by Cindy Bell
“You have?” Nikki raised an eyebrow. “No, he hasn’t, but he doesn’t speak to me about his investigations. I don’t think you’ll be in any trouble, but if you’d like I could take copies of this paperwork to him, so he could make sure that there’s nothing for you to be concerned about.”
“I’ve been so nervous ever since Bryan was killed.” Anne set the folder down in front of Nikki. “I had such a bad feeling when that man came into my office. Maybe I should have said something to the police then.” She frowned. “But I didn’t have any reason to.”
“It’s okay, I’m sure you did the right thing. Do you remember the man’s name?” Nikki opened the folder.
“It’s on the inside of the folder. You can take the whole thing to him. Just do me a favor, Nikki, make sure he knows that I had nothing to do with this.” She looked into the younger woman’s eyes. “Please.”
“Of course.” Nikki stared back at Anne. “I’ll tell him. I’m sure he’ll get in contact with you.” Nikki took the paperwork, left the agency and sat on a bench close by. She used her phone to look up the name listed on the paperwork. John Baker returned a lot of results, but it didn’t take her long to find the right one. A picture matched the face of the man that she’d seen with Tim at the café, before Bryan was killed. She clicked on the picture, and it led her to a website dedicated to rants about the man. The accusations ranged from assault, to suspected murder.
This man is a criminal, he will bully and intimidate you until you feel like your only option is to give him what he wants. I don’t have the proof to get him arrested, but prison is where he belongs.
Nikki raised her eyebrows as she read over the rant again. She clicked the link that led her to a profile of information about the person who posted the comment. He was a business owner based in Texas. “Wow, John really gets around.” She pursed her lips and scrolled through more posts. Although people were quite angry at John, there was no solid information about what he had done. She guessed that in some way his victims were still frightened of him. Not a single rant indicated that the police were called regarding their interaction with John. Why was that? She sat back against the bench and considered the possibilities. Perhaps they were too frightened to call the police on him, but it didn’t quite make sense that they would feel comfortable ranting about him on a website. Her next guess was that whatever deals they’d made with John, weren’t legal. If that was the case it would explain why they hadn’t reported him to the police, they didn’t want to be arrested themselves.
Clearly, John was a strong suspect. What was he doing with Tim? Why was he in Dahlia at the time that Bryan was killed? She snapped pictures of the paperwork and sent them along with a link to the website she had found, to Quinn. As she tucked her phone back into her pocket she hoped that he could find something more substantial than she had.
A quick glance at her watch revealed that she only had a few more hours to try to find the perfect gift for Princess. She’d already been to all of the local pet shops and hadn’t found anything just right. She recalled seeing a pet store near the gas station where Heather worked. As she drove she tried to push the murder to the back of her mind and come up with ideas for Princess’ gift.
Nikki pulled into the parking lot of the pet shop, which was next to the gas station. As she stepped out of her car, Heather pushed open the door of the gas station. She headed for a motorcycle parked near the front door. As Nikki watched, she spotted a bumper sticker on Heather’s motorcycle that advertised dog accessories.
“Heather!” She waved to her before the other woman could pull on her helmet.
“Not you again.” She sighed as she looked over at her.
“Do you make gifts for dogs?” Nikki gestured to the bumper sticker on her motorcycle.
“Yes, I do.” Heather eyed her as her upper lip curled.
“Do you have anything for small breeds?”
“I do. I make protective clothing, leashes and collars.” She crossed her arms. “Why?”
“I am in desperate need of a gift by tomorrow morning. Do you have anything ready to go?” Nikki offered her friendliest smile.
“Everything’s at my house. I have a wide selection.” Heather tipped her head to the side. “It’s only a few minutes away.”
“I’d love to take a look if you’d let me.” Nikki jingled her keys. “I can follow you there.”
“Sure, all right.” Heather climbed onto her motorcycle. “But you’ll have to pick something fast, I have plans tonight.”
