Groomer Has It

by Katie Hagen

  LuLu ignored my attempt at humor and continued as though I hadn’t spoken at all which is what I’d expected.

  “You have always been drawn to animals because you want to understand them. That desire to connect with another creature, Kit, that’s what propels you forward through this universe.”

  “Ok, Mom,” I stood up as gracefully as possible. I could see this leading into a very uncomfortable conversation about my sex life. Veto, veto, veto.

  “But Kit, don’t you see? You care so much about these creatures because they exist on a less complex plane. Their desires are clear. Safety, nourishment, stimulation, trust, love, and fear. You love them for that. You and Kitty were just so much alike. Your whole lives. I never really knew how to…” she glanced up at me then closed her eyes. “Well, anyway. It’s just that I’ve never known anyone that simply understood another creature like you, Kit. Not even Kitty.”

  I turned to go. “Thanks, Mom. It’s been…” but she’d already started humming along with whatever song was in her head. She did do me the courtesy of giving a little wave as I walked away.

  On my way out I looked into the garage. I expected to see the decomposing corpse of some classic car. A new project for Tom. But the garage was empty. He must have been pretty busy at the shop. I thought about stopping by and seeing him and my Uncle Turn but then I remembered that Jordan Parker would probably be there too. I just wanted him to hold me. Tom. Not Jordan, I reminded myself.

  On my drive back to Kitty’s I stopped by the beach. Walking along the rocks and sand I wondered if my mother had finally lost her mind. She was right about one thing though; dogs were simple, at least when it came to love. That they knew how to give without any quid pro quo and it never faltered.

  Something hit me as I watched the waves hit the sand. I was done. I needed to say goodbye and get back to my life. I’d failed. Kitty’s would close and there was nothing I could do about it. The town didn’t trust me and in a small town, trust was what mattered most. It was also clear that I wasn’t going to find myself involved in a small town romance to make me stay.

  When I got back to my car, I saw several missed messages on my phone. All from Peter.

  I called him back quickly and tried to run my fingers through my windblown hair to calm my nerves.

  “Kit, where are you?”

  “Umm, I’d like to say Maui, but I can’t really afford it right now. Really I’m just down by Maxwelton beach.”

  “I think something’s wrong.”

  I sat up a little straighter in my seat and watched my eyes in the mirror. Why hadn’t I brought Picklepuss? I had the feeling I was about to need some emotional support.

  “Is it me? I know, I’ve been a lot lately and I don’t really make the best first impression, or second apparently…I think it’s the weather here, something about seasonal depression. Plus, you know it’s like my hometown and I really don’t fit in here… and then there’s the murders...”

  “Kit.”

  “Yes?”

  “Frannie never came to get her kids from school today.”

  “What?”

  “They called me. I guess I was on her emergency list. I have the boys here now; they’re outside playing with Charlie.”

  “Oh, no, no, no.” I started the engine and felt it roar to life beneath me. “This can’t happen. Did you call the police?”

  “Of course, I did.”

  We both knew how much that would help.

  “Is Vic home?”

  Peter got quiet for a minute and then came back on the line. “His car’s not there. No. I don’t think so.”

  “Ok. I’m going to check Paint N’ Tings and The Cattail Bookstore.”

  “Kit you can’t go alone.”

  “Sorry Peter,” I said as I heard a crash from behind him and manic little boy laughter. “I think you’ve got your hands full.”

  I hung up the phone and headed back to Glaney.

  I saw the lights as soon as I turned down main street and parked in the closest spot I could find.

  Ashley Trull came around the corner from the back with two officers by her side. They both glanced at me as they passed, climbed into their cruiser and pulled away. Ashley stood in front of Paint N’ Tings and folded her arms across her chest.

  “Was she in there?” I asked as I jogged across the street. Both Paint N’ Tings and the bookstore had their signs flipped to closed. “Is she ok?”

  Ashley threw her hands up in the air when I got to her. “Can you keep your voice down, please?”

  “Ashley, is Frannie ok?”

