As their friend walked away, Janelle leaned over, to say in a low voice, “She’s really beating herself up. She didn’t even steal a muffin.�
Olivia gave her sister a pointed look. “It’s not easy finding out that someone you care about was keeping something so important a secret.�
Janelle pressed her hand to her stomach. “I’m going to tell him tonight. The wedding is still days away, but it’s more than Bridezilla and this baby inside me making me feel sick. I just can’t keep this a secret from him anymore. I’m starting to think it’s stressing me out more than the wedding cake.�
“Good. I’ve already checked with Lady Celeste, and Natalie isn’t working at her shop on Saturdays—and by the way, Natalie is doing a fabulous job! She can easily take over my walks on that Saturday, and Andrew and I will both help you with the wedding.�
With a squeal, Janelle reached over and hugged her. “That is such good news! Thank you so much!�
The back door opened, and Mary dragged herself in. She had dark circles under eyes and looked as if she’d been put through a wringer a time or two. “Morning,� she mumbled.
“Late night?� Olivia teased. “Did you finally break up Wilbur and his girlfriend?�
“No. I’m pretty sure he lied about having a girlfriend, which means that we’re done. I don’t do liars. Is that coffee? I’m only going to need about three pots.�
“Aw, I’m sorry, Mary. What a jerk. How did you find out?�
Mary let her purse slip off her shoulder, and it hit the counter with a thump. Olivia poured a cup of coffee and handed it to her. “It’s just a hunch,� Mary said after a sip. “I met a new guy, and we went out to End Game last night, and Wilbur was drinking there alone.�
Olivia exchanged a look with Janelle. “That doesn’t mean anything,� Janelle said gently. “Patrick goes there by himself, if I’m working late, to grab a drink and watch whatever game is on. He needs his alone time and his guy time.�
“Andrew and Brett do the same thing,� Olivia chimed in.
“Yeah, I thought of that, too, but I asked the waitress about it when my date went to the bathroom. She said that Wilbur is a regular. He apparently walks over nearly every night and drinks alone.� Mary took a deep breath. “It’s not a big deal. I really enjoyed my date last night, and I realize now that Wilbur was just a little crush.� She shrugged and took another sip of coffee. “Nothing more.�
Olivia knew that it had been more than just a little crush, but she didn’t push the issue. Leaving Mary and Janelle to do their baking magic, Olivia topped off her own coffee, snagged a muffin, and headed upstairs.
Later that day, she convinced Janelle to make a couple of sandwiches for her and Andrew before she surprised him at work for lunch. Was it a sign of improvement that Janelle only grumbled a little? And tucked two bags of chips and two large cookies into the bag without Olivia asking?
Cora, Andrew’s secretary, shook her head when Olivia approached the office. “He’s having a really bad day. But I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.�
Olivia paused. “Bad day? Why? What happened?�
“He just found out how much work he has to catch up on.�
“Oh.� She scrunched up her nose. “Poor guy. Thanks for warning me.� Shouldering her tote bag, she knocked tentatively on his door.
“Come in,� he growled.
Opening the door, she poked her head in. “I come bearing food,� she said with what she hoped was a warm smile. She was encouraged to see that the crease in his forehead went away as soon as he saw her.
“You are the most amazing girlfriend of all time. I’m starving. I skipped breakfast, and I haven’t had lunch yet.� Suddenly, he frowned. “Did you make the food?�
“What’s that supposed to mean? I am perfectly capable of making a couple of sandwiches.� The skepticism in his face increased, and she rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry. I convinced Janelle to make them.�
“Excellent.� He scooped up a large stack of papers and plopped them on the floor to clear enough desk space for two lunches. “Are you joining me? Pull up a chair and sit down.�
Olivia grabbed the back of one of the visitors’ chairs and pulled it around to the edge of the desk. “Cora said that you were having a rough day.�
“You’d think that I was gone for a month instead of just a few days,� he said and sighed, rolling his shoulders to release tension. “I put Dustin in charge, but I think I should have left Brett here. Dustin just doesn’t have the experience. I’ll be working late for the next few days to catch up.�
It was looking like it was a bad time to bring up them moving in together. Unloading the tote bag, she handed him his sandwich, a bag of chips, and a bottle of water before sitting down. “I’m sorry, Andrew. Maybe I should have brought you a beer instead of water.�
“Then I’d be fired, but at least I wouldn’t have to work late anymore!� He took a bite out of his sandwich, chewed appreciatively, and leaned back. Swallowing, he added, “It’s not a terrible idea. I’ve already been hired for another consulting position.�
Her eyes widened. “Andrew, that’s great! I mean, that’s what you want, right?�
“Yeah. I like this job, but I don’t love the paperwork. I really liked working on the app. Doing the background work on the specs wasn’t fun …â€�
“Oh, so you didn’t like interviewing all those single women?� Olivia smirked, and took a bite of her own sandwich, rolling her eyes at the heavenly taste. Janelle’s chicken salad was to die for. Maybe not the best choice of words.
