by K E O'Connor
“What people don’t know can’t harm them. Officer Morton knows to be on his best behavior. I’ll see you at the show in a few hours.”
I stared at the phone after we ended our call. Mavis Buster was something else. I wasn’t surprised that she didn’t think a murder should get in the way of her poodles winning a trophy. Mavis always got what she wanted.
Swiftly drying my hair and dressing, I hurried down the stairs and grabbed the dog kibble I kept for Stool in the cupboard.
I turned to find three expectant faces looking at me. “This isn’t exactly gourmet, but Stool likes it. It’s all I’ve got for now.”
I poured out three bowls, and the dogs got stuck in while I made a quick cup of tea and two slices of toast for myself.
We were out of the door by seven and heading to the High Tides bed-and-breakfast to return Mischief. I kept Mischief and Asadi on leashes, but Stool wouldn’t run off, so he was free to roam.
I needed an early start. I had a lot of questions to ask and planned to start with Jane. I needed to get a feel about Delia. Jane might have inside information on anyone who didn’t like her.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a message from Jane, thanking me for finding Mischief.
I sent back a quick reply to say we were on our way and shoved my phone back in my pocket.
I breathed in the salty sea air as we hurried along. Even Asadi had his tail up a little as we walked. I hoped it wouldn’t take him too long to get over missing Delia and he’d find a happy home to go to.
As I got to High Tides bed-and-breakfast, the front door was pushed open.
Mischief barked and tugged on her leash. I let it go when I saw Jane. The dog raced to her.
She flung her arms open wide as Mischief leaped into her arms. Jane laughed and kissed her face. “You’re such a rogue. I was so worried about you,” she said as Mischief squirmed in her arms. Jane looked at me. “Thanks so much for finding her, Cassie.”
“Actually, it was Stool who found her late last night,” I said. “We were on our way back to my cottage.”
“I only saw your message this morning. What was she up to?” Jane asked.
I decided not to mention the zombies in the alley. “She’d found a friend. They were playing in an alleyway. It was so late I decided the best thing to do was take her home with me. She had plenty of company.”
Jane nodded as her gaze went to Asadi. “Is that Delia’s dog?”
“Oh! Yes.” I hadn’t thought of a reason I should be looking after Asadi. “I’m walking him for her.”
“Lucky you,” Jane said. “Delia’s fiercely proud of that dog. She must trust you. She rarely lets Asadi out of her sight.”
“Do you know Delia well?” It sounded like word hadn’t gotten to Jane yet of last night’s events.
“Not particularly. Our paths cross at different shows. She’s a regular on the circuit.”
“What’s your opinion of her?”
Jane tilted her head, and she smiled. “Have you had a run in with Delia already?”
“Nothing like that. I just heard a few things.”
Jane nodded knowingly. “Delia’s a prickly character. She’s not particularly good with people. I always ignored that side of her because she has such an amazing way with dogs. She runs a successful dog training school. People take the difficult cases to Delia when they don’t know where else to turn. The dogs who bite their owners, those who run away or rip up the house when they’re left alone for half an hour. Delia knows how to deal with a problem dog.”
“Wow! She really does sound like a dog whisperer.”
“She’s one-of-a-kind,” Jane said. “Like I said, not people friendly, and she doesn’t mind treading on toes to win awards, either.”
“I did hear she’s used unusual methods to ensure she won a contest. Doping was mentioned.”
Jane lowered Mischief to the ground. “Most people have heard those rumors. I have no idea if they’re true. I’d be surprised if they were. Delia doesn’t need to stoop to such tactics when she has such a beautiful dog. Asadi’s a purebred. He comes from a long line of purebred Afghans. Delia’s always showing off his pedigree paperwork. He’s the best you can get when it comes to that breed. Of course, he’s not a patch on my guy. I wondered if those rumors were just sour grapes. People got jealous and started a nasty rumor to discredit Delia.”
