Tailing Trouble, page 10
Like last time. The unspoken words hung in the air between them.
She didn’t want anyone to get hurt either. Especially not Gramps. “I understand, Noah, and appreciate your concern. But we really haven’t done anything. Don’t worry, I’m taking Gramps back to the Legacy House after lunch.”
“Don’t forget you have George coming to fix your door at two,” Gramps reminded her.
“I’ll have you home well before then,” Ally retorted.
“Yeah? Well, I can always get a ride back into town if needed,” Gramps said with a scowl. “Got myself to your clinic today, didn’t I?”
Ally sighed. “Yes, you sure did.”
Their conversation was interrupted when Mayor Cromlin approached their table. “Detective, I hope the Willow Bluff Police are checking the abandoned farmhouse on a routine basis, as I’ve requested.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Noah agreed. “The patrol officers swing by at least once per night.”
“Only once?” The mayor frowned. “I told the chief of police I will not tolerate drug use in this town.”
“I don’t want to see drug use here either,” Noah assured her. “Trust me, we’re keeping an eye on the place. There’s been no sign of drug use, and no one has been arrested for drug possession.”
“That’s something, I guess.” The mayor sniffed, glancing at Ally and Gramps. “I’m hopeful the place will be leveled before the snow flies. It’s about time that land was put to good use.”
“That would certainly help curtail any activities going on there,” Noah conceded.
“Well.” Mayor Cromlin forced a tight smile. “Enjoy your lunch.”
“What’s going on at the abandoned farmhouse?” Gramps asked.
“Nothing for you to worry about,” Noah said firmly.
Mags brought their meals, frowning at Noah. “I didn’t realize you had someone joining you. Do you need a menu, Detective?”
“No, thanks.” Noah rose to his feet. Ally instantly missed his warmth. “Take care, Ally. Oscar.”
The minute Noah left the café, Gramps grinned. “We’re onto something, Ally.”
“What are you talking about?”
“We must be on the right track, or that detective of yours wouldn’t have bothered to warn us off.” Gramps’s blue eyes gleamed. “He’s been at the store both days we were there, which makes me think the robberies are connected to Pricilla’s murder. That means we absolutely have to go to Pricilla’s funeral. You know, pay our respects.”
“Pay our respects?” Ally narrowed her gaze. “Yeah, right. You didn’t like the girl, Gramps.”
He waved a finger at her. “Now, now, don’t speak ill of the dead.”
Good grief. She rolled her eyes and took a bite of her salad. As much as she didn’t want Gramps to be anywhere near Pricilla’s funeral, she’d feel better if she was with him to help keep him in line.
Although keeping Gramps from crossing the line would be a monumental task. One she wasn’t likely to succeed in carrying out.
* * *
Ally’s cell phone rang as she was paying their tab. She put on her best professional voice. “This is Dr. Winter at the Furry Friends Veterinary Clinic. How may I help you?”
“I think Goldie had a stroke!” The woman’s voice on the other end of the line was trembling.
“Okay, what’s your name?”
“Nikki Jo Shoofs.”
“Okay, Nikki Jo, what kind of pet is Goldie?” Ally finished with the bill and gestured for Gramps to follow her outside. A slight drizzle was falling, but she was too focused on the call to care.
“Goldie’s a golden retriever.” Nikki Jo let out a sob. “Oh, it’s awful. She’s drooling and won’t eat and just lays around doing nothing. I afraid something terrible has happened to her.”
“Bring Goldie to the clinic. I’ll be happy to examine her, okay?” Ally pinched the phone between her ear and her shoulder to help Gramps into the Honda. “I’ll be there in less than five minutes.”
“Thanks, Dr. Winter.”
Ally quickly disconnected and went around to the driver’s side. She was glad to have a paying customer but sincerely hoped the golden hadn’t actually suffered a stroke. The drooling could be the result of a foreign object being lodged in the back of the animal’s throat, or something worse, like something caught in her intestines that would require surgery.
“Guess I’m not heading back to the Legacy House after all,” Gramps said with a satisfied smile.
“Not yet.” She glared at him. “But you will be as soon as I’m finished with Goldie.”
