Murder at Pawprint Creek

by Cindy Bell

  “Nikki.” He glanced down at the dogs, then looked up at her. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” He looked over at the crowd gathered for the tour. “I came to speak to Phil, but then I spotted you. I thought I’d check in and see if you have spoken to Jackson.” He shifted his shoulders, straightening them. She watched the way he presented himself. Was it meant to intimidate her? If it was, it did the trick. A light sweat beaded along her forehead. She had to tell him the truth, there could be no more avoiding it.

  “Yes, I did hear from him, actually.” Nikki took a slight step back as his gaze slammed into hers. “It was late last night, too late to call you, and then I had this event this morning, so I just hadn’t gotten around to contacting you.”

  “I said you were to let me know the moment you heard from him.” He folded his thick arms across his chest and crossed the distance that remained between them. “I am certain that you understood that.”

  “I just didn’t have much to tell you, so I didn’t think it was that important to contact you right away.” Nikki’s stomach twisted with anxiety. Would he come up with a reason to arrest her? The hardness in his eyes made her think that he wished he could.

  “Where is he?”

  “I don’t know,” Nikki stumbled over her words and willed herself not to take another step back. She didn’t want to come across as if she had anything to hide. “I just heard from him. He said he lost his phone and he called me as soon as he got it back, so he hadn’t listened to your messages. He didn’t tell me where he was. He wanted to check on the dogs. I told him about Rocky.”

  “And?” Detective Spade kept his eyes locked to hers. “What did he say?”

  “He was a little upset. I mean, not really upset but, you know, a normal amount of upset.” Her heart fluttered as he seemed to dig into her thoughts with the force of his focus.

  “I can’t get in contact with him and I need to know where he is, Nikki.” The detective let his arms fall back to his sides and the tone of his voice softened. “I know you’re in an awkward position here. You didn’t know Rocky, and you don’t know Jackson. You’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, because you don’t want to upset your friend.” He leaned just a little closer and spoke in a quieter tone. “But I can assure you, you don’t want me to be the rock that you’re pressed up against. I’m going to find out what happened to Rocky, even if that means going through whoever stands in my way.”

  “I don’t know!” Nikki sighed and gave in to her need to create some distance between them. “It’s very simple, all I have is his cell phone number, which you already have. He didn’t tell me the name of the hotel or even if he is at a hotel. He just didn’t!”

  “Of course, he didn’t.” Detective Spade ran his hand across his chin. “He knew that I would question you. Yes, that makes sense. He took off right after the murder and made sure that no one would know where he was so that I wouldn’t be able to track him down. He may think he’s clever, but that’s only going to get him so far.”

  “Or maybe he’s just innocent?” Nikki stared at the detective as his eyes shifted back to her.

  “Of course, that is always a possibility. But he certainly isn’t acting innocent, is he?” He lifted his shoulders in a mild shrug. “I’ll find out who did this, Nikki, and you can either help me with that, or work against me. But let me ask you this, what do you think will keep the people of this town safer, not following a promising lead in a murder investigation, or hunting down every possible clue?”

  “Hunting down every clue, of course.” Nikki frowned as she realized that was what she wanted to do as well. She decided that when she got back to the house she would look through the pictures in the closet again. Something was missing. There seemed to be a connection between Phil and Rocky, as well as Jackson and Rocky. And what about Jean? She hated Rocky with a passion.

  “I’m glad that we understand each other.” Detective Spade smiled some as he studied her. “I think you need to stay out of this. You don’t have the authority, knowledge or experience to investigate it.”

  “Do you?” She held his gaze as she watched him react to the question.

  “Excuse me? Yes, I am a detective.” He narrowed his eyes.

  “But how many actual homicides have you investigated?” Nikki frowned. “I don’t mean to question you, but it’s not as if this town is a hotbed of crime. Maybe you need to think about calling in some backup from a more seasoned detective.”

