“So, you were able to keep the guests from fleeing?”
Peter looked down at me and flashed his eyes. “Yeah—not that it was easy. I can’t tell you how many times I heard ‘Do you know who I am?’”
“Typical.” I shook my head. “Now if they’d all just wear name tags, we’d know.”
Peter grinned. “We did catch someone trying to climb over the fence on the eastern side of the property with a stolen wombat.”
I choked and snapped my gaze to his face. “A wombat?”
He nodded gravely. “We’ve had a rash of wombat robberies lately.”
I frowned as he got me for a second, then rolled my eyes and nudged him with my shoulder. “Har har.” I frowned deeper. “So you found a wombat, but we’re still missing the phoenix?”
“Seems that way.” Peter let out a sigh, and I had a feeling he was sharing my earlier sentiment—this was going to be a long night.
A few more officers walked over and ushered all the guests who stood gawking at the dead women away, toward the center of the ballroom. With the space near us clear, I let out a quiet “woof.”
Hey, Days.
She shot me a heavy look, her pointy ears slightly flattened, and groaned. You two done with all the heavy petting? She huffed. And they say it’s dogs who like the petting.
I let out a slow whine. Oh, Daisy. The first line was good. The second was overkill. I shook my head. And Germans are so known for their humor and lightheartedness. Not sure what went wrong with you.
She glared at me as we followed Peter through the magical force field, which Quincy had apparently disabled earlier. I frowned as I remembered the way he’d taken off after Mark asked about the phoenix. The thin, older man had apparently dashed off to search for the missing bird, but where was he now?
Peter’s canine partner squeezed her eyes shut and yawned wide, baring all her pointy teeth. She licked her chops a few times and blinked bleary eyes at me while groaning. It’d be easier to make light if I was actually able to sleep at night.
My stomach clenched and I looked quickly at Peter. Help! But with his back to me and Mark the veterinarian already speaking with him, I’d have to field this awkward situation. Peter cast a magical barrier around his bedroom each night (and morning) so that Daisy, who slept in her bed out in the living room, wouldn’t see, hear, or smell anything traumatizing for all of us.
I cleared my throat, then laced my fingers together and let out a quiet woof. Now, Daisy, when a man and woman love each other and want to express that love in a physical—
“Bark!” Stop!
I glanced down and found Daisy staring up at me, the whites showing all around her dark eyes. She barked again, drawing glances from Peter and the vet, as well as a few officers outside.
What are you thinking? I was talking about the neighbors next door having parties until the wee hours.
I winced and waved at Peter, then crouched down next to the German shepherd, feeling absurdly relieved. I mean—if that spell didn’t work, who knew what those giant pointy ears would pick up.
I let out a low whine. You know, forget what I said.
She huffed. Gladly.
I scratched the back of my neck and quietly woofed. I’ll ask Peter to put a muffling spell around the living room so it’s quieter for you, okay? And let’s never speak of this again.
She sniffed and gave me a look, her ears slightly flattened, then stalked forward across the black volcanic rock to join Peter and the vet near Malorie Rutherford’s body beside the pool. I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my black slacks and followed, fighting a grin. I’d successfully made a dog feel awkward, so if nothing else, it was a good night for me.
THE MURDER WEAPON
A few more cops entered behind me and gathered around Malorie’s body. Daisy circled around her, her black nose twitching as she tested the air. Peter’s quill and scroll for note taking magically appeared and hovered just over his shoulder. The quill scratched at the parchment as the vet spoke.
“—and then I rushed in and found them like this.”
Peter nodded. “Did you touch or move the bodies at all?”
Mark rolled his eyes, a cigarette still hanging from his lips just below his mustache. I frowned—was smoking permitted in here? Much of the sanctuary appeared to be enclosed in the huge atrium-like building. Judging by the warm, humid air inside the cage, it seemed carefully climate controlled. While I was no expert, I’d guess the exotic animals and foliage were pretty sensitive.
“Course I touched them! I wasn’t sure they were dead till I took their pulses—and didn’t find any.” The vet held up his hands and waggled his fingers—the tips were tinged red with what I guessed was the victims’ blood.
I crinkled my nose and looked away. When I’d worked as a lawyer, I’d dealt with death but hadn’t gotten up close and personal with bodies until I’d started the consulting gig with Peter and the police. And I still wasn’t used to it. I crossed my arms and watched Daisy sniff the bodies with a mix of awe and disgust—guess eating all that grass and rocks gave her an iron stomach.
One of the cops crouched beside Malorie’s body removed the feathered dart from the back of her neck and held it up to Peter. “Vic appears to have been killed with this.”
Peter eyed it, then turned to Mark. “Does that look familiar to you?”
The vet shrugged, his white lab coat bunching around his neck. “Sure. We keep some darts in the office just in case any of the animals get out of hand. Most contain tranquilizing potions, but I’m guessing that one’s of a little more deadly variety.” He took a drag of
