by C A Phipps
Ethan heaved a massive sigh. He looked so tired and his head must have been pounding after that knock to it. Maddie worried that he might have a concussion as well as all the bruises from the abuse and the crash.
“Okay,” he said. “Let’s do that. Set up some cells for them with water and send someone to get food for cats and dogs. Oh, and seed for the birds.” He gave Maddie a wry smile. “It looks like it might be a very long night.”
“I can call the Girlz to help out?”
He nodded appreciatively. “Perfect. More hands will get this done a lot sooner, and I’ll be tied up with the kidnapper. I’m sure you can handle it, and you may as well use my desk until they arrive. If you need anything, just give Deputy Funnel a yell. She seems to be your new best friend.”
The wink he gave her made her laugh, especially when the deputy turned a shade of pink Angel would have admired. When the two of them left, she called her friend while beginning her list with the animals she knew. And, a large grin on her face.
Angel picked up on the first ring and relayed the message to Gran, Laura, and Suzy who were all waiting at the cottage with Beth. They were pleased to hear she was safe and delighted the animals were saved. She could hear them chattering, wanting to know details, so Angel put her on speakerphone. Once Maddie told them what was needed, without hesitation, they promised to be there soon.
They arrived at the same time as the vets’ truck and together they helped get all the animals housed in the cells. The smaller ones and the birds remained in cages to prevent their escaped. It wasn’t perfect, but would have to do. Hopefully, it was a short time before the animals were checked and collected.
Maddie was given a small desk downstairs and Big Red came too. There was no way she wanted him out of her sight and he seemed to feel the same way.
With her lists drawn up and the girls help she began making notes on each animal, taking details from their tags. She had just finished all of that when Jed Clayton arrived. He was excited, his eyes darting around the cells, until they landed on her.
“Maddie, thank you so much. I don’t see her. Where’s Sissy?” his voice rose in panic.
Maddie jumped up and smiled gently. “Sissy is safe upstairs, asleep under the sheriff’s desk. She’s plum tuckered out and as we already knew who she belonged to, I let her be. Come on, let’s go get her.”
She left her post to Suzy and took him to the offices upstairs with Big Red on her heels. As soon as he walked through the door Sissy bound up to him. Tears ran unchecked down the old man’s cheeks and Maddie could feel her eyes welling up. She had too much to do to succumb to them just yet, so she left the man and his dog to their touching reunion and went to call the next number on her list.
Suzy had split the lists evenly, and before an hour was up they had contacted all the owners they had tags for. With one exception. Make that three. One was Maude Oliver’s little dog and the other’s two had no ID and the only ones without microchips.
Maddie tapped her pen on the desk, as she studied the Shitzu puppies. The doctor had checked them already so they were free to go. But to where? “Are you sure they don’t have any tags?”
“None. I’d guess they’re barely eight weeks old.” Angel said.
“What’s wrong?” Rob Jacobs asked as he came along the hall.
Maddie pointed to the two puppies that Laura and Angel held. The little rascals were alternating between licks and nips at whatever they could reach, making the women giggle.
“We don’t know who they belong to. I don’t remember any reports on them being missing, do you?”
He shook his head. “I’m pretty sure not. There were far fewer reports than there were pets.”
“I guess the owners had their reasons, but what on earth will we do with them?” Laura’s voice cracked.
“I’m too busy with the school and committees to look after puppies.” Suzy said firmly.
“And I’m working six days in the salon,” grimaced Angel. “I sure hope that isn’t going to get worse.”
She gave Maddie a telling look, obviously referring to Beth, who’d turned out to be a great asset to the salon but might now be doing time somewhere else, depending on how deep she was involved in all of this.
Deputy Jacobs wandered across the room and studied the adorable pair. They gave him wide-eyed innocent looks and yawned simultaneously. Their full bellies making them look like furry round balls.
He grinned. “My job’s busy too, but I was thinking about getting a dog. Only I didn’t want it to be lonely. I guess two of them would keep each other company, and they certainly look related. It would be a shame to split them up.”
“Their owners might turn up,” Maddie warned, knowing that once you loved an animal it was hard to say goodbye.
He frowned, then shrugged. “They might, but just in case they don’t, these two deserve a bit of TLC, don’t they?”
“That is so kind of you, Deputy,” Laura gushed.
“It’s n-n-nothing,” he stammered, suddenly not the self-possessed deputy he usually was.
After swapping looks, Angel and Maddie turned away from the charming little interchange, secretly pleased.
Finally, once all the animals were checked and picked up, and Maddie had given her statement to the Detective, Ethan drove her and Big Red home. Happy, but tired, the Girlz had already left with Gran and they had all been given the thanks of the department.
Once inside, Maddie loaded up Big Red’s bowls, opening a gourmet tin of fish and giving him milk as a treat.
“You don’t think he had enough at the station?” Ethan asked as he put the kettle on.
“Probably, but he deserves a bit of spoiling, after risking his life to stay with his friends.”
“Reminds me of someone else I know.”
She knew he was half-teasing, but she wanted to relish the good that had come from today. “I know I’m a pain in the backside, but can you let it go for now?”
