Wagging Tail Cozy Mysteries Box Set 1

by Cindy Bell

  “A note?” His tone sharpened with interest. “What does it say?”

  “It says, I know where you live.” Nikki frowned. “That’s it, nothing more. It’s not exactly a threat.”

  “It’s an implied threat. You were right not to touch it. Stay right where you are, I’ll be there in five minutes.”

  “Are you sure, Quinn? It’s probably nothing.” Nikki gazed at the note and shuddered at the thought of a murderer standing outside and carefully taping it to her door. How had she not heard anything? Why didn’t she sense something?

  “I’ll be right there.” He hung up the phone.

  Nikki sighed as she began to pace back and forth. By the time Quinn arrived, she was covered in a thin layer of sweat.

  “Hey.” He jogged up to her from the parking lot. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. It’s just a note. The worst thing it could give me is a paper cut.” She flashed him a smile.

  “Nikki, this is serious.” He gazed at the note, then looked over at her. “I’m going to bag it for evidence, and we’ll check it for prints. I want to know who left this here.”

  “It could have just been a prank. There are quite a few teenagers that live around here.” Nikki shrugged and shoved her hands into her pockets. “I don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

  “But it is a big deal.” Quinn retrieved some gloves from his pocket, then pulled them on. “What are the chances that someone played a prank on the same night that you caught someone breaking into a crime scene?”

  “Maybe someone saw me running home, looking frightened.” Nikki bit into her bottom lip. “I’m not scared, Quinn.”

  “Why not?” He bagged the note, then turned to face her. “Whoever did this was right outside your apartment door.”

  “And all he did was leave a note.” She forced a smile to her lips and shrugged. “See? If he was really some kind of criminal, if he even was a he, then why stop at leaving a note? Why didn’t he try to hurt me?”

  “I’m not sure, but I’m grateful that he didn’t.”

  “So am I, and I’m going to take it as a good sign. Maybe there really is nothing to be concerned about. I presume you didn’t catch the man that was in Bryan’s shop?” Nikki looked at him as hope welled up within her.

  “I’m afraid not. The cameras have been disabled, and there’s no sign of a break-in. We’re really not sure how he got in. But we are still looking for him.” He met her eyes. “Why don’t you let me put a patrol car at your apartment tonight?”

  “Quinn, there’s no need for that. I’m fine. I promise. I called you, didn’t I?” Nikki raised an eyebrow.

  “Yes, you did.” He smiled for the first time. “Please, make sure that you continue to do so.”

  “I will.” Nikki thought about sharing her intentions to visit Heather, but she decided against it. He wanted her safe and as far from the investigation as she could be. Seeking out a suspect, didn’t exactly check those boxes. “Thanks, Quinn.”

  “I’ll catch up with you later.” He studied her a moment longer, then headed back to his car. She watched him go, then walked towards her own car. As she opened the car door, she checked the backseat. Yes, she was paranoid, and the only way out of it was by the case being solved. If she could speed up the process she would.

  As Nikki drove towards the gas station where Heather worked, she felt confident that Heather would be there. From her posts it appeared that she worked the morning shift. She parked in the nearly empty parking lot, then headed inside. She spotted Heather right away, behind the counter, with a cup of coffee in one hand, and a magazine in the other.

  “Good morning.” Nikki did her best to sound cheerful.

  “Morning.” Heather lowered the magazine some. “Would you like some coffee?”

  “No thanks, I’m just here to talk to you, actually.” Nikki paused in front of the counter.

  “Me?” Heather narrowed her eyes. Then they widened with recognition. “I remember you. You were in Bryan’s shop yesterday.”

  “Yes, I was.”

  “You’re the reason that the cops knew why I was there.” Heather sighed. “I guess that you relayed the way I talked to him.”

  “There was a surveillance camera.”

  “Yes, there are cameras here, too, but they don’t catch audio. So, it was you that told the police what I said, right?” Heather gazed at her from behind thick lashes, made thicker with layers of mascara.

  “Yes, I did.” Nikki cleared her throat. “But only what you said, nothing more.”