“Sure, sure.” Gramps sat back in his seat. “Unless it takes longer than you expect. And George might show up early.”
According to Rosie, George did good work, but in his own sweet time, so Ally didn’t argue. She pulled up in front of the clinic and unlocked the door before helping Gramps out of the car and inside. The drizzle was still falling, and she hoped it would blow over soon. She took a minute to drive the Honda around back to its parking spot. Dodging raindrops, she raced back around to enter through the front.
The sooner George fixed her back door, the better.
Ally heard Roxy and Domino barking as she entered. Glancing at her watch, she winced. There wasn’t enough time to take them outside.
If Gramps were steadier on his feet and Domino weren’t so poorly trained, she’d ask him for help. Again, she thought wistfully of the days when she had employed veterinary techs.
Telling herself the dogs would be fine for a little while, she went around to the computer and searched for Goldie and Nikki Jo Shoofs.
She found them and quickly scanned what little information Dr. Hanson had on file. The man had taken a minimalist approach to record keeping, so there wasn’t much. Goldie was two years old and up-to-date on all her shots.
The bell over the door rang, and Ally turned to greet her client. “Nikki Jo? I’m Dr. Winter.”
The woman, who was roughly her own age, had obviously been crying, and her clothes were damp from the rain. She had Goldie on a leash, but the animal was clearly lethargic.
Not good. Ally came around and let the dog sniff her before leading them into the exam room.
Ally helped Nikki Jo lift the golden onto the exam table. She pulled out her stethoscope and quickly listened to the animal’s heart and lungs. Goldie’s heart rate was a bit too high, but not dangerously so.
“When did this start?” Ally asked. She picked up a flashlight and gently pried the dog’s jaw open.
“Earlier this morning.” Nikki Jo’s eyes filled with fresh tears. “I should have called right away, but I thought she’d get better.”
“Ah, I see the problem.” Ally flashed Nikki Jo a reassuring smile. “Goldie has a stick lodged in the back of her throat. This sometimes happens with golden retrievers and Labs; they tend to grab and carry sticks. They also chew on them.”
“Really? A stick is lodged in her throat?” Nikki Jo looked dumbfounded.
“Yes, but this is easily taken care of.” Ally was relieved that the problem wasn’t too serious. “I’m going to give Goldie some medication to relax her so I can remove it, okay?”
“Okay.” Nikki Jo looked relieved. “I think I can handle that.”
“Hold on to her, please.” Ally stepped away from the exam table and went into the back to her medication cabinet. Again Roxy and Domino began to bark, each seemingly trying to outdo the other.
“Hang on, I’ll be there very soon,” she called. Not that the dogs could understand, but it made her feel better to talk to them.
Returning to the exam room, Ally took a moment to smile at how Nikki Jo was hugging Goldie. This was why she’d become a veterinarian.
“Hold her for me, okay?” she repeated. She waited until Nikki Jo had a good grip and injected the dog with a sedative. Goldie didn’t whimper, as if sensing Ally only wanted to help.
Without a vet tech, Ally had little choice but to use owners to help hold their pets. When Goldie’s eyes drifted shut, Ally pulled forceps from a drawer.
“Hold her steady,” Ally said as she once again pried open the golden’s mouth. It took two tries to remove the stick. “There we go,” she said in satisfaction. She dropped the five-inch stick on the metal tray beside her.
Nikki Jo looked surprised. “How did she get that stuck in there?”
“It’s a mystery,” Ally said with a sigh. “All I can suggest is that you try to keep her from carrying sticks in her mouth.”
“That won’t be easy. Goldie loves sticks,” Nikki Jo said wryly. She stroked Goldie’s fur. “Thanks, Dr. Winter.”
“You’re very welcome.” Ally washed her hands at the sink. “It will take a while for the medication to wear off. Do you want to leave Goldie here for a while? If not, I can help carry her to your car.”
Nikki Jo hesitated, then said, “Maybe keep her here for a little while.”
“Not a problem.” Ally opened the back door of the exam room. “I’ll put Goldie in a crate for a bit.”
“Thanks.” Nikki Jo looked wiped out. No doubt all the stress of thinking the worst had gotten to her.
