Sneak Thief (A Dog Park Mystery) (11 page)

Lia shook her head. “Tell you later.”

Lia gave up on the training hand-outs when they kept blurring on her. She focussed on listening to Eric and ignoring the sideways looks Ted gave her. She lost her concentration when Eric began to talk about means and averages.
This is making my eye's cross. . . . I'll have to tell Eric. . . . Do I also tell Avery, or do I let Eric do it? . . . One of them could be Foil Man. . . . What would Peter do?

Her thoughts were interrupted when Eric called for the evening break.

“Ted , you go on ahead. I need to talk to Eric. Snag me a coffee?”

Ted nodded and patted her back. He followed the others out, casting worried glances back at her.

Lia took a deep breath and approached Eric, gripping her tote in front of her for protection. He looked up from his papers, his expression open, questioning.

“What's up, Lia?”

“I went to Desiree's this morning.”

“And? Did you find out why she's not coming to work?”

She searched his eyes. His expression became confused, as if she was acting strangely.
I suppose I am.

“Eric, she was shot Friday night.”

“Oh my god.” Eyes widening in shock, Eric dropped the papers he'd been scanning. “No wonder she didn't call. Is she going to be okay?”

“No. She's never going to be okay.” The misery in her voice made it hard to get the words out. “She's dead.”

“Wow. I don't know what to say.” He put his hand up to his forehead, stared off into the hall as if the right response would come walking in the door. Then he looked back at her, his eyes full of concern. “Should you be here? I know she wasn't family, but you were friends. I can arrange it so your bonus won't be affected. You qualified for yesterday's question, so you're good to go.”

“Thank you, but I'm here now, and we're just training today. I'll be okay.”

“Let me know if you change your mind.”

“I will, thanks.” She gave him a half-smile in appreciation, then went looking for Ted and Terry.

“Wow. She sure saw me coming.” Lia ended the call and grabbed a handful of popcorn from Terry's nightly bag.

“Who was that, Lia?” Ted looked up from his paper.

“Susan Herget from Three Sisters. I called her this afternoon to let her know about Desiree. She heads the Beagle rescue where Julia came from. I wanted to make sure they were aware of Julia's situation. It's in their contract that the dog comes back to them if the new owner can't care for it anymore,” she explained.

“Let me demonstrate my psychic prowess!” Terry pressed the tips of his fingers to his temple and closed his eyes. “Wait . . . something's coming through . . . I'm seeing a crowd of dogs . . . Julia is outside the gate, barking to get in . . . I see a woman . . . she has a leash, she puts the leash on Julia and leads her away from the gate . . . She's handing the leash to someone . . . Why, why, it's
you
, Lia, she's handing you Julia's leash!” He opened his eyes. “Am I right?”

“Very funny. But yeah, they want me to keep her, just until something opens up.”

“Forever, then.”

“Are you going to do it?” Ted asked.

“I suppose it's the least I can do. You want a dog, Ted ?”

“You say she's a Beagle?”

“She's very sweet, and small for her breed.” Lia tapped the screen on her phone and flipped through the photos, handed the phone to Ted . “Here you go.”

“Well, she's just a doll baby, isn't she? Look at those big eyes.” He handed the phone back. “I'd have to talk to my wife. She's the boss.”

“I'm going to work on you, you know.”

“Don't I know it. I'll have my wife on one side, and you on the other.”

“A menage a trois? How very European,” Terry said, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Ha. Ha,” Lia said. “Don't listen to him, Ted . He'll only lead you astray.”

“What are you going to do about Desiree, Lia?” Terry asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You said the police were on the wrong track and the case is being handled by incompetents. Are detectival pursuits afoot? If they are, I want in. I barely got my big toe wet before you cracked the last case, and you didn't invite me in on the one before.”

“I didn't crack it. I think it cracked me.”

“But you discovered the evil-doer before the police did. If their case has gone astray, it's imperative we step in.”

“You want to look for Foil Man?”

Ted looked perplexed. “Who's Foil Man? . . . Are you talking about the person who made those little dolls? Do you think he shot Desiree?”

“Foil Man!” Terry exclaimed. “What an ignoble name for a purveyor of mayhem. First we must see the scene of the crime. The obvious opportunity is when we pick up Julia from the neighbor.”

P
eter sighed
when he read the number on his phone. “Hello, Lia.”

“Is this a bad time?”

“It's not great.” He looked over at the woman seated next to him.
Do you want me to leave?
she mouthed. He frowned, shook his head.

“I won't keep you, then. I was hoping we could get together and talk.”

“I don't know . . . .”

“Will you think about it?”

“Lia, I think I need a break.”

“Oh. . . . Uh, I also wanted to let you know, Three Sisters wants me to foster Desiree's dog until they figure out what to do with her.”

“I see.”

“But I don't know how to reach the neighbor who's taking care of her right now.”

“Call District Five and ask for Heckle and Jeckle. I'm sure they'll be happy to help you out.”

“Uh, Peter?”

“Yes?”

“Are you seeing Cynth?” The words came out forcefully, as if Lia were unsure she could say them unless she threw them out, like hurling a novice parachuter out of a plane.

Peter paused before asking, “How is that your business?” He ended the call, then turned to the woman in question. “Where were we?”

“Wasn't that a bit cruel, Peter?”