  “Well, thanks for your vote of confidence.” Detective Spade crossed his arms again. “I’ll have you know, I worked in a very busy police department before I moved back here. I investigated three homicides and solved each one. Would you like me to get a letter of recommendation from my boss, or is that enough proof for you to believe that I am capable of doing my job?”

  “Sorry.” Nikki blushed as she glanced away. “It’s just, Hannah lives here. We’ve been friends since we were kids. And most of your suspects are people she considers to be friends. I’m sure you understand why I’m concerned.”

  “I do. But keep in mind, Nikki, they are also my friends. I’ve known many of them for years. But that won’t stop me from finding out the truth.” The detective stared at her a moment longer, then turned and walked off towards Phil.

  Nikki was tempted to go after him, to tell him about the photos, to ask him whether he really believed that Jackson could have done this, but she resisted. Until she knew all of the facts she didn’t want to get Jackson in any more trouble. Instead, she drove back to the house.

  Still preoccupied by her encounter with the detective, Nikki stepped out of the car in a bit of a fog. She let the dogs out beside her, and they raced up the steps of the front porch. Both started to bark and claw at the door.

  “Calm down, it’s not that late, I will get your food.” Nikki frowned as she reached for the doorknob. A flash of movement through the front window caused her to freeze. There was someone inside. The dogs barked louder and pushed against the door with their paws. Without thinking it through, Nikki flung the front door open.

  “Who’s there?” Nikki stuck her head into the house and felt a rush of fear pass through her as she heard the backdoor bang shut. She bolted around the side of the house, hoping to catch whoever it was, but when she reached the other side there was no one to be seen. The dogs remained at her heels, barking wildly. However, she noticed that they didn’t sound angry, instead they were being playful. She was fairly certain that they thought she was playing a game with them.

  With goose pimples all along her arms, Nikki stepped back into the house. Someone had clearly broken in, there could be no other explanation. But why? She wasn’t sure what to think. In her mind she was as tough as nails, but in reality, she was petite. Despite her small size she was strong enough to handle large dogs, however she was not at all adept at fighting. What if the person who broke in came back? What if they had stolen something from Jackson? She had no idea what to even report as missing. She knew that she would have to call the police and report the crime. It wasn’t her house, she didn’t have the luxury of pretending that it didn’t happen.

  As Nikki walked slowly through the house, she noticed that the linen closet was open. Had she left it that way that morning? She frowned as she approached it. The extra sheets, pillow cases, and blankets, were scattered across the floor. Her stomach flipped as she realized what the person must have been after. She confirmed her suspicion after digging through all of the linens. She found no trace of the photos. It was possible that they weren’t the only thing taken. But thieves didn’t often look through the linen closet. She quickly went to the kitchen to find the coffee tin that contained the notes about Rocky. But it wasn’t where she had left it. She looked all around the kitchen and couldn’t find it. It was nowhere to be found. She guessed that whoever had taken the photos and coffee tin knew exactly where they would be. Was it Jean? Shawn? Someone she hadn’t even thought of? She had no idea what to think, but she knew that she had to co
ntact Detective Spade.

  Nikki dialed the detective’s number and wondered exactly how she would explain what was taken. After only one ring he answered.

  “Detective Spade.”

  “Hi, Detective Spade, it’s Nikki. I need to report an incident.” She hesitated.

  “An incident?” His tone grew serious. “What kind of incident?”

  “I’m sure it’s no big deal, but this isn’t my house, and I feel like it’s my duty to report it.”

  “Nikki, just tell me what happened.” He sounded even more impatient.

  “When I arrived at Jackson’s house there was someone inside. I think that someone broke in.”

  “Are you okay?” Urgency filled his voice.

  “I’m fine. Whoever it was took off. But I thought that you should know.”

  “I’ll be there in five minutes.” The detective hung up the phone before she could argue.

  Nikki didn’t really think that he needed to come to the house. She doubted that they would be able to find any evidence to prove who had been in the house. But she guessed that it couldn’t hurt for him to take a look around. She did that herself as she waited for his arrival. She looked at all of the doors and windows and found that none of them had been broken or damaged in any way. As far as she could tell, nothing else had been taken.