“Let’s hope it’s just that,” I said. “We want a fair contest in Zee Town.”
“It’s funny you should ask about Delia. I’ve been worried about her,” Jane said.
“Why’s that?”
“I saw her having a heated discussion with a zombie yesterday.”
My heart lurched. “Did you hear what they were saying?”
“Not all the conversation. I only got close enough toward the end. Delia was yelling at the zombie. She shoved him away when he reached out to pet her dog. She’s funny like that. She’s got this weird thing about bacteria contaminating Asadi’s fur.”
I nodded as I recalled Delia telling me not to touch him when we first met. “What did the zombie do when she pushed him away?”
“He staggered backward and sort of lurched at the dog again. Delia kicked him in the leg, and he backed off. She seemed angry. I watched the zombie hobble away after that. It’s such a shame. He only wanted to stroke Asadi.”
I bit my lip. The zombie was most likely looking for a warm supper not a friendly dog to pet. I kept that worrying piece of information to myself.
“Do you remember what this zombie looks like?” I asked.
“He was short and built a bit like a barrel. He had a black hat on that was crooked. It fell off his head when Delia shoved him backward, and I watched as he chased it down the road. He was dressed in a suit. You don’t think Delia hurt him, do you?”
“She might have given him a bruise. Delia shouldn’t have kicked him,” I said.
“She’s protective of Asadi.” Jane glanced at Asadi again. “She’ll need him back soon. She takes part in most of the contests. Delia does like to put new trophies on her shelf.”
“I’d better get going then. Enjoy the contest today. And you, Mischief, no more running off and worrying your owner.”
“Thanks again for bringing Mischief back. I need to give her a groom and get her ready.” Jane waved goodbye and closed the door.
I had my first good lead. The zombie who’d argued with Delia. I had a good idea who it was. There were only half a dozen zombies who wore suits on a regular basis. And there was one in particular who always wore a black hat. Ashton Merriweather, who lived at the shelter. He used to be the bank manager in Zee Town before he turned into a placid zombie.
I looked down at Stool and Asadi. “You both need to be on your best behavior when we go to the shelter to speak to Ashton. No getting the zombies all riled up.”
The dogs looked at me and cocked their heads.
“Come on. We’ve got a zombie to interview.”
I hurried along the harbor and back toward the twenty-four-hour zombie shelter.
I walked into the shelter and into the main hall. I spotted Jen at the serving hatch.
Her eyes widened as she saw me, and she gestured me over. “What are you doing here so early?”
“I’m on a mission,” I said. “I need to speak to Ashton Merriweather? Is he about?”
“Sure. He’s right at the back of the hall,” Jen said. “He came in for his breakfast about five minutes ago. What’s going on?”
I opened my mouth to tell her all about Delia then snapped it shut. “I wish I could tell you.”
“You can.” Jen’s eyes narrowed. “Alex got an early morning call from Nick. Are you involved in something you shouldn’t be?”
I gritted my teeth. “Nick will kill me if I tell you. I’m sworn to secrecy.”
“Just a little hint?” Jen asked.
I glanced around. “It has to do with the dog show and one of the contestants.”
Jen
peered over the counter at the dogs. “Is that why you have a new addition to your doggy family?”
“Yes. Can I leave the dogs with you? I don’t want the zombies getting the wrong idea and thinking they’re included in their breakfast.”
“Leave them by the counter,” Jen said. “I’ll keep an eye on them. I want to know what’s going on, though.”
“So do I,” I said. “As soon as I figure it out, I’ll let you know.”
I hurried over to where Ashton was sitting. “Hi, Ashton. Have you got a minute to talk?”
He nodded as he chewed on his food.
I settled in the seat opposite him. “I heard you ran into a bit of trouble yesterday.”
He tilted his head.
“A lady kicked you when you tried to touch her dog. Is that right?”
Ashton’s head lowered. “Big bruise on leg.”
“She shouldn’t have done that,” I said. “You can report her to the police for assault if you want to. Did she push you, as well?”
