Wagging Tail Cozy Mysteries Box Set 1

by Cindy Bell

  “You just need to answer some questions,” Nikki stumbled over her words as she stepped farther back in response to Quinn’s swift approach. He moved between Nikki and the dogs, and Tim.

  “You don’t have to answer him, Nikki.” He grabbed Tim by the arm. “Don’t you say another word to her. You and I need to have a conversation.”

  “Sure.” Tim continued to stare hard at Nikki. “I know how conversations with cops end up. Congratulations, Nikki, now they’re going to lock me up and throw away the key. But I guess in this town, justice is just a joke. That explains why no one is bothering to find out what really happened to my brother.”

  “Quinn will treat you right, Tim.” Nikki bit into her bottom lip as she wondered if she’d done the right thing. With Tim’s history, there was a good chance that he would be the prime suspect. But had he killed his brother?

  “Nikki, enough.” Quinn shot her a look of warning. “Go ahead and get the dogs home, I’ve got it from here.”

  Nikki’s heart dropped as she wondered exactly what he thought of her. From the look in his eyes, it didn’t seem good. Had she meddled too much in his investigation at this point? Was his patience gone?

  “Sure, go on, Nikki.” Tim smirked as Quinn started to lead him towards the car.

  Nikki hesitated for another second, then urged the dogs along the sidewalk. With each step, she grew more frustrated. Tim had all the hallmarks of a good suspect. That was the problem. He was too good of a suspect, and it would be very easy to pin his brother’s murder on him. But what if he was innocent?

  Chapter 10

  As Nikki walked each dog home, she felt her exhaustion threaten to take over. Perhaps that’s why it seemed as if Quinn was upset with her, why it bothered her so much that Tim looked at her with betrayal in his eyes. She barely knew the man, and yet it upset her to think that she had hurt him.

  “What you need is a nap.” She rubbed her hand across her eyes and began to walk back towards her apartment.

  After Nikki kicked off her shoes, and crawled into bed, she expected to fall asleep right away. Instead, she remained restless. As she tossed and turned, she couldn’t escape a deep ache in her stomach. Dread, that’s what it was. She squeezed her eyes shut tight and tried to block it out. Still, she felt as if she’d done something terrible. With Tim in custody, the investigation might be closed, and there was a real possibility that Bryan’s killer would remain free. Of course, on the other hand, Tim might have been the one to do it. At some point the swirl of thoughts in her mind finally gave way to slumber.

  When Nikki opened her eyes again, the entire house was dark. She wiped her eyes, then looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was almost eight-thirty. She’d slept quite a few hours. That ache in her stomach had become an insatiable gnawing and she realized that she hadn’t had anything to eat. She made her way into the kitchen. When she opened the refrigerator to look inside she recalled that she hadn’t made it to the grocery store. She didn’t want to go shopping. She needed food fast.

  Nikki decided to head to the café. She knew it didn’t close until ten. Given the time, she decided to drive instead of walk. The streets of Dahlia were fairly empty. Most people were home getting settled on their couch for the evening. She felt out of whack with her sleep schedule, and wondered when she would get it straightened out again. She guessed she wouldn’t until the murderer had been found. When she pulled into the parking lot of the café it was nearly empty. She was tempted to call Quinn for an update on Tim. He hadn’t called or texted her all evening. She recalled the look in his eyes as he walked towards her and Tim in the park. Maybe he needed a break from her.

  Nikki stepped into the café, and almost walked right into Gina.

  “Oops, sorry.” She laughed as she slid a chair back into place. “Oh, Nikki, what’s wrong?” She stared into her eyes.

  “Nothing. Why?” Nikki pushed her hair back from her face and realized that she hadn’t brushed it.

  “Honey, you look exhausted.” Gina frowned.

  “I just woke up, actually.” Nikki shook her head. “I’ve got my days and nights reversed.”

  “Well, sit down, and I’ll get you something good to eat.” She headed towards the kitchen.