  There was a light knock on the front door.

  “Nikki?”

  “Come in, Detective.” She walked back into the living room as he stepped inside.

  “Tell me what happened.” His gaze swept over her with concern, then traveled around the room. “You weren’t hurt, were you?”

  “No, whoever it was took off as soon as I arrived.” Nikki braced herself as she continued. “They only took two things, as far as I can tell.”

  “What were they?” He turned his attention back to her.

  “Photos and a coffee tin.” Nikki cleared her throat.

  “Photos and a coffee tin?” The detective walked over to her, his eyes narrowing with every step. “Nikki, why do I feel like you’re not telling me everything?”

  “I found photos hidden in Jackson’s linen closet. They were of Rocky, his house, the dam, and his restaurant.” Nikki winced as his jaw rippled with tension. “I also found handwritten notes in an old coffee tin. It was there on the kitchen counter. They detailed Rocky’s movements and their conversations.”

  “Photos and notes you never told me about? Why?” He sighed. “Why would you keep that kind of information from me?”

  “Because I accidently came across them. I was afraid that you’re going to go straight to arresting Jackson and not find the real killer.” Nikki folded her arms across her chest and sighed. “I just don’t want to make things worse for him.”

  “Without all of the evidence, I can’t decide who is a suspect and who isn’t. You withholding information from me is very dangerous.” The detective frowned as he turned away from her and took a few slow breaths. “Okay, so whoever came in here was after the photos and notes. Did anyone else know about them?” When he turned back to face her he appeared calmer.

  “Not that I know of, I didn’t tell anyone I’d found them.” Nikki gestured to the closet door. “I wouldn’t have even known they were gone, but they made a mess finding the photos. They knew exactly where to look.”

  “All right, that tells me it’s Jackson himself, or someone who knows Jackson very well. Perhaps your friend, Hannah?” Detective Spade walked towards the closet.

  “No, of course not!” Nikki followed after him. “She would never do something like this.”

  “So you say.” He looked through the closet and over the kitchen counter, then walked to the back door. “And how did this person get inside?”

  “I have no idea. The doors weren’t forced open, none of the windows are broken. I took a look while I was waiting for you.” Nikki shooed the dogs away from the detective’s feet as he joined her in the hallway again.

  “So, either you left one of the doors unlocked, or someone had a key.” He met her eyes. “Could you have left a door unlocked?”

  “No.” Nikki shook her head. “I’m always very careful about that.”

  “Always? Even when you’re distracted?”

  “I guess it’s possible.” Nikki sighed. “I’ve been walking the dogs a lot. I might have forgotten to lock the back door once.”

  “Okay, either way the person came in and went straight to the photos and coffee tin, so we know they are familiar with the house, Jackson, and where he hid the photos and notes. Unless it was Jackson himself. I’ll need you to write up a statement of what you remember about the notes and the photos. You can email it to me.” He pulled out his phone. “I’m going to have a car keep an eye on the house tonight. But if you want somewhere else to stay, I can arrange that.”

  “No, I’ll be fine, thanks.” Nikki followed him to the door with the dogs at her heels.

  “Nikki, if you think of anything, or even suspect that someone is outside, please call me right away.” Detective Spade looked into her eyes. “I’m not your enemy here, okay? You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself mixed up in, and I don’t want to see you get hurt. Got it?”

  “Yes, Detective.” Nikki felt some relief at his protective nature. However, that relief faded as he walked to his car. She was alone, and the truth was, she had no idea whether a killer might have just been in the house. What if Jackson really was involved? He could be anywhere. Just because he claimed to be away, didn’t mean he really was. Maybe he’d never left? Maybe he’d come back to retrieve the incriminating evidence?

  Chapter 10

  After some time pacing the house restlessly, Nikki decided that she needed to talk to Hannah. Hannah was the one who knew the town best, she was the one who was friends with all of these people. What if Hannah had missed telling her something? What if she was protecting them? She hated to even think it. She trusted her. She placed a call to her.

