Purrfect Bachelor

“But didn’t he know it’s very dangerous to be struck by lightning? Not to mention unhealthy?”

“I think he was murdered.”

“Murdered!”

“Yep. Murdered by lightning.” I had to think back to Shanille’s words last night: how God was punishing all those bachelors for their sin of refusing to get married. But this was taking that punishment up to a whole new level.

“So what do you think, Abe?” asked Chase.

The paunchy coroner looked down from his lofty position next to the fallen action star.“I’m thinking this has got to stop, Kingsley. This is, what, the fourth murder in four days?”

“Tell that to the killer. He was killed, right?”

“Oh, absolutely. Received a series of nasty blows to the head which would almost certainly have rendered him unconscious, then tied to the antenna in the hope he’d be struck by lightning. And since we experienced one of the worst storms in a decade last night, I think the murderer would have been pleased. Poor guy was hit repeatedly, I’d say.”

“So he was killed by lightning.”

“Yeah, pretty much killed him immediately, I reckon. And then was struck a number of times more after that.” He gestured for his people to take the body of the unfortunate actor down, as he clambered down with some difficulty himself.

“Ironic,” said Odelia. “The god of lightning killed by lightning.”

“All of these deaths have been ironic,” said Chase. “The joyrider crushed under the weight of his own car, the papier-m?ch? artist turned into a papier-m?ch? figure and added to his own exhibit, the mall owner reduced to a part of his display. I’d say we’re dealing with the same killer, wouldn’t you? A killer eager to tell us something. But what?”

“That pride comes before the fall?” Odelia suggested.

“Possible,” Chase admitted. “Teaching each of these men a lesson in humility.”

We all stared as the body of this devious killer’s latest victim was cut down.

“Poor guy,” I said.

“And poor Odelia,” said Dooley. “Now she’ll never be able to get his autograph.”

“I think that’s the least of her worries, Dooley.”

Odelia’s main concern was to stop this rampaging killer before he made even more victims.

“You know what?” said Chase. “I’m sick and tired of this. It’s almost as if the killer is laughing at us. I think it’s time we start leveling the playing field.”

“And how do you propose we do that?”

“By doing what we should have done from the start: arresting Dominic Careen.”

“Did you talk to the staff?” She gestured to Jasmine Muchari and Luke Grimsby, who were standing nearby looking crestfallen.

“Yeah, I did. They didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary last night. Said they didn’t even realize what happened until this morning. Though Luke did see Sergio go up to the roof at some point. Sergio said he wanted to experience the storm firsthand. Ever since he was cast as Zeus he’d become fascinated with the weather, especially stormy weather.”

“Figures, for a man who played the god of atmospheric phenomena. Did Luke Grimsby see anyone else go up?”

Chase shook his head.“Nope. But he said he turned in early. So if someone did join Sergio up here, he wouldn’t have seen them.”

“I don’t understand, Chase. Sergio told us yesterday that he’d doubled his security. He had people guarding the front gate and walking the perimeter. Dogs, even.”

“I spoke to the guy in charge of security, and he said that Sergio did have a visitor last night. He’d told him to keep the dogs on a leash so he did.”

“So who was it?”

“He doesn’t know. No one came in through the front gate, that’s for sure.”

“So maybe they climbed the fence?”

“Has to be. And since the dogs had been called off, they would have had access to the house. Because of the storm the patrols had been temporarily dispensed with, since it was too dangerous to walk the grounds, because of falling tree branches.”

“So whoever did this must have known their way around the place, and must have been aware of the security measures Sergio had put in place.”

“Looks as if Sergio knew his attacker, or told them how to get in without being seen.”

“And you’re thinking it must have been Dominic?”

“I don’t see who else it could have been, do you?”

“But Sergio would never invite Dominic up here, would he?”

“Maybe he did. To talk things through. To find out what Dominic was up to.”

They watched on as Sergio was laid out on the roof, then transferred to a stretcher. It was going to take four able-bodied men to get the actor down from there, since he was probably two hundred pounds of pure muscle—now seriously charred.

“This is a tough case, Max,” said Dooley.

“Tell me about it,” I murmured.

“I’m just glad that Chase and Odelia saved us from that tree last night.” He shivered. “Or else we might have ended up just like Mr. Zeus over there.”

It was a sobering thought, and one I didn’t enjoy mulling over. “I don’t think we were in any danger of being struck by lightning. More of being crushed under a falling branch.”

“Or being struck by lightning, then crushed by a falling branch.” He gave me a worried look. “I never realized how dangerous singing could be, Max.”

“It’s not the singing, Dooley. It’s being out in a park during a storm.”

“Not very smart of us, was it?”

“No, not very smart at all.”

“I have a feeling that next time cat choir happens there won’t be a lot of cats there.”

I smiled.“Just you, me, Harriet and Brutus, and of course Shanille. Small but cozy.”

“Maybe we could hold cat choir in the backyard.”

“I doubt the neighbors would appreciate it.”

“Or in church! Father Reilly wouldn’t mind.”

“No, but the parishioners might. It is a holy place, after all. And not everyone is convinced cats belong in church. They might think we’re trespassing. God might also be offended by our caterwauling, and decide to drop the entire church on top of our heads.”

Suddenly a noise alerted us of an intruder making their way to the roof. And as his head popped up from the stairwell, we saw that it was none other than Omar Wissinski. Judging from the incandescent expression on his red face, he was not a happy guy.

“I demand you arrest that man immediately!” he shouted even before he’d fully cleared the stairwell. He was waving his arms in the manner of one mimicking a windmill.

“What man would that be, Mr. Wissinski?” asked Chase.

“Careen, of course! And I demand that you do it right now, before he takes an ax to my head as well!” He gestured vaguely in the direction of the stretcher. “Or whatever he used to kill my best friend.” He then seemed to realize that he was in the presence of death, and he gulped, then uttered a sort of strangled cry, and proceeded to bite down on his knuckle. “He’s really dead, isn’t he? Poor Sergio is dead. Struck down in his prime.”

“Who told you about what happened?” asked Chase, ever the cop.

“I got a call from Luke,” said Omar. “He told me to watch out.” He shook his head. “He’s coming for me now, isn’t he? I’m the only one left. The only one left standing!” He turned a wild-eyed gaze on Chase. “Please provide me with some protection, detective. I’ve posted a guard in front of my shop, but I don’t think that’s going to stop that maniac. If anything, he’ll probably mow him down, too, just to get at me!”

“I’m afraid we can’t provide any police protection at this time, sir,” said Chase stiffly.

“Well, you should! Can’t you see I’m next? If you don’t act now I’ll be dead before tonight!”

“Babe, please,” said Odelia softly, as she placed a hand on her husband’s arm.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Wissinski, but we’re doing everything we can to bring the murderer of your friends to justice.”

“It’s not enough, is it! Four down and one more to go—that’s what that crazy person is thinking right now. It’s only me that’s left now!” Suddenly he was down on his knees, holding up his hands to Chase in a gesture of prayer. “Please help me, detective. Can’t you see I’m desperate? Please save me from this madman. I’m begging you, please!”

“Get up, Mr. Wissinski,” said Chase not unkindly as he helped the poor guy to his feet again. “I’ll see what I can do, all right?”

“You’ll give me police protection?”

“Yes. I’ll arrange for an around-the-clock watch on your house and office.”

“Thank you, sir. Thank you so much!” He nervously glanced around. “Do you think he followed me here? Do you think he’s watching us now?”

“I’m sure you’re quite safe here,” Chase assured the man.

“He’s getting paranoid, Max,” said Dooley.

“Wouldn’t you be? Four of his friends are dead.”

“Maybe he should come and live with us? Chase can protect him much better when he’s living under the same roof.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” I said.

“But why not? If he’s that scared, we have to do what we can to save him.”

“I’m sure that the officers Chase will pick will be more than equal to the task of keeping Mr. Wissinski safe,” I said. I didn’t think giving potential victims room and board was the way to go. It might set a dangerous precedent. Soon we’d be running a safe house.

At that moment, Chase had had enough of standing around, and we all repaired downstairs. I think it had finally come home to him that we needed to end this case, unless more victims would follow. And so soon we were off in his squad car. I recognized the route he was taking. He was taking us straight to the house where the Careens lived.

Chapter 29

We arrived just in time to catch the three Careens at home. Dominic and Rick were already standing next to their jeep when we got there, ready to take off. When they saw us driving up, blocking the driveway, father and son exchanged a look of annoyance.

“What is it now?” asked Dominic as he threw his backpack through the open window into his jeep.

“Haven’t you heard?” said Chase, slamming the door of the squad car shut. “Sergio Sorbet is dead. He was killed last night.”

“If you expect me to burst into tears you came to the wrong place,” the bearded forester grumbled. “Good riddance is what I say.”

“Is that what you told Sergio when you killed him last night?” Chase demanded.

“Here we go again,” Dominic said, rolling his eyes. “How many times!”

“Where were you last night, Dominic? And you, Rick?”

“We were right here at home. Where else do you think we’d be?”

“I don’t know. Out and about, maybe?”

“Did you see the weather we had last night? Being out and about was not a good idea.”

“Didn’t you have to be in the woods? Making sure nobody ventured out there?”

“That’s not our job, detective. We make sure those woods are well kept, but it’s not up to us to make sure the public stays out of them when there’s a storm like the one we had.”