“I can do that.” Nikki walked over to her car and climbed in. She did hope she would find something for Princess, but she was also curious about Heather, and her lifestyle. She still could have been the person that killed Bryan, and she hoped that if she was, there would be some evidence to stumble across at her house.
As Nikki followed Heather towards her home, she noticed that the neighborhood was crowded with small houses, mingled with a few duplexes. While most of the yards were tidy, a few had scraggly, overgrown grass and untended gardens. Kids played on the quiet side streets, and several dogs barked as she drove past.
Heather turned into a narrow driveway and parked her motorcycle close to the house. Nikki was forced to park along the road as there was a car in the driveway that took up the remainder of the room. As she stepped out of her car, she noticed that the vehicle looked familiar to her. She tried to place where she’d seen it, but couldn’t recall.
“Is that your car, Heather?” She caught up to the woman at the front door.
“No, it’s my boyfriend’s.” She glanced over at it, then back at Nikki. “But he’s out of town right now.” She pushed open the front door and gestured for Nikki to follow.
“Do you have any pets?” Nikki stepped in behind her. She was distinctly aware of the risk of being alone with someone who could possibly be a murderer. However, nothing in Heather’s home indicated she was a killer. Everything was just messy enough to be lived in, and decorated with bright colors, as well as endearing art pieces. The painting of a boy with a puppy that hung over the fireplace was too adorable for Nikki to look past.
“Not at the moment. My boyfriend and I are thinking about getting a puppy in the future. It’s just too much responsibility for the moment.”
“I understand.” Nikki followed Heather down a long hallway through the house. When she pushed open another door, Nikki was greeted by bursts of color and fluffy material. The workshop was packed with small outfits suitable for dogs of all shapes and sizes. The walls were lined with clothes of all different colors.
“Wow!” Nikki took a step back as she drank in the creativity that spread out before her. “You have an amazing talent.”
“Thanks.” Heather smiled some. “I’m afraid it’s not enough yet to get me out of that dead-end job, but maybe one day.” Her smile grew wider.
“I’m sure.” Nikki touched one of the jackets and admired the material. “It’s washable?”
“Yes, everything is washable and made from drool resistant materials, not to mention chew resistant.” Heather wheeled in a rack of clothes. “These are all finished if you want to look through them.”
“Thanks.” Nikki began to sort through them, but her eyes were drawn back to a green shirt. It was long enough to go from Princess’ neck to her tail. “Actually, what can you tell me about this?” She pointed it out.
“Oh, that’s from my summer line. The material is waterproof and will protect the dog from the sun, plus it is light and breathable which means the dog won’t get too hot. It’s snug on the belly to prevent tripping, and of course it’s chew resistant like the rest.” Heather took the shirt down from the wall and offered it to Nikki.
“Wow, this is really amazing. I’ve never heard of anything like it.” Nikki ran her fingertips across the material. “It’s so soft.”
“Yes, I make sure all of the material I use is flexible and smooth so there is no chance of rubbing or damage to the dog’s coat.” Heather crossed her a
rms as she studied Nikki. “Would you like to buy it?”
“Sure, how much?” She met the woman’s eyes.
“Forty.” She raised an eyebrow.
“Forty.” Inwardly Nikki cringed. It was a bit more than she wanted to spend. However, the quality seemed fantastic, and she considered the price a bargain. She knew that Mrs. Whitter would appreciate it, she was always worried about Princess being out in the sun. “Okay, sold.” She reached into her purse. “I’m surprised you haven’t taken off with this business, you have some unique ideas, and your creations are gorgeous.”
“Unfortunately, it’s the name that matters. It’s hard to break into a business that’s controlled by a few designers and the sponsors that are only loyal to them.” Heather accepted the cash, then grabbed a pink bag from the table beside her. “I give out one of these goody bags to everyone with their first purchase. It has a few items in it, as well as a few business cards if you’d like to hand them out.”
“I’d be glad to.” Nikki hesitated as she studied Heather. “Did you ever show Bryan any of your stuff?”
“Yes.” She narrowed her eyes. “He was not interested.”
