The Telltale Turtle (The Pet Psychic Mysteries)

by Jim Lavene;Joyce Lavene

  Baylor warned that Charlie was trying to kidnap her. Mary Catherine told him she would handle the situation. "I'm tired and wet, and I've lost my shoe," she said to Charlie. "I want to go home. We can talk later."

  Charlie looked at her. "Are you sure? I have a lot of ideas. I think one or two of them could work. Think about your clinic. You could use the extra money to help all the animals."

  She was happy to see that, despite his rambling, Charlie had brought her home. As soon as the SUV stopped, she got out, grabbed Tommy, and all but ran for her front door. Baylor trotted quickly behind her, turning back to hiss at Charlie.

  "I'll call you," Charlie yelled out, unable to park with all the cars in front of the clinic. "This is going to be fantastic!"

  With the door closed behind her, Mary Catherine leaned against it and closed her eyes. She opened them to find jenny staring at her. "I can't explain right now. But if a man who looks like Jimmy Stewart comes in after me, call the police."

  She went up the stairs to her apartment, leaving the vet frowning. "You should be so lucky," Jenny shouted up at her.

  Mary Catherine showered and changed into a flowing, apricotcolored caftan. She dried her hair, but hid it beneath a flowered turban when she saw it was frizzy. She made a face at herself in the mirror as she put on some eye makeup and a little lipstick. "There. Right as rain."

  Baylor, who'd watched her grooming process, disagreed. She never took enough time, according to him. Good grooming took hours and many times required a nap in the sun before finishing.

  "That's good for you, since you don't do much of anything else." She opened the door to go back downstairs. "Humans can't lie around all day."

  The cat expressed his opinion: no wonder humans never look as good as cats.

  She was about to answer when Bruno started barking downstairs. His loud bellowing echoed through the building. One of the birds they'd rescued, a toucan named Fred, seemed to be answering the dog's message with one of his own. Jenny was yelling as well. Distracted by the ruckus, Mary Catherine hurried down to see what was wrong.

  An older man, dressed in threadbare jeans and a faded flannel shirt, was leading a goat on a rope. He was explaining his situation to Jenny as she tried to quiet the other animals.

  Mary Catherine caught part of Bruno's frantic message. Apparently the dog had never seen a goat before and likened it to seeing an alien from another planet. She assured him the goat was from the same world, but Fred wouldn't be pacified. He claimed to have a prior experience with a goat that wasn't very pleasant.

  "Can you get Bruno to stop barking?" Jenny asked her.

  "I'm doing my best," Mary Catherine responded. "He's afraid we're being invaded."

  "Invaded?" Jenny shook her head. "Is that really what you hear from his barking, or are you interpreting that into English?"

  "It's one of the curses and blessings of humans raising animals." Mary Catherine patted the goat's head. "They think in the language they hear. Sometimes that's quite a problem, especially if they watch too much TV."

  The old man smiled at her and pulled his dirty hat from his balding head. "I'm sorry to have to bring Waldo in like this. I can't afford to feed him anymore and the city doesn't want him grazing in public places. There's not much room around here for either of us"

  Mary Catherine shook his hand and introduced herself. "Sit down. Have you had lunch today?"

  The man told her he'd eaten breakfast at the homeless shelter that morning. The trouble started there when they told him he couldn't tie Waldo outside to eat the shelter's grass anymore. "I didn't know what to do. I sleep at the shelter and eat breakfast there every morning. After that I take Waldo down to Riverfront Park where he eats enough grass for the day. Now they tell me he can't eat there anymore either. That's why I brought him here to you all."

  It was difficult to tell in the small lobby which creature smelled worse. Waldo and his friend both needed a bath. Mary Catherine breathed through her mouth and smiled at them. "I'm sure we have something you and Waldo can eat. There's a little space on the side of the building with some grass, and I'll make you a sandwich. Then we'll see what we can do about your problem."

