Wagging Tail Cozy Mysteries Box Set 1

by Cindy Bell

  “It’s okay, I’m okay.” Nikki forced a smile to her lips despite the chaos.

  “Good.” He smiled, then headed towards the house.

  Before she could even get the door to Quinn’s car open, Mrs. Whitter pulled into the driveway. Her compact car skidded to a stop, and she leaped out the moment she turned the engine off.

  “Oh Princess, my poor baby, you must be so scared.” She ran straight over to Nikki and gently took the dog out of her arms.

  “She’s okay, Mrs. Whitter, you should have seen how brave she was. I think she knew that something was wrong before I did. She kept barking and tugging at the leash. I thought she was just excited to get home, but now I think she knew someone had been inside.” Nikki rubbed her hands along her arms and glanced towards the house. “Quinn is inside taking a look around.”

  “Oh yes, wonderful, so good of him.” Mrs. Whitter winced as another police car pulled into the driveway. “Must those sirens be so loud?” She covered Princess’ ears.

  “Mrs. Whitter, I’m sorry. I didn’t see who was in the house.” Nikki frowned as she studied her. “I must have been too late.”

  “My dear girl, you have nothing to apologize for.” Mrs. Whitter grasped one of her hands and gave it a squeeze. “I’m just so glad that you weren’t hurt. I know I can always trust you to protect my Princess.”

  “I always will.” Nikki nodded as she smiled.

  “Mrs. Whitter.” Quinn walked towards them from inside the house. “Could I speak to you for a moment?”

  “Certainly.” She stroked the dog’s fur.

  “Did you find anything?” Nikki met his eyes.

  He stared at her for a second, then directed his attention to Mrs. Whitter again.

  “Who was the last person to leave the house?” Quinn pulled out his tablet.

  “I was.” She nodded. “I left just a few minutes after Nikki left for her walk with Princess.”

  “And were you in any kind of rush? Distracted?” Quinn looked up from his tablet and into her eyes.

  “I was in a bit of a rush yes, maybe a little distracted. What are you getting at?” She straightened her shoulders.

  “The kitchen door was unlocked, but closed. I just wondered if perhaps you might have forgotten to lock it.” Quinn tapped the screen. “It happens to all of us.”

  “Not to me it doesn’t,” Mrs. Whitter snapped. “You think just because I’m an old lady I don’t value my home or my possessions?” She shook her head. “Well, you’re wrong. I value them both. I am not foolish. I do value my things, you know?”

  “I meant no offense.” Quinn held up one hand. “These are questions I have to ask to help us figure out who it was that broke into your home and what they were after. I think they might have exited through the kitchen door.”

  “Sorry, some offense taken.” She held Princess out to Nikki. “Perhaps it’s time I took a look inside myself. I’d like to know if this horrible criminal left anything behind.”

  “I can take you on a walk-through to check for missing valuables, but you must be careful not to touch anything. The house will be searched, and dusted for prints.”

  “Oh no, it absolutely will not!” She placed her hands on her hips as she raised her voice.

  “Ma’am, we must conduct an investigation.” Quinn narrowed his eyes, then glanced over at Nikki.

  “Mrs. Whitter, it’s important to find out who broke into your home, isn’t it?” Nikki stroked Princess’ fur to calm her.

  “Yes, of course, but it’s far more important for my home to be in tip-top shape for the party tomorrow. I can’t have people pawing through my things, and fingerprint dust everywhere. I can’t, and I won’t.” She stomped one foot against the driveway. “I won’t have it!”

  “Why don’t we just start with the walk-through, then we can go from there?” Quinn flashed her a warm and reassuring smile.

  Nikki was impressed with how well he remained calm. Mrs. Whitter could be quite stubborn, and when she decided she wanted things a certain way, that was the way they would be, no matter what it took. As she watched Quinn lead the way into the house, she decided she was better off remaining outside. She looked into Princess’ eyes and smiled.

  “Don’t worry, Princess, everything is going to be just fine.”