“What about you, Rick?” asked Chase, addressing the young man. “What’s your story?”

“I was here,” said Rick. “We nailed some planks of wood to a window at the back, since it’s a little rickety and might not have survived, and made sure not to venture out again.”

“That’s your story and you’re sticking to it, are you?”

“It’s not a story, detective. It’s what happened.”

Chase sighed.“So you won’t mind if I ask your neighbors, will you?”

“Be my guest,” said Rick.

But when I glanced over to Dominic, I saw he suddenly got a little twitchy.

Talking to the neighbors just might be a very good idea indeed.

Chase called in the assistance of some of his colleagues, and while two of his officers made sure Dominic and Rick stayed put, the others spread out and did a house-to-house to get the neighborhood’s observations about the Careens’ whereabouts last night.

Suddenly Chase came barging up.“Bingo,” he told Odelia, who’d covered the other side of the street and now joined us in front of the house.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Turns out that Dominic did leave the house last night. Just before midnight, in fact.” He strode into the house, and we all followed the long-legged detective, who now resembled a dog with a bone. Or even a man with a bone to pick—or both. “You did leave the house last night, Careen,” hesaid loudly, as he pricked a finger in the forester’s chest.

The man was pushed back and dropped down on the couch next to his wife.

Kristina looked scared, and quietly said,“Better tell him the truth, honey.”

“Look, I did nothing wrong, all right?” said Dominic. “And I didn’t go anywhere near Sorbet.”

“So where were you?” Chase demanded.

“I went to the woods. I thought I left the door to the cabin unlocked, and wanted to make sure everything was closed up and nailed shut. We keep equipment in that cabin that’s easily worth thousands of dollars, and I didn’t want anything to happen to it.”

“So why didn’t you tell me that?”

“Because I can see which way the wind is blowing, can’t I? You come barging in here, accusing us of all kinds of stuff, and I didn’t want to give you any more ammunition!”

Chase stared at the man for a moment, then seemed to make up his mind.“Dominic Careen,” he said, taking a pair of handcuffs from his belt, “I’m arresting you for the murder of Sergio Sorbet.”

“No!” his wife cried, holding up her arms in a protective gesture.

“You can’t do this,” said Dominic.

“Watch me,” Chase growled.

“Dad?” said Rick.

“It’s all right, son,” said Dominic. “We didn’t do anything.”

Chase read the forester his rights, and then slapped the cuffs on his wrists, escorting him out of the house, watched on by his distressed-looking wife and angry son.

“I think it’s the Jonagolds that did it, Max,” Dooley commented. “A man who gets upset over missing Jonagolds is a man who’s capable of anything—even murder.”

“I’m not so sure, Dooley,” I said. “The Jonagold incident revealed a side of Dominic that we hadn’t seen yet, but that doesn’t make him a murderer. Just a man who’s under a lot of stress, and can be triggered by the slightest incident.”

“So? The death of his daughter and his wife’s illness are bigger triggers than a missing Jonagold.”

“Yeah, but these murders have shown us a killer who’s meticulous in both planning and execution. And that doesn’t jibe with a guy who flies off the handle just because his wife’s favorite apple happens to be missing from the store.”

“So you don’t think Dominic Careen is our killer?”

“I’m not sure,” I said, as we watched Chase put Dominic into a car and officers drive off to get him booked and locked up by the strong arm of the law for safekeeping.

Chapter 30

While Dominic was gently stewing in the lockup—apparently a standard practice to make people more susceptible to interrogation—we decided to drop by Vince Gusta to find out more about the little black book that had found its way into Kristina Careen’s possession in such a thoroughly mysterious way.

Jefferson Gusta, the original author of the notebook, may have passed away last month, but we were hoping his son might enlighten us about his father’s handiwork.

The Gusta Garage was still a thriving business, or at least it looked that way when we arrived there and saw that the place was a beehive of activity. Several mechanics were hard at work trying to give broken-down cars a new lease on life, and when we entered the small office adjacent to the garage, it was Vince himself who did the honors of greeting us.

“What can I do for you?” he said, then glanced through the window to Chase’s car and frowned. “Looks fine from what I can tell. Though I don’t like the sound of your engine. I heard a persistent ticking noise when you drove up just now. Don’t know if you noticed?”

“We’re not actually here about the car,” Chase said.

Vince, who was a man in his fifties with greasy coveralls, a greasy red ball cap and smudges of grease all over his face, leaned back.“Oh? Then what are you here for?”

“This,” said Chase, and produced his phone, on which pictures of the black notebook were in evidence. “And this,” he added, then scrolled to the page in question.

Vince took Chase’s phone and stared at the evidence. “That looks like my dad’s handwriting,” he said as he handed the phone back. “Where did you get this?”

“It was hand-delivered to Kristina Careen two days ago,” said Chase.

“Someone put it through her mail slot,” Odelia clarified.

“I’m sorry, but that wasn’t me,” said Vince.

Chase, who’d produced his badge and now held it out to the garage owner, said, “Right now I’m not really interested in how the notebook came into Kristina Careen’s possession. Were you aware that your father worked on a Mustang on October 14th thirteen years ago? He even wrote down the license plate,plus a list of the work he did on that car.”

Vince, who’d darted an unhappy look at Chase’s badge, shook his head. “No idea what you’re talking about, detective. What my dad did or didn’t do thirteen years ago is not something I’m aware of, I’m afraid.”

“Were you working here at the time?”

“Oh, sure. I’ve been working here for as long as I can remember. All my life, in fact.”

“Maybe I’ll jog your memory,” said Chase. “The car your dad worked on was involved in a hit-and-run accident that killed a little girl named Poppy Careen, Kristina and Dominic Careen’s seven-year-old daughter. The car was registered to Dunc Hanover, and he brought it in the morning after the accident to have the bumper replaced, the front right fender fixed and repainted and generally all traces of the accident removed. Your dad did the work off the books, and never told the police and nor did Mr. Hanover.”

“Is that a fact?” Vince shrugged. “My dad did a lot of dodgy stuff back in the day. But I can assure you that the way we do things now is all above board. Nothing of that sort of stuff goes on here anymore. I’ve made sure of that when I took over the business.”

“So your dad never told you about the Careen case? Or the work he did on Hanover’s Mustang?”

“Nope. Not a word. And now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got plenty of work to get on with.”

“Did you deliver your father’s notebook to the Careens?” asked Odelia.

“No, I most certainly did not. If I did, I think I’d remember.”

“Do you have any idea who did?”

Vince shook his head.“No idea, sorry. Now can I get on, please?”

Chase eyed the man a little annoyedly. He didn’t enjoy being given the runaround, and it was obvious we were being given the runaround now. But finally he nodded curtly, and we walked out, leaving the busy garage owner to get busy with his busy life.

But Chase wouldn’t be Chase if he didn’t decide to go check out the garage and poke around here and there. And since Odelia is cut from the same cloth and so are Dooley and me, we followed the cop’s example. And that’s how we came upon a rusty metal drum. Next to it, some ashes had fallen, and judging fromthe smell, there had been a recent fire.

“Looks like someone burned something here recently,” I said.

“Ooh, that’s right. That little black book had burn marks,” said Dooley.

“Odelia!” I called out, and gestured to our human, who was just trying to peer in through a greasy window near the back of the garage. “Over here,” I said.

She quickly came over, and examined the contents of the drum.“Looks like someone burned Jefferson Gusta’s notebooks,” she said as she dug out a half-charred leather cover, exactly the same kind of leather cover Jefferson’s notebook had sported.

Chase had now also joined us, took the leather covering from Odelia, and deposited it into an evidence bag.“I’ll have it checked against the notebook,” he said. “Chances are it comes from the same collection.”

“What do you think you’re doing?” suddenly the irate voice of Vince Gusta sounded.

He was walking up to us with furious step and Chase held up the plastic baggie.“Been cleaning house, Mr. Gusta?”

“What’s it to you?” the irate garage owner demanded.

“I’m investigating four murders, and if I find out that you’ve been burning evidence of a crime, it’s got everything to do with me. And what’s more, I hope you’re aware that it’s against the law to destroy evidence, or to lie to the police and hamper an ongoing murder inquiry. In factI could arrest you right now and charge you with obstruction of justice.”

“All right!” said the man, holding up his hands. “So I cleaned out some of my dad’s old files. I didn’t think there was any harm in that. He had boxes full of the stuff, and I wanted to get rid of them once and for all.”

“You weren’t aware that there was evidence of a crime in his notebooks? And please think carefully before you answer me this time.”

Vince sighed and took off his ball cap and scratched his graying mop of hair.“I had heard of the Poppy Careen business, yes.”

“Your dad told you about it?”

“He did. Said that the person responsible for the hit and run had asked him to fix up that car so it looked as good as new.”

“Was he aware that he was assisting a criminal in covering up a crime?”

“At the time he had no idea that the car had been involved in the Careen girl’s death. It was just another job for him. Later he found out what happened that night, and put two and two together. But of course by then it was too late. The damage was done. So he decided not to get involved and not to mention what he did to anyone.”

“Except to you.”

“He didn’t tell me until last month. Before he died, he asked me to clean out his old files. Said there was some stuff in there that he should have gotten rid of years ago. And that’s when he told me about the Careen business.”

“And you didn’t feel the need to tell the police?”