  “She wasn’t there,” she sighed and turned back toward the building. “The back door was unlocked, no sign of forced entry. Hey! Where do you think you’re going!” she shouted at me as I stomped down the alley, but I ignored her. After years of practice, I was very good at it.

  She caught up to me as I was pounding in Vic’s backdoor. “Vic!” I shouted but heard nothing but a faint meowing.

  Ashley put her hand on my shoulder to stop me and I realized I was crying.

  “Kit, stop.”

  “Where is your father?” I practically screamed at her.

  Ashley took a step back. “He’s at work, where he always is. Why?”

  “I think you know why.”

  Ashley shook her head. “Wait. So, you’re saying that you think that the killer is either Vic Perring or….my dad? What would make you think he had anything to do with this?”

  I simply raised my eyebrow at her. How could she not see it? “Ashley. Come on.”

  “No, Kit,” she spat out my name like moldy bread. “Just because my dad worked with that girl, doesn’t mean that he tried to kill her. She had a whole life outside of work you know.”

  “Her name is Sam, and I know that she has a life, but you can’t deny the connection. Plus, I know the mayor was in Vicki’s house. He’s the one that brought her the brownies and the flowers. They were…you know, involved.”

  Ashley’s mouth gaped. “Kit, as usual you are so wrong.”

  “So, explain to me why he was there then, Ash.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared.

  “Ok, fine. He was wooing her.”

  “I knew it!”

  “But not romantically. Jeez, Kit. She was an old woman! He was trying to get her to be open to a meeting. My father has big plans for Glaney, and he needed her support. That was it.”

  “Like Glaney Commons?” I asked.

  “How did you know about that?” She whispered.

  Instead of answering, I brushed past her and headed back out of the ally. “I don’t have time for this. I have to find Frannie!” I shouted back to her.

  Ashely caught up to me quicker than I thought she would and shoved me toward the ally wall. “Kit, you are not qualified to do anything about this. This is a police matter and you will keep your big nose out of it.”

  I gasped and covered my face. “How dare you.”

  “Kit Davis I mean it. You’ll only make it worse.”

  I shrugged off her grip and stomped to my car, fired it up, and did a wildly uncoordinated U-turn. When I got up the little hill to Kitty’s I saw several people parking in front and going inside. I slowed down as I passed and saw that the front room was filled. What I didn’t see were any dogs.

  I parked in the back and slipped inside to find Beverly sitting at her grooming table, casually cutting bandanas for after all the grooms we didn’t have. Picklepuss was modeling for her in trade for treats and hardly looked my direction.

  “Oh, hello Kit,” Beverly smiled. “I see you made it out of bed today.”

  I walked past her to the front where I could hear voices raised, including Carlie’s.

  When I stepped out from the back, everyone went quiet. It seemed half the town was there, and they were all looking at me.

  “Umm, can I help you?” I went to stand by Carlie who gripped my arm. The Autumn Oaks bus pulled up in front and one by one Glaney’s elderly population filtered in
through the front door. I noticed Ashley Trull slip in with them and stand in the back.

  A tall man in a feather cap towered above them all. Doc moved forward daftly and placed his hands on the counter. “Kit. We need to know what you’re gonna do about all this. First Vicki, then that sweet little girl gets hurt, and now Frannie’s gone missing. It’s not right.”

  I glanced at Ashley who seemed to be hiding her face. Another chicken.

  “Guys, I’m trying. I really am. But like I told you before, I’m not a detective.”

  “Neither was Angela Lansbury!” someone shouted from the back.

  I sighed and looked into Doc’s soulful brown eyes. “Ok.”

  Doc smiled a little as I turned to the crowd.

  “We need to find out who saw Frannie last. I saw her on Wednesday night. Can anyone beat that?”

  An older woman with a child on her hip answered. “I saw her Thursday. I was buying finger paint,” she kissed the child on the head.

  “Anyone else? Did anyone see her today? This morning?” I scanned the room. A small hand was being raised so I pointed. “You?”