  “I thought maybe a burger and fries would be good, if it’s not too late to order that.” She settled at one of the tables.

  “It’s not too late, but you need something better than that. I’ll bring it out.” She disappeared into the kitchen.

  Nikki smiled to herself. There were times that Gina didn’t let her order, she would just bring her whatever she thought Nikki needed to eat. Nikki didn’t mind, in fact she felt lucky to have a friend that cared about her so much. It wasn’t long before she returned with a plate of pot roast, mashed potatoes, and buttered vegetables, as well as a large, fresh baked roll.

  “That’s a lot of food, Gina.” Nikki’s stomach rumbled at the sight and smell of it.

  “You need to eat.” She gave her shoulder a light poke. “People can’t live on coffee alone.”

  “True. Thanks, Gina.” Nikki didn’t mention spilling the coffee earlier in the day.

  “Allen added a little extra for you.” Gina grinned referring to the cook who had a crush on Nikki.

  “Thanks.” Nikki smiled. “Do you have time to sit with me?”

  “A few minutes.” Gina settled in the chair across from her. “So, what’s up with you and the great detective?”

  “Quinn?” She laughed at the description. “There’s nothing up.”

  “Oh, yes there is.” Gina kicked her foot lightly under the table. “I see the way you look at him.”

  “You do?” Nikki groaned around a mouthful of meat. “I hope he doesn’t.”

  “Oh honey, he looks at you the same way.” She winked.

  “That’s not true, trust me.” Nikki sighed as she took a sip of her tea. “I think he’s had about enough of me.”

  “I doubt that.” Gina looked up as the door to the café swung open. “I think someone is here to see you.” She tipped her head in the direction of the door.

  “Who?” Nikki followed her gaze, and found Quinn as he stepped through the door. She met his eyes accidentally, and looked away as quickly as she could. “Oh.”

  “Oh.” Gina winked at her. “Make sure you eat.” She gave Nikki a light pat on the shoulder, then headed back to the counter.

  “Mind if I join you?” Quinn paused just beside her table.

  “Not at all.” Nikki shot him a brief smile, though she avoided meeting his eyes. “Are you hungry?”

  “I actually just grabbed a sandwich at home. I was on my way back to the station, and I spotted your car in the parking lot.” He sat back in his chair and released a long breath. “It’s been an interesting day.”

  “Yes, it has.” She took another bite of her food.

  “So?” Quinn smiled some as he looked at her.

  “So, what?” Nikki raised an eyebrow and managed to avoid his eyes once more.

  “So, aren’t you going to ask me for an update on the case?” His smile spread wider. “I know you can’t resist.”

  “I know I’ve been pestering you.” She glanced in his direction. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “What are you talking about?” Quinn shook his head and sat forward again. “You’ve given me some of the best leads in this case. How can that be pestering?”

  “Earlier, it just seemed like you might have been a little annoyed with me.” Nikki pushed her hair back behind her ear and dared to meet his eyes.

  “I was annoyed with that scumbag Tim being anywhere near you, not with you.” He tapped his hand lightly on the table.

  “We don’t know that he’s a scumbag.” Nikki frowned as she looked across the table at him. “He seemed to be really upset about his brother’s death.”

  “Do you think so?” His eyes narrowed as he studied her. “What is your opinion of him?”

  “I’m not sure exactly. But I do think he d
eserves a fair shake. It would be so easy to just assume that he is guilty with his background, and his presence in the area. But that doesn’t prove that he is the killer.” Nikki sighed and sat back in her chair.

  “No, it doesn’t prove it, but it does make it more likely. I have looked more into his criminal history. Many of his crimes were very violent.” Quinn folded his hands on the table in front of him. “You need to be careful of him, Nikki.”

  “I can see why.” Nikki chewed on her bottom lip as she considered the new information. “But being guilty of another crime does not make him guilty of this one.”

  “You seem to be very interested in him being innocent.” Quinn’s tone hardened just enough for her to notice it. “Are you sure you’re impartial about this?”