  The dog licked her cheek. Nikki wondered who was reassuring who.

  When Quinn and Mrs. Whitter came back outside, Nikki noticed that Mrs. Whitter appeared a bit calmer.

  “I know that you have a very important job to do, but this isn’t important.”

  “It is important.” Quinn turned to face her. “Someone invaded your home.”

  “Maybe. But whoever it was didn’t take anything, it really doesn’t seem like that big of a deal.”

  “It’s still a big deal.” Nikki walked up to them both. “Mrs. Whitter, you really should let them find out what they can about who broke in.”

  “Now Nikki, you know I love you.” Mrs. Whitter narrowed her eyes. “But nothing is going to interfere with this party. I’ve been planning it for so long. You know how important it is to me.”

  “I do know.” Nikki frowned. “But what if whoever broke in comes back?”

  “I refuse to allow that.” Mrs. Whitter held up her hands and shook her head firmly. “No one is going to make me feel unsafe in my home. The only reason someone was able to get in was because no one was here. I will upgrade my security, and I’m sure that Detective Quinn here will authorize added patrol for this neighborhood, especially during the party.” She glanced at Quinn. “Isn’t that right, Detective?”

  “I’m sure that we can arrange that.” Quinn slid his hands into his pockets. “I certainly can’t force you to allow us to dust for prints, it’s your choice. But I must warn you, there is a good chance that the person who was in your house was looking for something in particular. I can only assume that is why they didn’t take anything. Now, either they took something that you’re not aware of, or they were startled by the alarm going off or Nikki coming back, which means that they might actually return.”

  “I’m not stupid, Detective, I know the reasons that someone might have broken in. I also know that there is very little chance that the person will return after the alarm went off and they were almost caught. I will get the window fixed, today.” Mrs. Whitter clapped her hands together. “No, the party must go on, and I won’t have my guests frightened off by any of this.” She held her arms out for Princess. “Now, Nikki I know you have things to do.”

  “I do have other dogs to walk.” She handed Princess over to Mrs. Whitter.

  “Before you take off, I’d like to talk to you.” Quinn caught Nikki’s eye, then turned his attention back to Mrs. Whitter. “If anything changes, if you feel uncomfortable about anything at all, please do not hesitate to contact us.”

  “Thanks, sweetheart.” Mrs. Whitter held up Princess so that she could lick his cheek. “Isn’t he sweet, Princess? Don’t worry, we’ll be just fine.” She waved to them both, then stepped back inside the house.

  Quinn opened his mouth as if he might say something more, but Mrs. Whitter firmly shut the door.

  “She’s impossible.” He shook his head as he turned back to Nikki.

  “Oh, that’s nothing.” Nikki smiled. “She was being nice to you.”

  “Nice? You should have heard her put me in my place while we were inside.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “There’s nothing I can do, though, my hands are tied on all of this.”

  “It’s okay, Quinn. I know that you did what you could. Maybe Mrs. Whitter is right, and there’s nothing to be concerned about.” Nikki crossed her arms then took a deep breath. “All of this seems so much worse because of what happened to Bryan. We’re on high alert.”

  “As you should be.” He met her eyes. “It’s very important to take the proper precautions right now. Especially after the note you found on your door this morning.”

  “I’m sure it’s nothing.” She waved her hand and
started to walk down the driveway.

  “Excuse me.” Quinn caught her arm gently by the elbow. “It is not nothing. Why aren’t you taking this seriously?”

  “I am taking it seriously. I just don’t want to get too paranoid.” Nikki sighed as she looked back at the house. “Look at Mrs. Whitter, someone broke into her house, and she’s not willing to be the slightest bit afraid, and me? Yesterday I thought that someone saw me through a window, and I was scared. That’s silly. I hope that you are able to get this solved, of course, but I don’t really need to be worried. The note was probably just a prank.”

  “That’s what has me concerned. I’m not asking you to be scared, Nikki, but I do hope that you can take this seriously.”

