Downton Tabby

by Sparkle Abbey

  As I approached Main Beach, I slowed. A good, tiring run. Maybe I’d sit down for a minute or two and catch my breath before I walked to where I’d parked my car.

  I spotted Wayne, or Mr. Cutting Hedge as I thought of him, sitting on the same bench where he’d been the evening before.

  “Hello, Wayne.” I approached. “May I share your bench for a couple of minutes?”

  He begrudgingly scooted over. I took a drink from my water bottle and let my breathing slow.

  “A nice night,” I noted, once I was breathing normally.

  He jumped and turned to look at me as if he had just remembered I was there.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your thoughts.”

  “I’m not very good with people.”

  Poor guy. I bet he’d been told that a time or two.

  “Do you have family, Wayne?” I’m not sure what compelled me to ask, maybe because I’d never seen him with anyone. He was always alone.

  “No,” he answered slowly. “I lost my wife.”

  “I’m sorry.” I didn’t touch him, remembering his reaction when I had at the shelter.

  “I’m getting the basset hound.” His voice was flat, like maybe he was afraid to get too excited about the prospect.

  “That’s great.” I hoped he was right. “Dogs are great companions.”

  We sat in silence for a while, but not a comfortable one. Obviously the big guy had had some sad times in his life. Sad times he perhaps hadn’t worked through yet. I wanted to recommend some grief counseling, but there was a line I didn’t feel it was right to cross. He hadn’t asked for my help, hadn’t even really given me an opening.

  Finally, I stood. “Good luck with adopting your basset hound, Wayne.” I waited for him to look up, but he didn’t. “If there’s anything I can do to help I will.”

  He lifted his head, and I remembered the day he’d wandered into the office needing to use the phone because of his car trouble. Who would have thought our paths would cross again?

  I stopped at Whole Foods on my way home and grabbed the ingredients for a new cat-treat recipe I wanted to try. I’d had good success with my homemade dog treats, but so far not only did my clients’ felines not clamor for my cat treats, Thelma and Louise were also unimpressed. Maybe Toria would be a more helpful treat tester. And maybe a little time baking would take my mind off wondering where Toria’s owner was and when he might be coming back.

  Chapter Seventeen

  THE NEXT MORNING I woke up with two dozen each of Catnip Cookies and Southern Kitten Chick N Biscuits waiting to be cat-tested. And a renewed sense of personal resolve.

  No wonder I’d been so low, the past few days had been what Grandma Tillie would have called crazy-making days. The unwelcome interest in my personal life from the TV reporter, the black SUV following me, the complaint about me from Cash and Jake’s wacko neighbor, and then Betty, the dog park, and my realization about my ex. The crazy train had been full-throttle, and there’d been plenty of passengers on board.

  I was upset with myself for not seeing through Geoffrey and what he was doing. And I was beyond irritated with Mr. TV for his tabloid techniques.

  My reaction to the reporter and his digging into Mel’s past was telling, wasn’t it? Maybe Diana was right and it was time to sit down and have a heart to heart with Mel and sort out this brooch thing. I had the feeling that until we came to grips with all the baggage that piece of family jewelry represented, Mel would keep breaking up with Grey and I’d continue to keep Sam at arm’s length.

  I didn’t even turn on the television as I got ready for the day. I was afraid if I had to listen to Callum MacAvoy on the news, I might end up causing harm to my TV.

  I went through my usual morning routine. I took faithful Dogbert for his morning walk, acted as on-call servant to the household’s feline needs, and then showered and dressed. I pulled out a bright-turquoise long-sleeved organic cotton tee and my black skinny jeans.

  Mary Jo had left me a message and invited me to stop by and see the Golden Days of Hollywood exhibit in its early stages. She had catalogued everything and now was in the process of setting up at the library. She thought I might enjoy a preview.

  I put that at the top of my list for the day because it was on my way, and it would also give me the opportunity to return her movie.

