Downton Tabby (7 page)

“What were you doing in there?” I squared my shoulders and asked. Meanwhile, my eyes searched the room for any sort of object I could use to slow him down. There was the telescope which I was sure would be pretty heavy. And all those gadgets on the shelves might work if I could hurl one of them just right.

“Listen, lady. I don’t know what you’re doing here, but you need to mind your own business.”

“I’m just the catsitter.” Maybe if he thought I was no threat he wouldn’t kill me.

He nodded as if somehow that fact really did let me off the hook, then suddenly he turned, tucked whatever it was he’d taken under his arm, and brushing past me, ran from the room.

I heard his feet pound on the stairs as he went down and then heard the front door slam. I know I should have followed him, but my whole body was frozen in place by my narrow escape. I hurried to the window. He ran to a small, white sports car parked in front of the house next door and sped away. I was too far away to see the make and model. The car had California plates, but I couldn’t see the license number.

I stumbled to the desk and collapsed into the chair. My gaze was drawn to the small secret room beyond the open wall. There were shelves of what looked to be additional electronics. It looked to me like stereo receivers, but I’m betting that wasn’t what they were.

I hurried downstairs, glanced out the front door, and then locked it. I know it sounds silly with people popping out of walls, but it made me feel safer. I picked up my tote which was by the door where I’d left it. Then fishing my cell phone from my bag, I dialed Detective Malone.

“Hello?” Malone answered immediately.

I found my lips quivering, but I gripped the phone tighter and made myself explain what had just transpired. I could tell Malone was a bit irritated that Officer Hostas had not stayed with me.

“I’ll send an officer over,” he said.

“Do I need to stay?” I was already late for an appointment with a new client. I hadn’t planned on my stop for Toria’s things to take so long, and I needed to take her back to my house before I met with the client. And, to tell you the truth, I wasn’t wild about sticking around alone in the empty house.

“Go ahead and leave, but lock up. We’ve got all personnel on duty tied up right now but we’ll check it out. I’ll get your statement later.”

“Okay, thanks.” I noted Toria on the stairs watching me. I grabbed the bag of treats and shook a few in my hand. She trotted right over.

Brilliant. Why hadn’t I thought of the treats earlier?

I put Toria into her carrier so she didn’t take off again. Then I went to re-stack the equipment I’d knocked over. I don’t think I’d ever seen so many computers in one place, short of a big-box store. Once I’d cleaned up my mess, gathered my things to leave, I locked the door and pulled it shut, and then transferred the carrier and Toria’s things to my vehicle.

As I walked around to get in my car, I noticed the next-door neighbor, a tall thin man, standing in his front yard. It was a big house also, though less imposing than Jake and Cash’s. Still, any property in this part of town, you were talking millions. Seeing me, he bent to pull some weeds from the large planter near the stone walkway.

I walked over to the sturdy stone and wrought-iron fence that surrounded the property, but he turned to leave as I got close.

“Hey,” I called. “Did you see the guy that was just here?”

The man didn’t look up. “No, I was busy.” His dark dress pants and blue-striped Brooks Brothers’ shirt seemed like odd attire for yard work.

“He was in that white sports car that just drove away.”

He raised his gaze from the flowers, his thin face expressionless. “Didn’t see it.”

“Fine.” There was no way he could have missed it if he’d been outside.

“What are you doing in there?” He pointed at the house.

“Just picking up some things for Toria, Graham Cash’s cat.”

“She’s vicious.” His hard tone matched his expression.

“What?” I was taken aback by his vehemence. “No, she’s not.” Though I thought maybe Officer Hostas might disagree. Still she’d only scratched him because she’d been startled by the noise I caused when I’d knocked over the computer equipment.

“I hope you take that nasty creature away from here and never bring it back.” He stomped to his front door, went inside, and closed the door with a heavy clank.

Well, heck, not everyone is a cat fan.

I shook my head. What had started out as a mission to pick up some cat food and a few kitty toys had turned into quite an adventure with an injured officer, a secret room, a strange intruder, and an even stranger neighbor. I wondered what the man did for a living. Jake and Cash’s neighborhood wasn’t exactly working class.

