Sneak Thief (A Dog Park Mystery) (20 page)

A
fiddle danced
a riff from “Orange Blossom Special.” Ed Cunningham of The Comet Bluegrass All Stars walked up to the mic. “Folks, Cincinnati's Finest have asked us to remove ourselves from the scene of the crime so they can collect evidence. We think everyone needs a little cheering up after facing our collective mortality. We're relocating in the basement, where the silent auction to benefit Three Sisters Pet Rescue is kicking off.

“We all knew and loved Desiree, and now you can serve her favorite cause while obtaining a personal memento of this fabulous lady. We'll be playing for your entertainment. Dave's providing free beverages and nachos for all survivors. Follow me downstairs and celebrate your continued existence on this earthly plane. Remember, be you Pagan, Christian, Atheist or Beer-itarian , we welcome
all
at The Comet.”

Ed resumed playing as he led the crowd downstairs. It appeared that everyone was staying. Lia figured that like her, nobody wanted to face an empty apartment after such an intense experience.

Everyone wanted to pet Julia and feed her treats. Al made his way through the crowd and gave Julia the obligatory pat.

“Al, I'm glad you stayed. Desiree thought of you like a father, you know.”

Al scoffed. “That girl, she needed a better father than the one God gave her. A lovely girl who deserved better.”

“Crazy, huh?” Eric set down a plate of loaded nachos and pulled up a chair at the end of the table. Julia lifted her head from Lia's lap and gave him a grin. He let her sniff his hand, then stroked her head. “Cute dog. How are you holding up?”

“I'm holding.” She introduced him to her friends.

Avery and Ed joined them and the group scooted their chairs around to make room for the newcomers.

“I must say,” Avery said, “this is the most memorable memorial I've ever attended.”

“Very sad,” Ted said. “Desiree was such a sweet girl. I'd bid on some of the Beanie Babies for my wife, but she wouldn't like having something that reminded me of a pretty girl.” He looked longingly at the table. “I could get a coffee mug for my own use. Maybe I won't tell her where I got it.”

I
t was late
when Lia finally pulled up in front of her home, satisfied with the evening's outcome despite Josiah's appearance. “If nothing else, no one who was at that service will ever forget your mama,” she told Julia, who curled up in the back seat. “But I'm glad to be home. I bet you're one tired puppy. Did you like any of the people you met?”

Julia started barking and jumping at the car window.

“Cool your jets, Julia, I'll have you out in a minute.” Lia was opening the door to the back seat when someone grabbed her by the hair and the tip of a knife pressed under her jaw.
Shit
.

“Do exactly what I say, or I'll cut your throat,” the man behind her snarled.

“O-okay,” she quavered, thumbing the safety off the plunger on her kubotan. She shut her eyes tightly as she swung the tactical keychain up over her shoulder, spraying mace in her assailant's face.
God bless Peter and his drills.

The man screamed, dropping the knife as he clawed at his eyes. Holding her breath and eyes shut, she felt her way around the car, out of the cloud of pepper spray. She let Julia out of the other side of the car and dragged the pugnacious animal inside, locking the door behind them as Honey and Chewy crowded around, sniffing and barking in agitation. “I appreciate you wanting to protect me, Julia, but your timing is all wrong.”

Julia, continued to bark nastily and bounce against the door. Honey and Chewy joined her, the three scrabbling to get out while Lia peered through the window, looking for her assailant. Lia whipped out her phone and started to hit Peter's number on her speed-dial, then changed her mind.

“911, what's your emergency?” Lia could barely hear the operator over the barking of the dogs.

“I was just attacked outside my apartment. I maced him and got away, but I'm afraid he's still out there.”

“An officer has been dispatched. Please stay on the line. Were you injured?” She continued to talk to Lia, verifying that she was unhurt and all doors and windows were locked. Lia responded distractedly, wondering what Peter was up to and wishing he was there. She leaned against the doorjamb and began to cry. She watched through the front window as a police car drew up. The officer got out and shone a flashlight up and down the sidewalk, then went around the side of the house. He had the erect carriage of a military man and his long-legged stride was full of confidence.

After he made his circuit, the patrolman came up to the front door. In response to Lia's request, he showed her his ID. She opened the door to Officer Brainard and invited him in, introducing him to the dogs to ease their agitation.

While Officer Brainard couldn't be described as chiseled or lantern-jawed, there was something heroic about him. His deep chest attested to regular weightlifting. Lia suspected you could bounce a quarter off the biceps straining his shirtsleeves. Lia didn't normally go for muscular guys, but after the day she'd had, Officer Brainard's presence gave her a sense of security, like an Incredible Hulk teddy bear.

“Sorry, I'm feeling really paranoid right now. I was held hostage at The Comet earlier this evening, and now this.”

“You've had some night. He seems to be gone now. You've got a cut on your neck. Where's your kitchen? Let's clean that off before I take your statement.”

Lia rubbed her neck where she could still feel the point of the knife. Her fingers came away smeared with red. She blinked. “Uh, it's back here.” She led him to the rear of her apartment, the three dogs trailing behind. Kitchen meant biscuits.

