Murder at the Pet Spa Read online

  “Well, Cynthia, I was just touching base on how things were going, I'm really glad you got it under control, there are still some issues I need to attend to. I may be back, but I'm not really sure. Jeffrey said.

  “No problem Jeffrey, I'll close up after we're finished. The lab guys are pretty much finished too. We could, in theory, open up tomorrow but chances are we wouldn't get much business.” Cynthia said.

  “How so?” Jeffrey asked.

  “Well, some people felt terrible at Karen's death and they will probably be back. On the other hand, others were pretty freaked out and there's a good chance that they're never going to come back. So we may have to increase our advertising to start getting new customers.” Cynthia said.

  “That's a good plan, but I say, let's wait two weeks because this will eventually be in the news, and we want people to forget and start from a clean slate. Besides, I want to hire people to clean out the spa to get rid of the whole aura of death. Get new carpets for the office, those stains aren't going to come out and we don't want that reminder looming around the office.” Jeffrey said.

  “You're right we must remake ourselves if we're going to survive in the future.” Cynthia said.

  After their conversation, Jeffrey left the spa. Once outside, he called Jack.

  “Hey Jack, we're in luck. That Mandy woman I asked you to tail is actually helping out at the spa. You can wait outside the spa in your car, and when she comes out you start tailing her where she goes. She has auburn hair, is wearing a green top and blue jeans. She also has a cat she carries around. You can't miss her. The more I talk to her, the more I realize she's not a problem. But let's take note of her movements for a day or two and take it from there.” Jeffrey said.

  “Ok Jeffrey, let's hope this fizzles out soon.” Jack replied.

  Meanwhile, Roger and Lana had been re-acquainting themselves.

  “I can't believe you came back.” Lana said. “I was prepared to accept this was just a one day fluke and I would never see you again.”

  “Well, we went out this morning, I thought we were going to the park and now we're here again. I did nothing that had any influence over Mandy bringing me back. It's a mystery to me why she came back.” Roger replied.

  “All the animals are gone, except me. I don't know why everybody is going home. However, my people aren't supposed to pick me for at least another 10 days. Which means, whereas before I had the comfort of at least engaging in conversation with the chi-hua-hua they were keeping in the other cage, I'm all alone now.” Lana lamented.

  “Well, maybe I'll come back for something else. Mandy sees we are talking to each other although I'm sure she doesn't understand us. In the same way we don't understand their language.” Roger said.

  “Well, I sometimes understand what they mean, but not specifically what they're saying.” Lana said.

  “I have the same experience. When Mandy wants to go out with me, she'll take out the leash which means we're going somewhere where we can walk.” Roger said.

  “You wear a leash? I thought they only used leashes on dogs?” Lana said astounded.

  “Well, most of the time, Mandy treats me as though I were a dog, we go to the park, we play, I run after birds. I think I told you this.” Roger said.

  “Yes, but why must you wear a leash?” Lana asked.

  “Because I get distracted easily and I want to chase and follow whatever grabs my fancy. With the leash, Mandy can keep me close to her.” Roger explained.

  “There are so many things I don't understand about people.” Lana said frustrated.

  “I agree, I'm confused a lot of times myself. For example, sometimes Mandy talks to me in this high voice and I don't know if she wants to play or if it's dinner time. Usually when she wants to feed me, I get a whiff of the food, and that gives it away. But other times, it takes a couple of tries before I get what she wants.” Roger said.

  “Well, at least Mandy interacts with you. My people rarely interact with me. It's as though I'm a fashion accessory or a decoration for the house.” Lana said.

  “Sorry to hear that.” Roger said.

  Mandy had checked in on Roger before and heard the mews from the cats. She spoke to Jill.

  “I can't believe how well Roger and Lana are getting along. They sit there and mew to each other all the time. It's almost as though they're actually talking to each other. I think they look so cute.” Mandy said.

  Roger and Lana were seated in this carpeted area, part table, part multi-level cat climber. It was designed for animals to climb and to sit on.

