Your Eight O'clock is Dead

  “Nothing. I wouldn’t have brought the cat, but my granddad had a date with Mrs. O’Malley’s mother and he left me in charge of Higgins. I couldn’t just leave him by himself.”

  “Of course not,” he said and then resumed sneezing and wheezing. “Get that thing out of here.”

  Higgins must have known the comment was directed at him because he ceased his preening and lunged for Dr. D. But I had anticipated the fickle cat’s move and intercepted him. After a few tussles and scratches, I managed to stuff him back into the soft-sided cat carrier.

  “Put that outside. And you with it.” Dr. D. pointed to the front door and took a third hit from his inhaler. This one was longer and deeper than the others. I chose to think that this signaled he was breathing better.

  “I can’t do that. But here, I’ll put Higgins by the door, and you can stand over there away from him.” We did a shuffle to change places. As I passed Dr. Dick I noticed that his eyes were beginning to swell at an alarming rate. I hoped he had pills for that.

  “Dr. D., I need your help. It’s for Edna.” Now I had his attention. He stopped sneezing and focused on me through slitted eyes.

  “Edna? What’s wrong with Edna?”

  “Nothing. Well, she is still in jail. But nothing new. However, if we’re going to get her out, we have to prove her innocence, and I need your help to do that.”

  He seemed momentarily off-balance, so I rushed ahead. “Daisy, Ryder’s sister Daisy, is the key to this whole thing. I’m convinced she either saw something or knows something that can prove Edna is innocent. But I can’t get through to her. That’s where you come in.”

  Even as I spoke, he shook his head no. “Absolutely not, Miss Reynolds. My conversations with Daisy are privileged. You know that. Or at least you should.”

  Well, duh, of course, I knew he couldn’t violate the confidences of his sessions with Daisy. I wasn’t asking for that. Or at least I didn’t think I was.

  “No, you don’t understand. All I’m asking for is a way to contact Daisy and some hints on how to get her to open up to me. Please. You’ve got to help me.”

  Higgins shook the sides of the cat carrier and for a brief moment, I had a vision of him busting out.

  Dr. Dick noticed the cat’s restless movements, too. “Get that animal out of here.” He retreated farther into the dining room, and we were practically shouting at one another - even though his shout had lost some of its punch due to his lack of proper breathing.

  To placate him, I opened the front door and set the cat carrier out on the stoop. Higgins wailed and several lights in adjoining condos flickered on. I had no choice but to bring the carrier back inside. The cat calmed down almost instantly.

  “I don’t think this is going to work. Just answer my questions, and I’ll be on my way. Before your neighbors call the police or report you to animal control.”

  Dr. Dick ran his hands through his hair in frustration and slumped into a nearby dining room chair. “What specifically do you want to know?”

  It was sad to see him so defeated, but once he realized he was doing it for the greater good, I knew he’d perk up.

  That and once Higgins was out of his home.

  “Where does Daisy live?”

  “With R.J.”

  Duh and double duh. “I know that, Dr. D. I just don’t know where Ryder lives. Therefore, I don’t know where Daisy lives, either.”

  Sometimes these brainy types could be real dunces, if you know what I mean.

  He took a pen out of his pocket and scribbled something on a piece of paper. He extended his hand, and I came forward and took the paper.

  Ryder’s home address. BINGO!

  “Now please leave,” he said between wheezes. I was afraid he was going to take another inhaler hit. I wondered if it was like one of those morphine pumps that had a lock on it after too many pushes on the button. Probably not. I didn’t want to be the cause of him overdosing on prescription meds. But he was a doctor. He should know the limits. Shouldn’t he?

  “One more thing, Dr. D.”

  He paused with the inhaler half-way to his lips.

  “How can I get Daisy to communicate with me? She’s always so quiet.”

  He took another hit.

  “This could help Edna and protect Daisy,” I added to nudge him a bit. I started forward with the cat carrier in my hand and watched as he backed away from me like I was a leper.

  “If she trusts you, in time she’ll speak,” he managed in a strangled sounding voice. “Now go.”

