Beatrice took a bite and swallowed. “Simply delicious.”
I paused as Sadie pronounced it the best she’d ever eaten. All eyes turned to me.
Stephen held out the plate. “Come on, Evie, you can’t serve customers what you won’t eat yourself.”
As I bit into the whoopie pie, my taste buds sprang to life. The chocolate cookie was delectable, and the creamy filling luscious, far superior than I’d hoped for. “I can’t believe it. As good as Olivia’s. I’m sure Sadie or I could reproduce them, especially with Beatrice standing by.” I felt a burden lift from my shoulders and my stomach relax.
But Olivia’s disappearance and the whoopie pies were just a couple of my problems. Other challenges loomed on the horizon—of that I was sure.
In uniform, Wayne marched into the café. “Pardon me, folks, but I need to speak to Stephen.”
Stephen stepped toward him and then said, “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Wish I was. Please check for Glenn’s big male Lab, will you?”
Stephen turned to Beatrice. “Is Heath in the house?”
She nodded. “As far as I know. I checked on him a couple of hours ago. And Mark walked him on leash earlier.”
“Hold on. I’ll go look for myself.” Stephen seemed to bristle inside.
Like following the Pied Piper, Wayne, Beatrice, and I trailed after Stephen toward the house. We could barely keep up. As we neared the house, I expected to hear Heath’s woofing, but when I looked through the glass-paned kitchen door window, Missy stood inside, her tail wagging. She let out a gentle woof, and Minnie yapped with excitement.
Stephen opened the door. “Heath?” He turned to Beatrice. “Why wasn’t this door locked?”
“We never lock it during the day. Just at night.”
“Why on earth not?” Wayne’s voice boomed.
Growing up in a house where the doors were never bolted, I wasn’t at all surprised. “Who would enter a home with three dogs?”
Wayne’s mouth contorted. “Obviously, someone who isn’t the least bit afraid of them.” He sounded as surly as a German shepherd. “I need to get over to Bill’s house pronto.”
“I’ll come with you,” Stephen said.
“No, you don’t. This is official police business.”
“Then I’ll follow you. If Heath’s there, he’ll come when I call. I’m the only one he obeys other than his owner.”
“I’m not giving you permission to follow me, but I won’t stop you. But, please, Stephen, let me do all the talking. Got that?”
“Yep. Other than to call for Heath, I’ll keep silent.”
“I’m coming too,” I said. Much as I feared a repeat of our last encounter with the sheepherder, I was bound and determined to accompany Stephen. “Sadie can close the café without me, can’t she?”
“Yes, not a problem,” Beatrice said. “I’ll go back and make sure the place is prepped and ready for the morning.”
Wayne’s patrol car tore out of the nursery’s parking lot. I ran after Stephen and climbed into the pickup’s passenger seat as he was igniting the engine. “What do you think you’re doing?” he snapped.
“The same as you.” My heart racing, I clipped on my seat belt.
When we reached the sheep farmer’s property, Bill must have heard the vehicles arriving. He swaggered out onto the porch. Wayne got out of his squad car and headed to the house.
We pulled up next to Wayne’s car. As Wayne neared the house, Bill yelled at him and shook his fist, but I couldn’t understand his words. Just as well, as I assumed he was pelting Wayne with profanities.
Wayne stood at the bottom of the steps, putting him at a disadvantage, although I noticed he wore a firearm.
“I wonder if we’re too late.” Stephen cut the engine.
“Please, Stephen. Whatever happens, keep your temper in check.” Half of me was glued to the seat, but my hand reached for the door’s handle.
He exited his pickup. I got out slowly, not wanting to stir up further turmoil. I reminded myself I didn’t even like dogs, but I’d be distraught if anything bad happened to Heath. I imagined the dog in the pasture attacking a lamb and Bill with his shotgun. My lungs felt as though they were collapsing.
Stephen sauntered over next to Wayne. Stephen pressed his lips together and remained silent. I guessed he was using herculean strength to keep himself under control.
“How should I know?” Bill’s words rippled with rage. “Probably killed another of my prize sheep and took off.”
“Calm down, Bill,” Wayne said, patting the air. “We’ll get this all straightened out.”
“What about Ralph?” Stephen asked Wayne. “Where is he?”
Bill sneered. “No clue. I’m not my brother’s keeper.”
Stephen called for Heath and then rounded the house and proceeded toward the basement door at the bottom of a flight of cement stairs.
“Hey, hold on, let me handle this.” Wayne sprinted to reach the basement first, and I followed to watch. He knocked on the door, using the side of his hand.
Silence.
“Open up, Ralph, or I’m coming in.” Wayne tried the doorknob and found it unlocked. With his hand on his weapon, he shouldered the door open.
“If I know him, Ralph went out on a binge last night and is sleeping it off somewhere,” Bill said.
“Your brother’s been raiding our café,” Stephen said.
“No way. Got proof?”
“I was an eyewitness.” My voice came out tinny. “He had a key—”
Wayne raised his hand to silence me. “Better let me do the talking.” He turned to Bill. “You sure you have another dead sheep?”
Bill winced as another squad car pulled up and two officers got out. Wayne motioned them around the back of the house. “We’ll go check.” He turned to Stephen. “You can come with us, but I want Eva to wait here in case there’s any trouble.”
Bill followed them. Impatiently, I sat on the front steps for a few minutes. The gray paint was chipped and pealing. One of the steps looked to have dry rot at the end. The whole house needed to be painted. As I inspected the disrepair, a woman cast a shadow in the window. Clad in a bubblegum-pink chenille bathrobe,