  A short and plump blond woman shuffled forward. “I’m a crossing guard at the school. I saw her pass by with her boys.” She shook her head sadly.

  “Thank you,” I smiled down at her. “Anyone else?”

  Ashley cleared her throat. “I think that’s enough, Kit. Everyone please, you need to leave this to the GPD. We’ve got this under control.”

  “Like heck you do!” Someone shouted and others grunted their agreement. “That Sam Curtz was working for your father, Sheriff. As far as we know you’re all in on it!”

  Ashley shook her head. “Kit Davis is not a detective. She said it herself!”

  “Kit’s already done more than you and she’s been here a week! You wouldn’t even know there was a crime if it weren’t for her!” A round bellied, bearded man shook his fist.

  Ashely laughed. “She tripped over a couple victims and stomped all over the crime scenes! That’s it! She doesn’t even live here!”

  Pricilla Thomas stomped through the crowd and put her finger in Ashley’s face. “Maybe so. But Kitty Davis was a real part of this town. She took care of us. She cared! What has your family ever done but look down their noses at us? Huh? If these girls have any bit of that woman in her they won’t give up until they’ve figured it out.”

  Ashley looked at Carlie and I. Carlie gripped my arm a little tighter.

  “All I’ve ever done is try to be a part of this town.” Ashley’s cheeks were red and there were tears welling in her eyes. “That’s fine. If you people don’t want to help me solve this then I’ll do it without you.”

  The door slammed behind her and all eyes returned to me and Carlie.

  Chapter 12

  “Thank you,” I smiled. “I’ll do everything I can, but I do need your help. If you think of anything, anything that might be important please let me know.” They were right. Kitty would have done absolutely anything to help. I couldn’t just leave. Not now.

  Slowly, the crowd dispersed onto the street. I stared down at the little figurines in the counter case, including the pig I’d found in the trash.

  “Excuse me, but I wasn’t quite done,” the crossing guard spoke softly.

  Carlie finally released my arm and went to talk to another woman who was looking at the dog sweaters we had for sale.

  “I’m so sorry, please, go ahead.”

  “Well, when I saw Frannie this morning…she wasn’t alone.”

  “You mean there was something else in the car besides Frannie and the boys?”

  “I believe so, I mean, I was distracted. Those boys of hers were making faces at me through the window so I was mostly making faces back, but I seem to remember someone in the passenger seat on the other side of Frannie. I think it was a man.”

  “Did you see who it was? Did he have a beard?”

  The woman shook her head. “I can’t be sure.”

  I told her to let me know if she remembered anything and walked her through the door then pranced over to Carlie as she was ringing up the sale.

  “Thank you!” I said to the customer and waited for the door to shut before squealing.

  “What?” Carlie demanded and held her hands over her ears.

  “That crossing guard said that someone was in the car with Frannie this morning! Ashley said the Mayor was at the office, so it has to be Vic! I knew he was creepy.”

  “Ok well, if you’re sure then. So, I guess we’re going with Vic. What now?”

  “Well…now we…” I had no idea. Plus, I wasn’t fully convinced it even was Vic. I didn’t know the Mayor’s actual hours or if he was late that morning or anything else that could officially exclude him but my gut was saying Vic, so I ran with it.

  “Where would he take her? Vicki was found in her house. Sam was in hers. Peter said that Frannie wasn’t home and neither was Vic, so that’s a dead end. We need to talk to someone close to him. So... who would that be?”

  Carlie shrugged. “I don’t think he has a lot of friends.”

  I tapped my fingers on the counter. “I need some tea. Do you want some?”

  Carlie shook her head no, as did Beverly when I asked. I took Picklepuss upstairs with me and put a kettle on the stove. She wolfed down some food, burped, and then hopped onto the couch. “Nice that you can rest at a time like this.”

