Andrew shook his head. “Isolated crime or not, I’m glad that you and Janelle are no longer involved. Nick’s a good cop. I’m sure this case will be closed quickly, and everyone can rest easy again.� He reached inside his jacket, and Olivia’s eyes widened.
“Ten years is a long time,� she said abruptly. “Ten years without a murder investigation. Nick should use more than the state police’s labs. He should use them for the investigation.�
The waiter stopped by and overheard them speaking. The young man shook his head vehemently. “Nick won’t need the state police. Franklin Kennedy probably killed her.�
At first, she wasn’t even sure she’d heard him correctly. No one in their right mind would accuse the wealthiest and most influential businessman in town of murder. Stunned, Olivia stared at him. “What? Why would you say that?�
“When I’m not waiting tables, I’m also an Uber driver, and I had Franklin in the car a couple of weeks ago. Yvette was suing him for breach of contract. He was on the phone for a good ten to fifteen minutes talking to his lawyers about it. Franklin was livid. Apparently, the lawsuit was keeping him from closing on an exclusive resort community in Florida. Believe me when I tell you that he had nothing nice to say about Yvette.�
“Did you tell the police that?� Olivia demanded.
The waiter shrugged. “No. I just figured that the police already knew. Do you want another round?�
Waving the waiter off, Olivia turned her head and stared at Andrew. “Do you think that Franklin’s capable of killing?� she said in a low voice.
“Nick will get to the bottom of it,� Andrew responded sternly. “You don’t need to worry about it.�
“Right.� Olivia sipped at her beer and tried to push it out of her head. Despite her agreement, she just couldn’t enjoy the rest of her evening. Not only was she worried that Janelle’s landlord was a murderer, but she could feel the space between her and Andrew widening.
7
“You were going to propose at End Game?� Janelle shrieked. “What were you thinking?�
Andrew winced and sent a pleading look at Patrick. Janelle had asked Olivia that morning to stop by Happy Endings and pick up the paperwork that she’d forgotten the other day, and when Olivia started to make excuses for why she couldn’t go, Andrew offered to pick them up.
He shouldn’t have even mentioned the plan at End Game, but it just slipped out, and Janelle was on the warpath.
“Janelle, sweetheart, why don’t you get us some bagels with cream cheese? I’m starving,� Patrick said calmly.
“Are you siding with him? You can starve to death,� Janelle snapped, but she stomped behind the counter to do as he asked.
Andrew shot Patrick a thankful look. “I had no idea this would be so difficult,� he muttered.
“Trying to figure women out is exhausting,� Janelle’s husband agreed. “But on this, I do agree with her. Proposing to Olivia at End Game is not the best idea. Olivia might be a casual woman, but she’s not that casual.�
“It wasn’t even my idea. A friend suggested it. Believe me, it’ll be the last time I take his advice.�
Patrick lifted an eyebrow. “You’re not talking about Brett, your single womanizer?�
“Maybe,� Andrew admitted with a wince. “But he leaves them happy.�
“You need to trust your instincts, Andrew. No one knows Olivia better than you. Not even Janelle. Olivia is a different person with everyone. For me, she’s the translator I need to figure out Janelle. For my wife, she’s the rebellious little sister who needs to cling to her own ideals. She’s one type of daughter for her mom and an even different one with her dad. There are only two people she’s actually relaxed around. You.�
“And Jackie Jones,� Andrew breathed. “Patrick, you’re a genius.�
“Yes, but you don’t need Jackie for this. You can figure out how to do this all on your own. Trust your instincts, buddy.�
Privately, Andrew wasn’t sure he agreed. Olivia wasn’t the type of woman who talked about wedding plans with other women, but it was possible that she might have said something to Jackie.
Janelle returned with the bagels and slapped the folder down on the table. “Tell Olivia to be an adult and get this finished. I’m tired of her losing the paperwork.�
“It might be best if you sat down and had a talk with her about it. I feel like maybe you aren’t communicating with each other,� Andrew said carefully.
“We’re communicating just fine. She just needs to forget about Yvette’s death and focus on her responsibilities. She’s been doing this since she was a kid. The week before she started high school, she tried to convince our parents that she was going to skip school and be a dancer instead. She even had a whole routine planned. Believe me, there isn’t a lick of talent in that girl’s body when it comes to dancing, but she’ll do anything to avoid change,� Janelle said with a scowl. Patrick reached in the bag for a bagel, and Janelle smacked his hand. “Those are not for you.�
“But I asked for them,� he protested.
“You said you wanted bagels. I’ve got something special for you in the back. Give me a couple of minutes, and I’ll bring them out to you,� she said with a wink.
Andrew stood with the paperwork under one arm and the bag of bagels in the other hand. He couldn’t get Janelle’s story out of his head. Was Olivia still focusing on the murder because she was afraid that something was about to change? If she was that upset about buying the three-story brownstone, she really needed to have a talk with Janelle about it. The sooner she stopped worrying about it, the sooner she could relax—and he could propose.
Yvette’s murder could not have come at a worse time.
