4 A Dead Mother

by Anna Celeste Burke

  “More coffee when you get back. A frittata with cebollitas too.”

  “Yum! A frittata’s my favorite. I love those wonderful little onions, too.”

  “I know; that’s why I’m fixin’ them for you.”

  “Did you hear that? Let’s hurry!” There was no need to tell Anastasia to hurry. She set a brisk pace for me that chased the blues away. What a delightful, friendly dog she was, so well-behaved and always eager to please.

  What had someone done to make her so fearful that she wouldn’t go eat or drink when I brought her back into the kitchen Tuesday afternoon after the break-in at Beverly’s house? I wondered as we followed along the edge of the golf course toward the dog park. Suddenly, I was struck by how I might learn more about what had happened to her. I slipped the phone out of my pocket and hit a quick dial button on my phone.

  “Hullo?”

  “Peter, it’s Jessica. I hope I didn’t wake you, but I have to ask you a question.”

  “Sure. I was up. I’m eating a tofu scramble. If I sounded funny, it’s because my mouth was full when I answered the phone. What’s your question?”

  “It’s about Anastasia,” I replied. “What happened to her that day while the mystery woman was in the house? Can you see anything on the video?”

  “I didn’t bring it up, since it didn’t have any bearing on the intruder’s identity, what was taken, or any of the other issues we were considering.”

  “I get it, but I’m asking now. What happened?”

  “You can’t see it all, but what you can see isn’t pleasant. The first time the camera catches the woman on video must have been soon after she entered the home. She comes into the kitchen, almost dragging the dog by her collar. Anastasia was scared, so there’s no telling what had already gone on. When Anastasia tried to pull away, the woman twisted her collar, and then smacked her. Then she dragged her to the backdoor and put her outside. Not without kicking her a couple of times.”

  “No wonder Anastasia was so upset when I let her back in that kitchen and she found items the woman had dropped still on the floor.”

  “She’s fortunate the intruder didn’t injure her.”

  “Or kill her, for that matter. Whoever she is, she’s heartless—the sort of temperament you’d need to kill a decent woman like Beverly Windsor.”

  “She’s not a dog lover, that’s for sure. Violent, too.”

  “Sorry to interrupt your breakfast with such a distasteful conversation. I should call Kim and warn her before she views those images.”

  “I gave her a heads-up when I sent her copies of the video clips. She’s more sensitive than she seems, isn’t she?”

  “Yes, she is,” I said. “I could say the same about you, Peter. Thank you.”

  “No problem. Anything new?”

  “Rikki Havens has hit a wall with the suspects we’ve given her—alibis across the board just like we discovered. She’s going to follow up with the possibility the intruder left her DNA behind on an object in the kitchen drawer. There’s also a good chance the woman in those videos is a brunette after all.” I explained how I knew that. “The biggest news, is that David Madison has vanished.”

  “Vanished? As in abducted or are you saying he took off?”

  “Took off. Kim’s snooping into where he might have gone.”

  “If you find out, you’ll let me know before you do anything gutsy like go after him, right?”

  Go after him! Now that’s an interesting idea, I thought. “Sure. For now, I’ll let you get back to your tofu,” I said, trying to keep the distaste from my voice at the thought of eating tofu for breakfast. I failed.

  “Yum!” He said mocking me. “I’m happy to share the recipe with Bernadette so she can fix it for you.”

  “Why not?” I said. Bernadette could make anything taste good. Once I’d ended my call, I stopped for a minute and gently shortened Anastasia’s leash. I was a little sad to learn that even dogs have secrets. It’s not as if she hadn’t tried to share them with me by reacting so strongly to the items on the floor and the scent left behind by that intruder.

  “Anastasia, come!” Without hesitation, she came up to me as I knelt and hugged her. “Are you really okay?” I asked, holding her chin and looking directly into her sweet, trusting eyes. I ran my hands gently over her body, hoping I hadn’t missed any injury. She wagged her tail and didn’t react as I inspected her carefully. I tried to remember if Beverly had ever mentioned what vet she used. No luck.

