Mission Impawsible

by Krista Davis

  Zelda groaned. “That paper isn’t long enough. You could include most of the people who live in Wagtail.”

  “Start with Nessie. She was furious with him last night.”

  Laura peered at the list. “Nessie knew both of the men?”

  Ben wrote her name down. “I’m afraid so. I guess that goes for her daughter, too. What’s her name?”

  “Celeste. And jot down Bob Lane,” I added. “It’s kind of a long shot, I think, but the killer isn’t going to come right out and admit to it.”

  Ben looked up. “That’s actually a very short list. How about Sky?”

  “She left Tequila Mockingbird with Nessie last night. But Sky claimed they had a spat when Sky criticized Nessie. I believe Sky returned to the inn. But she said Nessie left their room during the night and didn’t return until morning.”

  “I don’t like to point a finger at her,” said Zelda, “but you were at Tequila Mockingbird, Holly. You saw how upset Nessie was. She’s one mad mama when somebody messes with her baby.”

  “Did you tell Nessie that Hank was hanging out in your backyard?” I asked.

  “No. But she could have followed him from somewhere.”

  “So could anyone else,” I pointed out. “But that’s a crazy notion anyway. What are the odds that she had gloves on her? Who carries gloves in the middle of the summer? No, I don’t think it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. Someone thought about it and knew where to find Hank.”

  Zelda cringed. “Don’t say that! It makes me the prime suspect.”

  “Other people have access to gloves,” I said. “The housekeeping closet! I was in there a while ago and a box of disposable gloves lay on the floor. Nessie could have gotten gloves right here.”

  “What about her daughter?” asked Ben. “She’s the one he humiliated by pretending to be someone else. Maybe we should find out where she was last night.”

  “She was having a whopper of an argument with her mom earlier today. Maybe I could drop by and have a chat with her. How about you, Zelda? Are you feeling any better?”

  “I think I’d like to go home and snuggle with my cats.”

  I could understand that. Ben smiled and asked Laura if she felt like a walk. I left the three of them there, and headed to the store Lillian Elsner had bought. Best Friends carried everything a dog or dog person could dream of. Trixie ran inside like she thought she owned the place.

  Lillian’s Yorkie, GloryB, greeted us with joy. I knelt to pat her. “I think you like all the attention you get by being a store dog.”

  She waggled all over.

  Lillian seemed almost as happy as her little dog. “We love it here.”

  “I need a trinket for a dog lover. Her mother is into bling, so I’m guessing she might be, too.”

  “Is this for Celeste Jamieson?”

  “I gather she and her mom have been shopping here?”

  “They have been a couple of my very best customers in the past few days.” She showed me a selection of snap-on charms with dog themes. “I noticed her eyeing this cute little bone yesterday.”

  The silver tone charm was in the shape of a dog bone and encrusted with rhinestones.

  “Perfect. What do people do with these?”

  “Some women latch them onto their purses. One of my customers wears them on bracelets. But I think most people like to attach them to their dogs’ collars.”

  It was exactly the kind of thing I needed. And even better because I knew it was something Celeste had admired. I thanked Lillian, patted sweet little GloryB again, and went to find Celeste.

  Trixie romped ahead of me on the sidewalk, and as if she had known where we were going, she ran up to Celeste’s little dog, who wore blue booties. Celeste sat alone at a table on the sidewalk in front of Café Chat.

  I paused beside her. “Celeste? I’m Holly Miller of the Sugar Maple Inn, where your mom is staying. We met briefly yesterday.”

  “Mom has mentioned you. Would you like to join me?”

  “Just for a minute. I brought you a little something because you’ve had such a rotten time here in Wagtail.” I handed her the box.

  “You didn’t have to do that!” She ripped it open and gushed. “It’s just precious. I love it. Thank you so much.” She clipped it onto her dog’s collar.

  “I’m sorry about Hank,” I said.

  “Ugh. The only thing worse than Hank turning out to be a worm is knowing that my own mother set me up with him. I don’t know what she was thinking!”

