Hopping off the front porch, Jackie headed to the side of the house, Olivia following. “Neither. It’s for the side door to the garage.�
Feeling uneasy, Olivia said, “Did you know that Hattie was working for the MegaStore?�
“Really?� Jackie unlocked the door and pushed it open. “I did not. That would have pissed off a lot of people. Bethany is supposedly heading up a protest in front of the courthouse tomorrow in preparation for the lawsuit.�
“Bethany is protesting?� Olivia shook her head. “If I were looking for suspects, she would certainly be at the top of my list. I’m going to talk to Dr. Roberts later today about the dog incident.�
“So you’re not looking for suspects, but you’re going to look into Bethany?� Jackie asked, turning her head to scrutinize Olivia.
Scanning the garage, Olivia walked slowly around. “I have to build a case for Hattie’s disappearance. Listing suspects helps. I’m surprised that Hattie even had a car, given the circumstances. She didn’t leave the house for years, from what Andrew told me. Why keep the car? She could have rented one if she needed it.�
Jackie shrugged. “Maybe it was paid off, and she didn’t feel like selling it. She didn’t like people, remember?�
“Yeah, but cars need maintenance. Selling it would have been easier. Otherwise, she’d have to deal with inspections and car maintenance, even if she never drove it. That’s a lot of work for someone who didn’t need a car.�
“True.�
The garage was pretty empty. Concrete floor with a gray rug covering it. It was wrinkled slightly, like someone had pulled in or out crooked and had to straighten at the last minute. There was a small toolbox in the corner as well a few surplus bags of kitty litter and cat food. In addition, a large chest freezer sat against one wall, humming gently to itself. Holding her breath, Olivia cracked it open, but all she saw was food inside. Bags of frozen vegetables. A few labeled packages—cuts of meat wrapped in butcher paper. Some frozen dinners. Ice cream.
Hattie was well-stocked.
“There was a keypad on the outside of the garage door,� Olivia mused as she went up the few steps from garage to house. “And no lock on this door leading into the house. It wouldn’t be hard for someone to get in if they could guess her code.�
“If Hattie was an expert at computers, I’m guessing the password to get into her garage isn’t her birthday,� Jackie muttered as she followed Olivia into the house. “Hattie, are you here? It’s Jackie!� she called out.
They were met with silence.
The first place that Olivia went was the kitchen. It didn’t surprise her to find that the non-perishable groceries had been put away and spoiled items cleared away. “Don’t touch anything,� Olivia muttered as she looked around. “Someone may have left their prints.�
“The Post-it note is gone,� Jackie pointed out. “If Hattie was here, she would have come over right away to get GigaByte.�
Olivia sniffed the air. “Do you smell that? Bleach. That feels like overkill for a few groceries that were left out.� Cautiously, she hooked a finger under the handle of the refrigerator and opened it, wrinkling her nose in disgust. “Does Hattie seem like the type to put spoiled food in the fridge?�
“No.� Jackie pulled open the top to the trashcan. Inhaling sharply, she bent down and held up the Post-it note. “I think your instincts are right. Either there is something very wrong with Hattie, or she didn’t leave on her own.�
“And now someone is cleaning up and trying to hide it.�
Straightening, Jackie eased the top back onto the trashcan. “Why wait so long to clean up?�
“I guess that someone knows that we’re getting suspicious, and they’re trying to keep the police out of this. There is no way that Nick is going to investigate now, since it looks like Hattie came back and cleaned up.�
Her friend raised her eyebrows. “That doesn’t stop you from investigating.�
“Don’t go there.� Olivia raised her finger. “I am just trying to prove that something is wrong.�
“Well, it looks like things just got much harder for you.�
“Story of my life.�
Her early afternoon walks consisted of another five dogs, but since they were on opposite ends of town, she walked the three that were close to the office before driving to the town limits and walking the other two. By the time she got back, her stomach was growling again.
Before she could grab her late lunch, her phone rang. A certain handsome man’s face filled the screen.
“Hi, baby,� she murmured as she sank into her office chair. As if he knew that Andrew was on the phone, Goodwin ambled over and rested his head in her lap. She scratched at his ear affectionately.
“What are you wearing?� Andrew asked huskily.
“Really sexy yoga pants that stretch over all my curves,� she teased. “And that t-shirt about selling my boyfriend.�
Andrew laughed uneasily. “I’d find it funnier if I didn’t think you’d pick Goodwin over me.�
“Lucky for both of us, you don’t make me choose. How’s the conference going?�
“Still boring. Brett’s not even fun because he spends all his time mooning after Jackie. Honestly, if I knew it was going to be like this, I would have invited someone else. Everyone here is cranky. Even Cora’s update emails are cranky.�
Cora was Andrew’s receptionist. Olivia had only met her a handful of times, but she had always seemed to be in high spirits. “I’m sorry, love. Unfortunately, things aren’t quite working out the way that we expected. Someone went back into Hattie’s place and cleaned up.�
“Hattie?�
“Not unless she decided that she didn’t care about her cat, wanted to hide spoiled food in her fridge instead of throwing it away, scrubbed with bleach, and then left again. There’s something going on, but someone is covering their tracks, and I now have nothing to take to Nick.� She sighed. “The spoiled food wouldn’t be enough to open an investigation. He’d probably just say she shoved it in the fridge in a hurry so she could leave quickly for her ‘family emergency’ and would deal with it when she got back later.�
“Why would anyone want to hurt Hattie? She doesn’t even talk to anyone. She just stays home and works,� Andrew mused.
