Sealed with a Hiss

by Addison Moore

  “Running.” She nods, and I don’t even want to go there.

  “All right.” I give a quick blink. “So you and Jasper knew how to communicate. So you would have scored the free dinner, so what?”

  “Ooh, free dinner?” Camila’s cheapskate antennae go up. “How about I borrow Jasper for the night? I could use a free meal now and again.”

  Fish gives a sharp meow. Say no, Bizzy.

  “No.” I don’t hesitate to follow the direct order from my cat. In fact, if I took her advice more often, I wouldn’t be in half the pickles I’m in today. “Speaking of meals, that’s why I’m here.” I pin a smile to my lips as I look up at the hot stud muffin before me. “I thought we could picnic in your office. Sort of a getting to know you date. And if you’re good, I might even let you fill me in on all the secret details surrounding the Buckingham case.”

  Camila grunts as she swallows down a bite, “That case is crazy, isn’t it? I mean, that whole Bobbie Buckingham thing was sort of dramatic, don’t you think?”

  “She was shot,” I say. “I guess you can’t get more dramatic than that.”

  Camila averts her eyes. “I mean, yeah, but really? Everyone knew something was coming. I’ve heard rumors Chip was cheating on her for months.”

  “Really?” I say as I free Sugar and Fish from the carrier and set them on her desk. As much as I love to have them close, they’re essentially little heaters—more like lava fields. I need to take a break once in a while to keep from passing out from all the nuclear thermal fission taking place.

  “Yes, really,” Camila says. “I’m a huge fan of the Perfect Pairing podcast. Their focus is relationships. For the last two years, all Bobbie talked about was her relationship with Chip. That was her shtick. She played the happily married woman, while Lacey’s role was the friend always looking for her next date. It’s a formula that worked because it covered their audience nicely. But for the last few months, Bobbie had gone radio silent when it came to Chip.”

  Jasper and I exchange a glance.

  “Silent?” he asks. “As in she didn’t bring him up? Did she hint at any trouble on the marital front?”

  “Nope.” Camila pulls another slice of pizza from the box. She must have really meant what she said about needing a free lunch. I’m only mildly amused. “But that’s when you know a marriage is in trouble. I see it all the time with people on social media. If they break their my-husband-is-so-great bragging session for a spate of time, it’s usually followed by a divorce announcement. People just don’t stay married the way they used to.” She manufactures a smile as she looks from Jasper to me.

  “We’re staying married.” Jasper dots a kiss to my lips.

  I look her way. “Anything else we should know about the Buckinghams? What do you know about Diane Regal? She’s Bobbie and Lacey’s manager.”

  She makes a face. “Did they really need a manager? They run those podcasts from Bobbie’s home office. Not that it’s actually in her home. Bobbie lives on a couple of acres out in Rose Glen. She does a live video blog a couple of times a week where she walks around her house. Sometimes, she lets us see her wraparound porch or the she-shed in her backyard where she says the magic happens. That’s where her home office is actually located. Last year, she hosted a ticketed event in her backyard for fans of the Perfect Pairing and close to a thousand people showed up.”

  “Did you go?” I can’t help but ask. Camila seems to be in the know when it comes to the dealings at Buckingham Palace.

  Her eyes ride up and down my body. “You bet your nosy britches I went. I’ve been following Bobbie and Lacey for so long, they feel like friends.” Camila gets a dreamy look in her eye as she sighs at the thought. “It was magical. They had twinkle lights strewn up everywhere. A light buffet and mixed drinks. Bobbie and Lacey talked for hours about this and that. It was the best night out I’ve had in years.”

  Sadly, I believe her.

  “What about Chip?” Jasper nods her way. “Was he around that night?”

  “Oh yeah.” Camila helps herself to another cookie, and Fish swipes a paw in her direction. “That’s when he was still in on the action. Of course, he was always a sideline kind of a guy. I guess that had to be emasculating. He was basically unemployed. His wife was earning a good chunk of change. He was the butt of a few harmless jokes, but then, he is a man. I’m guessing his ego was pricked so, of course, he had to go out and find another honeypot to dip his—”

  “We get it,” I say, picking up Sugar just as the tiny cat was about to snag a cookie. “Jasper, was Chip really unemployed?”