I got in my car and put it in gear to back out.

Toria stuck a paw through the carrier door, and said, “Meow!” with a decidedly irritated tone.

“I know, girlfriend.” I patted her paw. “I’m with you. Something is not right.”

Chapter Six

I CALLED OLIVIA, the client I’d been supposed to meet, and apologized. She was very understanding and more than willing to reschedule. I was relieved because having a guy walk out of a wall unexpectedly had thrown me for a loop, and then my interaction with Jake and Cash’s neighbor had heaped on more unease. At the moment I was having trouble keeping my mind in the game.

After dropping Toria off at my house and taking Dogbert for a short walk, I felt a little more composed. I picked up my to-do list and my bag. I hoped I’d be able to concentrate once I got to the office.

My stomach growled as I drove past Green’s Deli, and I took that as a signal I should turn in. You’d think all the stress of the past two days would have caused me to lose my appetite, but it doesn’t work that way with me.

A parking spot opened up in front of the deli, and I parked and grabbed my handbag. They had the best pastrami sandwiches in miles, and while I’m partial to a chocolate éclair from C’est la Vie when I’m stressed, Green’s pastrami was a close second.

As I reached the deli’s entrance, I could almost taste the Swiss cheese and peppery-rub combination that made the sandwich special. Suddenly the glass-plated door opened and Heidi Sussman stepped out. Dressed in her usual pseudo-surfer-girl couture, she held a deli sack and a drink.

“Hello, Heidi.” I couldn’t imagine. In the space of one day, to have someone you were close to die and, on top of it, someone you cared about missing and under suspicion for the friend’s death. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m okay.” Her brightly colored tropical sundress set off her petite stature, her blond hair, and her trim figure. “How about you?”

“Well, since you ask.” I blew out a breath. “I have to tell you I’ve just had quite a scare.”

“What do you mean?” She took a big gulp from the open energy drink can she held.

“I’m really glad I ran into you.” We stepped to the side so others could enter the deli. “I’d like to ask you about a couple of things.”

“Me, really? What about?”

“I was at Cash and Jake’s house today to get some of Toria’s things.”

“I thought no one was allowed in there,” she interrupted.

“I had permission from the police, and an officer went with me,” I explained. “While I was there, this guy appeared from a hidden space in the turret room.”

“I thought you were just there to get stuff for the cat?”

“I was, but I had Toria with me and she got loose and I had to find her.” It seemed to me Heidi was distracted. “Do you know anything about this hidden room?”

“No, they were both pretty secretive about their work though.”

I hadn’t said it had anything to do with their work, but okay.

“So you didn’t know about it?”

“No.” She moved to leave. “I have to get back to work.”

“One more thing. When I left, the next-door neighbor was outside. Tall and thin, I didn’t catch his name, but he sure wasn’t very friendly.”

“No, he’s a kook. He claimed Cash’s cat was vicious and got into his yard and bit him.”

“I can’t imagine Toria doing that.”

So the unfriendly neighbor I’d talked to was also the person who had accused Toria of bad behavior.

“No, neither could Cash. He hardly ever lets the cat out of the house. Maybe out on the patio but that’s all. The weirdo set up video surveillance to catch Toria supposedly in his yard and brought a video over to show Cash. There was a cat in it, but it was impossible to see whether it was Toria or not.”

“Okay, thanks Heidi.” I looked around for her car. “Do you need a lift?”

“No, I’m walking.” She shifted the deli bag to her other hand. “Just grabbing some lunch.”

“Where do you work?” I looked around. The area was full of shops of all kinds.

“Just down the street at Flirts.” She pointed. “It’s a small shop, but we have a lot of cute things.”

“Well, enjoy your lunch, and Heidi . . .” I touched her arm.

She paused; impatience washed across her face.

“If you need to talk to someone, just call me. Okay?”

“Okay.” She nodded and scurried across the intersection.

An odd exchange.

She’d seemed hurried, but that could just be that she had limited time for lunch. What was most peculiar to me, though, was that while Heidi had asked a lot of questions about my being in Jake and Cash’s house, she’d asked nothing about whether I’d heard anything more about Cash’s disappearance.

