Marc shrugged. “I’m sure your brother understands as much as I do what a huge responsibility being special counsel to the town is right now. I knew that when you took the job. Making any progress?”
Alex quickened his pace. “It’s the most frustrating case I’ve ever worked on. I knew the process of getting documents from offshore banks would be cumbersome, but I didn’t think it would be this difficult. I’m stymied at every turn. The research and motion writing are incredibly time consuming. I feel like I’m in quicksand.”
“Can’t you get someone to help? What’s Maggie doing on this? Have you talked to her about it?”
“She’ll be able to help assess the documents once we receive them. There’s nothing she can do until then. Besides, she’s got her hands more than full with trying to balance the budget.”
“Why don’t you hire someone to help you?”
“Westbury’s broke, remember? We’re cutting essential services—there’s certainly no money for an extra lawyer. I’ll need to keep this up until we get the job done.”
Marc turned to Alex as they reached the entrance to Stuart’s. “We can do this for a while longer, but it can’t go on forever.”
Alex nodded. “I know.” He breathed deeply. “I can smell the steaks from here. Let’s eat.”
Chapter 6
Roman didn’t come home, and although everyone in town was looking for him, no one reported seeing him. John and Maggie kept in close contact by phone, hoping for Roman’s return. With every passing hour, their confidence dwindled. By the morning of the third day, John was despondent and Maggie was close to tears.
“These things happen, sweetheart. He was a grand dog. I hope a family somewhere picked him up and he’s being spoiled by a passel of children.”
“He had a microchip, didn’t he?” Maggie asked.
“Yes, but everyone doesn’t check for one. Particularly a stray without a collar. We’ve got to accept that he’s gone.”
Maggie sniffed.
“Don’t start; you’ll get me going,” John chided. “I’ve got to get to the clinic. See you tonight.”
***
John was fully occupied with the medical problems of a pair of overweight dachshunds that were the apple of their owner’s eye when his assistant knocked on the exam room door and asked him if he could step out.
“Emergency?” John asked, heading for the surgery room. He assumed an animal had been hit by a car.
Juan shook his head and grabbed John by the elbow, steering him to his office. When he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight he longed for—the open-mouthed grin of his beloved Golden Retriever. Roman bounded to the door and leapt onto his master, resting his paws on his chest and licking him profusely. John buried his face in the soft fur.
He drew back and squatted down, examining Roman with practiced, professional hands. Other than a serious collection of burs in his fur, he was in good shape—no nicks, cuts, or signs of frostbite. “Well … where have you been, fella? You scared Maggie and me to death!”
John stood and for the first time noticed the young man hovering over a cardboard box in the corner of his office.
“John Allen,” he said, extending his hand. The young man tentatively shook it. “I’m David Wheeler,” he replied, searching John’s face for any hint of recognition. Ever since his father’s arrest for embezzlement and jailhouse suicide, David had suffered the ignominy of his name.
John brought his free hand to rest upon their clasped hands. “I’m very sorry about the death of your father, David.”
David nodded and looked away.
“Did you see the signs around town? There’s a reward.” John reached for his wallet.
David shook his head. “My mom saw them. I’m glad I found him. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost my dog.” He looked longingly at the cash that John had extracted from his wallet.
“Whether you saw the signs or not, you’re entitled to the reward,” he said, passing the bills to the boy. “And I’m very grateful that you took such good care of Roman. Where did you find him?”
“He was in the bushes by the side of the road outside of that big mansion called Rosemont. There was a dead cat and all of these kittens,” he said, pointing to the cardboard box containing six tiny gray-and-white kittens. “Roman was acting like their mother. He was licking them and keeping them warm and wasn’t letting them run into the street. He picked them up in his mouth—real gentle—and brought them back to this place under a bush. You should have seen him.”
John looked at his dog and his heart lurched. As a vet, he saw the goodness of animals in both big and small ways on a daily basis and was constantly moved by the divinity they displayed. He searched for words and, finding none, merely nodded.
“I knew the kittens had to eat, so I brought them home, and he wouldn’t leave their side,” David said, gesturing to Roman. “I looked online about feeding them and bought kitten formula.”
“That was the perfect thing to do,” John replied, picking up one of the squirming kittens. “Cow’s milk would have made them very sick. You and Roman have done an excellent job. You’ve saved their lives.” David smiled. “What do you intend to do with them?”
“I wanted to keep them, but my mom found them this morning and told me that they’ll need more care than we can provide. I work at Forever Friends,” the boy said proudly. “I’d take them there, but they can’t care for kittens either. So I brought them here,” the boy ended and turned hopeful eyes to John.
“You did the right thing. These kittens are only a couple of weeks old. Their eyes are open, which happens at about ten days, and their teeth are beginning to emerge. They’ll need to be fed every six hours, and we’ll need to teach them how to go to the bathroom.” John studied the boy. “Would you like to help? You could stop by before or after school—whatever works best for you. When they’re old enough—and if your mom agrees—you can take one home.”
David beamed and picked up a kitten with four white paws that was springing up and down, trying to get out of the box. He held him to his chest and the kitten’s rumbling purr filled the room. “I’ll be here at six forty-five tomorrow morning. You can count on me.”
