The Bakers and Bulldogs Mysteries Collection: 20 Book Box Set

by Rosie Sams

  Melody stretched and stood up to greet Alvin. “How is it going?” she asked, hoping for some news and that Alvin now believed Lola was innocent.

  “I’m sorry, Mel, it has to be her. The forensics come back, there’s no evidence of anyone else involved. I’m not sure whether your friend has blocked this out or whether she’s a good liar.”

  “No evidence that someone else was there? Surely, that's suspicious, it’s a motel room, shouldn’t it be full of evidence?”

  Alvin nodded. “Under normal circumstances then yes it should be. However, Jake told me that Lola is a little paranoid about cleanliness. He thinks that the first thing she would’ve done was clean that room. If someone else had been there we would’ve found something.”

  “Unless they knew her, and then they would’ve cleaned it up.”

  Alvin reached out and put his arms around her, pulling Melody to him he rested her head on his shoulder. “I know you want her to be innocent, but she’s acting guilty, and though she says she doesn’t remember what happened she’s not denying that she did it.”

  “Maybe that’s because she thinks she deserves punishment because of what happened in Afghanistan?”

  At their side, Smudge gave a little yip. Laughing, Alvin pulled away from Melody and reached down to pick up the bulldog. “Surely, you’re on my side, Smudge?” Alvin said as he cuddled the little dog close.

  Smudge gave a little growl and then barked. Melody laughed. “Sorry, Al, I think she’s on my side.”

  Alvin ran a hand through his hair; he looked tired, as they both must do, it had been a long night. “Why don’t we have a coffee, then I will run you two home. I still have a lot of work to do but I’m sure you need to sleep.”

  “No, I’m fine,” Melody said. “You mind if I have a little chat with Lola?”

  Alvin shook his head. “No, you go ahead. As much as I think she’s guilty, I trust your instincts. I will continue to work the evidence, you let me know if you come up with anything.”

  Smudge gave a little yip.

  Alvin laughed. “I trust you too, Smudgesleuth.” He raised his eyebrows to see what they thought of his new nickname.

  Melody groaned.

  “On that note I need coffee,” Alvin said. “Do you want one?”

  “I’m good, thanks. I’ll have a chat with Lola and I can find my own way, keep in touch on any new evidence.”

  “I will do, be careful, my two favorite girls.” He brushed a hand across her belly. “Three little girls!”

  “It could be a boy.” Melody kissed his cheek before heading for the cells with Smudge in tow.

  Wilbur let Melody and Smudge into the cell. Lola sat staring at the wall, so still she could’ve been a mannequin. Melody sat down and waited, but Lola did not look her way. This was going to be hard.

  “I want you to know that I think you’re innocent,” Melody said.

  Lola turned her eyes on Melody, it was as if there was no one behind them. As if she had given in. “You don’t want to waste your time on me,” Lola said.

  “I don’t consider it a waste of time.” Melody held her breath as she noticed that Smudge was approaching Lola.

  The bulldog seemed to understand that Lola didn’t want her there. She stopped about a foot and a half away and sitting on her back legs, she raised her front paws into the air.

  Lola turned her eyes onto Smudge and her lip trembled as if she was mouthing some words. She looked at Melody and then back at Smudge and shook her head.

  Melody had the strangest sensation that the dog was trying to convince Lola to trust her. She didn’t know where it came from, but she believed that Lola understood. Slowly, Lola turned back to face her.

  “I don’t want to be trouble,” Lola said.

  “You aren’t trouble, this is what we do.”

  “I’ve killed and I’ve destroyed lives, who knows if I destroyed this one.”

  Melody wanted to reach out and comfort her but she knew she couldn’t. However, Smudge had dropped onto all fours and was now sitting next to Lola, gently leaning against her leg.

  “Is there any way Elliot could have gotten into your room?” Melody asked.