He nodded again. “Mean lady.”
“Did you do something to annoy her?”
He shrugged. “Looking at her dog.”
“Have you been given the information about the dog show?” I asked him. “It’s important you stay away from it.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s tempting. There are lots of dogs there. I know it can get a bit confusing, especially with the smaller ones.” I glanced at the other zombies, who sat around us eating their pungent bowls of breakfast stew. “Have you ever thought about eating a dog?”
Ashton glanced away as he shook his head. “No.”
“Really? Some cute, plump little dog waddling along has never been of interest to you? You’ve never once thought about what it might be like to scoop one up and have it as a late-night snack?”
“Not interested.” The line of drool that slid from Ashton’s mouth suggested otherwise.
“I’m not cross with you if you have been tempted,” I said.
Ashton sighed. “Do look tasty. That dog was handsome. Didn’t want to eat him. Just a stroke of his silky fur.” His gaze drifted to Asadi, and he pointed at him. “That’s the one.”
“He is a beautiful dog,” I said. “Best you stay away from him from now on. Remember, pets aren’t food.”
Ashton scowled at me. “Not even one tiny one?”
“No! Dogs are off the table. Stick to what you get here. You like the food here, don’t you?”
He nodded. “Good food. Will only eat this.”
“That’s an excellent decision. After your encounter with the lady who pushed you, did you see her again?”
Ashton shook his head. “Left her alone. She yelled at me.”
“May I ask where you were yesterday evening?”
He scratched his head. “Here.”
“All evening?”
“Walked around on my own and came back for dinner,” Ashton said. “Stayed in my room. All night.”
“You weren’t tempted to follow the lady and her dog back to her bed-and-breakfast?”
He shook his head. “Stayed in.”
“And you definitely don’t want to eat her dog?”
“All the fur would stick in my throat.”
I failed to repress my grimace. “Just focus on that. All dogs have fur.”
Ashton’s bottom lip jutted out. “Am I in trouble?”
“No, you’re fine. I needed to make sure everything was good with you after your fight with Delia. Don’t worry.” I patted his hand before leaving the table and returning to Jen.
“What’s Ashton got to do with this mystery of yours?” Jen asked.
I looked around and leaned closer. “Don’t say a word, but someone’s dead.”
Jen’s eyes widened. “Human, zombie, or dog?”
“Human. That’s all I can say. It does involve the dog show.”
“I’ll have to speak to Alex,” Jen said. “Can you really not tell me what happened?”
“You’ll find out soon enough,” I said. “This town never keeps its secrets for long.”
“Do you think Ashton’s involved?”
“I don’t think so, although you might be able to help me with that. Were you here last night?”
“Sure. I closed the salon around seven and came straight here to do the late dinner meals.”
“Did you see Ashton last night?”
Jen nodded. “Yes. He came in and had his dinner. He sat with a few other zombies in his favorite place, where he’s sitting right now.”
“What did he do after that?”
“Not much. He ambled around and then disappeared to his room.”
“He was there all night?”
“I don’t think so,” Jen said. “I heard the front door bang shut at around eleven. I was in the back room and hurried out to see who it was. There were six zombies heading out together. It was dark, so I can’t be sure, but Ashton always wears that black hat. One of the zombies was wearing that hat. It could have been him.”
My heart thudded. “That’s not good news.”
“Does it matter where Ashton was last night?”
“It might. I need to look into this more.”
Jen grabbed my hand. “You don’t think Ashton’s got anything to do with this dead body, do you?”
“I really hope not,” I said. “I need to get going. I don’t want Nick to get wind of a zombie involved in this death. He’ll arrest Ashton if he hears this information.”
“Shall I let you know if Nick turns up looking for Ashton?”
“Yes, thanks. Hopefully, it won’t come to that.” I checked the time. “I need to go. Despite someone dying, Mavis is insisting the dog show goes ahead.”