  “She wants the best for you. It’s been interesting with your mom and Sky. Both of them want their daughters to avoid the heartaches they had.”

  “My mom’s not doing a very good job of that.” Celeste grimaced. “Then again, she didn’t like my fiancé and warned me about him. She turned out to be so right that time. But Macon was very nice. He had coffee with me this morning, and it was like he knew Hank personally. Like he understood just how flattering and attentive Hank was. I think I attract the wrong kind of man.”

  Trixie and Celeste’s dog had wandered over to a medium-sized brown dog with a white blaze that ran from his nose to his forehead.

  “I’m sure that’s not the case. It was just a mistake. Your mom meant well. And Hank did save your purse from being snatched, so he wasn’t all bad.”

  “That’s true.”

  I wanted to ask questions about Hank, but she seemed so disheartened that I tried to tread carefully. “Is it true that Hank held the guy there until the police came?”

  “Yes. Everyone applauded! It was really kind of amazing. Dinner was on the house. Hank and I had to wait for the cop. When the thief was finally hauled away it was late, but they brought us the most wonderful dinner, and then champagne with dessert. Wasn’t that nice of them?”

  “It was! Did Hank walk you home?”

  She shot me an ugly look. “No. Because my mother arrived and ruined everything. Holly? Has your mother ever embarrassed you publicly?”

  “It’s not exactly the same, but my Aunt Birdie once set me up with a murderer.”

  Celeste’s eyes grew large and round. “Okay, that’s really bad. It’s just that my mom doesn’t seem to have any boundaries. It’s as though she thinks I’m still twelve. I have never been so humiliated in my life. The way she carried on! Holly, the restaurant asked her to leave. I had no choice but to go with her just to get her out of there. I’ll never find anyone. I think I might as well just be resolved to being alone. That will be my fate.”

  “Did your mom walk you home?”

  Celeste’s hand flopped in the air as she spoke. “My mom. Ugh. She was upset because she thought Hank was following us.”

  “Was he?”

  Celeste shrugged. “I don’t know. Wagtail isn’t very big. There are only so many directions to go.” She paused and looked up. “Although I think he said he was staying in a mansion on the east side of town, and I’m over that way on the other side. Maybe he was following us. I went in my room and locked the door to get away from my crazy mother. And then this morning, cops knocked on the door and told us someone had been killed. They wanted to know if we heard anything.”

  “Did you?”

  She shook her head. “Not a thing.”

  “Celeste, I overheard you mention something to your mom about a sorority sister who had an affair with her professor. Was it John Adele?”

  Celeste nodded. “I knew that was him! Eww. How gross to think that he’s here, hoping to meet some poor woman.”

  Oh no. Wasn’t that just my luck? “So what happened?” I asked.

  “I never knew the girl, but she was legendary. It was years before I went to Douthier. Poor thing. It took a lot of guts to turn him in. And then he denied everything. I don’t mean to sound like everyone at Douthier is wealthy, but most of my sorority sisters were from fairly well-heeled famili
es. This girl was an outstanding athlete but didn’t come from money. Suddenly, she turned up with designer clothes and pricey things, so they were pretty sure that he was paying her to change her story.”

  “Did she?”

  “I don’t think so, because they would have kicked her out for lying. She graduated and got a great job. About two years later, she died when she lost control of her car.”

  “How sad. That’s terrible. She was so young.”

  Celeste looked exactly like Nessie when she shook her finger at me. “So steer clear of him.”

  “Are you telling me that he had a hand in her death?” I asked.

  “That’s what they say.”

  I was flabbergasted. John took revenge on her? I found it hard to imagine that the man with the sincere eyes could have done such horrible things. Could it be a different John Adele? Probably not, since Laura had worked with him there. Ugh. My stomach lurched at the thought. In that case, it was just as well that things hadn’t worked out.

