“What are you saying?”
“I pushed her. You know, the Laguna bus system is very timely.”
She was mad. Crazy. A freakin’ killer. Good grief, after two murders, what’s one more?
“How?” My voice broke.
“She wasn’t running from you. I saw her walking down the street and knew that was my chance to get rid of her, too.”
A loud splash interrupted her tirade.
“Was that Cliff?” I asked.
She turned to look, and I shoved her into the mini bar and ran for the sleeping quarters. I shut the door and locked it. I pulled out my cell and called the cops.
Tricia started screaming obscenities-banging on the door with the wrench. I swallowed my fear. Lord, I hoped that door held.
In the background I could hear a loud booming voice shout, “Police.”
Thank God.
Tricia squealed and pleaded but from where I was hiding, the cops weren’t having any of it.
Someone tried to open the door. “Melinda, are you in there?” It was Grey.
I unlocked the door and threw myself into his arms. “What in Sam Hill took you so long?”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
It had taken a good twenty-four hours, but our lives had settled down. Somewhat. All the way back to Laguna, Grey had lectured me on leading with my emotions and not my head. I knew he was talking more out of fear then anger, but that didn’t lessen the sting.
Then we walked into my house, and there sat Detective Malone chatting it up with Nikki. I won’t repeat exactly what he’d shouted, but it wasn’t much different from Grey’s lecture. I did worry briefly that Malone might just off me himself, he was so hot.
I didn’t make any sweeping declarations, promising to stay out of his police work, but I did promise to keep my nose in my own business. I had to admit, if only to myself right now, once my life hadn’t been in danger any longer, I seriously enjoyed the adrenaline rush of living on the edge.
Tricia was in lockdown at the Orange County slammer. Apparently I wasn’t the only one she’d gone after with her wrench. Not only was she charged with two murders, but for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.
Rumor has it Cliff and his brother, Ted, left Dana Point. No one is certain if the brothers left on their own free will or if they got a one way ticket via the Pacific.
Fluffy was still camped out at Darby’s. They actually like each other. Darby didn’t know it yet, but I had an appointment with Owen Quinn on Friday. He agreed to file the paperwork to officially make Darby Fluffy’s legal guardian.
Oh, and Alex had finally called and left me a voicemail. That stop in San Clemente was at a hotel. I’m guessing that’s where Cliff and Jo had hooked-up. Mona must have taken Jo there to make her squirm just before she fired Jo O’Malley’s phony animal communicator hiney.
Mitch and Nikki were leaving tomorrow. I guess Mitch wasn’t much for crazy women welding a wrench. He’d tried to convince me Vegas was a quieter and safer place to live. I begged to differ. I loved my beachside community.
Grey was on his way over. The four of us were heading to Catalina Island for the day.
Nikki was in the spare bedroom packing. For some reason she’d asked my brother to keep me occupied.
I slipped on my jeans and a thick sweater for our trip, then cajoled Mitch to help me pack a picnic lunch.
“I hear Mama’s throwing you small shindig.” I slapped a healthy amount of peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat bread.
Mitch groaned and made a face I knew all too well, dread and doom.
“You know how she is,” he complained.
“Oh, I’m well aware, ‘Honey.’ That’s why I live in California. Mama’s going to love Nikki. You picked a keeper.” What I’d said was true, but it wouldn’t stop Mama from asking Nikki to change her name to something more southern. I finished making the last PB &J sandwich and tossed the dirty knife in the sink.
Mitch pulled four plastic bottles of iced tea from the fridge and set them in the picnic basket. “You’ll come to the party, right?”
“Absolutely.” Once he was looking at me, I tossed him the sandwiches, and he dropped them in the basket, too. “I’m dragging Grey along as my deflector. Mama gets busy trying to impress my fiancé and forgets I’m there to nag. It makes for a more enjoyable visit.”
Mitch pitched himself against the wall and studied me. “Speaking of visits. Nikki and I already agreed to go home for Christmas.”
I didn’t bother to look up from the mess on the counter. I knew where this was heading. “I’m sure you’ll have an enjoyable time.”
“Promise me you and Grey will come, too.”
“I can’t. Sometimes Grey has to leave unexpectedly.” For an excuse it was pretty weak.
“You need to go home and see Mama and Daddy.”
I sighed. “I will. For your party.”
“It’s not the same.”
“I don’t want to argue with you.”
He crossed over to where I was standing and grabbed my hand. “Then agree to come for Christmas.”