  While I waited for the water to heat up, I started wiping the counters. Then while the tea steeped, I started sweeping. I got a good pile of dirt and dust going before grabbing the dustpan. After the pile was gathered, I moved over to the torn paper from Picklepuss’s great explosion on her first day with me. When I bent down to sweep it too into the pan, I saw writing on the paper. Carefully, I pulled out as many pieces as I could find, abandoned my broom, and laid them out like a puzzle on the counter. Vic’s name shot out at me.

  “What is this?”

  After re-arranging the pieces several times, I finally managed to read the simple note.

  Keep away from Vic Perring. I almost laughed.

  “Well, thank you mystery person. So helpful.” I pushed the paper aside with my hand. So, someone knew about Vic and wanted me to know too. Had it been Sam? I hadn’t seen any notes when I first arrived and Picklepuss went nuts on the day I found Vicki. So, was the note left while Picklepuss was home alone? It must have been. I wondered if I’d noticed it before if I would have been able to stop him. Maybe Sam didn’t have to get hurt. Maybe Frannie would be home with her kids. I sat down and took a sip of tea considering how my lack of cleanliness might have actually led to two potential murders.

  I nearly dropped my mug when someone pounded on the back door. Picklepuss went flying toward the door, barking, and sniffing under the edges. I didn’t answer it right away but first went to open the door to the salon. Just in case. It would either be an escape route or maybe Carlie and Beverly would hear if something happened.

  “Kit!” Jordan’s voice came through the door like a battering ram.

  “Yes?” I smiled politely and let him push past me.

  He stood in the center of the room all bearded and covered in oil. He was still wearing his coveralls. “What did you do?”

  “Umm, I have no idea what you are talking about, Jordan.”

  “Yes, do you,” he took a deep breath. “Ashley called me a few minutes ago sobbing. She’s a mess. She told me about your little visit to her the other day too. This needs to stop.”

  “So now you’re her bodyguard. Wow. Just break up with her now, this relationship doesn’t look good on you.”

  “And crazy ex-girlfriend doesn’t look good on you, Kit.”

  “Maybe it’ll look better on her.”

  Jordan rolled his eyes. “And I’m not doing that,” he shook his head. “I’m not breaking up with her.”

  “What…like ever?” I could not believe what I was hearing.

  “Kit, she’s having my kid.”

  I felt
faint and a little nauseous. When was the last time I ate? I couldn’t remember.

  “Oh Jordan,” I sighed and took a seat at the counter.

  “Don’t do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Act like I’m some victim here. She’s not like that. She’s actually really sweet.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Kit. This has to stop. What did you think anyway? That you were just going to come back here, and we’d get back together like nothing happened?”

  “Woah there, buddy. For one, I’m not even back. I’m just staying until I can get Kitty’s running again and replace myself. And second, if I was going to date anyone here it wouldn’t be you. In fact, I’m kind of seeing someone.”

  “Who?”

  “Peter George. You probably don’t know him.”

  “That movie theater guy?”

  “Oh, I guess you do. Yes.”

  Jordan paced a few steps then looked up at me, looked down and paced some more. “I don’t know, Kit.”

  “What don’t you know?”

  “Whether you should be with that guy.”

  “Well, good thing you’re not involved in this relationship then.”

  “Maybe you could do the same for mine?” He raised an eyebrow at me and then slowly, he smiled.

  “Fine. So, are we good?” I asked hopefully.

  Jordan stuck his hands into the pockets of his coveralls and nodded. “We’re good.”

  “Jeez man, I didn’t think you had it in you. You practically bared your teeth at me.”

  Jordan came over and leaned on the counter. “Sorry about that. I was just scared I guess.”

  I’d almost forgotten how much fear looked like aggression sometimes. Jordan was afraid of losing Ashley, and he was willing to fight to keep her. I remembered when I told him I was leaving for L.A. I’d waited so long for him to say something to stop me but he never said a word past goodbye. Maybe people do change.

  “I’ll try to stay off her back, ok?”

  Jordan nodded. “Alright, Kit. Thanks.”

  He left and Carlie came through the door from the shop.

  “I was sitting on the stairs,” she shrugged. “So, I guess you know now.”