by C A Phipps
“How did you get on with contacting the other owner’s,” Laura asked.
Ethan spluttered. “You’re doing what?”
“It was easy enough to find the names. Some have never been contacted by the police and I needed to know what the outcome was for each of them.”
He sucked in a breath. “And?”
“I just started calling today. Only four would talk to me. They wouldn’t say much, apart from their pets were back home and they hadn’t had a ransom note.”
“That’s good isn’t it?” Gran was looking at Ethan for confirmation, but he was watching Maddie.
“I didn’t believe them. It was something in their voices that didn’t ring true. When I mentioned ransom they got defensive and sounded scared. Plus, six of the numbers are disconnected.”
Ethan put his hand over her restless one that had been tapping furiously.
“You’ve got tonight to get through first. Then the drop tomorrow. I suggest you stop anymore digging until after that otherwise you might scare him or her off.”
She slipped her hand out, aware of Gran’s pleasure. “I agree and I should have thought of that before. My head is in a whirl, but I am ready for tonight. In fact, we should be getting ready, Laura.”
Ethan was happy with her capitulation. Her turned to Gran. “I’ll be there to keep an eye on her, so don’t worry.”
“Easy enough to say, but much harder for me to do.”
He nodded. “Can I give the two of you a ride home?”
“That would be nice.” Gran agreed. Then she hugged Maddie. “Have a little fun if you can, and behave yourself.”
The sternness was definitely a cover for her fears and Maddie kissed her again, wishing she wasn’t so much of a bother, but unable to fix that right now.
Chapter 23
Laura and Maddie arrived at the Country Club at seven-thirty. Bernie was having a bumper night with his taxi service, but he’d squeezed them into his schedule, and offered to come pick them up if needed. Maddie told him they hoped to get a ride from Suzy who was bringing Angel a little later.
The party was in full swing, with a cacophony of voices rising above the background music from DJ, Noah Jackson.
Maddie wore a blue sheath which had hung in the back of her wardrobe for months. She’d kept her hair down and it hung down her back to her waist. The high shoes, she could have done without. Since she hadn’t worn them in so long, her feet were already protesting.
Laura was stunning in a green knee length dress, her red hair sparkled and had also been left down for the occasion. It had been straightened into submission and hung around her shoulders.
Several people took second glances.
A waiter offered them champagne, and they took a glass each, since everyone appeared to have one. Someone Maddie had heard of from Destiny had done the catering, and a waitress wearing a classy apron with ‘Jacques’ embroidered on the front, hovered with platter of petite tarts and deep fried cheese balls. She politely turned them down, as did Laura. It seemed they were both nervous and Maddie didn’t think her stomach could cope with food right now.
“Laura. Come over here, dear.”
A tall slim woman with red hair, made a beeline across the room as soon as they entered. She had to be Laura’s mother. She was a carbon copy, except her forehead didn’t move and her smile did not reach her eyes.
“Mother this is my friend Madeline Flynn. Maddie this is my mother Eleanor McKenzie.”
Maddie extended her hand, which was summarily ignored so she settled for a pleasantry that was instilled in her. “Pleased to meet you.” Laura’s mother barely glanced at her and looked impatiently at her daughter.
“I’m glad you saw sense about coming tonight. Now that Maude has left us, and Mickey has stepped up to take up her mantle, we’ll need everyone to pitch in if we, I mean he, is to win. Let’s start you off by circulating with the town committee.”
Laura blanched at the imperious look from her mother, but stood a little taller despite it. “I’m not sure how I’ll vote until after I hear them both talk.”
“You will vote as I say,” Eleanor hissed. “After that debacle of an election last time, it’s the least you can do.”
Laura’s eyes glistened, but her shoulders remained square, as she took a sip of her champagne. Maddie had the feeling that Laura had turned a corner, and no matter how sharp the edges, she would no longer let her mother have an influence on her life. Her father might be a different story.
With clearly more than a few glasses of champagne under his belt, he was with the group of committee members and other important people, who were standing in the middle of the room. Mr. McKenzie was having a great time telling anecdotes, while Mickey stood beside him, stone-faced.
Laura’s mom’s attention shifted when she heard her husband’s loud guffaw at his own joke. She did not look impressed and marched across the room, forcing a cool smile on her face as she neared them.
It was like watching a train-wreck and Maddie was mesmerized until Irene Fitzgibbons made her way to them through the crowd, bypassing the group, with a disapproving frown.
“Madeline, I wasn’t aware you are a member of our club.”
It was more of a statement than a question.
“I’m not.”
Irene’s nose crinkled as if she had smelled something odious. “The rules are very clear . . .”
“She’s my partner for the event,” Laura explained.
The nose crinkled further, but after checking that Eleanor McKenzie, was standing not so far away, she decided not to pursue the matter. “I see. It’s a little irregular, but very well.”
Maddie couldn’t bring herself to say thank you, but she had questions that Irene might know answers to, which was why they were there. Plus, Irene seemed to want to add something as she gave Maddie several furtive glances.
“I’m so sorry about Mrs. Oliver. I know she was a good friend of yours.”
