you could stop in. Are you ready for your trip to Europe?”
Her TV series,
She covered Babycake’s ears, one of the few parts on his miniature body with hair. “Shh. It’s a surprise. Baby doesn’t know we’re taking a widdle twip.”
I cringed at her baby talk. I never understood why people insisted on talking down to their baby, let alone their animal. Especially people with small dogs.
I lowered my voice, “I have your special order in the office. I’ll grab it.”
I wanted to get back to Alex as quickly as I could. I hurried to the storage area and immediately found the plush white box containing the $35,000 doggles Shar had commissioned. (No, that’s not a typo. Let me spell it out- thirty-five thousand dollars. For sunglasses. For a dog.
I hadn’t been gone for more than two minutes, but that was enough time for Alex to escape my questions. Dang.
I set the box on the counter and slid it to Shar. “Here you go.”
“I’m not sure I should open it in front her.” She pushed out her bottom lip and looked at me expectantly.
As if I’d ever let myself be manipulated by pouting. Sheesh. There was no way I’d hold that dog. Last I’d heard she’d not only bitten Caro, but she’d bitten Detective Malone, too.
Thinking about Malone made me think about Mona, which made me think about how often Cliff’s name popped up. He could have killed Mona. He had motive and opportunity. And it would have been easy for him to get into the gated community without drawing attention.
Then there was Jo. Like Darby, Jo couldn’t have gotten into the neighborhood without the guard letting her though or without using the access code. Did Jo have other clients in the neighborhood? Could they have given her the access code?
“Well?” Shar asked, pulling me out of my mental-sleuthing.
It was time to get rid of Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Two so I could bop over to Mona’s and find her computer. “How about, I open the box and hold it above Baby’s head?”
She looked lovingly at her pooch, then nodded. “I guess so.”
I pried open the box, showcasing rimless sunglasses with diamonds in the shape of hearts on the pink lenses. I held it just above Babycakes’ head like I said I would.
A soft growl started at the back of her throat (uh, the baby dog, not the baby girl). I remained calm, but I had zero confidence teenage blondie could handle her itty bitty doggie.
“Are you sure that’s the right shade of pink?” Shar asked.
Baby’s almond eyes stared me down. “Positive. Pink Bubble Gum.” I closed the box and moved out the line of biting.
Shar whipped out her pink Coach wallet and handed me her black credit card. I rang up the doggles, then handed the receipt and bag to Shar.
“I put a couple of sweet potato treats in the bag.”
“Thanks, Mel.”
I followed them to the door, locking it as soon as their baby feet hit the sidewalk. I quickly hung the closed sign before more business wandered inside. I was a woman on a mission. I’d clear Darby’s name and, in the process, find out who hated Mona so much they killed her.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The sun had quickly burned off the morning clouds. It was noon, and the day promised to be full of sunshine and hope. I headed to Mona’s without calling, fingers crossed Camilla would be apron deep in recording Mona’s possessions. By now the security guard didn’t bother to stop me and passed me through. At some point I’d been promoted to resident status.
Is that what had happened the night Mona had died? Had he waved through a murderer? Or did they live in the community? I made a mental note to talk to the guard on my way out.
I parked in Mona’s circular driveway. I marched up to the door, and knocked as I opened it.
“Camilla? It’s Melinda. Are you here?” I yelled out, closing the door behind me.
She came rushing downstairs. “Why you here? Fluffy OK?”
Camilla looked really comfortable hanging out in Mona’s house in her black t-shirt and designer jeans.
Instead of the “butler did it,” could it be the housekeeper did it?
“She’s fine.” It probably wasn’t smart to let on I suddenly considered her a possible suspect. “Did you hear about the will?”
“Si, I got phone call.”
The meeting at Owen Quinn’s was in three hours. I needed to hurry this up. I peered over Camilla’s shoulder searching for what would be a logical office for Mona.
She looked over her shoulder too. “What?”
“So, you’ll be there? At the meeting.”
She shook her head. “No. My sister’s leaving town. I taking her to airport.”
“She can’t take a taxi?” If I was broke and thought I might be on the receiving end of a windfall of cash, my sister would be finding her own way to the airport. Okay, not really. But if Camilla didn’t attend the meeting, how would I know for sure if she was guilty or innocent?
“Taxi?” she asked confused.
“You’re not leaving town, too, are you?”
She laughed lightly, wiping her hands on her jeans. “No, no. I take my sister to the airport. She’s flying to Kansas.”
“Camilla, can I ask you a question?”
“Of course, Miz Melinda. Come with me.”
I followed Camilla to the sunroom and kept my eye out for an office. I positioned myself onto the settee across from her. “Did you know Darby Beckett was Mona’s daughter?” I asked.
She shook her head, her brows furrowed in concern. “No. It was big surprise. Do you think there are more children?” She asked the last part in a whisper.
Good grief. I hadn’t thought about that possibility.
I studied Mona’s former housekeeper with a critical eye. Was she curious, or was she more devious than I’d given her credit for? Maybe she thought if there were more offspring she’d get a smaller slice of the money pie.
“I doubt it,” I said. “Did Mona and Cliff argue last week about Fluffy?”
She shook her head automatically. “No.”
“No, you don’t know, or no they didn’t?”
“No argument.”
“Are you sure? Think carefully. Did Cliff stop by unannounced or call?”
She scowled. “No. He never come here. Once she kicked him out,” she jerked her thumb over her shoulder, “he never be back.”
She was lying. Kate, from the dog park, had been very clear-Cliff had been here, and they’d fought. Unless Kate was lying. Or maybe she didn’t know what Cliff looked like and just assumed the man Mona had argued with was Cliff.
But what other man would Mona have fought with? Alex?
Was Alex lying?
What if they were all lying?
I rubbed my temples. I was giving myself a headache. I leaned in closer. “You’re certain, Cliff was never here?”
