by Laura Scott
It was your average summer Friday in Willow Bluff. Nothing at all out of the ordinary.
When they reached her car, Ally helped Gramps in first, then put Roxy in the back. Sweeping her gaze over the street one last time, she still didn’t see anything amiss. A couple of cops were standing in front of the sandwich shop, and a young family complete with two adorable twin boys were devouring ice cream cones.
“It’s okay, girl,” she soothed the animal. “Nothing for you to growl at.”
But as she headed down Main Street, she recognized Officer Roberts as one of the two officers standing in front of the sandwich shop. Remembering how Roxy had growled that first day outside Marty’s house when Noah and Roberts had shown up made her wonder.
Did Roxy have some reason to dislike Officer Roberts? Or was she just being overly protective?
Hard to know for sure. She was about to mention it to Gramps but then thought better of it.
Gramps would have them heading right back to Officer Roberts to test her theory.
And she wasn’t up for more sleuthing today.
“Are you going to stay for dinner?” Gramps asked.
Lunch was hours ago, but she shook her head. “I don’t think so, Gramps. I need to get back to Pepper.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing. Harriet is a great cook.”
She sent him a sideways glance. “But not as good as Granny.”
“True, very true.” Gramps suddenly straightened in his seat. “Wait, hear that?”
“No, what?” She had no idea what had garnered his attention.
“The muffler.” Gramps twisted in his seat, craning his neck to glance around. They were approaching the Legacy House, and there wasn’t exactly bumper to bumper traffic. “Take a right turn up ahead, let’s see if we can find it.”
“Really?” She eyed him warily, wondering if those true crime novels had messed with his head. “Maybe it was your imagination.”
“Turn, turn!” He shouted.
She turned. And listened.
Nothing.
Neither of them spoke as she drove down one street and the next, looking for a car with a loud muffler that was likely nothing more than Gramps’ imagination.
“Where did it go?” Gramps muttered as he peered out the window.
“You know, there’s probably more than one car in town that could use a new muffler.”
“I know what I heard,” Gramps repeated stubbornly. “And I’m telling you, the murderer could be living somewhere close by.”
Great, that was just peachy.
She didn’t want to think of Marty Shawlin’s murderer living within a few blocks of Gramps.
What if her grandfather became his or her next victim?
Chapter Ten
Ally spent another restless night and couldn’t blame Pepper and Roxy for her lack of sleep.
The blame rested solely on Gramps and his persistence in being involved in Marty Shawlin’s murder investigation.
After taking Roxy outside, she poured herself a large cup of coffee and tried to think of a way to deter Gramps from coming into the clinic that day. Normally she closed early on Saturdays, but if there was work to be done, she’d gladly stay open. She rather liked having company, and heaven knew Gramps had a way of convincing people to talk. Ginny White was proof of that. Deep down, she felt Gramps might have the best chance of getting key information from Kevin Kuhn.
But all of that aside, ensuring Gramps’ safety was the most important thing.
The real question? Was Gramps safer at the clinic with her? Or back at the Legacy House with the widows?
She sighed. Likely here with her, where she could watch over him.
Okay, then. She showered and did her best to tame her unruly hair into some semblance of control. As she headed downstairs with Roxy at her side, she thought about calling Noah before heading out to pick up Gramps.
Noah needed to know that Gramps had heard a car with a loud muffler near the Legacy House. For all she knew, Noah might have a suspect in mind, one who might live near Gramps and the widows.
She had Noah’s personal cell number, but hesitated before calling. She had no idea what hours Noah worked—did he have Saturdays off? With a shrug, she punched in his number.
It rang several times before Noah’s husky voice invited her to leave a message. She did, mentioning the fact that she had more information related to the case.
She didn’t want Noah to think she was calling for a personal reason.
“Come on, Roxy. Let’s go get Gramps.” She clipped a leash to Roxy’s collar and led the animal out back where she’d left her ancient Honda. Hoping she wasn’t making a huge mistake, she backed out of the parking lot and headed toward the Legacy House.
