Costume Party, Cuffs, and Cupcakes

Sadie Silver Mystery #10

KAILIN GOW

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Thank you for picking up Costume Party, Cuffs, and Cupcakes

 (Sadie Silver Mystery #10)

This series is a cozy mystery with clean romance and some pet paranormal elements recommended for age 13 and up.

Summary

Celebrity Pastry Chef Sadie Silver loves mixing travel, food, romance, and crime solving wherever she goes or stays...along with the help of her intelligent cat Orchid and sensitive-smelling-nose dog Biscuit. handsome forensic scientist Palmer, and the mysterious gorgeous man who always places an order directly from her for a dozen red velvet cupcakes.

In this episode, Sadie attends a costume party fundraiser at the Mayor's Mansion which ends up in murder. Her ability to hear Biscuit and Orchid is getting stronger, while Sadie ends up having to choose between two men close to her. 

**The Sadie Silver Mysteries is a sweet cozy mystery series written in episodes. Each book is an episode appropriate for 12 and up.**.

Chapter 1

Sadie

“This is going to be a fun night,” Sadie said as she adjusted the heavy bangle around her neck, then ran her hand over her slick dark hair.

“I’m not so sure,” Palmer said, looking stiff in his police uniform.

They pulled up in front of the mayor’s mansion.  The old colonial style home, with its tall white columns, deep red bricks and dozens of windows, was lit up with hundreds of deep purple lights.

The eerie glow added to the drama of the night.

The immense grounds sloped down toward the street with the mansion set twenty feet above street level.  It added to the majesty of the large home.

“Pull up over there,” Sadie said, pointing to a parking spot in the parking lot to the right of the large house.

As Palmer parked the car and killed the engine, Sadie looked into the backseat to see Biscuit and Orchid sitting patiently.  “Come on, guys,” she said.  “It’s time to party.”

She got out and straightened her crisp white dress that was tied at the waist with a thick golden cord.  With dozens of bangles clinking together on her wrists, she once again ran her hand over her thick black hair.

“Hey, Cleopatra,” Palmer called over the hood of the car.  “How do I look?”

“You’d give Kenwood a run for his money,” she said, admiring the way the police uniform highlighted his strong build.

“Thanks,” he grunted as he looked up at the mansion.  “Still… I’ve never been a fan of masquerade balls.”

“Oh,” Sadie said as she opened the back door to the car to let her pets out.  “Costume parties are such fun.  I can’t wait to see how everyone else is dressed up.”

Biscuit hopped out of the car and immediately sat down to look up at her.  I’m with him.  This feels silly.

“You look adorable Anubis,” Sadie said.

Please, don’t call me that.

“You’re a veritable Egyptian god.”

Yeah.  God of the dead.

To give him the appearance of being half jackal and half human, Sadie had constructed a gingerbread man’s body out of thick caramel colored felt which she draped around his neck.  The human body, arms and legs hung in front of him.

“Are you coming out, Orchid?” Sadie called into the backseat of the car.

The feline let out a long, wailing meow before finally emerging with all the grace and elegance of Cleopatra’s favorite Egyptian guard cat.

Thank goodness you didn’t have to dress me up like a clown in order to make me look regal and noble.

Sadie looked at her and nodded.  All she’d done was use a little food dye to darken the contour of Orchid’s eyes, accentuating the slanted eyes.

I told you I looked silly, Biscuit argued, pawing at the costume.  Look at me.  I’ve got a big head over this tiny human body.  It’s ridiculous, I tell you.

“You both look great,” Sadie said as she readjusted her sandals, brought her serpent armband back to her upper arm and turned to head to the party.  “Come on.  You two play nice.”

Pulling his police cap over his head, Palmer walked beside her.  “I have to say, I really like your choice in costume.  You look great, Sadie.”

She snorted.  “Thanks.  I figured, I already have the thick straight hair.  Might as well take advantage of that.”

Well then, with that logic, why didn’t you make me Toto, instead of Anubis?

“Besides,” Sadie said as she looked down at Biscuit and smiled.  “We’re a set,” she said.  “Cleopatra, her loyal guard cat and the ever present Anubis.  We’re all together.”

They arrived at the wide front steps that led up to the lawn level.  After his third try at climbing the steps and tripping over his gingerbread human form, Sadie picked Biscuit up and carried him up the steps.

Can this evening get more humiliating?

“Stop fussing,” Sadie said as she set him back down.  “You like it when I pick you up.”

“Wow,” Palmer let out.  “Look at that.  It was spectacular looking from the street level, but up here and up close.  Geesh.  How many man hours do you think it took to put all those lights up?”

“Probably thirty,” Sadie said shooting out a number.

Palmer frowned and looked at her.  “How did you figure that?”

“Well,” she said, a little tongue in cheek.  “It probably would have taken ten woman hours to put them up, and since…”

Palmer let out a laugh before she could finish.  “Don’t get me started.”

She laughed along with him as they walked up the paved walkway that led straight to the big old mansion.

“Did you know that this place was built way back in the late seventeen hundreds?” Palmer said.

Sadie nodded.  “1786, to be exact.”

He looked at her and smiled.  “Figures you would know about this.”

Up ahead of them was Frankenstein along with his bride.  Quickly coming up from behind them was a ballerina who was being playfully chased by a gorilla.

“Who knows?” Palmer said, flexing his muscles under the tight short sleeved blue shirt.  “Maybe I’ll make an arrest today.”  He patted his belt that had all the accessories a police officer would need.

“We already have one sheriff in town,” Sadie said.

“Speaking of which,” Palmer said.  “Is Kenwood coming to this shindig?”

“I don’t know,” Sadie said dreamily as she looked all around her.  The grounds, the light evening breeze tainted with the scent of dry leaves and pine needles, the twinkling lights and the amusing costumes… it all made for such a perfect evening.

“He should come as a prisoner,” Palmer went on.  “Now, that would be funny.”

Something sure smells interesting here.

“What’s the matter, Biscuit,” Sadie said, looking down at him as he sat down and looked around, his nose in the air.

His tail wagged with excitement.  Too many scents.  I don’t know where to sniff first.  People, food, I suspect perhaps a pet… lots and lots of interesting scents.

Sadie looked at him and smiled.

Permission to investigate, oh, great queen of the Nile?

“Permission granted,” Sadie said.  “Go do whatever your canine senses tell you to, but don’t let me catch you stealing anything off of anyone’s plate.”

Never would I dare.

“What was that all about?” Palmer said, casting her a quizzical glare.

Sadie just shrugged and looked down at Orchid.  “What about you?  Are you going to run off, too?”

Not bothering to respond, Orchid slowly and gracefully followed behind Biscuit who was trotting as best as he could with his cumbersome costume.  He headed around the corner of the house.

Sadie and Palmer arrived at the entrance, gave their names, and once they’d been checked off the guest list, they made their way down the wide corridor and came to the huge ballroom.

“Isn’t this grand?” Sadie said as she looked around the historical room.

The high ceiling added even more dimension to the already large room.  The wood floors were polished to a shine and the light fixtures all bore deep purple lights instead of the usual white ones.

Swaths of purple fabric was hung strategically around the large room while pops of crisp white flowers added light and life.

“Oh!” Sadie called out.  “There’s my table!”

Palmer followed her as she hurried across the wide expanse of the ballroom.  “I didn’t know you were catering this thing?”

“Who else?” she said as she reached the table and nodded a greeting to Daniel and Libby, two of her trusted employees.  “How is everything going?” she asked them.

“The only negative comment we’ve heard so far, is that there might not be enough,” Libby said.  “Those little pecan tarts are disappearing fast.”

“Your bitesize beignets are also very popular.”

“I’m happy to hear that,” Sadie said.  She picked up a small beignet and popped it into her mouth, nodding her approval.

“Wow,” Palmer commented as he picked up a treat then looked out at the partygoers.  “Look at Marie Antoinette over there.  Man… what a costume.”

“Ha,” Sadie let out.  “And is that Henry VIII?”

“Not sure,” Palmer said.  “He looks a little too slim.”

“Perhaps a younger Henry.”

“Speaking of younger… I do believe that Elvis is in the building.”

Smiling, Sadie spotted the king of rock and roll as he strutted in with a Priscilla lookalike on his arm.

“Oh,” Palmer said as he continued to scan the crowd.  “If ever you’re not feeling well, there’s a nurse over there.”

Sadie’s gaze followed the direction of his pointed finger.  “Oh!” she let out excitedly.  “That’s not a nurse!  That’s Mrs. Trudy Roper!  Oh, my God!  I haven’t seen her in ages.”  She handed Palmer her half eaten pecan tart and headed off in the direction of the older woman.

The vivacious redhead was talking a mile a minute, telling a construction worker about her latest trip to the Caribbean as Sadie approached.

“You absolutely have to go there someday,” she was saying.

“Mrs. Roper?” Sadie said, reluctant to interrupt the animated conversation.

“Sadie!” the older woman exclaimed, immediately throwing her arms in the air to pull Sadie in for a warm hug.

Sadie had always loved and appreciated the older woman.  In her late forties, Mrs. Roper was an attractive woman who stayed in shape and loved adventure.  She could talk miles around anyone and always had an amusing tale to tell.

“Look at you!” the woman said as she held Sadie at arm’s length.  “You are positively breathtaking.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, honey.  When was the last time I saw you?  I think you were just graduating from high school.”

Sadie nodded.  “The last time I saw you was when we all went on that road trip with my mom.  I think we went somewhere around Salem.  I just have a vague memory of witches… and then nightmares.”

Mrs. Roper laughed.  “Sorry about that.  I didn’t bring you there to scare you.  Just thought it’d be fun.  Oh.  We did have a lot of fun, didn’t we… your mother, you and I?”

“Those trips were always fun and often educational.  I have a lot of fond memories.”

“Gotta mix business with pleasure, I always say.”

“I can still remember those school trips you would take us all on in fifth grade.”

“Oh, yes,” Mrs. Roper said.  “Those were the days.  Nothing like seeing a child’s eyes open wide with wonder when they discover something new.”

Sadie smiled.  “Are you still teaching at Fortune Falls Elementary?”

“Regrettably, no.”

“Oh.  I’m sorry to hear that.  The kids are really missing out on something.”

Mrs. Roper let out a sad laugh, then looked at Sadie.  “How’s your mother doing?”

“She’s good.  Keeping busy.”

“Good,” Mrs. Roper said simply.  “Good.”

“I’ve missed you,” Sadie said as she realized that the older woman had always been more of an aunt to her than a former teacher.