Goldie was seventy-five pounds of dead weight, but between the two of them, Ally and Nikki Jo managed to get the dog from the exam room into one of the kennels. Of course Roxy and Domino began barking again.
“Soon,” she called, hurrying back to the lobby. She wanted to get Nikki Jo’s bill taken care of before she took the dogs out.
Ally printed the invoice and handed it to Nikki Jo. The woman paid without batting an eye, likely prepared for something much worse.
“Okay, you can have a seat in the lobby,” Ally said. “I have two dogs that need to go outside. I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay. Thanks again.” Nikki Jo dropped into the closest chair.
“Gramps, you doing okay?” Ally paused a second to glance at him. “I need to take the dogs out.”
“I’m good,” Gramps assured her.
Ally took Roxy out first, knowing it would be less of a hassle. The drizzle had faded, but the air was damp and heavy with humidity. She could feel her hair springing out of control. She swapped Roxy for Domino, who was once again straining at the leash.
“Heel,” she said, holding tight. “Heel!”
Domino didn’t listen. Discouraged at how quickly he’d seemed to forget their brief training, she tried again with the treats in her pocket.
“Heel,” she said sternly. When Domino returned to her side, she gave him a treat. “Good boy.”
The rest of the walk went better, giving her hope that all was not lost. She returned to the clinic and put Domino back in his crate. No sense taking the risk of hurting a customer by letting them out together.
Ally took a moment to check on Goldie. The dog was resting comfortably and stirred very briefly when Ally reached out to stroke her. The meds were just beginning to wear off.
A quick glance at her watch confirmed it was already going on two o’clock in the afternoon. Ally knew there was no way to get Gramps back to the Legacy House before George arrived to fix the back door.
She was tempted to call Rosie Malone to demand that she leave the library right this minute to take Gramps back to the Legacy House. Why had the librarian gone to pick him up, anyway? Ally made a silent vow to have a stern chat with the woman next Wednesday, during Gramps’s weekly visit. It was one thing for Rosie to find the true-crime novels he loved, but driving out of her way to pick him up and cart him around town was over-the-top.
As Ally returned to the lobby, she frowned when she saw Gramps sitting right next to Nikki Jo.
Uh-oh.
“You knew Pricilla?” Gramps was asking.
“Well, I know her mother better,” Nikki Jo said. “Hilda works with my Aunt Martha.”
“Oh, you’re Mayor Cromlin’s niece?” Gramps’s entire face lit up as if he’d won the lottery.
“Yes, my mom is her sister.” Nikki Jo looked at Gramps quizzically. “Why? Are you friends with Martha?”
“Well, not really, but I did vote for her,” Gramps said. “And we’ve talked on occasion too. Wonderful woman. Has a good vision for our city, doesn’t she?”
Ally barely refrained from rolling her eyes.
“Very much so,” Nikki Jo agreed. “Aunt Martha has been so upset by Pricilla’s murder. It doesn’t look good for our town to have people dying every couple of months. She’s worried they’ll scare the tourists away.”
“I’m sure it’s been awful for her,” Gramps agreed. “And for poor Hilda, too. I can’t imagine losing a daughter like that. I know she’s devastated.”
“Yes, she’s been racked with guilt over it,” Nikki Jo said with a sigh.
“Guilt?” Gramps pounced on the word. “Why would Hilda feel guilty over her daughter’s murder?”
Ally stepped forward, expecting Nikki Jo to be annoyed with her grandfather’s line of questioning, but she needn’t have worried.
“Well, according to Aunt Martha, Hilda kicked Pricilla out of the house just two days before the murder.” Nikki Jo shook her head and lifted a hand. “Now mind you, Pricilla wasn’t easy to live with. Coming and going at all hours, refusing to follow Hilda’s rules. Hilda knew Pricilla was sneaking out at night to see her boyfriend and finally snapped. Told Cilla to get out and find her own place to live.”
“Really?” Gramps looked intrigued.
“Yes, but to kick your one and only child to the curb, only to have her become a murder victim two days later …” Nikki Jo made a tsk-tsk sound. “Terrible. It’s just terrible.”
