by Cindy Bell
Chapter 7
“This way, pal.” Nikki guided Chomper down the side street. As she reached the house that Theo lived in, she noticed a car with a flat tire in the driveway. The lawn looked like it hadn’t been mowed in some time. There was a pile of newspapers on one corner of the front porch. She wondered for a moment if anyone lived there at all. Since it looked like no one was home, she decided to take a closer look. She kept Chomper on a short leash as she approached the front door. Before she could get all the way up the steps, loud snarling and barking emitted from behind the door.
Chomper whimpered, then started to bark back. He tugged at the end of the leash.
“Harper quiet!” A voice shouted inside the house.
Nikki’s heart pounded as she realized that there was someone in the house. She started to back down the walkway, but the front door swung open before she could.
“What are you doing?” Theo glared at her. “You’ve got my dog all riled up.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize anyone was home.” Nikki cleared her throat as she realized she had no excuse for being there.
“I know you.” Theo crossed his arms. “You work with Tom, right?”
“I was helping him out, yes.” Nikki nodded as she tugged Chomper farther away from the door. Inside, Harper, who she could only assume was a large breed of dog, continued to bark loudly. “I’m a dog walker.” She looked down at Chomper. “He was curious, I guess he smelled your dog.”
“I bet he did.” Theo scratched his upper arm and continued to stare at her. “Crazy, what happened to Matt, huh?”
“Crazy, yes.” Nikki stared back at him. “I was there today, when he was found.”
“It seems a little strange that no one noticed him there.” Theo straightened up and took a step closer to her. “You were working around there, weren’t you?”
“Yes, I was. But I never realized he was there. I’m sure it must have come as a huge shock to you, and the rest of his employees.” Nikki tried to peer past him. “Is that a Rottweiler you have in there?” She noticed a garbage can near the front door. It was full of mostly take-out wrappers from the local café, and Chelsea’s bakery. One giant wrapper from the bakery made her look twice. It looked the same as the wrappers for the small cookie, but she’d never seen one that big before. She turned her attention back to Theo and his dog.
“He’s a mix.” Theo nodded. “But mostly Rottie. He’s not friendly to other dogs, that’s why I have to keep him inside.”
“Maybe Tom could help you with that, he’s great with dogs.” Nikki smiled.
“Better than he is with humans, I guess?” Theo chuckled. “Most of us are guessing he’s the one that took Matt out.”
“What? Why would you think that?” Nikki frowned.
“Because Tom owed Matt a lot of money, and he wasn’t making his payments on time. That’s why he couldn’t pay us. I told Matt, he keeps offering the lowest cost for things, he’s only going to get the deadbeats.” Theo shrugged. “He didn’t listen. You’d better get that dog out of here, sometimes I can’t even keep Harper under control.” He stepped inside and pulled the door shut.
Nikki hurried Chomper along and away from Theo’s house. It seemed clear to her that Theo was convinced Tom was the killer. Had Tom really been missing payments to Matt? If he had, he hadn’t told Nikki about it. But that did explain the way Matt spoke to him about the plumbing. He said he would be adding it to the final cost.
Nikki headed to the next house to pick up Sassy, a medium-sized mix, with big floppy ears and curly, white fur. As she led her out the door, Sassy and Chomper sniffed each other in greeting. She wondered just what else Tom might have been hiding from her if he was hiding his financial woes. Still, it didn’t add up that Tom would kill Matt. He had to hire another company, and pay twice as much, to get the work done. He would still owe a debt to Matt’s estate for the balance.
“It’s not always about making the smart decision though, is it.” Nikki sighed as she led the dogs towards the next stop on their walk. “Maybe he just lost his temper.”
“Talking to your pups?” Tom stepped up onto the sidewalk beside her.
“Tom!” Nikki took a sharp breath as she stepped back. “What are you doing here?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Tom frowned as he looked at her. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m sorry. It’s just been a rough day so far.” Nikki tightened her grasp on the leashes.