  “You love car rides, don’t you? Why don’t we go visit a vet and make sure that wicked woman didn’t hurt you? Doggie park first, though!” That got a woof and a spin as the smart girl took off in the direction of the park.

  As we got closer, I could see several neighbors were already there. Dogs could be off the leash in the park and Anastasia was delighted to run free, playing with the other dogs in the area.

  I waved to the other people in the park who acknowledged me, amiably. An older woman nearby laughed at the dogs’ antics as they romped around us. A bout of laughter set off coughing that reminded me of Ruth.

  Ruth would know the name of Beverly’s vet, I thought. I sat on a bench watching Anastasia romp. I was just about to call Kim when my cell phone rang.

  29 Undercover Dog

  “Jessica, it’s Kim. I may know where David Madison has gone.”

  “Wow! What makes you think that?”

  “I found information about a cabin in the woods near Lake Arrowhead. He doesn’t own it, but his family does. There are old pictures in an album on Facebook that show him visiting there over the years. It’s not far from Crestline and was advertised as a rental a few years ago. I found an old listing that includes photos and the address.”

  “That’s good, I guess, but…”

  “If I could find it, so can whoever he’s hiding from.”

  “Yes, that’s what I was going to say.”

  “So, I probably shouldn’t have done it, but I sort of hid that photo album on his Facebook page. Just until this business gets sorted out and then I’ll restore it.”

  “I won’t ask how you did that, but David Madison might thank you later, Kim.”

  “Sooner than that, I hope. Given he’s easier to find than he thinks he is, we ought to get to him before anyone else does, right?” It took me less than thirty seconds to respond. Kim was correct.

  “Yes. We’re not more than a couple of hours away. First, I need to see if I can get Anastasia’s vet to check her out.”

  “Did you see that video footage?”

  “No, but Peter just told me about it. She seems fine, but I’d like to make sure. Today, if I can get an appointment on short notice.”

  “According to Ruth, Dr. Daniels loves Anastasia, so I’m sure she’ll see her if she can.”

  “Do you know the doctor’s full name or location?”

  “Hang on.” Seconds later, Kim spoke again. “Dr. Lucy Daniels on Magnesia Falls in Palm Desert. I’m texting you the address and phone number now.”

  “Got it. I’ll call you back in a few minutes,” I said as I hung up and clicked on the number in the text message Kim had sent me. As I was explaining my situation to the receptionist at Dr. Daniels’ office, Anastasia suddenly ran to me. At first, I thought she was looking for a bit of reassurance, like a toddler who runs to Mom after a few minutes of independent play. A minute or so later when Dr. Daniels suggested I bring Anastasia in for an appointment at lunch time, I finished my call.

  “Did you miss me?” I asked. Anastasia woofed in reply, but instead of settling her head in my lap, she grew more agitated. Whimpering she cowered, and then ran around behind me barking loudly. When I stood and turned to go get her, I caught a glimpse of a figure getting into the passenger side of a cranberry-colored Chevy Impala. The car took off as soon as the passenger closed the door. I strained to catch a license plate number. X-L-S-was all I got before the car was out of sight.

  “Did anyone catch the plate number on that car?
Have you seen it around here before?” I got a round of no’s in reply and a raised eyebrow or two. I must have sounded panicky. Maybe angry, too, since that’s how I felt.

  “Anyone can get into the community today if they say they want to visit one of the Open Houses realtors are holding,” the woman sitting near me commented. “Probably a looky-loo checking out the dog park. Your poodle didn’t approve. Scared the daylights out of our visitor.” She laughed until that set off another round of coughing.

  “I’m calling security. Whoever it is shouldn’t be driving through here like a maniac.” I punched the speed dial button set up for the Mission Hills guard gate not far from the dog park. The car had just exited from the community, noticeable because it had screeched its tires as it turned onto the main drive outside the community.

  “Just missed them, dang it!” I said to the woman sitting on the bench.

  “Maybe they got it on film.”

  “That’s a good idea. I’ll try to find out. I have a friend who can help.” Peter would know where the surveillance cameras were and was already acquainted with at least some of the guys who worked at the gatehouse. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. If there was video of that car, it wasn’t going anywhere in the next five minutes while I tried to be neighborly and apologize for my panicky reaction moments earlier.