“Fine.” Technically, I didn’t commit to a specific Christmas.
Mitch’s smile was so excited I had a twinge of guilt that I was already planning on a way to back out.
He snagged a cheese stick out of the basket and unwrapped it. “I had a nice chat with Caro yesterday. She looks good.”
I swatted at him. “Stop eatin’ the food. Caro’s a Montgomery. It’s genetically predisposed that she always looks good.”
Mitch chuckled.
“What?” I asked, glaring at him.
“The two of you. You’re exactly the same.”
“Oh, no. I’m nothing like Caro. Where’d you see her?”
“She stopped by yesterday.”
I dropped the peanut butter container on the floor and shrieked, “What?” I raced toward Fluffy’s old room.
“What are you doing?” Mitch called out behind me.
I opened Fluffy’s mini safe, which I had never locked. (I couldn’t remember the combination. That’s probably why Caro had made up one.)
A bounty of tiaras sparkled in front of me, but the brooch was gone.
Oh, she was bad. Bad, bad, bad. And I was stupid, stupid, stupid.
“Mitch,” I whacked him on the shoulder, “I can’t believe you just let her walk out of here with my brooch.”
He looked at the safe and then at me. “Well, hell, Mel. How was I supposed to know that when she went to use the bathroom she was really sneaking around looking for that dumb pin?”
I just stared at him.
“Now it makes sense. But at the time…” He trailed off. “I’m sorry. Wow. She’s kinda devious.” He sounded impressed.
“You haven’t seen devious. I’ll get my brooch back. And I’ll be wearing it at Christmas.”
You’d better watch your back, Cousin. Here I come.
Acknowledgements
We’d like to acknowledge our critique group, Christine, Cindy, Laura and Tami, who unselfishly share their time and knowledge at the drop of a hat. We couldn’t have done this without you.
To our rescue pets who provide us with inspiration and unconditional love, Sparkle, Abby, Chewy and Sophie.
Once again we are grateful to the wonderful people in Laguna Beach, CA. We apologize for the creative license we’ve taken with your amazing community.
To the talented team at Bell Bridge Books who continue to believe in Team Pets, you’re amazing. Britt, your enthusiasm is boundless. Your emails make us smile. To the awesome editor, DebS, you made GF a better book. Thank you. DebD and DebS, we continue to be grateful for the guidance, knowledge and encouragement you share.
Last, but never least, to our husbands and our families. You touch our hearts daily. Without you… well, we’d get a lot more writing done, but our lives would be very boring and much less fulfilling.
About Sparkle Abbey
Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym
of two mystery authors (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). They are friends and neighbors as well as co-writers of the Pampered Pets Mystery Series. The Pen name was created by combining the names of their rescue pets – Sparkle (Mary Lee’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). They reside in central Iowa, but if they could write anywhere, you would find them on the beach with their laptops and depending on the time of day, with either an iced tea or a margarita.
Mary Lee
Mary Lee Salsbury Woods is the “Sparkle” half of Sparkle Abbey. She is past-president of Sisters in Crime – Iowa and a member of Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, Kiss of Death, the RWA Mystery Suspense chapter, Sisters in Crime, and the SinC internet group Guppies.
Prior to publishing the Pampered Pet Mystery series with Bell Bridge Books, Mary Lee won first place in the Daphne du Maurier contest, sponsored by the Kiss of Death chapter of RWA, and was a finalist in Murder in the Grove’s mystery contest, as well as Killer Nashville’s Claymore Dagger contest.
Mary Lee is an avid reader and supporter of public libraries. She lives in Central Iowa with her husband, Tim, and Sparkle the rescue cat namesake of Sparkle Abbey. In her day job she is the non-techie in the IT Department. Any spare time she spends reading and enjoying her sons and daughter-in-laws, and four grandchildren.
Anita
Anita Carter is the “Abbey” half of Sparkle Abbey. She is president of Sisters in Crime – Iowa and a member of Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, Kiss of Death, the RWA Mystery Suspense chapter, and Sisters in Crime.
She grew up reading Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew and the Margo Mystery series by Jerry B Jenkins (years before his popular Left Behind Series.) Her family is grateful all the years of “fending for yourself” dinners of spaghetti and frozen pizza have finally paid off, even though they haven’t exactly stopped.
In Anita’s day job, she works for a staffing company. She also lives in Central Iowa with her husband and four children, son-in-law, grandchild and three rescue dogs, Abby, Chewy and Sophie.
***
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