were a cop’s wife too long for that.”
“No, I didn’t expect a confession. But aren’t you even interested in finding out if a woman was in the shop before he got there?”
“We’ve questioned everyone, Peggy. Even Angela Martin, his PA. You weren’t the only one who knew he was having an affair. No one else had motive and opportunity like Cheever did. He probably didn’t mean to kill him. He meant to knock him down and take his stuff. He hit him too hard. I’m sorry, but he still has to pay for his crime.”
Before Peggy could argue the point, there was another knock on the door. It was the man from last night who tried to claim the dog.
“I’m back for my dog. Here are my documents. I bought him, got his shots, and cared for him. This is my lawyer. He’s prepared to go to court, if necessary.” The lawyer stepped forward, looking uneasy.
Al joined them, flashed his badge, and the two men backed down. “What seems to be the problem?”
“I’m glad you’re here, Detective.” The lanky young man nodded his head and grinned at Peggy. “I want to have this woman arrested for not giving my dog back.”
Al raised a black brow at Peggy. She told him the story of how she found the dog and put out flyers to locate his owner. He looked at the man’s papers. “Looks like everything’s in order. Why didn’t you give him the dog back?”
“The dog didn’t want to go with him. He chased him and almost bit him.”
“Peggy, a lot of runaway kids don’t want to go home with their parents either. But the law says they have to. The man owns this dog.” He handed the papers back. “You have to give it to him.”
The man in the doorway rubbed his hands and laughed. “See? I told you I’d get him back.”
Peggy picked the leash up from the side table. “Here you go. If I ever see that dog running around like some half-starved scarecrow again, I’ll call the Humane Society and
The man jerked the leash out of her hand and approached the dog confidently—until the animal picked up his scent and began snarling at him. “Nice boy. Good Jo-Jo.”
“Well, if everything is in order,” the lawyer in the plain gray suit started to move away from the door, “I’ll be going.”
Jo-Jo’s owner managed to get a headlock on the dog. He tied the leash around his neck like a choke collar. The dog tried to pull away but ended up coughing and gasping for breath.
Peggy wanted to kick the man. The look on her face must’ve given her away. Al put a large hand on her shoulder to hold her back.
“Thanks, Detective.” The man put out his hand to shake Al’s.
“I think you’d better go, son. In case you haven’t noticed, there’s more than the dog who’d like to bite you.”
“I suppose that was necessary.” Peggy watched the man shove the dog into the backseat of his BMW.
“The animal was his property. Sorry.”
She bristled. “I don’t want the dog. But I don’t want to see it mistreated.”
Al sighed. “Just remember what I said about interfering in this investigation.”
“What investigation? It seems to me that you aren’t investigating anymore.”
“Whatever you want to call it, don’t get involved. Okay?”
“I have to go to work. I’ll see you later.”
HER BOTANY CLASS WENT SMOOTHLY. The students forgot her notoriety in their unhappiness about her test. She sat at her desk for a few minutes after everyone was gone. The tests looked pretty good. She knew most of the students would never be involved in any future botanical pursuit. For most, this was an easy science credit. She’d been teaching there long enough to know the kids regarded her as an easy class. She didn’t mind. The few students who were serious about the subject were enough to keep her going.
“Ready for lunch, Professor?”
Peggy looked up at Steve. “Were we supposed to have lunch together?”
“I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by. Do you have other plans?”
“No. I’m glad to see you. You’ve saved me from sitting here and going through all these tests.”
“Consider yourself saved. Where would you like to go for lunch?”
They decided to take Steve’s car and go to the Mimosa Grill. Peggy had never been there, even though it was across the street from Latta Arcade. Steve loved their food.
“I saw the Rolls in your garage. That’s a classic,” he observed after they were seated at a table by the window.
“It belonged to my father-in-law. My husband never drove it. I’m restoring it and changing the engine to run on hydrogen. There’s too much fossil fuel emission without my adding to it.”
“That’s a challenge,” he admitted. “I’m impressed. Do you have mechanical experience?”
“No.” She picked up the lunch menu. “But how hard can it be? The combustion engine is pretty basic. Have you ever worked on a car?”
He laughed. “A little. When I was in college, I had this old Ford that had to be worked on every day. I swore
