by Paul Regnier
“I know, I know, you’d be in movies.”
“Well, you never know.”
I opened the car door, then hesitated. “Hey, as long as we’re in town, maybe we should head to Jake’s bar.”
“Yeah. I could go for a beer.”
“No, to ask questions about Graham. Carol said they might have some good info.”
“Oh, right. I could talk to Antonio. Get the inside scoop on Graham and his poker buddies.”
“Antonio? Who’s that?”
“He busses tables and cleans the joint. Jake was supposed to train him as a bartender but he keeps putting him off. Major control issues. I told Antonio to just take courses online. I mean, why should Jake keep–”
“Okay, I don’t need his life story. You know the guy? He’d tell you what’s going on?”
“Oh yeah. He’s a regular on my Upside Down Crystal Falls Reddit group.”
“I thought you ran the group under an alias. Wouldn’t this blow your cover?”
“Nah. I have another account in the group where I act like I’m new and I don’t know what’s going on. I’ll just use that name.”
I shook my head. “Well, whatever works. If he’ll talk to you, then let’s give it a whirl. Come on.”
A short walk down Main Street brought us to Jake’s Bar. The wooden door creaked open, sending bright rays of sunlight toward the boozing vampires within. Jake’s seemed like a darkened hole that had been hollowed out of a big log. There was wood everywhere, occasionally accented with polished brass. A handful of people were scattered throughout the place, mostly huddled around tables. A lone drinker leaned over the bar, nursing a draft beer.
Jake, the owner, was busy at the register behind the bar. He was a tall guy with a shiny, bald head and a thick goatee.
He frowned as he watched us walk through the door. “Hey, no dogs in here.”
“Oh,” I said. “Sorry.”
Bandit sneezed. No dogs? Who’s he kidding? This place is a dive. It smells way worse than me, even when my fur gets wet.
I patted Kenny on the shoulder. “Looks like you’re flying solo on this one. You good?”
Kenny rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. “I got this.”
“Alright. Go get ‘em.”
He flashed me a thumbs up and strode up to the bar. I turned and led Bandit back out to the sidewalk.
“Well, Bandit. You up for a walk?”
He looked up, his mouth drawn back in his doggie smile. Are you kidding? I could walk all the livelong day. Let’s go!
“Alright, let’s loop around Main Street, give Kenny some time.”
Just one loop?
“We’ll see.”
Bandit trotted down the sidewalk, pretty much leading me, his furry head turning at every noise.
My mind spun with all the possibilities of who might be behind the robbery and the murder. There were so many connections and overlaps, it seemed the guilt could go in multiple directions. Obviously, Jimmy was working with an accomplice, maybe even more than one. But something happened to make that accomplice turn on Jimmy and end his life. There were so many unanswered questions, it was hard to know where to start.
Bandit looked up at me. You sure are quiet.
“Sorry. Thinking about this case. So much to process.”
Yeah, but you’re missing everything. The sun is out, there’s a soft wind blowing through my fur, birds are flying nearby, just waiting to be barked at and chased. It’s a perfect day!
I got out of my head for a moment and took in our surroundings. The air was crisp, but not too cold to enjoy a day out. The sky was a deep blue with puffy white clouds. Birds were chirping out their happy little songs. I’d been so caught up with the investigation, I hadn’t stopped to realize what a nice day it was.
I took a deep breath of refreshing mountain air. “You know, it is really great out.”
Told you. Bandit sniffed the air. And much better out here than in that stuffy bar. It would be a crime not to go for a walk on a day like this.
I smiled at him. “Maybe you’re right.”
You gotta drink a day like this in. Like those days when you finally wash the gunk out of my water bowl and put new water in it. You know what I’m talking about?
“Yes, Bandit. And thank you for the reminder. I know it’s been a couple weeks.”
A crow landed on a lamppost just ahead. Bandit let loose a flurry of barks, straining at his leash.
“Easy boy. It’s just a crow.”