  “What does that mean?” She watched him as she felt heat fill her cheeks. “I just want to make sure there isn’t a rush to judgment.”

  “There isn’t.” He held her gaze. “I don’t have enough to arrest him. But he is definitely a person of interest, and I would recommend that you stay away from him. Whether or not he is the killer, he is certainly a dangerous person with a history of violence.”

  “I understand.” She drew a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “Okay, so it’s clear that Tim is a pretty good suspect. But what about Heather? Did you find out anything more about that car in her driveway?”

  “Unfortunately, no. It is registered to her boyfriend, who we did confirm is out of town. We can’t prove that it is the same car that was on the road with her and Bryan that night. Also, Heather has an alibi for the time that Bryan was killed. She was at work, and her manager was there with her. Royce also has an alibi, but it’s not a great one. He said he was home with his wife at the time of the murder. However, he is a viable suspect because he has experience with guns, is familiar with the shop, and had some pretty serious issues with Bryan.” He spread his hands out before him. “At this point yes, Tim is the best suspect. He refuses to give us any information about where John might be, how they know each other, or how he might have been involved, which makes him even more suspicious in my eyes.” He leaned across the table and looked into her eyes. “How much can he care about his brother if he’s not willing to give any information that might help solve the crime?”

  “Maybe he just knows that John wasn’t involved.” She stared back at him.

  “There you go defending him again.” Quinn furrowed an eyebrow as he looked at her. “What is it about him that makes you think he’s so innocent?”

  “I don’t necessarily think that he’s innocent, I just don’t know that he’s guilty.”

  “That’s what I need to find out.” He smiled. “I guess I’d better get back to work on this.”

  “Princess’ party is tomorrow, I know Mrs. Whitter would love it if you were there.” She watched him walk to the door.

  “I’ll probably be too caught up in the case, but be sure to tell Princess happy birthday from me.” Quinn grinned as he started to turn away. “I don’t think I’ve ever wished a dog happy birthday before.”

  “I’ll be sure to pass it along.” She smiled.

  As Quinn left the café Nikki wondered if he would be too busy with the case, or he just wanted to create some distance between them. Perhaps he sensed what she felt for him and wanted to make it clear that he wasn’t interested. Or maybe, he was just doing his job, and she was reading far too much into it. Either way, she knew the most important thing was solving the case.

  Chapter 11

  After Nikki returned to her apartment, she spent some time looking into Royce. There was good reason to suspect him. Even though the gun he carried was not the gun that killed Bryan, he might have had access to more unregistered weapons. His anger over the way Bryan managed to steal the rental space out from under him, did seem strong enough for him to cause Bryan physical harm. But that didn’t prove he was the killer.

  Nikki skimmed through several posts on a few different social media pages connected to Royce. Most of the comments were pleasant, if not a bit detached. However, when she came across comments regarding Bryan, Royce’s entire tone shifted. The comments he left were harsh and to the point. He openly accused Bryan of stealing the shop out from under him, and indicated that he had criminal connections that made it happen. While most of his comments were left unanswered, there was one particularly threatening comment that Bryan did reply to. Nikki held her breath as she read through what may have been some of the murdered man’s last words.

  Royce, up to this point I have ignored your outrageous comments. However, it needs to be said that I did not do anything you are claiming. I have never and would never associate with any kind of criminal. I was told that you had backed out of your lease, perhaps you didn’t have the money to cover it, or you found another space that you preferred. I’m sorry if whatever plans you had fell through and now you are upset that you did not get the shop space, however spreading lies and terrible accusations is not the way to handle your problem. Dahlia has plenty of places to rent and set up shop. Perhaps you could look into another space and move on from this. It can’t be healthy for you to be this obsessed and untruthful. I wish you the best in your future endeavors.