“I didn’t want any trouble! Besides, it’s been years, and I figured it was all ancient history anyway.”

“You do realize that the Careens lost their daughter that night?”

“I know, yeah,” he said a little sheepishly. “And I’m sorry, okay?”

“So who delivered the notebook to Kristina Careen?”

“No idea.” When Chase gave him a threatening look, he added, “I swear! Someone must have picked it out of the fire and handed it to her. But it wasn’t me.”

Chase glanced around.“How many people knew you were burning your father’s papers?”

“No one. I just decided that I better get rid of the stuff.”

“Why now?”

“No reason. Just something I’ve been putting off since Dad died.”

“It wouldn’t have anything to do with the murder of Jona Morro, would it?”

The man turned a little shifty-eyed again, and I thought he probably wasn’t the right person to get your car fixed. He appeared to be fundamentally dishonest.

“Mr. Gusta?” Chase insisted.

“Okay, yes! I read about the guy being killed with his own car and it reminded me of my dad’s old files. So I figured I’d better get rid of them before you people started snooping around. There. Now you know the whole story. Happy?”

“Not exactly,” said Chase. “In fact I’m very unhappy with you, Mr. Gusta. Not only have you repeatedly lied to me, but you have also concealed evidence of a crime, and then tried to destroy it. I think it’s safe to say you’ll be charged for your efforts.”

“Whatever,” the man muttered, then walked off, grumbling under his breath.

We were walking back to the car when a woman came hurrying out of the garage. She was also dressed in blue coveralls, and seemed eager to have speech with us.

“Not here,” she said quietly when she was within speaking distance. “Meet me in the Squeaky Wheel in ten minutes. And please don’t tell my husband, all right?” And before we could ask her who her husband was, she had slipped into the garage again.

Though I think it’s safe to say she was probably referring to the irrepressible Vince.

Chapter 31

Ten minutes later we were indeed in the Squeaky Wheel, when the same woman came breezing in. She’d ditched the blue coverall and was looking more like a regular person now, in jeans and a sweater, her blond hair tied back from her wrinkle-free face. She appeared to be in her early forties. She took a seat at the table, and looked just as nervous as she had when she’d approached us back atthe garage.

“I’m Mandi Gusta,” she said without preamble. “And I’m the one who gave Kristina Careen that notebook.”

“You’re Vince’s wife?” asked Chase.

She nodded, looking a little breathless.“I can’t stay long, I’m sorry. If Vince found out I was talking to the police he’d be very unhappy.”

“I won’t waste too much of your time, then,” said Chase. “What do you know about the hit and run that killed Poppy Careen?”

“Nothing. I only met Vince eight years ago.”

“He never talked to you about that night? Or his dad?”

Mandi shook her head.“But I did see him burn those notebooks the other night, and I had a feeling it was important, so I fished out one notebook and discovered that it covered the month when Poppy Careen was killed. You see, I’d read in the paper about Jona Morro, and about the Careen case, and then when Vince suddenly decided to burn his dad’s old papers, it just made me wonder, you know. So I decided to save that notebook from the pile, and when I saw the entry Jefferson made the day after that terrible accident, I knew that must have been the reason Vince wanted to get rid of it.”

“And so you decided that Kristina should have it.”

Mandi nodded.“I always wanted kids of my own, but we lost…” Her voice faltered, but she soon recovered. “We lost Jason when he was three months old. Crib death. I was heartbroken at the time, and it put a terrible strain on our marriage but we survived. So I can understand what the Careens must have been through.”

“Vince obviously doesn’t,” said Chase, “and nor did his dad.”

“Vince and Jefferson’s first priority has always been the garage. The Careen tragedy got a lot of press coverage at the time, and it’s never really gone away. That kind of thing puts a stain on an entire community, not just the family. And I guess Jefferson didn’t want it to affect us. I think people would have blamed him for the death of that little girl. They would have blamed him for covering up a crime and protecting a murderer. And Vince desperately tried to make that threat go away, same way his dad did.”

“Thanks, Mandi,” said Odelia, placing a hand on the woman’s arm. “It’s a very brave thing you did. And I’m sure Kristina is very grateful that you decided to come forward.”

“I’m not brave,” said Mandi, lowering her head. “If I were brave, I’d have stood up to Vince. I wouldn’t have snuck around behind his back to deliver you his dad’s notebook.”

“Still, it’s only thanks to you that we know now who Poppy’s killer was.”

“And who was it?” asked Mandi.

Chase hesitated for a moment, then said,“The license plate in your father-in-law’s notebook was registered to Dunc Hanover.”

Mandi frowned.“The papier-m?ch? artist?”

Chase nodded.“Have you ever seen him in the garage?”

“No, I haven’t. I didn’t know he was a client.”

“It’s possible it was just a one-off. Maybe Dunc or one of his friends knew that Jefferson wasn’t averse to doing the odd job off the books, and paid him extra to keep his mouth shut.”

“Which would explain why he never said anything,” Odelia added.

“I don’t know about that,” said Mandi, shaking her head. “Jefferson was a good person. Okay, so he accepted money under the table, but I don’t think he would have knowingly helped cover up a crime. Especially if it involved the death of a little girl.”

“Vince said he only found out last month, just before his dad died. Looks like Jefferson wanted to make some kind of confession.”

“I don’t think so,” said Chase. “He gave strict instructions to have the notebooks destroyed. He was trying to protect the reputation of Gusta Garage right up until the end.”

Mandi gave us a sad look.“Will you apologize to Kristina for me?” Then she frowned. “What am I saying? I’m being just as cowardly as my father-in-law was, and my husband. You know what? Don’t tell her anything. I’ll go over there myself and apologize in person.”

“But won’t you get in trouble with Vince?” asked Odelia.

“I don’t care,” said Mandi, straightening. “Sometimes you just have to do the right thing, and this is one of those times. And if Vince doesn’t like it, that’s too bad.” She got up with a smile and extended a hand. “If there’s anything else, you know where to find me.”

And then she walked out, not skulking around like a scared little mouse, but like a woman who knows exactly what to do and is determined to do it.

“She’s a brave person,” said Dooley. “To go against her husband’s wishes like that.”

“I think she can feel Kristina’s pain,” I said. “She’s been through a similar experience and she knows how devastating it can be to lose a child. Even though Kristina’s suffering is probably still a notch above Mandi’s.”

“I’m not sure, Max,” said Dooley. “I think it’s hard to compare suffering.”

I smiled.“You’re a wise cat, Dooley,” I said.

“You think so?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Kristina’s suffering isn’t over yet, is it? With her husband in prison, looks like it’s only just begun.”

Chapter 32

After spending a couple of hours in a cell at the police station, Dominic looked a lot less rugged and self-confident than usual. His face had developed a sallow complexion, and he had a sort of haunted look in his eye. The kind of look a man who’s used to being out in the woods all day gets when being cooped up in a small, dingy cell.

Chase had taken a seat across from the man in the interrogation room, and Odelia and Dooley and I were watching on through the one-way mirror.

“Poor man,” said Dooley, immediately taking pity on the guy. “He looks like a butterfly that’s been caught.”

“A big butterfly,” I said.

“Or a little bird.”

“Or a big bird.”

The man might have been badly affected by his recent incarceration but he still looked like a lumberjack. Which is probably because he was, in effect, a lumberjack.

“So what can you tell me about last night, Dominic?” said Chase, opening proceedings.

“I was home, then I went out to check on our cabin, then I returned home,” said the other man in his customary gruff tones.

“You didn’t pop over to Sergio Sorbet’s place to have a chat with the man?”

“No, I did not. I don’t even know where Sorbet lives.”

“Lived,” Chase corrected him. “He’s dead now. But of course you already knew that.”

“Because you told me,” said Dominic, giving Chase a look of defiance.

“Four people have been killed in three days now, Dominic, and all four of them have been accused by you of having been involved in the accident that killed your daughter.”

“So?”

“Do you really expect me to believe this is a coincidence?”

Dominic leaned forward.“Look, I had nothing to do with the death of these men. But if you ask me if they got exactly what they deserved, then yes, they did. And I’m not going to shed any tears over them either. They committed a crime, and they’ve paid for it with their lives, which is exactly as it should be.”

“So you’re confessing that you have something to do with what happened to them.”

“All I’m confessing to is that I’m glad they’re dead. And I hope they suffered just as much as my family has suffered. Though I don’t think that’s possible.”

“I’m going to give you a chance to prove to me you’re not lying,” said Chase as he placed a piece of paper on the table in front of Dominic. “These are the times of death of the four victims. I want you to think carefully and write down for me where you were at these times. And don’t tell me you don’t remember. You’re smarter than that.”

Dominic glanced down at the piece of paper.“I already told you.” He tapped a stubby forefinger on the document. “Woods, woods, home, woods.”

“So basically what you’re saying is that your wife and son are your only alibi.”

“And the trees,” said the man wryly. “Don’t forget about the trees.”

“Very funny,” said Chase grimly as he took the piece of paper and folded it.

Chase came out to take a break, and leaned against the table.“So what do you think?” he asked.

“I’m not sure,” said Odelia. “Though it doesn’t look good for him, does it?”

“No, it sure doesn’t,” Chase agreed. “And he’s not putting in a lot of effort to prove he didn’t do it either.”

“Almost as if he doesn’t care if he goes to prison or not.”