  “He was on the board at a nonprofit down in Rose Glen called the Village Kitchen. They primarily help feed the hungry. I talked to a few of the regulars who are hands-on with the organization, and they all said he was more or less eye candy for the website. The guy sat in his office and pretty much twiddled his thumbs. I think Camila is right, the guy was emasculated. I looked into all his social media. He wasn’t shy around the camera, lots of tats, showy clothes, always trying to make himself look tough. He had an ego. There’s no disputing it. And according to those pictures we saw, he was looking for attention elsewhere.”

  “But Bobbie is beautiful.” I shake my head with disgust. “Why couldn’t she have been enough for him? I listened to a bunch of her podcasts this morning. She’s smart, witty, warm. What more could he have wanted?”

  “Oh, dizzy Bizzy.” Camila doesn’t hesitate with the insult, and both Fish and Sherlock make a play for her, with both a yowl and a bark. “Shoo!” Camila waves her hands and Sherlock is quick to wrap himself around Jasper’s legs, but Fish doesn’t retreat. She simply doubles down with her icy cold stare. “What I was going say is, it takes more than good looks and a degree to keep a man satisfied. The guy wanted someone to stroke his ego—among other things.”

  I take a breath. “I guess he was viewed as a man in power.” I give Jasper a few flirtatious blinks. “That whole man in power thing always manages to rev a girl’s engine. It might have looked as if he was on the sidelines—sure, he was virtually unemployed, but he was Bobbie’s husband. They were a supercouple. And there are women out there who not only wanted a taste of Bobbie’s lifestyle—they wanted it all, including her husband.”

  “It makes sense,” Jasper says. “She built her brand around her successful marriage. Everyone wanted her success. And some people wanted her husband. Being married to her gave him a certain status.”

  Camila nods. “I thought he was a hottie. I had no idea he was available.” I could have easily made my move that night. She shoots me a look. And don’t you dare judge me, Bizzy. You take your two-bit mind reading act and shoo on out of my head.

  I make a face.

  Years ago, Camila had foolishly traded Jasper in for Leo. Leo Granger, my fellow telesensual, made the grave error of filling her in on his supernatural secret. Of course, he claimed it was because he thought they were a forever deal. Too bad I wasn’t in his life at that point. I could have told him that Camila Ryder wasn’t the one for him. He deserves someone sweet and sane like my bestie—the exact woman he’s engaged to at present. All right, fine. I didn’t exactly see that one coming either, but I’m glad it’s working out for them.

  A thought comes to me. “Camila, did Bobbie ever disparage Chip to her followers? You know, shame him for anything?”

  She pulls a nail file out of her desk and starts sawing away at her left hand.

  “There was this one time last summer when he bought what she called a hillbilly bathtub. It was basically an above ground pool of some kind. She thought it was funny and showed it to all of her followers. Chip was inside it sitting on a float with a beer in hand. It seemed all in fun.” She cocks her head to the side. “Oh, and this one time where she went on and on about the annoying way he chews his ice. She said she had to resort to meditation just to sit next to him. I guess they didn’t know how to communicate either.”

  “When did she say that thing about the ice?” I
warm Jasper’s back with my hand as a silent assurance. He, too, chews his ice at frightening decibels, and it has no bearings on my sanity. At least not yet.

  “Hmm…” Camila squints to the ceiling. “Just about a month ago.”

  Jasper nods. “I’m guessing there were cracks in the armor she wasn’t sharing with her fans.”

  A dark laugh strums from Camila. “Just like there might be cracks in the armor the two of you aren’t sharing with me.”

  “Watch it,” I say. “And I thought we were good after I helped prove your innocence last October.”

  Fish mewls, You should have let her fry.

  Sherlock pats me on the leg with his paw. The woman knows how to suck people in, Bizzy.

  I’m starting to think I was not only sucked in, but that I’ve got the word sucker printed on my forehead as well.

  “We are good,” Camila snips. I’m just keeping my options open should the occasion arise.

