“He seems okay. There were no injuries. The purpose of taking Bun was to prompt me to do what they couldn’t. God knows why. I don’t think they thought the whole thing through. If they had, Bun wouldn’t have been a target.” On the verge of asking if he’d spoken to Carina, I let the matter pass. I wouldn’t push my luck since I was barred from looking into Evelyn’s death.
A walk on the public park trail tempted me, but then I thought better of it. Adam wouldn’t be able to follow us without looking conspicuous. From the police station, Bun and I went to pick up Molly’s supplies and then returned to the farm.
I left Bun with the other rabbits just before the clock struck four. The phone rang and Jim Brody was on the line.
“Did Meredith stop by this morning?” he asked after a brief greeting.
“She did.”
“You must be disappointed. I’m sorry to have built your hopes up, only to have them dashed, and quickly, too.”
I’d nearly cried when I read the denial. I struggled to keep my voice neutral now. “Your letter didn’t offer an explanation.”
“I can’t say, but I’m terribly sorry, Juliette.”
“Thanks for calling.” I hung up. Tears rolled down my cheeks, I blubbered for a few minutes, and then I straightened my backbone. My actions must have brought this on, and while I’d been given false hope, I had always managed the farm on my own and would continue to do so. This might have been a blessing in disguise. I would be able to follow through on my promise to Carina.
With Seamus and Colin at large, I put Evelyn’s murder investigation on the front burner. The birth certificate was an important clue that could clear Carina of any wrongdoing. I worried Jack might arrest her using circumstantial evidence, if he had any, as his reason.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Dinner consisted of a light meal shared with Jessica. Her day had ended early when an appointment was rescheduled. Bun ate in his room, and the other rabbits were set for the evening.
“You’re going to search Evelyn’s again, aren’t you?”
“Bun and I will go this time. Whenever he feels a change in the air, he grows frantic and I use it as a sign that it’s time to leave. During our last adventure, it was clear that he wanted to tell me something. I paid him heed, and it saved us.”
“He’s an extraordinary animal. I watched him in the play area today. He doesn’t appear to have any lingering fear from being snatched up and held like that.”
“My thoughts, exactly. I wondered if you could help me out tonight.”
“What do you need?”
“Adam is on me like a bee to honey. He’s right behind me every time I go out, which makes it near to impossible to be sneaky. Would you mind switching clothes with me and lending me your car when it starts to get dark? That way Adam will think I’m home for the evening. Dim the interior lights and relax while we’re gone.”
“How long will you be?”
“An hour or so, not more than that. I don’t want to put you in an awkward position. That’s why I’ll take Bun.”
“Consider it done. I have an extra set of clothes in the clinic. I’ll change into those and give you these.” She plucked at her shirt. “They might not fit perfectly, but Adam won’t see up close when you go to my car, so you needn’t worry. I’ll even give you the hat I wear.” She went to the clinic.
The clothes she’d worn were snug on me. Jessica weighed less than I did, but I had more muscle. In my opinion, that is. I lifted and stacked bales of hay daily, which built strength, as did hefting rabbit cages for parties and such.
Jessica looked me over. “Thinking of cutting back on sweets?”
“Not at all.”
Jessica changed the subject.
“Did you hear from Mr. Brody?”
“He called to offer an apology for the denial of the grant. I pressed him for a reason, which he said he couldn’t give. It doesn’t fly with me, but I can’t worry about that, there are more pressing issues to deal with.”
“What did he say, exactly?”
I stared at Jess and asked, “Why do you ask?”
She shrugged and was about to turn away. “There’s a reason, spit it out.”
“He said he couldn’t say why. Nothing more.”
“Your recent actions were the reason.”
“I don’t think so. Anyway, the grant was the last thing on my mind after Bun was snatched.”
“You might be better off without a handout from someone.”
“I came to that conclusion, too. Besides, I made Carina a promise and intend to keep it.”
She slapped me on the back. “There’s the Juliette I know. For a while I feared you’d be taken in by the likes of Brody. They’re a big business, and not always friendly.”
“What do you mean?”
“One of my clients came in with their cat the other day. Her husband manages Brody’s publicity and buyouts. Jim has his fingers in lots of pies, Jules. She wouldn’t be more specific but said the man has problems. She didn’t enlarge upon them.”
“Huh, I didn’t sense that at all. My focus was on other things, so maybe that’s why. Meredith spoke highly of him, why would she do that if he wasn’t a good soul?”
“Weren’t you charmed by him?”
“I guess.”
“There’s your answer. A man like that would make it his business to stay on the good side of the sheriff’s wife, wouldn’t he?”
“Mm.” The clock struck seven, darkness had descended, and it was time to go. I grabbed Jessica’s floppy hat, was certain it would hide my features, and called for Bun and tucked him under my arm inside the loose jacket Jess usually wore. I took her keys and my driver’s license, and sauntered off by way of the barn. My back was to the outside lights, which gave me an advantage. With Adam parked down the road from the farm, he could see the comings and goings but without a clear view of who was in each car.