Andrew shot her a dirty look and forged on. “… anyhow, I’m under contract not to work on a competing app for three years, so I’m in the clear.â€�
“Are you allowed to talk to me about this consulting job?�
“We haven’t talked specifics, so I don’t know.�
Olivia suddenly bit her lower lip. “Will you have to travel?�
“Not this job, but that doesn’t mean I won’t have to travel in the future.� He studied her closely. “Will that bother you?�
“I want you to be happy, Andrew. If consulting makes you happy, then I will be okay with the travel.� Her phone buzzed, and she put her sandwich down on its paper wrapping on the desk, reached into her pocket and pulled the phone out. “Oh, it’s Nick. They’ve found Hattie’s ex-boyfriend. His name is Jeremy Spurrs.� She opened the attachment on the email and then gasped. “Oh my God!� She felt the blood drain from her face.
“What?� Andrew leaned toward her, his own sandwich forgotten.
“He sent a picture.� She turned the phone around and showed him. “Do you recognize him?�
“No,� Andrew said, looking from the screen to Olivia’s face, his expression filled with concern, “but obviously, you do.�
Olivia found herself shaking in reaction. “Yeah. His name is Wilbur, and he’s a regular in the bakery. I’m sorry, Andrew. I have to go see Nick.�
Andrew stood. “Yeah, no. Come on. I’ll walk you to your car.�
“You don’t have to do that. I’m not in any danger. Wilbur has no idea who I am. We barely talk.�
That didn’t stop Andrew from putting his hand on the small of her back as they walked to the door. The feeling was some
how warm and steadying. “Sweetheart, everyone in this town knows that you like to dabble in mysteries, and if he’s a regular at the bakery, then I’m sure he has to know that you’re looking into this.� His tone intensified, and Olivia could tell he was only half-joking as he finished, “If I had my way, I’d lock you in this office until this whole thing blows over.�
Aware that Cora was watching them, she resisted the urge to kiss him. “You don’t get to have your way because you know that I’m not that kind of girl. I’m just going to talk to Nick, and then I will let him take over the rest. Hey, I meant to ask, did Brett behave himself at the conference?�
“You mean did he look at other women and flirt?� Andrew shook his head. “He did not. In fact, all he did the whole time was talk about Jackie. That man’s in love.�
“Good. Let’s all do something fun and romantic together. Maybe a nice dinner and a show in the city? I haven’t been as supportive about their relationship as I might, and I really want to show Jackie that we support this. We do support this, right?�
“We do, and that sounds like a great idea. I’ll run it by him. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it. He’s been worried about how you feel about it. He knows that you and Jackie are close, so your opinion matters a lot.� He leaned down and hugged her. “Call me when you leave the sheriff’s station, okay?�
“I’ll go straight to the office. I promise!� Holding a hand over her heart, she smiled at him. Jeremy or Wilbur or whatever he wanted to call himself was a dangerous man, and there was no telling what he would do if he thought someone was coming between him and Hattie. The last thing that she wanted to do was make the wrong move and put anybody’s life in danger, her own included.
Assuming that Hattie was still alive—and Olivia believed that she was—If Jeremy had gone to all this trouble to cover her tracks, then he was probably keeping her somewhere all to himself.
She only hoped that he wasn’t hurting her.
17
On the way to the sheriff’s station, Olivia called the bakery. Her sister answered, sounding stressed, and there was a lot of background noise, which meant the bakery was busy. Olivia put as much urgency into her voice as she could. “Janelle, it’s me. Is Mary still there? I need to talk to her.�
“We’ve got a line out the door, and one of my employees called out today. It’s not a good time, Olivia. I’ll have her call you back when we’re done.�
Before Olivia could explain what had happened, Janelle hung up on her. Gritting her teeth, Olivia resisted the urge to call her sister back and bless her out. Instead, she called Nick.
“Hey, did you get my email?� were his first words.
“I did. Listen, I know him. He’s a regular at the bakery. He’s made a habit of flirting with one of the employees there. He’s calling himself Wilbur. I don’t know a last name, but how many people can be named Wilbur in this town? He’s probably renting somewhere. He couldn’t very easily take Hattie to a hotel room and keep her a prisoner there. Too public.�
“All right,� Nick said briskly. “I’ll look into it.� He paused and added, his tone more serious, “Olivia, I don’t want you doing anything that could get you hurt. This guy has a record. He’s dangerous.�
“I’m just going to the bakery to make sure that he isn’t there, flirting with Mary. She doesn’t know he’s dangerous! If he is there, I’ll call you right back and let you know. Then I’ve got a dog or two to walk. I’ll leave the takedown to you. Good luck, Nick—and call me as soon as you find Hattie!�
Olivia tested the speed limit as she hurried from Lowell Hospital to Happy Endings bakery. She parked in haste, taking up both her and Andrew’s private spaces, but she figured that Andrew wouldn’t care. Besides, he was at work. And probably working late, for that matter.