They both stared at the man, who sat hunched over, staring down at the tabletop.

Just then, an officer popped her head in.“Rick Careen is here. Says he wants to see you as soon as possible.”

Chase nodded curtly, and he and Odelia left the small room, followed by yours truly and Dooley, of course. We didn’t want to miss a thing!

Chase didn’t want to put Rick into one of the interrogation rooms, so he talked to the young man in his office instead, which was a lot less threatening or bleak.

Rick glanced around at the posters announcing that the police are your friend, and a warning that you shouldn’t give pickpockets the opportunity to go through your pockets. It seemed like good advice, though of course cats don’t have pockets, so we’ve got those nasty pickpockets fooled.

“So what did you want to talk to me about, Rick?” asked Chase.

“Is my dad still here?” asked Rick, gesturing in the general direction of the precinct.

“Your dad is helping us with our inquiries right now,” said Chase gently.

“I want you to let him go,” said the kid, nodding seriously.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“I’m here to tell you that… that it was me,” said the young man.

“It was you what?” asked Chase, puzzled.

“It was me who did it,” said Rick. “I killed those men. Not my dad.”

“You killed them?” asked Chase, exchanging a look with Odelia.

“Yes, I did. I want to confess. So you see? You can let my dad go now. He didn’t do it. I did.”

“Okay, so tell me some more about that. Take me through the scene, if you will, Rick?”

“Well, first I… I killed… Jona Morro. Because he’s one of the men who killed my sister.”

“And how did you kill Mr. Morro?”

“I, um, I dropped a car on top of him.”

“And how, exactly, did you accomplish that?”

“Easy. I’m a forester. I’m used to cutting down trees. So I simply cut down that car and dropped it on top of him.”

“And Mr. Morro just lay there? He didn’t fight back?”

Rick thought for a moment.“That’s because I hit him first. Knocked him out?” He glanced over to Chase, to see how his words were received.

“Okay, and how about Joel Timperley? Did you kill him, too?”

“Of course. I killed all of them. All four.”

“So talk me through it, Rick. What happened?”

“I, um, I walked into his office and I said I wanted to talk to him.”

“When was this?”

“Um, two nights ago?”

“What time?”

“Ten, no, eleven o’clock.”

“So you walked into his office, and then what?”

“Then I said I wanted him to show me the display. You know, the display for the new Zeus movie? I said I was a big fan, and I wanted him to show it to me.”

“And he didn’t think that was odd? That you wanted to see the display at eleven at night?”

“No, because I said I was such a big fan, see. And so we walked down, and that’s when I hit him.”

“You hit him.”

“Yes, I knocked him out, then strung him up right next to his friend’s… model.”

Chase eyed the young man kindly.“Rick, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I’m afraid it won’t do your father any good.”

“But I did it!” Rick cried, jumping up from his chair. “I killed them!”

“No, you didn’t.”

Rick sank back down, as tears sprang to his eyes.

“It’s all right, Rick,” said Odelia softly. “You love your dad very much, don’t you?”

Rick nodded wordlessly.

“So he wasn’t with you the morning Jona Morro was killed? Or Dunc Hanover?”

Rick shook his head.“I don’t know where he went. He said he had some things to take care of, but he wouldn’t say what. I’m afraid—I’ve been afraid that…”

“That he permanently took care of the men he holds responsible for your sister’s death?”

Rick nodded.“He’s a good man, detective. He’s my hero. And if he did… something, I know he did it because he believed it was the right thing to do.”

“Rick tried to help his dad,” said Dooley. “But the only thing he succeeded in doing is putting his dad in even bigger trouble than he was already in.”

“Yeah, looks like Dominic’s alibi just blew up in his face.”

“Where was your dad when Joel was killed?” asked Chase.

“Out,” said Rick.

“Just like those other times?”

“Yeah.”

“And last night?”

“He said he was going to the woods to check on the cabin.”

“Why didn’t you go with him?”

“He didn’t want me to. Said he could handle it.”

“Did you notice anything out of the ordinary when he came back?”

“I don’t know. By the time he returned I’d already gone to bed.”

“Hasn’t he said anything to you about where he was? Or to your mom?”

“Mom asked him about it, but he said it was best if she didn’t know.”

“That must have got you worried.”

“It did.” He lifted a teary face to Chase. “I think he did it, detective. I think he went out there and killed those men. And now I don’t know what to do.”

“What does your mom think?”

“The same. We haven’t talked about it, but I can tell she thinks Dad killed them.” He gulped. “He killed them all, didn’t he? And now he’s going to rot in prison for the rest of his life, and Mom is going to die alone—without him. And all because the police couldn’t make the men whokilled Poppy pay for their crime.”

Chapter 33

Harriet and Brutus were back at the offices of Morro& Wissinski, insurance agents, and things were a little worrisome. Omar Wissinski, ever since he was conked over the head, had been behaving strangely. That morning he arrived late, and was in a real state.

“He’s dead!” he cried when he finally walked in, one hour late.

“Who’s dead, Mr. Wissinski?” asked Scarlett, who’d been patiently doing her nails when her boss had failed to put in an appearance.

“Sergio, of course!”

Scarlett’s jaw dropped. “Zeus is dead? Oh, no!”

Omar was pacing the office, clutching at his hair for some reason, as if hoping it would provide the answers he was looking for.“She killed him. I just know she did!”

“Who killed him?” asked Scarlett, looking to the entrance just in case she needed to make a quick getaway.

Omar stopped pacing and planted himself in front of Scarlett’s desk, eyeing her feverishly. “Why, the Careen woman, of course. They arrested Dominic, you know.”

“Oh, that’s a good thing, isn’t it?” asked Scarlett, trying to get the man to calm down.

“It is good. It’s very good. But it’s not good enough, is it? They should arrest Kristina, too. She’s behind this whole thing—I just know she is!”

“But isn’t Kristina Careen agro-phobic? Or something?”

“That’s what she says. But I’m sure she’s faking it!”

“But she hasn’t left the house in thirteen years.”

“Of course she has. When no one is watching, she leaves that house—to kill my friends!”

“That’s what Gran said,” Harriet whispered.

“I know she did, sugar pie,” said Brutus.

“She was right. Kristina Careen is faking it!”

“But if she’s faking it, don’t you think someone would have seen her?” asked Scarlett.

“It’s easy enough to make sure you’re not seen if you don’t want to be,” said Omar, who’d returned to pacing the floor. “You don a disguise, or you only leave the house after dark.” He wheeled on Scarlett. “Which is why both Joel and Sergio were killed at night! Of course! Kristina killed Joel and Sergio, and Dominic killed Jona and Dunc and tried to kill me!” He uttered a small cry of anguish and clasped a hand to his face, eyes wide. “She’s coming for me next, isn’t she? Dominic is in jail, but she’s still out there, biding her time.” He glanced to the door, and when he saw the sturdy form of the security man standing sentinel, he seemed to lose some of his anguish. “She can’t come in here, though, can she?”

“No, sir,” said Scarlett. “You’re perfectly safe in here. Kristina can’t get to you.”

“I need security at the house, too,” Omar mumbled, fingering his lips. “I’ll have to up security at the house, at the office… for as long as Kristina is still out there. That cop said he was going to provide police protection but so far I haven’t seen it.”

“And what about the son?” asked Scarlett the logical question.

“What about the son?” asked Omar, his head jerking up and his feverish gaze returning to Scarlett.

“Well, if the mother is involved, and so is the father, don’t you think the son might be involved, too?”

Omar’s jaw had dropped as he considered this possibility. “Oh, God. He’s going to take over his parents’ mission, isn’t he? You see it in movies all the time. James Bond kills the father and then twenty years later the son suddenly pops up and tries to kill James!”

“Maybe you should tell the police,” Scarlett suggested helpfully.

“Oh, the police are absolutely useless!” Omar cried viciously. “They simply twiddle their thumbs and do nothing while all four of my friends are being butchered by these maniacs!” He directed a wrathful look at the ceiling, as if it had personally insulted him, and muttered, “I’ll just have to take care of this myself, won’t I? I’ll have to handle this personally, if the police aren’t going to.” He nodded to himself. “Yes, that’s what I’ll do.”

“I wouldn’t do that, if you were you, sir,” said Scarlett, holding up her hand to draw her employer’s attention.

“Oh, who asked you!” the man spat, then retreated into his office and slammed the door.

“Uh-oh,” said Scarlett as she took out her phone. “We better warn… someone,” she said to no one in particular, then placed the phone to her ear. Moments later it connected. “Vesta? I think Omar is about to do something bad to the Careens. Yeah, he’s gone a little nuts.”

“Or completely nuts,” said Harriet.

“Can you blame him?” said Brutus. “His four best friends have been killed. And he believes the killer is going to come for him now. I don’t blame the guy for losing it.”

“Well, he better keep it together until Chase has solved the crime,” said Harriet.

“Chase!” Brutus cried. “You mean Max.”

“You think Max will be able to figure out who’s responsible for these murders?”

“Of course he will. Max is a smart cookie. If anyone can figure it out, it’s him.”

Harriet smiled at her mate.“He is very clever, isn’t he?”

“Of course he is. But don’t tell him I said that. He’ll get cocky.”

“Your secret is safe with me, boogie bear.”

“Though I think we better tell him to get a move on, before Omar puts out a contract on Kristina and Rick Careen.”

