Murder Can Confuse Your Chihuahua

by Rose Pressey

  What made her think she had a right to destroy them? And what was her reasoning? Other than just being angry with me. I supposed I still could possibly blame Danny for it. I just got the feeling that Karla had been the perpetrator. From the second she’d stepped out of her trailer, I’d sensed her guilt. It was almost as if she had been waiting for me to discover what had happened.

  I stood in front of the paintings and tried to force back the tears. Forcing myself to keep it together, I stood tall to show her that I wouldn’t let this get to me. I would just have to make do with the paintings I had left. Sure, it was a setback, but I wouldn’t let that stop me.

  Out of curiosity, I held a glass jar up to one of the paintings. That was odd, I thought. I stepped over to another one. The same thing had happened. Oddly enough, Karla had stabbed right into the hidden images in the paintings. If anyone ever saw me holding a glass up to the paintings, they would think that I’d lost my mind. I’d just tell them it was my unique way of painting. It was just a way for me to see the work that I’d done. That was the truth, in a way. If I wanted to see what images I’d painted, it was the only way.

  I focused my attention on Karla’s trailer now. Caleb still stood next to Karla. With her arms crossed in front of her, she nodded at what he said. After a few more seconds, Caleb came back over to me.

  “Are you okay?” He touched my arms.

  “Yeah, I guess I’ll be fine. It was just a shock to see.” I pointed.

  He studied the paintings. “I’m really sorry this happened, Celeste.”

  “I only stepped away for just a couple minutes. I never dreamed anyone would do something like this. What did she say?”

  “She denies that she had anything to do with it. You’d have to get some kind of proof.”

  “Well, I don’t have anything like that. There’s no video or pictures. But I’m beginning to think that maybe I should have some kind of surveillance.”

  “It might not be a bad idea,” he said.

  I had hoped he would say that it wasn’t necessary. But unfortunately, I knew it probably was needed.

  “I’ll help you put this away if you’d like.”

  “At least I can salvage the frames,” I said.

  “That’s thinking on the positive side,” he said.

  “I have nothing else, so I have to keep positive. I just want to make sure she stays away from me,” I said.

  “Thankfully the fair is almost over.”

  “Maybe I’ll never see her again. But what if she’s a murderer? She’ll be getting away with it.”

  “I can guarantee you were not going to let this killer get away with it.” Caleb sounded angry.

  Caleb helped me lift the damaged canvases into my little storage spot in the trailer.

  “Now I have to paint new paintings. But, unfortunately, there’s no time before the fair opens again in the morning. I’ll just have to put out what I have.”

  “What makes you think Karla did this?” Caleb asked.

  He sounded as if he really didn’t want to ask, but I knew he had to try to get the facts. I explained to him that she had been watching me.

  “I know that’s not definitive proof. I’ll just have to say that I’m suspicious,” I said.

  “I’ll keep my eye on her. If I find out she did this, we can arrest her.”

  “Thank you, Caleb.” I stood at the trailer door. “I should get inside and feed Van.”

  “Yes, I’m sure Gum Shoe is waiting for me too.” He studied my face. “Make sure your door is locked.”

  I knew this place was dangerous, but to hear his warning sent a shiver down my spine. Caleb touched my hand and gave me a lingering kiss. He waited while I closed the door. I figured he was listening to hear the lock.

  A short time later, I was all cuddled up in bed with Van beside me when the doorknob rattled. Van barked, and I sat up in bed. My heart sped up. The sound had stopped, but that did little to ease my fears. Now I had to get up and see who was at the door. Of course, there was no way I would open it.

  The tiny window on the door would allow a glimpse of who might be on the other side. However, the small window on the side of the trailer would probably offer a better view. Yes, peeking out the window on the side would be better than the door. I just didn’t want to be greeted with a face if I peered out the door window.

  I picked up Van. He was now growling, which he didn’t do often. That scared me even more. Whoever was on the other side of that door probably wasn’t here with the best intentions. Especially at this time of night. Could it be Caleb or Pierce? I thought for sure they would say something and let me know if they were here. They wouldn’t want to scare me this way.

  I stood beside the small window, holding Van in one arm and lifting the slat of the blinds with my other hand. My hand shook so badly that the blinds moved too. Now I worried that the person at the door would see the movement. I’d wanted to be a bit more undercover and go unnoticed.

  Peering out the window, it was hard to make out much in the darkness outside. But as far as I could tell, there was no one at the door. Ama wasn’t capable of rattling the doorknob. Plus, she would just pop up in the trailer and make herself known. Grandpa too. I had a terrible sinking feeling that someone wanted to get into my trailer. There was no way I was going let that happen if I could stop them.

  As best as I could, I scanned around the entire area. I saw nothing out of the ordinary. There were no people out at this time of night. Everything was locked down. I’d seen a couple of police officers earlier patrolling the fair. I assumed they were walking around the area now, but I knew they wouldn’t try my doorknob without announcing that they were here.

