Groomer Has It

by Katie Hagen

  Carlie looked at the bookstore then back at me. “Are you sure? I mean, isn’t one interrogation enough for the day? Plus, you’d be alone.”

  “Well we have to solve this thing if we’re ever going to get Kitty’s back up and running. I don’t think I have a lot to worry about with Vic anyway. I did at first, but I think he’s just kind of a dork. Not a killer. I just want to ask him a few questions.”

  Carlie looked across the street to the open doors of the theatre. We both saw Peter in the back, stocking the concessions booth.

  “Alright, but I’m going to tell Peter that you’re in there first. Just in case.”

  “Fine,” I rolled my eyes at her. Secretly, I loved the idea of Peter George being ready to run over and save me at a moment’s notice.

  “Scream if you need anything,” Carlie winked and jogged with Picklepuss across the street.

  I turned to face the bookstore. “Here we go again,” I said to myself before pushing through the door.

  Chapter 9

  The whole place smelled like leftover gym socks, cat, and patchouli. It nearly drowned out the smell of books and had me backing toward the door.

  Crookshanks 2 meowed hello. I couldn’t just leave without giving her a pet, so I took the couple steps toward the window where she met me with her tail up in the air. I looked across the street and saw that Peter was now leaning on the door frame with one foot crossed over the other and Carlie was walking toward Kitty’s. So, he was worried about me. Cute.

  “Hey, how can I…oh! It’s you,” Vic stammered as he came out from behind a curtain in the back of the store.

  The bookstore was laid out traditionally. Tables sat in front with displays of mysteries, current fiction, and some of the classics on each. Along the walls were tall bookcases with shorter ones between them throughout the room. To the left, toward the back, was a wooden counter with little racks of bookmarks and playing dice. I noticed that a section to the front left was filled with board games.

  “Uh, yeah. I guess it’s me,” I smiled. “I just wanted to…uh, say hi to Crookshanks 2, I guess? We were just passing by.

  Vic looked uneasily around the room.

  “Oh! Yeah, no, it’s just me now. Carlie went back home with Picklepuss. We saw the No Dogs sign. What’s up with that by the way?” I gave the cat a final head to tail stroke then moved to where he stood at the counter.

  “They scare my cat. That’s it. I like dogs.” I couldn’t help noticing that he was speaking in short, clipped sentences. A bead of sweat came down from under his baseball cap and he brushed it away with his hand. Why was he so nervous?

  “Actually, I really wanted to talk to you,” I smiled as warmly as I could.

  “Oh, uh….ok,” he picked a pencil up from the counter, twirled it in his fingers once and set it back down. He might as well have been panting. I could see the stress on his face. I just couldn’t understand why.

  “I’m trying to figure out what happened to your aunt. I heard that she had a boyfriend. Do you know anything about that?”

  “Oh. So, you just came in to talk about her?” He looked relieved.

  “What else?”

  He shook his head and shrugged.

  “Well,” I started again a bit confused. “Do you know her boyfriend?”

  Vic shook his head. “I know she had visitors. I could hear cars sometimes pull into the driveway and the gate closing but I pretty much keep to myself. I’m usually playing video games when I’m home.”

  “Huh, so her boyfriend would come in through the back?”

  “I guess.”

  “Doesn’t that seem weird to you?”

  “Not really. My aunt was pretty private, and her neighbors are always like, watching her and stuff. Maybe she wanted to keep it low key.”

  “Or maybe the boyfriend did?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Did you ever hear any arguments coming from the house?”

  “No, but I wear headphones when I’m playing so I don’t really hear much.” He watched me carefully and something made me wonder if Peter was still watching from the theatre. I hoped he was.

  “Were you playing when we found her? Peter and I? He knocked on the door, but no one answered.”

  “I was…busy,” he kind of smirked and instantly I got the salacious tone.

  So secret lovers ran in the family, or at least I hoped that was what he meant. His eyes got big all of a sudden and he stepped back a bit. “But that’s over now. Way over.”

