Blackmail can be Murder by Jenna St. James

Author:Jenna St. James [James, Jenna St.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-09-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

I pulled to the curb outside our office and hurried inside before Willa could come out and accost us. In my rush, I’d forgotten about the zoo we were now running. The minute I crossed the threshold, I was brought up short by Scrappy’s one-eyed stare, and Lucy’s bark that was really a meow.

“How did my life get so screwed up?” I mumbled.

Aunt Shirley cackled. “Just lucky, I guess.”

“Good news,” Bevie said from behind her desk. “I took the dog to the vet. And let me just say, whoo-wee, that Dr. Cavendish is one tall drink of water.”

I wasn’t in the mood. I was too stressed about tonight’s visit with Salducci. “And what did that tall drink of water recommend for Lucy, Bevie? Adoption to another state?”

“Euthanasia?” Aunt Shirley added.

Bevie scowled. “He said no such thing. He said Lucy is perfectly healthy and just needs a little love.”

Oh, heck no!

Scrappy ambled over and jumped up on Bevie’s lap while Lucy wagged her tail and stared intently at Aunt Shirley with her big, beady, reddish-black bulging eyes.

“So I’ve decided to adopt Lucy,” Bevie said as she petted Scrappy. “I called the sheriff’s station and spoke to Deputy Gleeson, and he said they talked with Parker’s mom this morning, and when they mentioned Lucy to her, she said she would let the precious little girl go to a good home.” Bevie held out a kitty treat to Scrappy. Unfortunately, Scrappy’s depth perception was off because of the missing eye, and he landed nose-first on Bevie’s knee. “So the deputy said I can keep her.”

“Yay us,” I deadpanned.

“I know, right!” Bevie set the cat down on the floor. “Now, I might have some information for you about this last picture. The one where the robbery is taking place. I scoured the Brywood Chronicle newspaper articles over the last two months, and I saw the article where Parker was praised for single-handedly bringing down this ring of thieves. The three men arrested were Cody Abrams, Roger Nichols, and Rick Tucker. I ran all of them through CaseNet, and they all have rap sheets. Right now, all three men are sitting in the county jail awaiting trial.”

I frowned “I still don’t get it. Was there an address of where this house is that was robbed? We should go talk to the owner. Maybe Parker was blackmailing the owner for something?”

“No address,” Bevie said.

“Lamar Street!” Aunt Shirley exclaimed. “Remember? Yesterday, the deputy said something about the last robbery taking place on Lamar Street.”

“On it,” Bevie said, clicking away on her computer.

“That’s right,” I said. “Aunt Shirley, you’re a genius.”

Aunt Shirley preened next to me on the couch. “I have my moments.”

Bevie and Aunt Shirley took out their flasks and toasted each other…and I had to shake my head and laugh. I was surrounded by women who loved to drink on the job, a one-eyed cat with mange, and a demon-possessed Chihuahua that meowed.

“One of you hand me your flask,” I said. “I’ve a sudden urge to drink.

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