me.”
Kelly sighed and settled into a butter-soft leather chair. He ran his neatly manicured fingers through what was once a full head of jet-colored hair, now merely black wisps. Quietly sipping his coffee, he gave the group an update.
“I’ve had Weed and Viper under surveillance since last week. Thanks to Herman’s accurate description, a child could pick them out of a football crowd. And I know where they’ve stashed Thomas’ stolen goods.”
At the mention of Thomas, Herman let out the involuntary yelp of a wounded animal. Victoria cast a compassionate look at the grieving little dog. He really misses Thomas, she reflected, a tinge of sadness creeping into her thoughts.
“Herman bit Viper on the ankle that night,” Kelly continued. “Thank goodness he did, because it left a pretty big stain on the carpet. If the DNA from a blood sample we took off the rug matches Viper’s blood, it’s an open and shut case.
“If that isn’t enough to nail them, these guys left their prints all over the place. I can’t believe they were so sure of themselves, or so dumb, they didn’t even wear gloves.”
“There’s only one thing that bothers me. When the news media hears about it, the headlines will read, Talking Dog Witnesses Master’s Murder! It will turn into a circus. I guarantee, if this case goes to court with Herman as the prime witness, it’ll look like, like…” Kelly searched for a comparison, twisting the piece of wood in his mouth.
“…like the World’s Funniest Animal Videos,” laughed Victoria.
“Yeah,” added Kelly. “The whole world will go bananas. So I came up with a plan. But I have to be certain of one thing, Herman.” Kelly looked the Schnauzer squarely in the eye. “At any time did either Weed or Viper enter the bathroom? Now think carefully before you answer, Herman.”
“No, never,” said Herman, barely allowing Kelly to get the words out.
“Are you absolutely certain? Your answer is of the utmost importance.”
Herman cast his mind back then answered with quiet deliberation. “I’m certain beyond the shadow of a doubt. No one entered the bathroom the whole time. I would have seen them.”
“OK,” Kelly sighed. “By the way, was the bathroom door open or closed?”
“Let’s see,” Herman pondered, rubbing his paw across his forehead deep in thought. “It was open a crack because Thomas always hangs his robe—I mean hung his robe—on the back of the door. The hook was too close to the edge of the door so that kept it from closing all the way.”
“Fine, fine,” said Kelly, a fiendish gleam lighting up his face. He removed what was once a toothpick, now a mere stub, from his smiling lips.
The gentle swaying of the yacht was more pronounced after Detective Kelly closed the solid wood door behind him. Victoria noticed Herman looking tired and somewhat sad curled up under his plaid blanket. Bijou stood watch a few feet away. After all that’s happened, Victoria thought shaking her head, he’s just a little dog.
Later that night Kelly had Weed and Viper arrested. He knew, according to Illinois law, that he only had 72 hours to charge them with an actual crime or he had to release them. He wasn’t worried.
The next morning, warrant in hand, Kelly searched the garage where Viper and Weed hid their stolen goods. There he found Thomas’ TV and electronics among a heap of things all waiting for a new owner.
Kelly’s heart beat heavy with the weight of Thomas’ senseless murder hanging over him. His thoughts turned on a single question. Was this stuff worth killing a guy who just wanted to spend time with his dog?
13
A Mysterious Disappearance
It was one of those unusual warm spring days. The mid-afternoon sun glittered on the cool water. A small group had gathered on the Victory’s elegant upper deck to enjoy the famous Chicago skyline. From his perch on an old-fashioned wooden deck chair, Herman’s alert black eyes followed Scarlet and Bijou’s every move. They played a challenging ball game aboard the rocking craft.
Scarlet rapidly rolled a red and white ball down the deck, purposely aiming for the yacht’s edge. The moment Scarlet released the ball, Bijou sprinted foreword, expertly batting the spinning sphere with her paw before it tumbled overboard.
Ick! I can’t imagine chasing anything that rolls, Herman observed obstinately. In spite of his dislike for the sport, he viewed the poodle with new respect. That Bijou is surprisingly athletic for a dog that seems so delicate, he admitted to himself.
Scarlet’s distraction caught Herman’s attention. Clearly, she was wrestling with some internal thoughts. Scarlet threw the ball a little too hard. It bounced twice, teetered on the railing for a moment, then plop it went into cold Lake Michigan. Bijou pretended she was going to dive in after it, skidded to a stop, turned and giggled. But Scarlet hardly noticed.