“If I could have your attention,” a tall thin man called from the podium beside the bandstand.  “Our guest list is complete.  Everyone is in attendance.  Let the party officially begin.”

The crowd cheered and many raised the glass that they had already emptied.

“This is going to be fun,” Mrs. Trudy Roper said.

“But I haven’t seen Mayor Miller yet,” Sadie said, looking around.  “I heard that she was going to be dressed as a large sunflower. She should be easy to spot.”

Mrs. Roper also looked around the ballroom.  “She’s probably planning her grand entrance.”

Biscuit suddenly came up to Sadie, pawing at her leg.

“Well, who is this funny little fella?” Trudy said.

“That’s my little Biscuit.”

“What a sweet looking dog.  What is he dressed as?”

Funny little fella… uh boy.

“He’s Anubis,” Sadie said.

Biscuit pawed again.

“Now go out and play, Biscuit.”

You have to come with me.

“Not now, Biscuit,” Sadie said under her breath.

“Like I was saying, Mayor Miller loves to make a grand entrance.  She should be here at any moment now.”

But something didn’t feel right.  The costume party was meant to be a fundraiser organized by the mayor.  It was something that she did every year.

That she be absent at the party seemed odd.

Sadie looked to the three sets of French doors that opened onto the flat stone patio behind the house. 

Come on.  Come see.

Sadie looked down at Biscuit and frowned.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Roper,” Sadie said.  “I’ll go bring him back outside.”

“No worries,” Trudy said.

Sadie turned to go to a set of French doors to get some fresh air when a blood curdling scream rang out.  She looked down at Biscuit.

Told you.

Within seconds, Palmer was at her side as she rushed out onto the patio.

“Where did that scream come from?” Palmer said, looking out into the dark night.

Despite the hundreds of tiny purple lights, the garden beyond the patio was dark.

But the scream rang out again, coming from the left.

This way.  Biscuit scampered back and forth in front of Sadie.

“Over there,” Palmer said, as he pulled the flashlight from his belt and rushed toward the scream.

Sadie came up to him as he stopped suddenly before a series of large rose bushes.  “What’s going on?”

A young couple dressed as Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy stood there staring at the rose bed.  The young woman was shaking as the young man held her.

“Maybe you two should go inside,” Sadie suggested.

Nodding, the young couple took a hesitant step back, but seemed reluctant to leave.

Sadie stooped down as Palmer directed his flashlight under the bush.

“Oh, Palmer,” Sadie said in a sad and hushed tone.

Two delicate hands with long tapered fingers and manicured nails stuck out from the soil.

“No.  No.  No.  No,” Sadie let out as her heart sank.  She looked up at the young couple, still standing there.  “Call the police!”

Confused, Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy looked at Palmer and pointed.

“No!” Sadie shouted.  “That’s just a costume.  Go!  Go call the police.”

They took off but a small crowd of partygoers had begun to seep out of the mansion and were closing in.

Sadie tried to ignore them as she concentrated on what was in front of her.

She glanced at Palmer as he knelt down beside Sadie. “There’s something shining there in the dirt,” he said, pointing with his flashlight.

Not wanting to disturb the crime scene, Sadie took a pen out of Palmer’s breast pocket and flicked off just a bit of the dirt to better expose the shiny object.

“Handcuffs?” she said, looking curiously at the shiny metal.  “Damn.  Her hands are cuffed together.”

Palmer directed the light farther under the bush.  “Whoever put her here was in a hurry.  She’s not even really buried.  Look.  She’s only wearing skimpy lingerie.”

Chapter 2

“They’re over there.”

Sadie heard the distant voice, then the approaching footsteps.  She stood to face Kenwood as he came to them.

While still looking like the town sheriff, he wore an older version of a sheriff’s uniform.  Instead of the dark blue, he wore brown slacks with a tan shirt and brown tie.  He also had a large star pinned to his chest.

“Cute,” he took the time to say as he took a good look at her.  Then he brought his attention to the rose bush.  “The people at the party here are going crazy with speculation.  Since the mayor hasn’t shown up yet, many think this could be her.”  He gestured to the bush.  “What do you have?”

“A pair of very elegant and feminine hands.  She’s cuffed and wearing silk lingerie.”

Kenwood frowned.  “Is this just some kinky play gone wrong?”

Sadie shook her head.  “I don’t think so.”

“Wait a minute,” Kenwood said as he stooped down to take a better look.  “Is this really Mayor Mika Miller?”

“Looks like it,” Palmer said.  “That ring.  Isn’t that the ring she got last year in honor of some major funding she’d received for the city?”

Kenwood stood and took a closer look at Palmer.  “This isn’t good,” he muttered.  “People are going to want answers.”

“That goes without saying,” Palmer said.

Kenwood shot him a condescending glare.  “It’s pretty arrogant of you to come here wearing a police uniform, Palmer.  Were they all out of firefighter uniforms?”

“I didn’t ask,” Palmer said.  “I just thought it’d be funny to come here as…”

“What?” Kenwood said, his brow furrowed.  “As me?”

“No.  No,” Palmer said with a bit of a smirk.  “I would never do that.”

Kenwood looked him up and down.  “Nice.  Very realistic.  Nice shirt.  Pants look right.  You’ve got your fake gun there, your taser… oh, and a flashlight that actually works.  Look at that.”

“I brought my own,” Palmer said with a smug grin.

“What happened to your cuffs?”

“Huh?”

“Your handcuffs,” Kenwood said, gesturing to Palmer’s belt.  “Where are your handcuffs?”

Palmer’s arms floated so that he could better take a look at his belt.  “I don’t know.  Don’t think the uniform came with any.”

“Pretty convenient, if you ask me,” Kenwood said.

Sadie cocked her head to the side.  “What are you saying, Kenwood?”

He pulled his own cuffs off his belt just as the forensic team made its way through the crowd.  Reaching for Palmer’s wrist, he slapped the cuff on it.

“What?” Palmer said in surprise.

“Kenwood!” Sadie shouted.  “What are you doing?”

Kenwood quickly grabbed Palmer’s other wrist and brought it behind his back with the first, efficiently cuffing him.

“What man, what are you doing?” Palmer said.

“Come quietly,” Kenwood said.  “Don’t ruin the party.”

“I think the party is ruined, Kenwood,” Sadie snapped.  “Come on.  You can’t be serious.  You have a woman here who is dead and half buried, and you’re going to take away Palmer?  You have to be kidding.”

“You know that I don’t kid around with things like this, Sadie.”  Kenwood looked pointedly at her.  “She’s got cuffs on her wrists and he…”  He shook Palmer’s handcuffed wrists for emphasis.  “… he has everything to go with this uniform except his handcuffs.  If you want to think that it’s just a coincidence, fine.  I happened to think that it makes him a suspect.”

He turned to walk away with a firm grip of Palmer’s arm as onlookers gasped.

Furious, Sadie marched along beside them.  It was difficult to keep up with her sandals, but when they’d cut through the crowd, Kenwood stopped to look at her.  “This is official police business.”

“No.  This is ridiculous, Kenwood.  You know that you’re being ridiculous.  You know darn well that Palmer would never do such a thing.  For crying out loud, Kenwood, he’s wearing a costume.  Even if he did have handcuffs, they would be plastic or some sort of flimsy metal.  They wouldn’t give anyone a costume with real handcuffs.”

Palmer said, “Actually, this is a real police uniform I got from a friend.” He shook his head, “But I would never…”

“We can discuss the specifics later, Sadie,” Kenwood said, looking straight ahead as he resumed walking Palmer through the garden instead of passing through the crowded home.

As they reached the front of the property, Kenwood glanced at Sadie.

“You might want to hang around as the forensics do their work.  Maybe you’ll find something interesting to get your friend here off.”

Infuriated, she pressed her lips together to keep from shouting at him.  She couldn’t believe that he could do such a thing.

“Kenwood,” she pleaded simply as she took a calming breath.

He turned to her.  “Don’t take this personally.  I’m just doing my duty.”

“No,” she said softly.  “This is personal.  You see Palmer as a rival.  You’re just doing this to get him out of the way.  To make him look bad.”

Kenwood reached the patrol car and hesitated.

“You’re abusing your power and you know it,” she went on.  “You’re using it for your own personal benefit.  Isn’t there a law against that, Kenwood?  Huh?  This is just a personal vendetta.”

He turned to look at her, his eyes filled with hurt and uncertainty.

“I swear, Kenwood,” Sadie said.  “If you’re going to tell me that you’re the sort of man who would do such a thing… well then, you’re the sort of man that I would never want to be with.”

He opened the door to the backseat of the patrol car, placed his hand firmly atop Palmer’s head and guided him in.  After closing the door, he turned to Sadie.  “I’m sorry you feel that way,” he said softly.  “Really.  I am.”

Chapter 3

With her fists on her hips, Sadie stood there and watched in horror as the patrol car drove off with Palmer in the backseat.

“Sadie?”

Sadie turned to see Trudy standing there.

“Are you all right?”

Sadie nodded but couldn’t find her voice to speak.

“I couldn’t help but hear you arguing with that young man.”

“Yeah,” Sadie said as she walked back up toward the house and Mrs. Roper.

“Was that your boyfriend?”

Sadie glanced at Roper and shook her head.

“Are you sure, honey?”

“They’re both friends of mine,” Sadie said.  “But Kenwood has been growing increasingly jealous of Palmer lately.  Palmer is an old friend… a good friend.  But I really think that Kenwood just arrested him out of spite… just to get him away from me.”

“Men,” Roper said with a light chuckle.

Sadie looked up inside the house.  “I’m not really in a partying mood,” she said.  She then saw in the distance that the forensic team was busily working.  “Then again, I think the party was over before it really had a chance to begin.  Everything is ruined.  The night is ruined.”

“I think you’re right,” Roper said.  “I think I’m going to head home and see if I can’t put this little nurse’s outfit to better use.”  She winked at Sadie and turned to leave.

A few steps away, she turned back to look at Sadie.  “If you’re not busy, why don’t you stop by tomorrow.  We can have tea and a nice chat.  You look like you might have a few things to get off your mind.”

“I’d like that,” Sadie said softly.

“Good,” Roper said.  “Does two o’clock sound good?”

Sadie nodded.

“See you then.”

*****

Waking up at the crack of dawn, which arrived later and later every morning as the days of autumn shortened, Sadie headed to the kitchen.

Once the coffee was underway, she opened her cupboards and pulled out the bag of flour, reached for the box of salt and baking powder then got out her container of sugar.

On a baking frenzy this morning?

Biscuit looked up at her.

“I just thought I’d make a batch of cupcakes,” Sadie said.  “I woke up with an idea for a nice fall flavor combination and I wanted to give it a try.”

