THE RENDEZVOUS
Turk spluttered and choked, while Peter looked wide-eyed between us. I bit down my self-satisfied grin. Maybe it was my mischievous streak, but I’d always loved getting reactions like this from witnesses on the stand.
The hairs rose on Daisy’s neck as she watched Turk with those huge black eyes of hers.
I raised my brows, but kept my voice level. “Does the question disturb you?”
“No! It was just so—so out of nowhere.” He leaned forward, and his dark eyes darted toward the kitchen where cupboards continued to slam closed and dishes clink. His lips curled back. “But keep your voice down.”
“Why?” I blinked innocently. “You don’t want your wife to know about it?”
His face flushed bright red, and he spoke between gritted teeth. “That’s absurd.”
Peter held still beside me, his voice low and commanding. “Answer the question.”
Turk’s gaze whipped to Peter, then Daisy, his chest heaving. His nostrils flared. “No.”
Daisy barked, no doubt sensing the tension.
“Everything alright out there?” Millie called from the kitchen.
“Yes, darling!” Turk dragged his ring-studded fingers through the remaining hair on the sides of his head and looked with tight eyes toward the kitchen. “Snakes. Let’s go outside.”
I grinned at Peter, who looked at me with wide eyes. “How’d you know?” he whispered.
I just raised my brows and winked.
We followed Turk outside, where he closed the door behind him, whisked the curtains closed with a flick of his wrist, and snapped his fingers.
“Silencing spell,” Peter muttered as the sound of the gulls cawing overhead suddenly cut out.
Thank the sea goddess I didn’t have to listen to them fighting about who had the biggest beak anymore.
Only the trickle of the fountain remained.
Turk puffed up his chest, legs wide, arms crossed. “I’m married.”
I shrugged. “That’s why I called it an affair.”
“I’m going to need you to answer the question.” Peter stared him down, a good head taller than the businessman. “We can do it here, or I can bring you up to the station.”
Turk groaned and dragged his hands down his face. “Fine. Yes. We were having an affair, alright?” He suddenly looked about a decade older. “You happy now?” He glared at me.
I grinned back. I was, actually.
Daisy wagged her tail and snuffled. Truth.
Peter nodded. “Who knows about it?”
Turk shook his head. “No one!”
I lifted a brow. “Bim didn’t know?” She’d worked with the two of them every day—I doubted they’d managed to keep it from her.
Turk paled. “Snakes. I don’t think so.” He shook his head. “But now I’m not sure of anything.”
I crossed my arms. “How many times? Where?”
He curled his lip. “None of your business.”
Peter cleared his throat. “Answer her.”
I grinned. I could get used to having police backup.
Turk’s shoulders slumped. “Urg…. It’s been going on for about six months now, maybe seven? Zo stays late, then flips on the neon sign—it’s my signal that the coast is clear.”
I nodded. From the front gate you could see the sign.
Turk lowered his voice despite the silencing spell he’d cast to keep his wife in the dark. “I make some excuse, like running to the store or forgetting something at the office, and pop down to work to meet Zo.”
I rolled my eyes. Talk about a flimsy plan. “Yeah, pretty sure all this is unnecessary.” I waved my hand around, indicating the closed curtains and silencing spell. “Your wife definitely knows.”
“What? No way.” Turk shook his head. “She’d kill me.” He froze, the color draining from his face as he looked up at Peter. “I mean, not literally. Besides, Zo and I are so careful.”
I shifted on my feet. “Why was Zo upset with you last night?”
He cleared his throat. “I—I was supposed to meet her, but… I don’t know, I must’ve been more tired than I thought, because I dozed off.” His brows pinched together in confusion.
Peter nodded and turned to me. “That explains why the botanist and bird saw the sign go on—Zozanna was giving Turk the signal. And when he didn’t show up, she turned it off.”
I nodded. “Then Bim turned it back on for some reason.”
Turk’s beady eyes darted between Peter and me. “You’re not going to tell Millie, are you?” He clasped his hands at his chest. “I’m begging you.”
Peter let out a heavy sigh. “Right now it doesn’t appear relevant to the investigation… but I need your full honesty and cooperation going forward.”
“Yes! Anything!” Turk heaved a sigh of relief.
Peter pointed at him. “But don’t go anywhere.”
The businessman’s face went slack, and he nodded.
I thought over Turk’s words. He’d dozed off? I lifted a finger. “One more thing—you say you fell asleep and that’s why you missed your rendezvous with Zo?”
He nodded.
“So you can’t be absolutely sure that your wife was home all night?”
Turk spluttered. “Of—Of course she was home the whole time!” His lips moved without words coming out. “I—I’m a light sleeper! I’d have heard if she left.”
Peter frowned at him, then turned to me. “A moment?”
I nodded, and we moved a few steps away from Turk, who paced in front of the trickling fountain. Daisy kept her dark eyes locked on him.
Peter’s stern expression softened, and he winked at me. “Nice work.”
I grinned and pretended to sweep some dust off my shoulder. “I’ve got more than just skills with the pets, you know.”
His gaze swept over my face. “I’m beginning to see that.”
Erp. My breath caught. I hadn’t felt a tingle like this in so long. I shook myself and brought my thoughts back to the case. “Like we said before, it would only have taken Millie minutes to sneak out, murder Bim, and then come back.” I scoffed and tipped my head toward Turk. “He’d have been out the whole time.” I lifted a finger as another thought occurred to me. “Or, he seems scared of her—he might be covering for her.”
Peter’s lips pulled to the side. “I agree that Millie could have done it and that Turk might have slept through her leaving and coming.” He shifted on his feet. “But why would Millie