  “Thanks for that, I guess.” Heather pursed her lips, then blew a breath through her nose. “If you knew what he did to me, you wouldn’t blame me for saying those things.”

  “What did he do to you?” Nikki studied her.

  “He was driving like a maniac. He was going much faster than the speed limit and kept weaving all over the road. I saw him coming, so I tried to stay to the side, but it was impossible to avoid him. If I hadn’t been paying attention, he would have killed me.”

  “I’m so sorry, that must have been so frightening.” Nikki frowned as she leaned against the counter.

  “It was. I thought I was going to die. But I managed to save myself. Then he didn’t even bother to stop, to apologize, to admit that he was wrong. I thought maybe he would continue on and kill someone else. That’s why I called the police to make a report.” Heather sighed and lowered her eyes. “I didn’t expect any of this to happen. Of course, I wouldn’t have made all of those threats if I had known.”

  “You had good reason to be upset and angry.” Nikki straightened up and began to look around the store. “He could have killed you.”

  “Yes, I was, and I still am. But that doesn’t make me a killer. So, next time you talk to the cops, why don’t you try telling them that?” Heather set her cup of coffee down on the counter.

  “I didn’t mean to upset you.” Nikki turned back to face her.

  “You just wanted to know if I’m a murderer?” Heather rolled her eyes, then turned to the register. “I have things to do.”

  “I understand.” Nikki started to say more, but decided against it. Heather had made up her mind about her, and nothing she said was going to change that. At least, not at the moment.

  As Nikki left the shop she wondered if Heather might be capable of murder. She certainly seemed angry, but she was right, being angry didn’t make her a killer.

  Nikki drove back towards Dahlia with thoughts of Heather and Bryan on her mind. How would she feel if it had been her that Bryan almost killed? Would she want some kind of revenge? She doubted it, she wasn’t a vengeful person by nature. But she’d also never been in that situation. As she entered Dahlia she tried to push the thoughts from her mind. It was almost time for Princess’ walk, and she wanted to be able to greet Mrs. Whitter with a positive attitude. She knew that the woman was likely quite stressed, and she didn’t want to add to that stress.

  When she drove down the long driveway to the vast house, she took some time to appreciate all that Mrs. Whitter did for her dog. She loved Princess like her own child, and as silly as it might seem for her to be so concerned over a birthday party, she knew that it meant a lot more to Mrs. Whitter than just that.

  With a light knock on the door she alerted Mrs. Whitter to her presence. It was Princess who responded however, with excited yips at the door, and a bit of scratching from the other side.

  “Hi Princess.” Nikki clucked her tongue and smiled. A moment later, Mrs. Whitter opened the door.

  “Oh. Nikki, thank goodness you’re here, and a little early, too. I’m so glad. I am just beside myself.” Mrs. Whitter pressed her hands against her cheeks. “Just one day left and I still haven’t found a gift for Princess.”

  “Don’t worry, Mrs. Whitter, I know you’ll find something absolutely perfect.” Nikki smiled at her and set aside her concerns about Heather.

  “Thank you, I needed to hear that. I’m going to spend the day shopping,
so if I’m not here when you’re done with your walk, please just make sure Princess has everything she needs. And text me once you drop her off, okay?” Mrs. Whitter met her eyes, her own tight and anxious.

  “Yes, of course. I’ll spend some extra time with her, too.” Nikki scooped up Princess and smiled as the dog licked her cheek. “We can hang out a bit, can’t we, Princess?”

  The dog gave a light yip and wiggled in her arms.

  “I think that’s a yes.” Mrs. Whitter laughed, then gave Nikki a pat on the shoulder. “I don’t know what we would do without you, Nikki.” She hurried off to retrieve her purse. “I just hope I can find something.”

  “I’m sure you will. Good luck!” Nikki waved to Mrs. Whitter as she left the house with Princess at her side.