Jen wrinkled her nose. “How lovely of her. Have a fun day. I’ll catch up with you later, and you can tell me everything.”
I waved goodbye as I hurried out with Stool and Asadi by my side.
That wasn’t the news I’d hoped for. Ashton didn’t have a great alibi, and he was definitely interested in the dogs. Even though he said chomping on an Afghan hound might be too much for him, maybe the temptation was simply too great.
Or maybe, he went after Delia and they fought again. He could have pushed her down the stairs if she’d scared him and yelled at him.
I shook my head. I had to focus on the dogs for now. One dead body wasn’t going to stop Mavis from getting what she wanted. And she wanted a dog show.
Chapter 9
The opening of the dog show went surprisingly well, given all the wagging tails and uptight dog owners. The dogs were well-trained, and their owners knew when to move and how to act in the ring.
The dogs and owners were immaculately turned out. I noticed strategically worn outfits, with the owners of black dogs wearing a contrasting color to make their dog stand out as they showed them. It was clever. I was learning all kinds of weird and wonderful tricks used to make a dog look its best.
Once we’d had the opening event and everyone had walked around the hall to show themselves off, we moved to the working dog showcase event.
When that was underway, there wasn’t much I could do but watch from the side-lines. Everything was going to plan.
I spotted Ronald break away from the other judges and head to the refreshment stand. I hurried over to him.
“How’s everything going?” I asked.
Ronald rubbed the back of his neck. “Marvelous. We’ve got some cracking dogs on show. Do you know much about dogs?”
“Not the pedigree kind,” I said. “I’ve always assumed they’re a little more high-maintenance than your average dog.”
He chuckled as he sipped his coffee. “You’ve got that right. That’s the owners’ influence on the dogs. Owning a pedigree dog has prestige and status attached to it. The owners prescribe special diets and exercise routines. You even find owners who have a gym for their dogs. They train them on treadmills to run at a certain speed, so they look good in the ring.”
&nbs
p; “That is dedication.”
Ronald shrugged. “I noticed you’re looking after Delia’s dog this morning. Has she decided not to enter this year?”
“Delia definitely won’t be entering.” Nick had yet to make the news about Delia’s death public. I certainly wasn’t going to spill the beans.
“That’s a shame. Asadi’s a cracking hound. He always wins something.”
“Perhaps Delia decided not to ruffle any feathers in this contest,” I said. “I’ve heard a few people say she’s not all that popular.”
Ronald shrugged. “She might not be a people person, but Delia knows how to show a good dog. I can’t figure out what she’s playing at, not showing up like this. It’s out of character.”
“Does Delia have friends here? Maybe she decided to visit them instead of showing Asadi.”
“Friends!” Ronald chuckled. “Delia doesn’t make friends easily. She can handle a dog like nobody I’ve ever seen, though. Did you know she runs a specialist training center for difficult dogs?”
“I’d heard that about her. Does she enjoy that work?”
“Loves it. When an owner brings an animal to her, it’s almost always the way they’re handling their dog that causes behavioral concerns. Delia can see the problems almost straight away and is blunt about telling an owner when they’re the issue. She’s very demanding and expects her clients to give it their all. Delia’s always on the side of the animal. She doesn’t care whose nose she puts out of joint, so long as the dog is happy.”
Despite everyone saying how unpleasant Delia was, I was beginning to like her. Anyone who stood up for the underdog was all right by me.
“Is there anyone here who resents her success in business or in the show ring?”
Ronald jerked his head back. “It’s an interesting question. As you’ve already figured out, she’s not a popular lady. If I had to point the finger at anyone who resented her achievements, it would be Paul Diamante. They’ve previously tangled at dog shows. Paul’s so jealous of Delia’s success. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s the one spreading those rumors about her.”
“What rumors would they be?”
Ronald smirked. “Don’t tell me you haven’t heard them. You wouldn’t be asking these questions if you hadn’t. The doping rumors. And I believe Delia’s also been implicated in bribing judges.”