  “Gotcha. And thanks for the address.” I swung Higgins and the carrier around and headed for the car.

  Dr. D. had coughed up the information I needed. Literally.

  I wrestled Higgins and the carrier into the front seat beside me. I’d already tried the back seat and found out the hard way that that wasn’t an option. Not as far as Higgins was concerned.

  “Easy does it, big boy. We have one more stop. And I need you to be on your best behavior. This person isn’t all snarly like Dr. Daley. You’ll like Daisy. She’s very nice. Quiet. Too quiet. I’ll have to use all of my charm to try to get her to open up to me. Dr. Dick confirmed that she can talk. She just doesn’t choose to. Now if you go and frighten her or put her on her defenses, we’re going to get nowhere. So for once, be good. Hey, what’s that you’re chewing?”

  I pulled at the paper hanging out of the cat’s mouth. Ryder’s mangled address covered in cat slobber. Yuck. Good thing I had a pretty good memory.

  “Thanks, that was a big help. Not.”

  The cat dragged the paper all the way inside the carrier as if to say it was my fault for leaving it where he could get hold of it. Hmmm…maybe he had a point.

  I made a series of turns off of the main drag and found myself in the same upscale neighborhood where Anna Blake had lived. If I’d remembered Ryder’s address correctly before the cat spit degraded it, he lived less than half a mile from our deceased patient.

  Turning onto Ryder’s street, I passed the address that I thought was Ryder’s. An attached garage. One or more of his cars could be inside. I didn’t think he’d be too happy to see me tonight or any other night, for that matter. Not once he knew why I’d come.

  I drove past the house trying to think of a plan.

  “WEEEOWZER.”

  And yet another problem.

  That was Higgins’ hungry voice. I pulled out a few treats from my purse and shoved them through the carrier window.

  Chomping and then a PING.

  Higgins had spit one of the crunchies out, and it hit my dashboard. Guess it wasn’t what he was looking for. “Easy, big guy. I’m trying to think.”

  I turned around in the cul-de-sac at the end of the street and heard a car roar to life. I was pleased to see Ryder’s black SUV take off down the street. Probably off to help his latest mystery woman. Maybe a redhead this time.

  I cruised past his home again and checked to see if lights were still on inside. I saw movement at the front window. A curtain pulled back and then quickly released. Good. Daisy was home. Alone.

  This was my perfect opportunity.

  But I had to act quickly. No telling if Ryder was gone for the evening or out on a short errand – no matter what my over-active imagination may have conjured up for him. I had to deal in reality. And the reality of the situation was that I had limited time to get in and find out what I wanted and to make a clean getaway.

  I debated on leaving Higgins in the car and then thought better of it. Knowing the noises he could make, the whole neighborhood would be on alert.

  That wouldn’t be good. I figured people would be on edge anyway since Anna Blake’s murder had upset their quiet suburban lives.

  Parking a few houses away from Ryder’s, I hefted the cat out of the passenger side of the car and swore that he’d gained weight in just the short time we’d been gone. I wondered if he’d found something tasty at Dr. Dick’s and hoped it wasn’t something important. Like his medication.


  Unlike the doctor’s condo complex, Ryder’s neighborhood was well lit. No problem with stumbling up the sidewalk here. I hesitated only a moment before knocking on the door. I waited and waited. And then rapped again. “Daisy, it’s Becca, from Daley & Palmer. Please let me in.”

  Silence from the other side of the door. But I thought I saw a flicker of light from behind the window, a curtain pulled aside.

  “Daisy, please. I need your help. In fact, you’re the only one that can help me. Please.” I rocked Higgins gently hoping that my rhythmic movements were lulling the surly feline to sleep. It would make my job a whole lot easier.

  The door opened a crack.

  I could see Daisy’s white-blonde hair and blue eyes. I waved my free hand and gave her my most welcoming and non-threatening smile.

  “Hi there.” Lame, but it was all I had.

  She opened the door a bit more and pointed to the carrier.

  “Oh, that’s just my granddad’s spoiled cat, Higgins. I’m stuck babysitting him tonight. Granddad has a date. At least, I think it’s a date. It’s kind of creepy to think of him going out at his age, but he threw on the Old Spice and a clean shirt. So I guess it’s a date. And he left his beloved cat in my care. Can I come in?”