“I’m sorry to interrupt you, I just wanted to make sure that you were okay. I know we didn’t have much time to talk earlier, and I was quite upset.” Tom crouched down to greet the two dogs. “These pups look so happy to be out on their walk.”
“I’m fine, thanks.” Nikki smiled as she stroked each dog. “I was just lost in thought I guess.”
“That’s how I’m feeling, pretty lost.” Tom shook his head. “I keep hoping that something is going to start to make sense, but that doesn’t seem to happen. Instead I’m stuck back in my own head, trying to figure all of this out. I thought about maybe going to speak to some of Matt’s employees, to see if they know anything about what might have happened to him. I was on my way to Theo’s house when I spotted you.” He stood back up and met her eyes. “Do you always walk down this street?”
“No, not usually.” Nikki shrugged. Her lips parted as she started to tell him that she had spoken to Theo, but something stopped her. Was it that strange look in his eyes? Was it the way he looked past her, right at Theo’s house? “It might not be such a good idea to talk to Theo. With the investigation ongoing, it might look a little strange.”
“Do you think so?” Tom rubbed his hand along his cheek. “I thought the more information I could find out, the better the chance of this being solved. I really don’t think people are going to be willing to come to Happy Dogs until it is.”
“I hope that’s not the case, but I think you should be careful here, Tom.” Nikki shifted the leashes from one hand to the other. “You’re not in the clear.”
“I realize that.” Tom clenched his jaw. “It’s ridiculous that anyone would even suspect me, but of course Quinn has to do his job.”
“Has he asked you about your financial troubles?” Nikki squinted as she looked up at him.
“My financial troubles?” Tom studied her. “What do you mean?”
“I mean the fact that you were behind on your payments to Matt.” Nikki braced herself, uncertain of how he would react to the question.
“How did you know about that?” Tom narrowed his eyes.
“You must have mentioned it to me.” Nikki shrugged.
“I didn’t.” Tom shook his head. “I never said a word to you about that.”
“Well, rumors get around town.” Nikki bit into her bottom lip.
“Sure.” Tom glanced away from her. “Yes, I guess it’s no secret now. I was having some cashflow problems. It’s not easy to start up a business, and I was getting hit left and right with unexpected expenses. But Matt understood that. He knew that I was good for the money.” He tipped his head towards the other end of the street. “I’d better get going. I wouldn’t want anyone to think that we know each other.”
“Tom stop.” Nikki sighed as she caught his arm. “Please, I don’t feel that way at all. I just don’t want you to get yourself into any trouble. Just do your best to lay low on this. Quinn is a great detective, I am sure that he will get to the bottom of this.”
“If you say so.” Tom nodded to her, then turned and walked off.
A flash of guilt rippled through Nikki. Tom had done so much for her, but she couldn’t shake the idea that he wasn’t telling her everything. If he could hide his financial strain from her, couldn’t he hide other things as well? After she reached her next stop and collected two Dachshunds, she did her best to focus on anything other than her conversation with Tom. There were plenty of other people with a motive to go after Matt, and she intended to prove that one of them was responsible for M
att’s death. As she added Coco to the pack of dogs, she noticed a truck drive past her. She read the writing on the side.
“Patrick Kirk Building.” Nikki pursed her lips. That was the company that had taken over for Matt after he went missing. It was Tom’s second choice. There weren’t a lot of building opportunities in the area. Could Patrick Kirk have been so hard up for work that he decided to eliminate the competition? It seemed unlikely to her, but it was still a possibility. Maybe there was some other animosity between them.
Nikki steered the dogs through the park, then broke into a run to make sure they got enough exercise. With so much on her mind she missed some of their favorite spots, and had to double back to make sure they got their sniffing time in. On her way back to drop off the dogs, she recalled the man in the red sportscar. Briana’s ex-boyfriend. The man she was supposed to marry. He had plenty of motive to want Matt gone. But had his jealous streak extended to Briana as well? She decided to take a stroll past the Murrows’ home, just out of curiosity. As she passed it, she noticed a police car outside the gate. A police officer spoke with the security guard, and another man, who she recognized as Preston Murrow.