  Nikki walked Princess through the park first, but was drawn towards Bryan’s shop. She hoped that being near it again might help her to remember something from the day before that would give her more clarity on what the man was doing inside the shop. As she neared it she noticed a man who had crossed the yellow tape. He paused beside each window and peered inside. Her heart skipped a beat as she wondered for a second if it might be the same man that she’d seen inside the shop the day before. Had he left the note? As the man turned, she realized that he was much taller, and thicker around the middle, than the man she’d seen inside the shop. Instead, she realized, he was the man she had followed the day before. The one who had disappeared inside the real estate agency.

  Nikki walked towards him as curiosity overwhelmed her. This was the second time she’d caught him so interested in the shop. But why? Maybe she could get his name this time.

  “Excuse me, are you supposed to be past that tape?” Nikki paused just outside of it.

  “It’s all right, I’m not hurting anything.” He glanced back at her. “The officer that was here said they’ve done the search inside, and will be taking down the tape later today.”

  “Oh.” She cleared her throat. “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you so interested in the shop?”

  “Ah, you must be a local.” He arched an eyebrow. “Nosy.”

  “I am a local.” Nikki smiled and lowered her eyes. “I’m not nosy, just curious. You seem so interested in what’s inside.”

  “I plan to rent it, that’s why. I want to be sure nothing has changed too much.” He looked through the front window.

  “The owner of the shop was killed here, doesn’t that bother you?” Nikki looked into his eyes.

  “Why should it?” He gazed at her. “It’s not as if I believe in ghosts. Do you?”

  “I’m not sure, but I do know I wouldn’t be so quick to rent a place where someone had been murdered. What if the killer comes back?” Nikki held tightly to Princess’ leash as she tried to find out what he knew about the murder.

  “Why would he? Bryan is dead, there’s no reason for the murderer to come back.” He peered through one of the windows. “I just hope they do a good job of cleaning it up.”

  “You knew Bryan?” Nikki swallowed back a rush of disgust in reaction to his flippant attitude.

  “Sure, I knew him, he stole this place right out from under me.” He glanced back at her. “Some good guy, right? Business is business. The place will be for rent, and I plan to rent it.” He crossed his arms. “Nothing is going to stop me this time.”

  Nikki was startled by just how cold he was. She recalled Gina telling her about an argument between Bryan and another man, over the shop. She guessed this must be him.

  “What kind of business will you have here?” She shifted her tone to one of interest.

  “An electronics shop. Everything from computers to alarms.” He pulled out his wallet, then picked out a business card. As he handed it over, he smiled. “It will be a great resource for the people of this town. Far better than dog fashion.” He sneered. “Do you really think dogs care about the color of their clothes?”

  “I don’t think it matters as long as the dogs are comfortable. The owners enjoy what their dogs wear, and the outfits often serve a purpose. Like to keep off the sun or to keep them warm.” Nikki shrugged.

  “Sure, okay.” He rolled his eyes and turned back to the building. “Trust me, once my shop opens people around here won’t even remember Bryan.”

  “I’m sure that’s not true.” She felt her heartbeat quicken as anger rocketed through her. “Bryan was a very good man, and many people in this town became friends with him, even during the short time that he was here.”

  “Well, then those people are terrible judges of character.” He turned towards her, his brows knitted, and his eyes hard. “Because Bryan was a criminal, who associated with criminals, and this town is far better off without him. The only reason he was able to rent this place out from under me, is because someone strong-armed the real estate agent. Just to be clear, what I mean is, someone threatened her, until she complied.” He stared at Nikki, his eyes still fierce. “Don’t expect me to shed a tear over a man that is willing to do business that way.”

  “Who threatened her?” She stared right back at him, unfazed by his attempt at intimidation.

  “That’s not my business.” He shrugged, then walked along the building.

  Nikki considered going after him, to question him further, but from his demeanor she could tell that he didn’t plan on saying another word to her. Plus, she didn’t want to risk him turning his temper on her. She couldn’t shake the thought of Bryan being a criminal, and being involved with criminals. Was that just a way to deflect her attention from what he was up to? She glanced down at the card in her hand.

  Electronics and More. Royce Blake.

  That was definitely the man Gina had mentioned being in the café having an argument with Bryan.

  Nikki continued towards Mrs. Whitter’s house. Princess lunged forward as they neared her house. She began to bark and pull at the leash.