  The Laguna Beach Public Library was on Glenneyre, near my office, and I was a frequent visitor so I knew my way around. Mary Jo stood just inside the entrance at the Information Desk. I handed her the Little Sis DVD. I told her how much I enjoyed it and that I got a kick out of seeing the dress Diana had donated in the film. One of the nearby clothing shops had loaned the library a mannequin, and the dress was displayed along with the book Diana had signed. I loved the frock even more now that I’d seen the movie and knew its history.

  I didn’t tell Mary Jo that the movie had sent me off on the wild hair of thinking Cash and Jake were spies. At midnight, with the movie and its intrigue fresh in my head, the idea had seemed brilliant. After listening to Verdi point out all the holes in my theory, it was losing its shine.

  I took a few minutes to walk through and admire the display cases that were taking shape. What a creative idea to spark interest in some of the books in their collection and also raise some funds for the library.

  My office was just a hop, skip, and a jump away, so I swung by there next. Verdi wasn’t in today, and I missed her presence. The place seemed eerily quiet after the parade of people the previous day.

  I let myself into the building, unlocked my office, and got down to work.

  There was a quick rap, and Sam popped his head in my door.

  “You’re up and about bright and early today,” I greeted him. He was looking dress-for-success handsome in a dark-blue Giorgio Armani suit and crisp white shirt that contrasted very nicely with his dark coloring.

  “I’m on my way to a business meeting with some of Yia-Yia’s cronies. I thought I’d stop by and bring you a coffee on the off chance you hadn’t had enough caffeine.” He kissed my cheek and handed me a to-go cup from the Koffee Klatch.

  I ask you, what’s not to love about this guy?

  “Oh, sugar, thank you.” I took a big sip and sighed. “Perfect. You know my weakness. Now, you’ll never get rid of me; I’ll follow you anywhere.”

  “I’m counting on that.” He smiled and leaned in for a proper kiss. “How goes the investigation? Have you heard anything?”

  “I’m still waiting to hear from Malone on the neighbor, Zellwen’s surveillance recordings. I don’t know if they have anything for me to look at.”

  “Wait a minute.” Sam dropped into the chair beside my desk. “The neighbor’s name is Zellwen?”

  “That’s right.” I inhaled the hot coffee aroma and took another sip.

  “Is his first name Erich?”

  “We could check with Malone.” I didn’t remember him mentioning a first name. “Why? Do you know him?”

  “If it’s Erich Zellwen, not only do I know him, I fired him.” Sam leaned forward. “Or rather I fired his security company. They were the firm handling security for our Long Beach warehouse. Not a very personable guy to begin with, and then he was just plain insulting to one of our employees. The warehouse manager asked him to apologize, and he flipped out on him.”

  “Well, that would explain how he’s able to afford a house in Jake and Cash’s neighborhood. I had wondered about that.” I set the to-go cup down on my desk. “And it would also explain all the video surveillance capability. It seemed like overkill to attempt to catch a trespassing kitty cat.”

  I dialed Malone and asked about the neighbor’s first name. He confirmed it was Erich, and I explained Sam’s knowledge of the security company Zellwen owned, then handed my phone to Sam so he could fill in the rest of the story.

  Sam repeated what he’d told me.

  They finished talking, and Sam returned my phone with a smile and a slight lingering of his fingers on my hand.r />
  Malone was still on the line. “We picked up the video surveillance recordings this morning and will begin reviewing them. Could you stop by sometime today?”

  “I can be there in about fifteen to twenty minutes. Will that work?”

  “It will,” he confirmed, and we hung up.

  I put my phone down, and it immediately rang. I looked at the number and realized that, in all the excitement, I’d completely forgotten that I owed Rebecca Tyler and her company an answer. I’d had a phone-call discussion with her a couple of days before Cash disappeared and I found Jake in the pool. Since then life had gone a little crazy, and I’d apparently put her offer completely out of my mind.

  “Sorry,” I mouthed to Sam. “I need to take this.”

  He smiled and shrugged.

