Canines and Crime

by Sandra Baublitz

  “Let’s go,” he said. “I want to question Turner.”

  “Has he lawyered up?”

  “Not yet.”

  Mark waited by his car. Paw sat in the driver’s seat, his head sticking out the window, whining.

  Saber perched on the dashboard. I wondered how Mark had managed to get the cat in the car. The medic escorted Lillian over to Mark then hurried away back to the ambulance. Lillian marched around to the passenger side door.

  Mark hurried around to the passenger side front door and opened it for Lillian to get in. Once she was in, he slammed the door and waited for me.

  Saber jumped down into Lillian’s lap the moment she was in the car.

  “Meet you at the station,” said Harry. He angled across the yard to his cruiser.

  Mark came around and opened the driver’s side door so Paw could greet me. My big boy trotted to me, tail waving, and looked up with his big, soulful eyes as if to say, “You okay?”

  I caressed his ears, grateful for my furry friend. “I’m okay, boy. Let’s go to the station and talk with Harry.” Paw walked by my side.

  Mark opened the back door for us. I slid across the seat and Paw jumped in beside me. Mark slammed the door, got in, and then made a U-turn back to the station. By the time we reached the station, Ned had called his lawyer and refused to answer any questions.

  The rest of the night passed quickly. We gave Harry our statements. Lillian lost her temper when Turner refused to speak to Harry, so Harry ordered Mark and me to take her home. He’d let us know if there was any change in the case.

  Mark dropped Paw and I off first then took Lillian and Saber home. As I trudged in my front door, yawning, my phone was ringing. I fielded calls from Shelbee, Jac, Bruce, plus Alma and Mrs. Booksteen but ended the calls quickly and collapsed on my sofa. My last thought before falling asleep was of my broken kitchen door, but Harry had told me at the station that his guys had boarded it up.

  Chapter 27

  Ring! Ring!

  The phone.

  I grumbled as I reached for it.

  “Clarissa,” Alma asked. “I know you had a late night, sugar, but there’s something here at the thrift shop that I need you to see. I’ve already called Harry.”

  “I’ll be right there.” I hung up, struggled to my feet, grabbed my purse, and car keys, and Paw and I were out the door.

  I parked in front of the thrift shop which was closed at this time of the morning. Alma waited for me at the front door. As I started up the thrift store steps, Harry pulled in next to my car. Alma waved us both inside. “Back here.” We passed through the shop to the workroom in back where Alma pointed to a plastic bag lying on the table. Beside the plastic bag was scattered clothing and a few pairs of shoes.

  One pair caught my attention.

  Red shoes.

  Sneakers.

  “Woof!” Paw stood up to the table and sniffed the sneakers.

  Harry pulled him back and handed him to me. “Good boy.” He patted Paw’s head.

  Harry pulled out latex gloves and slipped them on before handling the shoes.

  I looked around him. The shoes, normally bright red, had splotches of dark red and brown on them and the soles, normally white, were stained the same colors.

  “Blood.”

  “Bingo,” Harry said.

  “That’s why he broke into the thrift shop,” I said as Harry held up the shoes.

  “How much you want to bet this blood matches David Tanner’s?” Harry said.

  I shuddered. “No bet. You’d win.”

  Alma crossed her arms. “Why donate them to the thrift shop if he wants them back?”

  “Good question,” Harry said.

  “He didn’t,” I said. “Last night he said that Charlotte donated them by mistake.”

  I tapped my chin. “Mrs. Booksteen and I picked up the bags for the thrift shop from Charlotte’s house.” I looked down at Paw, who was looking avidly up at the sneakers. “And when she brought the items here, Paw was determined to get into her trunk where the bags were. He did the same thing when I stopped at her house. Only the trunk was empty.”

  I snapped my fingers. “Somebody tried to break into her house and broke into her car the other day.”

  “Yes,” Harry nodded. “That fits.”

  Alma stepped closer to Harry and me. “You think Turner tried to break into Mrs. Booksteen’s to get his shoes back?”

  Harry nodded.