“You don’t think…”

Brutus cocked a serious whisker.“I bet he’s in there going through the yellow pages right now, looking for killers for hire to take out Kristina and her son.”

“What a mess.”

Scarlett had finished her phone call, and hiked her purse higher up her shoulder.“Let’s go, you guys,” she said. “We’re meeting M. Or is it Q? I’ve never seen a James Bond movie, can you believe it?”

“Too bad she doesn’t understand a word we say,” said Harriet. “Because I have a feeling Scarlett and I would get along like gangbusters.”

They walked past the security man, and Scarlett told the guy to keep a close eye on Mr. Wissinski, and make sure he didn’t do anything stupid. The man eyed her curiously. “It’s not my job to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid, ma’am,” he said. “It’s my job to make sure nobody does anything stupid to him.” And having said what he had to say, he resumed his wide-legged stance and adopted a thousand-yard stare.

They all hurried to the food court where they found Gran, and within minutes Scarlett had delivered her report and so had Harriet and Brutus.

“That doesn’t sound good,” said Gran, and her face took on a serious note as she took out her own phone and called Odelia to deliver an urgent message that Omar might pose a clear and present danger to the Careens—or at least those Careens who hadn’t been arrested yet. As it was, it now looked as if Dominic was in the best position of all. At least Omar or the hitman he was about to employ presumably couldn’t get at him.

“What did she say?” asked Scarlett.

“She said she’ll handle it,” said Gran, looking grim-faced. She patted Harriet and Brutus on the head. “You did good,” she said, then absentmindedly patted Scarlett on the head, too, as if she was part of the feline contingent.

Scarlett eyed her friend strangely.“Are you all right, Vesta?”

“Ever since this assignment started I’ve drunk way too much hot chocolate,” said Gran. “Next time I’ll stick to chamomile tea instead.”

Chapter 34

Chase had sent Rick home, and as he and Odelia discussed the phone call from Gran, announcing that Omar was going a little nuts and was thinking about taking matters into his own hands, a police officer stuck her head in and said that Justina McMenamy was waiting and had asked to talk to Chase.

“Send her in,” said Chase, and frowned to his wife. “Did you ask her to drop by?”

“No, I didn’t,” said Odelia.

“Well, let’s hear what she has to say.”

Dunc’s fianc?e looked a lot better than the last time we’d seen her. But then of course she’d just had a terrible shock then. She seemed to have recovered a little, though the fact that she was dressed in black from head to toe told us she was still in mourning.

“You wanted to see me?” asked Chase.

“Yes,” said Justina, taking a seat next to Odelia. “I got a call from Kristina Careen this morning.”

Chase arched an eyebrow in surprise.“Kristina called you?”

“Yeah, she said that she knew that Dunc was the person who killed her daughter that fateful night. She said he took his car in for repairs the morning after the accident, so now she’s got evidence that he was her daughter’s murderer. She said she’s going to bring charges against Dunc—belatedly, of course—and thought I should know.”

“Okay,” said Chase, sitting back and tapping a pencil against his desk.

“The thing is,” said Justina, “that it wasn’t Dunc who was driving that Mustang.”

“It wasn’t?”

“No. I’m going to tell you what I just told Kristina. The boys used to swap cars all the time. And I know for a fact that it wasn’t Dunc who was behind the wheel of that car.”

“Is this what he told you?”

“It is.”

“Why didn’t you tell us this before?” asked Chase. “You said you’d never heard of the Careen case before. That Dunc had never mentioned any of this to you! You lied to us!”

Justina looked away.“I-I wanted to protect Dunc’s legacy. Make sure that his name and his reputation aren’t sullied. But now that Kristina is threatening to sue…” She shrugged.

“So who was the person who drove your fianc?’s car that night?”

“I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me. You see, he was very loyal to his friends, even though lately they hadn’t been seeing as much of each other as they used to. In fact he only told me about this when I asked him. I read an article in the paper. Commemorating ten years of Poppy Careen’s death. So I asked him about it, since the article mentioned him and the others. He swore up and down that it wasn’t him. Said someone else was driving his car that night, and he had nothing to do with what happened.”

“But he wouldn’t say who did.”

Justina shook her head.“They were all pretty reckless, you know. Used to be into all kinds of stuff. Poker games where they played for high stakes. One of them once lost a house, and another one a boat. He told me some crazy stories. But Dunc wasn’t like the others. He couldn’t afford to lose a house or a boat. He wasn’t rich like them. So he was always different. More careful. And ever since we met, he started distancing himself from his friends even more. Said he regretted some of the stuff they got up to back in the day.”

“So what happened to Dunc’s Mustang?” asked Chase.

“I don’t know. All I know is that he didn’t have it anymore.”

“He didn’t say where it ended up?”

“No. All I know is that he got rid of it at some point.”

“Dumped it in a lake, maybe? Or the junkyard?”

“He never said. And I’m afraid I never asked, either.”

Chase studied her for a moment.“Have you told us the truth this time, Justina?”

She looked up.“Yes, I have, detective—I swear.”

After Justina had left, Chase looked thoughtful.“So if Dunc didn’t drive his Mustang that night, who did?”

“There’s only one person left who can tell us,” said Odelia.

Chase nodded.“Omar Wissinski.” He grabbed his jacket. “I think we better have a chat with our Mr. Wissinski.”

“What about Dominic?”

“Oh, he can think about his sins some more.”

Moments later, we were in Chase’s car, driving back to the Keystone Mall—though very soon now it would probably change its name to Timpermall Hampton Keys. At least if the standoff between the Hampton Keys mayor and the Timperleys was resolved.

The security guard planted in front of Omar Wissinski’s office stepped aside when Chase showed him his credentials and even opened the door for us.

“If this guy keeps standing there,” I said, “business will become very slow for Omar.”

“Why?” asked Dooley. “Don’t you think people will like knowing they’re safe inside?”

“I doubt it, Dooley. This isn’t a jewelry store or a bank. It’s just an insurance agency. People will start to think that Omar is up to something funny with their money.”

“Like investing it in a bitcoin scheme, you mean?”

I smiled.“Something like that.”

Omar looked a little harried when we stepped into his office. Or I should probably say even more harried than the last time we saw him, on the roof of his friend Sergio’s house.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” he said, shifting nervously in his seat. “I called the station but they said you were busy. And yet here you are. Quick work, detective. And I appreciate it! So I want you to arrest Kristina Careen and her son Rick. I know that Kristina has you all fooled into thinking she’s arachnophobic.”

“Agoraphobic,” Odelia corrected him.

“Whatever. But that’s just a ruse, see? She’s been coming and going without anyone noticing, and murdering my friends! As I see it, she killed Joel and Dunc, while Dominic killed Jona and Sergio and tried to kill me. And their son Rick is assisting them both!”

“And you have proof of this, sir?” asked Chase.

Omar’s face fell. “Proof! I don’t need proof. Isn’t it obvious? The woman is dangerous! There’s a reason we all took out a restraining order against her and her family. But that hasn’t stopped her. Oh, no. On the contrary. She’s on a rampage. A murder spree!”

“We’re actually not here about that,” said Chase, holding up his hand to stem the flow of words.

“You’re not?” asked Omar, his face expressing his surprise.

“We talked to Dunc’s fianc?e, and she told us that Dunc didn’t drive his Mustang that night—the car that was implicated in the hit and run that killed Poppy Careen.”

“He didn’t?”

“No. Dunc said you swapped cars, and someone else was driving his Mustang.”

Omar was silent for a moment, as he stared at Chase and Odelia, who were clearly expecting an answer. The insurance man licked his lips nervously.

“So who was it, Omar?” asked Chase. “Who was driving Dunc’s car?”

Omar finally relented.“Okay, so we were street racing that night.”

“In the Careens’ neighborhood?”

“Yes. The reason we didn’t tell you is obvious, I think. But now that he’s gone…”

“Who was it, Omar? Who was behind the wheel?”

Omar heaved a deep sigh and seemed to deflate like a balloon.“Sergio,” he said quietly. “We all swore an oath never to tell. A pact, you know. All for one and one for all and all that. We knew it could have been either one of us who’d gotten into that fatal accident, so we decided to close ranks. If anyone had found out that Sergio was behind the wheel of that car, his life would have been over. He never would have had the career he had.”

“Who came up with the idea to take the car to Jefferson Gusta?”

“Joel. His dad was a regular customer of the Gusta Garage, and he knew that Gusta wouldn’t mind accepting some money under the table in exchange for a rush job. He also knew that Gusta wouldn’t talk. Joel’s dad had been in a minor accident and when he took his car to Gusta things had been handled discreetly, so Joel knew he could trust Gusta.”

“So he fixed up Dunc’s Mustang?”

“Yeah, and Joel paid him a large sum of money to make sure he kept his mouth shut.”

“What happened to the Mustang?”

“Dunc drove around with it for another couple of years, until it broke down and Gusta agreed to take it to a wrecker. It probably got demolished, the parts sold as scrap.”

“So the car is gone, huh?”

“Yeah, unless Gusta kept it, but I don’t think he did. He was as good as his word.”

Chase nodded.“You should have told us sooner, Omar,” he said. “If you had, your friends might still be alive now.”

“I know,” said Omar, a haunted look in his eyes. “But I couldn’t.”

