Seed No Evil (20 page)

“I'll get it,” Nikki called from the kitchen. She had gone there to make popcorn, which we were using to fortify ourselves for the work. It wasn't that there had been so much to pack; it was that we had spent most of the time reminiscing about all the fun we'd had together, going all the way back to third grade. We'd also done our share of crying. It wasn't going to be easy to leave my best friend.

A minute later Tara appeared in the doorway, looking like a waif in a pair of beat-up jeans and an old T-shirt with paint stains on it.

“What'cha doing?” she asked.

“Packing.”

She flopped down on the bed. “Want some help?”

“Actually,” I said, standing up to stretch, “I'm just about done. What's up?”

She sighed and gazed at me forlornly. “I screwed up.”

“How?”

“You know how you said I should leave my parents hints about the dogs? Well, I might have overdone it.”

My cell phone began to ring.

“Yeah, that's probably my dad,” Tara said, making a face. “He's slightly annoyed.”

I picked up the phone but paused before answering. “With you?”

“No, with you.”

“I'll just let this go to voice mail, then.” I tossed the phone onto the bed. “So how did you overdo it?”

She shrugged, picking at the fingernail polish on her thumb. “I left little hints around.”

“That's all?”

“Well, a lot of little hints.” She sighed. “Okay, tons of them. And I kinda covered one of my bedroom walls with dog photos I printed off the Internet . . . and I used up all the ink in the printer . . . and most of my dad's paper. But you should see how cool my bedroom looks.”

“So besides plastering your bedroom wall with photos, where did you leave the rest of the hints?”

She held out her hand to study her fingernails. “Just around the house . . . on the counters . . . in drawers . . . in the refrigerator . . .”

“Oh, yeah. You overdid it. But why is your dad annoyed with
me
?”

She went back to working on her thumbnail. “I told him it was your idea.”

“Tara!”

“I didn't know what else to do! You know my friend who told me about Seedy and Seedling? He thought it was a great plan. But you can fix it, can't you? My dad always listens to you.”

“If he's not happy with me, I'm not sure how much good a call from me will do.”

“You've got to convince him, Aunt Abby,” she pleaded, holding my hands in hers. “I'll die if I can't have Seedling. Seedy, too, Auntie A. Please help me.”

“Okay, Tara. Don't cry. I'll do my best. Come on. Let's get your mind off the dogs for a while. I'd like your opinion on something.” I went to my dresser and picked up the sticky note. “Take a look at this and tell me what you think.”

Tara read the note, then snickered. “Someone doesn't know grammar.”

“I found it on my newspaper this morning, along with this.” I showed her the pieces of my flyer.

“Creepy.”

“What kind of person do you think would write this note?” I asked.

She studied it for a moment. “Maybe someone my age or younger.”

“Not an adult?”

Tara plucked her lips with her fingers as she reread the note. “I don't see this as coming from an adult. But you know who says this a lot? My friend, the one who told me about the dogs. He's always sick with allergies and asthma and stuff, and he's kinda geeky-looking, too, so he gets picked on by the bigger guys. That's what he says when they bully him.
You're evil.
He writes it all over his notebooks misspelled like that. But this can't be from Kyle. He's never even met you.”

“Kyle?”

“Yeah. Kyle Shaw. You know his mom. She runs the animal shelter.”

I
shoved a pile of socks out of the way and sat down on the bed beside Tara. “Kyle Shaw is your friend?”

“Yes. I told you about him.”

“You didn't tell me his name! Tara, I've been trying to get Kyle's mom to let me talk to him for a week, but she keeps saying no.”

“Why do you need to talk to him?”

“To see if he'll corroborate his mom's alibi. And now to ask him why he left the note.”

“I don't know for sure if he's the one who left it, Aunt Abby. I'm just saying it's something he might do. He's very passive-aggressive.”

“Does Kyle know where I live?”

“I've never told him, but you're in the phone book.”

“He'd have to know my name first, Tara.”

She lifted one shoulder. “I do kinda talk about you a lot. Still, why would he think you're evil?”

“Why don't you ask him?”

“Sure,” she said, pulling her cell phone out of her jeans pocket. “Want me to see if he'll talk to you while I'm at it?”

“Wait on that. Legally, it might not be allowed, so let me check with Marco first, and if he says okay, then we'll arrange something.”

“Hey, Kyle,” she said into her phone. “What's happening?” She listened a moment, then covered the phone to whisper to me, “He's on the computer playing some stupid war game.

“So,” she said to him, “what's up with that creepy note you left at my aunt's apartment?” She listened, then covered the phone to whisper, “He's denying it.”

Returning to the conversation, Tara said, “Calm down, Kyle. She's not going to call the cops.” Again she covered the phone to whisper to me, “You're not, are you?”

I shook my head.

She listened to him and rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine, if you didn't do it, you didn't do it.” She whispered to me, “He did it.”