  My nerves had settled down somewhat, but I was still on edge. There was nothing I could do, I supposed, so I just settled back down under the covers with Van. I wasn’t sure I would be able to go back to sleep now. I closed my eyes and tried, because I knew I had to get up soon and get to work. Should I try counting sheep? I doubted that would work. Van didn’t have any problem going back to sleep, though. At least I had him next to me, and I knew that when he got the slightest sense of someone coming around, he would jump to attention.

  Drowsiness had just taken over when the door rattled again. My heart sped up so fast that I thought it might pop right out of my chest. Of course, Van barked again and growled. I picked him up and repeated the same routine as earlier, going to the window and checking to see who was there.

  I had a feeling someone might just be playing tricks on me since I saw no one. There was no way to be sure, though. I couldn’t go outside the trailer to check. What if the killer was the one playing tricks and trying to lure me outside? I’d just stay put until daylight.

  Maybe I should text Caleb or Pierce and let them know what was happening. Again, what if it was really nothing? I always worried that I might disturb them for nothing. If someone was just playing tricks, it was pointless to let them know. Although playing tricks with still kind of serious when a killer was around.

  CHAPTER 22

  Bring snacks to keep up your energy as you sell your crafts, get to know other vendors, and solve a murder.

  The next morning, I decided I needed to go to the bakery again and try to speak with April. I wasn’t sure if I would find out anything new, but I had to give it a shot. Things were getting bad quickly, and the craft fair was almost over. I would have to figure this out before something else happened—like someone else getting killed . . . namely me.

  After getting dressed, I skipped breakfast, since I could get something at the bakery. I’d be there and everything, so I might as well treat myself. Van would have to stay at home since they wouldn’t allow him in the bakery.

  “I promise I’ll be back soon, Van,” I said. “Maybe I’ll bring you a special treat from the doggie bakery.”

  The pet store was down the street from the bakery. I’d have to stop for a quick trip on my way back. Van wagged his tail and licked my cheek as I hugged and kissed h
im good-bye.

  When I stepped out of the trailer, I checked to the left and to the right, making sure Danny or any other of the suspects weren’t around. No one seemed to be near. I hurried to the truck so that I could get out of there before someone showed up. Caleb wasn’t out at his booth either, which was probably for the best. The last thing I needed was for him to figure out what I was up to.

  After slipping behind the wheel of my truck, I headed down the road to the bakery. For the entire drive, my mind was occupied with trying to solve the murder. Why couldn’t I narrow this down more?

  Thank goodness, I found a spot right out front. I’d assumed the bakery would be busy this time of morning. Once I’d parked, I got out of truck, locked it, and headed for the door. Of course, I scanned my surroundings to see if anyone had followed me this time. Thank goodness, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. I was on high alert for something to happen. Someone could’ve easily followed me, and I wouldn’t even know.

  When I stepped inside the shop, I was surprised to see that there really weren’t that many people there after all. Just a few customers stood at the counter. The same woman who had helped me before was working today. Disappointment settled in. I had hoped to find April here. When did she work? Now I’d just have to make a purchase and ask the woman if there were any new updates. At least I’d have breakfast now.

  The smell was delicious inside this place. What would I order? A donut? A pastry? Maybe a croissant? There were so many options. After all the stress, I deserved a treat. I’d been good with my healthy eating, and it was time for something special. No one had noticed that I’d entered the place. I stepped up to the line at the counter to wait. Leaning to the left, I tried to get a glimpse of the contents in the glass containers.

  A couple of minutes later, the woman had helped the other customers, and I was next. Before she had a chance to take my order, April came out from the back. Holding back my excitement was tough. I almost yelled out with glee. Now maybe I’d get a chance to talk to her after all. I just hoped that she didn’t go back through that door without giving me a chance to talk to her first. How would I explain that I needed to speak to her? It had to be subtle.

  When our eyes met, she instantly recognized me. April frowned at first, as if wondering why I was there. However, a couple of seconds later, I supposed she realized that this was a business and that I was here for food. She didn’t need to know that it was more than that. Although when I asked questions, she might be suspicious. Still, the expression on her face wasn’t friendly. I’d done nothing wrong, so I wasn’t sure why she reacted that way.

  “May I help you?” she asked in an unpleasant tone.

  I still hadn’t decided what I wanted to purchase, but I knew I needed to make that decision quickly before April told me to get lost.

  “I’ll have a glazed doughnut, please,” I said.

  She said nothing as she picked up one of the doughnuts from the glass case and placed it into a bag.

  “That’ll be two dollars, please.” She thrust her hand toward me, waiting for me to hand over my dollar bills.

  I had no idea what to ask her, and it seemed as if I’d have to leave without asking any questions at all. Once she had my cash, she walked over to the register to place the money inside. I supposed it was time for me to leave. She was distracted with trying to get the register to work. Right there on top of the counter, April had left her phone for anyone to see. Maybe I could just take a quick peek. After all, she was distracted. It was practically an invitation to sneak a peek.

  If April caught me, she would probably come right over the counter and attack me. I had no idea if she was the killer or not, so should I really test her patience? She could be capable of something horrific. I didn’t want to think that about her, but I had no choice. Also, I had no choice but to check the phone. It had to be done. I leaned over and touched the phone’s screen. Immediately, it lit up.

