Murder at the Dog Training Academy by Cindy Bell

Author:Cindy Bell [Bell, Cindy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-03-21T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

As Nikki drove in the direction of Shirley’s address, she wondered what she would say to her. The idea that Shirley had left the letters for her was a big assumption to make. It was possible that Shirley just had a cold and didn’t go into work, but it was the only lead she had.

Nikki parked outside Shirley’s house and peered out through the passenger side window at the property. The house itself was small, and older. Although it needed a few repairs it appeared to be well-kept. She didn’t see a car in the driveway, but it might have been parked in the attached garage. She stepped out of the car and did a quick scan of the street. A thin strip of grass separated each property from its neighbor. With the houses so close together, a person could easily see through the window of one house into the window of another. She made her way up to the front door and knocked. She hoped that Shirley would tell her the truth about what she knew about Patrick. After some time, she knocked again. The door swung open a little beneath the pressure of the knocks.

“Shirley?” Nikki pushed the door open enough to peek inside the house. “Are you home?”

Nikki heard no response. Her heart pounded as she took a step inside. She didn’t want to enter the woman’s home without permission. But she had to make sure she was okay. If her door had been left open that might mean that Patrick had beat her there. He wasn’t available when they were at the office, was that because he was with Shirley?

“Hello?” Nikki crept a little farther into the apartment, just past the living room. Candles lined the coffee table. The television looked freshly dusted. Even the pillows on the couch appeared perfectly centered. She took another breath and looked down the hall towards the bedroom. “Shirley? Are you here?” Maybe she was wrong. Maybe Shirley wasn’t the one who had left her the envelope after all. Maybe Shirley really was sick, and sound asleep in her bed. Would she call the police if she woke up and found Nikki in her apartment?

“She’s not in there.”

The voice sent a jolt along Nikki’s spine. She turned around to find a teenage boy in the doorway.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” He chuckled. “I heard you calling for Shirley. But she’s not in there.”

“Do you know where she is?” Nikki walked back towards the front door.

“I saw her leave about an hour ago. She had suitcases, like she was going on a trip.” He tipped his head to the side. “I’ve never seen you around here before. Are you a friend of hers?”

“Are you the local neighborhood watch?” Nikki smiled at him.

“Maybe.” He tucked his hands into his pockets. “So? Are you her friend or not?”

“Yes.” Nikki took a deep breath as she recalled the envelope under her door. “Yes, I think I am.”

“Then how come you didn’t know she was going on a trip?” He crossed his arms.

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