Лейганн Доббс - A Twist In The Tail

‘And we did investigate the nests,’ Ron said. ‘Funny thing we didn’t find anything wrong. We suspect someone is somehow poisoning the gulls. We’ve been trying to figure out where you kept the poison so we could confiscate it for evidence and turn it over to the police.’

‘Well it’s not me,’ I said. ‘I mean why would I? The gulls are not a nuisance to me and why would I kill Charles and put the reputation of the guesthouse in jeopardy?’

‘Good point.’ Iona sat on the bed beside me, passed me the clams and patted my knee. ‘Besides you’re not the killing type. Gull or human. And we’ve seen a lot of killers, haven’t we dear?’ She looked up at Ron, who nodded.

‘I was afraid we were on the wrong track with you, anyway,’ Ron said. ‘We had no evidence that you even went near the cliff until we saw you on the path. And, as you said, you have no motive.’

Iona nodded. ‘But when we ran into you on the path, we started to second guess ourselves. Funny that it turns out you were looking for the same person we were.’

I fished around in the bag and picked out a clam with a big belly. I paused before scarfing it down. ‘Well, if it’s not you and it’s not me, then who is it?’

Nineteen

Nero’s mouth watered as he watched Josie eat the succulent clam with the plump belly. ‘I wish they’d pass some of those to us.’

‘Yeah what gives? The lady was feeding us until they sorted things out.’ Marlowe watched Josie pass the bag to Ron. ‘It’s like they’ve forgotten all about us. Maybe I should hack up a hairball.’

‘No, they don’t like it when that happens around food,’ Nero sighed, and hopped down from the bed. ‘I’m just glad they’ve straightened things out.’

‘Yeah, I was sure there would be a problem when Josie followed them through the woods.’

‘Me too, especially since she wasn’t understanding our hints about turning back.’

Marlowe preened her belly. ‘It did seem as if she was turning to us for help a little while ago here in the room, though.’

‘Yet she didn’t ‘get’ the hint that we were not concerned and she shouldn’t be either.’ The clam bag crinkled and Nero looked up at the humans. They were seated side by side on the bed, no longer paying attention to the cats. Had they eaten all the clams?

‘I think we need to figure out who has a vested interest in getting rid of the gulls,’ Ron said.

‘Are we really sure the gulls’ plight is connected to Charles’ death?’ Iona glanced at Nero. He willed her to pick out another clam for him and she did! But just so the humans didn’t think they were too eager, he let it drop on the floor before sniffing at it disdainfully for a few seconds, then hunkering down and eating it slowly.

‘I get the next one,’ Marlowe said.

‘Fine, but we can’t waste too much time eating. We have to point them toward the real suspect.’ Nero swallowed the last tidbit and licked his lips.

‘Maybe it doesn’t have anything to do with the gulls. I could have been wrong about the letter. I mean it was only a few parts of words,’ Josie said.

‘What were the parts?’ Ron asked.

While Josie fished out her phone and showed the Weatherbys the picture of the note, Nero got to work trying to give them a hint. Who was the killer and what were they doing with the gulls? Now that it had been proven not to be the Weatherbys, Nero could think of only one person it could be.

He hopped up on the old cast iron steam radiator under the window. Luckily it was summer and the heat wasn’t on, otherwise he would surely have burned his paws. As it was, the radiator, with its fancy accordion of scrolled pipes, was not very comfortable. It was all part of the sacrifices cats to make for their humans. ‘The humans are asking the same question we asked ourselves earlier. Maybe this time Josie will listen and come to the same conclusion.’

Meroo!

‘Oh shush now, you’ve had more than your share of clams.’ Iona waved a dismissive hand at him without even looking in his direction.

‘I think I’m going to need help,’ Nero said to Marlowe.

Marlowe joined him on the dresser. She sat and curled her tail around him, then looked out toward the cove, her whiskers twitching. The moon was out and the last gull had gone wherever gulls go at night. But hopefully Josie would get their drift.

Merooo!

Mewo!

Merowl!

‘What’s going on? Is something out there?’ Josie came to join them at the window, petting the top of Nero’s head. He had to admit it felt good. He let down his guard and purred a few times.

Mew! Marlowe signaled that she wanted attention too, but she kept her eyes on the cove.

‘Something sure must be interesting out there.’ Josie petted Marlowe, giving her equal attention. ‘What do you see?’ Josie stared out the window. ‘Oh, I think I’ve got it!’

‘What’s that?’ Ron asked.

Josie whirled around. ‘Stella Dumont runs the Smugglers Bay Inn over there. The gulls have been hanging around her deck and pooping all over it.’

‘Really?’ Iona and Ron joined Josie, squinting out in to the night.

‘Not only that, but Stella has been seen lurking around here,’ Josie said.

‘And Charles was killed here,’ Ron added.

‘Do you think Charles caught Stella doing something to harm the gulls?’ Iona asked.

‘I wouldn’t put it past her to do that. Or to kill Charles,’ Josie said.

Nero and Marlowe hopped down from the radiator, they tails held high proudly. Finally, Josie had gotten their hint and now it was up to the humans to catch the killer.

‘I knew it was Stella,’ I said. ‘I should have trusted my first instincts, but I thought it had something to do with Charles’ cookbook. When I found out that it was Tina who took it, I ruled Stella out.’

‘But what proof do we have?’ Iona peered out the window as if the answer was out there somewhere.

‘Well, she does have a problem with the gulls,’ Ron said. ‘Remember when we went there for lunch and gull pooped in your clam chowder?’

Iona made face. ‘Yeah. Nasty.’

‘And my maid saw her skulking around here.’ Josie pressed her lips together. ‘I don’t remember if she said it was the night Charles died. I’ll have to ask.’

‘That does seem like a start. But it’s not enough to call the sheriff on.’ Ron’s words dashed my hopes.

‘But we have to do something ,’ I said.

‘Indeed.’ Ron tapped his lips with his finger. ‘What we need is to set a trap and let her walk right into it and prove her guilt.’

‘Like what?’ Iona asked.

‘Something that would be irresistible to the killer. Something that would make them expose themselves somehow.’

I snapped my fingers. ‘Got it! What if we say we found a clue in the room Charles was killed and when the police run forensics on it, it will leave no doubt who killed Charles.’

‘Like what? DNA? A fingerprint?’ Ron asked.

‘Maybe.’

‘We might not have to be too specific,’ Iona said. ‘We can avoid the details, just a hint is better.’

‘But how do we get this information to the killer?’

‘This is a small town and unless I am out of touch, if there is something juicy to talk about, there are certain circles where you can let the secret out and it will be around town in no time.’ Iona glanced at me and I nodded.

‘Good,’ Ron said. ‘Here’s what we need to do. We’ll start a rumor that you’ve found a clue to the killer’s identity. It’s in the West wing where Charles was killed.’

‘And the killer will come to find it before the police!’ Iona said.

I frowned. ‘That won’t work, the killer isn’t just going to waltz into a guesthouse full of people.