Feeling guilty about his reaction to the food truck owner’s untimely demise, he checked the clock. He had a good fifteen minutes before he had to leave for work, and if he hurried, he’d be able to catch Jackie beforehand and ask her a couple of questions and get her thoughts. “Thanks for breakfast, Janelle.�
“Has Olivia figured out a way to weasel out of Celeste’s pet psychic segment?� Janelle asked as he walked by.
Stopping, he gave her a puzzled look. “I’m sorry. A what?�
“She didn’t tell you?� Janelle laughed. “Celeste announced at the town meeting that she’s partnered up with Olivia and is going to communicate with the pets of Lexingburg. I believe Goodwin’s going to be her first victim.�
“I remember Celeste mentioning something the other day about it, but she just wanted Olivia to spread the word. You’re telling me that Olivia agreed to this?�
“She did.�
Of course she did. That was the kind of woman that Olivia was. A big heart who never wanted to hurt anyone or let them down. Smiling to himself, he pushed the door opened and headed to Shelfie.
It seemed that everything Olivia did simply proved that she was the woman for him.
Jackie was wiping the windows down when Andrew knocked on the door and pointed to the logo on the bakery bag. The redhead’s eyes lit up with glee, and she hurriedly unlocked the door. “Are you here to bribe me?� she asked as she snatched the bag.
“What makes you say that?�
“I’ve been expecting it. C’mon in before Delilah sees you out without Olivia. She’ll sink her teeth into you if she gets a hold of you.�
“I doubt that.� Jackie, Jan
elle, and Olivia had this idea that Delilah was interested in him, but that was absurd. He’d told Delilah a long time ago that he wasn’t interested, and the woman had been nothing but nice and polite to him since then. He couldn’t understand Olivia’s extreme dislike to the woman.
Perching on the arm of a large orange chair, Jackie pulled out one of the bagels and the accompanying plastic container, tore the lid away from the cream cheese, and swiped the bagel through the soft, creamy topping. When she took a bite, her eyes rolled up and she moaned in appreciation. “This is exactly what I needed.�
“Those bagels are not free,� Andrew reminded her. “Every time I try to propose to Olivia, she bolts. That means that I should ease off and give her some more time, right? Janelle thinks she’s throwing herself into this murder investigation to avoid me. She could really hurt herself.�
“You’re so sweet—and so naive,� Jackie said, brushing crumbs off her shirt. “If you want to wait until Olivia is ready, you’re never going to get married. She’s ready, but she’s not going to know it until she’s standing at the altar and staring at her groom.�
“So how do I do it? Janelle told me to go the fancy restaurant route, and that fell apart. Brett told me “End Game,� and she freaked out and knocked her beer off the table. What’s your take on it?�
“Pick a place where she’s most comfortable. Olivia loves the outdoors. She spends more than half her day outside. Do it then. Casual atmosphere—but without the fried foods and alcohol stains.�
“So I should propose at the dog park?� he asked with a frown.
“Maybe a step up from the dog park.�
“Care to elaborate?�
Jackie smiled at him. “Bagels only get you generic ideas. Specific details require cupcakes. Stop overthinking it, Andrew. Just keep the ring on you, and when the moment feels right, take it!�
“Right. Okay, I can do that. Thanks, Jackie.� Leaning down, he grabbed the bag of bagels and snatched them away despite her protest. “All you get is one bagel.�
“Fine. I was going to check to make sure the coast was clear before you left, but now you’re on your own. I hope you don’t run into Delilah and Duchess.�
“She’s a nice woman,� Andrew said, rolling his eyes. “And she is not interested in me. You all might be friends if you’d just try to be nice to each other.�
“See, you’re not from here. If you were from here, you wouldn’t say that,� Jackie sing-songed.
“Can you do me one more favor, Jackie? Can you remind Olivia not to get even more involved in the murder investigation? If the killer wasn’t a drifter, Olivia could seriously be hurt.�
Jackie waved her hands. “Relax. No one in Lexingburg would murder Yvette. Now get going before you hit traffic.�
Shaking his head, Andrew headed to his car. Despite Jackie’s warning, the coast was clear. Things were pretty quiet on Main Street. Janelle always got an early start to do her baking, and Jackie opened early to try and snag Janelle’s early rush, but most of the shops wouldn’t open for another couple of hours. This moment was the reason that he’d moved to Lexingburg.
Andrew had grown up surrounded by people. He’d known nothing but crowded sidewalks and traffic. He’d gone to a large university and had spent the majority of his life in crowds. So when he took the job at Lowell Hospital, he could have gotten an apartment in the city—but when he drove through Lexingburg, he fell in love. The next thing he knew, he had a studio apartment that overlooked a lush forest and had neighbors who baked him dinner because they feared he couldn’t take care of himself.
The first few weeks of living in Lexingburg felt like a waking dream. When he bumped into someone on the sidewalk, he didn’t have to immediately check his back pocket to see if his wallet was still there. When he left his keys in the lock, not five minutes passed before someone was knocking on the door to let him know. Women he’d never even met were showing him pictures of their single daughters, and the newspaper actually wanted to do an article on him.
