I furrowed my brow. “Hayden doesn’t know what happened, and I don’t think the person that broke in will come back.”
Max walked up behind me. When he said hello, I jumped. He smiled. “Sorry about that.”
“What’re you doing here?”
He glanced at Justin and then back at me. “Someone told me your house was broken into. I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
I glared at Justin. “You haven’t called Hayden, have you?”
“No, ma’am, but I think you should.”
“I will, once everything is handled, at least. In the meantime, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything to her. She’s got enough on her plate. She doesn’t need to worry about me.”
“You’re her mother, she’s going to worry about you,” Justin said.
“Nonetheless, please let me tell her.”
He nodded. “I’ve suggested Missy stay in a hotel, but she doesn’t want to.”
“What am I supposed to do with the dogs? I can’t leave them here alone. What if the person comes back?”
Justin rolled his eyes. “You just said you didn’t think they would.”
“Well, I don’t, but if they do, I don’t want to leave my dogs here helpless.”
The two men eyed each other and then Max dragged his fingers along the top of the sectional. “This is pretty soft. It’ll make a perfect bed for me tonight.”
“You are not staying here tonight. It’s late, and you’re too old to be sleeping on a couch.”
“Ouch,” Justin said, laughing a bit.
“Yeah, that was rough,” Max replied.
“You know what I mean. You should sleep somewhere comfortable, like your own bed.”
“She does have several extra bedrooms. I’m sure you could find a bed that feels just right,” Justin said, smiling all the while.
Max sat on the couch. “This one feels just right.”
I rolled my eyes obnoxiously. “This isn’t the three bears house, and you’re definitely not Goldilocks.”
He kicked off his shoes and stretched out, lacing his fingers together behind his head. “I am tonight.”
I glared at the two men separately. “I’m not going to win this, am I?”
They both shook their heads.
The officer who’d responded to my call approached us. “Ma’am, you said you don’t think there’s any reason someone would want to steal your computer?”
“I don’t see why. There’s nothing on it they can use. It’s solely a work laptop.”
Max sat up.
“Which is exactly why they took it,” I said.
“What do you mean?” Justin asked.
I explained what I’d learned, ending with, “This just confuses me more.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Justin said. “In the meantime, I’d like you to step back from talking to anyone else about the pooch parties, okay?”
“But I—”
He raised his hand. “Missy, I’m speaking to you as a police officer, not your daughter’s ex-boyfriend.”
I nodded. “Yes, sir.”
He smiled at Max. “We should be finished up here, but the officer might need you to come to the station tomorrow to go over the details again.”
“Yes, sir.”
He shook his head and walked toward the front door.
I glanced at Max who was cautiously smiling at me from the couch. I released a loud breath, walked over to the basket on the other side of the sectional, pulled out a blanket and tossed it to him. “The couch or a guest room. Your choice.” He stood, removed a gun from the back of his jeans and placed it on the coffee table. “Couch suits me fine, ma’am.” He perused the bookcases, grabbing The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli. He held it up toward me. “I’m assuming this was Sam’s?”
I nodded. “He felt it taught him a lot, both about what to do and what not to do.”
“I’ve read it. It’s a great read for someone wanting to achieve power. It shows the cost that comes with it.”
I smiled. “Sam used to say the same thing.”
“Great minds.”
The police finally left, and after some small talk, Max made himself comfortable on the couch, staring at me as I stood and leaned against the fireplace. “What?”
“It’s Jake and Gina. They did this. They’ve done all of it.”
He sat up. “What makes you say that?”
“Collectively, I’m not sure, but individually, a few things, and I just feel like they’re in on it together.” I rushed to the couch and sat next to him. As I leaned in, I realized we were close enough to touch, and I froze. Max stared into my eyes, and then at my lips, which I swiped the tip of my tongue across because I was nervous. He kept his eyes locked on them for longer than he should, and I scooted myself back, giving us both distance.
I wasn’t ready for any of that kind of thing, and I didn’t think I’d ever be.
Neither of us acknowledged the moment, but that didn’t matter. It happened. It was there, and it would stay there, between us, unacknowledged if I had my way.
“Gina’s an opportunist, but not the obvious kind. She’s the kind that wants people to think she’s not and wants others to root for her. She lets them fake push her into doing things. She did that with me when I suggested she take over the festival. In my defense, it was the obvious choice, but I think she wanted someone to say it so she didn’t look like she was being manipulative.”
He contemplated that, but I didn’t give him enough time to speak.
“And Traci was trying hard to bring Jake down. Not that I disagree with her, but their divorce, from what I heard, was brutal. Everyone knows that. And like I said, I saw him with Gina with his hands on her waist in an intimate way.”
Max went to speak, but I kept going, so he just sat and listened.
“Jake’s a cheater. Everyone knows that, and he obviously wouldn’t want his soon-to-be ex-wife taking him to the cleaners, so what better way to make that happen then to kill her?”
“What does that have to do with Gina Palencia?”
