by Cindy Bell
As Nikki tried to get back into a positive mindset she wondered where she would find a gift for Princess. As one of her favorite clients, she wanted to make sure that both Mrs. Whitter and Princess knew how much she valued them. However, her dog walker and pet sitting salary was modest at best, and she always had to keep her budget in mind. Luckily, Dahlia had quite a few shops to choose from. Most were individual businesses, and many featured local artists, and designers. The shops were packed full of unique creations. As she started down the street towards the next row of shops, she heard a motorcycle roar to life. It bolted out from behind a building, and right past her, so loud that she winced.
As Nikki continued down the sidewalk she paused to look through the window of one of the shops. There were several different pairs of boots, as well as purses to match. She looked them over without much interest. Several of her friends insisted the shop sold the latest and hottest designs in footwear. She tried to blend in by pretending to be interested, but she still didn’t understand why it mattered so much what she wore on her feet. Now, if they were little puppy boots, she might feel differently. She laughed a little as she continued on to the next shop. Large paintings filled the front window. She knew that the artist who owned the shop offered to create custom paintings for people off a photograph, but she doubted that could be done in the two days before the party. She was also fairly certain it would be out of her price range.
As Nikki moved on to the next shop, she waved to a few familiar people across the street. She’d grown up in Dahlia, and knew most of the people that lived there. It made her feel fairly secure as she strolled along the sidewalk. The next shop featured an assortment of gifts in the window. She decided to step in and take a look. Maybe her gift would be more for Mrs. Whitter.
As Nikki browsed, the owner of the shop sat behind the counter with a magazine in her hands. Nellie Cooper had owned Cooper’s Gifts and More for at least ten years. However, she never kept the same products in her shop for longer than a few months. The variety made a trip to her shop a treasure hunt, every time. As Nikki wandered through the shelves and looked over each item, several things seemed good enough, but nothing was that one perfect gift. After a few more minutes, she waved goodbye to Nellie, and headed back outside. A little frustrated with her shopping trip, she decided to stop at the café that her friend Gina owned. Their conversations always left her feeling good. As she pushed the door open and stepped inside, she noticed that the café was fairly empty. She must have missed the breakfast rush.
“Hi Nikki.” Gina smiled from behind the counter. “I just made some fresh coffee, want a cup?”
“Sure, thanks.” Nikki smiled as she took a stool at the counter. “And some rye toast, please. I had a big group of dogs for the early morning walk, so I didn’t have time for breakfast.”
“Mm, good choice.” Gina winked at her as she turned to pour the coffee. “How is your morning going?”
“It would be better if I could find a gift for Princess’ birthday.” Nikki sighed, then smiled as she accepted the cup of coffee. “Thanks.”
“Ah yes, the elusive perfect gift for a canine.” Gina raised an eyebrow. “A bone comes to mind?”
“Are you kidding?” Nikki laughed and shook her head. “Mrs. Whitter has Princess on such a special diet, she would never dream of letting her have a bone, or any other treats that aren’t on her approved list.”
“Wow!” Gina grinned. “Never mind about the bone then. I’ll be right back with your toast, hon.” She disappeared into the kitchen.
Nikki stirred some cream into her coffee and savored the aroma that wafted up from the hot liquid. As moments slipped by, she began to relax. It was a little silly to be so wound up over a gift for a dog, she realized that. She knew that Mrs. Whitter would appreciate anything that she gave her.
“So, what kind of gift are you looking for? Maybe I can help you figure something out.” Gina set down Nikki’s plate of toast in front of her.
“I thought I’d found the perfect gift.” Nikki frowned as she recounted her experience with Bryan that morning. “Usually he’s such a nice guy, at least the times I’ve interacted with him before, he has been.”
“I agree. I really like his ideas, and the colors he uses in his designs. It’s strange that he wouldn’t sell you the key ring. But that isn’t the only strange behavior he’s had lately.”
“It isn’t?” Nikki took a bite of her toast, then met Gina’s eyes.
