Leann Sweeney - The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon

I attached Yoshi’s leash, disabled the security alarm and the dog nearly dragged me down the porch steps and out to the backyard. The temperature was maybe in the high forties and I shivered while Yoshi lifted his leg on the first white oak he came to. After his urgent need was satisfied, he stood like a statue, his stubby tail wiggling, his nose busy sniffing the air.

The lake was still, the rising sun spreading shimmering autumn hues across the glassy surface. I started walking him down my sloping back lawn toward the lake, but about halfway to the shore, Yoshi stopped and started to bark repeatedly. At first, I thought he’d seen something I hadn’t. Then I realized his frenzy seemed to be directed at the water. Maybe he’d never seen a lake before.

“Not sure about big water, huh?” I said.

He answered by barking again. Since sound carried well to the nearby houses, I decided to take Yoshi inside before he woke the neighbors.

I’d just reached the back steps when Candace arrived. She wore her uniform and her ash-blond hair was pulled back and twisted into a bun at the nape of her neck. Then, rounding the house, I saw a tired-looking Tom as well as Liam Brennan, the assistant county DA. I smiled, glad to see all my friends, even if they looked worse for wear than I felt. “Hey there,” I said. Yoshi started barking at the new arrivals.

Candace turned to Tom. “This is the dog, huh? Very cute, but I’ve had some bad experiences with dogs. They don’t always like cops. Does he bite?”

Tom said, “I haven’t had a chance to find out. I’ve been visiting with you since around dusk yesterday.” He looked at me, and though he was tired the last time I saw him, now his whole body seemed weighed down by fatigue.

Yoshi barked again, probably not wanting to be ignored.

“You sure he’s okay with a uniform around?” Candace said to me.

“He’s been fine so far, and despite the uniform, you don’t give off a menacing vibe,” I said. “I wouldn’t worry.”

Liam said, “Since we’ve determined this fierce beast is probably no threat, can we go inside?”

“Most certainly. Chilly morning,” I said.

They followed Yoshi and me into my kitchen.

Syrah swiped at Yoshi’s muzzle as we passed the cats, but the dog didn’t seem bothered. In fact, his little tail wagged. As soon as Chablis saw Yoshi, she took off so fast tufts of her champagne-colored fur fluttered in her wake. Yoshi strained against the leash, wanting to give chase. The other two cats didn’t budge, staring at the dog with inscrutable faces.

I offered the leash to Candace. “Make friends by hanging on to this guy while I make coffee, okay?”

Candace took the leash with some hesitation. “You’re sure he won’t bite?”

“He’s not the aggressive type—unless you were to mess with a kid he loves dearly. And Finn’s asleep.” I glanced at Tom. “Candace knows about the dog, so I’m assuming she knows about Finn.”

Tom nodded solemnly. “She knows.”

“She finally knows,” Liam said. “Been a long night, Jillian. Sorry to start your day so early—but we need to talk to Finn.” Liam Brennan’s eyes seemed weary, too. He and Kara were dating, so he’d spent quite a bit of time in my house over the previous months. I’d come to like him. He was as passionate about the law as Candace was about evidence.

Candace said, “Liam wants to be here when I speak with Finn. Not the assistant DA’s usual duty, but we’re kinda short on the force with all the budget cuts.”

“Where’s Morris?” I asked, unsure her partner’s absence was the entire reason Liam was here. Substituting a lawyer for a police officer didn’t make sense to me.

“He had to take the day off or be paid overtime.” Candace rolled her eyes. “Wouldn’t want the city council to hear about us wasting resources . Can you get Finn to come out here, Jillian?”

“Could we let him sleep a little longer?” I looked at Tom, who had knelt and was scratching Yoshi behind the ears. “See, he suffered a concussion. He could use the rest.”

“You got him to a doctor, then?” he said. “Will he be okay? Is there anything else we should do for him?”

As I poured ground beans into a filter and made the coffee, I explained to the three of them about the doctor’s diagnosis and Finn’s memory loss.

“Tom said Finn didn’t seem like himself—that is, after I got him talking. If I learned anything last night, it’s that Tom is protective of those he loves,” Candace said.

“Hey,” Tom said. “You kept me hanging around while you booked evidence and went over witness statements. Can you blame me for not being all that cooperative right away?”

Candace led the dog around the counter and took a seat at the breakfast bar. “Let’s say it was a long night for all of us.”

Tom smiled at her. “I did grab a nap while I waited on you, and I know you didn’t have the luxury of even a few minutes’ rest.” He opened the fridge. “I am starving. Got any eggs?”

“I have bread, yogurt, peanut butter and some bananas I put in the freezer before I left town,” I said, while Liam and I pulled mugs from the cupboard. “I haven’t had time to visit the Piggly Wiggly since I came home.”

“I haven’t eaten, either,” Liam said, meeting Tom at the pantry.

Soon they were making breakfast for all of us with what few items I had to offer. While they were doing this, I joined Candace as the coffee brewed.

She said, “You managed to locate Tom after we talked at Belle’s and yet I never heard from you. Were you too busy helping the kid to call?”

“Once I knew Finn would be okay, I had to get him settled in here. Then I tried to reach you,” I said. “When I couldn’t get you on your cell, I talked to B.J. at the station and left a message for you to call me. When you didn’t phone, I figured you were busy.”

“B.J. never told me,” she said. “We kept him late answering calls and he got pretty frazzled—had an early class this morning and was afraid I’d keep him all night. He practically ran out the door when I finally realized he needed to go home. My bad.”

“I did call the station late, though. There’s a reason, too,” I said. “See, I had a little visit from Lydia last night. Of course, you understand it wasn’t exactly a friendly visit. She tried to pressure me into telling her things she seemed to think I knew.”

Candace closed her eyes. “That woman. What is wrong with her? Doesn’t she know she’s a coroner and not a cop?”

“Good question, one I’m not sure will ever be answered,” I said. “She told me about the murder, about Tom having to hang around the police station. She made it sound like you were about to arrest him for murder.”

“Typical Lydia drama,” she said. “Still, a man is dead—brutally murdered. He was found in Tom’s car and Tom didn’t like the guy one bit. I was concerned where the evidence would lead me, as you can surely understand. I get it that Nolan Roth wasn’t exactly an upstanding citizen, but he deserves the same justice everyone else is entitled to. I’m counting on you, on Tom, on Liam and even on this kid to help us get this thing solved. That is if Finn is who Tom thinks he is—the greatest young man who’s ever walked the earth. Are you with me? Will you help me get the truth?”

I reached out and rested my hand on her forearm. “I am totally on board. Until Lydia came here, I had no idea Nolan Roth had been murdered. I was on a mission to help Finn. He is a good kid, Candace. Sometimes you just know when someone’s good and decent. I’m with Tom. Finn deserves all the help we can offer.”

I felt her arm muscles relax beneath my touch. “You understand I have to make my own decision about the kid’s character, right? Because both Tom and Finn were more than a little unhappy with a man who ended up murdered and I can’t ignore that. You get where I’m coming from?”