Pumpkin spice?

“No.  That’s tried and true.  I wanted to try something with a more earthy feel.”

How are you going to do that?

Sadie shrugged.  “Not sure yet.”

She got to work, trying out various spices… a bit of ginger, a touch of cloves, some nutmeg, cardamon and even a pinch of saffron. 

When she finally had a blend that she was happy with, she let the cupcakes cool, iced and frosted them then packed them into a pastry box and headed off to Roper’s house.

Not too far from the elementary school where she had once taught, Mrs. Roper’s house was modest, with a cute gabled roof and tons of gingerbread.  It was adorable and inviting with its shutters and flower boxes.

Her front garden still bloomed with late autumn flowers and amidst the foliage were a variety of gnomes, decorative mushrooms and glass butterflies.

“Come on in,” Roper called from the balcony.

“I was just admiring your garden,” Sadie said as she walked up the stone path. 

“What’s left of it,” Roper said.  “You should see it in summer.  Spectacular.”

As Sadie reached the door, she handed Roper the pastry box.  “I made these this morning.  Thought you might like to try them.”

“Oh,” Roper said, sniffing the box.  “I don’t know what’s in there, but it smells divine.  Come on.  We’ll have them with some tea.”

Sadie followed Roper inside and was immediately struck by the charm and whimsy of the place.  There seemed to be knickknacks and oddities everywhere.  Roper had a set of bright red loveseats facing one another in the living room, each adorned with mustard yellow cushions.  On the floor between them was a multicolored rug on which sat a large coffee table made of old wooden crates and topped with what looked like an old stained-glass window.

Roper headed straight to the kitchen where she set the pastry box on the counter of the small island, pulled out a pair of scissors and snipped the string that held the box secure.

“Now, let’s see what we have here.”  Roper opened the box and squealed with delight.  “Cupcakes!  And they are all so darling.”

“I’m trying out my fall flavors.”

“Oh.  Does that mean that I’m the first to try these?”

“The very first.”

Roper picked one of the cupcakes that was topped with thick orange frosting sprinkled with chocolate shavings.  She took a big bite and immediately gave Sadie a thumb’s up.

“Look at me,” Roper said as she tossed the cupcake back into the box.  “What a hostess I am.  I invite you over for tea and I immediately gorge myself on the food that you brought.”

The kettle whistled its completion of its task and Roper poured the steaming water into a teapot that was in the shape of a large head of cabbage.  She then placed it along with two matching teacups on a tray.

“I’ll bring the tea,” she said as she headed to the dining room.  “You bring the treats.”

Sadie picked up the pastry box and followed her to a small wicker table surrounded by four delicate little wicker chairs, each with the colorful cushion.

She sat across from Roper who quickly took to the task of pouring tea into the cups.  “If you prefer it a little stronger, I can let it steep a little longer,” she said after pouring the first cup. “But I like it rather weak.”

“It looks fine like that,” Sadie said.

Roper poured the second cup, then gestured to the cream and sugar already on the table which Sadie declined.

“I’m so glad you decided to come by,” Roper said.  “You seemed so upset last night, and I wasn’t sure you’d want to come around and talk to this old broad about it all.”

Roper reached into the pastry box to retrieve the cupcake she’d taken a bite from and proceeded to devour it.  As she reached in for a second one, she looked up at Sadie.  “I’d heard that you’d started your own bakery.  I’ve even stopped in a time or two.  But, dear, this really is special.  I really had no idea just how talented you really are.  All this from my little former student, Sadie.”

Sadie smiled.

“Hey!  What smells so good?”

Surprised by the booming male voice, Sadie almost fell out of her chair.  She’d assumed she was alone with Roper.  She turned to see a good looking, heavy set man walk in.  His hair was slicked back, and he appeared to be fresh out of the shower.

“Dillinger,” Roper said, clearly familiar with the unexpected intruder.  “Come.  Meet my former student who’s like a niece to me.”

The man looked at Sadie and smiled.

It took Sadie a moment to collect her thoughts and get over the sudden surprise.  She also held back from asking who he was.

“Sadie,” Roper said as she gestured for Dillinger to sit down.  “This is my friend, Dillinger.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sadie said.

“Same here,” he said as he leaned in to kiss Roper. who turned away, forcing him to plant a warm kiss on her cheek.

“I told you she was coming by for tea,” Roper went on.  “And look.  She brought treats.”

Dillinger glanced into the box and pulled out a cupcake topped with white icing, black stripes and orange dots between the stripes.  He took a bite and nodded.  “Good,” he said simply as he turned and left them.

“He seems nice,” Sadie said as she watched him leave.

Roper shrugged.  “He’s a good man.”

“How long have you two been dating?”

“Long enough,” Roper said.

Sadie cocked her head to the side.  “Oh?”

“You know how these things go,” Roper said.  “Complicated. Relationships for women like you and me are complicated. If two men are involved, it’s complicated, very complicated.”

“Two men?”

Roper grinned as she finished off her second cupcake.  “Let it be said that it is never easy trying to juggle two men.  And let me tell you, it doesn’t get any easier.”

“Well, he certainly seems smitten by you,” Sadie said.  “I saw the way he looked at you.  He’s in love.”

Roper waved dismissively then took a sip of tea.  “I’m a warm body to hold.”

Sadie almost gasped.

“Just be warned, dear,” Roper said.  “A love triangle is no laughing matter.”

“A love triangle?”

“You, that beefy Sheriff Shane and that other cop, Palmer…  Now, that is a dangerous liaison if ever I saw one.”

“It’s not like that. Besides Palmer was only wearing a cop uniform as a costume for the party.”

“He looked like a real cop. But never mind that. Love triangles…it is never easy, dear,” Roper said with a sad shake of her head.  “It never is.”

“No, really,” Sadie said.

“Just take it from me,” Roper added.  “I know how these things go, and it never ends well.”

“Are you saying that you and him and some…?”

Roper nodded.

Sadie was about to argue her point once again, but her phone rang.  “Speak of the devil,” she said.  “Excuse me.”

Roper smiled knowingly as Sadie took the call.

“Hey,” Kenwood said.  “I need to see you.”

“Oh?”

“Can you meet me at the mayor’s mansion in thirty minutes?”

Chapter 4

Sadie cut her visit with Trudy Roper a little short and headed out to meet with Kenwood at the mayor’s mansion.

She pulled up to the front of the majestic home and saw Kenwood standing on the front stoop, his hands behind his back as he watched her park her car.

Though she tried to contain her anger at him for having arrested Palmer, as she made her way up to him, her fury grew.  By the time she reached him, she was seething.

“I seriously hope that you asked to meet me here in order to offer me your most heartfelt apology,” she said, barely controlling the timbre of her voice.  “I still cannot believe what you did last night.  I cannot believe that you could do such a thing.  And, quite honestly, I don’t know that I will ever be able to think of you in the same way as before.”

Kenwood just barely shifted his weight as he looked at her.

Glaring at him, Sadie crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently on the cement porch.

He smiled, an infuriatingly beautiful smile.

Darn.

“Are you done?” he said when she remained silent.

Jamming her tongue into her cheek, she nodded as she glared at him despite his glorious and charming grin.

Double darn.

“I sincerely apologize for the theater that I had to take part in last night,” he finally said.

“Theater?  What theater?  What are you talking about?”

“Can we go inside and discuss this?”

“No,” she said firmly.  “I’m really mad, Kenwood.  What you did is awful.  And… what is this theater you’re talking about?”

“Many of the townspeople liked and supported Mayor Miller.”

“Well, she was voted in,” Sadie said.  “So, I imagine that… yeah… she has supporters.”

“News of her death went around the mansion pretty fast.”

“Everyone’s got a smart phone and the ability to relay news rather fast… yes.”

“Well, they apparently wanted some semblance of resolution that fast as well.”

“What does that have to do with Palmer?”

“Look,” he said, putting a gentle hand to her shoulder.  “Two things at play here; I wanted to silence everyone who wanted instant blood.”

“Okay,” Sadie said, accepting the reasoning.  “And?”

 “And with a suspect in custody, the murderer might just let down their guard and make a mistake.”

Sadie cocked a brow.  “Well,” she said reluctantly.  “That does make sense.  Actually, that makes a lot of sense.  Thinking that they got off scot-free, they will most likely make a mistake.  Good thinking.”

“I have been doing this for a while, you know.”

“I know that,” she said, still clinging, though barely, to her anger.

“So,” he said, clapping his hands together with anticipation.  “Are you on board?”

“On board of what?”

“With helping me with this case, of course.”

She smiled.  He was so darn irresistible, and so was this murder case.  “Yes,” she said.  “Yes!”

“Good,” he said.  “I’d hate to have to investigate this one on my own.  I know you probably don’t believe me, but I really do want to clear Palmer’s name.”

“I’m happy to hear that.”

“Look,” Kenwood went on.  “Since he was dressed as a cop and was missing his handcuffs, he was just a convenient…”

“Scapegoat?  Fall guy?  Shmuck?”

“I had to bring someone in.”

“But did it have to be Palmer?”

They looked at one another until they both burst out laughing.

“All right,” Sadie said.  “I forgive you.  So, you had no choice.  I’ll let it go, for now.  But we’d better find who really did this and soon.  I want Palmer out of there.”

“Let’s go.”

Sadie followed him inside and they stood in the front foyer, taking in what was obviously a party that ended in haste.  While the place wasn’t a mess, there were remnants of decorations, a few stray glasses here and there and other miscellaneous items.

“Just so we’re clear,” Kenwood said as he continued on into the ballroom.  “I never for a minute thought Palmer was guilty.”

“I believe you,” Sadie said.

“I mean, I know that you’re smart enough not to become involved with the kind of person who could do such a thing.”

“Good.”

He walked into the ballroom and stopped.  “You were here when the body was discovered, right?” Kenwood said as he took a good look around.

“To be specific,” Sadie said.  “I was standing right… there.”  She pointed to the spot where she’d stood with Trudy.

“Had you noticed anything suspicious?  Any strange glances?”

“Not a thing,” she said.  “Everyone was happy, and smiling, and drinking and eating.  They were all ready for a celebration.”

“What alerted you?”

Sadie chuckled when she remembered the events of the previous night.  “Biscuit first tried to get my attention.  He must have smelled it from a while away, and he tried to get me to go out.  Ultimately, it was a young woman’s blood curdling scream that really made me rush out to see what was going on.”

“Did you notice anyone who wasn’t at all surprised by the scream?”

“Hmm,” Sadie said.  “Not that I noticed.  I mean, I ran out of here pretty fast and didn’t really look.  But I did hear a lot of gasping and everyone sounded pretty surprised.”

