by Maria Geraci
Travis frowns. “How do you know he told us he was at the rec center celebration?”
Oops. I can’t very well tell Travis how I know that without getting Cindy into trouble.
“It was a lucky guess.”
Everyone is looking at me like I’ve gone bananas. Except Cindy who won’t meet my gaze.
Derrick jabs a finger at me. “I want her arrested and that damn dog put down! He’s a menace. Look at him! She’s probably trained him to attack me!”
I’m about to open my mouth when Travis puts a hand up in the air, stopping me.
“Mr. Delgado,” he says, “Thank you for coming down here today to answer our questions. You’re free to go home.”
As he’s leaving out the door, he brushes past me on purpose and leers. “I better not catch you trying to break into my place again. You or that damn little dog you like so much.”
How I manage to hold my tongue is beyond me, but I do.
A full minute goes by before anyone says anything.
“Wow,” says Rusty. “That sure was intense.”
Travis motions me toward the back of the hallway. “Can I have a word with you? In private?” The way he says it doesn’t sound like a request. More like an order.
Cindy and Rusty immediately go to work appearing busy. She starts typing on her computer and Rusty rifles through a stack of papers on his desk, but I can tell they’re both dying to know whatever it is Travis is going to say to me.
Unfortunately, I have a pretty good idea already.
Paco, who’s calmed down considerably since Derrick left, nudges to be let down. We follow Travis to the alcove.
“Before you say anything, I know I was a little out of line—”
“A little? How about a lot?”
“I can’t believe you’re going to let Derrick get away with…everything he’s done.”
“What’s he done? Other than taking the dog? Which, I might add, we’ve already established we can’t do anything about.”
“That’s just it, we don’t know, because there’s no video evidence, is there?”
He looks taken aback. “What do you mean?”
“You didn’t lie when you said that the footage only showed Abby and Sebastian going into the rec center because that’s the only footage that exists. The truth is, you have no idea who went into that building the night Abby died because most of the cameras weren’t operational until the day after the rec center officially opened.”
“It doesn’t matter anyway, because this case is closed. The autopsy report just came in a few minutes ago. Abby died of a heart attack with no evidence of any foul play, and no trespassing charges are going to be filed. Against anyone. I just left your brother a message telling him not to bother coming down for questioning.”
“A heart attack?”
Travis nods wearily.
“But what about the fall? Didn’t she hit her head?”
“The coroner can’t tell which came first, the heart attack or the fall. There’s a pretty good chance that the fall was caused by her heart attack.”
“And that’s it?”
“Yeah, that’s it.” He frowns. “I thought you’d be happy that Sebastian is off the hook.”
“Of course I’m happy. But…don’t you still want to know what Abby was doing in the rec center in the first place?”
“No, I don’t. Right now there are two cops out with the flu, and the chief has his hands full at home, so I’d appreciate it if you stop trying to make more work for the department. In the future, I suggest you stick to doing what you do best. Stay away from my crime scenes, and I’ll stay out of your kitchen.”
“So, you admit it was a crime scene.”
He rakes a hand through his hair. “That was a figure of speech. I mean it, Lucy, the next time you interfere with an official police investigation I’m not going to be so easygoing about the whole thing. Now if you don’t mind? I have work to do.” He stomps off down the hall, leaving Paco and me to stare after him.
18
So much for getting the new information to Travis ASAP. And to think, I was just beginning to like him. Well, not like like him, but he was almost tolerable.
It’s as if he doesn’t want to listen to reason. Or maybe, I’m the one who doesn’t want to listen. Maybe Abby’s death was just like Travis said—completely natural with no sign of foul play.
Only my gut tells me that something sinister happened in that rec center. I’ll never rest until I know what Abby and my brother were doing there in the middle of the night, and there’s only one person who can tell me that. Since it’s Wednesday afternoon, I know exactly where to find him. St. Perpetua’s Catholic Church holds weekly reconciliations aka confessions every Wednesday from four to six p.m. There’s no way Sebastian can avoid me there.
I hastily drop Paco off at The Bistro then head over to see my brother. The church is quiet. Only a handful of parishioners wait in line to partake of my least favorite of all the sacraments. Sebastian was right when he accused me of never going to confession.
I hang around till the last person comes out of the confessional. I open the door and kneel inside the cubicle. The partition opens. It’s so dark I can barely make out Sebastian’s silhouette. “Whenever you’re ready,” he says quietly.
“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned, but right now we need to talk about you and Abby Delgado.”
“Lucy?” He swings back the door, flooding the tiny area with light. “What are you doing here?”
“I know you told me to leave this to the police, but something happened to Abby Delgado, and I can’t let it go. I keep thinking about the last time I saw her, and…you were right. She didn’t have any real friends. Even her own brother didn’t like her. I feel like I owe it to her to find out the truth.”
He silently walks to the front of the church, where he sits in the first pew. I follow and sit next to him.
“Does this have anything to do with…you know, your ability to tell when someone’s lying?”
“Sort of. But not really. I mean, yeah, there’s that, but I have this niggling sense that her death wasn’t just the case of a simple heart attack. There are too many weird things surrounding it all.”