  “I’m sorry for the disturbance Anastasia caused. She’s ordinarily very sweet and calm. Let me introduce her—and myself. Anastasia, come!” The lovely poodle did as she was told and I spent several minutes getting to know my neighbor. As I’d learned, yet another benefit of owning a dog is the sociability that’s built in. In minutes, Sandy Triton, our new friend, was completely under Anastasia’s spell, especially when her tiny Bichon jumped up on the bench to be nose-to-nose with Anastasia.

  It was hard to believe Anastasia was the same dog she’d been when chasing off that looky-loo a few minutes before. A looky-loo who just happened to get into a car that was the same make and model as the one on the road where someone had dumped Beverly Windsor after killing her. Anastasia was fine. I was not.

  Walking home along the edge of the golf course, anxiety overtook me once again, and my skin crawled. It was reassuring that Anastasia wasn’t the least bit wary, but I was still spooked. How close had that person come to me before Anastasia barked? What was she doing in my neighborhood?

  I called Peter the moment Anastasia and I were back inside the house. I told him what had just happened and gave him the letters I’d gotten from the tag on that car. I wasn’t sure what he could do with a partial plate number but if anyone could put them to good use it was Peter.

  “I’m sorry to bother you again, but I don’t like the fact that I’m being stalked—especially by someone who’s not a member of the paparazzi. That was no looky-loo. Maybe David Madison can tell us what the heck is going on since we may have found his hideout.”

  “It’s about that time, isn’t it?”

  “What time?”

  “The time when you and our other friends have asked enough questions to draw attention from the culprits behind the latest round of murder and mayhem. I’ll have my guys cover your place like we’ve done at this point in the past. They know the drill already.”

  “Why not?” I still felt a little uneasy about how worried Frank had been about Bernadette’s snooping into Marty Hargreaves’ death, too.

  “There’s another reason for my second call of the day. I know it’s a last-minute request and on the weekend, so I expect to pay a premium for your help, but you did warn me not to go it alone,” I said. I told Peter about the cabin and asked him to drive Kim and me, or escort us, to the address where we hoped we’d find the elusive David Madison.

  “If anyone can keep him safe, it’s you and your personnel. Unless what he’s got to say can interest the police in taking him into protective custody, presuming he’ll go along with that idea. I considered calling Rikki Havens to give her a heads up about this, but I don’t want to send her on a wild goose chase if it turns out David Madison isn’t in the cabin.”

  “No problem. Brien already called me. Tell me what time you want to leave for Lake Arrowhead and we’ll meet you at your house.”

  “Brien? How does Brien know about the cabin in the woods?” I asked.

  “How do you think he knows?”

  “Kim never even hinted he was around when I spoke to her.”

  “What cabin in the woods?” Bernadette asked. “What do Kim and Brien know that I don’t know?” Both hands were on her hips with a set to her jaw I knew all too well. No way was Bernadette going to miss out on the action now that the cat was out of the bag.

  “How about this? Bernadette, and I will drive up to Crestline in the Escalade if you can follow us. Brien can ride with you. Kim, too, since they now seem to come as a pair. Let’s hope if David Madison has taken refuge there, he’ll have new information for us that can help clear up what’s going on.”

  “He must have had some reason to run for cover. Tell Bernadette to bring plenty of bait. We’ll all sit on his porch eating her cookies until he can’t take it anymore and gives himself up.”

  “That’s not a bad idea, Peter. I’ll try to reason with him, if he’ll trust me enough to let me into the cabin. A basket of goodies might convince him I’m not there to do him any harm. What kind of assassin or kidnapper takes homemade cookies to a potential target?” Peter laughed, but then added.

  “You’d be surprised what assassins and kidnappers will do to take down a target.” I gulped. Peter hadn’t ever gone into much detail, but his background in the military, black ops, or something like that made me believe him.

  “Okay, I don’t think I want to know any more, do I?”

  “Probably not.”