“Like I said, it was all a misunderstanding. I hope that we can get all of this settled. This is a very difficult time for my family.” Preston glanced towards Nikki as she walked past with the dogs. “I’d appreciate it if you could use as much discretion as possible.”
Nikki urged the dogs to go a little faster, though she was eager to hear what else Preston might have to say. What had the officer asked him about? What misunderstanding was there? With curiosity pumping through her veins, she hurried to drop off each of the dogs. Maybe Quinn would be willing to fill her in.
Chapter 8
Nikki placed a call to Quinn after she dropped off Coco. As the phone rang, she wondered if he would be annoyed with her questions. She hoped that he wouldn’t be, because she wanted to know the answers.
“Hi Nikki. I’m so sorry about tonight, but I don’t think I’m going to make it for dinner.”
“Oh, it’s okay.” Nikki smiled. She had forgotten all about their dinner plans. “I know how busy you must be, working on Matt’s case.”
“Yes, I’m wading through quite a bit of paperwork. Thanks for understanding.”
“I do. Quinn, I’m just wondering if you have spoken to the Murrows at all since Matt’s body was found?” Nikki continued walking back towards her car which she had left near Coco’s house that morning.
“Yes, I’ve spoken with Preston briefly, but not Natalie or Charles. Why?”
“I was just curious. I know that Briana is still missing, and I just figured you might have connected her case with Matt’s murder.” Nikki paused, then took a deep breath. “I know you can’t tell me everything.”
“Let’s just say, Briana isn’t missing anymore. I’m afraid I’ll have to leave it at that. I have to go, Nikki. I promise, I’ll make missing dinner up to you.”
“I’m looking forward to that.” Nikki frowned as she hung up the phone. It wasn’t easy for her not to pepper Quinn with questions, but she knew that wouldn’t be fair to him. What did he mean by Briana not being missing anymore? Had they found her body? The thought made her mind swirl.
Nikki decided to drive past Happy Dogs. She wanted to see what was happening there. She slid into the driver’s seat of her car and started it up. When she reached the parking lot of Happy Dogs, she noticed a few police cars still parked near the front of the building. She lingered for a moment, curious about what they might be up to. As she watched, they carried boxes out of Happy Dogs and put them into their patrol cars. They were searching Happy Dogs and collecting evidence. Her heart fluttered. What would they find in those boxes?
On her drive back to her apartment she recalled the way that Martin had gotten frustrated at the guard when he wouldn’t let him through the Murrows’ gate. She guessed that Martin would certainly be someone to talk to about Matt’s murder. She parked at her apartment and decided to find out what she could about Martin Garlind.
As Nikki lounged on the couch in her living room, she searched his name on the web browser on her phone. He wasn’t hard to find. His popular status in Dahlia was magnified by his constant posting on social media. He posted when he woke up in the morning, all through the day, and even when he went to bed at night. She noticed that he’d recently posted his plans to go to Chelsea’s Bakery by the Bay for a pastry to cheer himself up. Suddenly, she had a craving for something sweet. A quick glance over her dirty jeans and rumpled blouse reminded her that she hadn’t even changed since Coco pulled her through the dirt earlier in the day.
Nikki looked through her closet for something to wear. She didn’t have much other than jeans, t-shirts, and a few nice blouses. She did have three dresses, one that she wore for special events, one she wore to go out and a new one that she had been planning to wear on her date with Quinn. It was red, just above the knee, with spaghetti straps. She decided to wear the dress that she was going to wear on her date. She guessed that she had a better chance of attracting Martin’s attention in it. A shiver crept up her spine as she realized that she wanted to attract the attention of a potential murderer.