  She looked at Waldo, who calmly stared back at her. The poor thing was confused and frightened. It seemed he believed the man was about to sell him off to a meat packing plant he'd heard about when he was much younger. He thought the smell of the clinic was terrible and could only be explained as the stench of dead animals.

  Mary Catherine assured him he wasn't going to be eaten. Everything would be all right. Waldo nodded and went with his friend to find that patch of grass.

  Jenny shook her head after they went outside. "You can't go on promising the moon to every animal that walks into this clinic. You can't help everyone."

  "That may be true," Mary Catherine half agreed. "But it hasn't happened yet. I'm a Scarlett O'Hara kind of southern Irish lady. I do what I can, and worry about what I can't do later."

  "I suppose that's the only reason this clinic got started in the first place." Jenny smoothed Fred's ruffled feathers down with a gentle hand. "I'm always afraid someone is going to come in here and take advantage of you. You have a good heart, Mary Catherine. But people are always looking for someone with a good heart. They're like lions, waiting to tear it out."

  "Jenny!" Mary Catherine couldn't believe the vehemence behind the vet's words. "Is there something you'd like to tell me about?"

  "No. Everything's fine." Jenny straightened her lab coat and pulled herself together. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

  Mary Catherine watched the older woman walk into the back of the clinic. She didn't know much about her. Jenny had answered an ad for a vet when the clinic first started. She was difficult at times, but animals loved her and she loved them in return. There didn't seem to be anything or anyone else in her life.

  Mary Catherine had tried several times to engage Jenny in conversation about her life outside the clinic, but the woman closed up faster than a sea urchin. She didn't know what she'd do without Jenny. Thank goodness her passion kept her from asking for a large salary the clinic couldn't afford.

  Jenny went out the back door to check on the goat. She came back inside and immediately went to wash her hands. "I'm never going to get that smell off of me. I'm going to smell like goat and smelly old man for the rest of my life."

  "I'm sure you've smelled worse."

  Jenny dried her hands. "Please tell me that man isn't going to live here with his goat."

  "Of course not. Where would he stay?"

  "I don't know. You have this way of adopting people and animals. Maybe you're thinking about hiring him as a night watchman or something. I don't know."

  "You know, that's really not a bad idea." Mary Catherine considered jenny's words as she took out her cell phone. "Maybe you should start reading human minds. That way, between the two of us, we'd know what everyone is thinking."

  The door to the clinic opened again. It was Colin. Danny followed him into the waiting room. "I found him wandering around outside the station," Danny told Mary Catherine. "I thought you'd want to know. He's a mess. Maybe you can help him."

  She urged Colin to sit down in one of the lime-green chairs. "I've been trying to call you all day. Where have you been?"

  His glasses were cracked and the frame was bent. There were several bruises on his face and a little blood in his hair from a cut near his eye. His clothes looked like he'd slept in them. He turned his head and stared at her. "Mary Catherine? Is that you?"

  "You poor boy," she commiserated. "You've been through hell. Don't worry about a thing. We'll take care of you."

  "Someone took my clothes," Colin blurted out. "A man touched me. I didn't think they were allowed to do that. Aunt Ferndelle is dead and they think I killed her."

  Danny knocked on the bathroom door. "Hey, MC, what's up with jenny? I just want to lava mi manos."

  "She's having some issues," Mary Catherine replied. "Use the si
nk in the back."

  "Gracias!" He grinned as he opened the door to the back of the clinic. "I hope she doesn't hurt me while I'm back there. That woman is mean to people."

  She ignored him and concentrated on helping Colin up the stairs to her apartment. He was so exhausted he could barely walk. She hated to make him climb all those stairs, but it was one place she knew he'd be safe.

  "Sit right here." She put him on her red velvet sofa. "I'll run you a bath and we'll find something for you to eat. It might have to be take-out. I don't think I have much here, but I can shop later."

  Colin didn't reply. He sat where she put him like a stunned puppet. He stared straight ahead and didn't move. Mary Catherine started the bath, adding a little flower scent since he was smelling like day-old garbage-not as bad as the goat man, but not something she'd want to smell all the time.