“No, he was in here the other day, and I actually had to ask him and another man to leave.” She leaned against the counter and lowered her voice. “Bryan was in here with Royce Blake. Do you know Royce?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Nikki took another bite of her toast, her interest piqued.
“He’s fairly new to town. He’s trying to get his business off the ground. He’s confided in me a few times over his morning coffee. Anyway, everything seemed to be fine at first, then all of a sudden the two were arguing. It got so heated that I had to ask them both to leave. Honestly, I thought I was going to have to call the police.”
“What were they arguing about?” Nikki tried to picture Bryan being so irate that Gina had to ask him to leave. The man was usually cheerful, if not a bit over the top with his joy. What could upset him so much?
“From what I could gather, it had to do with the shop. I guess somehow Bryan stole the rental space out from under Royce. At least, that was how Royce saw it. But that’s not what made it come close to blows. It got personal. Royce said something about Bryan’s brother, I don’t know exactly what, but that’s when Bryan really lost it. It was terrible.” She frowned. “I was glad when they both left.”
“Do you know Bryan’s brother?” Nikki raised an eyebrow.
“No, I didn’t even know he had one. You know Bryan doesn’t live in town, he just runs his shop here. It’s only been about a month since he opened. I haven’t gotten to know him that well.” Gina shrugged as she grabbed the coffee pot. When she freshened up Nikki’s coffee, she glanced past her towards two men that walked into the café. “Oops excuse me, I actually have work to do.” She winked at Nikki, then walked off to greet the two men.
As Nikki finished her toast she wondered if Bryan might be in some kind of trouble. It sounded like his temper had gotten short, and his personality had changed quite a bit. She left a nice tip for Gina, along with payment for her meal, then headed to the door. As she walked past the two men who had just been seated, she heard a snippet of their conversation.
“If he knows what’s good for him, then he’ll fall in line. If not, then we’ll have to take care of the problem.”
Nikki glanced in the direction of the men, as she thought the comment was a little unusual. One was older, perhaps in his forties, he had short, curly, dark brown hair that was receding slightly, and he wore a sleek trench coat. The other looked to be in his twenties, around her age, he had blond hair that fell over his eyes, and he wore a motorcycle jacket. The younger man caught her eye, and she realized that her attention had been spotted. She glanced away and hurried towards the door. It was just about time to take Princess for her walk. She was almost out the door, when a shoulder brushed against hers. She looked up, and spotted Quinn. Or Detective Quinn Grant, she reminded herself.
“Hi there.” He smiled, an expression that showed off the dimples she’d fallen in love with when she was just a teen. Before their paths had crossed again, she thought she’d never see him again. Now it seemed she was always running into him.
“Hi.” She stepped through the door as she realized he couldn’t get past.
“What are you up to today?” He stepped back through the door as well.
“Oh, just shopping for Princess’ birthday party.” Nikki smiled as she met his eyes.
“I’m sorry, a dog is having a birthday party?” Quinn laughed. “You’re not serious, are you?”
“I sure am. Princess is like Mrs. Whitter’s baby.” She shrugged. “Many people have pets
they feel that way about.”
“You’re right, I guess I’ve just never been that attached to an animal before.” He held her gaze. “It’s sweet, really.”
“You should come.” The words jumped out of Nikki’s mouth. After she spoke them, she had no idea why she did. Of course, Quinn wouldn’t be interested in attending a dog’s birthday party.
“You don’t think Mrs. Whitter would mind?” Quinn crossed his arms. “I wasn’t exactly invited.”
“No, she wouldn’t mind at all. She’d love to see you.” Nikki’s heartbeat quickened as she realized he was actually interested. “It’s Saturday, at one.”
“Sure, I’ll be there.” He smiled again. “Too bad we missed each other for breakfast.”
“Yes, too bad.” Nikki was tempted to claim she hadn’t eaten yet, but she didn’t want to be late for Princess. “Enjoy your meal.”
“Thanks.” He opened the door to the café and stepped through it.
