Burning Ridge_A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery by Margaret Mizushima

Author:Margaret Mizushima
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Published: 2018-09-11T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY

Mattie and Stella decided to hit Colorado Parks and Wildlife first and were driving there in Mattie’s SUV with Robo in the back. They hoped to catch Ed Lovejoy in his office—it was early enough that he probably hadn’t yet left for the field.

Stella turned in the passenger seat to appraise Mattie. “What did you think of Lawson’s suggestion to take you off the case?”

“He was just doing his job, expressing his opinion. I didn’t take it personally like you did.”

Stella wrinkled her nose. “I guess I did a little bit.”

“I appreciate the support. So does Robo.” Mattie directed the conversation to the upcoming interview. “How do you want to handle Lovejoy?”

“How well do you know him?”

“He’s lived here for years. He does a good job, and he’s never caused any trouble. We don’t even have a parking ticket on him.”

“Then let’s go into it easy,” Stella said. “Save the confrontational stuff for the end. Watch his body language, see what we think.”

Pleased to see Lovejoy’s green truck parked in front of the tan stucco building with brown trim and a metal roof, Mattie pulled up and parked beside it. “I could take the lead if you want, start with his opinion of the search we did together Monday morning.”

“Take it away.”

Mattie turned to look at Robo. As usual, he stood, eager and ready to go. “You’re going to stay here,” she told him, and he sat, ears pricked, apparently willing to wait.

At the front desk, Mattie asked for Lovejoy, and she and Stella were directed back to his office. They approached the open doorway and spotted Lovejoy seated behind a desk piled high with paper, manuals, and books. He was writing on a notepad, his forehead wrinkled in concentration. Mattie tapped on the doorjamb.

Lovejoy looked up and his face lit. He leaned forward to pick up a coffee can from his desk, pulled off the plastic lid and spat a stream of tobacco juice into it. “Mattie!” he said when his mouth was clear enough to talk. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Geez, Ed. Do you chew that stuff all the time?”

His cheeks bunched as he tried to grin around the wad of snuff behind his bottom lip. “It’ll kill what ails ya.”

“I sincerely hope that it doesn’t kill you someday.” Mattie gestured toward Stella. “You know Detective LoSasso, right?”

“Call me Stella,” the detective said as she offered a handshake.

Lovejoy stood to shake her hand and then scurried from his office, returning with two folding chairs. Mattie and Stella sat them in front of his desk while he went around to his own seat.

“Where are you with your investigation of the ram shooting, Ed?” Mattie asked.

“I’m filling out the paperwork this morning. All I’ve got so far is what you’ve given me—date, time, the .270 Winchester casing found at the top of the ridge, and the slug Doc Walker retrieved from the carcass. When will you find out if that casing and the slug match?”

“Possibly today. What do

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