  Everyone was busy and paying no attention to me either. What was I even expecting to find on the phone? I’d better figure it out soon. My heart beat quickly. Was I actually doing this? Thank goodness, Pierce and Caleb couldn’t see me.

  The easiest thing for me to check was the text messages. I clicked on the little icon. Text messages from Mark showed on the screen. However, before checking out the messages from him, I saw an exchange between Erica and April. She still had that on her phone? I supposed it had only been a few days. If I had lost Sammie, that would have been a grim reminder. I wouldn’t be able to handle that.

  Erica and April had communicated not long before Erica’s murder. It was tough to read the text while the phone was upside down, but the last thing I wanted was to touch the phone in case April noticed me. I was running out of time.

  The text message exchange was that April knew about Erica’s secret hiding place. What was that supposed to mean? Erica had a secret hiding place? What was it for, and why was it secret? Even stranger was that April had wanted Erica to meet her at the secret hiding place right before the time when Erica was murdered. That sent a chill down my spine.

  CHAPTER 23

  Make sure to give a receipt. Accept a credit card if you can. Keep records of your customers. You never know if you may have to call them as witnesses.

  Thank goodness, I’d stopped invading April’s privacy seconds before she spun around. She frowned, though, as if she was suspicious of me. She noticed her phone on the counter. For a second, I wondered if she knew I’d been checking it out. She was a sharp cookie and intuitive, obviously. Did they have a video camera in this place? April might go back and check the video to see if I had been up to something. At least I would be out of here by then. But she might come after me, especially if she was the killer. I had just put myself in an even riskier situation.

  “Did you need anything else?” she asked in a snippy tone.

  “Do you remember me? I spoke with you at the craft fair. Remember? You came by asking questions about Erica,” I said.

  She raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I remember you.”

  “How are you doing?” I asked.

  “As well as can be expected, I suppose, since my friend was murdered.”

  “Have the police talked to you about any clues? I know that you were trying to get some on your own,” I said.

  She still seemed hostile and tense. “No, I have no new clues. I suppose it’s just a closed case now.”

  “I wouldn’t give up on that just yet,” I said. “Do you know where Erica was going right before she was murdered? Did she have someplace she had to be?”

  “Why are you asking these questions?” April asked.

  “It just crossed my mind that perhaps asking you questions would help you remember something about a clue or refresh your memory.”

  More customers came in. “I don’t have any more information, and I have to go back to work.”

  She moved away from me and over to a customer.

  I headed outside with my doughnut and climbed back into the truck. As I sat inside the truck, I devoured the doughnut. It was more of a pity treat since I hadn’t come up with any new clues, and it seemed as if I wasn’t any closer to solving this crime.

  With glaze icing on my lips, I peered around to see if there was any suspicious activity. Thank goodness, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. I remembered what the woman at the fair had told me very early on after Erica’s murder. Erica had worked at the school as the art teacher. Maybe I needed to go by there and see if anyone would speak with me about Erica. Maybe they would have information that they’d recently remembered or forgotten to share with the police.

  After finishing off the doughnut, I started the truck and backed out of the parking space and headed for the school. Classes would be starting soon, so I would have to hurry or else I would have to wait until the end of the day. Luckily, I had gone out early, or none of this would’ve been possible.

  A short time later, I pulled into the school’s front circular drive. In a landscaped area i
n front of the school, there was a tall pole, and an American flag waved proudly in the wind. To the left of the school was the parking lot. I made my way around to that parking lot and found a spot. The traffic from parents dropping off students was just clearing out.

  As I hurried out of the truck, I realized the adults were headed inside. The students were already there. Only a few people lingered around, and I assumed they were heading in too. I made eye contact with one woman and hurried over to her. She was trying to avoid me, but it was too late.

  I was close enough now to say, “Excuse me.”

  She eyed me up and down, and said, “May I help you? If you need to speak with a teacher, you’ll have to check in at the office.”

  “Actually, I just have a quick question, if you don’t mind. I’m investigating the murder of Erica Miller. Did you know her?” I asked.

  She peeked around as if she was making sure no one was watching. Why would she be worried that someone would hear us talking?

  “It’s just awful what happened to her, and I hope they find out who did this soon. We’re all worried and scared. What kind of questions do you have?” she asked.

  “Just anything that you can tell me about her,” I said

  “Erica was very sweet person. And trusting, probably to a fault. I feel like maybe that’s what got her into this situation.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Well, maybe someone like the killer asked her for help or whatever, and they lured her into that area.”

  “You don’t think she was there on purpose and the killer just found her there? Like a random attack or something?”

  “I don’t think this was random at all. I don’t know, I guess; it’s just a gut feeling,” she said.

  “Do you have any idea who may have wanted to harm her?” I asked.

  “No. As far as I know, she wasn’t dating anyone, and she spent most of her time working with the art materials and preparing for her class here. I don’t think anyone had any issues with her.” She checked over her shoulder, and I knew she had to leave.