“Well, we were friends.” Irene took another glance at Laura’s mother, and then looked around the room. There was a definite edginess creeping into her demeanor.
“Excuse me, I think the debate is about to begin.”
Maddie and Laura shared a look, but said nothing. Meanwhile Eleanor had managed to subdue her husband, and everyone was requested to find a seat. Irene Fitzgibbons and Mickey Findlay took their places on a small stage.
Maddie and Laura found two just as the speeches began. Mickey, usually friendly with only those who could help him in some way, seemed to have found some community spirit all of a sudden. He spoke well, making promises that were outlandish and, as intended, they appealed to most of the room.
There were a lot of moneyed people here, some affected by it and some not. Laura, now officially one of the Girlz, seemed more relaxed when she was away from her mother and they spied Angel sitting with Suzy across the room. They had decided to split their resources to increase their chances of overhearing anything useful.
With Mickey droning on, Maddie whispered into Laura’s ear. “I want to ask a few questions, but I don’t want to scare off the petnapper like Ethan said.”
Laura drew in a ragged breath. “Tell me what you want to say.”
Maddie grabbed her hand. “Really? Are you sure? I know you hate that sort of thing.”
“I’m not sure about much, but if this will help with getting our cat back, then yes, I’m sure.”
Maddie explained what might work. “But you should say what you think will have the best effect.”
“You’re putting a lot of faith in me.”
“I am, because I know you’ve got this.” With a squeeze of her arm, Maddie moved away from Laura, so that the focus would not be on her.
When Irene spoke after Mickey, there were a few questions directed at both of them. It seemed odd that neither of them mentioned Maude. No one else brought up her name either.
Laura stood, waving at the runner who was taking the hand-held microphone to the
those asking questions. They had no way of knowing how much she could say before being shut down. Mickey and Irene frowned as she was handed the microphone. Laura’s mother looked wary.
“I’d like to ask our candidates what they propose to do about finding all the missing pets, if elected?” Laura spoke clearly and firmly.
Mickey’s smile was cool. His self-confidence at an all-time high. “That’s a matter for the Sheriff’s department, Ms. McKenzie.”
“Do you know if anyone here has a missing pet?”
He shrugged, and laughed. “I don’t see how that would help.”
“It could tell us the exact area the kidnappers are targeting and how wide-spread it is”
“As far as I know most of the animals wandered off. I think we should move on to things to do with Maple Falls,” he said dismissively.
“You don’t think missing animals, ransom letters, and a murder, has anything to do with Maple Falls?”
“They are completely separate issues. The murder is being investigated, as you well know. Animals go missing all the time. I hardly think it’s a matter to concern ourselves with.”
That caused a buzz in the room. Mickey heard it and made a sad face.
“Of course, it’s a terrible business, and when the murderer is caught resources will, I’m sure, be pushed into that direction.”
“One last question, if I may?” Laura didn’t wait for his answer, and addressed the room. “Is anyone here missing a pet? And, have they received a ransom letter?”
A deafening silence fell over the room. Maddie who was standing at the back of the room, heard a chair scrape near her and a woman left very quickly. Even craning her neck, she couldn’t see who it was, before the general hubbub began.
“Since the answer is clearly no, I suggest we move on,” Mickey said with more than a touch of animosity. “And perhaps you could pass the word, Ms. McKenzie, that there will be a meeting at the community center for those that aren’t a member of the Country Club. I’m sure you have plenty of contacts who fall into that realm.”
Laura handed back the microphone and sat down.
He could be as condescending as he liked, now that Laura had achieved what Maddie had intended, which was alert everyone here that there were other’s in the same situation and the should join together to put an end to the petnapping. The rest was up to Ethan.
He’d been standing all this time near the door. They hadn’t acknowledged each other, but she saw him slip out after the woman who’d just left. She hoped he would find her and get to ask her some questions, since the ones in the room dried up about then.
Laura came and found her as soon as she could. “Let’s go out into the garden.”
They squeezed passed several people who gave her curious glances, and she hoped they had been given food for thought. Once they were outside in the small courtyard that opened up to the golf course, she hugged Laura.
“Well done. I’m so proud of you. I hope your parent’s won’t give you a hard time over it?”
Laura shook her head. “Don’t worry about that. Mom’s got her hands full getting Dad to stop drinking and he’s in no condition to argue. They can say what they like tomorrow, but I’m done with all this. I’m more worried over the way Mickey looked at us.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s mighty annoyed. He knows how to woo a crowd, but he has a terrible temper and I may have lost him some votes around the issue of the missing pets.”
Irene Fitzgibbons, stepped from behind the statue that had hidden her approach, making both women jump back.
“That’s true. You do need to be careful.”
“How do you mean?” Maddie wasn’t sure how to take the comment. Was it a threat?
Irene looked about her, fear in her eyes. “Mickey wants to be Mayor, and he’s not leaving anything to chance.”
“Isn’t that why you’re running against him.”
“He’d like everyone to believe that. The truth is I had no choice.” She bit her lip hard and looked around once more. When she continued her voice was barely above a whisper. “My Peanut is missing. It’s been four days.”