  “Alright.” I’m not sure why I needed to know that, but I kept pushing anyway. “So, I’m sure you already talked to the police about this, but I just have to ask. Did you see or hear anyone come over that night? Maybe the boyfriend? Or maybe the person you were with did?”

  “She said she didn’t see anything. It was pretty dark.”

  “Can I ask her a few questions? You know, just to make sure?”

  Vic’s eyes darted toward the back, then he shook his head. “You wouldn’t know her. She’s from…She doesn’t live around here.”

  “Oh,” I sighed. “That’s too bad. I was really hoping you could help.” I tried to sound flirty as hard as it was. Vic wasn’t bad looking really, beneath the shaggy hair and the patchouli, but he just wasn’t my type.

  The front door opening made us both jump.

  “Oh, hey Peter!” Vic yelled across the room. “What’s up, man?”

  “Hey Vic. I just needed to see if you could order me a copy of a book. Here.” He handed Vic a slip of paper.

  “Yeah, I don’t think I have this one. Is that an ‘E’ or a ‘F’?”

  Peter leaned past me to look at the paper and I was overwhelmed for a second by his cologne.

  “C” he responded.

  “Oh, ok, I gotta go make a call. Hang on.”

  “Take your time Vic,” Peter smiled at me as he said it and I practically swooned again.

  When Vic was out of earshot, Peter leaned into me. “How would you like a private showing?”

  “Excuse me?” I said breathlessly.

  Peter laughed. “I don’t actually open until five, but I just got a new movie in and I always like to give them a trial play to make sure they’re in good shape. You never know with these old films.”

  “Oh!” A movie. He meant a movie. What else did I expect him to show me? I practically had to slap myself out of that last thought. “Well, what movie is it?”

  “It’s called The Pirate with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly.”

  “I actually haven’t seen that one.”

  “Oh, you like classic films?”

  “Of course,” I smiled. “Boy meets girl. Assumptions are made. Someone is surprised. They fall in love. Who wouldn’t love that?”

  Vic came back out from the back and this time I remembered to glimpse behind the curtain. Maybe I was just being suspicious but the way he kept looking back there made me wonder if he was hiding something. All I saw was a normal office. A desk, a chair, a big computer screen and some posters on the wall. I turned my attention back to Vic and Peter.

  “It’s weird, man. No one seems to have heard of it.”

  “Strange,” Peter took the slip of paper back. “Maybe I got it wrong. I’ll figure it out and get back to you, ok?”

  “Yeah, sure,” Vic nodded. “So, I guess I’ll see you later then.”

  Peter and I both walked out of the store and I could tell that Vic was relieved to see me go. The minute Peter took my arm Vic’s shoulders visibly relaxed. He definitely didn’t want me hanging around. I would have to figure out why later.

  As soon as we left the store, however, the opposite happened to Peter. When the door closed, his body seemed to tense, and his smile faded. We walked across the street quickly with his hand gripping my elbow and before I knew it, he’d pulled me into the dimly lit theatre and closed the door behind us.

  Peter stood facing the long aisle that led downward toward the black movie screen. To my right was the concessions stand. The p
opcorn maker was empty, and an antique register sat lifelessly on a locked glass case filled with candy bars and boxes. To my left were stairs which I remembered led to a small balcony. The theatre looked just as I’d remembered but what in my youth had felt playful now felt vintage. I wondered if I were beginning to have the same transformation. I ran my fingers through my hair to give it some life while Peter took a deep breath. Finally, he turned back to me and smiled.

  “Should I make some popcorn?”

  “Sure,” I smiled back hopefully. Was this a date?

  While he poured in some oil and kernels I leaned on the counter and watched. “So, what book did you ask Vic for?”

  Peter glanced at me for a second and turned on the machine which started to hum. “The Torn Curtain by Mickey Way,” he said placing his hands near mine on the glass top of the cabinet.

  “I haven’t heard of that one.”

  “That’s because it doesn’t exist. At least I hoped it didn’t”

  “You asked him to find a book that didn’t exist?”