  Daisy hesitated for a second, and I didn’t make any forward movements. And mercifully Higgins kept quiet, too.

  She stuck her head out and peered around the neighborhood. Seemingly satisfied, she motioned me inside. I don’t know what I’d expected, but it wasn’t this. The house was furnished in bright and cheerful colors, the light wood accents in direct opposition to the heavy dark furnishings that populated Ryder’s office. Large floral fabric covered the furniture, big red and pink roses on a yellow background.

  Warm, fluffy pillows abounded.

  Very feminine, very frilly. Very anti-Ryder. But very much Daisy.

  “I like what you’ve done with the place.” I sat the cat carrier down and Higgins took it as his cue to voice his opinion on the subject.

  “REEEOWWWW.”

  Daisy bent down and opened the carrier and Higgins came out with a prance and his tail up in the air.

  “Kitty,” Daisy said and rubbed the ornery animal behind his ears just like Granddad. “Pretty kitty.”

  Higgins ate it up and rolled on the floor at Daisy’s feet belly up and waited for her to scratch him.

  I’d never seen him do this for anyone but Granddad. “He likes you,” I said in amazement.

  Daisy petted Higgins’ fur, tentative at first and then gaining more confidence as the cat’s purr revved up several notches. Then she smiled at me.

  “See, I told you he likes you. Do you have a cat?” I asked softly.

  Daisy shook her head no.

  “You should ask Ryder to get you one.”

  At the mention of her brother’s name, Daisy stopped petting the cat and jumped up, wringing her hands.

  She pointed to the door. She wanted me to leave. I’d screwed up by mentioning Ryder. Damn. Me and my big mouth.

  “It’s okay, Daisy.” I rose and tried to calm her. “Higgins is enjoying himself. So am I. Let us stay,” I pleaded.

  She seemed to contemplate this, and then she glanced at the door again. I figured she was going to ask me to leave again, and I’d have to comply rather than upset this poor girl. I started to say something, but she put her index finger to her lips. “Shhhh…”

  “Oh, I saw him leave.”

  So she was worried about Ryder finding me here. “It’s okay. He’s gone.”

  She seemed to breathe a bit easier and returned her attention to the antics of a super-cute Higgins doing cat tricks for her on the floor. Who knew he could manage even one cat trick, not to mention the ones he came up with to amuse Daisy?

  When he was like this, I could understand how he could be Granddad’s “baby.” It sure wasn’t a side I’d seen before.

  “Daisy, you come into where I work a lot, don’t you,” I said as carefully as I could, hoping that I wouldn’t put her on the defensive.

  She nodded and continued to laugh and play with the cat who rolled over and curled at her feet and generally acted adorable. And the Oscar for best performance by a cat in a non-starring role goes to Higgins.

  “You used to come in a lot in the mornings, didn’t you?”

  Daisy nodded.

  “You met Robert O’Malley, the 8 o’clock patient, didn’t you?” I kept my tone even and light.

  She paused and glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. I put my hand out and touched her lightly. “It’s okay. I mean, he is dead and that’s not okay, but it’s okay that you knew him.” I was talking faster now, and she regarded me with a mixture of what I took to be curiosity and fear.

  “MEOOOOWWWWW.” Higgins made it known that he wasn’t happy that Daisy had stopped petting him to make small talk with me. She resumed loving the furry beast, and he instantly quieted and licked her hand. I kept a close eye on him in case he decided some part of Daisy would do for his next meal and the licking was actually him cleaning off a prime spot to chomp down on.

  But so far the cat behaved himself.

  “You know, Edna O’Malley is still in jail for the murder.” I rushed to add, “A murder that she didn’t commit. The real killer is still out there somewhere, and I’m trying hard to find out who he or she is before they can hurt someone else.” Too much information, Becca, I thought to myself. Why can’t you learn to filter what you say?

  Daisy huddled into her sweater and wrapped her arms around herself. Higgins meowed again at her lack of attention, but Daisy was lost in her own world and paid no attention to the cat’s complaints.