Nikki lingered for just a moment outside the door. Nothing had changed. Each time she saw him, all of those old feelings she had for him were stirred. But that didn’t matter. It had been a high school crush, and it had never been mutual. To distract herself, she began to head in the direction of Mrs. Whitter’s house.
Chapter 2
Nikki only walked Princess when Mrs. Whitter had something to do and couldn’t take her herself. Princess was such a tiny dog that Mrs. Whitter preferred to have her walked alone. Nikki didn’t mind as she loved her time with Princess. As she walked towards Mrs. Whitter’s house she noticed the shift from single family homes with neat, square lawns and bay windows, to sprawling mansions and acres of property. The high, stone walls and wrought iron gates that guarded these wealthy homes blended with the greenery of Dahlia quite well, but the message was clear. There were two sides of Dahlia, and they rarely blended. However, Nikki was immune to that as she walked several dogs in the neighborhood.
When Nikki reached Mrs. Whitter’s property she noticed an unfamiliar car parked at the end of her long drive. She stared at it for a moment as she tried to piece together who might be there for a visit. She didn’t want to interrupt, but she was already a few minutes late. She knocked lightly on the front door, and waited for a response. She could hear voices inside, Mrs. Whitter’s and a man’s. It was too muffled for her to recognize. Quick fear bolted through her. Mrs. Whitter was very vulnerable as she lived alone, and she was very well-off. What if whoever was inside intended to do her harm? Nikki pushed the door open and stepped inside.
“Mrs. Whitter?”
“In the living room, Nikki!” Mrs. Whitter called out, her voice tight.
Nikki knew that voice well. It usually meant that Mrs. Whitter was annoyed about something. She could be a demanding woman when she wanted something a certain way, and quite stubborn when anyone challenged her. Nikki followed her voice into the living room, and was surprised to see Bryan there. Mrs. Whitter held Princess in her arms as she faced off with the much larger man.
“I just don’t understand why you sold it to me in the first place.”
“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Whitter, it was a terrible mistake. But I must have the collar back.” His eyebrows pinched together as his cheeks flushed.
“I’m very sorry as well, Bryan, but I will not be giving the collar back.” Mrs. Whitter huffed as she did her best to cover Princess’ ears. “It is a very special gift for Princess’ birthday, and her party is only two days away. Now, I made the purchase fair and square, I would not like to discuss this any further.” She stroked the top of Princess’ head.
The dog wagged her tail eagerly at the sight of Nikki.
“What’s going on here? Is everything okay?” Nikki crossed her arms as she looked at Bryan. After what she’d just heard from Gina about him, she didn’t trust him to be calm or stable.
“I’m simply trying to explain to Mrs. Whitter that the collar I sold her is unsafe.” Bryan frowned as he looked over at Nikki. “I received a call from one of my customers who bought the jeweled collar. The color ran into the dog’s fur when it rained and stained it. I wouldn’t want that to happen to Princess. I’m doing my best to make sure that anyone who bought one of these collars returns them.” He turned his attention back to Mrs. Whitter. “And I can assure you, Mrs. Whitter, I will more than make up for the inconvenience. I will personally craft you a custom collar for Princess, that you will both love. Please, I don’t want Princess’ fur to be stained.”
“I understand.” Mrs. Whitter sighed as she lowered her eyes. “I wouldn’t ever want for that to happen to my baby.” She gave the dog a soft snuggle. “It is too bad though, it was so beautiful, and our favorite color.”
“Again, I’m very sorry.” Bryan wiped at his brow, where beads of sweat had gathered. “Do you have the collar?”
“Yes, yes, I’ll get it for you.” Mrs. Whitter frowned as she handed Princess over to Nikki. “Sorry for the delay, Nikki, just let me handle this then you and Princess can take your walk.”
“It’s no problem, Mrs. Whitter.” Nikki smiled as Princess settled in her arms. The little dog stretched her head up to lick Nikki’s cheeks.
“Aw, she loves kisses.” Mrs. Whitter giggled, then headed down the hallway.
