The Pomeranian Always Barks Twice

by Alex Erickson

  “How are you holding up?” I asked.

  “Better,” Ben said. “It’s hard, but they’re treating me all right. Mr. Ives has been in to see me a few times already. He thinks I’ve got a good chance of walking away from this.”

  I glanced at Cavanaugh and was surprised to see compassion in his eye. He might think Ben capable of murder, but he still thought of him as human, with a family. It was sometimes easy to forget that when something like this happens.

  “Have they charged you yet?” Amelia asked.

  Ben looked to the detective, who didn’t respond in anyway. “I don’t think so.”

  “They can’t hold you for much longer if they don’t, I think,” she said, sounding uncertain. “There’s only a certain amount of time you can be held without being charged before they are forced to let you go.”

  “I’ve discussed this with the detective,” I said to her. And then, to Ben, “He said last night it might only be a day more.”

  “Unless he charges you,” Amelia said, crushing my hopes that Ben might be home by tomorrow. “If that happens . . .” Her jaw tightened as she looked down at her hands.

  “I’m okay, sis,” Ben said. “I mean it. It was hard at first, but I’m getting used to it.”

  Amelia snorted. “Liking prison life, are you?” she asked. “And to think, all this for a girl.”

  “Hey,” he said. “She’s pretty hot.”

  Amelia rolled her eyes.

  It made my heart ache seeing them like this. It was good to see they both still had their senses of humor, but darn it, they should be joking with one another at home, not here, not with Ben’s life on the line.

  And to make matters worse, I had to break him of any notion that he had a chance with Selena.

  “She has a boyfriend,” I said, feeling like a horrible person for telling him.

  Ben’s smile faded, before he shrugged. “I guess I’m not surprised. A girl that good-looking can’t be single.”

  “I take offense to that, you know,” Amelia said.

  “Yeah, yeah. Gag.” Ben stuck his tongue out at his sister, and then turned to me. “I should have known better. But when we were together, she never said anything about having a boyfriend, so it never crossed my mind to ask.”

  “You were probably too busy ogling her,” Amelia said.

  Especially with her in that bikini, I thought, but didn’t say it. “It’s okay, Ben,” I said. And then, because I felt guilty for making his bad day worse, “She did say she and her boyfriend are having troubles. There’s a chance they may break up soon.”

  Ben grinned. “That’s good to hear. I wouldn’t mind stopping by her place and swimming with her a few more times. She does look good in a bikini.”

  “Swimming?” Amelia asked. “You went swimming?”

  “Yeah. We talked for a little bit, and then got into the pool. We raced a few times, and kinda wrestled around a little.” His face reddened. “Afterward, we crashed in the deck chairs and let the sun dry us off. I think we both dozed off, it was so relaxing.”

  “You didn’t have your trunks,” I said, lamely. Never in my life could I imagine showing up at a stranger’s house and getting into a pool with them. Ben definitely took after his dad in that regard.

  “She had a spare pair,” Ben said.

  “And you didn’t think that was weird?” Amelia asked.

  Ben shrugged. “I wasn’t thinking as clearly as I should have by then. She let me get changed in her bedroom, and then we went swimming. That was all I was focused on at the time. If you would have seen her . . .” He waggled his eyebrows, which drew a groan from Amelia.

  “Wait,” I said. “You got changed?”

  “Well, duh. I wasn’t going to get my clothes wet.”

  Amelia’s eyes met my own. She was thinking the same thing as I was.

  “Where did you leave your shirt?” I asked.

  “In the bedroom,” Ben said. “Why?”

  “Did you put it on while you were sunbathing?” Amelia asked.

  “No, what would be the point?” Ben said. “I didn’t get dressed again until I heard the commotion going on next door.”

  Which meant, his shirt was lying in Selena’s bedroom, unattended for a good twenty minutes, if not longer.

  Enough time for someone to sneak in, put it on, kill Timothy, and then sneak back and drop it off ?

  I thought it likely. But who? And why go to all that trouble?