Just a crow? That’s like me saying, Easy, Luke, it’s just a killer.
Just a killer. Bandit’s words sent my mind through the potential suspects once more. So far, the greatest motivation seemed to lie with the Greyson sisters. They had the most to gain. Stealing the gems was a big enough financial incentive, but the opportunity to fake a theft, collect the insurance money, and then sell the gems secretly on the side basically doubled the pay day. And if the partnership with Jimmy went south, they also had the most to lose. That might have been motivation enough to drive one of them to murder.
Bandit whined. There you go again, getting all quiet. Do you have to think about the case right now?
“Sorry, I can’t help it. I feel like the answer is right in front of me, and I just can’t see it. I want to zero in on the right person, but all the main suspects have some kind of connection to the crime.”
I know what I’d do.
“Is that so?”
Sure. It’s easy.
I laughed. “Easy, huh? Okay, let’s hear it. How would Officer Bandit find the right criminal?”
A long time ago, one of your mom’s friends came over with two chihuahuas.
“That was Mrs. Hart, and that was only three weeks ago.”
Well, it seemed like a long time. Anyways, those dogs were trouble. Sparkles and Sugar Pop. And don’t get fooled by their cutsie names, like most humans. Sure, they acted all sweet when they came over, but once I invited them into my backyard, and Mrs. Hart turned her back, the demons came out to play. They barked at me, nipped at my legs, and peed all over my fence. And whenever I barked back, your mom would only scold me. Those little creeps got away with everything.
“Is there a point to this story? I was talking about solving a crime.”
He barked. I’m getting there. Anyways, one of them stole my favorite tennis ball and hid it. You know the one with half the fuzz torn off?
“Yeah, I think.”
Okay, so one of these little scoundrels stole my favorite ball and hid it, but neither would confess. They kept blaming Mr. Ruffington from next door. Can you believe that? As if he could hop the fence with his stubby little dachshund legs. So, you know what I did?
“What?”
I grabbed two of my toys and gave one to each of them. Then, I pretended I was busy digging a hole. But I watched them. Close. And wouldn’t you know it, little Sugar Pop took his toy to the side yard and hid it behind a trash can. Guess what else was back there?
“Your ball?”
My favorite ball. Caught that sneaky chihuahua in the act, and gave him a nip on his neck that he so richly deserved. But you know who got in trouble? Not that little thief Sugar Pop. Your mom and Mrs. Hart pointed at me and called me a bad dog. Sugar Pop got nothing but love. Can you believe that? So much for justice.
“Fascinating story. So, what are you trying to say? You want me to give new gemstones to all the suspects and see what they do?”
Hey, it worked for me. Just saying.
When we finished our loop, Kenny was already outside of Jake’s bar, sitting on the sidewalk. His lackluster wave as we approached gave me the distinct impression that something had not gone well.
Chapter 14
Bandit whined. What’s wrong with Kenny?
“I don’t know. Maybe Antonio didn’t have any good info.”
Hm. I should let him pet me so he can feel better.
“Pet you? He’s the one that needs a lift.”
I kno
w. That’s the magic of petting a dog. It’s kind of a win-win situation.
Bandit walked right up and laid his chin on Kenny’s knee. Kenny started petting him, the corner of his mouth turning up with a hint of a smile.
Bandit glanced back at me. See?
Yeah, yeah.
“How’d it go?” I asked.
Kenny smoothed the fur back on Bandit’s head. “So-so. Antonio was helpful but Jake is a punk.”
“What happened?”
“He kicked me out. Said I wasn’t buying any drinks, and I was keeping Antonio from doing his job. That guy’s running a sweatshop in there.”
“Did Antonio tell you anything good before you got booted?”
“Yeah. According to him, Graham played poker with a group of mostly local guys, but once in a while, Jimmy Bosko, AKA Jimmy the Mysterious, would join them.”
“Interesting. And if you’re the thieving sort, I suppose it’s not a big leap to go from playing cards to planning a robbery.”
