“Thanks, Jill. I’m sorry you had to come over. I’m just being a silly old woman.”
“No, you’re not. It must have been an awful shock. I’d better call Pearl to let her know you’re alright. She’ll be worried.”
After I’d updated Pearl, I sat with Aunt Lucy until I was satisfied that she was okay.
If I ever got my hands on those vandals, they’d be sorry.
***
When I walked into the outer office, I did a double take because sitting on Mrs V’s desk was a little white poodle.
“Good morning, Jill.”
“Morning. Who’s your little friend?”
“I thought I’d call her Polly. The name suits her, don’t you think?”
“Where did she come from?”
“When I got back from the loo earlier, this little lady was waiting outside the office door for me. Armi and I have been talking about getting a dog for some time now, and then fate delivers Polly to me. It’s a miracle.”
“Maybe, but there is another more obvious explanation.”
“What’s that, dear?”
“Do you think it’s possible that Polly came from down the corridor? From Bubbles?”
“I wouldn’t have thought so.”
“You don’t think it’s something of a coincidence that a dog grooming parlour opened next door yesterday, and today a poodle turned up outside our door?”
“Hmm. I suppose it’s possible.”
“Why don’t I take a walk down to Bubbles, to see if they’re missing a poodle?”
“If you like, but I’m sure that’s not where Polly came from.”
The young woman in reception at the grooming parlour had clearly been chosen for her bubbliness.
“Good morning. Welcome to Bubbles,” she gushed. “Do you have an appointment?” She leaned forward. “Have you left your dog outside?”
“Actually, I’m not here to get my dog groomed. I was just wondering if you’d lost a poodle.”
“A poodle? I wouldn’t have thought so.”
“I work in the office just down the corridor, and we seem to have acquired one. A little white one.”
“We do have a white poodle waiting to be clipped, but I’m sure I fastened her in the cage.”
“It might be worth checking, don’t you think?”
“I won’t be a minute.” She disappeared through the door behind her, and returned a couple of minutes later, looking panic-stricken. “I could have sworn I locked it. Is Miranda okay?”
Miranda?
“Yes, she’s fine. She’s with my receptionist. Why don’t you come with me and get her?”
“I will, thanks. You won’t say anything about this to my boss, will you? I only started here yesterday, and I don’t want to lose this job.”
“I won’t say a word, but you really must be more careful in future. The dog could have gone down the stairs, out through the main door, and into the street.”
“I know. I feel terrible. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“Come on, then. Let’s go and get her.” I led the way down the corridor.
“My name’s Delilah, by the way.”
“My, my, what a nice name.”
When the two of us walked into the outer office, Mrs V’s face fell.
“This is Delilah, Mrs V. She works at Bubbles, and it seems they’re missing a poodle called Miranda.”
“Miranda?” Mrs V shook her head. “That name doesn’t suit Polly at all.”
“Who’s Polly?” Delilah said.
“That’s the name Mrs V gave to the poodle.”
“Her name’s definitely Miranda. She’s waiting for a clip. Is it okay if I take her?”
For a moment, I thought Mrs V might grab the poodle and make a break for it, but reluctantly she handed her to Delilah.
“Thank you. Both of you. And thanks for not saying anything to my boss. I really need this job because my fiancé, Sam, and I are getting married next year.”
“Just make sure you double-check the cages in future.”
“Don’t worry. I will.”
After Delilah and the poodle had left, Mrs V looked crestfallen.
“I’m sorry, Mrs V, but you couldn’t keep Polly—err—Miranda. Think how devastated her owner would have been if they’d come to pick her up, only to find that she was missing.”
“You’re right, dear. I know you are. But I think this is a sign that we should have a dog. A little poodle just like Polly.”
While Mrs V was poodle dreaming, I slipped into my office.
“Good morning, Winky. Good morning, Ricardo. Good morning, Lulu. Anything to report?”
“Plenty, but we aren’t at liberty to share it with you, I’m afraid.” Officer Lulu jumped down from the windowsill and onto my desk.
“We’re all rather hungry, Jill,” Winky said.
“Oh? It’s a bit early, isn’t it?”
“It’s never too early for salmon.”
“I do have to go out in a few minutes, so I suppose I might as well feed you now.”
Once I’d given them the salmon, I went over to my desk to check the post. All bills, as usual. I was just about to leave when I remembered what Donna had told me about the accountant who lived in the village, so I took the receipts and invoices from the bottom drawer of my desk and shoved them in a carrier bag. I figured I could show him what I had, to see if he could work with that.
“Right, Winky. I’m off now. Goodbye, Agents Lulu and Ricardo.”
***
I suspected I knew who was behind the recent spate of bank robberies, but to test my theory, and to help me track him down, I needed to speak to the man who’d held us hostage in Coffee Animal. The only way I’d managed to get an interview with him had been to use the ‘doppelganger’ spell in order to pose as his solicitor.
The bank robber, whose name was Darren Black, was seated in the interview room, with one foot up on the table.
“What’s up, man?” he said, through a mouthful of gum. “Any chance of getting me out of here?”