“What it was, was necessary.”

C
rime scene tape
draped lazily across Desiree's door. One yellow ribbon, unloosed from its mooring, swayed gently in the breeze, brushing Lia's leg as she rang the bell on Geneva Wilson's door. Inside she could hear Julia howling. Lia found it unnerving.

“Watch her carefully,” Terry said. “Later you can tell me if you think she has something to hide.”

“You think she did it? Why would she kill off a paying tenant?”

“Maybe she had someone who would pay more?”

“For this place? You're dreaming.”

They were interrupted by the sound of shoes clomping on stairs. The door swung open.

“Thank Gawd you're here,” Geneva said over Julia's lament as she opened the door. “You Lia? Who's your friend?”

“This is Terry. Why is Julia upset?”

“Miss Thang don't think she needs to pee outside. Anyone who pees on my hardwood floor gets locked in the bathroom. I don't care what species they are. If I'd known she wasn't housebroke, I never would have let Desiree keep her. I was getting ready to take her to the SPCA when you called, but you'll do.”

Lia pressed her lips together, preventing herself from inquiring exactly how often Geneva bothered to walk Julia. Julia would be out of there soon enough.

“You can have the rest of her food and her dishes, too. You wait here and I'll get her for you.” Geneva disappeared and the howling stopped. She returned with Julia on a leash and a brown bag full of kibble. Julia grinned up at Lia and Terry. “It's been real,” Geneva told the dog. “I can't say it's been fun, but it's been real.” She handed the leash to Lia and the bag to Terry. Terry stooped to the floor and set the bag down. Julia jumped up and licked his nose.

“Awww . . . kiss, kiss,” Terry said, ruffling her ears.

“Thank you, Geneva. Julia had some toys. Are they still in Desiree's apartment?” Lia asked.

“I wouldn't know. The police took their sweet time, they only gave me permission to go back in there yesterday. I haven't had time to clear out all that mess. Don't know what I'm going to do with her junk. Her father doesn't want it. He's leaving me to clean it up. Can you believe that? And had the nerve to ask about her deposit! Said it wasn't Desiree's fault her blood is all over the place. Like I got time to fool with that. I work two jobs and I've got to turn that apartment over.”

Lia and Terry shared a look. Julia head-butted Terry's hand, which was no longer petting her. He ignored her.

“You know,” Terry volunteered, “we could help.”

“How so?” Geneva asked, suspicion in her voice.

“Desiree was our friend. We'll take care of it, won't we, Lia.”

“You'll haul out her junk and put the trash out Thursday night? And clean up the blood?” Geneva asked.

“Yes, indeed.”

“I can't pay you.”

“We would not accept it if you tried,” Terry said.

“Well, then. Wait here while I get you a key.”

“Couldn't you have held out for the deposit money?” Lia asked once they allowed Julia to pee and were back in Terry's truck. Julia was crawling over the seats and floorboard, sniffing all the nooks and crannies as if she was hunting a live bomb.

“You smell Jackson and Nappa, don't you, girl?” Terry asked Julia. He looked up at Lia. “This way, we can keep everything. Evidence is more important than money.”

“Says the guy who has a pension,” Lia groused to Julia, who was now attempting to climb into her lap. Lia lifted her up. ”You're just right as rain, aren't you, little girl?” She asked the dog. Julia closed her eyes and sighed.

J
ulia stuck
by Lia like velcro while Honey and Chewy sniffed her, deciphering her scents. Honey gave Lia a perplexed look, as if she knew something was wrong with the newcomer.
Only having her ‘mom' killed in front of her. Looks like I'm going to miss another day at the retirement center. Don't know how long clean up will take at Desiree's. This week is shot. Better call Alma and let her know what's up.

After the dogs completed their ritual of greeting, Lia let them out in the back yard. She sat on the stoop with a cup of chai and watched Julia get acquainted with her surroundings.
It's so easy for dogs. A few sniffs, and you're either friends or you're not. Why can't life be that simple?

She forgot to watch the dogs while she brooded. Julia popped up, the smudge of dirt on her nose topping a happy grin. Chewy and Honey eyed Lia from a distance, waiting to see how she would react to the obvious transgression.

“I can see you're enjoying your new digs, Julia, pun intended. Let's go see what you got into.”

Julia happily led the way, proud to show off her excavation.

L
ia deducted
a point from the question she was grading and called up the next paper.

“. . . it looks like we're cleaning out Desiree's apartment,” Lia told Ted and Eric as she gave her current paper a barely deserved two points.

“That's very kind of you,” Ted said.

“Not at all. Terry just wants an excuse to snoop around. He thinks he's the next Sherlock Holmes. I won't be surprised if he shows up tomorrow with a meerschaum and a deerstalker.”

Avery's cologne preceded his appearance. He placed a hand on Eric's shoulder. “Eric told me about Desiree. You have my condolences. Will there be a service?”

Lia blinked. “I don't know. I don't even know who to ask.”

“She was such a lovely girl. If you find out, let me know. Perhaps our room could send flowers?”

“What about a donation in her name?” Eric asked. “She have any charities, Lia?”

“She volunteered for Three Sisters Pet Rescue.”

“Then that's what we'll do. I'll announce it tomorrow evening. Excellent idea, Eric.”