  “Let’s hope our efforts to locate and retrieve David Madison won’t be in vain.”

  “How can that be? No matter what happens, we’ll have Bernadette’s cookies—some vegan ones, right?”

  “Of course! See you soon.”

  A couple of hours later, we were on our way to the vet. Bernadette drove me there in the Escalade, already beside herself with excitement at the prospect of “going undercover to do surveillance.” She totally approved of the inducement-by-cookie strategy and conducted an inventory of her supplies before cranking out a few more. Before we left the house, she’d turned up in a pair of jeans, a plaid flannel shirt, and a baseball cap. She’d also slung a parka with a hood over the back of a barstool in the kitchen.

  “This isn’t an undercover mission. We’re just going to do a little reconnaissance to see if we can find David Madison. If he’s there, I’ll try to figure out how to approach him. I don’t expect him to be welcoming to uninvited guests, do you?”

  “In my book, sneaking up on the guy uninvited, lying in wait for the right moment to grab him, sounds like surveillance and an undercover mission to me.”

  “Surveillance is mostly boring—nothing to get all worked up about.”

  “You gotta admit, doing the surveillance beats bein’ the target,” she said. “You need to change your clothes. Nobody’s going to believe you’re going campin’ in that velvet Gucci outfit you’re wearing.”

  “Eileen Fisher, not Gucci, and it looks velvety, but it’s a wool jersey,” I responded running the fabric between my fingers. “As soft as Anastasia’s fur,” I muttered. She heard me utter her name and came running from where she’d been lounging in a corner. “That’s not true, is it? Your fur is much softer.” She wagged her tail in apparent agreement as I hugged the soft, doe-eyed puppy.

  “Don’t you have normal clothes? What if you’ve got to roll around in the mud or punch somebody? Do you want a bad guy bleeding on your designer wool jersey?” I stared at Bernadette. Who is this woman? I wondered for a split second and not for the first time. Then I thought about what Bernadette and I had faced in an incident at a marina. You never can tell when you’ll find yourself way overdressed.

  “I’m going to change into j
eans and sneakers. The whole point of taking two cars, with trained security men as our escorts, is so we don’t have to wrestle with anyone—good or bad. No gun, by the way.” Bernadette has been known to pack heat and use it.

  “How are you going to handle that no gun idea if David Madison has one?”

  “Hmm,” I murmured. “I’m working on it.” Anastasia nuzzled my palm. As soon as I headed for my room to change, Anastasia was at my side. She had been so well-behaved at the vet. Lucy Daniels said she’d found no signs of damage to Anastasia’s bones or internal organs, although the poodle did react when touched in a couple of places. She showed me where those spots were, so I’d be extra careful with her there.

  “I wish I could say this was the first time she’s been checked for injuries. Beverly didn’t say what had happened or who had been with the dog at the time, but she brought her in worried in the same way you were.”

  “What? Someone has hurt Anastasia before?”

  “Yes—kicked her or hit her with something. Beverly was reticent to give me details and I didn’t press her, although we could have filed a report about animal cruelty if she’d been more forthcoming.”

  Anastasia had reacted so vehemently toward the visitor who had ventured near the dog park today. Was it the same woman in the video who had yanked Anastasia around before shoving her out the door and kicking her?

  I wished there was more I could do as I stood idly by while Lucy Daniels entered information into Anastasia’s record about today’s visit. As I scanned the room, Matthew Whitaker’s name jumped out from a poster on the wall. “Is that the dog whisperer?” I asked. A picture was also on the poster. He was a hunk with an athletic build and ready smile. There just might be a bit too much self-satisfaction in that smile or in the way he held himself. I couldn’t know that for sure, of course, but Lucy did.

  “More like selfie-whisperer. He’s got pictures of himself plastered all over town,” Lucy Daniels had snapped. “He used to work here before he became a local celebrity. That was when Dr. Higgins still ran the place. He didn’t like Matthew Whitaker much, but he’s a nephew or something like that. The old guy was relieved when Matthew decided to go it alone. Dr. Higgins sold out to me and retired soon after that. I think he felt it was safe to let go without his nephew on the prowl around here.”