A loud and pain-filled wail suddenly echoed throughout the house.

“What is that?” Sadie said, the hairs at the back of her neck instantly standing on end.

“I don’t know,” Kenwood said, his stance suddenly ready for a confrontation.

“Gee,” Sadie offered.  “It sounded like a disturbed ghost.”

“You think the mayor already came back to haunt the place?”

He was answered by another long wailing cry.

Sadie was frozen in place.  She’d never heard such a strange and almost inhuman cry.

Kenwood turned to head to the stairs.  “I think it’s coming from up there.”  He grabbed Sadie’s hand.  “Want to come check it out with me?”

Sadie pulled her hand out of his.  “I’m not sure.”

“Hey,” he said with a grin.  “You’re my sleuth.  My best detective.  Come on.”

The cry wailed out again, insistent.

Sadie reached for Kenwood’s still proffered hand, and they ran up the stairs to the second floor.

The wailing intensified, now constant and filled with more and more pain.

Sadie looked at Kenwood as she stopped at the top step.  “I don’t know.  Don’t you think we should call for back up?”

Releasing her hand, he pulled out his gun and silently nodded as he held his finger up to his lips.  Sadie nodded her understanding to remain silent.

A sudden yelp of pain came from a bedroom at the end of the hall.  Kenwood led the way as they slowly and silently approached the source of the persistent cries.

The bedroom door was closed, but it was clear that the cries were coming from inside.  With his gun out and ready, Kenwood gently turned the doorknob and eased the door open.

The wailing cry was suddenly replaced by a strange yelp that Sadie instantly recognized.  “Hey, I think it’s…”

Kenwood opened the door fully and they finally saw the source of the persistent cries.

“… a puppy,” Sadie finished.

“A puppy?”  Kenwood put his gun away and looked at the pup with disbelief.  “This little guy was making all that noise?”

The young border collie let out another yelp, but this time it was happy, and excited instead of fearful and pained.

“Whatcha doing up here, fella?” Kenwood said as he quickly made his way to the dog and knelt before him.  “Oh, you were stuck in here,” he added.

“And wearing a fashionable big red bow,” Sadie said as she came up behind Kenwood.  “Do you think that he was meant as a surprise gift for the mayor?”

“It sure looks that way or it was part of her costume for the costume party,” Kenwood said with difficulty as the young dog jumped up and licked his face.

“Well, he sure looks happy to finally be found,” Sadie said, looking around the bedroom.  “Gee.  Poor thing spent the night in here, stuck in here and alone.  He must be starving… and thirsty.”

The dog quieted down and sat, looking intently at Kenwood.

“She,” Kenwood said.

“Huh?” Sadie replied, wondering what he was talking about.

“The pup.  He is a she,” he clarified as he gestured toward the dog’s underside.

“Well, she must be feeling awfully lost right now.”

“I’ll say.”  Kenwood untied her and she ran around the room.

“What are we going to do with her?”

Kenwood looked at Sadie.  “I don’t want to risk her running around the house and destroying any evidence,” he said.  “I think I’ll take her out of here while you get started.”

“Oh?”

“Do you mind?”

“Huh, no.  I guess not.”  Still feeling a little frazzled by the unexpected cries of the pup, she would have preferred he stay with her.  “What are you going to do with her?  You can’t just bring her to the pound.”

“Nope,” Kenwood said, looking down at the dog with an avuncular grin.  “I’ll feed her and give her some water.  I think she’ll get along great with Noodles.”

“You’re going to bring her home?  Don’t you think that having one dog is enough?”

“Naw.  I think Noodles gets lonely during the day when I’m not there.  This excited little pup will keep her occupied.”

“I’ll say,” Sadie said.  “That little pup is going to grow up to be one big border collie.  Those guys will exhaust anyone and anything.”

As Kenwood ruffled the dog’s ears, he added.  “I think I’ll also bring her to the vet… just get her checked out.”

“You big old softie,” Sadie said as she smiled at the big bulk of a man with the biggest heart.  “You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?  You’re going to adopt her.”

Kenwood shrugged.  “I love being a father to Noodles.  She’ll be thrilled when she meets…”  He looked down at the dog who was already looking up at him with adoration.  With one strong swoop he bent down and picked her up, causing her to lick his face with renewed excitement.  “What can we call you?” Kenwood said through his tickled laughter.  “How about Softie for now.”

“You two really go good together,” Sadie said.

“So…”  He looked up at her as he turned to the door.  “We’re good?”

“Yeah,” Sadie said.  “We’re good.  You go along and get her checked out and I’ll see what I can find here.”

Like a father with a newborn, Kenwood cradled the pup as they headed back down the stairs and he made his way to the door.

“Call me if you find anything interesting,” he called over his shoulder as he walked down the path that led to his car.

“Sure will.”

Smiling, Sadie stood in the doorway and watched him get into his car and gently settle the dog into the passenger seat beside him.

“You sure are an old softie, Kenwood,” she said with a sigh.  “How could I ever stay mad at you?  You’re forgiven, Kenwood.  Completely forgiven.”

Chapter 5

Smiling, Sadie closed the door, reflecting on the type of man Kenwood really was.  She knew he was a good man and his heart was in the right place, but she had never realized just how sweet and kind he was.

As angry as she’d been when he’d arrested Palmer, she now realized that it was probably the right thing to do, considering the circumstances.

With a soothing sigh, she headed back up the stairs and headed down the hall.  Earlier, she hadn’t noticed just how quiet the house was.  She’d been so upset with Kenwood, then distracted by the wailing from the second floor that turned out to be a puppy, that she hadn’t paid attention to the absolute silence in the house.

“Where is everybody?” she muttered to herself.

She returned to the bedroom at the end of the hall and took a closer look.  Surely, there was something she’d missed in the excitement of it all. 

The room was luxurious, with rich wood finishes, elegant trim and crown molding but with a feminine flair.  The blue and white curtains on the four tall windows were light and airy and flowed easily in the breeze that was let in by the slight opening of each window.

“Was this your room, Mrs. Mayor?” Sadie whispered.

She looked at the beautiful artwork that adorned the walls, all paintings of colorful blooms that were bright and lively.  Clearly, Mayor Miller liked pretty things.  In addition to the lovely paintings, there were several bouquets of flowers set around the room.

Then Sadie turned her attention to the large king-sized bed.  The thick duvet cover looked as if it’d been thrown onto the bed in a rush.  Clearly, no one had taken the time to properly make the bed.  It was messy and definitely not in keeping with the luxury and tidiness of the room.

In a little alcove at the other end of the room, a small table seemed to be set for a private party.  In a tall, thin vase, there was a single red rose.  There were also two elegant flutes and an opened bottle of champagne that indicated that Mika Miller wasn’t alone the night of her death.

The glasses were empty, but Sadie wondered if they’d been used at all.  She leaned over to sniff at the glasses. Yes.  The smell of dried champagne was discernible and she could also see several droplets inside the glass at the bottom of the glasses.

She straightened up, set her hands on her hips and looked around.  Scanning the room, she looked for signs of a struggle and saw nothing.  Then she glanced at the corner where she and Kenwood had found the puppy.

What had happened in that room?

Champagne?  Unmade bed?  A puppy?

It didn’t make sense.

The champagne indicated a celebration.

The unmade made could be signs of a romantic romp.

But the puppy?  Where did the puppy fit it?

It didn’t.

She walked over to the area where the pup had sat, and stooped down to take a closer look.  There were specs of dirt here and there, and a large spot farther in the corner.

Okay, she thought.  Had the pup gone outside?  In the garden?  Or elsewhere?

“This could be nothing,” she muttered to herself.  “Then again, when there’s a murder, every little thing could be something.”

Chapter 6

While she didn’t really think it would lead to much, Sadie nonetheless pulled out a plastic bag and swept some of the dirt into it.  As she stood and zipped up the bag, the sharp sound of a cough startled her and she almost dropped the bag.

“What did you forget?” she said as she turned, expecting to see Kenwood.

“Nothing.”

“Oh!” Sadie said as she faced a tall blond man with sad eyes and a sultry curve to his lips.  “I’m sorry.  I thought you were… I was expecting someone else.”

“Clearly,” he said with a sad grin.

Wearing dark slacks and a shirt that seemed to have been slept in, he appeared to be about Sadie’s age.  Could he be the mayor’s son?  Hmm.  The mayor, while older than Sadie, wasn’t old enough to have an adult son.

Sadie approached him, her hand out.  “I’m sorry.  I’m Sadie.  And you are…?”

“A little surprised to see someone in this room.”  He glanced at her hand.

“Yes,” Sadie said, sensing a bit of tension between them.  She was about to let her hand fall back to her side when he finally reached out to her.

“I’m John,” he said, giving her hand a weak shake before releasing it.  “John Barrow.  I’m sorry.  I’m feeling a little lost this morning and my manners aren’t what they should be.”

Sadie nodded.  “That’s understandable.  I don’t mean to pry, but what is your connection with the mayor?”

“Oh,” he said, seemingly surprised that she didn’t already know.  “I’m the mayor’s aide and campaign manager.”

“Oh, yes,” Sadie said.  “I believe I’ve heard about you.”

“I’m always at her side,” he said, then cast his gaze to the floor.  “Well… I was.  I was always at her side.  I was her aide.  I was her campaign manager.  And now, what am I?  I’m nothing.  I’m no one.”

“I’m sorry,” Sadie said.  “This really is a shock for everyone.”

He looked at the bag in her hands then up into her eyes.  “Is that evidence of what happened here?”

Caught off guard by the question, Sadie hesitated a moment before holding up the bag.  “This?  Oh.  Yes.  Well, I hope it is.”

“Me, too.”  He cocked his head to the side.  “Are you…?”  He paused as he continued to scrutinize her.  “Yeah.  You’re Sadie Silver, aren’t you?”

She nodded.

“You’re the one who catered the party last night.”

She nodded again.

“Mika was really eager to have your treats at her party.  She specifically asked for you and even indicated that she would be willing to change the date of the event if you weren’t available.  Yeah.  She loved your pastries.”

Sadie smiled.  “That’s very flattering.”

“That costume party…” he said, his gaze taking on a dreamy quality.  “She was looking forward to it.  She loved that sort of thing… fundraisers, good causes, and having fun all the while.  She’d been planning that thing for months.”

“It really is a shame that the party was cut so short,” Sadie said.

John nodded then shook his head, clearly still shocked by the events of the night before.  “We still managed to raise some money,” he said.  “That’s a good thing.”