  She went back into the living room only to find him on his back, snoring. One hand was flung out toward the floor and the other over his face. She sighed and went back to shut off the water. She might have to buy some fabric deodorizer for her sofa when he woke up, but she didn't have the heart to wake him. He obviously needed some sleep.

  Before she left him, she covered him with a washable blanket, then went downstairs to figure out what to do with the goat and his friend.

  Jenny met her at the foot of the stairs. "Have you lost your mind? Are you trying to make my day even worse?"

  Mary Catherine avoided both questions. "What's wrong?"

  "You sent Danny back there with me, knowing he thinks every woman is in love with him."

  "Surely not you." Mary Catherine tried not to laugh. "Where's Danny?"

  "I don't know." Jenny stalked away from the stairs. "I hope he's outside with the goat man. Maybe that way he won't bother me again."

  Danny came back into the clinic and Jenny walked into her office and closed the door. He and Mary Catherine heard the distinct sound of a dead bolt sliding into place. "Has everyone gone crazy around here? I was talking to the goat man. How are you going to help him, MC?"

  "I'm not sure yet. Colin passed out on my sofa upstairs. I'm not sure what to do for him either. I was wondering if you would take a look at my Mini Cooper. I had trouble with it starting earlier."

  "Sure thing. What are you planning to do to help Colin?"

  "I suppose I'll have to follow whatever clues I can get from Tommy." She went outside and told him about Charlene while he checked out her car. "Have you ever heard of a man named Charlie Dowd?"

  Danny shook his head under the Cooper's hood. "Nope. This looks bueno under here, MC. Try to start it."

  Mary Catherine got in the car and turned the key. The engine purred without so much as a sputter. She got out and stared at the car. "Is there something someone could've done to the engine that would make it not start this morning, but then it would start now?"

  "I don't know since I'm not sure what you're asking. Does this have anything to do with this Dowd guy?"

  "He offered me a ride when the car wouldn't start." Her eyes narrowed as she explained.

  "Si. That sounds bad. No wonder you're suspicious. I don't trust anyone who offers me a ride when my car breaks down. I mean, what's the world coming to?"

  "Never mind. You had to be here to understand. He was very threatening."

  Danny stopped smiling. "Hey, you didn't say he threatened you. You want me to go and rough him up some?"

  "No. But if you could ask around about him, maybe you could find out what I'm up against."

  "I could do that." He pushed his dark hair out of his face. "This hombre gives you any more trouble, you say the word. Okay?"

  "Thanks. Would you do me one more favor?"

  He shut the hood on the Mini Cooper. "Que?"

  "Don't tell anyone Colin's here. If Tommy's right and it wasn't Colin that killed Ferndelle Jamison, he could be a target for the person who killed her."

  Danny leaned toward her, crossing his arms over his muscular chest. "Who does the turtle think killed the old lady?"

  "He isn't sure about that," she confided. "But I think we may be on our way to finding out."

  SEVEN

  COLIN WAS AWAKE WHEN Mary Catherine went back upstairs to check on him. She'd used the exercise as an excuse to get out of helping feed the growing pet population at the clinic. She was going to have to find people to adopt the animals that were brought to them. She didn't mind supporting them so much as running out of space to help other animals.

  "Mary Catherine?" Colin glanced up at her and adjusted his broken glasses. "I thought I dreamed about coming here. I'm sorry. I didn't realize what I was doing."

  "Don't worry about it. I think this is one of the safest places you could be right now. I'm going to send Danny over to your place to get you some clean clothes and toiletries, then we can-"

  "No!" Colin jumped to his feet. "I can't take that risk. Someone might mistake Danny for me and kill him instead."

  "Kill him?" Mary Catherine sat down in her red velvet chair and picked up her knitting. Baylor jumped on her lap. "What are you talking about? Do you have a head injury?"

  "You don't understand." Colin sat down again, wrapping the blanket around him. "I received a death threat. Someone wants to kill me."

  She thought back to the strange phone call she'd received during her last show. "Why would someone want to kill you?"