“Two birds, one stone, for lack of a better term anyway. If Jake’s sleeping with Gina, he could have manipulated her to kill his wife. Maybe he told her how much money Traci wanted? Maybe they’re in love, or maybe she is anyway, and getting rid of Traci gave her both Jake and the head of the festival position.”
“What does any of that have to do with the cyanide and vandalism on your turf?”
“It’s a distraction. If people are talking about those, and there’s a connection, it takes them off Jake and Gina’s trail.” I nodded, more to myself than to Max. “And it worked. Jake was released from jail, and I’ve focused on Rick Morring and his efforts to cut the program, not the real killers.”
“Listen, like I said before, Jake’s not the greatest guy, but I really can’t see him as a killer, Missy. I’m sorry.”
“He doesn’t have an alibi. Not for Traci’s murder.”
“What do you mean?”
“He claims he was with Gina.”
I awoke the next morning to a note from Max. I’ll call you soon. Checking into some things this morning as promised.
I followed my morning routine, and after I’d let the dogs out one more time, I made the decision to leave them at home instead of bringing them to the fairgrounds. I worried someone might come back and break in, but after thinking it over logically, decided the odds were against it. I just hoped I was right.
There was a last day before the festival volunteer meeting scheduled at nine o’clock, so I headed straight there with a to go mug of coffee from home.
Both Rick and Jake were at the meeting. Neither were volunteers, but Gina didn’t seem to mind their attendance. I found it odd. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to her about her desire to relocate the pooch party, but since it was the day before the festival, I didn’t think she’d have time to swap things around anyway.
“Okay folks, we open tomorrow. I’ve been reviewing the
event map, and after a lot of thought, I’ve made a decision.” Gina focused on me. “Missy, I think the pooch party would be best served at the back of the event.”
My mouth dropped. I was wrong. A few volunteers whispered in the crowd.
“I know it’s last minute, and I hate to create an issue for you, but I just feel it serves the community best to have them at the back.”
“You mean it serves you best,” I said.
She blinked. “No, of course not. I just think the dogs are a big draw, and if we put them in the back instead of their current location, everyone that wants to see them will have to go through the entire festival to get to them. It’s like saving the best for last.”
“Or hiding the worrisome dogs from public eye so they aren’t as big of a risk for hurting people.”
She flinched, but I couldn’t decide if she was honestly surprised by my comment. “No, no. I…I thought it would be a draw that way, Missy. Honestly.”
I shook my head. “What are you planning to replace my area with?”
“That’s the thing.” She smiled as if what she was about to say would make me go along with her plan. She pointed at my not-favorite city council man. “Rick Morring here has suggested a beer garden, and he’s already made the necessary permit arrangements to make it happen.”
I eyed Max and clenched my fists. “Gina, with all due respect, moving the party location is a lot of work, and I don’t know if I can get any of the shelter staff here to help. Besides, I’m not sure it’ll work the way you expect.”
“I know it would be hard for you, so I’ve asked a few of the city’s crew here to help move it all.”
“I think you should—”
She stopped me. “I’m afraid the decision’s been made, Missy.” She smiled and averted her eyes to Jake Fielding. “Now, up next…”
I stopped listening and stepped away from the crowd for a moment. After I’d gathered my senses and the meeting broke up, I made a beeline straight for Morring.
“This isn’t going to happen again, I promise you.”
Max stepped next to me and gripped my shoulder. “Missy.”
Rick Morring smirked. “I’m not sure what you’re implying, Mrs. Kingston.”
“Right. But trust me, I’ll do whatever’s necessary to make sure my program stays intact. Your fear of dogs aside, this program is a benefit to the community and to the dogs, and I’m not going to let you stop it.”
He laughed as he glanced at the small crowd forming around us. “I’m doing no such thing.”
I raised my head to the crowd of volunteers, and as I went to speak, Max whispered, “Missy. Let’s go.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “No, Max, let’s clear up Councilman Morring’s concerns right now. What do you think?” I faced the small crowd of volunteers. “Do you all like the pooch parties?”
Several nodded while the rest gave their verbal approval.
“Then please, go to the next city council meeting and say so. Your councilman here is trying to cut the program. He’d rather make money with a beer garden than help families bring love into their lives.”
“Will there be additional police here for the beer garden?” A volunteer asked.
“What about the children, Councilman? You’re providing an avenue for them to drink illegally. What kind of security will there be?”
“And encouraging people to drink and drive? I shudder at the thought,” another person said.
Rick raised his hands. “People, please. Everything has been thought through and every detail attended to. This is a good thing for the community. The money will allow us to do more for others, to provide more opportunities.”
“And more cash in your pocket,” a man said.
I nodded.
He plastered a fake politician smile on his face. “Give it a try. If you don’t like it, then by all means, express that at a council meeting. But for now, the event is already scheduled, and Ms. Palencia is already moving the pooch party to the back of the fairgrounds.” He smiled at me. “This is happening, people.” He walked away with his shoulders out.