“Well,” Sadie said, ready to head back downstairs.  “I hope that you have people to talk to in order to get through this.  An unexpected death like this can be traumatizing.”

He nodded and shrugged.  “Yeah.  I guess.”  He looked at her, tears lining his eyes.  “We were pretty close.  I don’t know what I’m going to do from now on.  I was her aide and campaign manager.  Now what?”

Sadie smiled as he repeated himself.  He was so distraught, he appeared to have trouble getting his thoughts straight.

“I respected her immensely,” he went on.  “So smart.  So independent.  She really was a force to be reckoned with.”  At this, he smiled a bit.  “When she was confronted with something… anything… she never backed down.  She held her own, held her ground.  She accomplished so much in this first term.  She’s responsible for that new kid’s park in town, and she had many street lamps added in dark areas.”

“Yeah,” Sadie said softly.  “I noticed that.  It was a good idea… a good initiative… one that should have been taken a long time ago.”

He nodded.  “She wanted to beautify the town, more flowers, and more greenery.  She wanted to widen the sidewalks and she was even considering closing down Market Street to make it entirely a pedestrian street.”

Sadie nodded.  “That would be good.”

John shook his head.  “She still had so much to do… so much to… so much…”  He choked up and turned away for a moment before turning once again to Sadie.  “So much to accomplish,” he finished with difficulty.

“I really am sorry for your loss,” Sadie said, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.  While she wanted to be compassionate and understanding, his degree of grief was a little striking.  “I can’t imagine what you must be going through.”

He nodded and sniffled.

“Maybe it would help you to talk about it more,” Sadie offered.  “How about we head down to the kitchen and I’ll fix us both a nice cup of tea.  How does that sound?”

He nodded and wiped his nose with a hanky that he pulled from his pocket.

In silence, they headed down the stairs and found the large chef’s kitchen at the back of the large home.  Sadie filled a kettle with water and set it on the huge gas range.

She looked around the immense kitchen with so many cupboards.  “Any idea where the tea would be?”

He pointed to a cupboard near the sink.

Sadie found the tin of tea, pulled out two bags and dropped them into two large coffee mugs.

“You can go sit down over there,” Sadie said as she gestured to the cozy breakfast nook off to the side of the kitchen.  “I’ll bring the tea.”

John nodded and slowly made his way to the small table while Sadie poured water into the cups and brought them to the table.

“Thanks,” he said as she set the cup down in front of him.  Despite the warmth of the house, he wrapped his fingers around the mug as if chilled by the morning air.

“No problem,” Sadie said, sitting down across from him.  She watched him for a moment, giving him a chance to collect his thoughts.

He sat sipping his tea in silence for a long while.  “Mika loved this tea,” he finally said.  “Damn, she was such a classy lady.  So elegant and graceful.  Everyone loved her.  Absolutely everyone.  She instantly put everyone at ease.  She listened and she understood.  No one will be able to replace her.”  Once again he choked up.  “No one.”

As Sadie looked at him, she was again struck by his degree of grief.  She couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to his relationship with the mayor than he let on.  He looked like a man mourning a loved one, not an employer.

“I know it’s a shock,” she said, reluctant to pry.  “Did you have plans… I mean for after the fundraiser?”

He shrugged and sniffled, then nodded.  “We’d accomplished so much and we had so much to be happy about.  We were planning a small and private celebration… just the two of us.”  He choked up and looked away.  “Just the two of us,” he whispered.

He sobbed, loud and pained.

“Go ahead,” she said as she patted his hand.  “Cry it out.  Don’t keep it inside.  I know how much something like this must hurt.  Losing someone… I can’t imagine.”

His gaze changed suddenly as he looked up at her with fury in his eyes.  “But, I didn’t lose her, Miss Silver.  She was taken.  She was killed.  Viciously and callously killed.”

Not knowing how to respond Sadie nodded.  “Yes,” she whispered simply.

“And the bastard responsible for her death is behind bars,” John went on.  “And I’ll tell you this; I’m going to do everything that I can to make sure the guy rots in jail.  Life.  That’s all that he deserves.  Life behind bars.  I saw the sheriff ride off with the guy.  Good for him.  Yeah, I’m happy that the killer was found so soon, but that still doesn’t help to bring her back.  That doesn’t bring back the woman that I love… that I loved.  That doesn’t make this any easier.  But damn it, if the guy spends the rest of his life behind bars, at least I’ll be able to find some degree of closure.”

“I know you won’t believe me now,” Sadie began.

He looked woefully at her.

There was something so sad and lost in his eyes.  Part of her wanted to tell him how wrong he was about Palmer.  She wanted to tell him that, on the contrary, Palmer was the one who could do so much to help find the real killer.

But would he believe her, or did he just need to feel that closure, even if it was based on a lie.

“Believe what?” he said softly.

He deserved the truth, she decided.  “That the man…”

“Hey,” a booming voice called from the front hall.  “Anybody home?  I brought you a little something.”

“Who the hell is that?”

“That sounds like Kenwood,” Sadie said.

John furrowed his brow.

“The sheriff,” she clarified.

“Oh.  Right.”

Sadie stood and called out, “In here.”

But instead of waiting for him to arrive, she headed out to meet him halfway and was surprised to see him standing in the front hall with Palmer.

“I brought you a little surprise,” Kenwood said.

“Palmer!” she called out as she ran to give him a hug.  “You’re free.”

“Free as a bird,” he said with a wry grin.

“Hey,” John said from behind her.  “Isn’t that the guy that got arrested last night?  Yeah.  You are.  You’re the guy who was arrested last night.  What the hell are you doing here?  In this house?”

Unaware of who John was, Palmer smiled and nodded.  “It was all a big misunderstand…”

 “Damn,” John shouted as he lunged at Palmer.  “You killed her!  You killed Mika!”

Chapter 7

“Hey!” Kenwood shouted as he stepped in front of Palmer, effectively blocking John.  “Hold on there.”

“But he’s the killer!” John shouted, trying to get around Kenwood.  “How could you let him go?  Get him back in jail.  Now!  Get him out of here.  Now!  Now!”

“Please,” Kenwood said in a low and controlled tone.  “ Let’s just calm down.”

“I can’t calm down when the man who killed the woman I loved is standing right there in front of me, grinning like an idiot.”

“Hey,” Palmer said.  “No need to call me names.”

But John only grew more determined to get to him.  With a complete lack of judgment, he tried to hit Kenwood.

“I’m trying to go easy on you because I see that you’re distraught,” Kenwood said as he wrestled John to the floor.  “But you’re testing my patience to the breaking point.”

“No!” John wailed.  “No!  Don’t let him out.  Don’t let him go.  Damn it!  Arrest him.  Arrest him!  What kind of sheriff are you?”

After struggling against Kenwood’s hold for another moment, John finally lay still as he silently sobbed.  “Don’t let him go,” he whimpered.

“You shouldn’t have attacked me like that,” Kenwood said as he gently placed one cuff on his wrist.

“What!  What the hell are you doing?” John said as he realized what was happening.

Kenwood helped him get to his feet then slipped on the other cuff, but was indulgent enough to cuff John in front instead of behind his back.

“We’ll go to the station and have a little chat,” Kenwood said gently.

“No!” John argued, renewing his struggles against Kenwood’s hold.  “For crying out loud, you’re letting him get away with this.  He’s going to get away with murder.  Who knows what else he’s capable of.”

He turned to Sadie.  “Watch out for this maniac!  He’ll kill you, too.”

Sadie just pressed a sad grin.

Kenwood took a firm hold of John’s arm and guided him to the front door.

“Sorry for having to leave you again,” he called back to Sadie.  “But at least you have someone to help you out with the investigation now.”

“Thanks, Kenwood,” Sadie said.  She smiled at him, thankful not only for releasing Palmer, but thankful that he wasn’t the rough brute that she’d thought.  He really was a kind and thoughtful guy.  Fair and just.

He grinned, nodded and left.

“Oh, Palmer,” Sadie said, as she turned her attention to him.  She gave him a warm hug and held him a moment.  “I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re here.”

“You and me, both,” Palmer said.  He held her tight then pulled back to look at her. “You know, that little jail cell in town is not very comfortable.  Not one bit.”

Their eyes met and held.

Palmer, Sadie thought.  Sweet, gentle Palmer.

The sudden and sharp bark of a dog broke them apart.

“What in the world…?” Sadie let out.

She turned to see Noodles and Kenwood’s new border collie run into the room.  Immediately concerned, she stooped down to greet them.

“What are you guys doing here?” she said.  “Did you escape Kenwood’s car?  Did Daddy drive off without you guys?”

She scooped up Noodles and was about to rush to the door to catch Kenwood before he left.

“It’s okay, Sadie,” Palmer called out.  “They’re with me.”

Frowning, she turned around.  “Huh?”

Palmer smiled and shrugged.  “I told Kenwood that I would watch over Noodles and Softie.”

Smiling as she came back to him, she set Noodles down and went to hug Palmer again.  “You sweet, sweet man.  Are you dog sitting?”

He smiled as he held her.  “I guess you could say that.”

With Noodles nipping at her heels, Sadie pulled back from Palmer and looked down at her and the excited Softie.

“Kenwood felt a little guilty about leaving them alone,” Palmer explained.

“Well, sure,” she said, talking in a baby voice to Noodles.  “The two just met… right?  You wouldn’t want to be alone with a strange, big puppy, now would you?”

Softie wears her name well.  Noodles looked straight at the new puppy.  She really is a big Softie.  I liked her instantly.  I think I’ll make her my body guard.  My soft bodyguard.

Sadie smiled, happy to know that.

This is my house.  Softie bounded around.  This is my house.

“Quit the yapping, guys,” Palmer called to the barking dogs.  “We’ve got work to do.”

This is my house.  Softie bounded around ignoring Palmer.  This is my house.

Lucky you.  Noodles, with her short little legs, tried to keep up with Softie.  This place is huge.  So much room to run and play.

This is my house.  Noodles wandered farther and suddenly sat down at the foot of the stairs and looked up.  Her eyes grew sad as Noodles came up to sit with him.

Why so sad?

I’m not sure.  Something bad happened and I think that my mistress is gone.

Where did she go?

Softie lay down on her belly, his eyes on the first step as she let out a sad sigh.  I don’t know, but I have a feeling she won’t be coming back.

A well of emotion built up in Sadie’s throat as she watched the dogs, seemingly consoling one another.

What about the man.  Noodles stood and sniffed around.  I get the whiff of a man… strong masculine scent.  She continued to walk around, her little nose sniffing everywhere.

Yeah.  Softie watched Noodles sniffing around.  My mistress had a male friend who lived with her.  He was already living here before I got here.