  “I made it up when Carlie said you were going over there to talk to Vic. I needed an excuse to go in.” He turned and pointed at a tear in the curtain that served as a door to the theatre. “It was the first thing I thought of.” Peter moved out from behind the case and locked the front door before coming over to where I stood. “I had to get you out of there.”

  The popcorn started to pop.

  I tried not to look startled. “Why would you need to do that? I was just asking him some questions.”

  Peter ran his hands through his own hair and scrunched up his eyebrows like he had a headache.

  “You really shouldn’t be doing that, Kit.” He looked up at me with worried blue eyes that were hauntingly delicious.

  Suddenly, it felt as though we were standing too close. I moved back a little and started digging through my purse.

  “What are you looking for?” He asked.

  I pulled out a few dollars from my wallet. “How much for the candy?”

  Peter appeared to relax. “On the house,” he winked and went to open the case. I took a deep breath. Something didn’t feel right. Was it just first date jitters? Or something more?

  I pointed to a bag of Skittles and he put them on the counter along with some M&Ms. While he poured us some sodas from a fountain machine, he asked what questions I’d asked Vic.

  “Oh, just about what he might have seen or heard on the night Vicki was murdered. Before you ask, the answer was basically nothing. I guess he wears headphones playing video games all the time and when he isn’t doing that, he has…um…dates over? He said neither of them heard anything.”

  Peter set the cups down on the counter. “He had someone over on the night Vicki was killed?”

  “Yeah. He might have been making it up. He was acting really weird.”

  “Maybe,” he said and scooped some popcorn into two paper bags.

  “So, should I go find us some seats?” I asked with my hands full.

  “Actually, I have to make sure the movie plays alright. I was thinking we could watch from the projector room?”

  “Sure,” I smiled.

  Peter picked up his concessions and went to the stairway. “Follow me,” he winked.

  The projection room was more like a small closet space off the balcony. There was a small couch against one wall with a little square table beside it and a wooden chair in the center next to a huge antique projector.

  “Wow,” I breathed. “It’s really beautiful.”

  Peter ran his hand across the machinery, “It really is, isn’t it?”

  He set his drink and food on the table and sat in the chair. I noticed behind him was an opening in the wall, large enough for the projector and with enough room left over for us to see the film as well. “So, we watch through there?”

  Peter gave me a quickly fading smile. “Unless, you want to go down and watch from the theatre? It’s pretty tight up here but I have to watch the film reel and make sure everything’s ok as it plays.”

  “No, this is good.” I sat on the couch and angled myself so that I could see the screen. “You know, I’ve been to this theatre tons of times, but I’ve never been up here.”

  “Well, you’re welcome any time,” Peter replied casually and clicked on the projector.

  For the entire one hundred and two minutes of The Pirate I wished for Peter to kiss me. Heck, I would have settled for a good old-fashioned hand hold, but I got nothing. Squat. Sure, there were a few glances my direction but nothing else. Maybe Peter’s penchant for classic films mirrored his old-fashioned values? Would I have to wait for him to ask Tom if he could court me or something? By that point I’d be long gone, back to L.A., back to the Eldon Thomsons of the world.

  I had about given up hope when Peter slid into the spot next to me on the couch. I could feel our thighs touch through our jeans. Breathe, Kit.

  He was staring at the screen, but I could feel the tension in his body. It wasn’t until he glanced back at me that I realized I was staring at him. It was too late to turn away and the film’s theme music filled the room around us as we watched each other. Kiss me, I nearly whispered.

  When the final credits began to play, my phone buzzed in my purse, shattering the moment.

  Annoyed, I pulled it out to see that it was Carlie and stepped onto the balcony to answer. Peter suddenly looked very busy with the film reel.

  “What?” I looked out over the empty theatre and admired the brilliance of the vintage space. I noticed that I felt a little like I was floating.

  “Um, Kit, are you planning on coming back or are you headed to Vegas? I hear that at some chapels on the strip you can have Elvis do the deed.”