“Sure,” was all he said, as he made tea for her and coffee for himself.
They sat in companionable silence while Big Red sampled his treats, then yawned and went to sit by the bottom of the stairs.
“Do you think he’s trying to tell us something?” Ethan grinned.
“Undoubtedly. He’s the boss, after all.”
“Then I should go. But first, I have to say thank you again for what you did today and tonight. I can’t believe that not only did you set us free, but you captured Johnny.”
His hand stretched across the table and she put hers in his.
“That’s a bit of an exaggeration, since you were right by my side. Quite frankly, I didn’t want to die,” she said openly, while her heart beat faster with their hands entwined as they were.
“Neither did I, but your reflexes when you dove between the seats boggles my mind.” His thumb caressed hers.
Big Red jumped onto her lap and, reaching over the table, he nudged Ethan’s hand away. They both laughed, and Ethan sat back.
“You know, I think a great deal about you, Maddie?”
Her voice cracked. “We’ve been friends a long time.”
“That’s true.” He gave her an appraising look. “I don’t think life with you could ever be boring, and I feel we have more here than friendship. I’ve been patient, and Big Red is home, so could we try dating now?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Try?”
He gave her a wry smile. “I might not be able to keep up with your antics.”
She laughed. “The petnapper has been caught. Hopefully Mrs. Fitzgibbon’s blackmailer will be too. There couldn’t possibly be any more drama after all that?”
“Hmmm. I can’t think of anything right at this moment, but I wish you hadn’t asked that without touching wood, or something equally suitable. And, I reserve the right to comment sometime in the future, should that change. I feel like I know you better than all those years ago, but one thing is certain, peace and quiet has never been your way.”
; Maddie wasn’t sure whether she should be offended, but that twinkle in his eye, and the fact that what he said had a modicum of truth ringing through it, made her smile.
“I accept your conditions.”
He grinned. “Now that we have that sorted⎯there wouldn’t be anything to eat, would there? I didn’t get time to eat any of Gran’s food, and I’m famished. Detective work sure creates a hunger.”
“Yes it does.” She stood and bent to give him a quick kiss on the lips as she headed to the walk in, loving the surprised look in his eyes, and hoping the following one of eagerness was for another kiss and not one of her lemon cupcakes.
This day was important because Big Red and the other animals were safe, but also for the fact that Ethan and she were making progress in this up and down relationship. Yes, she nodded to herself, their own cold case was getting decidedly warmer.
Chapter 30
Scones. Two flavors and four women, including Maddie. It was going to be a long, fun evening. She knew this for sure, because her world was how it should be. With Big Red watching over the proceedings once more and getting more than his fair share of attention, she knew she was beaming.
They had been inseparable since his return, and every minute of today she had been aware of where he was. Not that he went too far, and even his visits to the garden were out of necessity.
She was ready to celebrate, and the cooking class, a day later than usual, couldn’t be better for doing just that. Everyone had their favorite drink and was raring to go. The Girlz had picked their own spaces weeks ago and stuck to them. That sort of orderliness suited Maddie perfectly.
“Okay bakers, three cups of sifted flour and six teaspoons of baking powder. Add your butter, and using your fingertips rub it in so the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Excellent. Let’s add the sugar to the sweet ones, and the salt to the savory. Done?”
They nodded.
“Now we add the raisins or cheese. Mix with your hands, and make a well in the middle.”
“What’s a well?” Angel asked.
“A dip in the middle, push the ingredients up the sides a little. Perfect. Add the milk in and mix gently.”
Angel screwed her nose up. “This feels gross.”
Maddie sighed at her friend’s penchant for plastic gloves for baking, knowing that feeling the mixture of anything could make a difference to its perfection, but accepting that she would have to gradually wean Angel off them.
“I think it feels wonderful. Like an artist making a sculpture.” Laura insisted.
Maddie held up her own mixture which was a cohesive, not too sticky, lump. “This is what we’re after.”
They came close to inspect.
“Mine doesn’t look like that.” Angel pouted.
“Nor mine.” Suzy grinned, unfazed.
“Suzy you need a bit more milk. Angel you need a little flour.”
When they were done, she showed them how to make balls of the mixture and place them on the trays covered in baking parchment.
“We’re nearly there. Push the scones until they are flatter, like mine. For the cheese scones, sprinkle the last of your cheese on top and press down slightly. Sweet scones can be brushed with milk then sprinkle a little sugar on the top.”
“I haven’t got enough cheese.” Angel called out.
Maddy held back another sigh and took her some she had grated earlier for just such an event, knowing full well Angel had been sampling her own stock.
“Remember it’s very important to have the oven at the right temperature before you started baking. I made sure before we started, so let’s put them all in together.”
Excitedly they did this and stood back with Big Red at their side, waiting for their next instructions.
“We’ll try 10 minutes, then check them. If they need more we leave them, but we don’t want them to be stones when they come out, so—keep watching ladies.”
She put a timer on, just in case they got chatting, then they loaded the dishwasher and cleaned up.
Angel threw her gloves in the bin, took off the apron that might have more flour than her scones, and was instantly back to her perfect self. “That was pretty easy.”