“Let me see that in the light,” Brainard said, tilting her chin up and examining her neck. Lia felt a jolt at the touch of his fingers on her skin. His warmth penetrated, the dry warmth from his hands and the moist warmth of his breath on her cheek. She inhaled his earthy, natural scent, spiked with a bit of perspiration from his jog around the house.

Lia was acutely reminded that she hadn't had sex in more than a month as her body started humming. It continued humming as Brainard wet a paper towel and dabbed at the drying blood on her neck.

“It's not deep,” he said, giving her shoulder a rub with a hand the size of a skillet. “It should heal without a scar. I wouldn't bother bandaging it. Put a little peroxide on it after I leave.”

He gave her hair a sniff. “You picked up some overspray. It'll linger in your clothes and hair. Best thing to get rid of the oils is Dawn dish detergent. Be sure you rinse several times and don't touch your eyes, or you'll regret it.”

“Thanks. I'll uh . . . just get myself a glass of water. Can I get you something, too?”

“I'm fine.” He followed her back to the living room and sat on a Mission style chair when Lia took her place on the matching couch. Lia's dogs crowded around her, nosing her free hand to remind her of the treats she'd forgotten to give them.
Distracted much?
She jumped up. “I'll be back in a minute.”

She recounted her story from her perch on the sofa while feeding biscuits to the dogs, keeping her head down so he wouldn't notice her flushing face. “As you can see, it's not much.”

“Fast thinking on your part. You never saw the guy?”

“No. I hoped the pepper spray would slow him up long enough for me to see him leaving after I locked myself in, but it didn't. Maybe he stayed down on the other side of the parked cars until he got his bearings.”

“Did any cars pass by while you were waiting for me?”

Lia thought back. “Two. I didn't pay much attention to them.”

“He might have been picked up by an accomplice.”

Lia mentally smacked her forehead. “I guess I'd better turn in my Nancy Drew merit badge. It didn't occur to me that he might not be alone.”

“I know you didn't see him. Did you have any impressions of him?”

“Just his voice. It was low and mean. He was hissing at me, so it wasn't his normal voice.”

“Did you get an impression of size or age?”

Lia closed her eyes and compared her impressions tonight with her many experiences being fake-mugged by Peter. “Bigger than me, but not much. He didn't sound old.”

“Any reason to think this might be connected with the shooter at The Comet?”

“I don't think so. I never met Josiah Willis before tonight, and I'm sure he was acting alone. If he'd had friends, they would have helped him at the bar, wouldn't they?”

“Probably. Any chance your attacker followed you here?”

Lia thought about the twisted shortcut she took home and shook her head. “I came the back way, down Innes. I think I would have noticed if someone was behind me.”

“So either it was random, or they were waiting for you. Is there anyone you can think of who might have done this? An old boyfriend, perhaps?”

Peter? Could Peter have possibly pulled this as another drill? He
couldn't
be so cruel, could he?

“No one I can name, but someone's been leaving me little dolls, and they broke in recently.”

“Dolls? You think someone who is leaving you dolls wants to hurt you?”

“Desiree Willis was receiving little dolls made out of aluminum foil, and then she was murdered. After she died, I got dolls that looked like me and my dogs. So, maybe.”

“Have you filed a report about this?”

“I told Hodgkins and Jarvis about the dolls because they're in charge of Desiree's case. I don't think they took me seriously. I filed a report about the break-in. There really isn't much you can do about this, is there?”

Brainard sighed and set his clipboard down. He leaned forward, elbows on thighs like oak tree trunks.

“We'll step up patrols on this street for the next few days. Other than that, the reports go to establishing patterns that may help us figure out what's going on. I wish I could be more encouraging. How did someone manage to break in with three dogs here?”

“We were at the park. We go every morning.”

“So someone knows your habits. That's something to think about. How did he get in?”

“I left a window open.”

He nodded, said nothing.

“You might want to swap your locks out for double deadbolts that key-lock on both sides. Nu-Set has a jimmy-proof lock that isn't expensive.”

“Peter's been after me to upgrade my locks for ages. Guess I need to do that.”

“Peter?”

“A friend.”

He stood up to leave. “Do you have someone you can call to stay with you tonight?

‘Dourson and his pretty sidekick had better things to do.'
She shoved the thought away. “No, but I have my dogs. I'll be all right.”

“I'm on patrol all night. Here's my cell number. If you hear anything, anything at all, you call me.”

“This isn't usual, is it?”

“No, but if you call in a prowler to 911, it might get ranked as low priority and get lost on the bottom of the pile. I want to make sure someone shows up right away if this creep comes back.”

“You think he might return? Maybe I will call a friend.”

“Good thinking. I'll flag Hodgkins and Jarvis on this report, but you may not hear from them for a few days. I imagine they'll be busy with Willis for the next little while.” He tipped his hat on the way out, then stopped half-way down the walk. “You know, if you need a hand upgrading those locks, give me a call.”

“If I were a ninety year-old cat lady, would you make the same offer?”

“Yes, but I wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much.”

Lia shook her head and locked the door.

“
Y
ou left
out the most important thing,” Bailey said after Lia explained her reason for the late-night invite.