“I see. I’m sure your business will do well, Heather, keep at it, and thanks for this.” Nikki tucked the shirt into the bag.
“It would be nice if it would.” Heather led her back through the house. “Be sure to tell your customers about me.”
“My customers?” Nikki flashed her a smile.
“You’re a dog walker and pet sitter, right?” Heather locked her eyes to Nikki’s.
“Uh, yes. How did you know?” She tried to recall if she’d mentioned it before.
“I do my research, too.” Heather closed the door without saying another word.
Nikki stared at the closed door for several seconds. What did that mean, that she did her research, too? Did she know that Nikki had been digging into her? Her stomach twisted as she wondered what Heather might have discovered by looking into her. She didn’t exactly have anything to hide, but she was sure that there were some things that could be taken the wrong way.
Chapter 9
As Nikki walked back to her car, her cell phone began to ring. She paused beside her car and pulled her phone out. When she saw Quinn’s name on the screen, she answered.
“Hi, Quinn.” She pulled open the car door and slid inside. A quick glance back at the house revealed a figure in the front window. Was Heather watching her?
“Hey Nikki, thanks for the information you sent. We’re looking into finding John, but it may take us some time, he’s the slippery sort.”
“That’s fine.” She stared at the car in Heather’s driveway, and all of a sudden she remembered why it was familiar. “Quinn, did you have any luck enhancing the license plate on that car?”
“No, I guess the video quality is far too low to do anything with it. Why do you ask?” Keys tapped in the background.
“I’m at Heather’s place right now.” She put the phone on hands-free, slid her key into the ignition and turned the car on. The figure in the window disappeared. “I noticed a similar car in her driveway. I don’t know if it’s the same one, but she says it belongs to her boyfriend, who is out of town.”
“It could just be a coincidence, but I can certainly look into it. Your theory is that the boyfriend was the one chasing Bryan? Why would he do that?” Quinn paused. “Wait, don’t answer that, first, what are you doing at Heather’s?”
“I needed a gift for Princess, and she has a side business. She makes clothing and accessories for pets. She also told me that she tried to show Bryan some of her products before and he wasn’t interested. That might be more motive for her to have attacked him.” Nikki sighed as she shifted the car into gear. “Quinn, I have no idea if she could have done this. But I think there is potential motive, she clearly had some animosity towards Bryan.”
“Yes, she did. I’ll dig into the boyfriend and see what I can find. Did she say where he is?”
“No, she didn’t.” Nikki eased the car onto the road. “I’d better go, I’m driving, and I’m late to take the dogs for their afternoon walk.”
“Okay, but Nikki please let me know if you’re going to hang out with any more murder suspects, okay?” There was a hint of humor in his voice, but also a touch of frustration.
“I’ll do my best.” She smiled, then hung up the phone. Just hearing his voice had a way of boosting her mood. Or maybe she simply felt better that she’d finally bought Princess her present.
As Nikki drove, exhaustion began to set in. She hadn’t gotten any sleep the night before, and now all she wanted was to curl up in bed. With several dogs waiting for her, she knew that wasn’t an option. She decided to stop at the café instead for a cup of coffee to go. The parking lot was pretty full when she pulled in. Inside the café, most of the tables were occupied. She spotted a familiar face right away. Royce, with his cell phone pressed against his ear, stood a few feet away from the counter. She decided to focus on just getting her coffee. However, as she walked to the other end of the counter, Royce gravitated in her direction. Soon he was only a few steps away.
“Hi Nikki, what can I get you?” Gina smiled as she paused in front of her.
“Just a coffee to go, please.” She passed a glance in Royce’s direction.
“No problem. Mrs. Whitter was in here earlier, all excited about the party.” Gina laughed and shook her head. “I’d say she was glowing. She wanted to tell me all about the perfect gift she bought for Princess.”
“Oh, I’m so glad she found something. I know she was so worried about it.” Nikki turned her attention to Gina, though she remained aware of Royce’s proximity.