Bun left the confines of the jacket as I pulled the hat lower and we set off on our adventure. I kept a look out for Adam, or any other cars I’d noticed in the parking lot at the police station today. So far, so good.
I turned right onto Evelyn’s street. The homes appeared much the same as they had the last time I’d seen them. No movements in homes, no people on the sidewalks or joggers who ran in the dark, as some do in other neighborhoods. Eerie and strange as it was, I parked a few houses down from the one I would again infiltrate. Was I crazy? What if Jack decided to stop by and take a look for himself? What if Adam was in a different car altogether? What if Adam wasn’t the officer assigned to me? Surely Adam would have time off, at least to sleep.
Bun hopped alongside me on the sidewalk.
“This is a creepy place. Where is everyone? It isn’t that late and there aren’t any lights on in the houses. Is it one of those spec neighborhoods where Realtors and builders work together to get homes built and sold to unsuspecting fools?”
We went up the driveway of the Victorian. “Unsuspecting fools? Really?”
“Well, yeah, they don’t know if the house they select is well built or not. Some builders skimp, don’t they? I listen to the news, Jules. Make no mistake about that.”
The rabbit made sense. We entered Evelyn’s basement, me on tiptoe, and Bun on padded paws. I scanned the room with the beam of my tiny flashlight. Everything was the same as my last visit. We took to the stairs, reached the top, and walked into the living quarters. I stopped to listen.
“We’re the only people here. Otherwise, I would know it. My superpowers are on high alert.”
“Glad to hear it,” I whispered. “You’re the lookout, I’m the hunter.”
“That’s not fair. I can search and be a lookout at the same time. I do have amazing hearing, you know.”
I pointed to my left. “Fine, you nose around in that room. Let me know if you find anything.”
“Will do.”
The first floor looked exactly the same as I had left it. No one had snooped around. If so, th
ey’d left things the way they had found them. I delved into more papers in the library. There had been limited time when I’d come with Jessica. Bun and I could give this place a thorough search tonight.
From the other room, I heard Bun say, “I’ve found nothing. How about you?”
“Not yet. I searched the upstairs rooms the other night. There’s nothing up there other than Evelyn’s bedroom. All the guest rooms had furniture but nothing else.”
Bun hopped into the library and watched me take a few dusty books from the top shelf of the built-in bookcase. I held the book by its binder and fluttered the pages. Nothing. With a grunt of impatience, I went down the short stepladder, then folded it and returned it to the corner.
“Let’s check the cellar. There were plastic bins stacked under the stairs. It’s the last place I can think of to look.”
We’d started down the stairs when Bun stopped. His ears quivered as did his whiskers. “We have company coming. I hear footsteps.”
“How many people?”
His head tipped to the side, and his attention rapt, Bun listened. “Two, I think.”
“How close?” I said softly.
“In the bulkhead.”
By this time, I’d scooped him into my arms. The sound of voices grew closer as I rushed down the last few steps. Crouched behind bins stacked under the stairs in darkness that surrounded us, I held Bun to my chest. “Relax,” I whispered. He sagged against me as his released tension left him limp.
A beam of light streamed across the basement floor. “Let’s go upstairs. I want that certificate. I think she told the truth when she said she didn’t have it. That interferin’ woman never had it and gave us what she thought we wanted. She’s a nosy one. She’s also friends with the sheriff.” Spoken by Colin, who had set me up for the attack. He seemed the only intelligent one of the two, and he was no bright bulb, either.
I held my breath as they climbed the stairs. Seamus groused the entire time, insisting all he wanted was to get what was coming to them. “If that Juliette woman finds it first, she’ll turn it over to the sheriff. Then we’ll have to leave town before we get paid.” His deep voice faded when they moved on into the house to begin their search.
“We won’t stay here, will we?”
A tremor ran through Bun’s small frame.
“No, we won’t.”
Bun scuttled inside my coat and snuggled up under my armpit, not a comfortable place for either of us. I crooked my elbow and tightened my hold on him. I cut across the basement floor on silent feet, then took the short flight of steps in two huge strides and went out the door.
Sneaking close to the side of the house, I broke into a dead run when we reached a group of shrubs located near the edge of the driveway. Jessica’s car was where I had left it and we got in. I started the engine and slowly rolled away from the curb, the headlights off. Once again, I noticed there was no movement or lights on in other homes.
We passed the Victorian house. Inside, a beam of light from the flashlight bounced off the walls as Seamus and Colin moved from place to place.
“Not too obvious, are they?”
“Idiots. I told you, didn’t I.”
“You did.” Bun turned his head, looked at me, his whiskers jittery, and asked, “What are you doing?”
“Reporting a robbery in progress.”
“Oooh, do you think that’s wise?”
I could hear the humor in his voice. I assured him that I did, and dialed the police station.
The dispatcher asked a bunch of questions, including my name. I disconnected the call, and turned the phone off. I parked on the side of the road, and we waited. In less than five minutes, two police cars sped past us in the direction of Evelyn’s address. Once they were out of sight, I continued on home and parked on the other side of my own car. It was good to be back.
Jess was watching a TV program when we entered the house. She jumped from the chair and asked, “Did you find it?”
