Саманта Сильвер - Barking Up The Wrong Tree

“Right. Angela, please come and see me sometime in the next few days if you want to press charges,” Chief Gary told me, but I could tell from the expression on his face and the weariness that just exuded off him that it was the last thing he wanted to deal with. Especially with the murder and the suspicion of gangs in town.

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” I told Chief Gary, with a smile. “I’m fine, I think we can just let it go.”

“Alright, thanks for letting me know so quickly, Angela,” Chief Gary replied, but I knew he was secretly thanking me for making that decision. I nodded, and a minute later he left.

“Seems like I’m always getting you guys out of trouble,” Jason said, a glimmer in his eye. I scowled at him.

“We were doing fine without you.”

“Really?” he asked, arching an eyebrow. “If your best friend being taken away in handcuffs is your idea of ‘doing fine’, I’d hate to see what a bad day looks like.”

“That’d be me being taken away in handcuffs,” I joked, and earned a punch in the arm from Sophie for that one.

“That’s not funny.”

“I dunno, you didn’t seem to mind the handcuffs too much, at least not with Taylor putting them on you.”

Even Sophie couldn’t hide the blush that time, and I grinned.

“Anyway, thank you Jason,” Sophie told him. “Despite Angela’s claims to the contrary, I do appreciate you keeping me out of jail, and an assault charge.”

“Anything for a friend of Angie’s,” Jason replied.

“I thought I told you to stop calling me that,” I muttered, but really, it was only half-heartedly. To be honest, I was glad that Jason had stepped forward and stopped Sophie from being arrested.

“How come you videoed that, anyway?” I asked.

“I’m a journalist. Just because I live in Willow Bay doesn’t mean I shouldn’t expect interesting things to happen here or there. This one’s going on the paper’s Facebook page.”

“Wow, that’s more work than anyone’s put into the local paper since, well, forever,” I had to admit. Jason was nothing if not motivated.

“Yeah, well, it turns out there isn’t that much to do in Willow Bay. There’s only so much investigative journalism you can do about the post office getting a re-paint. The lady at the hardware store kindly told me exactly what shade of red they ordered. It’s the same as the last one.”

I snorted with laughter. I actually felt kind of sorry for Jason; coming from New York City to Willow Bay had to be a change.

“If you want to be really investigative, find out exactly what flavour cheesecake Betty’s making for the summer,” I offered. “That’s what the people really want.”

“Wait, Betty’s making cheesecake this summer?” Sophie asked.

“Why is that what everyone’s most excited about?” Jason asked. “I tell people about drug smuggling and they ask about the cheesecake.”

“Haven’t you tried Betty’s cakes?” I asked.

“Not really,” Jason replied, shrugging. “I haven’t exactly been here that long.”

“Well, the two of you should go get some one day,” Sophie broke in, and I gave her a look that I hoped would make her wither into the ground. If ever there was a reason to break the “no magic in front of normal humans” rule, putting a spell on her to make her stop talking right now was definitely up there.

Jason grinned. “Maybe one day, hey Angie?”

“Yeah, one day,” I mumbled, the blush crawling up my face once more. What the hell, Sophie? She was supposed to be my best friend.

“Anyway, I gotta run. Lots of investigative journalism to be done.” With a wink at me and a wave at Sophie and Charlotte, Jason was gone. And maybe, just maybe I couldn’t help myself from looking at his butt as he walked off. His cute, perky, perfectly formed butt.

Stop it, Angela, I scolded myself. Just, stop.

“You’re supposed to be my best friend,” I said to Sophie, glaring.

“One day you’ll realize that was the best thing I could have done for you,” Sophie replied, laughing. “I think I proved I was your best friend by saving you from that Kardashian wannabe anyway.”

“Yeah, thanks for that,” I told her, grinning.

“No problem, she deserved it. It would have fully been worth going to jail for.”

“Well, regardless, I’m glad you didn’t.”

“Me too, really. Though I’d get to see a lot of Taylor,” Sophie added with a grin, and I rolled my eyes.

“Well, that was enough adventure for me for one day,” Charlotte said. “Let’s go home.”

I hadn’t even noticed that Sprinkles was so tired he’d lay down at my feet and was now fast asleep.

“I think that’s a good idea,” I replied with a smile, looking down at the sweet little dog.

Chapter 15

“I’m telling you, I think she did it,” Sophie said adamantly when we were driving to the vet clinic the next day.

“Who did what?” Bee asked sleepily from her spot on my lap.

“Who killed Andrea Dottory,” I answered.

“Oh, easy. Everyone,” Bee answered, and I laughed. “I mean, I don’t disagree with you, Sophie,” I told my best friend. Sophie was now convinced that Kelly Dottory had killed her aunt for the money. “She obviously has a problem with impulse control, and she has an awesome motive. I just think that we should go check out Antonia’s alibi first. Then if it turns out she couldn’t have possibly committed the murder, we can look more closely at Kelly.”

“Fine,” Sophie replied. “We’ll go see Betty at lunch. But I’m telling you, that Kelly girl is the type that could kill, easily.”

I spent the morning diagnosing a dog with an infected tooth, scheduling the emergency removal, prescribing steroids for another dog who had summer allergies and getting puked on by a little kitten who hadn’t quite figured out how his digestive system was supposed to work yet. Finally, at 12:30, I put the “back in an hour” sign on the door, along with my cell number in case of emergencies, changed out of my scrubs, and Sophie and I went down to Betty’s for lunch while Karen went off to do some errands.

Luckily, there were two stools at the counter still available, and Sophie and I made a beeline for them. The counter was prime real estate for having a chat with Betty.

“Hi girls!” Betty greeted us. “How are you doing?”

“Good thanks, Betty,” I replied. “How about you?”

“Oh business has been booming! I’ve been rushed off my feet. All this talk about murder, I feel like this café is basically the town equivalent of the water cooler.”

I smiled. “Don’t say that too loudly, soon they’ll start suspecting you of murdering people just to bring in customers.”

Betty gave me a motherly glance that said she both disapproved of my comment, but also kind of found it funny. I was pretty sure I’d made the same joke when Tony Nyman had been killed, but luckily Betty didn’t point that out. “So what can I get for you girls?”

“A veggie BLT and a slice of apple pie, please,” I said. Lowering my voice, I added “A little birdie told me you’re adding cheesecake to the menu for the summer. Can I ask how much longer we have to wait before we get to enjoy it?”

Betty wagged the wooden spoon she was holding at me with a smile on her face.

“Someone’s been talking! Maybe I’ll be the one with some gossip to tell the others soon,” Betty teased, and I felt my face going red.

“Absolutely you will!” Sophie chimed in. “It’s only a matter of time before those two get together!”

“Oh stop it,” I scolded Sophie. “That is absolutely not in a million years going to happen.”

“Well I’m not going to lie, I care more about the answer to Angela’s cheesecake question than her love life,” Sophie replied, and we both looked at Betty expectantly, who sighed.