  “He could’ve hurt Mrs. Booksteen. Thank God she was away.” Alma shuddered. She looked at me and Paw. “Thank goodness Paw was there tonight when he tried to break into your place and attacked Lillian.”

  “And Saber,” I said. I rubbed Paw’s ears. “Turner thought I had them since he didn’t find them here or at Mrs. Booksteen’s. Except he broke into the thrift shop before Mrs. Booksteen delivered the bags. I bet he overheard us talking at Harriet’s Café.”

  Alma raised an eyebrow.

  “When we were there with Taylor and his grandmother,” I explained. “I told Lillian I had things to take to the thrift shop, and she wanted to drop off some items to me. Ned and Charlotte had step up behind us. They must’ve overheard me speaking about the thrift shop and my delivering items to it.”

  Alma and Harry both nodded. Harry asked Alma to call Mrs. Booksteen to come to the station so that he could take statements from her and me. He collected the shoes into evidence then called Charlotte Tanner and ordered her to come to the station as well.

  Harry kissed Alma’s cheek and motioned for me to proceed him outside.

  I drove to the police station with Paw to give my statement to Uncle Harry. Outside, I met Jac and Shelbee, who rushed over to hug me and check that I was all right.

  Shelbee scolded, “How do you get yourself into these situations?”

  Jac threw an arm around my waist. She hugged me tighter. “And we’re so glad you’re okay. How is Lillian?”

  “I think she’s fine, but I want to check on her. When did you guys get back?”

  Paw shoved in amongst us.

  “We got back late last night,” Shelbee said. “Figured you needed your rest, or we would have checked on you sooner.”

  “I have to give a statement to Uncle Harry and then I’ll tell you about everything that has happened.”

  Jac nodded. “We’ll go in with you and then we can go check on Lillian.”

  As we stepped into the police station, I glanced over my shoulder and saw Uncle Harry pull into the parking lot.

  Good. I could get my statement over and spend time with Jac and Shelbee. Mrs. Booksteen was already there ahead of us. She stood on this side of the gate with her arms crossed.

  Directly across from her, on the other side of the gate, stood Charlotte Tanner. Also with arms crossed, staring back at Mrs. Booksteen.

  Paw rushed ahead of us to stand next to Mrs. Booksteen in a defensive posture. She uncrossed one arm and placed a comforting hand on his back. Shelbee, Jac, and I crossed the room to flank her.

  Charlotte Tanner snorted. “I see the gangs all here,” she sneered.

  Paw growled low in his throat.

  Why was he growling at Charlotte? I caught movement to my right and looked across to see Banks and Heldman walking with Ned Turner between them, escorting him from a cell in back. The source of Paw’s warning.

  Charlotte turned as Ned said, “What are you doing here?”

  I thought he was addressing me until Charlotte spoke. “You bleeping bleep bleep,” she screamed with fists raised as she ran toward him.

  Heldman stepped away from Turner and intercepted Charlotte.

  “What’s going on here?” Harry’s gruff voice turned heads in his direction. Except for Charlotte and Ned.

  She glared at Turner as he said, “Get her the bleep out of here!”

  Charlotte tried to dodge around Heldman but was restrained. She shook her arm violently trying to dislodge him. “Unhand me. Let go. I’ll have you charged with assault.”

>   “No, you won’t,” Harry said.

  Charlotte glared at him. She pointed a finger at Ned. “He killed my husband.”

  Paw growled deeply, hair standing up all over his body. As I placed a gentle hand on his head and whispered to soothe him, Harry spoke to Charlotte.

  “You have proof he killed your husband?”

  “Yes.” She pointed to the white plastic bag that Uncle Harry had clutched in his hand. The same bag we had emptied out in the thrift store. “I bet those are his shoes in there. Covered with David’s blood.”

  “Shut up woman!” Turner lunged forward and Heldman left Charlotte to help Banks restrain him.

  Harry held up the bag to distract Charlotte. “How do you know his shoes are in here?”

  “I don’t, but that’s the bag I gave to these two.” She pointed at Mrs. Booksteen and me.

