noticed Ms. Peabody and Banks had already left.
Lillian scooped up Saber. “I may have a few things for the thrift store event. I’ll drop them off to you this evening.” Before I could protest that I wasn’t really involved in the thrift event, she grasped Mark’s arm and tugged him along. “Time to get back to the murder, newspaperman.”
Mark threw a hunted look over his shoulder but allowed her to drag him away.
I shook my head. “Why does everybody think I’m part of the thrift store event?”
Alma laughed. “I guess it’s because Mrs. Booksteen said you were helping her, and everyone figures that they can drop stuff off to you as well as her.”
I sighed and snapped on Paw’s leash. “Come on, boy. We might as well deliver the last of the things we have at the house to the thrift store.”
I briefly hugged Harry as I passed him and Officer Moore standing at the door, and Paw and I headed home.
What I thought was going to be a quick stop at the house to pick up the thrift items turned out to be an all afternoon and early evening event.
I pulled into my driveway and parked then Paw and I went into the house. I gathered two of the bags that had been dropped off at my house and planned to make two trips to the car.
Crash!
Chapter 25
I dropped the bags, thankful that nothing broke, and ran to the front door, flinging it open, Paw hot on my heels. Outside, past my driveway, on Main street was chaos. A truck carrying peas lay partially on the sidewalk, the rest of the truck tipped over onto the road, peas spewed everywhere.
An oncoming
car was crumpled in front of the truck. It’s front end smashed in. While behind the truck, a second car had swerved, bashing its backend into the back of the truck. I ran back to the phone and called 911 then ran out to help as my next-door neighbor crawled out of the car smashed into the back of the truck. I waved to him. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” he bent over, catching his breath. “Just a little shook up.”
I was relieved to see the driver who’d smashed into the front end of the truck crawling out while the driver of the pea truck pulled himself up and out of the broken, passenger window.
“Is everybody okay?”
A few grumbles followed, but both men nodded “yes”. Sirens wailed in the distance, approaching our location.
Someone yelled, “What’s that smell?”
“Gas!”
Everyone looked around, and we discovered that the truck hauling the peas was leaking fuel. The impact must’ve ruptured its tank.
Officers and firemen screeched to a halt from either side of the wreck, and Harry dispensed officers over the scene while he talked to the truck driver. A crowd of onlookers had gathered to either side of the accident scene. I was startled to see not only Ned Turner but also Sam Davis in the crowd, one on either side of the accident. Harry sent an officer to disperse the gawkers from each side as the leaking of gas was a concern. I watched Officer Heldman approach the right-hand onlookers and Sam walk away. When I glanced back to the left, Turner was gone. The crowd on that side had turned and was leaving the scene.
Harry approached me. “Did you see what happened?”
“No. I was in the house gathering things to return to the thrift store when I heard a crash. When I came out, the scene was as you see it. The men were in their cars but were starting to climb out. I don’t really know who was at fault.”
“Well, stay here, you’re not going to get to the thrift store anytime soon. We’ve got to soak up this gasoline, clear these cars, and get these peas out of the way.”
“It’s going to take that long?”
Harry grunted. “Carl’s out on a call and his other tow truck is sitting in the bay with its engine out being repaired.”
Canines and Crime Page 17