Chapter 7
Maggie kept an eye on her phone all morning; willing it to ring, willing it to be John with news of Roman. She saw the message light blinking when she returned to her office after a trip to the ladies’ room and snatched the headset from the cradle. She held her breath when she heard John’s joyful voice and fought back tears of relief as she listened to his message. David Wheeler had found Roman and brought him to the animal hospital. Roman was home, safe and sound, with quite a tale to tell. And he’d brought a surprise. Maggie smiled—John was obviously enjoying the bit of mystery he was creating.
She reached for her cell phone and quickly typed:
Are the 2 of you free to join Eve and me for dinner tonight?
His reply accepting her invitation came moments later. As soon as she read it, Maggie realized she didn’t have anything on hand that would make a fitting celebratory dinner. Her afternoon was overbooked with appointments, so she’d have to rely on her old standby—takeout from Pete’s. She phoned him straight away, and he assured her he had the perfect meal in mind for Westbury’s esteemed mayor and his favorite veterinarian. He’d also throw in a couple of good bones for the best dogs in town.
Maggie laughed. “You’re quite the salesman, you know—or politician.”
“I don’t know whether to be flattered or offended by that comment,” Pete replied.
“You know I mean it as a compliment.”
“Make sure David knows he’s entitled to a free meal from me,” he reminded her as they rang off.
Maggie’s next move was to tell Frank Haynes. He’d been so concerned about Roman, it seemed only fair. His office door was ajar, but he wasn’t at this desk. She found him in the break room, waiting for a fresh pot of coffee to brew.
“Great news, Fra
nk. Roman’s home.”
Haynes looked up and smiled. Was this the first time she had ever seen him genuinely smile?
“That’s fantastic. Where did you find him?”
“I don’t have all the details yet. John left me a message. Apparently, David Wheeler found him and brought him to the animal hospital.”
“Glad to hear it. David’s a great kid. He’s been working off his community service at Forever Friends and has been doing a terrific job.”
Maggie nodded. “Nice of you to give him that opportunity, Frank. It couldn’t have been easy for him to have his father arrested for embezzlement and removed from public office. Then to have him commit suicide in jail. No wonder the boy acted out and got into trouble.”
Haynes shifted uncomfortably and eyed the coffee pot as the stream of coffee slowed to a trickle.
“Will you be attending the community forums? I’d like as many of the councilmembers there as possible.”
Haynes shrugged. “I don’t think they’re a good idea. You’re opening a can of worms, seeking community feedback on our proposed budget cuts. You and Upton think that all this ‘transparency’ is necessary. I don’t. Delgado and Isaac agree with me.” He turned and picked up the coffee pot to fill his cup. “You and Upton can conduct them on your own.”
Maggie waited for him to face her. “Professor Upton won’t be attending.” She studied his face for his reaction. “He isn’t assisting us any longer.”
“When did this happen? Why?” He acted surprised, but she was sure that he already knew.
“Schedule conflict. And, frankly, we don’t need him any longer. I’m prepared to see this through, myself.”
Haynes nodded slowly and turned abruptly toward his office.
***
Maggie was setting the table for dinner when John pulled up to her front door. Eve began to bark furiously as Roman bounded up the steps and Maggie knelt to throw her arms around him.
Eve circled the two of them, sniffing Roman and yelping until she got his attention, then both dogs bolted through the front door.
John stood by the open tailgate of his Suburban.
“What are you doing? It’s freezing. Come inside.”
“Roman comes bearing gifts, I’m afraid.”
“Really? Back there?” she said, gesturing to the cargo hold. She raced down the steps as he withdrew a large animal carrier containing the kittens that were now meowing loudly.
“Kittens! Are you kidding me?” Maggie laughed.
“I’m afraid not. It’s quite a story. And don’t worry—they’re not staying. I couldn’t turn down dinner with my two best girls, but afterward Roman and his new brood and I will take ourselves home. I don’t intend to inflict this motley crew on you.”
“I’ve never had a cat,” Maggie cried, hopping from foot to foot. “I always wanted one but Paul was allergic. And now I’ve got how many?”
“It’s a litter of six. But you don’t have to take any of them. Roman adopted them—that’s why he was missing. David Wheeler found him watching over them in the woods right outside the break in the fence.”
“That’s incredible,” Maggie said, leading John into her spacious laundry room and closing the door behind them.
“They’re only a few weeks old and will require a lot of care.”
Maggie opened the carrier unleashing a storm of squirming, fuzzy creatures. “Amazing,” she said managing to scoop one up as it tore past her.
“I’ll take care of them at the clinic until they’re old enough to be adopted out. I was going to leave them there tonight, but Roman wouldn’t hear of it. He wasn’t coming with me without these kittens. I’ve seen the mother instinct in animals before—male or female. There’s no point fighting it.”
“Aren’t you just the sweetest thing?” Maggie cooed, nuzzling the furry creature in the palm of her hand. She cut her eyes to John. “You can forget about adopting them out. They’re Rosemont cats now.”