As she drove, she kept a sharp eye, and ear, out for a vehicle with a bad muffler. Had Gramps imagined the sound? Despite his age, and spending time in Vietnam, he had decent hearing.
If Gramps had been wrong, he likely wouldn’t admit it. Not that it was her problem to solve. She’d pass the information along to Noah and leave it at that.
Too bad Gramps likely wouldn’t do the same.
When Ally knocked on the door, Harriet answered, wearing another of her brightly flowered dresses. She smiled broadly. “Ally! Oscar is still eating, why don’t you come in and have some breakfast?”
“Oh, well,” she hesitated, glancing back at Roxy, who was stuck in the crated section of the car, her nose pressed against the wire bars as if begging to be let free from prison. “I can’t leave Roxy out here alone.”
Harriet glared at the dog, then sighed. “Fine, bring her inside, then. But you have to clean up any mess she makes.”
“She’s well trained and won’t make a mess, but of course I’d clean it up if she did. Thanks, Harriet.” On impulse she gave the older woman a hug then went back to get Roxy.
By the time Ally had taken a seat at the table, with Roxy stretched out at her feet, her plate was heaped with bacon, eggs, and hash brown potatoes. She thought only for a second about her tight jeans, then dove in. “Delish, Harriet.”
The woman beamed, even though she seemed to keep a wary eye on Roxy. “Thank you, Ally. Oh, and I made lunch for you and Oscar today.”
Despite the pinch in her waistband, she nodded. “Great, thanks.”
“Ally, dear, don’t forget my offer,” Lydia said sweetly. “I’d love to come down to the clinic to help out.” She leaned forward, resting her hand on Ally’s arm. “I used to be a receptionist at my husband’s dental office, you know.”
“Really?” Ally chewed and swallowed a mouthful of eggs that tasted better than anything she’d ever cooked. “I’ll work out a schedule for next week, to have you and Gramps take turns at the reception desk.”
“I would like that, dear.” Lydia patted Ally’s arm.
“Who said I can’t work every day to help my own granddaughter?” Gramps asked with a frown. “Doesn’t take any skill to sit and answer the phone.”
“And what am I, chopped liver?” Tillie asked. “I offered to help Ally before Oscar decided to join the fun.”
Oh boy. Ally stalled by eating a piece of bacon. Then frowned when she caught Gramps slipping Roxy a piece as well.
The WBWs were driving her crazy. If she had the money, she’d hire someone to be a veterinary tech/receptionist. But at the moment, that was impossible. When Lydia opened her mouth to argue, Ally held up a hand. “Enough. Stop fighting, or I won’t have any of you come down to help.” She narrowed her gaze at her grandfather. “Even you, Gramps.”
The three elders fell silent, leaving Harriet to preen a bit, as she had no intention of coming to the veterinary clinic. Her prowess was clearly in the kitchen. “More bacon, Ally?” Harriet asked. “Oscar, would you like more coffee?”
Since Gramps had finished eating, Ally quickly finished the last of her eggs and pushed her plate away. “No more, thanks, Harriet. Everything was delicious.” She stood and gave Roxy’s leash a gen
tle tug, encouraging the animal to come out from beneath the table. Roxy licked her chops and looked adoringly up at her, making Ally smile. “Ready to go, Gramps?”
“Yep.” Gramps reached for his cane, and she helped him stand.
“Don’t forget your lunch!” Harriet handed Ally a grocery bag filled with plates of food. No chance of going hungry with Harriet around.
“Thanks, Harriet. And I appreciate breakfast, too.” Ally led the way outside, pausing so Roxy could water the grass in a few spots before jumping into the open hatch of her Honda.
Five minutes later, they were on the road. Gramps held the grocery bag of food on his lap, while Roxy once again had her nose pressed against the wire in a meager attempt to sniff the contents.
“Are you really going to let Lydia come in, instead of me?” Gramps sent her a wounded look.
“I love you, Gramps. If you want to come next week, that’s fine. But you can’t just come on days when you get to interrogate my clients.” She eyed him sternly. “I’m running a business.”