  “I am.” She met his eyes briefly, then looked down at her shoes. “I’ll be cautious. But I do have to get going. I have dogs waiting for me.”

  “That does sound important.” Quinn nodded. “But maybe I should have an officer go with you.”

  “Quinn.” She crossed her arms as she studied him. “I get it. I understand that you are concerned about me, and I even appreciate it. But I can handle things on my own.”

  “Just be careful, please?” His voice softened as he took a step closer to her. She saw him transition from a detective, to a friend, and felt herself relax.

  “I will be. Thank you, Quinn.”

  As Nikki walked off down the driveway, she suspected that he continued to watch her. She was tempted to look back over her shoulder to confirm that, but she resisted. Already, she had a hard time maintaining her cool around him, she didn’t need to make it even clearer that she still fought a puppy dog crush on him.

  As Nikki collected each dog she did her best to focus only on the animal, and give each one the time and attention that she always did. Still, she found herself walking a bit more briskly than usual. As she strolled through the park, the familiar surroundings allowed her to relax. She drank in the sight of the green leaves that fluttered in the sunlight, and the wide-open, blue sky.

  By the time Nikki began to return the dogs to their houses, she felt more secure and had convinced herself that she was right. She’d let herself get too worked up over the sight of the man in Bryan’s shop, and then the note that was left on her door. The truth was, most people were good people, and there wasn’t anyone out to get her. With only Coco left to take home, she slowed her pace and enjoyed a few extra minutes with him. When a squirrel bolted across the street, he lunged after it.

  “Slow down!” Nikki tightened her grasp on the leash, and took a few steps back. When she collided with someone behind her, she gasped and spun around. “I’m so sorry.” She lifted her eyes to the man’s face, and another gasp silenced her.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “I know who you are.” Nikki stumbled back and almost tripped on Coco’s leash. Her heart slammed against her chest. The man that stood before her was the very same man that she’d seen in Bryan’s shop. The one that saw her spying on him. She turned, and started to run.

  “Wait! Please!” He began to run after her.

  As Nikki tried to run even faster, her lungs began to burn. Coco panted at her side, but easily kept pace with her. Within moments the man caught up to her, and grabbed her by the shoulder.

  Chapter 7

  “Let go of me!” Nikki jerked free of his hand, and opened her mouth to scream.

  “Just wait! I only want to talk to you.” He stared hard into her eyes. “Please! I’m not going to hurt you.”

  “Talk to me?” Nikki stared back at him. “I know that you left that note on my door.”

  “What note?” He shook his head slowly. “I don’t know anything about that.” He pushed his blond hair back from his eyes, then took a slow breath. “Look, I know you have no reason to trust me, or to help me. I understand that.”

  “I certainly don’t.” Nikki shifted from one foot to the other. Although she knew that she should be afraid, she sensed something within him, something desperate, but not exactly violent. Coco growled at him, picking up on Nikki’s fear. She patted his head to reassure him. “I saw you in Bryan’s store. I know you broke in there to rob a dead man.”

  “A dead man?” He coughed, then glanced away. His jaw rippled as he looked back at her. “That dead man is my brother.”

  “Your brother?” Her eyes widened. “You’re Bryan’s brother?”

  “The one and only.” He shoved his hands into his pockets as his brown eyes raked over hers. “I had a right to be in the shop. I know that you saw me, and I know what you must have thought, but I wasn’t trying to steal anything. I was just looking.” He pulled his wallet from his pocket and flipped it open to reveal his driver’s license. “See? Same last name.”

  “That doesn’t prove anything.” She gazed at the ID, then looked back up at him. “Tim Sashen. You sure weren’t acting like you had a right to be there. The shop was still under police investigation.” She looked into his brown eyes. Bryan had brown eyes, but she couldn’t see any other similarities that indicated they were brothers.

  “Maybe not a legal right.” He winced, then shook his head. “I just had to be there. I had to try to figure out what happened to my brother. Wouldn’t you do the same?”