“I think you’re right,” he says softly.
I sigh in relief. Finally! “So, are you going to tell me everything you know?”
“It’s not much, but yeah, I’ll tell you what I can.” He looks up at the large wooden crucifix looming over the altar, then gazes back at me. “A few days before she died, Abby came to me with some concerns about a parishioner here at the church.”
“Let me guess? Phoebe Van Cleave?”
He nods.
“I didn’t know Phoebe was Catholic.”
“Lapsed, but still a registered parishioner.”
“Okay. So Phoebe was who Abby wanted you to do the exorcism on, right?”
The corner of his mouth twitches up in a very un-Sebastian like way. “No. Phoebe wasn’t her intended…victim.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Maybe you should start at the beginning.”
I drive to the library, and it’s perfect timing because Will is locking up for the day. “I was wondering when you were going to show up,” he says.
“Does that mean you had a chance to talk to Brittany about the keys to the rec center?”
“She said she’d think about it.”
“Really?” I have to admit, I’m surprised. I figured Brittany would have the vapors at the idea of using her key in some illicit fashion. “I guess that’s better than a flat-out no.”
Will adjusts his backpack over his shoulder. “I rode my bike here. Want to meet me back at my house, and we can make dinner?” When I hesitate, he turns to study my face. “What?”
“What do you mean what?”
“You look like you just won the lottery.”
“I have some new intel on the case.”
Will moans. “You’re going to be the death of me, Lucy. Be
tween this séance and running around confronting strange men with shotguns—”
“Shut up and get in my car. We can have dinner at my place. Sarah made some of her excellent mac and cheese. I’ll fill you on in everything on the ride over.”
He secures his bike on the rear rack of my car. I barely wait till he’s buckled into his seat before I start. “Abby wanted Sebastian to perform an exorcism on Paco.”
“The dog?”
“Yep, and there’s a whole lot more.” I put my car in drive and head to The Bistro. “According to Sebastian, Abby came to him a few days before she died. Apparently, she and Phoebe Van Cleave were in this huge power struggle over their positions in the Sunshine Ghost Society.”
“We already knew that.”
“Yeah, but after Susan Van Dyke’s death, the conflict escalated because both of them wanted Paco.”
“The Canine Ghost Whisperer.” Will struggles not to laugh.
“It’s not funny. I think Phoebe might have killed Abby over Paco.”
Will’s smile disappears. “Seriously? What proof do you have?”
“None. For now. According to the autopsy report, Abby died of a heart attack, but hear me out. Susan Van Dyke used to host all these séances in her home, and Paco was a huge part of the show. Aurelia and Anthony—”
“The cook and the butler?”
“I know, it’s all so Agatha Christie-ish, isn’t it? Anyhoo, Aurelia and Anthony said that Phoebe and Abby argued about the dog. I guess they figured that whoever had Paco would have an advantage since he has special powers.”
“Since they think he has special powers.”
“A few days after Susan died, Paco was dognapped by Derrick, which you know about. He gave the dog to Abby, but now she was in a bind. Since she’d gotten the dog illegally, she couldn’t very well run around town with him openly, hence her weird behavior last Friday at The Bistro.”
“Okay. But how did Sebastian get involved?”
“Initially, she wanted him to do the exorcism on Paco. Abby told Sebastian that Paco bit someone, which is totally out of character, by the way. She thought maybe he accidentally picked up an evil spirit during his last séance.”
“Ah, the old the-evil-spirit-made-me-do-it excuse?”
“Be serious.”
“You want me to be serious about a dog that’s possessed?”
“Pay attention. He’s not possessed. Abby just thought he was.”
Will blows out a breath. “How do you know it’s out of character? You’ve only had the dog for a few days. Maybe he bites people all the time.”
“Believe me, if Paco didn’t bite Derrick Delgado this afternoon, then he’d only bite someone to defend himself. Or maybe to defend someone he really cared about.”
I tell Will about my trip to the police department, how Cindy let me see the security footage and about my repeat run-in with Derrick. “I can’t wait to find out what really happened to Abby and show up that…Neanderthal Texas Ranger. He practically told me that my place was in the kitchen!”
“I thought this was about getting justice for Abby Delgado.”
“That too. Showing up Travis Fontaine is just for bonus points.”
We pull into the parking lot behind The Bistro’s kitchen. I turn in my seat to face Will. “This is what I think happened. Even though Abby was trying to hide Paco, somehow, Phoebe found out that she had him, and I think Phoebe stole the dog from Abby.”
“This is one popular dog.”
“Sebastian said that Abby wanted him to go to the rec center to solve a problem between her and Phoebe. She thought that Phoebe would listen to Sebastian because he’s her parish priest. But when Sebastian got there, Abby told him everything was okay. Paco was with her, and she seemed happy. Since the security footage shows Abby going into the rec center without Paco, we know for sure that someone else brought the dog. I think Phoebe had the dog, brought him to the rec center and she and Abby made up. Phoebe went to leave, but then she changed her mind and hid somewhere in the building, waiting for Sebastian to come and go. After he left, she told Abby she wanted the dog back. Somehow, Abby must have fallen, and the stress of everything made her have a heart attack.”