  “Ben, you idiot!” Amelia was saying. “Why didn’t you tell someone this before?”

  “I did!” he said, and then, quieter, eyes going to Cavanaugh, who looked extremely interested in the conversation, “Well, I think I did.”

  I rose, turning to the detective. “Do you know what this means?” I asked, voice pitched excitedly.

  “It might mean nothing,” he said, speaking carefully.

  “Someone could have come in and stolen the shirt,” I said, just in case he hadn’t figured that out on his own. “When Clarence saw someone sneak into Timothy’s house, wearing Ben’s shirt, it wasn’t Ben!”

  “Maybe,” Cavanaugh said. “But who would have done something like that?”

  “Jason,” I said. “Selena’s boyfriend.” I snapped my fingers, trying to remember his last name. “Jason Maxwell. He must have taken it. He could have been there the entire time, hiding in another room while Ben and Selena were swimming.” I remembered hearing him inside Selena’s house the day of the murder, when she’d said it was a cat. “He could have planned the whole thing!”

  “Mrs. Denton,” Cavanaugh said, but I wasn’t going to listen to him tell me my theory wasn’t worth considering. I knew it had holes, but it made far more sense to me than Ben killing a man he barely knew.

  “Come on, Amelia.” I glanced back at Ben. “I’ll be back soon. Hang in there.” I marched past Cavanaugh, and out the door.

  Amelia followed after me, calling, “Mom, wait!” but I didn’t stop until we were in the parking lot, standing outside the van. “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “He doesn’t believe him,” I said. “The detective thinks Ben’s lying.” Or he thinks I’m reaching, which I honestly might be, but at least there was something to go on now.

  “We can convince him otherwise,” Amelia said. “I’ve been learning a lot about law and procedure lately. I’m sure we can figure out how to make him understand and act.”

  “I know you have, honey.” I opened the van door. “But I have a feeling we need more than a theory to convince Detective Cavanaugh.”

  “What?” Amelia scrambled over to the passenger’s side and got in as I started up the van. “Where are we going?”

  I smiled at her and backed out of the parking lot. Detective Cavanaugh was standing outside the station, arms crossed, watching me with concern. He had to know I was up to something, yet he wasn’t making a move to stop me.

  A good sign? Or was he hoping I’d hang myself out to dry and prove myself to be Timothy’s killer?

  “You’ll see,” I told Amelia, dismissing Cavanaugh out of my mind, and pulling onto the street. “Just follow my lead. I have a plan.”

  25

  “I don’t get it.” Amelia held up the blond wig and reading glasses. “What do you want me to do with these?”

  I started up the van and pulled out of the parking lot. I’d made her wait in the van when I went in to grab her disguise, knowing she would protest if she knew what I wanted from her. A bag of clothes sat in the seat behind her.

  “Put them on,” I said.

  “Okay, I figured that out. But why?”

  I glanced at her before turning onto the road leading toward Timothy’s house. “Put them on.”

  She gave me one of her best put-upon sighs, but did as she was told. She pulled the wig on, tucking her hair beneath it so it wouldn’t show, and then slipped the glasses onto her nose. She squinted at me through the lenses.

  “They suit you,” I said, suppressing a laugh.

&nb
sp; “Uh-huh. I can hardly see anything.”

  “They’re low prescription. Just let them slide down your nose a bit and you’ll be fine.”

  “I feel stupid.”

  “You look good.”

  She huffed and sat back in her seat, arms crossed. “Are you going to tell me what we’re doing or not?”

  “I am. Eventually.”

  Amelia groaned, but stopped asking. Instead, she pulled down the visor so she could look into the mirror. She spent the rest of the ride fiddling with her glasses and wig.

  I was okay with that. I wasn’t exactly sure how we were going to do this. The plan I’d come up with was more like a vague impression of what I wanted to do, with no real details. The only thing I was sure of, was I didn’t want Selena to recognize Amelia, now or later.