“Yeah, I know. The bachelor pact.” He got up. “You’re not going to do anything stupid about Kristina and her son, are you, Omar?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” said Omar.

“I think you do.” He fixed the man with a serious look, and finally Omar looked away. “Cause if anything happens to that woman or to Rick, I’ll know where to find you.”

And with these words, we left the office.

Chapter 35

Odelia had dropped us in town, and since I was feeling a little peckish, I decided it was high time we paid a visit to Kingman again. Also, I was completely stuck, with the case not moving the way I wanted it to move. And for some reason a visit to Kingman often manages to get me unstuck. I don’t know what it is about that voluminous cat, but he seems to spread these nuggets of wisdom, even if he’s fully unaware of it, that never fail to point me in the right direction.

“Hiya, fellas,” he said as we walked up. He gestured to a full bowl of a sort of greenish-brownish kibble. “Taste it at your own peril,” he said. “And don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“What is it?” asked Dooley as he gave it a sniff.

“I’m not sure. Some Russian fella dropped it off this morning, and said the stuff is very popular with their Russian cats. I think he mentioned peas and spinach?”

I wrinkled up my nose.“I don’t like peas or spinach,” I said.

“Who does?”

“Have you tried it?”

“One nugget. I upchucked it the moment it went down.” He pointed to a sad-looking lonely piece of kibble on the sidewalk, that indeed looked as if it had been in someone’s stomach recently.

So I kindly declined to sample this Russian kibble, and lay down next to my friend.

“How is the case going?”

“Don’t ask,” I said. “We’ve got one guy in jail right now, who refuses to tell us where he’s been, and it looks as if he’s the one behind the whole thing.”

He looked over to me.“But you’re not fully convinced, are you?”

“Not really. I mean, why wait thirteen years to start murdering the men you think are responsible for your daughter’s death?”

“Didn’t you mention that the wife doesn’t have much longer to live?”

“Yeah, but even so.”

We were both silent, and suddenly the sounds of munching reached my ears. When I looked over, I saw that Dooley was digging into the Russian kibble, and already half of the bowl’s contents had been transferred to his stomach. He looked up when he felt us looking at him. “It’s pretty good,” he announced. “Tastes a little funny, but not so bad.”

“Be careful, Dooley,” I said. “That you don’t get sick.”

“That’s all right. I think I’d know if it was bad for me.”

I wasn’t as convinced as he was. “So how about you?” I asked. Kingman looked a little subdued, I thought. “Still recovering from that storm last night?”

“Oh, no, I’m fine,” he said. “So I got soaked to the skin. And so I had to be saved from that tree. And so the fireman who rescued me said he’d never seen a fatter cat in his life.”

“He said that?”

Kingman nodded.“Maybe that spinach would do me good,” he said, eyeing the green kibble dubiously. “I am a big cat, Max. Maybe I’m too big?”

“Nonsense,” I said. “As long as Vena gives you a clean bill of health, you’re good.”

“Yeah, but if even a fireman figures I’m too big…”

“Look, you’re just like me,” I said, not taking any of this nonsense. “You’ve got big bones, that’s all.”

“I guess,” he said, then placed his head on his paws and smiled. “Wilbur finally managed to get hold of his brother last night.”

“About selling him part of the store?”

“Yeah. Turns out Rudolph is in Germany, and having a ball. I didn’t know Germans were so crazy about thrash metal. Though Rudolph said it’s actually death metal.”

“Death metal!” Dooley cried. “That sounds horrible!”

“It doesn’t actually involve dead people,” Kingman assured us. “It’s just a name.”

“So he’s drawing big crowds, is he?”

“Not really. As far as we can tell from the band’s Facebook page they’re still mostly playing small venues, and when Wilbur suggested he buy part of Rudolph’s share, he sounded happy, so I think he needs the money.”

“So Wilbur might be able to save the store from the clutches of the Timperleys?”

“Yeah, looks like it. Rudolph has agreed to give him another ten-percent share in exchange for some ready cash now, and the rest paid in installments over the next couple of years or so, and Wilbur has already wired him the money. So it looks like a done deal.”

“Hey, but that’s great, Kingman. So you and Wilbur will be able to stay here.”

“I know,” said Kingman, continuing to look subdued. “It’s just sad, you know, this sibling rivalry. Wilbur and Rudolph always seem to want to one-up each other. Always in competition. Rudolph actually tried to convince Wilbur he was playing one of Germany’s biggest venues, and that the place was sold out. Even though we could see from the band’s Facebook page that they played for five guys and a dog in some basement in D?sseldorf.”

“Rudolph wants to make it look as if he’s a big success.”

“Yeah, and he said he only sold his share in the store because he cares about Wilbur so much, even though it’s obvious he simply needs the money.” He shrugged. “It’s good for us, though. At least we’ll be able to hang onto the store and the apartment.”

I thought about what Kingman said, and suddenly there was a slight whirring sensation in that big noggin of mine, as several pieces of the puzzle seemed to fall into place.“Thanks, Kingman,” I said. “You’ve helped me more than you know.”

“You’re very welcome, buddy.”

Dooley came over, and for some reason his face looked as green as the kibble he’d just eaten. “I don’t feel so good,” he confessed, and suddenly and without warning upchucked everything he’d just eaten. “Sorry about that,” he muttered, looking miserable.

“Are you all right?” I asked, as I placed a solicitous paw on his back.

“More or less,” he said.

Wilbur, who’d noticed our friend’s incident, now came out of the store with a brush, and proceeded to sweep the contents of Dooley’s stomach into the gutter. “Thanks for that, Dooley,” he said. “At least now I know not to buy that Russian junk anymore.” And he returned into his store, whistling a pleasant tune.

“Looks like we’re Wilbur’s guinea pigs,” I said.

“Of course we are,” said Kingman. “I thought you knew!”

“I feel sick, Max,” said Dooley weakly. “Can we go home now?”

“Yes, Dooley,” I said. “But first we need to drop by Odelia’s office.” I gave him a look of determination. “There’s something I have to take care of before we go.”

Chapter 36

Scarlett gently knocked on the door of her employer’s office and listened for his telltale ‘Come!’ It took a while before it came this time, but when it finally did, she opened the door and said, “I have a customer who would very much like to see you, Mr. Wissinski. She’s a personal friend of mine, and I have told her you can see her now.” She lowered her voice and added, “She’s also very, very rich!”

“Oh, all right,” said Omar resignedly. After Chase and Odelia’s visit he hadn’t stepped out of the office once, and now looked even more dejected than before. “Send her in.”

Harriet and Brutus exchanged a look of excitement when Gran stepped into Omar’s office. She had brought a suitcase with her, and shlepped it in as she took a seat.

“Leave the door open, will you?” said Omar. “Air this place out a little.”

“Do you think he’ll take Gran on as a client?” asked Brutus.

“I’m sure he will,” said Harriet. “She is, after all, exactly the kind of client Omar likes.”

They watched on as Scarlett returned to her desk, and Gran took a seat in front of the insurance man.

“What can I do for you?” asked Omar, steepling his fingers and offering Gran his most ingratiating smile.

“Well, the problem is that I have all of this money, Mr. Omar,” said Gran. “And now I don’t know what to do with it, you see.”

Omar’s brow quivered. “Tell me more.”

“Well, my husband died a couple of months ago, and he left me a very large fortune. Unfortunately he made most of it by buying and selling illegal goods.”

“Your husband was in the import-export business?”

“Something like that,” said Gran. She leaned in. “My husband was a drug dealer.”

Omar looked surprised.“A drug dealer!”

“Yes, please don’t tell anyone. Scarlett, who’s my best friend, told me that you’re very discreet. And I hope I can count on your discretion now.”

“Oh, but of course, my dear lady. So how much money are we talking about here?”

“Well, I’ve always known that Bruce kept his money hidden in the basement. He liked suitcases, you see. The sturdy kind. And he kept on buying new ones online all the time. So after he died, I went down there and found about a dozen suitcases. I opened one and there was a hundred grand in there, all in small notes.”

“A hundred thousand dollars!”

“They looked messy and some of them had blood on them, and some looked as if they’d been jammed in some guy’s underpants, but hey—money doesn’t stink, right?”

“It certainly doesn’t.”

“And since there are eleven more suitcases in my basement, I think you can see how that puts me in a spot.”

“Oh, I think I do.”

“I’ve heard a lot of good things about bitcoin. About how it’s super-safe, and the taxman hasn’t got a clue that you even have it, nor do the boys in blue.”

“Bitcoin works with a digital wallet that’s locked with a digital key, and only the person with the key can open the wallet. So it is indeed very safe and very, shall we say, discreet.” He smiled an unctuous smile at Gran. “So how much money were you thinking of transferring into bitcoin, Mrs…”

“Moll. Mary Moll. Well, all of it, of course. Though maybe I should keep one suitcase for everyday expenses. Like my housekeeper and my shopping.”

“I’m honored that you would think of me to take care of this little problem for you,” said Omar.

“Scarlett said you were the man to see. I thought of taking everything to my bank, but she said that wasn’t a good idea.”

“Banks have an obligation to report any money deposited into an account over a certain amount. If you were to take your husband’s suitcases into a branch of your bank it would raise all kinds of red flags, and the police would be all over you in a matter of minutes.”

“But you won’t tell them, right? After all, my dear Bruce earned that money fair and square. It’s not his fault that the government thinks crystal meth shouldn’t be allowed. I mean, all he did was supply a product and fulfill a need. In fact the man was a saint.”