  Nikki stared at the screen, uncertain of how to take Bryan’s comment. It seemed to come from a place of civility, but at the same time she could detect the anger and frustration hidden beneath it. She noticed that Royce had not replied to that message. Had he seen it before killing Bryan? Had his denial been what sent Royce over the edge? She had very little knowledge of Royce, which made figuring out what his emotional reaction might have been, that much harder. She decided the best way to get to know him better was to take a look at his house. His address wasn’t far, and she was restless. Maybe she would find a car that matched the car in the surveillance video. If she did it might point Quinn in the right direction.

  As Nikki drove in the direction of Royce’s house she considered what the party might be like the next day. She already knew that Mrs. Whitter would be a nervous wreck. She planned to get there early to help her set up the agility set. If she called first, she knew that Mrs. Whitter would refuse her help. But if she showed up, the stubborn woman was more likely to accept it.

  Nikki was so distracted with thoughts about the party that she almost missed the house. She slowed down just before she reached it. The house number was clearly marked. She noticed a blue sedan in the driveway, as well as a red convertible. She was about to snap a picture of both license plates, when she noticed that there were two people in the driveway, nearly hidden by the shadow of a nearby tree. She sped up enough not to look conspicuous, but as she did she tried to get a good look at the two people. She recognized the man right away, it was Royce. But the woman he had his arms wrapped around was a surprise. Her eyes widened as she watched them tangle together in a passionate kiss. She nearly ran off the road but managed to straighten the car out and continue on. She hoped that neither of them noticed her presence. Yes, it was Royce in his driveway, but that was most certainly not his wife with him. In fact, it was the real estate agent, Anne.

  As the pair disappeared inside the house, Nikki pulled her car to a stop in front of the next house on the street. Clearly, they were involved in an affair, but she was curious about whether they were also partners in crime. She opened her car door as quietly as she could, then closed it just as softly. She edged her way back towards Royce’s house, then crept up the driveway, and along the side of the house. Once she reached the house she followed the sound of their voices towards the room they were in. It wasn’t hard, as they weren’t quiet. In fact, it sounded as if they were arguing. She leaned close to the window in an attempt to hear their exact words, but their voices were still too muffled for her to hear clearly. While she was focused on listening to their argument, she didn’t notice the sound of another engine in the driveway, until it turned off.

  The sudden lack of noise alerted Nikki to the presence of someone else. She held her breath and
edged towards the rear of the house. Had she been seen? Who had pulled in? She wasn’t daring enough to try to get a look at the car. As she looked for a way to escape without being seen, she heard the back door swing open. Anne ran across the backyard, with her high heels grasped in one hand and her purse in the other. All at once Nikki put together what must have happened, Royce’s wife had come home. She knew she was in just as much danger of being caught. Instead of running after Anne, she ran into the next- door neighbor’s yard. She managed to get back out to the street without being spotted. As she raced in the direction of her car, she realized that maybe Quinn was right. Maybe she did take more risks than she should. Royce was a potential murderer, and more likely guilty now that she realized how much he had to hide.

  Once in her car, Nikki started the engine and drove off. Whether or not she was spotted, or heard, she had no idea. A glance over her shoulder revealed that no one was following her, but that did nothing to slow down her racing heartbeat. As she turned down the next street she had to pull off to the side of the road in order to catch her breath. Royce and Anne were having an affair? She knew that could change everything. Anne had given no indication of being in a relationship with him when she spoke to her. Then again, most people didn’t advertise that they were sleeping with another woman’s husband. She couldn’t help but wonder if they might have worked together to get rid of a man who was a thorn in both of their sides. Maybe they had concocted a plan to put an end to Bryan, so that they could get the rental space back. Perhaps Royce snapped when he read the post in which Bryan denied any association with criminals. But would Anne really help him take care of the problem? She wasn’t sure.

  Nikki pulled out her phone and typed out a text to Quinn about what she’d found. Just after she hit send, her phone rang. She jumped at the sound, and quickly looked out the window to see if it had drawn anyone’s attention. As she answered the phone she turned the car back on.