  I was running on the assumption Selena or her boyfriend had something to do with Timothy Fuller’s death. They were neighbors, and while, sometimes, spats between people who lived so close together could turn deadly, it didn’t feel like that was what happened.

  But killing for money? I could see it.

  I had no real proof that Selena knew about Timothy’s hidden stash. But then again, everyone else seemed to know about it, so why not her? Jason and Selena could have been in the pool together when they saw us show up for Stewie. Then, as we were leaving, they came up with a plan. Selena draws Ben over, gets him to take off his shirt, and Jason steals it to trick Timothy or Meredith into letting him into the house. He gets in, looks for the money, and then what?

  He gets caught, of course.

  Timothy sees him snooping, and Jason takes him out to the barn to kill him, likely so Meredith wouldn’t hear. Maybe it was an accident, maybe he was prepared to do it, but either way, he panics, and runs back to Selena’s house, takes off the shirt, and hides until Ben leaves.

  Admittedly, there were holes in the story, and it was a tad convoluted for an impromptu plan, but at least it was something to go on.

  I pulled into Selena’s driveway and parked, but didn’t get out right away. I shut off the engine and let it rest.

  “There’s some clothes in the back for you,” I said. “Get changed quickly.”

  Amelia looked as if she wanted to protest, but instead, unbuckled and crawled into the back of the van. She audibly groaned when she saw what I’d bought for her.

  “Really, Mom?”

  “Please, just put them on. I’ll explain in a minute.”

  “What are we even doing here?” Amelia asked, thankfully doing as I asked.

  “Give me a second.”

  No one was home next door, so I couldn’t use Junior directly in my little scheme. Clarence was sitting on his porch, watching my van, cup in hand, but he was of no use to me. Otherwise, no one was around. If Jason was here, he’d ridden with Selena. Other than my van, her car was the only one in the driveway.

  I kind of hoped Selena was out with Jason, and wouldn’t be back for an hour or so. I’d have more time to think and come up with an even better plan that way. I was already seeing holes in my plan, like, why would someone not related to me be riding in my van?

  But to wait would mean Ben would spend even more time in jail. I couldn’t have that, not when I was pretty sure Selena had something to do with Timothy’s murder, even if it was indirectly. I knew she would never admit it, and if Jason indeed was the one who’d stolen the shirt and killed Timothy, then he would be just as tight-lipped. Convincing either to admit to anything would be next to impossible.

  Thankfully, talking wasn’t what I needed out of them.

  It was actions.

  “Mom?” Amelia asked, voice pitched nervously as she eased into the seat next to me.

  “Sorry,” I said. “I was thinking.” I glanced at her, mouth falling open in shock.

  “Shut up,” she said. “I feel stupid.”

  She didn’t look it. Her normal clothing, which usually consisted of T-shirts and jeans, had been replaced by a smart pantsuit. With the wig and glasses, I hardly recognized her.

  “You look great,” I said. “I mean that.”

  “I think we need to focus,” she said. “Someone was looking out the window at us.” She motioned toward Selena’s house. Whoever had been there, was gone now. “If you’re going to fill me in, you’d better hurry.”

  “All right,” I said. “I think I know what I want you to do.”

  “You think?”

  “I’m making it up as I go,” I said. “Cut me some slack.”

  Amelia tipped her head back to stare at the ceiling. “You’re going to get me killed, aren’t you?”

  “No,” I said. “We’re just here to deliver some information.”

  “What kind of information?”

  “The kind that will produce results.” Or, at least, I hoped they would.

  “Mom, what are you talking about?” Her gaze moved to the house. “Doesn’t the girl Ben was with live here?”

  “She does.”

  “So, why are we here? And why am I wearing this stupid outfit?” She touched the wig, acting as if it might be crawling with bugs.

  It’s now or never. “We’re going to play a little pretend,” I said. I took a few minutes to tell her what I was thinking. Amelia looked troubled at first, and then excited. By the time I was done, she looked raring to go. I, on the other hand, was beginning to question the sanity of my plan.

  “What are you waiting for?” Amelia asked, reaching for the door. “Let’s do this thing.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay with it?” I asked.