“Find out why,” I whispered back.

“How about this?” Tara asked him. “I know you didn't leave the note, but just say you did. What would be the reason?”

Tara held the phone to my ear as Kyle said, “How about for upsetting my mom? That's evil.”

“Ask him why his mom is upset,” I whispered, as she took the phone back.

“Why is your mom upset?” Tara asked him. She listened, then said, “What crime?”

She waited as he answered, then rolled her eyes again. “Fine. I'll drop it. Yeah, I'm going to the shelter tomorrow. I'll call you afterward to let you know how they're doing.”

She ended the call, put away her phone, and shook her head. “He's so guilty of writing that note. But he knows we're onto him, so I guarantee he won't do it again.”

“Thanks, Tara. What did he say when you asked him why his mom was upset?”

“He said you were treating his mom like she was a criminal, but when I asked what the crime was, he said the conversation was stupid because he didn't write the damn note—his words, not mine.”

“If Kyle believes I'm treating his mom like a criminal, then Stacy must have complained to him about the interviews I did with her. Interesting that she singled me out because Marco was with me for one of those interviews. But maybe she didn't feel threatened the first time. Still, why would she confide in her thirteen-year-old son?”

“Kyle and his mom are really tight, Aunt Abby. They talk about everything.”

“Which is why I really need to interview him.”

“Whatever.” Tara picked at her pinkie fingernail, clearly bored with the subject. “So you'll talk to my dad about the dogs?”

“Yes, as long as you stop leaving hints around your house. In fact, here's an idea. Why don't you use your babysitting money to buy your dad a new ream of paper and an ink cartridge? Show him how responsible you are so he'll be more receptive to the idea of a pet in the house.”

“Pets.”

“Tara, don't get your hopes up. What if he says you can have only one?”

“Please don't let him say that! How could I leave Seedy behind? It would be cruel.”

“We'd have to find her a home where she and her puppy could visit.”

Tara put her chin in her hands and sighed miserably. “Like that could happen.” Then she brightened. “Hey, how about Aunt Jillian? She definitely needs something to take care of. Do you know what I have to do for her
again
this evening? Babysit her stupid bag of potatoes.”

I put my hand on her shoulder. “You don't have to take the job.”

“Are you kidding? Do you know how much Uncle Claymore pays?”

“Then go for it. I mean, it's not like you have to do anything with the potatoes.”

“I wish. Do you know what Aunt Jillian makes me do? Change
Snow's
diaper. I mean, really. Snow? But at least I'll be seeing Aunt Jillian tonight, so I can start working on her about Seedy.”

Better Jillian than me. Yet oddly, at the thought of Seedy belonging to Jillian, I felt the tiniest frisson of jealousy. What was that about?

“Hey, Tara, I just thought of something. Kyle's mom told me he's allergic to dogs and cats, so how did he know about Seedy and her puppy?”

“Kyle found Seedy hiding in the bushes on his way home from school. She was all skin and bones except for her big belly, so he took her to the shelter, and she had her puppy there. That was like a month ago.”

“Kyle's mom told me he wasn't allowed at the shelter.”

“He's not allowed
inside
, so when he rescues one, he ties it up
outside,
then calls the shelter and tells them.”

“So he's done this before?”

“A couple of times that I know of,” Tara said. “It's too bad he's allergic, because he really loves animals.”

My inner antennae shot up. The two red-zone dogs had been found tied up to the front door. “Has Kyle ever mentioned rescuing a pair of German shepherds?”

“Not that I remember.”

It was one more thing I wanted to talk to Kyle about.

“Popcorn!” Nikki said, coming into the room with a big plastic bowl heaped full of fluffy white kernels.

“Awesome,” Tara said, and stuck her hands deep into the bowl.

•   •   •

“Jordan,” I said into the phone later that day, “why are you so opposed to Tara having a puppy to love?”

“Come on, Abby. You just got done browbeating me into letting Tara volunteer. Now you want to force me to let her adopt a dog?”

“Do you understand how good it is for a child to have an animal to take care of? It teaches responsibility.”

“Yeah, right,” he said. “Do you remember the hamster we got Tara? The one with the squeaky wheel in its cage that kept her awake all night so we had to move it into the kitchen? The hamster that kept getting out of his cage and stealing food? And then had a heart attack and died when I tried to catch it running across the kitchen floor? Guess who took care of it, Abs. News flash. It wasn't Tara.”

“But, Jordan—”

“And then there were the hermit crabs. You know who had to clean their aquarium? I did. Not Tara and not Kathy, because she said letting Tara have those little creatures was my idea. Do you remember what happened to them? They all died. Tara said it was because I used bleach to clean the bottom of the aquarium when it got infested with little bugs. I killed her pets, Abs. Can you understand why I'm reluctant to try this again?”