  “I don’t believe I would let him in,” Lola said shaking her head and Melody believed her. There was no way she could imagine Lola letting the distasteful man in. And though she had defended herself vigorously at the luncheon, the force she had used was proportionate to the way the man behaved.

  “Is there any other way he could have got in, or is there anyone who would want to see you hurt?”

  Lola shook her head again.” There are those who blame me… I did lose my key card, maybe someone took it?”

  “Wouldn’t you have heard them?”

  Lola gave a sad little smile. “I have not been sleeping, I took a sleeping tablet last night and they put me out like a light. I wouldn’t have heard a thing.” Lifting her head, her eyes opened wide and Melody noticed a hint of hope. “That’s why I don’t remember… is it possible I slept through the whole thing?”

  “It is.” Melody could see that Lola was struggling to hold things together and she sensed that it was time to give her some peace. Maybe, if she rested she would remember something or someone who had a grudge against her. “I want you to know that I believe you are innocent and that I will work hard to prove that,” Melody said.

  Smudge gave a little whine and rubbed against Lola’s leg. “Smudge believes you too. I know that sounds daft, but the little dog has been remarkably good at finding the murderer.”

  Lola smiled for the first time since Melody had come into the room. “I know, she told me.”

  Not quite sure what she meant Melody nodded. “You hold in there, we will have you out of here before you know it.”

  As Melody and Smudge left the cell Melody hoped that she could prove Lola was innocent. She got the feeling that Lola had been let down a few times too many and she hated the thought that she might let her down too.

  Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Six

  Melody gave Smudge a quick breakfast from some supplies that they kept at the station and then they took a gentle walk. Before long she realized she was heading in the direction of the VA center and so she decided to see if Jake was there.

  When she got there, Jake was still seeing to the last of the clearing up after the party. He was really pleased to see her and took them to the canteen for a coffee and some breakfast.

  They sat outside at a table and while they waited for their breakfast to be served Jake went and fetched Isabelle, his golden retriever support dog. The dog had helped him come to terms with his own PTSD when he was first given a home at the VA center. She was a beautiful dark golden dog, very friendly, and full of fun. Melody and Jake drank coffee and ate toast while Smudge and Isabella raced around on the grass.

  “If only life was as easy as that,” Melody said as she watched the two dogs darting backward and forwards.

  Jake gave a laugh. “We can certainly learn a lot from dogs. Isabella taught me how to let go of so much, to just be happy in the moment.” He laughed. “I guess that sounds very Zen for a big, rough old solider. Now, how is Lola doing this morning?”

  “I think she’s a little better, but Alvin is still convinced she’s guilty. I thought maybe I could get your take on what happened, as you know her better than me.”

  Jake took a sip of his coffee. “Elliot was not a good man, but I can’t see him forcing himself on her. Yes, he would try it, but I can’t see him going far enough for Lola to stab him. The man was a coward. I also can’t imagine a situation where she would invite him into her room let alone into her bed.”

  Melody nodded, she had noticed how jumpy Lola was around people.

  “I know you noticed Lola doesn’t like to be touched,” Jake said. “I understand a lot of what she’s feeling. Even though she deals with it in a different way to me, the base emotions are very similar. Little things can set her off, causing a fight or flight reaction. Noises, looks, the wro
ng gesture could make her feel threatened, but even so, I do not believe she did this.”

  “I know what you mean,” Melody said. “However, as much as I hate it, I agree with Alvin, all the evidence points to Lola… it’s just my gut says she didn’t do it.”

  “So where do we go from here, Sherlock?” Jake asked.

  “Let’s look at the victim, maybe the answer lies with him. What do we know about Elliot?”

  “I don’t know him that well, I never liked the man if I’m honest. I think we should talk to Marcus Redfield,” Jake said.

  Melody remembered the quarrel they had had at the party. Good, they had another suspect.

  Jake drove Melody and Smudge to Marcus’s house. It was a neat double fronted property of a decent size. The gardens were tidy and well maintained and the house was obviously cared for. The first thing Melody noticed was a for sale sign next to the solid oak door.