  Upset as I was, it had not escaped my attention that the adorable owner of the brown dog with the white blaze had been looking our way. He was a good bit younger than me, so I was fairly sure he was interested in Celeste. I thanked her, apologized again for her lousy stay in Wagtail, called Trixie, and walked away to the green. But I paused and looked back to be sure Celeste’s dog introduced her to the cute guy.

  A Southern voice drawled behind me. “For a while there, I thought you were going to interfere with my carefully constructed plan, Miss Holly.”

  I gave an involuntary jerk and whipped around.

  Macon leaned against a tree, one leg crossed over the other, his hands in his pants pockets. “She’s very down in the dumps. I hope you cheered her up.”

  “It was nice of you to have coffee with her,” I said.

  “In spite of her mother’s maniacal behavior, Celeste is a very sweet young lady. I should like to see her matched up properly to the gentleman I chose.”

  So much had happened that it seemed longer than a few hours ago that he’d seen Hank’s photo. I felt certain Macon had recognized him. “Could I buy you a drink?”

  Macon checked his watch. “Look at that. It’s happy hour! Not that I have ever been one to let the time stand in my way when it comes to a lovely libation.”

  He escorted Trixie and me to Hot Hog, where he snagged an outdoor table while I bought two mango daiquiris.

  I joined him at the table and Trixie settled at our feet.

  “Thank you kindly, ma’am.” Macon sipped the frosty drink. “Oh my. This is the ticket. It doesn’t get quite as hot and humid up here in the mountains as it does in Georgia.” He smiled at me. “Now, do I need to trick you and John Adele into kissin’ and makin’ up?”

  “I’m sorry that we disappointed you. It obviously wasn’t meant to be.” I hurried to change the subject. “Am I correct in understanding that you arranged for Celeste and that young man to be at Café Chat at the same time?”

  “You are.”

  “Is he the musician with whom she was originally matched by you?”

  “He is, indeed. If I can keep Nessie away from them, we might have something there. I may have to invite Nessie to dinner somewhere just to keep her occupied.”

  I wanted to bring the conversation back to Hank. I went out on a limb. “Do you have any theories about who might have murdered Hank?”

  A sly smile crept to his lips. “People think hate is at the root of murder. Perhaps it is. But love is probably the oldest reason of all for murder. It’s often love or the loss of love that triggers the ugly reactions of hate and jealousy.”

  “I’m not sure I’m following you. Are you saying that you suspect Zelda?”

  “Quite the contrary. Zelda was done with Hank. She was onto him and his wicked ways. But Hank returned to her. It’s called frustration attraction when the spurned partner continues to pursue his love in an effort to figure out what happened.”

  “You don’t think Hank knew why Zelda dumped him?”

  “You overlook the obvious. Hank may have truly loved Zelda.”

  “What? You called him a con man.”

  “Oh, he was! But Zelda wasn’t wealthy. He was attracted to her for other reasons.”

  “She smelled like his mother?” I teased.

  “You’re making fun of scientific fact now. It may have been something like that, though. Did you know that women are more attracted to men with immune systems that are different from their own? It’s part of survival of the fittest. The women don’t know that’s why they’re attracted. But deep down, on a more primal level, there’s something about the smell of those men that lures them because it will make their offspring stronger and more likely to thrive.”

  I couldn’t help giggling. I had serious doubts about that!

  “Don’t laugh, honey, this is scientifically proven. I’m not makin’ it up! I’m not smart enough to do that. But I am smart enough to know that if Hank’s relationship with Zelda was the reason for murder, Zelda would be the one pushin’ up daisies, not Hank. It would have been a matter of jealousy. But Zelda had no reason other than self-defense to kill Hank. She had moved on.”

  “I’m under the impression that you knew Hank.”

  His eyes flicked to meet mine in alarm. “Well, it’s not like we were close.”

  “But you called him a con artist.”

  Macon sighed. “In my line of work, I have met many hustlers. They gravitate to these matchmaking events in search of their victims. I find it fascinating that women of all ages succumb to the Hanks of the world. I always expect my mature clients to be too wise and sophisticated to be fooled by a hustler, but somehow, a kind word, a little flattery, and moonlight go a long way.” He waved his forefinger at me. “You best watch out—Hank wasn’t the only swindler in this crowd.”