Suzy shook her head in amusement. “If they turn out okay.”
“They’ll be fine. Another drink anyone?” Maddie said, already headed to the walk-in.
That brought about a cheer. Then they sat around the table waiting for their scones to be ready. The smell was causing Maddie’s stomach to rumble, and she realized she hadn’t eaten much today. With everything that had happened, she had been making sure that Big Red was eating plenty and had lots of attention. She turned to find him stretched out on a chair by the alcove, fast asleep.
“He looks particularly comfortable.” Suzy followed her gaze.
“He sure does.”
“How’s he been?” Angel asked.
“Amazing. He kept very close all night and this morning, but once he was outside he seemed to appreciate that he was home for good. He even chased a butterfly and got off the ground.” Maddie recalled the moment with delight.
Laura watched him fondly. “Maybe all that action and weight loss has given him another lease on life.”
“I think you might be right. I can’t help spoiling him right now, but I will cut down on his treats starting tomorrow. Hopefully Gran and Laura will get the memo.”
“Me?” Laura said, with fake innocence.
They laughed, knowing that she and Gran were the worst perpetrators.
“So tell me after we contacted all the owners, and Deputy Jacobs took the puppies, there was only Maude Oliver’s dog left, wasn’t there?” Suzy asked.
“That’s right. I think they were organizing a stay at the animal shelter for her until Maude’s family could be contacted. There didn’t seem to be any answers from the numbers we have, so it’s hard to know if anyone will claim the dog.”
“Let’s hope they do.”
Maddie nodded. “I wondered if I should bring it home, but Big Red needs his one-on-one right now and he’s not that fond of dogs anyway.”
The timer sounded and the chairs scraped back as they raced to the oven, barely holding back for Maddie to do the honors. Somehow, it seemed to have become a ritual.
“Oh, my,” she said as she opened the door.
“Are they burnt?” Angel yelled in her ear in a panic.
“They’re perfect.” She pulled out the first tray to show them the golden, brown scones.
Angel was practically jumping up and down. “Those are mine. Wow. I can’t believe I made them.”
One by one, Maddie placed them on the trivets across the bench, amidst oohs and ahhs. The faces of her friends glowed with this small accomplishment and Maddie grinned. She had to admit, their attempts were getting pretty good.
Angel picked one up, juggling in her hands, since they were still too hot. She looked at Maddie imploringly. “I guess we should taste them.”
“Of course.” She pulled out some plates, knives and butter. “Perhaps you could cut up another one each so we can try each other’s?”
They agreed, and with no finesse they tucked into their respective scones while Maddie made tea, because one couldn’t eat a scone without tea. Everyone knew that.
She took the pot to the table and collected a tea set for each of them. One by one they filtered back to their seats.
“Well?” Maddie asked, as she poured.
“I’m amazed. They’re like store bought ones. Dad will be so surprised,” Suzy gushed.
“Which one was the best?” Angel asked when Maddie had sampled each one.
“They are all good,” she said sincerely. “I got you to try each other’s so you could get an idea of how another batch can vary slightly.”
“Why is that?” Angel asked.
“It depends on several things. The ingredients. The mixture—if it’s too wet or too dry—how much you handle it, and how rough you are. And, naturally, the cooking time.”
“Mine just melted in my mouth.” Laura gave a cheeky grin to her fellow students.
Angel and Suzy poked their tongues out, while Maddie laughed.
“Are you confident you could make this at home?”
They nodded, with Laura the more certain.
“Excellent. Did you bring your books so that you can stick in this recipe and make any amendments or notes?”
Dutifully they brought out their notebooks. Laura and Suzy’s were plain workbooks like a child uses in school, but Angels was a work of art, with lots of bling decorating the fuchsia cover.
She knew they were laughing at it, but she didn’t care. “They aren’t too expensive to make, which is nice,” she said as she added a couple of pink hearts for good measure from a sheet of stickers she kept at the back of it.
Maddie decided to give them a little history to round out the lesson. “Scones were a staple in years gone by in England, and still today you can add or omit ingredients depending on what is available at the time. Plain ones can be dipped in soup and sweet ones can be a desert or a snack. I often add a yellow bell-pepper or onion to my cheese ones and sometimes ham if I want a more substantial meal but don’t want to cook meat.”
As they wrote furiously, there was a knock at the door and Ethan walked in. He was in uniform minus his hat, which he held. It looked in remarkable shape considering his penchant for twisting the poor thing. Ethan was also in good shape, apart from his face which matched hers in the bruising department, with the added bonus of an egg shaped lump on his forehead.
“Good evening ladies. I don’t want to interrupt, but I heard you’d be together tonight and I thought it would be easier to say what I need to.”
“Are we in trouble?” asked Suzy.
“Not at all.” He looked at them warily, then clearly deciding that it was simply a question and not an indication they were actually doing something wrong, smiled in relief. “I’ve come to thank you all personally for the help in returning the pets. I know it was a lot of work and it certainly freed up my deputies to tackle everything else pertaining to the case. You did it very efficiently and probably a darn sight faster than we could have.”