“My suspect list was just Bethany and the rage over her dog, but now I’m concerned that someone found out that Hattie was helping MegaStore. Of course, with the lawsuit happening, MegaStore might not even open. I’m frustrated, Andrew. I have nothing concrete.�
He sighed. “I’m sorry, Olivia. I feel like this is all my fault. I should never have gotten you involved.�
“But I agree with you, Andrew. There is something going on. Hattie might be in real trouble. I’m going to talk to Dr. Roberts about Bethany and see if she thinks the neighbor might have been angry enough to do something to Hattie. Bethany is planning a protest at the MegaStore hearing, so if she knew that Hattie was working with MegaStore, that might also give her motive. But those are both big ifs.�
“I forwarded those emails to you. Maybe you’ll see something that I don’t. It looks like they originated from her computer at her house.�
“Computer.� Olivia sat up straight. “Andrew, I didn’t see a computer at her house. Is there any way that you can find out where the computer is?�
Andrew clicked his tongue
against his teeth. “She probably has the FindMyPhone app. If I figure out her password, maybe?�
“Okay. Let’s assume that someone emailed you from her computer, from her house while they were there, and then took the computer with them so they could send follow-up emails if they needed to. Even if we’re wrong, chances are good that her computer is still with him, so either way, we’ll find whoever is connected to this, and hopefully find Hattie herself!�
Olivia was excited now. Andrew chuckled and agreed. They talked a little longer, and he asked if she’d decided to hire Natalie. She told him about what Lady Celeste had said, and he laughed outright. “Are you going to hire her based on the word of a psychic?�
“Goodwin did have some digestive issues that afternoon,� she pointed out. Goodwin whined in apparent agreement. “Besides, her personality may be a bit bright, but she was good with the dogs, and that’s really all that’s important. So yes, I have agreed to hire her. I was going to call her later this afternoon. Do you want me to wait until you get back so you can meet her?�
“No. Your business, your judgment. I’m sure she’s great.� There was a loud noise of a babbling crowd in the background. “I gotta go, babe. I’ve got another seminar I have to attend. The end of this week can’t come fast enough.�
“I miss you. I love you.� She held her breath as she waited for him to say it back. No matter how many times they said it, she always loved hearing it.
“I love you, too, Olivia. Give Goodwin and Fender a kiss for me.�
“What about me?�
“I’ll make up for the lost week when I see you next. I promise.� He hung up, and she sighed and stared at the phone. She knew that it was pathetic to miss him when he had only been gone for a couple of days, but she couldn’t help it.
Maybe she was turning into a helpless romantic after all.
“Okay, Goodwin. Let’s hire us an assistant, grab some lunch, and talk to a certain vet.�
His ears moved forward at the word vet, and he shied away. “Don’t worry, love,� she laughed. “We’re not going for you.� She looked past him to a certain basset hound. “I think it’s time that Fender got a checkup.�
As if he understood her, the elderly dog growled at her from the corner.
And it looked like Goodwin was laughing.
8
Despite his grumpy nature, Fender was putty in the vet’s hands. He stretched to his full length on the table, his excess skin smooshed on the table surface, and he rumbled happily as Dr. Roberts scratched his ears.
“Overall, he looks pretty good. We’ll do some blood work and take some x-rays to see if his arthritis has progressed,� Dr. Roberts said as she lifted a floppy ear and peeked inside. “He’s still eating and drinking regularly?�
“Goodwin and I would starve to death if he were in charge of portioning out the food,� Olivia complained. “He sleeps a lot, but he still goes for walks and plays when he wants to.�
“Good.� The vet finished her exam and straightened. “Olivia, Fender had a checkup six months ago. Is there a particular reason that you came in?�
“What? No.� Olivia tried to look innocent as she tapped her fingers on the table. “I can never be too overprotective when it comes to my babies.�
Dr. Roberts shrugged. “Okay, well, I’ll send a vet tech out to get some blood while we get the x-ray machine ready.� She turned to the door, and Olivia cleared her throat.