Kenny nodded. “Maybe that’s why Graham is such a closed book. He’s got something to hide.”
Bandit barked. Just like Sugar Pop.
Kenny flinched. “Whoa, what’s he barking at?”
“He knows we’re onto something.”
“That’s not all,” Kenny said. “Guess who else would join in the card game from time to time?”
“Who?”
“Jacob Hammond. Ellie’s uncle.”
“Really?” I was quiet for a moment, considering the implications. “Strange. He doesn’t stand to gain from the insurance.”
“No,” Kenny said. “But he could’ve teamed up with Vicki. You know, she gets the insurance money, he gets the gems. Maybe they pulled Jimmy on board to do the actual thieving.”
“And maybe after Jimmy stole the gems he wanted to change the deal. Get a bigger split.”
Kenny nodded. “I could see that.”
“Crazy.” I shook my head. “Well, once we get something a little more solid, I want to call Brooke. First, let’s get that spare tire and go back for my car.”
We got back in Kenny’s car and drove to the auto mechanics. Luckily, they had a spare tire that fit my Mustang, but my bank account took a painful one hundred and forty-three dollar hit.
Kenny became more apologetic after seeing the price tag, and more forgiving of the unintentional roadblocks I’d put between him and Ellie. He even offered to pay me back for the tire, which was music to my broke ears.
Soon we were back on Needle Pass, heading up to Aspen Drive to rescue my stranded Mustang.
On the way up, Kenny’s phone rang.
“What up, Larry? Oh yeah? Well, Luke’s with me. I’ll switch to speakerphone so he can hear.”
“Hey Luke.” Larry’s voice echoed through the car as Kenny held his phone toward me.
“Hey,” I said. “What’s going on?”
“Well,” Larry said. “I didn’t say anything before because, well, Carol’s my aunt and everything but ... I don’t know, it probably doesn’t even mean anything, but she’s been talking to that guy Graham lately. Like, a lot.”
“Really?” I said. “For how long?”
“About a month or so. Ever since he started organizing the auction.”
“Well, she was running the fireworks show,” I said. “Maybe they were just talking about that.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Larry said. “At first, anyway. But they were talking like every day. I mean, how much planning do you need for a fireworks show, right?”
“Did you overhear them saying anything weird?” Kenny broke in. “Like anything about stealing, or Jimmy Bosko?”
Larry took a deep breath. “That’s why I called. When you left the store it got me thinking. Why were they talking so much? And then I remembered a phone call she had where she mentioned the gemstones. I didn’t think much about it at the time. I mean, everyone knew the gemstones were expensive, and Ellie bringing them to the auction was big news and all. But right after she talked about the gems I heard her say the name Jimmy.”
“Whoa,” Kenny said.
“Did she say his full name?” I said. “Jimmy Bosko?”
“No,” Larry said. “Not that I remember, anyway. I didn’t think twice about it, you know? I mean, I thought it was a fireworks vendor, or one of Graham’s assistants or something. But when you said the guy's name, I kind of flashed back to that phone call. Is that something? I don’t know, maybe I’m reading too much into it.”
“No, that’s something,” I said. “Do you remember anything else? Any other conversations?”
“Not really,” he said. “Sorry, man, I don’t even know if that’s helpful. I can’t imagine Aunt Carol having anything to do with all this, but I figured I should call.”
“Thanks Larry,” Kenny said. “That’s good stuff.”
“Hey,” Larry said. “If your detective thing takes off, keep me in mind. You know I’m looking for a new job.”
The faint sound of Carol yelling in the background came through the phone.
Larry grunted. “Gotta go. Carol’s on the rampage again. Later.”
The phone clicked off.
“How ‘bout that?” Kenny raised his eyebrows. “Carol and Graham? You think?”
Bandit barked. My money’s on Carol. All those creepy stuffed animals should’ve been a dead giveaway. Who does that?
We don’t know for sure, Bandit. Let’s not lock her up just yet.