Was he nice to you?

He was okay.

Noodles came back to sit in front of Softie who looked at the tiny dog with sad eyes.  Just okay?

“Come on,” Palmer said to Sadie.  “We have work to do.  Can’t you get them to stop barking?”

Sadie almost shushed him as she tried to hear everything Noodles and Softie were saying.

The man talked loud sometimes.  Softie sat up.  Real loud.  Sometimes I got scared.

My master talks loud sometimes, but I don’t get scared.

But this man yelled at my mistress, often.  I didn’t like it.  The last time he yelled a lot.  They both yelled a lot.  Then he wasn’t around for a while.

“Do you mean John?” Sadie blurted out.  “The man who just left with Kenwood?”

Palmer shot her a quizzical glance.  “Are you interrogating the dogs?”

Sadie smiled.

“Wait a minute,” he said with a funny grin on his face.  “Are you telling me that you can understand what those two are… well, what they’re barking about?”

Sure, can’t you? she wanted to say.

But Noodles and Softie’s barking suddenly took on a whole other tone.  They were no longer calmly discussing things together.

Someone’s coming!  Someone’s coming!  Noodles let out with fear.

Visitors!  Visitors! Softie seemed more excited than fearful.

“What’s going on, guys?” Palmer said.

Noodles rushed to the door, her barking more strident and urgent.  Softie, taking her cue from Noodles, also began to bark with more and more urgency.

Chapter 8

 “Okay, guys,” Sadie said as she headed to the door.  With her hand on the doorknob, she turned to the two barking dogs.  “Calm down.  Calm down.”

They both came around her, eager to see her open the door.

Go on already.  Noodles jumped with anticipation.

Sadie opened the door and let out a soft gasp as she faced the visitors who looked back at her with equal surprise. 

“Trudy?” Sadie said, surprised by the sight of her ‘aunt’.  Beside her stood the man Sadie had briefly met earlier that morning.  “Dillinger?  What are you two doing here?”

Trudy took a step forward, indicating her desire to come inside.  Sadie dutifully stepped back and allowed them in the house.

“Sadie,” Trudy said cautiously as she forced a smile.  “What are you doing here?”

Sadie hesitated, no longer sure what was really going on.  Why did Trudy not answer the question?

“Oh!” Trudy added when she spotted Palmer.  “And your little friend is here, too.”

“Yeah,” Sadie said.  “I just came by to…”

The dogs suddenly barked with urgency.  Softie hurried over to Dillinger.

“Hey there,” Dillinger said as he stooped down to pet the border collie who licked his face with reserved recognition.

Who is that and why are you licking his face?  Noodles sat beside Softie and looked at her.

The man.

Noodles sniffed the air then approached Dillinger, sniffing him with more and more interest.  The man?

“What’s with that one?” Dillinger said as he gently shoved Noodles aside and concentrated on Softie.

But Noodles resume her sniffing with even more intensity.  Yes!  The man!  That’s the one.  This is the one that I smell around here.  Does he visit often?

I told you.  He lived here with my mistress.  But he left.

He left… but not long ago.  His scent is all around.  I smell him, Softie.  I smell the scent that he left behind.

If he left, what is he doing here?

Softie closed her eyes as she enjoyed getting scratched behind the years by Dillinger who seemed oddly familiar with the dog.

I don’t know, but he’s nice now.  He’s not yelling now.  I like him now.

Noodles scampered around Dillinger, then brought her attention to Trudy.  Again, she sniffed with fierce intensity.

“What is with that little dog?” Trudy asked Sadie.  “It is kind of annoying.”

“Come over here, Noodles,” Sadie said, trying to get the poodle’s attention.

This one smells of the man.

“What?” Sadie said.

“I said,” Trudy began.  “This poodle is annoying.”

Sadie looked pointedly at Noodles.

Yeah.  She definitely has the scent of him on her.

“I’m really sorry,” Sadie said as she tried to grab Noodles.  But the tiny dog managed to get away quite easily.

The scent is personal… intimate.  Noodles got up on her hind legs and tried to sniff up Trudy’s leg.  Maybe this is a mate.  A new mate.

“You’re right,” Sadie told Noodles.

“Well,” Trudy snapped.  “Whatever it is, I wish she’d leave me alone.”  She then looked up at Sadie.  “What did you say you were doing here again?”

“In all the drama last night, I forgot a few things.  My catering platters, dishes, glasses… all that kind of stuff.”

Trudy glanced at Dillinger.  “And I thought that no one would be here, especially since…”

“Under normal circumstances I would have waited,” Sadie explained.  “But I have another event to cater tonight and I need my things.”  She turned to Palmer.  “Can you, please go in the kitchen?  I know that I left a whole box of wine glasses in there.”

“Sure thing,” he said as he walked away.

“But, you two,” Sadie said, turning back to Trudy.  “What brings you here so bright and early?”

Dillinger straightened up and smiled.  “I’m sorry.  I guess I should have mentioned it when I first met you, but I…”

“Dillinger used to live here,” Trudy cut in, clearly unhappy with the situation.  “He only moved out a few months ago.”

“Oh?” Sadie said.  She shot a quizzical glance at Dillinger, hoping for an explanation.

“If you must know,” he said.  “Mika was my wife.”

“She’s now his ex-wife,” Trudy threw in, shooting an unhappy glare at Dillinger.

“I moved out of the house a while ago now.”  He glanced up the stairs.  “But I still have a few things here.”

“Oh?” Sadie said again.  “I’m sorry to hear that things didn’t work out with you and Mika.”

Trudy fidgeted, glancing at Dillinger and back at Sadie.  “I really don’t mean to be rude, but we really don’t have time to chat and, well…”

Dillinger also fidgeted with growing uncertainty.

“Okay,” Palmer called out as he returned from the kitchen.  He held a large basket in one hand and two bags in the other.  “I think I have everything.”

“Well,” Sadie said, smiling at Trudy.  “I’d love to stay and chat, but I really have to get going.”

 “Right,” Trudy said flatly.

“Come on, Noodles,” Sadie said, picking up the small poodle.  “And you, Softie.  Come on.”

“Softie?” Dillinger said.  “What are you talking about?”

Sadie just looked at him, a little stunned.

Dillinger picked up the larger dog and cradled her in his arms.  “Baby belongs with me.”

“Baby?”

“That’s right.  She belonged to me… well, and Mika.”

“But,” Sadie said, growing alarmed.  “She was here all by herself.  Why should I leave her here with you?”

“Because she’s mine,” Dillinger said.

“That’s not good enough,” Sadie said as she approached Dillinger and tried to take Softie from him.  “You’re a negligent pet owner.”

“I’m a pet owner… and that’s all that matters.”

“No,” Sadie said, once again reaching out to take Softie.  “Who’ll take care of her?  She was alone in this house when Kenwood and I…”

“Oh,” Trudy cut in.  “The handsome and buff sheriff.  I can certainly understand why you would want to come here alone with him.”

“Calm down, Trudy,” Dillinger said with a crooked grin.

Trudy shrugged.  “I’m just saying.  I would play cops and robbers with that sheriff anytime.”

Palmer shifted uncomfortably as he clung to the basket and bags in which Sadie’s things were.

“I can see that you’re smitten with the sheriff,” Sadie said to Trudy.  “But, as for my relationship with him, we really are just friends.  As a matter of fact, I have to go and meet him to discuss a matter.”

“Right,” Trudy said as she watched Sadie walk out the door.  “Yeah.  Right.”

Chapter 9

“Where are we going?” Palmer said as he followed Sadie out to her car.

“The police station,” Sadie said.  “Something fishy is going on and we have to get to the bottom of it.”

She opened the trunk of her car so that Palmer could set her things inside.

“Here,” she said, shoving Noodles into his arms.

They got into the car and sped away.  Sadie drove faster than she normally would, feeling the urgency of the moment.

“Woe, there,” Palmer said as he clung to the dashboard with one hand while holding Noodles in the other.  “I know we’re in a rush, but I’d like to get there in one piece.”

“Don’t worry,” Sadie said.  “You will.”

They arrived in town and headed straight to the police station.  Palmer, with Noodles in his arms, rushed to keep up with Sadie as she made her way to the entrance.

No one was at the front desk and Sadie took the liberty of heading inside and finding Kenwood in his office.

“Hey,” Kenwood said with a big warm grin on his rugged face.  His grin diminished somewhat when Palmer then walked in, but he remained pleasant and cordial.  “I’m glad you guys dropped by.  How were things back at the mansion?  Did you discover anything?”

He quickly made his way to Palmer and took Noodles from his arms.  “Hey, girl.  You’ve been pretty busy this morning, haven’t you?  All this excitement is probably making you a little tired.”

Noodles affectionately licked his face while her little tail wagged furiously.  I like the excitement.

After warmly greeting the tiny pooch, Kenwood shot a concerned glance at Sadie.  “Where’s Softie?”

“I’m sorry, Kenwood,” Sadie said.  “As it turns out, Softie is actually called Baby, and she belongs to Mika and Dillinger.”

“Dillinger?” Kenwood said.  “The name sounds familiar.  Who is it?”

“The mayor’s ex-husband?”

Kenwood frowned.  “She was once married?”

“Apparently.”

“Damn it,” Kenwood said.  “Noodles really liked Softie.”  Clearly, he, too, was already attached to the energetic dog. 

He looked up at Sadie.  “So, if this guy is divorced from Mika, what was he doing there at the house?”

“He left a few things behind, or so he said,” Sadie said.  “And, I must add, he is now dating Trudy Roper.”

“The fifth grade teacher?”

“Are you talking about Dillinger?” John suddenly called out from the cell in the back.  “Are you talking about that jerk?  He’s nothing but a player.  The guy is into some weird stuff.  He’s tangled up in some kind of love triangle.”

Kenwood led the way to the nearby holding cell.

“What are you blabbering about, John?” Kenwood said.

“That no good ex-husband of hers,” John said.  “He was constantly toying with her emotions.  He’d go away, leaving her distraught and heartbroken.  Then he’d come back and apologize.  Then he’d go away again.  He played her like a yoyo.  And now, he’s in a love triangle”

“Do you mean you, Mika and Dillinger?” Sadie said.

John’s eyes narrowed and he shot her a sardonic grin. “Just like you, the good sheriff here, and that murderer over there,” he said, pointing to Palmer.

The growing tension left Sadie fidgety and eager to get out of the police station.  She turned to Palmer.  “Look,” she said.  “Why don’t you head off to your lab and check out the evidence that I picked up and put in that basket.”  She pulled her car keys out of her pocket.  “Here.  Get all that stuff out of my trunk.  You can leave the keys in the car.”