“She told me it’s an outdoor agility course designed for small dogs. I think it sounds great, but from what she described, I’m a little worried about her setting it up herself.” Gina looked towards the door and greeted a few new customers.
“I’ll make sure I offer to help her. But you know Mrs. Whitter.” Nikki smiled.
“That’s for sure.” Gina shook her head, then turned away and picked up a coffee pot.
Nikki shifted her attention back to Royce. Another waitress poured his coffee into a cup.
He impatiently drummed his fingertips on the counter as he continued his conversation on the phone.
“I am going to rent it. No one is going to play any games with me this time.” He gestured to a waitress behind the counter. “Can I get my coffee while it’s hot, please?”
“Here it is, sir.” She frowned as she set the cup of coffee down in front of him.
“It’s about time.” Royce reached into his suit jacket to pull out his wallet from the inside pocket. As he did, Nikki caught sight of a gun holstered on his hip. Her breath caught in her throat as her gaze fixated on the weapon. Bryan was shot, perhaps by the very weapon that was only a few feet away from her. She wanted to talk to him, but she couldn’t get her voice to cooperate as he headed for the door.
“Nikki. Nikki?” Gina snapped her fingers in front of Nikki’s face. “Are you in there? Don’t you want your coffee?”
“Oh yes, sorry.” Nikki watched the café door close, then turned back to look at Gina. “Thanks.” She tossed some money on the counter.
“Nikki, are you okay? You look so pale.” Gina frowned as she handed her a cup of coffee.
“I’m fine, thanks, but I have to go.” She hurried out the door with the hot coffee burning through the thin, paper cup against her palm.
Nikki spotted Royce’s car, just as it pulled away from the parking lot. She ran towards her car, but as she did the lid on her coffee cup popped open, and the hot liquid splashed across her skin.
“Ouch!” Nikki winced and grabbed the cup with her other hand. As she shook the coffee from her hand she tried to grab the car door handle, but her fingers slipped free of it and she lost her center of balance. As she stumbled forward, the coffee cup tumbled out of her other hand and splashed across the outside of her car. “Well,
great!” She sighed as she stared at the puddle of coffee. When she looked up at the road again Royce’s car was already gone. She pulled her phone out of her purse and called Quinn. After the third ring she heard the greeting and instructions to leave a message.
Breathlessly, she explained what she had just seen, and her suspicion that Royce was the one who killed Bryan. As she hung up the phone she wondered if the best lead in the case had just walked away. A glance at the clock on the car radio showed that she was quite late to pick up the dogs for their afternoon walk. Not all of the dogs that walked in the morning, walked in the afternoon, but she did find that some of the owners were asking her to walk them more often, which gave her a vote of confidence. Despite the fact that she spilled all of her coffee, she felt more awake than ever.
* * *
After Nikki dropped off her car at her apartment, she began to walk the neighborhood to pick up each dog for their walk. The dogs were eager to get outside. As she began to stroll towards the park, she kept her eye out for any sign of Royce. She hadn’t heard back from Quinn yet, and she hoped that meant he might have already arrested Royce. Perhaps as she walked along the sidewalk, Bryan’s murder was being solved. Her muscles began to relax at the thought. When her phone rang a few minutes later, she was relieved to see that it was Quinn. She answered the phone. Her mind buzzed with the anticipation of good news.
“Hi Quinn, did you get my message?”
“Yes, I did. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I was conducting an interview.” Quinn sighed. “Not that it led me anywhere.”
“I’m sorry for the interruption. Did you pick up Royce? I’m sure that he must be the killer, he’s armed.” Nikki steered the dogs away from a woman with a stroller. A few of the dogs were a bit too friendly to be around a little one.
“I can’t pick up Royce. He has a license to carry a concealed weapon, and when asked he provided it for examination. The bullet that killed Bryan didn’t come from that gun.” Quinn cleared his throat. “That doesn’t mean he didn’t do it. He could have access to other weapons that we don’t know about. But as of now, I do not have enough proof to arrest him.”