Herman had sensed for some time that Scarlet wanted to ask him something. I bet she can’t get over the fact that I’m a dog who talks, he decided. OK, I’ll break the ice.
“Scarlet, I know how you and Victoria met, but you haven’t said much else. Did you grow up in Chicago? Do you have any family here?”
Scarlet was having difficulty digesting the fact that, number one, this dog could talk and number two, this dog was asking her questions.
“Nooo,” she said haltingly. I grew up in Indiana with my sister, Toby. My folks are dead, you see, but Toby comes to visit quite often…”
Well, thought Herman, getting Scarlet to talk was easier than I imagined. The woman chatters on like I’m an old family friend.
“…and, um the truth of the matter is that I’m very puzzled by Bijou’s behavior toward my sister. Maybe you can ask Bijou for me, um ahh, why she doesn’t seem to like Toby when Toby treats her so weeeell? I just, um can’t understand.”
Oh dear, Scarlet laughed to herself. Why am I discussing my problems with a dog? I don’t even ask advice from people!
At the mention of Toby’s name, Bijou threw Scarlet a look of pity. How can she be so blind? That woman is taking advantage of my mistress.
Gee, thought Herman sensing something beneath the surface. Wonder what can of worms I just opened? Well, I’m about to find out.
Herman and Bijou exchanged rapid-fire dog talk. It was always easier to talk in your native language. First Herman asked, “What’s going on with these two, Bijou?”
To which Bijou quickly responded, “Yip yip, woof, bow wow wow, grrrr in explanation.”
“So that’s it,” said Herman, nodding his head at Bijou.
A few more woofs of explanation from Bijou and Herman turned to the flustered secretary. “It’s like this, Scarlet. Bijou tells me Toby is only nice to your face. Behind your back she says the nastiest things about you. Besides that, Toby goes through your personal belongings. She’s a snoop.”
“My goodness! To think of all I’ve done for that woman,” Scarlet bellowed. “I can’t believe my own sister would…”
To Herman’s complete surprise, Scarlet threw her head back and snorted with laughter. “Bijou’s explanation is the most sensible thing I’ve heard since the fourth grade when Spunky Stinkleman tried to give his screaming baby sister to the people next door! It’s clear now why Toby acted so strangely toward me all these years. We’re going to have a little talk, sister dear…umm, yes we are.” She turned to pat Bijou but the little dog was nowhere to be found.
Herman shook his head in disbelief. “No wonder I’m under the spell of this beautiful little creature,” he muttered, admiring Bijou for the second time in one day. She’s really smart. By the way, where was she?
Herman leapt from his chair calling Bijou’s name. Scarlet pleaded for Bijou to stop her childish game. The breeze shifted abruptly from the northwest. A storm was brewing on the horizon.
“It’s strange her disappearing so suddenly,” Herman reasoned. “It’s not like Bijou.”
The sharp wind sent a shiver up Herman’s spine. There’s that shiver again, he thought.
In the distance, he caught sight of a power launch speeding quickly
away. “Oh no!” he cried, suddenly worried.
A thorough search of the yacht ended with the horrible discovery that Bijou was not onboard.
14
A Bull Gone Berserk
Detective Kelly realized Viper was the weakest link, so he interrogated the nose-ringed one first. Kelly absentmindedly left his I-phone on his desk, unaware that someone was trying desperately to reach him.
“Well, you finally made it to the big-time—murder,” Kelly said registering zero emotion in his voice. Without appearing to show interest, he carefully watched Viper’s reaction.
“Whatta ya mean?” snapped Viper. “I didn’t kill no one.”
Viper twisted to face Detective Kelly. The serpent on his exposed chest rippled as if it were alive. Beads of sweat rolled off the nose ring, gliding down the craggy jaw and onto the slick gray table.
“Yeah?” added Kelly. “Well, anyone involved in a crime, whether they actually did the thing or not, is just as guilty. He’s called an accomplice.”
Kelly deliberately turned his back on Viper. He could no longer hide the smile that threatened to give him away. This thug is playing right into my hands, Kelly observed with satisfaction.
“Uh, I swear. I didn’t do nothing.” Viper fidgeted in his chair like a kid with a bad case of “ants in his pants.” The serpent on his chest danced out of control.
Kelly spun to face his subject. “You guys were stupid enough to leave your fingerprints smeared all over the crime scene, and your blood