Several hours later Willow found herself lounging in front of the fire with Clover. Instead of leftovers, she’d been served a wonderful vegetable beef soup and a big slice of homemade bread with fresh churned butter. “Clover, you missed out. I need a personal chef. I really do.” She pat the dog’s head. “You seem awfully tired. What have you been doing since I left?”
Clover just groaned a little and rested her head on Willow’s chest. She had let the dog out as soon as she arrived home and Clover seemed fine then. Since, she’d grown lethargic. Willow stood and got the dog a treat. She loved her treats. The dog didn’t move. Something was wrong.
Willow ran for the front door and opened it to find the veterinarian, Doctor Drake standing on the threshold. “Oh my gosh. Talk about perfect timing. My dog, Clover. Something’s wrong. Please, look at her. She’s not normally like this.”
He smiled. “I’ll be happy to. Lead the way.” He knelt next to Clover and opened his bag. He pulled out a gun and pointed it at Willow. “Thank you for inviting me. Your husband has something of mine and I want it back. I’m guessing it’s here.”
“Ex-husband.” Willow glanced around the room, trying to come up with a plan. “And I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“An envelope. A large manila envelope. Did he give it to you for safe keeping?” He motioned for her to sit down. “I knew Alex would come here. Too bad that cop friend of yours stuck around. I figured I could handle you and Alex, but, I’m a smart man…and patient.” He glanced at the sleeping dog. “Your dog had a nice snack outside. I haven’t met a dog yet that could resist a good steak. If you give a dog enough Benadryl she’ll be out for the count for quite a while. We shouldn’t be hearing from Clover for quite some time. Maybe never.” He shook his head. “I wasn’t quite sure of her weight so I had to guess on how much to give her. I could have overdone it.” He shrugged. “The sacrifices one makes when plans go haywire.”
“You drugged my dog? What kind of vet are you?” Willow was disgusted. The guy had given her the creeps the first time she’d met him. She needed to learn to trust her gut more.
“A bad vet. A very bad vet. Now, enough small talk. Where is my envelope?”
“I really have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s not like Alex and I were close. We barely tolerated one another.”
He grunted. “Fine. Have it your way.” He pulled some zip ties from his bag and secured her feet and hands. “I’ll do a thorough search. I don’t need your help. You can just sit here, relax, and watch me go through everything you own.”
Willow felt violated. He was tearing books off shelves, emptying drawers, touching all her stuff. “If you tell me what’s in the envelope maybe I’ll have an idea of where he put it. If it’s here at all.”
He laughed. An evil glance landed on her. “I guess it won’t matter now. You’ll have to have an unfortunate accident after I find the envelope.” He dumped out a kitchen drawer. “Money. Pictures. Ledgers. Pretty much everything that could put me away for a very long time. Ed wanted out. Did you know that?” He dumped another drawer. “He said he’d had a change of heart. I thought if I used his full legal name and sent him candy laced with poison, no one would put two and two together. My plan was to frame Alex. But, no, that didn’t work out to plan either. That bimbo just happened to share a name with Ed.” He opened the hall closet and started pulling out boxes.
“Kelly Thomas. We called her Cubby. I had no idea they shared the same name. Cubby who provided pit bull pups for underground fight clubs all over the US. Who would have guessed she shared a name with a fat Santa wanna be?” He emptied another box. “Good thing I already got my dogs from her. No worries. I’ll find someone else to provide dogs if these four don’t work out. In my line of business greedy people are everywhere.”
“So, you really meant to kill Ed, not Kelly. Or Cubby, or whatever her name was.”
“Ladies and Gentlemen, she’s catching on.”
Willow had no idea who he thought he was talking to. She was beginning to think he was crazy. “So, it was you who ordered the chocolate using Alex’s phone. When did you do that?” She figured if she could keep him talking long enough someone might come to her aid.
“Child’s play, my dear. I’m very good at taking things. Never leave your phone lying around.” He held up a phone. “I have Deputy Tucker’s girlfriend’s phone too. It’s amazing how distracting a cute puppy can be.” He laughed again.
A chill went through Willow as the reality of Ed’s death hit her. “You weren’t just arriving at Ed’s that night. You were just leaving. You had just killed him!”
“I’ve heard you’re pretty smart. I really expected more from you. I guess you’ve been distracted having your ex back in town. I’m sure your pretty daughter’s wedding has stolen some of your attention as well. Let’s hope that envelope is here, or else I’m gonna have to pay your daughter a visit.”
Willow’s heart began to race. She had to protect her daughter. “So, you’re the one who signed Alex out of the hospital?”
“Ding ding ding. She’s right again. You are batting a thousand.”
“Why didn’t you get the envelope from him then?”
“At that point, I thought Alex and I could still do business together. I figured he’d be taking over his girlfriend’s business and no harm done. I guess I thought wrong.”
It was Willow’s turn to laugh. “Alex has never had a motivated bone in his body. You really thought he’d be ambitious enough to raise dogs? He can’t even take care of himself.”
He ignored her comments and continued. “I got him out of the hospital and took him to Ed’s. He said he was gonna shower and get cleaned up, then we’d have to get out of there before the police chief was knocking on Ed’s door. I heard the shower running and figured he was on the up and up. After a half hour, I figured something was up and went in after him. The scum climbed out the bathroom window and took off. First, he let the air out of my tires then he had the audacity to call me to tell me to stay away from you and Embry. He had a whole envelope of evidence against me and if anything happened to the two of you, he’d give it to the authorities. Oh yeah, he took my money too. Ed and I were partners so any money Ed had was rightfully mine. He must have hitchhiked to your house. I guessed right away where he was going. He didn’t know anyone else. He and Cubby thought it was a great front for selling dogs in this area…being here for your daughter’s engagement party. I bet they didn’t even give her a gift, did they?”
He turned her entire living room and kitchen upside down and didn’t find a thing. He grinned. “Looks like I’m gonna have to spend some time in your bedroom. Maybe after I find what I’m looking for we can enjoy a little romp before you say goodbye to this world. Go out with a bang, huh?”
Willow despised the sound of his wicked laugh. If she could, she’d put a bullet in his heart and end it forever, she would. Unfortunately, her gun was in the bedroom. He would soon taunt her with it, she was sure. He disappeared. She heard her drawers hitting the bedroom floor and she cringed. If she got out of this she’d have to buy all new underclothes. Knowing he touched her things made her sick to her stomach. She heard a sound behind her and she twisted her head to see Alex walk in.
Her eyes grew big and he put his finger to his lips, hushing her. He pulled Steve’s gun out of his waistband and waited for the vet to walk back in the living room.
She heard approaching footsteps and turned her focus back to Clover. She didn’t want to alert Doctor Drake to Alex’s presence.
“The bedroom was a bust. Hopefully the guest room or office turn up the goods. Otherwise, we’re gonna have to skip that romp. I’m sure Embry will be…”
“I told you what would happen if you came anywhere near Willow or Embry.”
Willow’s whole body froze. As long as she was with Alex she had never heard him speak with such a serious, matter of fact tone. She watched Doctor Drake’s mouth stop moving. He slowly turned, reaching for his gun.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Alex pointed his gun directly at the doctor’s chest.
Dr. Drake struggled with which direction to go. Do as Alex instructed or go for the gun. He decided Alex didn’t have it in him and his hand flew for his waistband where he’d put Willow’s little revolver.
Alex fired two shots and the doctor fell backward.
Willow screamed then passed out.