  “Is Marcus moving?” she asked.

  “I think we should get the full story from Marcus, it speaks to his motive.”

  They knocked, and Marcus invited them in. The hallway was full of boxes, most of them sealed and marked, many of them bore the words goodwill. It looked like Marcus was downsizing.

  “It’s good to see you, Jake, and this is… Melody, isn’t it?” Marcus asked.

  Melody nodded. “Do you mind if we come in?” Melody asked.

  “Not at all,” Marcus said in an upbeat voice. “Especially as you brought my little friend.”

  Melody looked down to see that Smudge sat rubbing against Marcus’s leg. He scooped the Frenchie into his arms and led them into the kitchen. “I haven’t packed the kettle, so why don’t I make us a cup of tea?”

  “That would be great Marcus, but we have something to tell you,” Jake said.

  “It can wait a moment,” Marcus said as he filled the kettle without letting go of the delighted Smudge. The little bulldog was showering him in kisses which made Melody’s heart drop. Surely, Smudge would not do that to a vicious killer!

  The tea made, Marcus led them out to a wonderfully shaded and beautifully kept rear garden. There was a table beneath an oak tree where he set down the tray and poured them all a drink. As soon as he had finished, Smudge jumped up on to his knee and he treated her to a cookie off the plate on the table.

  “I’m not sure whether you’ve heard,” Jake started, “Elliott Hodge was murdered last night.”

  Marcus’s hand stopped stroking Smudge and his jaw tightened. Melody was watching him closely but the emotion she saw was disappointment, not guilt.

  “In some ways, I can’t say I’m surprised… or sorry,” Marcus said as he resumed his stroking.

  “I hate to say this, Marcus,” Melody said, “but you have a motive. We all saw you at the luncheon yesterday. Could you explain what the argument was about?”

  Marcus shook his head sadly and glanced around at his home. He swallowed, and Melody wasn’t sure if there was a glint of moisture in his eyes. Could this man be a vicious killer?

  “It’s not something I’ve tried to hide; in fact, quite the opposite,” Marcus said. “Hodge conned me, I’m ashamed to say it but there’s no other way to describe what happened.” Taking a sip of tea, he looked down at the table, his hand continuing to stroke Smudge who whined as if in sympathy.

  “Please, go on,” Melody said. At first, she had been excited that Marcus could be the killer. If that was the case she could free Lola, but now her sympathies and her gut told her that Marcus couldn’t do it. Or, was it just her sympathies hoping that Marcus couldn’t have done it.

  “He came to me about a year ago,” Marcus said as he seemed to regain some control. “He had a business plan and it looked good. He persuaded me to put money into a store. The idea was we would be selling camping equipment to the residents of Port Warren. At first, everything went well but then problems started to appear and he asked for more and more money. I guess that was when I behaved like a fool. I should’ve cut my losses, but instead, I let him con me out of everything.” Marcus raised his hands and indicated the property around him. “I’ve lost my pension, and I’m now bankrupt, and I have to sell my home.”

  “Oh, my Lord, I’m so sorry,” Melody said.

  Marcus shrugged. “I was a fool. I trusted a fellow veteran. I could only see the good in him and I’m paying the price. With luck, I’ll have enough to buy myself a small apartment but my savings are gone.”

  Jake shook his head. “Marcus, you’re not making a very good case as to your innocence.”

  “I can see that, Jake, and I don’t have an alibi. I live alone, my only friends were at the luncheon yesterday. However, look at my record, I don’t kill for no reason. I’m certainly not in the habit of killing someone who served their country. Did I want revenge? You bet I did, but I was taking that through the courts… his death has denied me that. As I said, I’m not sorry he’s gone in one way, it makes sure he never does this to anyone else, but in another, it denies me my retribution.”