“There might be one thing that I was wondering,� she said hastily as the vet turned with a quizzical look. “A couple of months ago, there was a dog that was brought in after being hit by a car? Bethany Underhill? She thought that her neighbor, Hattie, had hit the dog on purpose.�
“Olivia, we’ve been through this. You know that I can’t give out specific information about dogs and customers.�
“I know. And I don’t need specifics. I just think that maybe something has happened to Hattie, and Jackie and I caught Bethany sneaking around Hattie’s house. She claimed she was putting some duct tape away.�
Dr. Roberts bit her lower lip as she noted a few things on Fender’s chart. “Well, all that I can say is that Hattie brought the dog in herself, and I could tell that she wasn’t used to being around people. She seemed jumpy and uncomfortable. She told me that she didn’t like to be out of her house, but that she’d accidently hit the dog, and she wanted to pay for the vet bill.�
“So Bethany wasn’t even here with her? Hattie wouldn’t have brought the dog in if she’d done it on purpose,� Olivia frowned. “So why would Bethany blame her?�
“I don’t know, but she was livid when she came to pick the dog up. She said such horrible things to Hattie that the poor woman ran out of the building, practically in tears. From what I could tell, this wasn’t Bethany and Hattie’s first argument over the dog. That’s really all I can say.�
“Thanks.�
The vet hesitated. “Since you obviously just came in to ask me some questions, do you still want to pay for the blood work and x-rays?�
“Yeah, I’m here so I might as well. Thanks, doc.�
Fender was less than pleased with the vet tech, and by the time they left, he was in a sour mood. Olivia fed him a few treats while she drove back, but he still wasn’t making eye contact. “It’s for your own good,� she argued, but it was like talking to a brick wall.
When she returned to the office, she made arrangements for Natalie to come in and fill out paperwork, walked the last dogs of the evening, answered her emails, and looked over the emails that Hattie had sent Andrew.
The first couple were back-and-forth responses between her and Andrew a few months ago about the dating app project. Andrew was right. Hattie’s vocabulary was professional and technical, like she was talking to her boss about the project. But the emails sent to Andrew after her supposed disappearance sounded like they were sent by an entirely different person.
Hey, boss. Sorry about that. Family emergency. I’m back now. Will give you the stuff soon.
The sentences weren’t complete, and she referred to the reports as stuff. What was that all about?
Andrew’s concern was obvious in his next email, and the response was almost immediate.
No, everything is cool beans. Here is the report. I’m still dealing with the emergency, so I’ll be gone for a few weeks.
Andrew had added his own notes when he forwarded the emails. He mentioned that Hattie’s reports about the bug fixes had mentioned that the app still needed work, and that she wasn’t the type to just leave without providing more information on how to fix the bugs. Also, he said that it was strange that Hattie hadn’t mentioned that she’d be working while she was out of town.
“Also, no one says cool beans anymore,� Olivia muttered as she shut the computer. She headed back downstairs to check on Janelle. She hadn’t heard anything from her sister all day, and the information inside of her was killing her.
She wanted to be able to talk openly with Janelle about it.
Olivia found her sister in the bakery’s office. Janelle was hunched over her tablet, scrolling through something and mumbling wildly to herself.
“Everything okay?� Olivia asked slowly as she knocked on the door.
Janelle jerked up with a hiss and whirled around in the chair. “What is wrong with you? Are you trying to give me a heart attack? Don’t you knock?�
“I just did?� Janelle gave her a blank look, and Olivi
a shook her head. “Never mind. What’s up? I’m done for the evening. Can I help?�
Leaning back in the chair, Janelle folded her arms over her chest and gave her younger sister that look that reminded Olivia of their mother. “Jackie came by earlier today. She seemed surprised that I didn’t know that you were investigating Hattie’s disappearance. I was surprised, too. Surprised that you would get involved in an investigation as soon as Andrew was out of town, and surprised that you wouldn’t tell me.�
“Funny. There seems to be a lot of withholding knowledge around here,� Olivia said pointedly.
“Are you still mad at me because I knew about Andrew’s work on the app and didn’t tell you? I thought we were past that.�
“We are,� Olivia said with a sigh. “And I’m not really investigating her disappearance. I’m just trying to prove that something is wrong, and Andrew asked me to do that. He thinks that something is wrong, and so do I, but I don’t have enough for Nick to investigate.�
“Why didn’t you tell me? You always drag me kicking and screaming into your crazy schemes, and now you aren’t.�
“First, you usually volunteer. Second, we haven’t exactly been on speaking terms. And third, you’re in way over your head with this catering job. I didn’t want to add to your workload.�
“We haven’t not been on speaking terms. We’ve just not been speaking politely to each other.� Janelle frowned. “You like to argue about everything.�
“And if I argue about that, you’re going to say that it just proves your point,� Olivia grumbled. “I know how you work, Janelle. I grew up with you. And you’re turning into our mother.�
Her sister gasped and stood up from her chair. Planting her hands on her hips, she glowered. “How dare you!�
“It’s true.�
“W-well, at least I didn’t want to be a garbage man when I grew up,� Janelle said, stuttering in her perturbation.
Kept in the Bark (Happy Tails Dog Walking Mysteries Book 5) Page 7