“Absolutely,” said Omar severely. “So when were you thinking about making your… investment?”

“I brought one suitcase with me,” said Gran, and hefted the suitcase onto Omar’s desk. It was big and bulky and the insurance man eyed it eagerly.

“Well, let’s open her up, shall we?” he suggested.

Gran adjusted the dials for the security locks and popped the clasps. Omar unzipped the monstrosity and stood eyeing the contents of the suitcase with eyes glimmering with excitement.“Now will you look at that,” he murmured, rubbing his hands with glee.

“He looks like a man who’s just found treasure,” said Brutus.

“He does indeed,” said Harriet.

“Do you think you’ll be able to handle such a big investment?” asked Gran.

“Oh, absolutely,” said Omar. “The Morro& Wissinski bitcoin fund is exactly the thing you need, Mrs. Moll. And in fact if you’d like me to fetch your other suitcases for you, I’d be more than happy to drop by this evening and pick them up.”

“Let’s first make this deposit,” said Gran, “and see how it goes.”

“Of course. I’ll start on the paperwork, shall I? And in the meantime here’s a brochure explaining the ins and outs of our bitcoin fund.”

And as he handed Gran a glossy brochure, he started filling out the paperwork for the transfer of a hundred thousand dollars in drug money to the Morro& Wissinski bitcoin fund.

“Looks like he took the bait,” said Harriet happily.

“Now let’s hope he takes it all the way,” said Brutus.

Chapter 37

That night we were staking out Omar Wissinski’s place, and frankly I was feeling a little crowded. There were four humans in the car, and four cats, and even though Chase’s squad car is roomy, it isn’t as roomy as all that.

“You really should buy yourself a bigger car, Chase,” said Gran as she shuffled about uncomfortably. “Especially now with the baby coming, you’re going to want to get a family car. A nice big Volvo.”

Chase directed a look of distaste at her through the rearview mirror.“Never in my life am I going to buy a Volvo.”

“Why not?” asked Gran. “I like Volvo. Big and spacious, and very, very safe.”

“They do get good reviews, babe,” said Odelia.

“I don’t care. I’m not buying a Volvo.”

“And why is that?” asked Scarlett.

“Because I don’t want to be the laughingstock of the precinct, that’s why!”

“Only idiots would laugh at a man who drives a Volvo,” said Gran. “Besides, what’s more important: the opinion of your colleagues, or the safety of your family?”

“Well, if you put it that way…” Chase grumbled.

“I think a Volvo station wagon is the way to go,” said Scarlett. “And a bright color, so it stands out in traffic. It’s much safer that way, you know. Better than gray or dark blue.”

“So a bright yellow Volvo station wagon it is,” said Gran.

“God, no,” said Chase, much to the others’ amusement.

“Why do babies need big cars?” asked Dooley. “I thought they were small?”

“Babies are small to begin with,” said Harriet. “But they grow very quickly.”

“And also, nobody stops with one baby,” said Brutus. “Soon there’s two, then three, and before you know it, there are four or five or six.”

“Six babies!” Dooley cried. “But there’s no space in the house for six kids!”

“Brutus is just kidding,” I said. “I don’t think Odelia and Chase are ready for six kids.”

“Let’s start with just the one,” said Odelia, who’d overheard our conversation.

“So when is the baby arriving, exactly?” asked Dooley nervously.

“Nine months,” I said. “Though now it’s probably a little less than nine months.”

“Nine months,” Dooley murmured. “That’s still a long time, isn’t it, Max?”

“Oh, absolutely. Nine months is like an eternity. Plenty of time for you to get ready.”

“Ready? Why do I have to get ready?” he asked in panicky tones. “Is something terrible going to happen when that baby arrives? Are we going to get kicked out of the house!”

“No, of course not!” said Harriet. “What Max means to say is that you have to get ready psychologically. Get used to the idea of a third person living in the same house with us.”

“A very tiny person,” said Brutus. “So tiny you’ll hardly notice it.”

“Oh, we will notice it,” said Harriet. “Babies might be small, but they take up a lot of space—figuratively speaking. For one thing, they’re very, very loud.”

“Some babies are loud,” I said. “Others are very, very quiet.”

“Let’s hope we get a quiet baby,” said Dooley. He thought for a moment. “If it’s loud, can we return it and get a quiet one instead?”

“I’m afraid not, Dooley,” I said. “You can’t return a baby once you have it.”

“Too bad,” said my friend. “There should be a return policy for babies.”

“Now wouldn’t that be a thing,” said Gran with a sigh. I had the impression she would have returned her son if she’d had the opportunity.

“Quiet, you guys,” said Scarlett. “Look, there’s movement.”

There was definitely movement across the street. Omar, who’d arrived in his own car, a Toyota Corolla, now appeared at the door, looked left and right, then hurried over to his car, drove it into his garage, and quickly closed the garage door again.

“Showtime,” Chase grunted, and got out of the car.

“Let’s go!” said Gran excitedly.

“No, you stay here,” said Chase, and made to close the door.

“Are you kidding me? I’m going,” said Gran.

“It’s not safe, Vesta,” said the stalwart cop.

“It’s my money!”

“It’s not your money, Gran,” said Odelia.

“Oh, but it is. Or at least Bruce’s money. The money he made selling crystal meth.”

“There is no Bruce!” Scarlett reminded Gran. “It’s just a ruse, Vesta!”

“I don’t care. It’s my money, and I’m not letting it out of my sight.”

“Oh, all right,” said Chase. “But you keep out of sight, will you?”

“I’m going to be invisible,” said Gran, ducking down low as she exited the vehicle.

Scarlett and Odelia now made out to exit the car.

“You two better stay put,” said Chase.

“I’m coming,” Scarlett stated decidedly.

“Too right you are,” said Gran. “We’re the neighborhood watch, after all.”

“Best you stay here,” said Chase, addressing his wife. “With the baby…”

“Are you kidding me?” said Odelia. “I’m not staying in the car.”

“But…”

“Is this how it’s going to be from now on? Cause if it is, I’ll tell you right now, mister, that you’re very much mistaken!”

“Oh, fine!” said Chase, and held the door open for his lady love, then helped her out as if she was an invalid. Odelia slapped his hand away, and Chase gave her a nice eyeroll.

Before he could close the door, however, four cats also walked out, causing the big cop to groan in dismay.“This isn’t a sting operation,” he lamented. “This is a family trip!”

“Which is why you need a Volvo!” said Scarlett cheerfully.

“Or a minivan,” Gran added mischievously.

“I amnot getting a minivan,” said Chase through gritted teeth.

“Of course you aren’t,” said Gran, patting him on the back. “You’re getting a Volvo.”

We all stalked across the street, then circled the house and soon found ourselves in Omar Wissinski’s backyard, where we all distributed ourselves amongst the available shrubs, and hunkered down to see what the guy was up to with Gran’s drug money. Though as Odelia had pointed out, it wasn’t Gran’s money, of course. In fact it was Uncle Alec’s money—or rather money the police had recently confiscated from a drug dealer.

We didn’t have long to wait, for soon Omar opened the glass sliding door and came out, carrying Gran’s suitcase as he did. He glanced left, he glanced right, then ventured into the backyard, and as he reached the halfway point between his porch and the end of the yard, he crouched down and seemed to reach into the ground. We heard a sort of clanking sound, and suddenly the grass seemed to tilt up at an angle!

It was some kind of hatch he’d pulled, and moments later the man disappeared into the opening, walking down a staircase, and was soon gone from view. Two arms reached up, took a firm hold of the suitcase and then dragged it down with him and it was gone.

“Bruce’s money!” Gran hissed. “He’s taking it to China!”

“I’m afraid to ask, but why China?” Chase hissed back.

“Well, it’s the other side of the world, isn’t it?”

“I don’t think that tunnel leads all the way to China, Gran,” said Odelia.

“Okay, so Mexico, then. It probably leads him straight across the border.”

“We’re thousands of miles from the border!” Scarlett cried.

“Shush!” Chase whispered. “Can you please be quiet—all of you!”

“I think he’s probably going to Australia,” said Dooley. “Not China.”

“You may have a point, buddy,” I said, in a good mood now that my hunch had panned out.

It took about five or ten minutes before Omar finally returned, and Gran was getting anxious as time stretched on.“He’s gone to China, I’m telling you!”

“Australia!” Dooley countered.

“He’s just counting the money, that’s all,” said Chase.

Finally the man resurfaced, and Chase got up out of his crouch.

“Hello, Mr. Wissinski,” he said, walking up to the insurance agent. “Out for a stroll, are we?”

Omar gulped as he stared up at the cop, who stood towering over him.

“I-I-I,” he stuttered as he now hurriedly crawled up and made to close the hatch.

But Chase beat him to it.“Not so fast,” he said, and held the hatch open with one hand while he took hold of Omar’s wrist with the other, applying a viselike grip to the man’s appendage. “Let’s see what we have here.” He turned to Odelia, who had joined him. “Take a look, will you, Mrs. Kingsley?”

“By all means, Mr. Kingsley,” said Odelia, and lightly descended down an aluminum ladder into the depths. Dooley and I had also walked up, followed by Harriet and Brutus, and stared down to see what Odelia would find.