  Jill said “Animals are like that. It's possible Roger was lonelier than you thought. And poor Lana is stuck in here, without any other cats to keep her company. For them this is the equivalent of hanging out at the bar, socializing.”

  “Considering how strongly Roger has reacted in dangerous circumstances in the past, I've never seen him interacting with other cats. It's nice to see he's only aggressive in cases where he's trying to protect me.” Mandy said.

  “Yes, they're sitting around like they've known each other all their lives.”

  Roger and Lana each had a paw on top of each other's paw, while they sat there communing.

  “It seems as if they're holding hands the way they're seated.”

  While the cats were socializing, Cynthia came in to chat with Mandy and Jill to hear how they were doing.

  “Hi there. I wanted to express my gratitude for showing up on such short notice. I spoke to Jeffrey and he told me he's going to get the spa cleaned up before he opens up again. It's the best thing he could do from an esthetics point of view, because I couldn't spend any time here with those blood stains on the carpet, and the general atmosphere.

  “The only problem I still have, even though I've accounted for all the animals and the owners are coming over to get their pets, I still haven't been able to reach Lana's owners.” Cynthia said.

  “So, what happens to Lana if they don't show up?” Mandy asked.

  “She gets to stay in the spa all by herself.” Cynthia said.

  “Oh, that doesn't sound very nice. What if I took her home and cat-sat her? Is that allowed?”

  “That's a delicate situation, I'd have to check with Jeffrey. If something happened to her it's our responsibility and people get awfully touchy about their pets.” Cynthia explained.

  “You're right. Well, let me know, Roger and Lana get along really well.” Mandy said. “At the very least, I can come by again and keep having spa dates so they can keep each other company.”

  “That would work. And hey, maybe Jeffrey will say it's ok to take Lana. I can see you two are very experienced animal people.” Cynthia said.

  “Yes, animals are something very near and dear to our hearts. We love animals, especially our own. That's why I feel so bad leaving Lana alone. But I understand, there are legalities and other thorny issues.” Mandy said, a little disappointed not to be able to take Lana with her.

  Finally it was time to go and Mandy and Jill got their things together. Roger said goodbye to Lana.

  “I can't say when I'll be back, but I think Mandy approves of both of us together. So, I may see you again.” Roger said.

  “I hope so. You're the first cat I've ever really connected with. Not that I've had much contact with many.” Lana said.

  “Same here. Other than the animals I saved from a strange place, I've never had contact with other animals.” Roger said.

  “You saved animals from a strange place? Roger, why are you always leading such an adventurous life and I'm stuck indoors all the time?” Lana sighed wistfully.

  “Well, I don't know, it just happens. Plus it wasn't all fun and games. Men broke into the house and took me against my will. One moment I was sitting on the sofa, next moment I wake up at this strange place, after being unconscious for who knows how long.” Roger said.

  (For those of you joining us for the first time, this is what happened in Book 2 of the series. Roger was kidnapped and got help
from his guardian angel in escaping from the place he was being kept prisoner.)

  “And you managed to escape and save all the animals?” Lana asked.

  “Yes, we were picked up by other people who eventually brought Mandy to pick me up.” Roger explained.

  “Well, I hope that you have a good night tonight. As for me, I'm looking at a whole night alone.” Lana said.

  “Sorry. I can't understand why Mandy doesn't take you. There's plenty of room at the house.” Roger said

  “I wonder the same thing.” Lana said.

  Meanwhile, Mandy said to Roger “Come Roger, let me put the leash on you, we're leaving. I'm guessing you were saying goodbye to Lana?” Mandy asked. Then Mandy said to Lana “Oh honey, I'm sorry to leave you by yourself. I wanted to take you home, but they're trying to find out if it's ok. You rest up and maybe I'll be able to take you home tomorrow.”

  Lana saw that Mandy was talking to her, but other than a sad voice, she couldn't make out what she said.

  They walked away, Mandy carrying Roger and Jill walking beside her, Roger looking back at Lana, saying so much more with his eyes than he could muster the words for. When they reached outside the spa, Vance saw Mandy with Roger.