  I didn’t like that. “Are you telling me that there’s another Hank amongst us?”

  “No, ma’am. I’m just saying that appearances can be deceiving.”

  Did he keep changing the subject? I zeroed in with a precise question that I hoped wouldn’t leave any wiggle room. “Did you meet Hank at a matchmaking event like this?”

  “I wish I had.” Macon drummed his fingers on the table before looking up at me. “My favorite cousin found herself in Hank’s clutches. Her parents left her a considerable amount of money, but he ran through a good bit of it. She was on the verge of selling the family home in Charleston, South Carolina, when I met Hank and put an abrupt stop to his shenanigans. I called the locksmith myself.” He paused and drained his glass. “While I’m not the kind to wish anyone ill, except perhaps the newly deceased Dr. Randall Donovan, I must say that I am not sorry that Hank’s predatory days have come to an end. Now, if you would be so kind as to excuse me, Celeste isn’t the only one who needs a push in the right direction.” He winked at me and ambled away.

  I wasn’t sure what to make of him. Macon had reason to be furious with both Randall and Hank. Had that peculiar little guy knocked them both off?

  Trixie and I strolled back to the inn. A few people sat on rocking chairs on the porch, but the main lobby was empty, except for Oma and Gustav.

  “There you are!” Oma smiled at me. “Perfect timing. Are you sure you don’t mind sticking around the inn? I could call Mr. Huckle.”

  I had nowhere to go. “Have a good time. Don’t worry about a thing.”

  I walked up to my apartment to put away my wallet.

  Ben met me at the door. “Zelda has a date tonight with that Axel guy. I’m going out, too. But I’ll have my phone if you need me.”

  I didn’t remind him about the lousy cell reception in Wagtail. “Who are you going out with tonight?”

  Ben smiled and tucked his chin in bashfully. “Dinner with Paige. Laura has a date with some guy Macon matched her with.” Ben leaned against a
cushy armchair. “And then later, after we ditch our dates, Laura and I are meeting up.”

  “Ben!”

  “I feel like I have more in common with Laura.”

  “Could that be because you lied on Macon’s matching form? For heaven’s sake, Paige rescues dogs and cats. She’s like the ultimate dog and cat lover!”

  He nodded. “And Laura is kind of cerebral, like me. She’s not obsessed with animals. We’ve had some really interesting conversations.”

  “You better get dressed.”

  As he walked back to the guest room, I couldn’t help thinking about what Macon had said. I had wondered why Ben visited me. Although he did silly things like fill out the matchmaking form in a way that he thought would match him to me, I had long ago come to the realization that we weren’t right for each other.

  Now I understood. Ben had come here out of frustration attraction. It wasn’t because he loved me madly, it was because he didn’t understand or couldn’t accept that we had broken up. He was looking for closure, and now he had found it and could move on.

  It probably should have been a melancholy moment for me, but the fact that it wasn’t proved to me that I had been right. Ben wasn’t the guy for me. I looked down at Trixie, whom Ben had wanted me to give away. “We’re in it for the long haul, baby.” She danced in a circle but stopped abruptly and barked once.

  “Twinkletoes, too,” I assured her. I gazed around. Where was Twinkletoes?

  I checked the bedroom and the balcony. Surely she hadn’t managed to get out there again. No sign of Twinkletoes.

  “Ben?” I called. “Have you seen Twinkletoes?”

  He emerged from his room. “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen her since lunch. She usually hisses at me. I would have noticed that!”

  Thirty

  It wasn’t unusual for Twinkletoes to roam about the inn during the day. She had a favorite sunbeam spot in the Dogwood Room where she liked to stretch out.

  I told Ben to have fun, called Trixie, and headed down the grand staircase. My first stop was the Dogwood Room. Twinkletoes wasn’t there. I peeked in the private kitchen and the library. She wasn’t on the front porch either. I was beginning to wish Trixie were a trained search dog.