“Are you sure you want me to leave?”

Sadie nodded.  “Let me know the minute you find something.”

With a pressed grin, he glanced at Kenwood then turned and left the police station.

“Sheriff,” a young clerk came in to say.  “You’ve got a call.  It’s the coroner.”

Kenwood shot Sadie a knowing glance.  “I’ll be right back,” and he headed off to his office with Noodles sleeping in his arms. 

In the silence that followed, Sadie took a good look at John.  On the one hand, his heartache was a little over the top.  But there was something in his eyes that expressed such pain.  He seemed genuinely distraught.  His eyes were red and line with fresh tears.  He couldn’t possibly fake that degree of pain.

Could he?

“This is like turning the knife,” John said softly.

“I beg your pardon,” Sadie said, not sure she understood him.

“Learning that Mika was dead was like a knife in the heart,” he said.  “Seeing her killer walk out of here is like turning that knife.”

“I know that things don’t seem to make sense for now, but I promise you, we’re working on this.  We’ll get this all straightened out, and soon,” Sadie said, hoping to lighten the atmosphere.

“I hope so,” he said. 

He looked at her and she realized with certainty that he was innocent.

Kenwood returned.  “We have a cause of death,” he said.  “Mika died of head trauma.”

John burst out crying, burying his face in his hands.  “Ahh!” he let out, the cry so pain-filled and heartbreaking.  “No.  My lovely Mika.”

“Poor guy,” Sadie whispered to Kenwood.  “I’ve never seen anyone so distraught.  I don’t think he could be the killer.  This isn’t just melodramatic dry crying.  Those are real tears.”

Kenwood didn’t look convinced as he glared at John.  “The simpering fool,” he whispered back.  “What kind of man cries like a baby?  Look at him.  He has to be faking it.  He’s hiding something.”

“I can hear you, you know,” John called out as he clung to the bars of his cell.  “And I’ll tell you this.  I’m innocent.  Call me anything you like, but I’m innocent.  I would never do anything to harm Mika, much less kill her.  I loved her.  Don’t you understand? I loved her.  I would have laid down my life for her.”

“Yeah,” Kenwood shot back.  “Easy to say when she’s now dead, right?”

“You wouldn’t know what loving a woman like her means,” John countered.  “You don’t know what it’s like to love a woman so much that you would do anything for her… absolutely anything.”

Kenwood glanced at Sadie then turned back to John.

She felt the heat of a sudden blush rush to her cheeks and looked away.  There was no time to think about her relationship with either him or Palmer.

All that mattered in that moment was finding the mayor’s killer.

Still convinced that John was telling the truth and that he was indeed innocent, Sadie approached him.  “I’m working on this case.  I have some evidence that I need to have analyzed and I should have some answers soon.  Like I told you, I’ll do everything I can to prove your innocence.  Unfortunately, for now, however, you have to stay here.  You have to be strong, and you have to be patient.  We’ll have answers soon enough.”

He looked at her with tear-filled eyes.  “I don’t care about staying here.  I don’t care about the cold.  I don’t care about the tiny cot and the lumpy mattress.  I don’t care about any of it.   I have nowhere to go.  With Mika gone, I have nowhere to go and nothing to do.  I have no purpose… other than making sure that the killer is found and brought to justice.  That’s all that matters now.  If you’re convinced that that fellow who just left isn’t the killer, then find him.  Find the real killer.”

“I will,” Sadie said.  “I will.”  She turned to Kenwood.  “I’m really beat.  It’s been a long day.”

He nodded his understanding.  “Thanks for everything you’ve done so far.”

“I’ll let you know when we have something.”

“Okay,” he said as he followed her to the door.

Sadie looked at the sleeping dog in Kenwood’s arms.  “Do you want me to bring Noodles home with me?”

“I’d appreciate that,” he said as he handed the still sleeping dog to her.  “If you don’t mind.”  He then glanced back at John.  “I’m going to keep an eye on things down here.  If what you say is true, and he really is that distraught, I’m thinking it might not be a good idea to leave him alone.”

“That’s a good idea, Kenwood,” Sadie said.

He shrugged.  “I guess it’s the least I can do for now.  Go get some rest.”

“Okay.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Carrying the small pup in her arms, she headed out of the police station and slowly walked to her car.  She settled the sleeping dog in the passenger seat then went around the car to get into the driver’s seat.

The moment she started the car, Noodles woke up.

Softie.  Softie.  Noodles sat up and look around her excitedly.

“No,” Sadie said gently.  “We won’t be seeing Softie for a…”  She stopped.  Truth was, they might never see Softie again.

Softie.  I like her.  She’s my bodyguard.  My big buddy.

Yeah, I know, Sadie wanted to say.  But she realized in that moment that dealing with other people’s heartache was a heavy weight to carry.  Whether it be John’s mourning of his lover, Palmer unhappy with her relationship with Kenwood, Kenwood jealous of her relationship with Palmer, and now… Noodles sad about losing a new friend…  It all weighed heavy on her heart and she had to put it all aside if she was going to be able to concentrate and find Mayor Miller’s murderer.

Sadie pulled into her drive and looked at Noodles.  “You’re going to have to content yourself with Biscuit.”

Oh.  Biscuit.  Yes!  Yes!  He’s not as cuddly as Softie, but he’s okay.

Chuckling, Sadie got out of her car with Noodles jumping out the driver side door.

The tiny poodle followed her up the pathway to the front door, and the moment that Sadie pushed the door open, Biscuit and Noodles were nose to nose, sniffing each other.

What’s this funny scent on you?  Another dog?  Hmm.  Female.  Hmm.  Outdoor dog.

Softie.  You’ll love her.

I doubt it.  Biscuit walked away.

She’s a really pretty dog.  A big dog.  Noodles followed Biscuit as they headed off to the living room.

Sadie smiled as the two got reacquainted.  Orchid, who had little interest in either, followed Sadie to the kitchen and gracefully jumped up onto the counter.

I’m in the mood for chicken tonight.

Right, Sadie thought.  She pulled a tin of cat food from the pantry – chicken – popped off the lid and put half the content into a small dish.

“Here you go,” she said as she set the dish down on the counter in front of Orchid.

Orchid took a sniff then sat up and looked at Sadie.  Not that chicken.  The other one.

“Oh, Orchid.  Don’t waste that.  It’s perfectly good.  Come on.  You didn’t even taste it.”

No, but I took a sniff and it’s not the one that I want.

“Just try it.”

I’m not in the mood for this one.  I want the one with the gravy.

Biscuit strutted in with Noodles right behind him.

Smells good to me.  Can I have it if she’s not going to eat it?  Biscuit stood on his hind legs to get a better whiff.  Please.  Please.

“Oh, you guys,” Sadie whined.  “I’m too tired to argue with you tonight.”  She picked up Orchid’s dish and set it on the floor for Biscuit.

The dish had just barely touched the floor than Biscuit had his face in it.

Noodles sat down, her eyes sad as she looked up at Sadie.  Hey.  What about me?

Sadie spooned the rest of the can into another dish and set it down for Noodles.  She then opened a new can for Orchid.

“If you don’t like this one… well,” Sadie said as she put the chicken in gravy in front of Orchid.

Orchid settled in to eat as she purred loudly.  This is the one I like.

Smiling, Sadie ran her hand over Orchid’s back a few times.  “Good.  Good.  Well, now that you guys are all fed, mind if I fix myself a bite to eat.”

No response.  They were all too busy eating.

Sadie made herself a quick ham sandwich and ate it standing at the end of the counter.  She then headed off to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

Comfy and cozy in her thick flannel pajamas, she went to the living room to find Noodles curled up on Biscuit’s bed.

Biscuit glared at Noodles then looked up at Sadie.  Look at that.  Where am I supposed to sleep?

Orchid, who was in her basket up on an antique armoire, looked down at him.  Ah.  The life of a dog.

Purring, she rolled up, brought her tail around to partially hide her face and closed her eyes.

“Aren’t you going out tonight, Orchid?” Sadie said.

Maybe later.

“Later?  Like when I’m fast asleep?”

Orchid didn’t answer.

Hey.  What about me?  I’m still here.  And I’m not going out tonight.  I want to sleep in my bed… all night.

Sadie looked at her adorable pup.  “All right.”  She took one of her older cushions off the sofa and set it down on the floor beside Biscuit’s bed.

I don’t want to sleep on that.  I want to sleep in my bed.

Too tired to argue, Sadie picked Noodles up and set her down on the cushion.

“There you go.”

Thank you.  Biscuit climbed into his old and dusty bed, turned around in circles for a half dozen times, then finally settled in.

“Good,” Sadie said.  “Now, are we all set?”

Silence.

“Good.”  Sadie yawned and turned out the lights.

Despite the relatively early hour, Sadie headed off to her bedroom, exhausted.  It seemed to have been an endless day filled with far too much emotion.

Just as she was about to close the door, she heard Noodles.

She was about to turn back to see if everything was all right when she realized that Noodles was talking to Biscuit.

Taking a few silent steps closer to the living room, she then stopped and listened.

Poor Softie.  I miss her already.

Chapter 10

Wearing her black slacks and a crisp white button down shirt, Sadie arrived at the police station and asked to see Kenwood.

“Go right in,” the clerk said.

She went to Kenwood’s office and stood in the doorway watching him a moment.  He seemed deep in thought as he read through a report.

If she had been exhausted the night before, she couldn’t imagine how tired he must be.  Had he had time to sleep at all?  Had he even taken the time to eat?  Somehow, she doubted it.

“Hey there,” she said softly.

“Hey.  Bright and early this morning,” Kenwood said as she walked into his office.  “What brings you here at this hour?  I thought you were exhausted from your day.”

“I was, but you know me.  I couldn’t just sleep knowing that an innocent man is behind bars.”

Kenwood pulled in a long and heavy breath.

“You have to let John go, Kenwood.”

He stood, came around his desk and leaned back on it, crossing his arms over his chest.  “Sadie, I know you think he’s too tearful to be the killer, but that’s not enough to go on.  I can’t just let him go because he has a good cry.”

“You know me better than that,” Sadie said with a grin.  “I have evidence that points to something else entirely.  He had nothing to do with Mayor Miller’s death.”

“I’m listening.”

Sadie looked at him.  She couldn’t very well relay what Noodles had told Biscuit the night before.

“Okay,” she began. “There was some dirt on the floor where we found Softie.” 

“That’s a good start.”

Not really having more to say for the moment, she hesitated.  But Palmer arrived just in time.