  “Oh hi Mandy. You brought Roger to the spa again. Can I pet him?” Vance was looking very happy.

  “Well, let's see if he wants to be petted.” Mandy put Roger on the ground and let him walk around a bit. Vance stuck out his hand waiting for Roger's response and if he would come to it. Roger came close to Vance and Vance petted him, and Roger arched his back, to get the full effect of the petting.

  “He's such a great cat. Are we still going to have our playdate?” Vance asked.

  “Yes, I'm sure Roger is looking forward to it.” Mandy said.

  Mandy and Jill walked away with Roger at her side, walking along with them, while Vance waved goodbye.

  Jill asked “Playdate?”

  Mandy explained “Vance asked if I could bring him over his house, he supposedly has a big yard in front, he just wants to play Frisbee and watch Roger running around. He looked so expectant and so elated to be doing this, I couldn't say no. Besides, it's probably good therapy for him. I'm looking at it as my good deed for the week.”

  “I see. Well, I'm sure it will be fine.”

  “That's the way I see it.” Mandy replied.

  While Mandy and Jill were having this conversation, from across the street Mandy was being watched. Jack had parked across the street from the spa and when he saw a woman wearing a green top with a cat, he figured this was Mandy. He took a picture with his cellphone to make sure he recognized her in the future. He stuck around to see what car she drove. When he heard the familiar sound of the remote opening the car, he got into his car. It was time to tail Mandy.

  Chapter Eleven

  Mandy decided now was a good time to go home and relax for a while. She drove as she normally did when she was heading home. However, unbeknownst to her, Jack was following her where she was going. Eventually, Mandy reached her home and parked her car. At seeing she was parking, Jack drove up the street, and parked in a direction to watch her from his rear view mirror. He noticed she got out of the car and went into a house. He guessed this was her home and once she was inside, he drove back to take note of the address. Once he noted that, he parked in a spot to watch the house.

  After a half hour, nobody came out, he figured it was time to call it a day watching Mandy. He thought it was a waste of time to follow this woman, he figured Jeffrey was being paranoid. However, he understood the position of the group. There was huge money riding on this, and it would be a shame to lose the gravy train.

  Meanwhile, in the house, Mandy was making tea and talking to Roger regarding the spa today.

  “Well Roger, you got to spend quality time with Lana today, huh?” You two were carrying on like Frick and Frack. Roger looked up at her but he didn't know what she was talking about. “Maybe they'll allow us to babysit Lana while they renovate the spa. I definitely think Lana likes you, and you two are very cozy with each other.” Mandy kept wondering if they would allow her to take Lana for a day or two. Well, time will tell, all she had to do was call up Cynthia.

  Once she sat with a cup of tea and biscuits, she took out the notebook she had found the day before from the place she had hidden it in. She had done bookkeeping before and this was definitely a bookkeeping record. She noticed these activities had been going on for a couple of years. It seemed to be a record of very large sums. She wondered what they represented. Many of the entries were as recent as one week ago. At some point, Mandy was going to have to show this to Jill to get feedback. She hesitated showing it to Fred because he would take it away from her and keep it as evidence. Since she was seeing Fred in the evening for one of their friendly get togethers, Fred might give her an update of what the police thought was happening. If they had not discovered anything more than the murder was a result of a domestic argument, she could continue analyzing what the notebook signified in all this.

  For those of you joining us for the first time, Fred Stone, Pleasant Falls police chief, was going through a very bad period in the last book, and he reached out to Mandy as somebody to talk to about pleasant topics, but not about police work. She had created an astrological chart for him. In addition, she read Tarot cards for him as a way of coping with his stressed out state. He needed a new direction in life. So, the meetings had been fruitful, and it was gratifying to see a human side that Fred had lost for a while as a result of becoming a police chief.

  At that moment, the phone rang. It was Jill “Hey, I was calling to see if you wanted to get dinner tonight?”