  “Most likely.” Nikki frowned. “But you’d be better off just going to the police. I’m sure they would like to hear from you and to have your help to find your brother’s killer.”

  “Maybe.” He tilted his head to the side as he looked at her. “Or maybe they would just assume the same thing that you did. That I’m up to no good, that I should be feared.”

  “I’m not afraid of you.” Nikki pursed her lips.

  “A few minutes ago you were ready to scream at the top of your lungs. But you’re not afraid?” He leaned a little closer to her. “I don’t think I’m the one being dishonest.”

  “I didn’t know who you were.” Nikki stared at him. “When someone is killed, it causes everyone to be more on edge. Not only that, but someone had their home broken into today. I suppose you don’t know anything about that either?”

  “Why would I?” His eyes widened some and his lips curved into a mild smile.

  “I am sorry for your loss.” Nikki’s tone remained even as she continued to study him. “I can only imagine how upset you must be. I’m sorry for assuming the worst about you.”

  “I’m the one that’s sorry.” He lowered his eyes for a moment, then looked back up at her. “For frightening you. But you don’t have to be afraid of me. I just wanted the chance to tell you that. I saw how scared you were, and I didn’t want you to continue to think that I might be looking for you.”

  “And yet, here we are.” Nikki managed a smile, even as Coco gave a light growl.

  “Yes, we are.” His own smile spread wider. “I have a lot to deal with while I’m here. I’m sure we’ll cross paths again.” He offered her his hand. “It was nice to meet you.”

  “Nikki.” She took his hand in a quick shake. She was still hesitant to give him any detailed information about herself. He claimed to be Bryan’s brother, but she couldn’t be completely sure of that, and he had still broken into the shop. “I admired your brother, he was very talented.”

  “Thanks. I wish we’d had the chance to be closer.” He frowned, then looked towards Coco, who still growled. “I don’t want to keep you. Thanks for listening.”

  “Sure.” She nodded, then waited for him to walk away. He might seem genuine enough, but she still didn’t want to turn her back on him.

  Once he’d turned the corner, she urged Coco along. As she walked, she tried to decide whether she believed Tim or not. He didn’t seem to want to hurt her, but she also knew that she couldn’t necessarily trust what he said. There was one person who could find out whether Tim told her the truth about being Bryan’s brother. After she dropped off Coco, she placed a call to Quinn. After a few rings he picked up.

  “Nikki, are you safe?”

  “Are you goin
g to ask me that every time I call?” She couldn’t resist a smile.

  “I don’t know, will it make you call more, or less?” He laughed.

  “I’m not sure.” Nikki tipped her head back and forth. “I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

  “Sure. It sounds like you are just fine. What’s up?”

  “Do you have some free time? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.” Nikki continued on towards her apartment to get her car.

  “Yes, I have some time. I’m just going over some evidence. Will you be here soon?”

  “I’m just getting my car now, and I’ll head straight over.” Nikki hung up as she reached her driveway.

  On the way to the police station Nikki’s mind swirled, she couldn’t figure out Tim’s intentions. She headed into the police station, hoping that Quinn would be able to help her sort it all out. She found him at a desk, focused on a monitor in front of him.

  “Hi Quinn.”

  He looked away from the screen and smiled as she settled in the chair beside him.

  “I’ll just be a second. There’s something that caught my eye in this video. I’m trying to verify it.” Quinn looked back at the screen and pressed a key on the keyboard. The still image came to life. As she watched, she could see a car driving erratically, as well as a motorcycle two lanes over. She realized it must be surveillance video of the night Bryan clipped Heather’s motorcycle. What she assumed to be Bryan’s car veered to the right, towards the motorcycle, but the vehicles moved out of range of the camera before the actual collision. Quinn paused the video as another car came into view.

  “There it is,” he mumbled to himself as he made a note on his tablet.

  “There what is?” Nikki leaned forward as she attempted to spot what had drawn his attention.