“Good,” Palmer said.  “You’re both here.  I have the results of the analysis.”

“Well,” Kenwood said.  “Go ahead.  Tell me what you have.”

“First off,” he said, looking at Sadie.  “The dirt that you bagged from the mayor’s bedroom.”

“Yeah?”

“I compared it to the dirt that I picked up from the garden where Mika was found.”  He paused.

“And?” Kenwood said a little impatient.

“It was a perfect match.”

“Okay,” Kenwood said.  “So, what does that tell us exactly?  That her dog sniffed around?”

“Well, yes.  It obviously tells us that Softie went down to the garden at some time that day.”

“Okay.”

“I returned to the place where Mika’s body was found and I was able to find one nice and clear paw print in the dirt.”

“A paw print.”  Kenwood repeated, mulling over Palmer’s statement.

Palmer looked directly at Kenwood.  “Softie, slash Baby, was down in the garden after Mika was put there.”

“Wait a minute,” Kenwood said.  “What are you getting at?  Are you saying that Softie killed Mika?”

“No,” Sadie interjected.  “But she does have something to do with where and how we found the mayor.”

“Can you clarify a bit?”

“As it turns out, Trudy Roper was involved in a love triangle.  She was in a relationship with Hunter Dillinger.  This was a relatively new relationship with the mayor’s ex-husband.  However, it would appear that the mayor’s ex-husband still had feelings for the mayor.”

“Oh?” Kenwood said.

“Yes.  And it is Dillinger, and not John, who had drinks and a passion filled evening with the mayor the night that she died.”

Palmer pulled out the report of his analysis.  “This is the result from the wine glasses.”

“These glasses were in the mayor’s bedroom,” Sadie told Kenwood who nodded.

“One glass had Mika’s DNA and the other had Dillinger’s.”

“Interesting,” Kenwood said.  “But how did this all turn to murder?”

“The night before the big fundraiser,” Sadie said.  “Dillinger shared a few glasses of champagne or wine with the mayor and they went on to have a night of raunchy romance.  Unfortunately, their night of romance was cut short what Trudy Roper charged into the mansion looking for her man.  She caught him in bed with the mayor and threw a fit.  Dillinger left the mayor’s bed and ran after Trudy.”

“Did Trudy kill the mayor?” Kenwood said.

“Nope,” Sadie said.  “The thing is that in playing whatever little game that the mayor and Dillinger were playing, Dillinger had handcuffed the mayor’s wrists together.  When he ran off, he left her there, still handcuffed.  She waited a while, expecting him to return, but when he didn’t come back, she headed out of her room, down the stairs and out to the garden.”

“So, she walked out to the garden of her own accord?” Kenwood said.

“Yes,” Sadie said.  “And, wearing her long and slinky lingerie, she tripped over it.  Handcuffed, she had less balance.  All of this led to her falling back and hitting her head on a large rock by the rose bed.”

Palmer nodded.  “When I went to the garden, I noticed a stain on one of the rocks near where the mayor’s body was found.”

“Are you saying that Mayor Miller wasn’t killed, but that she fell and died of her injuries?”

“It would appear so,” Sadie said.

“Then, how do you explain that she was partially buried?” Kenwood said.  “Obviously, someone wanted to hide the body.  Why would anybody do that if she’d simply fallen and hurt herself?”

“Like Palmer mentioned earlier,” Sadie said.  “He found a paw print near the spot where we found the mayor.”

“Softie?”

“I believe that Softie, Baby, followed the mayor down to the garden and when she realized that the mayor was hurt, she hid her in the flower bed.  I would assume that she had some misguided notion of wanting to protect her mistress.  Maybe protect her from the cold, or from animals that might come into the garden.  I don’t know why, but that’s what she did.”

While she had heard Noodles say all of this to Biscuit the night before, Sadie looked at Kenwood and hoped he wouldn’t ask too many questions.

“So, it was all an unfortunate accident,” Kenwood said softly.  He straightened up and walked past Sadie and Palmer and out of his office. “What about Softie being locked up in the Mayor’s bedroom? Who put her there?”

“She must’ve gone back to the bedroom, looking for help for her mistress, thinking Dillinger would have returned, but got stuck in the room when the door closed,” Sadie said.

Sadie didn’t want to say it out loud about what Noodles had said Softie told her. That she thought she had seen a ghostly figure that looked like the Mayor come by, hushed the barking dog, and closed the door.

Softie had said her mistress wanted to keep what happened between her and the big man a secret.

Kenwood nodded the acceptance of Sadie’s story, looking at her quizzically for a second before he said, “Those old doors…so easy to be moved by a draft from a loose window somewhere in a house that old.” He then said, “Looks like someone is innocent.”

Sadie and Palmer followed behind him as he headed to the holding cells.

John immediately looked up as they walked in, his hopeful gaze falling on Sadie.  “Find anything?”

“Enough to set you free,” Kenwood said as he opened the cell.

Relieved, John stepped out and went to Sadie.

“I know it won’t bring back your beloved Mika,” she said.  “But I do hope that you’ll find solace in knowing that Mika wasn’t murdered.  It was all an unfortunate accident.  Mika tripped and hit her head.”

John offered her a wan smile as he nodded.  “Thank you.  That does make it a little easier to accept that she’s gone.  She was so popular and so loved by all her constituents.  I couldn’t imagine that anyone would want to see her dead.”

Sadie wondered if he would want to know more about the handcuffs and lingerie and Dillinger.  Was he aware of the on-going affair between Mika and her ex-husband?

It wasn’t her place to say.

“You’re free to go,” Kenwood said.  “I apologize for the inconvenience.”

John shook his head dismissively.  “The important thing is that we now know what happened to Mika.  That’s all that really matters right now.”

He looked at Sadie and reached out to take a hold of her hand.  “Thank you so much for going to the trouble of figuring all of this out.”

Sadie smiled.  “It was no trouble.  I hope that this will bring you some sense of closure.”

He nodded, smiled at the others and turned to walk away.

“Well,” Palmer said.  “Now that that’s settled…”

Kenwood looked at Sadie with a grim grin.

“What’s wrong?” Sadie said.  “We solved the case.  Case closed.  This is a time to celebrate.  Why so glum?”

“I know it sounds silly,” he said.  “But in the short time that I had her, I really got attached to Softie.”

“Baby,” Sadie corrected.

“Right.”  He scratched his head and seemed truly troubled.  “Even Noodles really liked her.”

“Oh, Kenwood,” Sadie said as she reached out to hug him.

He hugged her tight, holding her against him as he buried his face in her hair.

After a moment, Sadie tried to pull back, but he held her.  Uncomfortable she glanced at Palmer.

He wore an expression that she’d never seen before.

Hurt?  Lovesick? Jealous?

All of the above?

With a firmer hand, Sadie pushed back and finally disentangled herself from Kenwood’s hold.

Trudy was right.  She could no longer deny it.

She was in a love triangle.

*****

Get the next Book in the Silver Mystery Series!

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Catalina, Crimes, and Coconut Pies (Sadie Silver Mystery #1)

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Paris, Poison, Pain Au Chocolate (Sadie Silver Mystery #2)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L83V6DJ

Paris, Ice Pick, and Petit Fours:  A Cozy Contemporary International Crime Mystery

(Sadie Silver Mystery #3)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LC11NB9

Fortune Falls, Felons, and Fudge: A Cozy Contemporary International Crime Mystery (Sadie Silver Mystery #4)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LBY6NHZ

Apple Valley, Ax, and Ambrosia: A Cozy Contemporary International Crime Mystery (Sadie Silver Mystery #5)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LBZ1FRJ

Staying Inn, Scarf, and Sugar Cookies: A Cozy Contemporary International Crime Mystery (Sadie Silver #6)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LBY5FP8

Sin City, Shoes, and Sundaes: A Cozy Contemporary International Crime Mystery (Sadie Silver #7)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LC12213

Haunted Castle, Hanging Doll, and Honey Ham: A Cozy Contemporary International Crime Mystery (Sadie Silver #8)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LC28BQP

Dog Park, Dagger, and Donuts: A Cozy Contemporary International Crime Mystery (Sadie Silver Mystery #9)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LC451NQ

Costume Party, Cuffs, and Cupcakes: A Cozy Contemporary International Crime Mystery (Sadie Silver Mystery #10)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VFR6J2N

Tea House, Tights, and Toffee: A Cozy Contemporary International Crime Mystery (Sadie Silver Mystery #11)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VFT6YSM

Mom’s Manor, Mop, and Macaroons: A Cozy Contemporary International Crime Mystery (Sadie Silver Mystery #12)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VFVK779

About the Author Kailin Gow

From visiting Romania, ALA YALSA Award-winning and Million-Selling Author Kailin Gow was asked to write stories about vampires; visiting the Black Forest in Germany and seeing the castles of Europe inspired her to write fantasy; visiting Asia's mystical mountains inspired her to write action adventure and mythological dystopians. From her experience in college as a peer counselor and her volunteer work with women's shelters, she was inspired to write contemporary romance with social issues for women, new adults, young adults, and teens. Having faced adversity, including battling stereotypes and bullying, Kailin Gow has become a well-known speaker and influential figure in media. Her adventurous bold spirit has taken her around the world, where she has ridden on top of elephants through jungles, hand-fed sting rays, studied kung fu from a Shaolin Temple monk, and learned cooking from a celebrity chef. She is a USA Today Bestselling author and has been a #1 Amazon bestselling author over two-hundred times. Her Bitter Frost Series is in development as a TV Series, and her contemporary romance Loving Summer is set to become a feature film. An multi-award-winning filmmaker, director, and actress; Kailin’s films have premiered at Cannes, Los Angeles, Rome, England, Paris, Korea, Japan, and even in India’s Ministry of Culture. 

Compelled to write her first fiction book because of 9/11, Kailin Gow now has over 400 fiction books published under Kailin Gow and various Pen Names in many genres.  As a speaker and host, she has hosted international shows at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, been a celebrity judge at beauty pageants, been a judge for writing contests, and hosted television series.   She was featured as an Indie Author Success Story on the homepage of Amazon.com for a month and is also included in Amazon’s book called Transformations. She is the first Asian American to have been featured on Amazon’s homepage as an Author Success Story, and the first to have sold over a million books.

Follow Kailin at:

http://www.facebook.com/OfficialKailinGow

Kailin Gow RH Newsletter Sign Up

http://madmimi.com/signups/5d7494ecee0a46feaa5c7a60f8f152f1/join

Bookbub

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kailin-gow

Amazon Author Page

https://www.amazon.com/Kailin-Gow/e/B002BMAEH4

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/kailingow 