Now that Nikki knew Mrs. Whitter had bought Princess a collar for her birthday, she was relieved she hadn’t been able to buy the collar and key ring set.
Alone with Bryan, Nikki noticed that he fidgeted with the hem of his button-down shirt. He was just about as round as he was tall, which could make for an intimidating person, but his boisterous personality usually put her at ease. Unfortunately, she didn’t see much of that personality today.
“Are you okay, Bryan?”
“I’m fine, thanks.” He glanced at her. “I just have a lot to do.”
“I understand.” She watched him as Mrs. Whitter returned with a small, black box. Perhaps that was why he wouldn’t sell her the key ring, he’d found out they were faulty as well. But then why had he boxed them up in individual boxes? Where was he sending them?
“Here you are.” Mrs. Whitter held out the box to him.
“Thank you.” He took the box and flipped it open. “I will make this up to you, Mrs. Whitter, I promise.”
“It better be something spectacular, and by Saturday!” Mrs. Whitter pursed her lips.
Nikki caught a glimpse of the collar just before Bryan closed the box. She noticed that although it was a different design, it had the same green stones as the key ring Nikki wanted to buy Mrs. Whitter. That didn’t surprise her, since Mrs. Whitter adored anything and everything green.
“It will be, I promise.” He gave her a quick smile, wiped his brow, then nodded to Nikki on his way out.
Nikki wondered if he was worried because he might be in some legal trouble due to the recall.
“It’s a good thing Princess is safe, you wouldn’t want her fur to be bright green.” Nikki stroked the dog’s fur. “You made the right decision, Mrs. Whitter.”
“Oh yes, I know. It’s just so disappointing. I’m trying to make sure everything is just perfect, and now this is one more thing I have to figure out.” She placed her hands on her hips. “Next year, I’m hiring a party planner.”
“Is there anything I can help you with?” Nikki looked Mrs. Whitter over. Though she was a short and frail woman, at times she packed a level of strength that Nikki had never seen in another person. She had to be careful not to offend her by treating her too gently, that was a lesson she learned not long after she began pet sitting Princess. She had emphatically explained to Nikki, that she was far tougher than she looked.
“It’s okay, I’m sure I can handle it. But thank you for offering.” Mrs. Whitter eyed Princess for a moment. “In fact, what would help the most is if you took her for her walk now, so I can get a few things done. I’m pretty sure she’s getting suspicious.”
“Uh oh.” Nikki grinned. “Sure, I’ll keep her out a little longer, too.”
“Thanks
, but not too long, I don’t want her getting too much sun. Oh, and make sure you take a bottle of water from the fridge, halfway through the walk have her drink. These warm days worry me.” Mrs. Whitter frowned.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her.” Nikki clipped Princess’ leash on her collar, then grabbed the water out of the kitchen. As she headed out through the back door, Princess took a wild leap of delight. She was quite a bold and energetic dog.
“Wait for me, Princess!” Nikki laughed as she broke into a jog. Princess loved to run.
Not long into their walk, Nikki realized that the sun really was a bit intense. She steered Princess towards Pooch Park, so that she could walk on the shaded sidewalk. Nikki was about to give Princess some water, when the sound of shrill sirens made Nikki jump. Dahlia tended to be a quiet place. Loud noises commanded attention. A police car sped past her. One police car wasn’t too unusual. But when it was followed by two more, her heart jumped into her throat. What could be happening that warranted that kind of response?
Princess barked and hopped back and forth. She was too distracted to drink the water that Nikki offered her. When an ambulance flashed by, followed by two more police cars, Nikki began to worry. Dahlia didn’t have a huge police force. If she were to guess, the entire force might be headed in one direction. Too curious and concerned not to find out what it was all about, she walked Princess in the direction the police cars were headed. She noticed that they stopped outside Bryan’s shop. Her eyes widened at the sight of all of the police cars gathered around the small shop. It seemed to her that nothing could be so bad to require such a turn out.