It was amusing, but when he’d laid eyes on Olivia, his whole world stopped. In that moment, he didn’t even realize that a huge dog was trying determinedly to knock him down. He only had eyes for the gorgeous mess of a woman trying desperately to regain control of the situation.
He loved it here. This was where he was supposed to be, and if he didn’t blow the next attempt at a proposal, he would have everything he’d ever wanted.
8
Andrew had managed to use some of his many talents to help take Olivia’s mind off the case for a few hours last night, but after he fell asleep next to her, her emotions were in chaos. Franklin Kennedy.
He was one of the wealthiest members of Lexingburg, but he was also one of the most well liked. He put his money back into the town, he hosted town events, and he settled town disputes. In fact, the only people who didn’t like him were his tenants. His generosity didn’t usually extend to them, but he was giving Janelle first crack at the brownstone. For that very reason, Olivia needed to leave well enough alone.
But why was Yvette suing him for breach of contract?
She sneaked out of bed, quietly pulled on a t-shirt, and settled at the desk next to the bed, turning the laptop so the light from the screen wouldn’t wake Andrew. Spinning absently in the chair, she pursed her lips and tried to sort through her thoughts.
There was only one law firm in town, but Olivia doubted they had the guts to sue Franklin Kennedy. Yvette probably filed the suit in Lowell. After a quick internet search, Olivia found the record of the lawsuit and the name of the law firm that had filed it, but without Yvette or Franklin’s SSN, she couldn’t find more details.
Looking over the top of the screen, past the glow of the laptop, she watched Andrew while he slept. Olivia was one of those sleepers who sprawled out diagonally across the bed, stole all the pillows, and either rolled in all the blankets or shoved them on the floor. From the moment she’d brought Goodwin home, she’d let the huge mutt sleep with her. The first time that Andrew had spent the night was like a battle.
When he’d tried to sleep over the next night, she’d laughed hysterically, pushed him out the door, and shut it firmly behind him. The idea that the man wanted to give it another go was absurd to her. Her previous boyfriend had demanded that she choose between him and the dog. Obviously, the dog had won. That Andrew was willing to share his bed with her and the dog was so foreign to her that she didn’t even want to entertain the idea. Fortunately for him, he hadn’t let the matter go. A few days later, when she spent the night at his place, she woke up to find him on the couch. Embarrassed, she apologized for her nighttime feistiness, and he just kissed her and told her that he needed some earplugs because she snored.
Snored!
Olivia did not snore.
He didn’t give up, and slowly, they made it work. They staked out quadrants in the bed. He gave up part of his side of the bed because the traitorous dog liked cuddling with him, and she gave up part of her quadrant because Andrew liked cuddling with her. He wore his earplugs.
And he didn’t want her investigating this case.
With a sigh, she closed the laptop. Janelle wasn’t in trouble with the police anymore. Olivia had no reason to get involved.
When normal people found dead bodies, they didn’t get involved. They might have panic attacks before they called the police. Scream a little. Hyperventilate. They didn’t let their dogs jump all over the crime scene. They didn’t try to investigate on their own. They let the police handle it.
She was no Rose Palmer. She was just a dog walker tryin
g to avoid two life-altering decisions. This was nothing more than a classic case of transference. She needed to face her problems like an adult.
Except that she couldn’t shake the feeling that Yvette was not murdered by a drifter. If Franklin Kennedy had murdered her, there was a good chance that he would get away with it because he practically owned the town.
That didn’t sit well with Olivia.
Goodwin sensed her distress and left the warm comfort of Andrew’s side. Padding over to her, he laid his head in her lap and looked at her with those warm, loving eyes, gleaming in the light coming in through the window from the streetlight out front.
“It’s okay, buddy,� she whispered as she scratched his ears. “I know things are a little strange right now, but I’m going to figure them out.�
As if to prove a point, Goodwin looked back at Andrew. “I know,� Olivia said. “I know, but for you, he’s just a man who smells good, feeds you, and scratches your belly on demand. It’s a little more complicated for me.�
It was clear from the look in Goodwin’s eye that he didn’t understand. Sighing, Olivia stroked his muzzle and stood. After glancing at Andrew’s sleeping form, she crept downstairs and sat at the kitchen table. The dog followed her and stretched out in the doorway. The folder with the forms that Janelle wanted her to sign mocked her. Groaning, she pushed the papers off the table and watched them flutter to the floor.
Why did all the important people in her life want all these sudden changes? Happy Endings was great, but Janelle didn’t really need to buy the brownstone to keep the business. Whoever bought it would be an idiot not to keep renting to her. Olivia didn’t need an office. She was a dog walker. No one seemed to care that she worked out of her small home.
“Everything is fine just the way it is. It’s fine!� Turning around, she glared at Goodwin. “And I’m not being nosey. I love this town, and I just want to make sure there isn’t a crazy killer on the loose! That’s all. I just want to make sure that everything is fine before everything isn’t fine. And there’s nothing wrong with that.�
Barking up the Wrong Bakery (Happy Tails Dog Walking Mysteries Book 1) Page 7