  “I would normally say yes, but tonight I'm getting together with Fred for this non-police talks, plus dinner.” Mandy said.

  “How's that working out? Is it evolving into something more than therapy?” Jill was hopeful Mandy and Fred would hit it off.

  “Well, so far I'm focusing on his charts and his Tarot readings. I'm more of a therapist and a friend. I do enjoy his company and he seems to enjoy mine. Hey, it never hurts to have more good friends in your life.” Mandy said.

  “Yeah, that's for sure. That's why it's such a shame what happened to Karen. I was hoping we could all re-connect now as adults.” Jill said.

  “Yes, that would have been great. And speaking of Karen, on our first visit to the spa, I found something nobody seems to be talking about. But it sure looks like a significant something. I'm still trying to figure out what to make of it.” Mandy said, confiding in Jill.

  “What did you find?” Jill said, knowing this could only mean trouble.

  “Well, I found this notebook. Originally I was going to give it to Cynthia, but in the hustle and bustle of the day of the murder, I forgot. However, when I got home, and I examined it more, I realized this was accounting record. I'm telling you Jill, somebody was keeping track of a LOT of money. If you come over tonight, I can show it to you.”

  “How much money is involved?” Jill asked.

  “In the hundreds of thousands.” Mandy said.

  “I'm sure we're both thinking the same thing. Perhaps that's the real motive for the murder.” Jill said.

  “That's what I'm beginning to think too. Makes me wonder if Karen was doing something dangerous. Could Cynthia and Jeffrey be in on it too?” Mandy asked.

  “Yeah, that's definitely something to consider. Are you going to hand it over to Fred?” Jill asked.

  “Well, I wanted to hold onto it for a while, to try to make sense of it. Seems like deposits are made, then money is split in five different ways. There are only initials, not anybody's name or company names. So, this may refer to individuals or other companies. But somebody is making BIG money and paying out dividends.” Mandy explained.

  “I definitely want to see this thing. I think it's a good idea to take pictures in case it mysteriously disappears. There's a saying in the tech business that a thing doesn't exist unless it exists in 3 places. They're usual
ly referring to data. We'll try to get it to exist in at least 2. Maybe make a copy of the whole thing at the copy center.” Jill said.

  “Hey, that's an idea. That way I can make notes on the pages and not get my fingerprints on this thing in case this is the cause of the murder.” Mandy said.

  “We'll keep in touch with Cynthia and see if she brings it up. If she mentions it in any way, then it means she's in on it. I hate to sound morbid, but if this is why Karen was killed and Cynthia is in on it, she's just as guilty as the killer.” Jill said.

  “You're right. Considering the amounts I'm seeing in this book, there sure are people willing to kill for large sums of money.” Mandy said. “And then, if you really want to start speculating, maybe the boyfriend was killed too, and that's the reason we haven't heard from him, because he's dead and buried somewhere or at the bottom of a river.” Mandy said.

  “Yeah, but why wouldn't they leave the body behind? Unless they wanted to make believe he killed her, take his body, dump it somewhere or keep it on ice, and he becomes a suspect.” Jill said.

  “Well, if that's the case, then Cynthia couldn't have done it. Allen is very strong and Cynthia would be no match for him.” Mandy said.

  “That's true. Well, one thing's for sure, this notebook opens up a whole new set of possibilities. We'll keep an eye on Cynthia just in case.”

  “We'll find out if she says something in the way of “Hi, did you guys come across a notebook?” Jill said.

  “On the other hand, we've been with her for the last two days and her concern has been for Karen and for the animals. If this was truly a priority for her, she would have asked us about it by now.” Mandy said.

  “You're right, she's had plenty of chances to ask. Even the day at Joanie's she was a basket case and only our intervention was what saved her from going over the brink. What truly concerned her was Karen.” Jill said.

  “Now, I'm looking at eating alone, because with all these thoughts in my head, I'm just going to explore the possibilities in my head, which is going to drive me crazy. And there's nobody I can discuss this with in the meantime.” Jill said.