Maddie was blown away. “Peanut? Is that your dog?”
“Not just any dog. He’s a pedigree dachshund, and so clever. When he was smaller I carried him in a special bag wherever I went.” Her lips trembled.
“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Fitzgibbons, but why are you telling us this?”
“Because I’ve done everything I was asked to do. Peanut, is still gone.”
Maddie’s fingers drummed along her thigh. “You have to run for Mayor? Is that part of the deal?”
“Of course it is. I don’t want to be Mayor. I like my life just as it is. Or was.”
“Then why?”
“If I don’t run, the election won’t seem legitimate, because he,” she nodded vaguely in Mickey’s direction, “won’t have any competition. All I have to do is pretend I want the job.”
“What if everyone votes for you?”
She frowned. “That’s my point. As unlikely as it seems, if that happens, I’m scared I will end up like Denise and Maude.”
As much as Maddie didn’t particularly want to vote for Irene, she absolutely didn’t want to vote for Mickey. Would the people of Maple Falls feel the same, even here, at the Country Club, which was surely full of people who might want him to win? The old boy network was alive and well. But then again, Mickey had trodden on a lot of toes recently, and the stink of the last election hung on him, whether he liked it or not.
“Could I take a look at the ransom letter?”
She raised an eyebrow. “It’s not on me. I hid it, just in case. I can’t go tell the Sheriff, because the note is not in Mickey’s handwriting and you know how clever he is. But you could. I know you and Sheriff Tanner are very good friends. If you could explain my predicament, I’d appreciate it, but it must be a secret. If the kidnapper hurts my peanut, I don’t know what I’ll do.” She looked around once more. “I must go.”
She backed away and walked around the other side of the column as if she hadn’t been baring her soul to a person she’d rarely spoken to.
Chapter 24
In search of Ethan, Laura and Maddie found him outside the main doors.
“We know who the kidnapper is,” Laura blurted.
“Shush.” He had a finger on his lips and motioned them down the drive.
They passed a few people who were leaving and Maddie tried not to act differently, but she was just as excited as Laura who apologized as soon as they were alone.
“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s okay, Laura. I don’t think they heard you. Just remember you can’t go around accusing anybody without hard evidence.”
“We have it. Irene Fitzgibbon has just explained to us why she’s running for mayor.” Maddie told him the sordid details and was disappointed when he merely nodded.
“So, now you can arrest Mickey, can’t you?” Laura asked.
“That’s not how it works. Unless we have physical proof, we can’t even suggest he is the person behind this. He had an alibi for the time of the murder, so if it is him, then he has someone doing his dirty work and that’s the person I want right now.”
She was astounded. “We do nothing?”
“You’ve both done enough. Leave this to me. If he thinks we’re on to him, things could get way more dangerous than they already are.”
“Won’t he think that anyway, after the things I said to him?”
Ethan sighed. “You’re right. Come on, I’m taking you both home.”
They followed him to his sedan, but Maddie wasn’t done yet. She waited until they were out of the gate before turning to face him from the passenger seat.
“Who was the woman who ran out of the room?”
He sighed. “You can’t breath a word of this. She’s Maude’s sister. They were very close as children and young women. Apparently, not so much lately. She came to town purely
for the funeral on Tuesday. She’s struggling with the thought of Maude being murdered and wants to help us, which is why she came tonight, but she’s also scared of Mickey.”
Maddie sat back. “Mickey wants the Mayor’s job, far more than we gave him credit for. How many candidates have to die before the town simply gives it to him?”
He glanced side-ways and grabbed her busy hand. “Calm down, Maddie. We have leads and we have witnesses. Now we just need to connect the dots so that the trail lands squarely at his door.”
He dropped Laura, who has listened quietly from the back seat, at Grans, then took Maddie home, walking her to the door.
“I didn’t get a chance to say how lovely you look in that blue dress. It matches your eyes perfectly.”
“Please don’t Ethan. I know you’re trying to take my mind off things, but It’s not going to work tonight.”
He pushed one long strand of hair over her shoulder. “Fair enough. I’m doing my best, you know?”
There was pain in his voice, and it made her sad. “I do know. You’re a great Sheriff, and maybe I don’t tell you that enough, but like it or not, Big Red is still missing.”
“I get how much he means to you, and I’m sorry it’s taking so long.”
She nodded. “It’s not your fault.”
He smiled, took her key and opened the door. Pushing her gently inside he kissed her forehead. “Tomorrow’s going to be rough, so try to get a good night’s sleep and make sure you lock up properly.”
He waited until she had before he left and she suddenly wished that he’d stayed.
She knew she wasn’t girlfriend material in this state, but her patience was wearing thin. She didn’t want people scared, hurt or killed. She just wanted Big Red, safe at home, where he belonged.
It didn’t seem too much to ask.
Chapter 25
When Maddie had taken the catering job for a birthday party today, she hadn’t counted on delivering a ransom.
Tonight, if she did as she was asked, she would have Big Red back. She and Laura worked without discussing it, but there had been shared looks and their worry was palpable.