  “You saw something that day, didn’t you?” I spoke so softly it could have been a whisper. But I knew by Daisy’s reaction that she’d heard every word.

  She rose and backed away from me. The fear plain on her face.

  “It’s okay if you did. I’m always seeing stuff I shouldn’t.” Way to go Becca. You’re some investigator. Damn. This was hard.

  I tried again. “You saw who killed Robert O’Malley didn’t you?”

  I was taking a stab in the dark, but the reaction was all the answer I needed.

  She took me by the arm and tried to pull me to the door. Her strength surprised me for someone who appeared so frail.

  “WEEEEOOOOOWWWWWW.”

  Another unhappy corner heard from.

  Daisy’s attention was divided between trying to get me to leave and trying to soothe Higgins. Higgins won out.

  With infinite care and concern, she leaned down and before I could stop her, she picked the cat up and held him to her chest nuzzling his head with her chin and cheek and murmured to him in what sounded like Russian. Or maybe I was losing it. Right now my primary concern was making sure Higgins didn’t claw her in an attempt to get away. Only one person could successfully hold that cat. Granddad. Or so I thought until now.

  “Baby,” Daisy said clearly. “Big baby kitten.”

  It was the most I’d ever heard her speak. And then she started singing to him. It sounded like a lullaby, but the words were foreign and too soft for me to make out clearly.

  “Baby kitty. Good kitty.” She kissed him on the top of his head. I froze, afraid that he would still turn on her and slash her with one of his long, barbed nails. But no, the traitorous feline ate up the loving, turning to putty in Daisy’s hands.

  Even Granddad didn’t have such a Dr. Doolittle touch with the animal.

  “Daisy, I know you don’t want to see an innocent woman go to jail for the rest of her life for a crime she didn’t commit. Please, help me. Please.”

  She continued to hum her lullaby and rock the cat. He appeared to be either soothed or ready to throw up. I hoped it was the former.

  I fished in my jacket pocket and produced a couple of brightly colored beads. Beads I’d found in the supply room the morning of the murder.

  Beads that I’d forgotten about until the other day. I held them in th
e palm of my hand. “They’re yours, aren’t they?”

  She nodded yes.

  “You were there the day Robert was killed.”

  She nodded again.

  “You saw who did it.” My heart beat like a trip hammer. I was guessing, but my statements were working much better than my questions.

  Daisy continued to rock the cat until I thought surely he’d throw up. All the while, she avoided eye contact.

  “Daisy, you saw the murderer.”

  When she summoned the courage to meet my gaze, I saw it all on her face. And I thought I didn’t have a great poker face. This chick should never ever attempt to bluff.

  Tears rolled down her cheeks unchecked, and she handed the cat from her warm embrace to my awkward one.

  Higgins shot out of my arms like he’d been plunged into ice water. His claws left ugly marks on my forearms and drew blood. “Damn your furry hide. We’re getting those barbs trimmed to nubs. Mark my words, cat.”

  Daisy watched as Higgins cowered in the corner like he was afraid of me and pretended to be the injured party in the exchange even though I was the one dripping drops of my O positive blood on Ryder’s lovely white carpet.

  “Do you have any club soda? I’m thinking I should get this up before your brother notices.” Oh great.

  At the mention of Ryder, Daisy flew into another tailspin. I rushed to add, “He’s not here. I just think we should clean up this mess before he comes back.”

  She nodded her agreement and went off to the kitchen hopefully in search of something to take the stain out.

  I used the time to struggle with Higgins and stuff him unceremoniously back into the cat carrier. His cries of protest were loud and clear and brought Daisy running from the kitchen. She thrust a rag drenched in something into my hands and went over to the cat carrier murmuring words meant to soothe the savage beast.

  Meanwhile, I set to work dabbing out the stains on the carpet from my recent blood-letting. What is it with people and white wool? Argghh.

  “Ah, Daisy, what did you put on this cloth?”

  Daisy peered from the cat carrier to where I was staring at the spotted carpet.

  “OH! OH NOOOOO!”