“I know that.” He averted his gaze and sighed. “Fine, you made your point. But tomorrow I’m thinking of heading over to the Lakefront Café.”
It was all she could do not to pound her forehead against the steering wheel. “To do what, Gramps?”
“To have lunch with Rosie Malone.” He smiled broadly, then suddenly said, “There it is again!”
“What? Where?” It took a moment for her to realize he was referring to a car with a loud muffler. She caught a glimpse of a car turning a corner, followed by a truck. “Which one? The red Chevy truck?”
“Huh?” Gramps peered out his window. “I thought it might be the green Ford sedan.”
After a moment both vehicles disappeared from view. Ally was going too fast to safely turn in an attempt to follow. “Did you get a license plate?”
Gramps sighed. “No. I must be slipping.”
“You’re not slipping, Gramps.” She made a mental note to add both vehicles as possibilities when Noah returned her call.
As if on cue her cell phone rang. She glanced at the screen. Not Noah, but the clinic. She pulled over to the side of the road and answered. “This is Dr. Winter.”
“Taffy has been having diarrhea all night,” Ginny White wailed. “Something terrible is wrong with her.”
“Bring her into the clinic, I’ll be happy to check her out.”
“Okay, but could the shot you gave cause this?” There was an underlying note of suspicious accusation in Ginny’s tone.
“Not likely, especially since she had diarrhea seconds after I vaccinated her. That wasn’t enough time for the medication to get into her bloodstream.”
“Okay.” Ginny didn’t sound convinced. “Although I’m not happy about needing to have my carpets cleaned.”
Gee, welcome to the world of owning a pet. But she kept that thought to herself. “See you soon.” Ally disconnected from the line and drove to the clinic. She helped Gramps get settled in behind the counter, then went over to wipe down an exam room. Finally, she pulled her curly hair back into a bushy ponytail, pulled a long plastic gown over her clothes, and slipped booties over her boring black flats.
This time, she was ready for whatever Taffy might dish out.
* * *
The poor cat was severely dehydrated, but after a quarter liter of fluid, the feline perked up.
Ginny White was chatting with Gramps when Ally came out of the back area, where she’d given Taffy’s infusion. Ally hoped her grandfather wasn’t interrogating the woman again.
“Ally, your detective is on his way in,” Gramps said by way of greeting. He frowned. “You didn’t mention leaving him a message.”
She suppressed a sigh. Of course Noah had returned her call while she was tied up with Taffy. Ignoring Gramps, she turned to Ginny. “Taffy seems much better now that I’ve given her some fluids, but do you have any idea what she might have gotten into?”
“Nothing,” Ginny insisted.
“Well, you may want to take a good look around your home just in case. Most of the time when we see animals with bad diarrhea or vomiting it’s because they ate something that is toxic to them. House plants, pesticides, anything can be harmful to our pets.”
Ginny’s mouth made a round O. “I used ant spray in the kitchen, there were dozens of them everywhere.”
“Ah, that must have been it, then.” Ally was glad to have found the source of the problem. “Taffy can go home with you, but make sure you wash the areas you sprayed.”
“I will, thank you.”
“Let’s get Taffy into her carrier.” Ally knew full well it was a two-person job.
Once Taffy was safely in her carrier, she shed the plastic gown and shoe coverings, both of which thankfully hadn’t been needed, before following Ginny back to the desk. Ginny paid her fee and left just as Noah came in.
“Hi, Ally. Mr. Winter.” Noah eyed Gramps warily. “You mentioned having new information for me?”
Gramps had? Ally raised a brow in surprise. She’d left that message, but her grandfather must have said something as well.
Gramps cleared his throat. “Yeah, well, twice now Ally and I heard a car with a loud muffler not too far from the Legacy House.”
“Do you have a description of the car?”
“There are two possibilities,” Ally said. “A green Ford sedan and a red Chevy truck.”
Gramps scowled. “Either of those belong to one of your suspects?”
Thankfully, Noah’s left eye didn’t twitch this time. He gave Gramps a bland stare. “Thanks for letting me know about the vehicles that might have muffler problems. Anything else you care to share?”
