Darla followed suit and finished hers. “It’s strong, but it’s sweet. That’s delicious.”
“It’s vodka, lemons and sugar. I made this batch last week,” explained Tilly as she poured Darla another.
“It is tasty, but too strong for me,” said Mariska, pushing her glass away. Darla took hers and finished it before pulling her new pour closer. “I love it.”
Mariska pursed her lips. “I can see that.”
“So what am I looking for?” asked Tilly. She saw Mariska’s gaze float towards a plate of amaretti cookies covered with plastic wrap and pushed the dish towards her.
Mariska grinned and helped herself. “This is more my speed.”
Darla slid a cookie from beneath the plastic wrap for herself. “Someone left boxes with puppies inside of them on people’s doorsteps last night. Charlotte found five of them but there should be six so we think someone still has one.”
“Any particular part of the neighborhood?”
“One went to Alice—”
Tilly’s eyes popped wide. “Alice? But didn’t she—”
“Dead,” confirmed Mariska, licking crumbs from her lips. “But the puppy was there with her when they found her.”
Darla finished her limoncello shot and returned to rattling off the puppy receivers as Tilly poured her another. “Althea, Katherine—”
“Fat Katherine or Balding Katherine?” asked Tilly.
“Balding. Gladys Sorenson and Janice Rocco.”
Tilly seemed to let the information settle. “They’re all over in the newer section. I’ll look there. Be right back. Help yourselves.”
Tilly strode on her bandy legs to the back of the house and Darla reached for the bottle of limoncello.
“You’d better watch yourself,” said Mariska, sliding out another cookie.
“I can’t help it. It’s like I’m addicted to it. It burns but it’s so sweet and good.”
“I’ll be driving you to AA meetings,” muttered Mariska.
“Well, you ease up on the cookies or I’ll be driving you to fat camp.”
Mariska giggled.
Darla took another cookie and tried to dunk it into her limoncello. She broke in half and it crumbled across the countertop.
“Shoot.”
She swept the crumbs into a pile and then leaned over to press her tongue against them.
“You’re licking the counter?” said Mariska.
“Crumbs,” mumbled Darla before taking the smaller half of her broken cookie to dip it in her tiny glass. “Ooh, that’s good.” She dunked the other half and handed it to Mariska. “Try it.”
“You’re making a mess,” said Mariska, but she opened her mouth and Darla popped the cookie inside.
Mariska nodded as she chewed. “Not bad. Less burny that way.”
Darla glanced down the hall. “She’ll probably be a while.”
She slid off the stool and moved to Tilly’s glass cabinets to retrieve a teacup saucer. Bringing it back to her spot, she filled it with limoncello and sat two cookies in the sauce.
“You’re soaking them? Is that how you’re supposed to eat them?” asked Mariska.
Darla nodded. “It should be.”
Mariska helped herself to one and Darla finished another glass of yellow sunshine.
Tilly returned with a printout in her hand and stopped to stare at the saucer.
“I never thought to do that.”
“It’s good, try it.” Darla thrust half a cookie towards her, her opposite hand cupped beneath it to catch the dripping limoncello.
Tilly ate it and nodded. “Not bad.”
Darla licked her palm. “I’m a genius.”
“Here’s your suspect.” Tilly put the printout on the counter. The black and white image was muddy, but clear enough to know something was very wrong.
The person in the video wore a hoody and jeans, but they had the face of a cartoon poodle.
“Is that a mask?” asked Mariska.
“I certainly hope so,” said Tilly, pouring herself a glass.
Darla released a sign. “Whew. Good. For a second I thought I was going to have to slow down on the limoncello.” Darla pushed her glass towards Tilly. “I’ll take another.”
Chapter Eleven
Charlotte arrived at the vet’s office just before closing. The receptionist was nowhere to be found, but a moment later Dr. Powers poked her head out from the back.
“Ah, it’s you. Just a second.”
She retreated inside and appeared a minute later with a very familiar puppy in her arms.
“This look like your man?” she asked, holding up the dog.
Charlotte grinned. She couldn’t help but smile as the puppy struggled to get to her.
“There you are,” she said as the doctor handed him to her. “Who brought him in?”
“Hannah, my receptionist, said it was an older lady.”
Charlotte chuckled. “That really narrows it down around here.”
“Hannah hadn’t seen her before. She checked in with the name Smith.”
“That’s not promising. Or creative.”
“She said the woman was on the phone one minute and the next she was gone. Hannah assumed she’d changed her mind and left, but then noticed the puppy wandering around the waiting area.”
“What time was this?”
Dr. Powers squinted as if that helped her see the answer to Charlotte’s question. “I want to say around two-thirty? Not long before I called you. I was in with a patient but Hannah filled me in when I was finished.”
Charlotte nuzzled the pup. “Well, I appreciate it. I’m sure this little guy is looking forward to being reunited with his brothers and sisters.”
“Someone stole them?”
Charlotte nodded. “And then dispersed them around Pineapple Port.”
Dr. Powers removed her long, white lab coat. “People are weird. I gave him a look over. He seems perfectly healthy.”
“Great. I really appreciate it. What do I owe you?”
Dr. Powers waved her away. “Don’t worry about it. If you need anything else let me know.”
Charlotte thanked her again and headed for her car. Inside, she started the old Volvo to get the air conditioner running and called Frank.
“It’s official. I have the sixth puppy,” she said when he answered.
He didn’t