  “Hi, Rebecca. I’m so sorry I haven’t gotten back to you.”

  “No problem, but we’d like to know soon if you’re in or out.”

  “I’ll definitely let you know in the next few days,” I told her. Either I was interested or I wasn’t. I needed to make up my mind and not leave her hanging.

  She thanked me and said good-bye. I ended the call.

  “A new client?” Sam asked.

  “No. An unusual opportunity to audition for a reality show called Pet Intervention.”

  “In LA?”

  “The audition is in Seattle. I’m not sure if they’ll do all the taping there or somewhere else. It would be an opportunity to work with problem pets in a new way.” I picked up a pen and added a call back to Rebecca Tyler to my to-do list. “The way I understand it, I’d meet the dog and owner and then work to correct the problem. But I don’t know if it’s something I want to take on.”

  “I think it sounds like the perfect fit for you. You’d get to do something you do well, and reach even more people.”

  “I’m really not sure what I think. It’s not even a given that I’d be chosen.” I tapped the phone I still held. “I need to let her know in the next few days if I’m interested in auditioning.”

  “Your choice, of course, but I think you’d be phenomenal.”

  “Thanks, Sam.” I appreciated his confidence in me. He was right; it would be an opportunity to reach a lot more people, but with all that had gone on in the past week, I hadn’t had the presence of mind to decide how I felt about the idea. “What did Malone think about your information on the neighbor?”

  “Well, just having a bad temper doesn’t mean he killed Jake Wylie, but it sure means there’s more follow-up that’s needed. Malone is going to check out where Zellwen was the day Jake was killed.”

  “I’ll be interested in what he finds out.”

  “I will also.” Sam rose and touched my shoulder. “I’ve got to get going. You never know what the traffic will be like. Let me know how things go with viewing the videos.”

  “I will.” I smiled at him. “Good luck with your meeting.”

  “Thanks.” He perched on the edge of my desk and waited for me to stop fidgeting. “And, Caro.” He took my face gently in his strong hands. His thumb stroked the worried crease in my forehead. “Don’t worry. When you’re ready, you’ll know.” He leaned in and kissed me, and then he was gone.

  And I was left wondering whether he meant the reality show or us.

  Chapter Eighteen

  THE POLICE STATION was less than five minutes from my office. I parked out front and entered the low brick building. It housed City Hall, the police department, and the fire department. A neat and tidy lineup of official Laguna Beach services.

  Inside, Sally and Lorraine were at the front desk. Why, yes, I am on a first-name basis with staff at the Laguna Beach Police Department. In addition, I am ashamed to admit that we hadn’t exactly gotten off on the right foot initially. But I now considered them friends.

  “Hey Lorraine, it’s our favorite pet shrink,” Sally called over her shoulder to the taller woman who stood sorting papers at the back desk.

  “How’s Buster?” I asked Lorraine.

  “You know pugs.” She grinned. “He’s such a clown. Look at this.” She came forward to show me a picture on her phone of Buster in a new vest she’d made him.

  “Treats him like a child,” Sally teased.

  “Well, Buster is like a child to me.” Lorraine was unfazed.

  “You here to see Malone?” Sally asked.

  “I am,” I confirmed. “I think he’s expecting me.”

  “He is, hon. You can go on back.” Lorraine pointed at the hallway that led to the staff offices. “You know where he is.”

  “Do you need a coffee or anything?” Sally asked.

  “No thanks, sugar. I’m fine.” I moved down the corridor to where Malone’s office was located. It was small and practical: a desk, a chair, and a file cabinet. He looked up as I entered.

  “Good.” He stood. “Come with me.”

  He led me to a room set up with computers and monitors. Much less equipment than had been in the secret room at Jake and Cash’s house, but still impressive.

  I noticed Cash and Jake’s distinctive office computer on a table at the back, the alien’s face on the monitor branding the machine as theirs. I’d been sure the police had removed the computer from their office, but I was glad to have confirmation it had been Malone and company. And not the intruder or the angry neighbor. Or the secret spies.