I wanted to scream, but I rushed to the pooch party area to make sure it was handled with care. Max kept up with my pace, trying to calm me the entire way. It didn’t work.
Gina Palencia was there, but she wasn’t helping them move anything. How could she? Her long skirt and heeled fashionable boots wouldn’t fare well hauling things around.
Jake Fielding was there too, dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a nice button down shirt. I glanced at his feet as Jennifer Lee walked up from the inside of the turfed area wearing a pair of black cowboy boots with a pointed toe and thick heel.
Her boots looked like they’d match the prints in my photos perfectly. I glanced at her, my face contorted with a mix of confusion and realization. “Max, I need to go. We’ll chat later, okay?”
“Missy, wait,” he said.
But I didn’t listen. I had to step away and figure out what to do next.
The pooch party area wasn’t set up. They’d just moved the turf and threw the crates there haphazardly, and even though I wasn’t completely sure Jennifer Lee was responsible for Traci’s murder, the festival was coming, and I couldn’t let the dogs down. It took me four hours to get everything set back up in the new location. It should have taken more time, but my anger driven adrenaline kept me moving at bionic speed.
When I finished, I sat at my makeshift desk in deep thought. I stared at the ground scanning the dirt area and realizing I’d need to blow off the turf and then spray it down with a hose like I had to every time I prepped for an event. And that’s when I remembered I still had the photos of the boots on my phone. I’d transferred them to my laptop, but they were on the cloud, and I could easily access them, which I did.
I was right, the boot prints could have easily come from Jennifer Lee’s boots.
Chapter Ten
“I know who killed Traci.”
“You what?” Justin breathed quickly. “Where are you?”
“I’m at the pooch party section of the fairgrounds. It’s Jennifer. The footprints. I know it. They’re hers.”
“Stay there. I’m on my way.”
I disconnected the call.
“You shouldn’t have done that, Missy.”
I flipped around and saw Jennifer standing behind me. As I stood, she waved a gun at me and my chair.
“Stay put.”
I sat. “Jennifer, I don’t…what’s going on?” I lied, buying time and hoping Justin would arrive soon.
“I knew you’d figure it out over anyone. You have a way, don’t you?”
“A way?”
“Of sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
“I found Traci by accident, Jennifer. I wasn’t out looking for a dead body.”
“I’m sure that’s exactly what happened with your husband too, wasn’t it?”
I flinched.
“Sam this. Sam that. All you do is talk about your dead husband like he was some saint or something. No man is a saint, Missy, that’s for sure.” She wiggled the gun at me some more. “Take good old Jake Fielding for example. They’re all the same.”
“Jennifer, listen, we can talk to the police. Get you a good lawyer—”
“A good lawyer? For what, killing a woman that deserved to die? Everyone knew the great, the perfect Traci Fielding was a bitch on wheels. No one even liked her.”
“But no one wanted her dead. No one tried to kill her.” I grimaced as I’d said that, but it was the truth.
“Because no one had the guts.” She pointed the gun at me again. “No one but me.”
“This is about Jake isn’t it?”
“Well I sure as hell didn’t do it because of your stupid dogs.” She stared briefly at the turfed area. “Jake tried to get me to push back on your little thing here. Said it would do him a world of good if I could help him get your little party spot taken care of, and when I said I wasn’t going to try, he dump
ed me. Moved on to Gina Palencia, and I guess she got the job done.”
“What job?”
“What do you think? The beer garden. It’s his contract. Why do you think Traci was so against it? She didn’t give a crap about your dogs. She just didn’t want her husband to profit from the festival.”
It all made sense. Jake’s businesses. Sports bars. That had to be the company handling the beer garden. How had I missed that connection? “But why kill Traci?”
She laughed. “Why not? The obvious suspect would be her husband, right? I had the perfect plan to set him up, but you and that nose of yours kept getting in my way. If you’d have just left well enough alone you wouldn’t be next on the list.”
“Left well enough alone? You tried to poison my dogs.”
“It was an unfortunate turn of events, but necessary.” She smiled. “For the record, cyanide isn’t hard to get.”
“Yes, you made that clear before, then tried to act like you didn’t.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“You wanted Jake and Gina to take the fall, because he’s with her and not you. You thought if you vandalized my turf, that would push Gina to move it, and effectively throw both her and Jake under the bus.”
She wiggled the gun at me once again. “Bingo, and it was working, too. I listened to the volunteers. They knew about Gina and Jake. People see and they talk. It was perfect.”
“But.”
She moved closer, the gun maybe a foot from my head. My eyes shifted back and forth. I needed to do something. Justin wasn’t there yet and I couldn’t hold her off much longer. Where was he?
“But I knew you were digging in, trying to figure out what was happening, and I needed to figure out what you knew.”
“That’s why you came to my house.”
“Of course I did.”
“And you’re the one that came back and took my computer.”
She glanced at her feet and then smiled. “I deleted the pictures of the boot prints. You’ll never be able to show them to the police now.”
I smiled. “I have the cloud.”
Pooches, Pumpkins, and Poison Page 11