The Chocolate Raccoon Rigmarole by JoAnna Carl

Author:JoAnna Carl [Carl, JoAnna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2021-08-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

“Honestly!” Dolly’s voice shook. “That Mike! He was sure he could corral Watt.”

“I’m sure he felt confident that he could do that. But I guess Watt was too sneaky for him. He’s gone.”

I jumped in then. “Joe, doesn’t Mike have any idea where Watt has gone?”

“He says he doesn’t.” Joe made calming motions and urged both Dolly and me to sit down. Then he reported.

Joe told us Mike had taken Watt to a cottage Mike owned, located about two blocks from his own house. “It’s still in Warner Pier,” Joe said. “It was part of Mike’s parents’ estate. But it’s sort of ramshackle and hidden by bushes and trees. Like a lot of things over there on the lakeshore.”

Dolly was nodding vigorously, so I realized she must know about this cottage. “Mike works on that place when he gets time,” she said. “It could be fixed up really cute. That’s one reason he wanted the part-time job with the city and these other little jobs he’s taken—to save up some extra money for that project. I think he’d really like to live in it.”

Joe nodded. “Yeah, for a while Mike thought about selling it ‘as is,’ and he showed it to a few people. He took me over there because Hogan and I redid the Bailey house last year, and we talked about how much it would cost.

“The cottage needs a lot of work, but it would make a great place to live—or a cool rental. Mike probably thought that he and Watt could hide out there a few days, since only a few people know about it. So Hogan arranged for Mike to take Watt out of the hospital last night, and he and Watt spent the night there. Mike was keeping a close eye on Watt because of his head injury, and he told Hogan, who told me, that Watt was perfectly calm and seemed to rest okay. Then, this morning, Watt expressed a desire for a bowl of cereal.”

Joe gestured again. “It seemed to be an innocent request. Mike had brought bacon and eggs along, but no cereal and no milk. So when Watt said he wanted to take a nap, Mike figured it was a good time to pick you up, Dolly. Plus, he could drive into Holland and buy milk and shredded wheat at the same time.”

“Holland?” I was puzzled. “There are a dozen places to buy milk and cereal closer than Holland.”

Joe nodded. “Mike says he was afraid to go to our very own Warner Pier Superette or closer places, because he was sure he’d run into someone he knew. Such as the checker. And Watt seemed calm and satisfied with staying at the cottage alone. But Watt may have been using his request as an excuse to get Mike out of the way. Because when Mike got back—after a little over an hour—no Watt. He had disappeared.”

“And Mike has no clue where Watt has gone?”

Joe shook his head seriously. “Mike’s wringing his

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