“I don’t know, Lucy, that’s pretty farfetched.”
“Phoebe lied to me about Paco, and it wasn’t just a casual lie. There was a lot of stress and anguish behind it. She’s hiding something big, Will. I just know it.”
“Let’s say you’re right about what happened between Phoebe and Abby. Then how did Derrick’s fingerprints get on the doorknob? Unless he was telling the truth about being at the celebration?”
“Oh no. That was a big lie. I’m not sure how Derrick ties into all this, but he does. That’s why it’s so important that we do this séance. It’s the only way we can get Phoebe to tell us what really went down between her and Abby.”
“I feel like my brain is going to explode.”
“Mac and cheese to the rescue?”
He’s already out the car door. “You got it.”
We go in through the back way that leads into The Bistro kitchen, only I don’t have to use my key to get inside.
“You left the door unlocked?” Will snaps on the kitchen light. Everything looks in order.
“I was in such a hurry to go see Sebastian I must have forgotten to lock the door. No worries. I’ve never had a problem before. Besides, I have a watch dog now.” Speaking of which, it’s strange that Paco hasn’t run to greet me. “Paco!” I yell.
I open the stainless steel industrial refrigerator door and pull out a tub of macaroni and cheese. “We can eat it down here or take it up to my apartment. And if you’re a good boy, I might even let you see Ghost again.”
Will moans, but he’s also grinning, so I know he really doesn’t mind. As we climb the stairs, I turn on the lights to my apartment. “Paco, we have mac and cheese,” I say, trying to bribe him out from wherever he’s hiding.
I place the container on my kitchen counter and glance around my apartment. “That’s weird. Where do you think he is?”
“I’ll find him.” Will goes into my bedroom. “Paco,” he calls.
I pull two plates down from my cupboard.
“Lucy! Come here quick. In the bathroom.”
The tone in Will’s voice makes me drop the ceramic plates. They shatter into a thousand pieces as they hit the floor, but I don’t care. I run to the bathroom.
Paco is lying on the floor, just as still as Abby was only a few days ago.
19
“He’s still breathing.” Will rubs Paco’s back firmly. “C’mon, boy, that’s it.” He looks up at me. “We need to take him to the vet. Now.”
I’m so shocked I can’t move. But hearing Will’s commanding voice propels me into action. I grab a towel off the rack and toss it to him. “Here, wrap him up in this.”
Will drapes the towel around Paco and gently lifts him up into his arms. That’s when we both see the open bottle of Benadryl on the floor.
“Oh my God. He must have gotten into my medication.” I think I’m going to throw up.
Will looks me steadily in the eye. “Get the bottle, Lucy. We’ll need to show it to the vet.”
We’re dashing to the car when I realize that I have no idea where to take Paco. “He doesn’t have a vet…that is…”
“Call Lanie. She’ll know where to take him.”
Lanie directs me to an emergency vet’s office. “I’ll call ahead and explain what’s happened. I’ll meet you there, Lucy.”
An hour later, Will, Lanie and I are huddled in a small waiting room at the Gulfside Veterinary Clinic. The door opens. A woman in her forties with kind brown eyes greets us. Dr. Julia Brooks is monogrammed in teal over the right breast pocket of her lab coat. She searches our gazes. “Which of you is the dog’s owner?”
I stand up to face the music. “That would be me.”
She smiles tightly. “He’s going to be all right.”
A wave of relief wa
shes over me like a tsunami. If anything had happened to Paco, I’d never forgive myself. “Thank you,” I croak. “Thank you so much.”
“You got him here just in the nick of time. He was too lethargic to induce vomiting, but we were able to pump his stomach. He’s on IV fluids now.” She pulls the empty Benadryl bottle from her lab coat pocket. “Do you know how many pills he might have ingested?”
I appreciate her professional tone, but I still wince at the unspoken implication that this is my fault. I could have sworn the pills were in my medicine cabinet, but I’ve been so tired lately… I must have left the bottle on the counter top. But with the cap open as well?
“There was at least half a bottle in there. Maybe twenty or so pills? I…I’m allergic to dogs with fur, so I’ve been taking Benadryl to keep from itching.”
She pulls out a clipboard. “Now that he’s stabilized, I’m going to need some more information. Does he have any allergies? How about his previous medical history?”
“I’m not sure.”
“How old is he? What did he eat today?”
“I don’t know how old he is. And he ate the usual. His dog food, which is something that Lanie recommended, and um, well, maybe he also had a blueberry muffin and a granola bar.”
Dr. Brooks stares at me.
A trickle of sweat runs down my back.
I’m the worst dog mother ever.
“She’s only had the dog a few days,” Will says in my defense. He goes on to explain the situation to Dr. Brooks.
“I see.” Her tone is friendlier now. “The dog looks familiar. Has he been here before?”
“I have no idea. Maybe. His name used to be Cornelius. Does that ring a bell?”
“I’d definitely remember a dog with the name Cornelius.” Her forehead scrunches up like she’s thinking hard. “Still, he looks really familiar.”
“He’s kind of famous,” Lanie says. “He’s a ghost whisperer. Has a huge Facebook following?”