  Harry raised an eyebrow at us. “Ladies?”

  Mrs. Booksteen nodded. “I can’t tell you if that’s the exact same bag, but we picked up one like that at her house. I remember because she rushed out with that one at the last minute, or one that looked like it.”

  I nodded. “It was the only small white bag we picked up that day.”

  Turner struggled against the officers. “You bleeping woman. You know you’re not to touch my shoes.”

  Behind me, a voice spoke, “Don’t say another word, Mr. Turner.”

  I turned to see a woman dressed in a smart business suit carrying a leather briefcase. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a twist and she was impeccably groomed with expertly applied makeup.

  Charlotte glared at the woman. “Stay out of this, Yvonne.”

  “Ned is my client. And I advise him to not say another word.”

  “He killed my husband!”

  “You bet I did.”

  As I turned back at Ned’s outburst, I saw a grimace cross the lawyer’s face. Silence descended for a second then multiple voices spoke at once.

  “Mr. Turner, as your attorney, I advise you to shut up.”

  “You bleeping bleep.” Charlotte tensed to lunge at Ned who struggled against the two officers.

  Mrs. Booksteen gasped next to me as Paw strained against my hold on his collar.

  Uncle Harry cut across Charlotte’s and Ned’s voices. “Mr. Turner, would you like to make a statement?”

  Turner closed his mouth and glared at Harry.

  His attorney moved around us and through the gate saying, “No, he does not. I want to speak with my client alone. Now.”

  Harry nodded to Heldman and Banks who escorted Ned away to an interview room with Yvonne right on their heels. Turner trudged between the officers; mouth tightly shut.

  Charlotte didn’t have that problem. “That no good bleep bleep bleep.”

  Harry crossed his arms. “Did you know he was responsible for your husband’s death when you donated those shoes?”

  Charlotte stopped mid-rant. “Of course I didn’t know he murdered David. If I did, I would’ve turned him in.”

  “But you knew his shoes were in the bag. How is that?”

  Charlotte fidgeted. “I found the bag on the floor of his closet, and when I peeked into it, I saw the shoes but didn’t realize what they were when I donated them.”

  Harry scowled. “You expect me to believe that?”

  “That’s all I’m saying.” Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Charlotte Tanner, you’re going with me to an interview room to make a statement. If your statement doesn’t suit me, I may arrest you for accessory to murder.”

  Charlotte slapped her hands on her hips. “I didn’t kill my husband.”

  “Maybe you didn’t but maybe you knew who did and tried to hide the evidence.” He motioned to Banks who had returned to the room. “Escort Mrs. Tanner to the other interview room. I will question her in a moment.”

  “Mrs. Tanner,” he said, “you may want to look up an attorney.”

  “You bet I will.” Charlotte resisted Banks at first but then marched ahead of him to the interview room.

  Harry turned to us. “Mrs. Booksteen, if you will come with me to my office, I’ll take your statement and then Clarissa’s.”

  Mrs. Booksteen proceeded him to his office.

  As we waited, I filled Shelbee and Jac in on what happened at my house, and we agreed to check on Lillian as soon as I was finished giving my statement. It wasn’t long before Mrs. Booksteen was finished, and I went back and gave Harry my statement. When I was done, I went back out to the waiting room and found Bruce waiting there.

  He strode over and embraced me in a huge hug and kissed me. “Thank God you’re all right. I should have been here.”

  I placed a hand on his cheek. “I’m all right. You couldn’t have known that Turner was going to break in.”

  “But this happens too often for my comfort. I think it’s time that I moved in with you.”

  I gasped and so did Shelbee. I glanced over at my friend. Shelbee had her mouth covered and Jac wore a wide grin. I looked back to Bruce. “Are you asking to move in with me?”

  Bruce grinned. “If it’s all right with you.”

  Paw bopped his head against Bruce’s legs

  “You, too, big guy.”

  “Woof.”

  We all laughed.

  “Yes, I think I can honestly say it’s okay with both of us” I said, wrapping my arms around Bruce’s neck and pulling him down for a kiss.