Nikki changed into the dress, brushed her hair, then applied a light layer of lipstick and a few smudges of make-up. She never wore much as walking the dogs tended to make her sweat, and the make-up would just run off. But going the extra mile might mean the difference between getting some answers from Martin and having him walk right past her. With her thoughts on the possible questions she might ask Martin, she headed off in the direction of the bakery. Since it was within walking distance, she left her car at home.
As Nikki strolled along the sidewalk, she noticed that not too many people were out and about, despite the warm afternoon air. She guessed that they were tucked inside their homes waiting for news about the murder. She reached Chelsea’s bakery and pulled open the door. Inside were a handful of people, including Martin Garlind. He had his phone out and snapped pictures of cookies on display with it. She couldn’t blame him for that, as the cookies were works of art.
When the couple at the register left the shop, she stepped up to the display shelf right beside Martin. As his elbow brushed hers, she held her breath. Would he even notice her?
“Excuse me,” Martin muttered, then lowered his phone as he looked at her. “Hi there. I don’t think I’ve met you before.” He extended his hand to her. “I’m Martin.”
“Nikki.” She smiled in return and gave his hand a quick shake. “Afternoon sugar craving.” She grinned as she looked back at the display. “I just love this place.”
“I do, too.” Martin tucked his phone into his pocket. “I’m just not sure what to get. What do you buy to soothe a broken heart?”
“A broken heart?” Nikki looked at him with wide eyes. “Who would ever be stupid enough to break your heart?”
“My question exactly.” Martin grinned as he looked into her eyes. “Thanks for that ego boost, Nikki.”
“You’re welcome.” Nikki smiled. “A cupcake always makes me feel better.” She pointed out one of the large chocolate covered cupcakes. “It’s a cake designed to be eaten by one, so I don’t feel so bad when I’m eating it alone. Plus, the melted chocolate inside the cupcake is delicious.”
“Wow.” Martin shifted a little closer to her. “It sounds like just what I need.” He tipped his head towards her. “Are you here to buy a cupcake? I can’t imagine that someone as beautiful as you would be eating alone.”
Nikki cringed on the inside. Flirting with Martin was the last thing she wanted to do. But it kept him talking.
“I am here for a cupcake.”
“Well, why don’t you join me.” Martin gestured to the cupcakes she’d pointed out. “We’ll take two, please.”
Nikki noticed that he hadn’t waited for her answer. Then again, she guessed with his popularity and handsome features he didn’t often get turned down. She certainly wasn’t goin
g to turn down spending more time with him, when it might lead to some information about Briana, or Matt’s murder.
“Thanks.” Nikki smiled at him as she reached into her purse.
“No, I’ll get them.” Martin set the cash on the counter to pay for the cupcakes.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m looking forward to the company.” Martin took a deep breath. “It smells so good in here, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it does.” Nikki followed him over to one of the small tables that lined the front window of the bakery. “I love spending time here.”
“I’m surprised we haven’t run into each other before. I used to bring my girlfriend here all the time.” Martin eased down into one of the chairs, then winced. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up. I guess I still have a lot on my mind.”
“That’s all right.” Nikki met his eyes. “I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”
“Is that so?” Martin picked up one of the forks and dug into the top of his cupcake. “I think it’s impolite to talk about the past when you’re possibly sitting across from your future.”
“Does that line really work for you?” Nikki couldn’t help but laugh as she sat back in her chair.
“Line?” Martin frowned, then the expression gave way to a light smile. “Okay, you’ve got me. I do tend to be a little over the top when it comes to flirting. But can you blame me? I’ve just met a wonderful new person, and it’s distracting me from all of my problems.”
“I don’t blame you.” Nikki picked up her fork and had a bite of cupcake. She really wanted to use her fingers but was worried he would see it as bad manners. “So, why do you need cheering up?”
“The truth is, I’m getting out of a very long-term relationship. I’m still getting over it ending. I never expected us to part ways. But she insisted, and no matter how much I protested, she wouldn’t change her mind.” Martin took another bite of his cupcake.
“And how did you protest?” Nikki met his eyes across a forkful of cupcake.