MALONE CALLED and arranged to meet me at Cash and Jake’s house. I had one client house call and then I’d meet the detective there and show him the location of the secret room. I’d been to this client’s house before, so I knew where I was going. As I cruised up the tree-lined residential street, my mind was still on the conversation I’d just had with Cash’s girlfriend.

I shook my head. I needed to rope in my thoughts and concentrate on the upcoming appointment. This particular dog was an interesting case. In my mind I called it “The Case of the Terrible Teacup” because it always made me smile just a little that the tiny teacup poodle was terrorizing both her owner and the neighborhood. But in truth, it wasn’t funny at all because if the dog bit again she could be slated for doggie detention and her owner could find herself in hot water and even potential legal troubles.

Audra Collins had adopted Nina as a puppy, and the little poodle still looked like a puppy though she was three years old. She was a chocolate teacup and one of the cutest things I had ever seen. She actually looked like a child’s toy she was so tiny and delicate.

When Audra lost her job working for a financial company, the two became best buddies and constant companions. I knew Nina had helped Audra get through a really difficult time.

Audra had taken some online courses to brush up on her skills and recently landed a great job working as an accountant for a local investment group. That’s when the trouble started.

When Nina first started misbehaving, Audra would come home to trash all over the house. (Kind of reminds you of Betty’s big-dog problems doesn’t it?) Nina then moved to tearing up pillows and furniture to where Audra had thought her first few paychecks were going to have to be used to replace her furniture.

But then the situation got worse. Nina became aggressive and had actually nipped at Audra and a neighbor who was outside in his yard.

It was a tough case. Nina had gotten used to Audra being home and hanging out with her, but now Audra needed to help Nina cope with the day-long absences. I had suggested that Audra give Nina some things to do during the times she was gone.

Also I thought Audra could try leaving for shorter periods of time. Because she felt so guilty about leaving her loyal fur-friend who’d gotten her through a terrible time, she was only leaving the toy poodle when she went to work, which signaled to Nina that when Audra left, it was going to be for a long time. I thought if Audra would leave to run some errands and come back in less time, the more frequent coming and going might help Nina to realize that she was not being left behind forever.

My last visit, Audra had agreed to try these tactics, and for this visit I’d planned to check in and see how successful the strategy had been.

I pulled up front and parked. Audra’s house was a low bungalow in the village section of Laguna Beach and had a small front porch which had been decorated with colorfully painted chairs and flower pots. I knocked, and as I did I felt a presence beside me.

Audra opened the door just as I turned to face my ex-husband. Where had he come from?

“Caro.” Audra’s dark-brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her freshly scrubbed face was dotted with freckles. “Please come in.” When we’d first met, the girl was shy as a crocus, but this new position seemed to be bringing her out of her shell.

Geoff stepped forward and took her hand. “Hello, I’m Geoffrey Carlisle, and I’m observing Carolina’s expertise today. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not.” Audra blushed at the attention. “Please join us.”

This was Geoffrey at his best. Charming and attentive.

I couldn’t blame Audra for being captivated. I’d once been young and naïve and had fallen for Geoffrey Carlisle’s crock of charisma.

It was also typical Geoffrey in that he’d done something totally inappropriate by inserting himself into my client house call, and had done it in such a way that I couldn’t put him in his place without coming across like I was the rude one.

“Where is Nina?” I asked as we settled on the couch. A new couch if I wasn’t mistaken.

“She’s napping in her doggie bed.” Audra smiled. “Can you believe it?”

“Well, I was about to ask about progress, but I think the fact she isn’t on high alert tells me what I need to know.”

Audra opened the door to a side room, and Nina yipped and scurried out. She sniffed Geoff, sniffed me, and then ran to her owner.

“We’ve just returned from a long walk. Well, long for her anyway,” Audra laughed. “So she’s tired. I’ve been walking her a little every day, as you suggested, which has been good for her and for me.”

“That’s great.” I reached over and scratched Nina behind her tiny ears.