  Melody nodded. Though logically it made no sense, she trusted Smudge and the bulldog was doing her best to comfort Marcus. No doubt he had the capabilities to commit the crime, he had a motive, and with no alibi, the law would say he had the opportunity; however, she didn’t think he’d done it.

  As they were driving back to the station, Melody could tell that Jake had something on his mind. “Come on, Jake, out with it.”

  “I’ve been going over and over it in my head, Melody. I don’t want to believe this was Lola but where else do we look?”

  Melody didn’t know what to say. The evidence all pointed at Lola. The man was dead in her bed. The man had aggravated her and she was highly strung and suffering in a way that Melody couldn’t comprehend, yet still, Melody believed she was innocent. So far, she had never failed to prove one of her instincts. However, she had no idea where else to look. Would she and Smudge fail this time?

  Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Seven

  “Maybe Lola will have remembered something,” Jake said as they walked into the station.

  “I hope so.” Melody noticed that Wilbur was looking rather strangely at her. It was almost as if he was uneasy to see her. Then she noticed his eyes flicking to Jake, and she knew it was Jake he was uneasy to see.

  Melody put Smudge down, and the little bulldog made her way through the station to find Alvin. Wilbur opened the gate to let her through and that brought a smile to Melody’s face.

  “Why don’t you grab us a coffee,” she said to Jake pointing him in the direction of the break room. “I’ll just catch up with Alvin and come through to you.”

  Jake nodded his head and walked away.

  “Okay, Wilbur, what is it?” Melody asked.

  Wilbur pulled her to one side. “Alvin could tell you, why don’t you go to see him?”

  Wilbur’s reticence was making Melody nervous. The fluttering in her stomach was not her unborn child, but worry about what was coming next. “Why don’t you tell me?”

  Wilbur sighed and his shoulders dropped in defeat. “Okay, we’ve been doing some digging… some proper police work.” He raised his eyebrows mocking her slightly. “Did you know that Lola has a large trust fund from her family?”

  Melody shook her head, she didn’t know.

  “It looks as if she’s never touched it,” Wilbur continued. “However, what is really interesting is that Jake is her proxy. Should anything happen to Lola, should she be incapacitated legally or physically then Jake has control of her money. It’s enough to give him a motive.”

  Melody felt like ice water was tipped down her spine. She had her new suspect but she couldn’t believe it, not of Jake. They had been through too much together for her to believe that he could do this. Only now, she had two friends to help, two friends for her to prove their innocence.

  Melody stood back as she watched Alvin come out of his office. He came over, kissed her cheek, and handed her Smudge. “I have to tell you something,” he started.

&nb
sp; “It’s okay, Wilbur already did, but you can’t believe that Jake is guilty, not after last time?”

  Alvin shrugged. “I know what you mean but it’s a lot of money. I have to follow the evidence and interview Jake.”

  Melody nodded. “Can I come in with you?”

  “Do you think you should? We have to be impartial.”

  Melody bit down the angry retort that was perched on the edge of her tongue. Alvin was a great husband and a great sheriff, getting all emotional would only prove him right. “I know, I can be but I have to support him and maybe I can get more out of him in a supportive manner than in a confrontational one.”

  Alvin smiled. “You’re probably right, come on, Smudge too. When we’re in there, Mel, trust me.”

  Melody nodded but she didn’t like the sound of that.

  By the time they got to the interrogation room, Jake sat there being grilled by Wilbur. It was obvious that he was not pleased at being a suspect.

  “That trust fund of Lola’s must be mighty tempting,” Wilbur said, “especially to a man like you, one who lost everything. One who not so long ago was a vagrant. One who has been suspected of murder before.”

  Melody felt her blood boil and Smudge jumped from her arms and ran in front of Jake. With her back to him, she growled at Wilbur as if she wanted him to back off. That was enough to give Melody time to cool down and she gave Jake a reassuring smile.

  “There’s no need for insults, Wilbur, after all, I was a suspect in that murder too. Maybe you should have me in interrogation room 2?” Melody said.