“Slow down there, sweetheart. Going from zero to six cats in under five minutes isn’t wise or well thought out.”
“Party pooper,” Maggie retorted. “We’ll be fine—we have an ‘in’ with the local vet.”
John smiled, knowing he’d been defeated. “Let’s just see how it goes, shall we? And one of them may already be spoken for.”
Maggie arched her brow.
“David Wheeler is going to come by every morning to help me with them, and I promised him he could keep one of the kittens.”
“That seems fair,” Maggie agreed.
“I’ll take them to the clinic with me in the morning, and we’ll see what happens.”
“I’ve got a better idea. Leave them here, and you and David can stop by each morning. They’re much better off at Rosemont,” and her tone indicated the discussion was over.
Chapter 8
That night did not proceed peacefully for anyone at Rosemont. Roman installed himself outside the laundry room door and wouldn’t budge. Maggie finally took his supper dish to him there.
Eve was endlessly curious about the squirming fur balls, whose odor confirmed their presence in the laundry room even when they were silent. She barked and scratched at the door and made a general nuisance of herself.
John and Maggie were both starved by the time they turned to the takeout from Pete’s. Maggie put their plates in the microwave, ending up with overcooked vegetables and lukewarm entrees. They were too tired to fix anything else and ate without enthusiasm.
Maggie was wiping the counters when John announced that he’d have to go the clinic to get kitten formula and bottles.
“This is going to be a lot of work for the next few weeks,” he advised. “They’ll need to be fed every six to eight hours, and I’ll show you how to teach them to go to the bathroom.”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “I’m a mother and grandmother, remember? I think I can tend to these kittens,” she said dismissively.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he replied as he headed to his car.
Maggie closed the door behind him and turned to Eve, who was circling at her feet. “We’ll be fine, won’t we, girl? You’re going to love your new friends, aren’t you?”
With Eve at her heels, Maggie was bound for the laundry room when she remembered the bones Pete included for the dogs. She’d use them to get their attention. She retraced her steps and approached Roman, bone in hand. As she hoped, Roman abandoned his maternal instincts and followed her. Once they reached the kitchen, Maggie gave Eve and Roman the bones and the dogs settled down to business.
She eased into the laundry room to visit Rosemont’s newest residents. She hadn’t counted on the speed and agility of one of the litter. The largest of the bunch—with a salt-and-pepper coat and four white paws—shot out of the laundry room heading for the kitchen.
His siblings followed suit. Maggie dropped to her knees and tried to push them back into the laundry room, but it was like attempting to stop Niagara Falls with her hands.
She rounded the corner to the kitchen in time to see Eve bounding toward them, tail wagging. When the kittens began to crouch and hiss, Eve slowed her pace but continued to advance until the most adventuresome kitten reached out a paw and swiped at Eve’s nose. She yelped and tore past Maggie to the far side of the kitchen. Roman abandoned his bone and began corralling the kittens.
Maggie stopped and watched the unfolding domestic scene in amazement. “What a good boy, Roman,” she said, approaching to stroke his head. He looked at her with his soft, gentle eyes.
Roman’s gaze shifted to the end of the kitchen island where Eve, tail wagging, was making her way slowly to them.
“Oh no, you don’t!” Maggie cried. “We’ve had enough excitement for one day.” She leapt to her feet and escorted Eve to her bedroom. “You get in your basket. I’ll come back to take you out before bedtime.”
Maggie had just returned the kittens to their box in the laundry room when John pulled up.
“How’s everythi
ng here?” John asked as he brought two large bags of supplies into the kitchen.
“Fine. Peaceful.”
John glanced around the kitchen. “Where’s Eve?”
“She upstairs in my room.”
“Really?” John asked, eying Maggie closely. “What happened while I was gone? Why’s Eve banished?”
“Nothing to worry about. It’s all good.”
“Have it your way. Are you ready to learn how to become a mama cat?”
“Reporting for duty!”
Chapter 9
Frank Haynes drew the wide-brimmed hat low over his eyes, as much to conceal his identity as to shield himself from the searing brightness of the midday sun. He’d only been to Miami once before, with his faithless wife. He hated the place. The sooner he completed his business and got back to the airport, the better.
He took a long pull on his rum and coke. At least he’d found one Cuban influence he could stomach. He couldn’t eat any of the food. He’d had indigestion since the moment he stepped off the plane.
On a positive note, the condos were better than expected, given that Delgado selected them to house his whores and number-runners. Westbury would be able to sell them, as is, without much trouble. Liquidating these questionable investments and returning money to the pension fund should ease some of the pressure to find and prosecute those responsible for this mess, including himself. He fished an antacid out of his pocket. Getting involved with Chuck Delgado had been the most idiotic thing he’d ever done. And now Maggie Martin was more determined than ever to get to the bottom of the corruption that had decimated the pension fund and all but bankrupted the town. He needed to make sure that none of the offshore accounts led to him.
Haynes turned sharply at the sound of his name and stood, leaning toward the tall Latino man in a slim-fitted suit. He motioned for the man to take the seat opposite.
Uncovering Secrets: The Third Novel in the Rosemont Series Page 3