  A young female technician was at the console. She wasn’t in uniform, and I didn’t know if she was a police officer or not, but she seemed to know her way around a computer.

  “Joanne, would you queue up the video for Ms. Lamont?”

  “You bet.” She made a couple of clicks, and the video began. “This is the day of the murder.”

  The recording showed the back side of the fence that surrounded the rear of the house. She let it run for a while and then moved the cursor and zipped through several hours. There was no action for a while, and then a shadow was visible. A person.

  “Slow it down here.” Malone shifted to allow me to scoot forward. “This is about an hour before you arrived at the house.”

  It was fuzzy, but there was definitely someone lurking in the alleyway.

  “It’s hard to see, but is that another person?” I pointed at another shadowy figure.

  “Let me enlarge it.” Joanne stopped the video and made the still shot bigger.

  Instead of helping, it made the outline of both figures even less clear.

  “Take a close look,” Malone encouraged.

  “The first person is about the right size to be the guy who was in the house the day I went to get Toria’s things.” I tried to focus my eyes and see if I could pick out anything distinctive. “But I don’t see anything that would allow me to say I think it’s definitely him. He never looks up, so you can’t see his face.”

  I was disappointed. It seemed unbelievable to me that someone had entered the house, murdered Jake, and yet even with a recording there was no clear view of the person or persons. That wasn’t how it worked on the television crime shows. The killer always looked up at the camera.

  “Can you move forward to when the medics arrived?” Malone asked.

  “Sure, that’s about here.” The woman made a couple of more clicks, and the time showed shortly after my arrival. She slowed the video again.

  “Both people are gone.” I looked at Malone.

  “They are.” Malone nodded. “The camera isn’t placed to catch anything other than the back, so we don’t know where they might have gone.”

  “What about the next day when I was there with Officer Hostas?”

  “I can show you that section, but there’s nothing at all on it.” Joanne pointed at the screen. “The occasional seagull, but nothing else.”

  “Is there any way to tell if the videos have been altered?” I asked.

  The technician answered before Malone could stop her. “We’ve considered the possibility, but there’s nothing I can find to make me think these have been edited. However, we’ll send them
off to the state crime lab where they have more sophisticated equipment.”

  “Thank you, Joanne.” Malone sounded as disappointed as I felt. “If you find anything when you review the rest, let me know.”

  “Yes, sir,” she answered.

  Malone led the way back to his office.

  “Have a seat.” He pulled a folding chair from behind the door and placed it in front of his desk.

  “So pretty much a bust.” I sat down across from him.

  “Nothing that helps us at all.” He shifted some files on his desk. “And I sent an officer to speak with Mr. Zellwen about where he was the day of the murder.”

  “What did he find out?”

  “Zellwen has an alibi. He was in a class that morning in LA.”

  “I suppose you’ll verify his story.”

  “In the process of doing that right now.”

  A uniformed officer appeared at the door, and Malone motioned him in. “This may be my confirmation. What do you have?”

  “The instructor confirmed that Mr. Zellwen was in attendance at the anger management class from eight o’clock until eleven o’clock the morning of the murder,” the spit-and-polish officer stated.

  “Thank you, Salinas.” Malone nodded. “Would you check with the DMV on traffic conditions for that time period? We should be able to get an estimate of travel times.”

  “Will do.” The officer ducked out.

  “Seriously?” I couldn’t hold it in any longer. “He was at anger management class?”

  “I know. The irony isn’t lost on me.” Malone leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his rugged face thoughtful.

  “Where does this leave us?” I asked.

  “I think you mean, where does this leave me?” His steely blue gaze shifted to mine.

  “Sure.” I’d really thought the neighbor showed promise. “No word from Cash?”

  Malone stared at me. “Caro, leave it alone. I asked you here to review the video. I let you know about Zellwen because you thought he might be the one following you. But the rest, leave it to me. Somehow you’ve got yourself right in the middle of this.”