“It does seem like a lot of phone calls,” I said. “Planning every day for a month just for fireworks?”
“Well, it was a good show.”
“Not that good.”
And it was way too loud. Bandit whined. Hurt my ears.
“Which begs the question,” I said. “Maybe they were planning something else.”
“Yeah.” Kenny lowered his voice. “Gemstones and murder.”
“Psh. Yeah, could be. Our best bet is to find that car with your drone. Then maybe we can unravel this thing.”
Five minutes later we reached the intersection of Needle Pass and Aspen Drive.
“What about here?” I said. “Aspen Drive is the street that leads away from Turner cabin. If the killer got rid of Jimmy’s car nearby, this is a good place to get an aerial sweep.”
“Makes sense.” Kenny continued to drive down the road.
“If it makes sense, why aren’t you parking?”
“Too much brush over here. It’ll scratch my car. I need a clear space to park.”
“Oh, brother.”
Kenny drove another fifty yards before we found a clearing that suited him.
Bandit whined when the car slowed to a stop. Let me out. I saw a squirrel.
I looked back at him. I need you to stick close. No getting lost in the forest.
Of course. He leaned toward the window and let out a soft woof. Hurry. He’s getting away.
“What’s up with Bandit?” Kenny checked out the windows. “He doesn’t sense anything dangerous out there, does he?”
“Nah, he wants to chase squirrels.” I got out of the car and released Bandit into the wilds.
As he sprinted toward the trees I called out. “Not too far! Come back soon.”
A few seconds later he was swallowed up in the shadows of the pine trees ahead.
Kenny joined me outside. “Don’t you ever worry he won’t come back?”
“Nah. I’m the only steady source of bacon he knows.”
“Right.” He took out his drone and powered it up. The lights began to flash and he stepped back. He attached his phone to the controller and gave a quick look around. “Okay, here we go.”
The drone lifted into the air with a smooth whirr and flew on a forward arc toward the hills beyond. The video feed on Kenny’s phone displayed the treetops rushing by.
“Okay,” I said. “Don’t forget to–”
“I know, I know.” Kenny tapped an icon on the screen and a red light lit up. “I’m recording this time.”
“Not too high,” I said. “Look alongside the roads.”
Kenny nodded and adjusted the controls on his remote. Soon the drone flew alongside Aspen Drive ascending toward the Turner cabin.
Ten minutes went by as Kenny did aerial zig zags covering both sides of the road and the surrounding area with no luck. Gradually, my nervous anticipation of finding a stashed car began to dwindle.
Bandit trotted back into view from the trees. He came toward us, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. That was great. What an adventure. I’m thirsty. Did you bring water?
“You got water in the car?” I asked.
Kenny nodded toward the car. “Glove box.”
“Come on, buddy.” I found the water and embarked on a fruitless search for a bowl of any kind.
Bandit panted heavily at my side. What’s the hold-up? I’m dying of thirst over here.
“Well, guess I’ll go back to basics.” I knelt next to him and poured the water into my cupped hand.
Bandit lapped with reckless disregard of the resulting splatter. A steady mix of water and dog saliva sprayed over my arm and pant leg.
“Hey.” I extended my arm away from my clothes. “Careful. You’re splashing.”
It’s just water. Bandit continued his wild lapping.
“And dog saliva.”
My mouth is clean. I didn’t bite any squirrels. Not yet anyway. One of these days.
“Luke,” Kenny said. “I think I got something.”
Chapter 15
I dumped the water from my hand and hurried over to Kenny.
Hey. Bandit barked. I wasn’t finished.
The visual on Kenny’s remote showed a glint of metal covered with bushes and tree branches.
“Can you fly lower?” I said.
“I think so. Lots of trees nearby though. I don’t want to hit a branch and crash this thing.”
The drone descended, and the visual converged on the metal. It gradually became clear it was a blue car hidden under a mass of foliage and tree branches.
“Whoa.” A thrill went through my chest. “Kenny, I think you found it. I mean, I think you actually found it.”