  From behind us, Uncle Harry called, “Get a room you two. I don’t want to have to arrest you for indecent behavior.” But he was smiling as he said it.

  Chapter 28

  The next day everyone met at my house to discuss the end of the case. Bruce had already started moving some of his items in, and Shelbee and Jac were helping me figure out how to combine Bruce’s and my households. Lillian and Mark had showed up with Saber to offer advice on Lillian’s behalf and to help carry on Mark’s. Lillian was grumbling about missing the ending of the case.

  Bruce carried in his favorite recliner with Mark’s help. They stood debating the best place for it in my living room.

  Lillian sat in my overstuffed chair in my living room with Saber curled in her lap, his ear occasionally flicking at all the activity. Lillian scowled at Bruce as Mark pointed in her direction discussing the placement of the chair.

  “I’m not getting up,” she said.

  Both men turned from her direction and began pointing out other locations for the chair.

  Shelbee snorted a laugh. “Leave it to Lillian to keep those two in check.”

  Jac nudged my shoulder. “You okay with Bruce moving in?”

  “Yes, I am for the most part. At first, I was hesitant as I’ve gotten used to living with just Paw, but I think it’s going to be all right.”

  Shelbee giggled. “High praise.” She winked at me.

  She, Jac, and I were packing up books from the bookshelf in my living room. We planned to move the shelf to my bedroom, leaving more room for Bruce to set up his desk and workstation in my living room. Paw, Samuel, and Bitsy lounged around the coffee table gnawing on bones that Mark had thoughtfully brought for them.

  The doorbell rang and Bruce went to open it, inviting Harry and Robert inside.

  “No Kathleen or Pedro?” Shelbee asked as she placed a stack of books in a box.

  “Nope. I thought it best to leave Pedro at home since I figured Saber would be here, and Kathleen was curled up sleeping in the window seat, so I figured I’d let her to her kitty nap.”

  “Humph,” Lillian groused. “Your bird irritates Saber.”

  Before Robert could argue, Uncle Harry motioned for us to sit down. “I’ve got to get back to the station, but I wanted to fill you in on what I found out.”

  Shelbee, Jac, and I abandoned the books and settled on the sofa while Bruce brought in dining room chairs for Harry and Robert, and Mark brought in chairs for Bruce and himself.

  “You think you have enough charges to send Turner to prison?” Bruce a
sked with a worried glance towards me.

  Harry scratched his jaw. “I think so. You never know when the lawyers get involved, but with his attack on Lillian and his outburst confession, I think he’ll go to jail.”

  “He better,” Lillian said. “That man’s a nuisance.”

  “And a murderer,” I added.

  “Yes,” Harry said. “And if I can manage it, Charlotte Tanner is going to go to prison for withholding evidence. We are sending the shoes out for testing, but I’m certain it is David Tanner’s blood on them.”

  Mark opened his notebook and asked, “Will that be enough evidence to send him to prison?”

  Harry shrugged. “The shoes on their own? Maybe, maybe not. But we went to his studio where he works and found one of the knives he uses for sculpting. It looked like it had been washed, but Barnes found a sliver of dark red that we think is blood and have sent to the lab.”

  “Oh my,” Shelbee gasped.

  We all glanced at her, so she said, “When Jac and Clarissa and I went to question him, Paw nudged a stack of papers and tools off Turner’s worktable. Turner grabbed them up and threw us out. We thought he was hiding something in the papers.”

  “That’s right,” I said. I glanced down at Paw. “It was the sculpting knife you were interested in. You were pointing out the clues all along, weren’t you, boy?”

  Paw looked up and chuffed then went back to his bone.

  “If the knife does have David Tanner’s blood that will send Turner to prison for certain.” Harry stood up. “I best get back. I’ll let you know if I learn anything more.” He nodded and left us sitting around pondering David Tanner’s fate.

  “We should do something more in David’s memory,” I said.

  Everyone nodded and Mark said, “I may have already put that into motion. Since he donated so much to the Betterment Foundation, I’ve spoken with Tammy Williams about starting a scholarship in his name.”