  Sugar nuzzles her furry face into my neck. I wouldn’t trust her, Bizzy. She’s not your friend. A person like that isn’t above lying. But then again, she was telling the truth about Chip. He did like the attention he was getting. He was very nice to all the girls I saw him with.

  Sugar saw him with girls!

  Here’s hoping she’s the key to this homicide investigation.

  Camila lifts a glossy red fingernail my way. “I’ll be at the Perfect Pairing Valentine’s event at the inn. And congratulations to the both of you on gaining a new stepparent. I’ll be front and center for your mother’s big day, Jasper.”

  “What big day?” He looks a little more than perplexed.

  A tiny gasp gets caught in my throat. “Did I forget to mention that? I’m so sorry. Your mom and my dad are tying the knot on Valentine’s Day at the inn.”

  He backs up a notch. “Wow. I knew they were engaged, but the thought of them making it official catches me off guard. I’ll have to talk to my brothers and sister. I guess this is really happening, and there’s not a thing we can do about it. I hope she realizes what she’s getting into.”

  If my dad didn’t have a dicey track record when it comes to holy matrimony, I might be insulted. But as it stands, I’m with him on that whole I-hope-his-mother-knows-what-she’s-getting-into deal.

  I bite down on my lip a moment. “If she doesn’t, she will soon enough. Here’s hoping they make it.”

  “Anything else I should know?”

  “Hux and Mackenzie are tying the knot at the same time. It’s sort of a double whammy for the family.”

  Jasper’s chest bounces. “Let’s hope he knows what he’s getting into.”

  “He’ll figure it out,” Camila says, adding her two cents. “And when he does, I’ll be there waiting. I’ve got dibs when she dumps him.”

  “Here’s a novel idea,” I say. “Find someone who’s available. Aren’t you required to bring a date to that Perfect Pairing event?”

  Her shoulders slump at the thought. “It’s not required, but I’ll hunt one down even if I have to bring that wiry dog of yours. I’m not spending Valentine’s Day alone.” Sherlock barks in protest, and Camila wastes no time in scowling over at him. “Oh hush, you.”

  Jasper’s phone goes off, and he frowns. “I’ve got a meeting in twenty minutes.”

  “Twenty minutes is plenty of time for an office picnic,” I say, popping Fish and Sugar back into my carrier and handing the boxes of food to Jasper. “If I have any questions about the Buckinghams, I’ll be hunting you down, Camila,” I say, ushering Jasper toward his office.

  “So you’re investigating again?” she calls out. “Hear that, Jasper? Your own wife doesn’t believe you can do it alone. I can’t imagine how emasculating that must be.”

  “Don’t listen to her,” I say, sealing the door shut behind us.

  Jasper puts down the food, and I wrap my arms around him.

  “I know you’re perfectly capable of solving this case.” I give his lips a peck to prove it.

  Jasper pulls back and studies me a moment. “But you’re not letting go of the case. And that wasn’t a question, because I already know the answer. How about this? We share intel over pillow talk?”

  “I could think of a lot more creative pillow talk than that.”

  His lids hood a notch. “Who says we can’t communicate?”

  I let Sugar and Fish chase after Sherlock while Jasper and I communicate without words for the next twenty minutes.

  We’ve got a whole lifetime to figure one another out, and I look forward to every juicy second of it.

  I’m looking forward to getting a few juicy details from Diane Regal, too.

  Here’s hoping she’s willing to offer up more than a few.

  And if she’s not, maybe I can coerce her dog into a little yipping and yapping.

  Something tells me I’m going to need bacon.

  Chapter 9

  The dog park.

  It turns out, tracking down Diane Regal was easier than I thought. I didn’t even have time to think about it. No sooner did I mention my next suspect’s name to Juni and Georgie than they traced her exact whereabouts down in less than two minutes. As fate, and a few lucky pooches would have it, Diane is a volunteer at the Puppy Prairie, a local dog park just down the street from town square right here in Cider Cove.

  Juni, Georgie, and I have donned our winter coats, scooped up a couple of pooches ourselves, and drove right down here.

  We could have walked. Sure, it’s still winter, but the snow isn’t sticking anymore in Cider Cove. But Juni wanted to wear heels, and her dog Sprinkles is a tiny brown terrier with legs that are about three inches high, and they both insisted on being carried. Suffice it to say, we all hopped into my car.