“Got it!” finally our human shouted, and soon returned, a big grin on her face. “It’s all there,” she announced.

“You can’t do this,” Omar protested feebly. “This is my private property!”

“No, this is my private property!” said Gran, also walking onto the scene.

Omar goggled at her.

“Mr. Wissinski, meet my grandmother Vesta Muffin,” said Odelia.

“Your-your grandmother?” asked the insurance man.

“And my best friend,” said Scarlett, the last person to pop out of those bushes. “I hadn’t lied about that.”

“But I had lied about the money,” said Gran. “And I didn’t have a husband named Bruce. I had a husband, but his name was Jack and he was a philanderer, not a drug dealer.”

“The money my grandmother gave you was a loan from the police department,” Odelia explained.

“Yeah, it was drug money, all right,” said Chase, “but it doesn’t belong to Vesta.”

“Unfortunately,” Gran added under her breath.

“So you took the money your clients gave you and stashed it in your private underground safe, did you?”

Omar stared from the cop to Odelia to Scarlett to Gran, then finally said,“Okay, fine.”

“There is no Morro& Wissinski bitcoin fund, is there?” asked Odelia.

Omar shook his head.“No, there isn’t.”

“It’s just a scam to collect money to pay off your gambling debts.”

“Yeah, I guess you got my number.”

“When did Jona find out?” asked Chase.

“Last week. The guy I owed money to called the office, and Jona picked up. It didn’t take him long to put two and two together.”

“So he had to die, didn’t he?”

Omar nodded morosely.“I didn’t want to kill him, but he was threatening to expose everything and kick me out of the company. I would have been ruined. I tried to reason with him, but he said he’d been patient enough with me and I’d had my last chance and blown it.”

“This had happened before?”

“Yeah, I’d gambled and lost before, and Jona and the others had made up for the money I lost. But this time he said enough was enough. No more handouts. I was on my own.”

“He told the others?”

“He did. They all knew what happened, and they all decided that it was time for me to pay the piper. But I couldn’t, could I? I owe over half a mil. I’ll never be able to pay them back. They’ll kill me, just to set an example. Jona and the others were supposed to be my best friends. But instead they handed me a death sentence.”

“So instead you decided that they all had to die, so you could live.”

“That’s exactly how it was. Especially Dunc was pretty damning in his opinion. He was the one who decided to betray the pact by getting hitched to that stupid broad.” He frowned. “Who was he to get all high and mighty all of a sudden?”

“So they all had to go.”

“But how were you going to repay your debt?” asked Gran.

“Easy. I’d been taking money from gullible old ladies like yourself for weeks, behind Jona’s back, of course, and putting the money down here until I had enough. Only Jona found out when Mrs. Stooge dropped by and wanted her money back. Jona was furious.”

“One more reason for him to die.”

“If I got rid of him, his half of the business would revert to me, and if I could get a few more payments, I’d be able to repay my debt and be home free. The rest of the money I was going to use to get out of here.”

“So you were going to fleece your customers and skip out?” asked Chase.

“Sure! Nothing to keep me here.”

“And to make sure no one would come looking for you, you decided to frame the Careens.”

“They had it coming,” he said with a shrug. “Hounding us about that stupid accident for years. I thought I could kill two birds with one stone. Pay off my debt, get rid of the Careens, and make sure I was set up for life, with enough money to retire on.”

“My Bruce’s money!” Gran cried.

“Gran, there is no Bruce,” Odelia reminded her.

“Oh, right.”

“So is that why you killed your friends in such an ostentatious way?” asked Chase. “To make sure the police would think the Careens were behind the murders?”

“Oh, absolutely. The car on top of Jona, Joel’s living statue—or dead statue—Dunc’s papier-m?ch? display, Sergio’s death by lightning. All to point the finger at the Careens. And it worked, didn’t it? You thought Dominic was behind the whole thing from the start.”

“I did,” Chase confessed. “Though I never felt absolutely convinced.”

“And why is that?”

“Mainly because you didn’t die, I guess. I mean, here we had four vicious murders, all carried out meticulously, and the only one who’d walked away was you, with only a light concussion. That didn’t sit right with me from the start.”

Omar shrugged.“I could have hit myself harder but I hate pain.”

Chase nodded curtly.“Omar Wissinski, you’re under arrest for the murders of Jona Morro, Dunc Hanover, Joel Timperley and Sergio Sorbet.”

Omar winced, then said, softly,“And you can add Poppy Careen.”

We all stared at the man.

“You did that?” said Odelia, shocked.

Omar nodded.“Yup. One more reason for the others to turn their back on me.” He shrugged. “Guess they figured I’d caused them enough trouble over the years.” He grinned a sad grin. “It used to be one for all and all for one, but lately it was all against one, instead. I guess even friendship has itslimits. And I reached that limit a long time ago.”

Chapter 38

“Omar was in real trouble,” I said as I leisurely picked at a piece of sausage Odelia had placed within paw’s reach. “Not only was he in debt because of his gambling addiction, but his business partner was trying to get him kicked out of the company, his friends no longer took his calls, and his dad had changed his will to make sure his inheritance would go to Omar’s younger brother Argyle and not to him.”

“So that’s what the argument between Omar and his mom was about,” said Harriet.

She was lying next to me on the porch swing, and so were Dooley and Brutus. From our perch we had a perfect view of the backyard, where a family party was in full swing.

“Yeah, Omar didn’t think it was fair that Argyle would inherit and he would be cut out of his parents’ will, but Garth and Julia Wissinski knew about their oldest son’s gambling addiction, and didn’t want one cent to go to him in the event of their death. Also, Omar was afraid that the pact was breaking down, and that his friends were prepared to tell the truth about what happened thirteen years ago on that residential street.”

“Omar was driving Dunc’s Mustang that night, wasn’t he?” said Harriet.

“Yes, he was. And until now he’d been able to rely on the bachelor pact, but one by one his friends had started distancing themselves from him, and he felt that they could turn their back on him any moment and go to the cops to finally turn him in.”

“So that’s why he killed his best friends,” said Brutus, shaking his head. “What a guy.”

“I would never turn my back on my friends,” said Dooley earnestly. “Or kill them.”

“I know you wouldn’t, Dooley,” I said. “But Omar felt he didn’t have a choice. He was in a tight place financially, with a huge gambling debt hanging over him, and he thought that if he didn’t move against his friends, they’d move against him, and his life would be over.”

We watched on as Scarlett showed a shiny brochure of a yellow Volvo station wagon to Chase, who eyed it with marked distaste.“And look at all that space!” she said, extolling the virtues of the car. “And it’s got the best safety record.”

“What I don’t understand,” said Harriet, “is why Dominic refused to tell the truth about where he was at the time of the murders. He was only making things harder for himself.”

“Dominic and Kristina had started going through an experimental treatment for her cancer. A clinic in Hampton Keys that has seen some remarkable results. But since they hadn’t told Rick about the cancer, they couldn’t very well come out with the truth.”

“They didn’t want their son to know about his mom’s cancer?”

“They were going to wait. They hoped they’d be able to fight the cancer, and make it go into remission, and then Rick would never have to find out. They felt that their son had already been through enough with the death of his sister, and didn’t want him to think his mom was going to die, too. So they decided to keep her disease a secret for as long as they could.”

“But I thought Kristina was afraid to leave the house?” said Dooley.

“She was, but when she got sick, she had no choice. So with the help of her therapist, she gradually overcame the phobia, even though she still has a hard time with it, even now. Every time they went to the clinic, she locked herself up in her room, then snuck out through the window and visited the clinic with Dominic.”

“All so Rick wouldn’t be traumatized,” said Harriet. “And in the meantime Dominic managed to raise all kinds of suspicions about him being some kind of serial killer.”

“He felt he did what he had to do for his family, consequences be damned,” I said.

“Is she going to be all right?” asked Dooley. “Kristina, I mean?”

“It’s too soon to tell,” I said. “But so far things are looking good.”

“I hope she’ll be okay,” said my friend. “And if not, she can always use Gran’s money to buy herself an even better treatment.”

“That money wasn’t Gran’s, Dooley,” said Harriet, not for the first time. “She had to give it all back to the police the moment Omar was arrested.”

“Too bad,” said Dooley. “It could have bought Kristina a lot of cancer treatment.”

“I think she’ll be fine,” I said. “Knowing that her daughter’s killer is finally caught will go a long way to start healing that family.”

“Do you think Omar’s friends would have told the police?” asked Brutus.

“I don’t know,” I said. “Though judging from what Justina told us, I had the impression that Dunc, especially, was prepared to tell his fianc?e the truth. Though I guess we’ll never know for sure.”

“I’m glad it all turned out all right,” said Harriet. “And I’m also glad that we all worked together so well this time.”

“Yeah, this was a team effort,” I said. “And it took a team to bring Omar to justice.”

Tex held up his arm, the signal Chase had been waiting for to come to his father-in-law’s assistance, and he gladly left Scarlett and her Volvo brochures behind.

“I still think you should get a minivan,” said Gran. “It’s roomy, it’s safe, and if you end up only having the one kid, you could take us all on holiday with you.”

Chase’s face revealed his abject horror at the prospect of taking Odelia’s entire family on holiday with them. But then of course that’s what you get: you don’t just marry one person, you marry their whole family. For better or for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. And with a yellow Volvo station wagon or a roomy minivan.