“I can see how she’d feel guilty about that,” Gramps agreed.
Ally stood stock-still, absorbing the news. If Hilda Green felt guilty for kicking Pricilla out of the house right before she was murdered, then why was she so determined to blame Ally for her daughter’s death?
Unless Hilda was deflecting attention from herself because she’d had something to do with her daughter’s demise?
Chapter Ten
“Goldie is almost ready for you,” Ally said brightly.
Nikki Jo smiled in relief. “Thanks, Dr. Winter. I really appreciate you taking such good care of her.”
“Of course. That’s what I’m here for,” Ally assured her. And send your friends and neighbors, she added silently.
After another fifteen minutes, Goldie was ready to go. Ally helped carry the large dog out to Nikki Jo’s car, grateful the dog would be okay. And that she’d had another paying customer.
The rain held off, and Ally hoped it would stay that way until her door was repaired.
“Did you hear that?” Gramps shot her a smug grin. “Hilda kicked Pricilla out of the house two days before the murder.”
“I heard.” Ally was intrigued in spite of herself. “This is a small town. I’m surprised Rosie didn’t give us the scoop on that.”
“Yeah, me too.” Gramps stroked his chin. “I’m wondering if there was more to the fight between Hilda and her daughter.”
“The good news is that it couldn’t be related to her lack of cleaning at the Legacy House, since she’d already been kicked out by then.” Ally changed the subject, knowing she shouldn’t encourage him. “Are you okay for a little while longer, Gramps? George should be here in fifteen minutes or so.”
“I’m fine.” There was a hint of exhaustion in his gaze, but she knew he’d never admit it. Gramps preferred to believe he was the young, strong soldier he’d once been rather than the guy who’d slipped on the ice and broken his hip and was now forced to walk with a cane.
Ally bleached down the exam room. It occurred to her that she hadn’t had a grooming appointment in a while—other than Molly, whose owner had turned and left after watching her wrestle with Roxy and Domino.
Maybe she should run a grooming sale of some sort to bring customers in. She decided to put something up on her website and social media pages.
No job too small.
When she returned to the front desk, Gramps was scribbling on a notepad. Hope flared. “Do I have another customer?”
“Huh?” He looked confused, then shook his head. “No, I just had another theory about the crime. Wanna hear it?”
“Gramps.” She sighed. “I’m sure Noah has the investigation under control.”
“Bah. I’m not convinced.” Gramps tapped the paper in front of him with the pen. “Pricilla was coming home at all hours because she was spending so much time with Jake. Maybe Pricilla learned about the robberies from Jake and Colin, only she didn’t want anything to do with stealing. She pleaded with Jake to turn himself in, but he got mad and strangled her.”
Seemed a bit farfetched. “Didn’t you say something about Colin having a thing for Pricilla? I doubt he’d stand by doing nothing while Jake and Pricilla argued about the robberies.”
“I’m sure Colin wasn’t there. No way would Jake have killed Pricilla in front of a witness.” Gramps waggled the pen. “But it could be that Colin suspects Jake killed her and is wrestling with guilt over what happened. Probably thinks if he’d been there that night, Pricilla would still be alive.”
Despite wanting to stay out of the investigation, Ally felt compelled to share her own theory. “I’m wondering if Hilda had something to do with Pricilla’s murder. Maybe Pricilla returned, begging her mother to take her back, and they had a fight. Hilda killed her, then disposed of the body in the park, hoping no one would find it.”
“That’s another possibility,” Gramps agreed. “Although it seems harsh. It sounds as if Hilda kicked her out as a way to force the girl to grow up. Regardless, I wish that detective of yours would clue us in as to what evidence he’s collected. He must know something by now.”
“Yeah, well, don’t hold your breath.” Ally still hadn’t told Gramps about Domino sniffing around the outside of the clinic after the burglar broke in. The poodle hadn’t seemed to be interested in following a particular scent since the night outside the grocery store, so she felt certain Domino had only been interested in the french fry container.
He wasn’t a bloodhound, not by a long shot. Time to stop putting so much credence in Domino’s ability to help solve the crime.