  Naturally, I’ve brought Sherlock, but when Sugar heard I was going to see Gizmo, she insisted on coming along, too, so I’ve got her in my front carrier and Sherlock on a leash. Fish decided to sit this one out. The last time I brought her here was over six months ago, and after five minutes and a rather enthusiastic Doberman named Rufus, she not only ran all the way home, she threatened to find herself a new home if I ever attempted to bring her here again.

  The Puppy Prairie is an expansive fenced in area of about an acre of land, mostly dirt at the moment with a few small manmade hills near the back to add some thrills for the four-legged creatures among us.

  It takes less than ten seconds for me to spot Diane Regal’s shock of platinum hair peeking out from under a hot pink hat as she stands near the gated entry. Her attention is fully on the handful of dogs running wild inside the park, and she’s holding a rather large aqua water bottle in her left hand.

  “Give me the pooch.” Georgie makes a play for the leash, and I pull it back.

  “I can’t give you the leash. The suspect is right there. I need her to see me walk in with Sherlock or she’ll think I’m a freak for showing up with a cat. No offense, Sugar.”

  Sugar bleats out a meow. No offense taken. I’m starting to rethink this whole thing anyway. As much as I like Gizmo, I’d like to keep my fur about me for another twenty years or so. She cranes her neck to get a better look at the dogs milling around. Most of them are bigger than Sherlock, but a few are tiny tots like Sprinkles. It looks as if Fish was right. I’ll use up eight of my nine lives today at least.

  “Aww.” Georgie gives Sugar a quick scratch on the forehead. “I don’t need to be a mind reader to know you’re having second thoughts about joining the barking brigade. Don’t you worry. I’ve got an entire bucket of bacon with me.” She pulls a bright yellow bucket from her tote bag, and sure enough, it’s brimming with salty goodness.

  “Georgie, are you insane? You can’t bring that in there. You’re going to get swarmed by every dog in the park, and probably a few of the men, too.”

  Juni trots over and plucks out a handful of bacon for herself. “Come on, sweet stuff.” She places Sprinkles on the ground. “Let’s go do our thing. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and if we play our
canine cards right, we’ll both land a couple of woofers to call our own before the day is done.”

  Sprinkles looks my way. Don’t hesitate to help me out if I end up in a bind. I don’t really care for the big boys.

  They take off for the gate, and Georgie and I follow suit.

  “You should have brought Cinnamon or Gatsby,” I tell her as she continues her struggle for the leash. Cinnamon is Emmie’s labradoodle with fur the same color as her spicy name. And Gatsby is Leo’s golden retriever.

  “You should have brought Cinnamon or Gatsby. Forget your suspect, Bizzy. There’s nothing sadder than watching a senior citizen entering a dog park alone with a bucket of bacon.”

  “Don’t make me laugh.” I giggle through each word. “And I’ve never heard you call yourself a senior citizen before.”

  “I didn’t say I was one. I’m just saying some poor schmuck here might think that when they see me. I’m fully aware that youth is ardently worshipped in this savage world we live in.”

  “Fine.” I give her the leash as we walk through the gate and promptly shut it tightly behind us. I’d hate to be the sole reason someone had to chase their dog through Cider Cove today. And I’ve seen it happen on more than one occasion.

  Diane turns our way just as Georgie takes Sherlock off his leash. All that warring for five seconds of notoriety. That’s Georgie in a nutshell.

  “Hey”—I pin a bright smile to my face I as wave to Diane—“fancy meeting you here.” I figured I’d better play it coy. If she is the killer, the last thing I want her to be aware of is that I’m stalking her at the moment.

  Her coat is open in the front, and she has a bright pink sweatshirt on that reads Gizmo’s Mom. On her head, an equally bright pink hat reads Dogs over People.

  Her mouth squares out as she inspects me a moment.

  “Fancy meeting you here, too,” she says, snapping her fingers in my direction. “I’m terrible with names, but I do remember yours was super cute. Was it Lizzy?”

  “Bizzy,” I say, and we share a warm laugh.