“Who, me?” Gramps looked downright angelic.
Ally sent Gramps an exasperated look before addressing Noah. “We just wanted you to know about the vehicles, Noah. I’m worried because we’ve twice heard the loud-sounding vehicle near the Legacy House.” She hesitated, then added, “I would appreciate if you would have your officers cruise by the area more often to keep an eye on Gramps.”
To her surprise, Noah nodded in agreement. “I can do that. And I’ll look into both vehicles, see if I can narrow down which one has a loud muffler.” Noah looked directly at Gramps. “Just remember there are many cars in the Willow Bluff area and that there could be more than one needing a new muffler.”
“I know that,” Gramps replied stiffly. “But you should be glad I’m staying on top of things. If one of those two vehicles leads to the murder suspect, you’ll have me to thank for helping you crack the case.”
“Trust me, I’ll make sure Dateline gives you the credit you deserve,” Noah shot back.
Ally coughed to hide her smile. “Thanks, Noah. Any other progress on the case?”
“You mean your vandalized door?” Noah shook his head and reached into the pocket of his dress slacks. “No, but I brought the police report along, so you can give it to your insurance company.” He handed her the report, his warm smile making her toes curl. “Figured I’d save you a trip to the station.”
“Oh, uh, thanks.” She hoped he didn’t notice her blush. What was it about Noah doing nice things that made her feel special, as if he might be attempting to make up for the relentless teasing he’d inflicted during their high school days? She’d had a crush on him back then, and this newer version of Noah was much harder to resist.
She gave herself a mental shake. Enough. Time to get a grip on reality. She was through with men, and that included the handsome, attractive, and possibly—but no way to know for sure—single Noah.
“Well, if you don’t have anything else for me, I need to go.” Noah shot one last look at Gramps. “I hate to say it, but I’m sure I’ll be seeing both of you soon.”
Ally didn’t know what to say in response, so she simply watched silently as Noah left.
“I’m not sure I like that detective of yours, Ally.” Gramps scowled and drummed his fingers on the counter. “He’s got an attitude.”<
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Before she could point out that Gramps happened to have an attitude of his own, a very thin young woman about her own age came into the clinic. She was dressed in worn clothes, her hair limp. Her skin was so pale, Ally wondered if she’d spent time in a hospital—or a jail cell. “Hi, um, are you Dr. Ally Winter?”
“Yes, how can I help you?” The woman didn’t have a pet with her, so Ally wasn’t sure what she needed. Other than maybe a job. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have any open positions at the moment.” Heaven knew she had her hands full with Gramps and the WBWs.
“No, it’s just, I saw the flyer. The black and white speckled cat? The one you’re calling Pepper? Her name is actually Spot and she belongs to me. My name is Lilly Johnson.”
“Oh!” Ally smiled broadly. “I’m so glad you came by to claim her, Lilly. Wait here, she’s upstairs.”
The woman twisted her hands together. “Thanks.”
Ally bypassed Roxy to head up to her apartment. Pepper was in her favorite spot on the sofa, basking in the sun. “Time to go home. Your mommy came to get you, Pep—uh, Spot.” In Ally’s mind, Spot was a dog’s name, but who was she to argue?
The cat’s owner had been found, which was all that mattered.
She carried the cat downstairs. When Pepper/Spot saw Lilly, she leaped from Ally’s arms, leaving scratches in her wake, landing on the floor and then climbing up Lilly’s holey jeans. Lilly nuzzled Spot, who began to purr.
Aww, how sweet. Ally was happy to see the two of them together. Roxy stayed near Gramps without barking, maybe sensing the cat wasn’t going to be a thorn in her side much longer.
“A little girl by the name of Amanda brought her in,” Ally said, when Lilly didn’t say anything more. “Pepper, I mean Spot was having an asthma attack.”
Lilly winced and nodded. “I know, she gets them sometimes, but I didn’t have enough money to refill her medication.”
“Well, I’ll give you what’s left of the bottle I used, okay?” Ally pulled the medication from her pocket and handed it over. No point in trying to get payment for services rendered. “Take care of Spot, okay?”