The first thing she did when she burst through the door was to scan the area for Wilbur. The bakery was as busy as it had sounded over the phone, but he didn’t seem to be there. Janelle was serving someone at the counter, and she looked annoyed when Olivia rushed up. “Jeez, I was just about to go have Mary call you. You couldn’t wait?�
“Is she here? Is she in the back?� Heading around the corner, she sighed in relief when she saw the young woman pulling some cookies out of the oven.
“Olivia, what is wrong with you?� Janelle huffed as she followed.
“Nick just sent me a picture of Jeremy Spurrs, Hattie’s stalker of an ex-boyfriend. It’s Wilbur. I just wanted to make sure that Mary was here and safe.�
Mary gasped. “Oh my gosh, are you sure?�
Olivia nodded grimly. “Has he been in today?�
“He was, just about ten minutes ago,� Janelle said, her face bleached with shock. “He saw something on his phone and bolted. He was really angry.� She bit her lower lip. “Olivia, I’m sorry that I hung up on you. I had no idea.�
“I know. It’s okay. Do you know what he saw?�
“I think that I do,� Mary said slowly. “Sometimes when he was talking to me, he had his phone out. It just looked like he was checking the security video from his home. Do you think that he was keeping an eye on Hattie?� She visibly shuddered. “I think I’m going to be sick.�
“Did you get a look at the video? Maybe you saw the outside of the house and can describe it?�
Mary shook her head. “Anytime that I glanced at it, he would move the phone or cover it with his hand and make a joke about his dog acting up and chewing something up while he was gone. I never got more than a glance at it.� She swallowed hard, looking distressed. “I’m so sorry. I wish that I could be more help.�
“No,� Olivia said, trying to reassure her. “That’s okay. If he comes in tonight, you’ll call Nick? And,� she said, trying to think rapidly, “don’t let him see you’re afraid. Just try to act naturally. Actually, you know what? I’m going to have Nick send one of the deputies over here to chill out undercover, just in case. Okay?�
Still pale, Janelle nodded. “Sure. That would be good.�
Mary took a deep breath, but then she added her own nod. “We’ll be okay.�
Feeling jittery, Olivia looked from one to the other. “Okay, good. I’ll call Nick, and then I’m going to walk the dogs because I promised him that I would let him take care of it. And I’m not going to let myself worry about it.�
“Really?� Janelle said dryly. “Because you look like you’re worrying.�
“It’s a work in progress. I’m going to walk the dogs. It’ll help me take the edge off.�
Natalie was at the computer when Olivia went upstairs. The younger woman greeted her boss with a big smile. “Hey. So Snowball’s family called about an hour ago to cancel his walk. He pulled a muscle, so they’re keeping him crated for the next couple of days. So you just have Clyde right now. Are you going to take Goodwin?�
“No, he gets frustrated when we have to walk with Clyde because the old guy’s so slow. I usually walk Fender when I take him. Did you verify the puppy play dates for tomorrow?�
“I did, and they are all confirmed. Even Delilah.� Natalie tilted her head and added thoughtfully, “She’s an interesting woman. She emphasized the fact that she and her boyfriend would be dropping Duchess off. She made me repeat it after her.�
“Oh. You’ve got tomorrow off, don�
�t you? I don’t suppose you want to work?�
Natalie chuckled. “You don’t like Delilah’s boyfriend?�
“No, Deputy Jameson is a great guy. I actually helped get them together. Delilah is blissfully happy but a little intolerable about it.� Olivia wrinkled her nose as she reached down to leash Fender.
The basset hound looked completely unimpressed. Goodwin, on the other hand, glared at her. She reached out and scratched under the shaggy chin. “Sorry, baby. I’ll be walking Clyde.�
At the mention of the elderly pug, Goodwin groaned and walked away to curl in his bed, heaving a huge sigh.
Natalie laughed. “You two have a special bond, don’t you?�
“We do. He saved my life a couple of months ago. He’s a good boy.�
“Yes, he is.� Natalie stood and grabbed her purse. “Okay. You’re going to let me fly solo on Saturday?�
“I am. I think you’re ready, and I’ll only be a phone call away. Thanks again, Natalie.�
The peppy blonde kissed Goodwin on the head. He thumped his tail but didn’t bother raising his head. He was clearly unhappy.
“Don’t be like that,� Olivia admonished him as she picked up her bag and headed to the door with Natalie. “I’ll take you to the park tonight.�
Goodwin whuffled gloomily, but Olivia could have sworn she saw a sparkle in his eye. She was fairly certain the dog was just toying with her at that point.
Clyde lived only a couple of blocks away, so Olivia walked Fender to the pug’s house. It was a good thing that they’d left early because Fender was slow. Not only that, but he wanted to stop and sniff everything on the way, and when he got tired, which was about every twenty steps or so, he plopped down on the sidewalk and moaned as if he were dying.
“Fender.� Olivia sighed. “We’re almost there, and then you get to hang out with your best buddy. And the two of you can keep each other company plopping down on the sidewalk.�
Kept in the Bark (Happy Tails Dog Walking Mysteries Book 5) Page 15