  “Oh, aren’t you excited to get home?” Nikki smiled. “Maybe Mrs. Whitter is right about you, maybe you do suspect that something is going on. Are you getting excited?”

  Princess hopped back and forth a bit, then lunged towards the house again. Nikki laughed at her enthusiasm. As they got closer Nikki heard an alarm. The closer she got the louder it rang. Her heart skipped a beat as she got closer to the house and she realized it was Mrs. Whitter’s alarm. Her heartbeat raced as she pulled out her keys to unlock the door. Maybe it was a false alarm. Maybe Mrs. Whitter had accidently set it off. Perhaps Mrs. Whitter had come home early, which meant she might have had good luck on her shopping trip. But why hadn’t she turned off the alarm, yet?

  Before Nikki could slide the key into the lock, the door swung open on its own.

  “Mrs. Whitter, are you home?” Nikki peeked her head through the door.

  As she stepped further inside, her heart raced as she didn’t hear a response from Mrs. Whitter. Was there someone else in the house?

  Chapter 6

  Danger made Nikki gasp just before she noticed the broken glass from the window next to the front door. She quickly picked up Princess and held her tightly. She knew she should call the police, but first she needed to make sure Mrs. Whitter wasn’t in the house, that she wasn’t in danger.

  “Mrs. Whitter? Mrs. Whitter, are you here?” Her heart pounded as she wondered whether Mrs. Whitter might be hurt. Nikki rushed through the house, but didn’t see any sign of who might have been in the house. She checked every room, but found no one.

  After she entered her code into the alarm panel to turn it off, she pulled out her phone and dialed Mrs. Whitter’s cell phone. When she answered, a rush of relief threatened to knock her off her feet.

  “Where are you, Mrs. Whitter?”

  “I’m shopping, like I told you. Is everything all right, Nikki? You sound upset.”

  “The alarm was going off, and the door was open when we got back from our walk. The window by the door was smashed. I just needed to make sure you were safe. I’m going to call the police.”

&n
bsp; “The police? Oh dear, oh no.” She gasped. “Are you safe?”

  “I think so. It’s okay, Mrs. Whitter, whoever it was must have left when they heard the alarm.”

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Mrs. Whitter hung up the phone.

  As soon as she did, Nikki called Quinn. She held her breath as he answered.

  “Nikki, I haven’t gotten any hits on the note yet, but the crime lab is still analyzing some—”

  “Quinn, someone broke into Mrs. Whitter’s house. When I got here, the alarm was going off and the glass was broken, no one was inside.” She looked at the broken glass.

  “I’ll be right there, stay on the phone with me.” The urgency in his voice frightened her.

  “It’s okay, Quinn, I’m safe.”

  “There could still be someone in the house. I’m on my way, just stay on the phone with me. I’m only a few minutes away.” She could hear traffic in the background. “Tell me what you saw when you got there.”

  “The alarm was going off. I went to unlock the door, and the door was already unlocked, and open. I thought maybe Mrs. Whitter had come home early, but she hadn’t. I’ve already spoken with her. She was still out shopping, but she’s on her way home now.” Nikki paced through the house.

  “Good, I’ll need to speak with her. What happened when you went inside? I’ll be there in two minutes.”

  “I noticed the broken window. I looked through the house, but there was no sign of anyone.” Nikki held Princess close. “I have no idea who it was.”

  “I’m here, I’ll be right in.” He hung up the phone.

  Nikki kept her phone clenched in her hand as she carried Princess back to the front door. She watched as Quinn jogged up to the door. She felt so relieved to see him.

  “Nikki.” Quinn continued to hold her gaze as he put his hands on her shoulders. “I’m going to take a look around, okay?” They turned to the sound of a security patrol car pulling into the driveway. “They’re a bit late.” He sighed. “Give me a minute.” He walked over to the security guard as he got out of the car. Quinn said something to him, his face was stern, but she couldn’t hear what he said. The security guard’s shoulders slumped, then he got in the car and drove off. Quinn walked back to Nikki. “There are patrol cars behind me. You and Princess stay out here in my car, until they get here. Okay?”