“Tara's much older now. And we're talking about a dog, Jordan. A cute little puppy that everyone will love. Don't you remember the little dog you had when I was born? Inky? You loved that dog.”

“Yeah, and because you came along, Mom gave Inky away. Thanks a lot, Abby.”

“See? You need a dog to make up for losing Inky. Come on, Jordan. You're doing this for Tara and the whole family. I'll bet after a week of having that little puppy around, you'll wonder why you ever worried.”

There was silence on the other end. That meant Jordan was considering it.

“Remember,” I said, “you can send the puppy to obedience school. Tara can go, too, and learn how to get the dog to obey commands. Think what a great experience this will be for her.”

“You know who'll end up taking care of it.”

“Make Tara sign an agreement then. Come on, Jord. She doesn't have any siblings. She needs a best friend.”

Silence.

“Would you please talk it over with Kathy and see what she says?”

“That's not fair. Kathy loves dogs.”

“So it's all up to you, Jordan. Be a hero in your daughter's eyes. Let Tara bring the puppy home.”

He sighed.

In the Knight world, a sigh was as good as a yes. “You're a champ, bro. And listen, would you consider taking the puppy's mom, too? She's a real sweetheart.”

“See, there you go, Abby, always pushing for more, and I'm still not totally sold on the idea of one dog.”

Yes, he was. I knew my brother. I hung up and did a happy dance around the living room. I couldn't wait to hear the news from Tara.

Now to convince Jillian to take Seedy.

•   •   •

Monday

My favorite day of the week started off as usual with Lottie's scrambled-eggs-and-toast breakfast and several cups of Grace's delicious coffee. Happily, we'd had nine orders come in over the weekend, which was five more than we'd had the previous Monday, so I hoped we were coming out of our slump. And after we opened for the day, the future bride came in, so I spent an hour helping her select her wedding flowers. It reminded me that my own wedding was in five days and I hadn't firmed up the location.

As soon as I was free, I called the park department a second time to ask whether there was any chance of the gazebo being rebuilt. After being shuttled to three different people, I finally spoke with the department head's secretary, who said that because of their limited budget, the gazebo wasn't a priority. In other words, I shouldn't hold my breath. It was just as I'd feared.

I called the church next to make sure the chapel was still available. Fortunately, it was, so I reserved it.

Shortly before noon, I met Marco at our usual booth at the back of the bar to wait for Emma to arrive. “I reserved the chapel,” I told him. “I hope that's okay with you. I don't know what else to do.”

“Sure,” he said, watching something going on over at the bar. I craned my neck for a look, but all I could see was Rafe whipping up a drink in the blender, talking to two women sitting on stools in front of him.

“Something wrong?” I asked.

He turned to look at me. “What? No. Nothing's wrong. So are you going to reserve the chapel?”

“I did,” I said calmly, “which I just told you.”

“Sorry. I was thinking about something else.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Not really. It's just boring bar business. Have you spoken with Tara?”

“No, because I wanted you to remind me again what you told me on the phone last night about Kyle.”

“Aha! Someone else wasn't paying attention.”

He had me there. “You're right, Marco. I was thinking about the dogs Tara wants to adopt. I've got my brother pretty much convinced to take the puppy, but that leaves the mother dog, and if the shelter's no-kill policy is changed, that dog could be put down.” Unexpectedly, my eyes welled up with tears.

“Why would a mother dog be put down?”

“Because she's not one of those cute, cuddly dogs that everyone wants, and she's been at the shelter for more than a month, so she falls into the category of unadoptable. I called Jillian last night to talk her into taking the dog, but she and Claymore were out for the evening. I left a message, but she hasn't phoned me back yet. You don't know of anyone who might want a three-legged dog, do you?”

“I could ask around at the bar.”

“That'd be great, Marco. I've got to find her a home soon. I don't trust the PAR board or Dayton Blaine to keep the policy as it is. As Dayton told me, it's about money.”

“Sweetheart, you're too tenderhearted. You don't even know this animal and you're ready to cry.”

“I've met the dog, Marco. The staff at the shelter calls her Seedy because she's so pitiful-looking, but she has the most soulful eyes you've ever seen, like she desperately wants to be loved.”

Marco reached across to cover my hands with his big warm ones. “You have to trust that your mom's protest will work, Abby, and keep your focus on the investigation. Our wedding is at the end of the week, babe, and then we leave for our honeymoon, so we've got to tie up this case before we go. We can't take off with it hanging over your mom's head.”

“I know.” I wiped away traces of tears with my thumbs.

“Let's get back to that meeting with Tara and Kyle. We can't legitimately meet without a parent present, but if you happened to drop by when Kyle was at her house, then you could claim it was a chance encounter that couldn't have been avoided. But this is another case where you'll have to do it alone, sweetheart. Otherwise it'll look too much like a setup.”