  She merely rolled her eyes and got out of the van for an answer.

  I followed her out, and then led the way to the door. This was my plan, so I was hoping to do most of the talking. Amelia was merely a prop, one I hoped would garner only mild interest, and little in the way of scrutiny.

  I knocked on Selena’s door. Amelia stood behind me, looking nothing like the daughter I had raised. She stood tall, confident, looking for all the world like a businesswoman.

  Now, that’s not to say Amelia wasn’t a confident woman. She was. She just tended to hide it behind the youthful arrogance of someone who was still trying to find themselves.

  The door opened, revealing Selena Shriver, hand on her hip. She was wearing another tiny dress, and looked as if she was ready for a hot date. I wondered if she actually sat around the house looking like that, or if I’d caught her just before she went out for the day.

  “Hi, Selena,” I said, flashing her a smile.

  Her eyes flickered past me, to Amelia, and back again. “Why are you here again?” she asked.

  “Just to talk,” I said. “There’ve been some developments, and I was hoping you might be able to help us with a little trouble we’ve run into.”

  Her gaze flickered back to Amelia. “Who’s this?”

  “This?” I glanced back at my daughter, hoping Selena wouldn’t be able to see the family resemblance. “This is Tina Templeton. She works for the company that provided the medical equipment Timothy used.”

  Selena’s hand moved from her hip so she could cross her arms. “All right?” She sounded as confused as I’d expected her to be.

  “Hello,” Amelia said, flashing a smile.

  Selena’s mouth worked, but she seemed unable to come up with something to say, until she managed, “What do you want with me?”

  “Well,” I said. “Tina came to me after she tried to contact Junior and failed. She heard I was taking in Timothy’s dog, Stewie, and thought I might be able to help.” I paused, hoping Selena didn’t realize how ridiculous that sounded. “She’s been trying to get into the house so she can pick up the equipment to return to the hospital.”

  “What does this have to do with me?” Selena asked.

  “It’s more than just the medical equipment I need,” Amelia said before I could answer. “There’s something else inside that might help the police solve the murder, if only I can get to it.”

  Selena’s eyes widened
briefly, but she covered it well by stepping aside. “Maybe you two should come inside,” she said.

  I glanced back at Amelia, winked, and then thanked Selena as we entered her house. She led us into the living room, and offered us a seat. Neither Amelia nor I sat.

  There were no other sounds in the house, so it appeared Jason wasn’t there. I was disappointed in that, because I’d hoped he’d be here to hear what we had to say. I had to hope Selena passed on the message.

  “So, what was it you were saying about something helping solve the murder?” Selena asked.

  “We’d gotten reports of abuse coming from the Fuller household,” Amelia said, taking the lead. “So, when we delivered one of the machines last fall, we had a camera installed in the hopes of getting to the truth. Unfortunately, the recorded information is inside the house where we can’t get to it.”

  “I still don’t understand what it has to do with me?” Selena said.

  “It’s Junior,” I said. “He won’t talk to Tina. He says that whatever is in the house, belongs to him now. He plans on selling the equipment to make a quick buck.” I leaned forward, lowering my voice. “He doesn’t seem to care that there might be evidence there that could find his father’s murderer.”

  “But he was killed in the barn, wasn’t he?” Selena asked. “How would a camera in the house help?”

  A flare of panic shot through me as I tried to come up with something to say.

  Amelia stepped in, saving me from ruining my entire plan. “The device is placed so that it can see into the living room, and the kitchen, which looks out over the backyard.”

  “They knew that Timothy liked to go out there to get away from everything,” I put in. “So, whoever killed him will be viewable.”

  “Why not go to the police?” Selena asked. She was asking far too many observant questions for my liking.

  Thankfully, Amelia seemed to have all the answers.

  “The camera isn’t exactly legal,” she said. “It was installed without Timothy’s, or his nurse’s, knowledge. If I can get inside the house, I can retrieve it, and place it somewhere unconnected to our machines.”