I shook my head and told her we were interrupted, and explained our escape. Bun went to his room and snuggled down in his new bed for the night. “I’m tired, good night, Jules.”
I left him to it and joined Jessica in the living room. “Did you have visitors while I was gone?”
“If you mean the sheriff or his officers, no. You have a voice mail from Carina, though. She sounds kind of worried. I think Carver went to see her, I only heard half the message, so you’ll need to listen to it.” She shut the TV off and took her jacket and hat from me.
“Thanks, Jess, I appreciate your help. I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to Evelyn’s again. Whether the police arrest those two guys or not, Jack is sure to have the house under surveillance from now on. I might have made things more difficult by reporting the break-in, but I needed Seamus and Colin out of my way and in a jail cell.”
“I wonder what’s so important that they’d go to such lengths? It makes no sense. Do you have any idea who wants the certificate? You did say you heard one of these guys say he only wanted what they had coming. Does it mean they’ll receive compensation?”
“There has to be someone behind all this who’s willing to pay them, but it’s not Carina. I doubt she would jeopardize her daughter’s safety by hiring those two bumbling fools. She knows she’s still on Jack’s list of suspects.”
Buttoning her jacket, Jess put her hat on and pulled it down tight. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Get some rest, you look tired. You’re sure you aren’t having any residual effects from that bump on your head?”
“I’m fine, just beat. It’s nice to be home and not have to go back to the rabbit show again.”
We walked to the door. “Will you change your mind about doing that again next year?”
“I highly doubt it. Too much negativity behind the scenes for my liking. Have a good night, Jess. Drive carefully.”
I watched from the doorway until her car disappeared from sight before I locked up for the night. While Bun slept, I wandered through the barn looking in on the rabbits. I yawned and went into the house, knowing all was well at the farm.
The message from Carina was brief and to the point. I leaned against the counter, arms folded, listening to her. She sounded paranoid, and who could blame her for that? I yawned again and worried over what Jack must have put her through when she said he had been to her house with questions about her relationship with Evelyn. Carina wanted an update.
Reluctant to tell her what had happened, I was glad it was too late to call her now. It would have to wait until morning. I shut the lights off and went upstairs.
My brain worked overtime while I lay in bed waiting for sleep. Questions swirled through my head. Would I ever get some rest? Determined to shut my thoughts off, I used the deep breathing exercises I’d learned a few years ago and hoped to relax.
* * *
Sunlight streamed across the bed into my eyes when I opened them. I shut the alarm clock off and flopped against the pillows. The exercises must have worked, I didn’t remember falling asleep. With a busy day ahead, I tossed the bedcovers aside and got out of bed.
Bun sat in my bedroom doorway. His whiskers twitched. “I’ve been waiting for you to wake up. The rabbits and I want breakfast.”
“I’ll be downstairs after I get dressed.”
He hopped away, mumbling down the stairs.
It wasn’t as if I’d slept late, Bun was just being, well, Bun. I refused to rush and took time to get organized. When I was ready and had straightened up my bedroom, I joined Bun in the kitchen.
“Are we going to Carina’s today? I heard the message you played last night. She sounds intimidated by your friend the sheriff.”
Oh, so he was my friend, huh? Bun should have taken into account Jack’s search for those who had taken him from me. I wouldn’t rise to the bait, and prepared his breakfast while coffee perked.
Bun ate in silence while I drank coffee before I went into the barn to feed and clean up after the rabbits. Wide awake, they
locked on to my movements in hope of receiving the feed I assembled and would deliver to each cage port. They were a ravenous bunch this morning, or maybe just happy to see me. They rushed about their hutches, then took to the food. I spoke to each rabbit as I moved from one cage to the next.
“Why do you talk to them? They can’t talk back.”
“It’s good manners and lets them know I care about them.”
“Do you think they understand what you say?”
I shrugged. “Of course. You understand, so why wouldn’t they?”
“Hmm, if you say so. You didn’t answer my question about whether we were going to Carina’s today.”
“I have to call her first. Then I’ll know what to do. You’re quite interested.”
“I’m bothered to think Carina might have been behind my abduction.”
“I’m sure you’re mistaken. We’ll see what she has to say and then we’ll form an opinion. How’s that?”
“Doable.”
Having served the rabbits, I proceeded to clean the interiors of each cage, and freshened the hutch end with bunches of fresh hay. While draped in my usual apron with gloves that went up to my elbows, I started to empty fecal pans. I’d nearly reached the end of one row when Jason came into the barn.
“I’ll take over from here, Juliette. I have to say, you do a great job of taking care of these critters.”
“They deserve it. After you’re done, we’ll put them in the exercise pens.” I left him to his job, removed my work gear, and went into the shop. When Jess arrived, she came into the shop on her way to the clinic.
“I forgot my key to the clinic door.” She sounded disgruntled. What caused it might be more from my escapades than having forgotten her key.
“Not a problem. You can always enter the barn this way.”
She gave me a nod, crossed the room, and walked into the clinic. I watched her without asking questions. Sooner or later, she’d let me know why she was grumpy.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Who's Dead, Doc? Page 12