  “We were just watching a movie.”

  “Ok, well Frannie is here. She saw you go into Vic’s and wanted to see if you found out anything.”

  And just like that, my peaceful moment was gone. I was back on the case.

  I hung up the phone and drug my feet back into the projection room.

  “Listen, Peter, I’ve got to go. Carlie needs me at the shop.”

  Peter led me down the stairs. When he cracked open the door, light came flooding in.

  “Thanks for the movie,” I smiled at him and hoped I didn’t have popcorn breath. Peter leaned in closer. There was something almost desperate about the way he stared at me.

  “Anytime,” he finally replied and leaned away.

  Peter George was going to kill me.

  I walked back up the little hill toward Kitty’s in a fog of frustration. How could he not kiss me? Was he waiting for me to make a move because I would if I had to. Oh, how I would make a move.

  Picklepuss barked at me as I stomped up the back stairs and swung open the door. I’d almost forgotten why it was I was coming home in the first place until I saw the back of Frannie’s brown bob on the couch.

  Carlie stood at the kitchen counter pouring water into wine glasses.

  “Where did you get those?”

  Carlie laughed. “Um, here?” She pointed to a spot under the counter where a full set of wine glasses were hung.

  “Seriously? How did I miss that?”

  Carlie handed Frannie a glass and went to sit in Kitty’s armchair. “And you’re the one this whole town is expecting to solve a murder. Wow.”

  “I know, right?” I laughed as I got myself a glass but filled it with wine instead. I was still flushed from my interaction with Peter and fanned myself as I sat next to Frannie on the couch.

  Frannie took a sip of water. My set of keys and my purse were on the table in front of her.

  “Oh, thank you so much for bringing those back,” I pointed to the keys and purse and took a sip of wine.

  Frannie smiled and shook her head. “No problem. I’m just glad I saw them there and they didn’t get lost in the mess!”

  “Oh, it wasn’t too bad,” I leaned back and rested my head on my hand.

  Carlie set her glass on the table and s
cooted the chair closer to us. “So, how was Vic?”

  “I was telling your sister that I doubt you’d get anything out of him. He’s pretty dense,” Frannie rolled her eyes.

  “Yeah, I got that,” I laughed. “He did say one thing that was interesting though.”

  Frannie and Carlie both leaned in closer.

  “He said he had a friend over the night Vicki was killed.”

  “Like a friend, friend?” Carlie wiggled her eyebrows.

  “I think so,” I took a sip of wine and wondered if Peter and I would be friend friends soon.

  Frannie set her glass on the table and took a deep breath.

  “I just want you to be careful girls. Vic looks innocent but there’s a lot more to him. He has a dark side.”

  I couldn’t tell if she was joking. “Vic Perring has a dark side? Like he plays violent video games or something? Because I think they’ve proven that those don’t actually cause people to lose their minds.”

  “No, I mean like a real dark side. Remember we share a garden space together. That’s where he goes to cool down after a visit from Vicki. He really hated that woman, and with good reason. Did you know that she never gave him a cent of the money from his parents after they died?”

  “His parents died? He didn’t mention that.”

  “Yeah, that’s the real reason why he moved in with Vicki. I heard it was a car accident but who knows really. He found ways to get back at her though. I had to go in his back room once and I noticed a lot of stuff from her house. I think he was stealing from her.”

  “Wow,” Carlie whispered. “I mean, I can’t really blame him. But maybe something like that would drive him to take matters into his grubby little hands.”

  “I heard that Vicki was planning on kicking him out too. First, she takes his inheritance and then she kicks him out of his home? That’s cold.”

  “Vicki Perring was a cold, heartless woman. Everyone knew it,” Frannie shrugged.

  We all thought about that for a moment. Maybe Vic finally snapped and decided to take what he was owed.

  “Anyway!” Frannie sung out and stood to go. “I’ve got to get going. I just wanted to bring back those keys and to make sure you were alright. If I were you, I wouldn’t go digging too deep, Kit. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”