  “Hi Nikki, what’s up?”

  “A lot.” She sighed as she filled her in on the break-in and her encounter with Detective Spade. “I feel like I’m so close to figuring all of this out, but I really have no idea what direction to go in. Jackson was obviously stalking Rocky and wanted to at the very least, run him out of town. Phil all of a sudden wasn’t allowed to sell his honey at Rocky’s Farm Kitchen, and he acted a little strange at the tour this morning. Then there’s Jean who has made it very clear that she is glad that Rocky is dead. She’s good friends with Jackson, too.”

  “Jean is a very feisty woman.” Hannah took a breath. “Look, Nikki, Detective Spade is on the job, right? It’s not your place to figure all of this out.”

  “Don’t you think it’s important to find out the truth?” Nikki began to pace again. “What if it is Jackson, or Jean, or even Shawn?”

  “Shawn?” Hannah laughed. “No way, Shawn had nothing to do with this.”

  “Hannah, the killer could be anyone.” Nikki’s words were met with a few moments of silence.

  “I’m coming over.”

  “Oh no, you don’t have to do that, Hannah. I’ve double-checked the locks, and everything seems fine.” Nikki slumped down on the couch and closed her eyes. For the first time she realized just how tired she was.

  “Nonsense. You can’t stay there by yourself, and my place isn’t big enough for three dogs. I’ll be right over. We can make it a girls’ night.”

  “Sounds good.” Nikki smiled at the hint of excitement in Hannah’s voice. “Maybe there’s something you want to tell me about the dessert you shared with a certain someone who might be named Shawn?”

  “Oh stop, you just had a break-in and you’re still trying to play matchmaker!” She laughed. “I’ll be there soon.”

  After Hannah hung up, Nikki paced the house again. The dogs were calm. She was certain that they wouldn’t be if there was any chance of someone lurking around the house. Yet, she still couldn’t relax. She decided to do what the detective asked and write out
what she could remember seeing in the pictures and the notes. By the time she was done and had sent off the email, Hannah was at the front door.

  “I brought ice cream!” She held up a bag with a gallon of ice cream.

  “I haven’t even had dinner.” Nikki laughed.

  “Ice cream is the best kind of dinner.” Hannah grinned as she stepped inside.

  Nikki noticed her cast a wary glance around before she headed for the kitchen.

  “I love Jackson’s house, he takes such good care of it.”

  “Yes, he does.” Nikki followed her into the kitchen. “Why don’t I order us some pizza to go with the ice cream?”

  “Sounds like a great idea.”

  They spent the next few hours eating pizza and laughing over memories they shared at camp. Then Hannah broached the subject of Shawn.

  “We shared a piece of pie. It was so awkward and wonderful at the same time. I have you to thank for that, because I never would have even spoken to him if it weren’t for you.”

  “Oh, love tends to find a way.” Nikki grinned. “Not that I have any experience with that. Did he mention anything about Rocky?”

  “Always investigating.” Hannah laughed. “But, actually he did. When he apologized again for the peaches no longer being on the menu, I asked him more about it. He said it didn’t make much sense, but Rocky was temperamental that way. He mentioned that Rocky was angry the day before he was killed, the day he took the peaches and honey off the menu.”

  “Phil Ferra is the one that supplied the honey, and when I asked him about it he got pretty upset.” Nikki frowned. “At first, I thought he was a pretty mellow guy, but now I’m not so sure.”

  “Everyone is so tense over the drought. If it gets worse people might have to move soon, because their farms are dying. It’s really a terrible thing. Enough sad talk, I’ll get us some ice cream.”

  Hannah headed into the kitchen, then returned with two overfilled bowls of ice cream.

  “Yes, that should sweeten things up.” Nikki laughed as she took her bowl. She heard a playful bark and turned to see the dogs in the corner playing tug-of-war, which brought a smile to her face.