  "It was the same person who killed Aunt Ferndelle. He claimed he was responsible for my parents' accident too"

  "That sounds like a load of rubbish." Mary Catherine stroked Baylor's soft fur as he considered how many times he'd wanted to scratch Colin for being an annoying suck-up. "I'm sure someone read about what happened in the paper and is having fun with you. People can be very cruel."

  Colin shook his head. "No. This is the real deal. Don't you see? I inherit everything now. Whoever did this wants to take away what's rightfully mine."

  "I hate to pry, but how much money are we talking about? Is it enough to kill someone for or only enough to threaten them?"

  "The estate consists of several properties around the city, including the building I live in. With the money," Colin closed his eyes and counted in his head, "I guess we're talking about ten million dollars."

  Baylor meowed loudly and jumped off of Mary Catherine's lap, landing nicely beside Colin. He rubbed his large orange head against him and purred.

  "He's not going to share it with you," she told the cat. "It's really a mistake to educate an animal. He watches far too many game shows."

  Colin looked at Baylor, who normally hissed and clawed at him. "You mean he likes me now because I have money?"

  Mary Catherine watched as Colin put out one hand to stroke Baylor. The cat hissed and bit him. "Apparently, not that much. But I can see where a human with a real understanding of money would think that's enough to kill you."

  Baylor jumped to the back of her chair, expressing his belief that he possessed a very good understanding of money, thanks to Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Mary Catherine ignored him and concentrated on Colin.

  "I think that's exactly it. I mean, what else could it be? This man knows how much I'll be worth after Aunt Ferndelle's estate is settled. He wants his share."

  "Did he ask you for money?"

  "Yes! He wants me to sign over everything." Colin got up and started pacing the expensive Persian carpet.

  "That sounds like a plan to me. Who stands to inherit if something happens to you?"

  "I don't know. Probably one of my cousins. As you know, I'm an only child. Aunt Ferndelle didn't have any children. My family isn't terribly prolific. I'm guessing it would be Cousin Bob. He's a lot older than I am. He probably doesn't want to wait for me to die in case he goes first."

  "What about Charlene Tate?"

  "What?" He stopped pacing. "What are you talking about?"

  "I think you know what I'm talking about." Mary Catherine went to put on the kettle for tea as she explained about Tommy telling her about Charlene. "
We met her and her poodle, quite by accident, and Tommy believes she was there when your aunt was killed."

  "That's not possible." Colin cleared his throat. "She was with me.

  "Tommy already told me you weren't there when your aunt was killed." She nodded toward the turtle that was quiet now in his bowl on the table. "If you're sure she was with you, I guess that clears Charlene. But I wonder how he knew her."

  "What does a turtle know anyway?" Colin surged to his feet. "I believe in you, Mary Catherine, but I don't think he knows what he's talking about."

  "As I explained to another doubting Thomas earlier today," she began, "animals are pretty explicit about humans. They notice things about them we wouldn't notice. He recognized Charlene's voice."

  "That's ridiculous. He's a turtle, for God's sake. You can't even teach a turtle to do tricks."

  The kettle whistled and Mary Catherine turned off the stove. "Tommy knew you weren't there."

  "I guess he does know something." Colin stirred sugar into the cup of tea she put in front of him. "Can he describe what the person looks like who killed Aunt Ferndelle?"

  "I'm afraid not. But he knows you and Charlene were together and I don't think Mindy was there, was she?"

  "Maybe not." He fidgeted with his broken glasses. "I might've told Aunt Ferndelle that Charlene was Mindy. It was only a misunderstanding."

  "Misunderstanding? Colin, how could you do something like that? Does Mindy know?"

  "I don't know what to say." He sat down abruptly on the sofa, then slid to the floor. "I feel really weird."

  Before she could decide if she should call 911 or Danny, there was a knock on the back door. She looked out the peephole and saw Charlie waiting on the stairs. In this case, it became better the devil she sort of knew or at least was familiar with than some devil she didn't know. "Come in quickly." She grabbed his hand and yanked him into the apartment.