Nine

I tried to scream, but nothing came out. In horror, I rolled off the bed, away from them, and fell to the floor. I jumped up.

They were between me and the door!

They screamed at the same time I finally screamed.

I flicked on the light next to the bed. Nessie and Sky stood in my bedroom.

“I told you that wasn’t her snoring in the other room,” Sky declared.

Nessie held up a green T-shirt with holes in it that looked like someone had tried to shred it. “Who have you been sleeping with, honey? Looks like some wild times to me.”

I blinked, still trying to figure out what was going on. How did they get in? “Huh? That must be Ben’s.”

“My, my. He must be a wildcat!”

I wanted to shout, What are you doing in here? I glanced at the clock. It was three in the morning. I managed to choke out, “Is there something I can do for you?”

Nessie spat out, “Lulu and Duchess have been stolen!”

I could hardly think straight. “Who is Duchess?” I slid on my lush white Sugar Maple Inn bathrobe.

“A WAG dog.” Sky brushed a wild cloud of hair from her face. “I’m in the If the Dog Fits program.”

She seemed completely earnest, but I knew that had to be a lie. She hadn’t made reservations, and she had checked in at nine o’clock without a dog. WAG would have been closed. Not to mention that the shelter would have notified me.

I blinked at her. “You didn’t arrive until nine. WAG wouldn’t have been open.”

“I met the lady who runs the program last night, and she said she had just the dog for me, so we went and got Duchess. But now she’s gone!”

Nessie seemed impatient. “I’m certain they were after Lulu. She’s a retired champion. I bet somebody recognized her and knew he could get a lot of money for her. I called the police and they’re on the way.”

They followed me into the living room.

Putting aside the issue of the mystery dog, Duchess, I asked, “When did you see them last?”

“When we went to bed,” said Sky.

“Lulu always sleeps with me.” Nessie’s fists were tight as knots.

Only then did it dawn on me that Trixie hadn’t barked at them. I turned and looked around my apartment.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you the least bit concerned about a thief in your inn?”

“Yes. Yes, of course I am. Would you excuse me for just a moment?” I hurried back to my bedroom. No Trixie, no Twinkletoes, no Marmalade. I peeked in Ben’s room. He snored, dead to the world despite the screaming, but Huey was nowhere to be seen.

I rushed back to Nessie. “None of my animals are here either.”

Nessie pressed her palms on the sides of her face in horror. “It’s worse than I thought. It must be a crook from a laboratory who wants them for testing. Ohhh, my poor Lulu!”

“How did you get into my apartment?” I closed the door and accompanied the two women down the stairs to the main lobby.

“Your door was open.” Nessie said it without an iota of shame. “Your grandmother told us you live upstairs.”

No one sat at the desk where Casey should have been. He’d been known to relax in the Dogwood Room before. Nessie followed me there, fretting aloud.

No sign of Casey.

But I heard something. Something that sounded like a yip.

“They’re in a room being held hostage!” Nessie’s eyes were wide.

“I don’t think so.” I passed the grand staircase and headed for Oma’s private kitchen.

We surprised Casey when I opened the door. A book was open on the kitchen table, and he was eating leftover chicken salad.

“What are you doing up?” he asked innocently.

“We’re missing dogs and cats. Have you seen any?”

Nessie couldn’t contain herself. “They’ve been stolen for nefarious purposes. Did you see anyone dragging them out? I know my Lulu would never have gone willingly.”

“Haven’t noticed a thing. We had a lot of guests come in late, but it’s been a quiet night. Hey, Holly? Marmalade’s mom came in with Ben and went up to your apartment to get Marmalade. She said Trixie growled at Ben, so they decided to leave Marmalade there for the night.”

“Thanks, Casey.” I must have been sound asleep when Ben returned. The yip sounded again. I let the door swing shut. Following my instincts, I checked the inn’s commercial kitchen, the only room where dogs and cats were not permitted in a nod to the health code.

It was silent and empty. But the next yip was closer.

“It came from there.” Sky pointed at a door that was slightly open.

Oh no! The inn stocked an assortment of commercial cat and dog foods. Many of our guests preferred to feed their pets the same things they ate at home instead of the inn’s gourmet food. As a courtesy, we asked their preferences when they made reservations so we could be sure we had their favorite brands on hand.

I strode to the pantry where we kept the commercial pet food and flung the door open wider.

If the dogs had worn hats, it would have looked like a wild party. Bags of kibble had been torn open and the yummy contents had spilled onto the floor, where Gingersnap, Trixie, Huey, Lulu, and an unfamiliar white dog, presumably Duchess, munched to their hearts’ content.

As I stood there watching them, something pelted the top of my head. I looked up in time to step aside and avoid a shower of dry cat food that rained from above, where Twinkletoes and Marmalade sat on a high shelf, clawing open bags of kitty kibble.

“Lulu!” Nessie shrieked. She swooped down to grab the little dog, who made a panicked run for it. Her claws clicked on the floor as she scampered out the door and away from Nessie.

“I’m holding you responsible if she gets sick. She’s on a very special diet. She’s never eaten a morsel of grain in her whole life!” Nessie left to chase Lulu.

I focused on the other dogs. Gingersnap and Trixie had the decency to be embarrassed. Probably not for what they had done, but for being caught at it.

“Out!” I said it in my best scolding voice and pointed at the door. Gingersnap and Trixie pinned their ears back and hustled out of the pantry.

Huey and the other dog, presumably Duchess, continued eating like they’d never seen food. I should have been angry, but I felt sorry for them. I didn’t know their histories, but maybe they had been hungry, like my Trixie, who had had to dig through trash for food to survive before she met me.

Twinkletoes and her friend grew bored once they ate their fill. They jumped down and paraded by me without so much as a whisker of regret. Their tails high, they stalked out of the pantry with feline confidence.

Sky called her dog, but if Duchess recognized her name, she gave no indication of it. She was a beauty. Her long white and tan fur gleamed. She reminded me of a border collie in size and shape. She gazed up at us and tentatively wagged her tail. The fur on it waved gracefully.

“Come here, sweetie. Are you Duchess?” I squatted to her level.

She approached me cautiously, carrying her head low.

I felt her neck for a collar. It matched Huey’s WAG collar. “You must have been hungry!”

She wagged again and licked my face.

“Okay, you two. Hop on out so I can clean up.” I nabbed them by their collars and escorted them out of the pantry.

A knock at the front door drew my attention. The entire pack raced there as though they anticipated excitement.

I unlocked the door and Dave stepped inside, looking exhausted. “A Nessie Jamieson called to report a stolen dog?”

“We found her,” I said. “I’m sorry she got you out of bed. Nessie’s a little high-strung.”

Dave squatted to pet the dogs, who shamelessly kissed him with such gusto that Dave fell over backward. Laughing, he sat on the floor, petting all of them.

Twinkletoes and Marmalade watched from the grand staircase, their tails twitching.

“What’s with all these dogs?”

I told him about the mismatch between Huey and Ben. “I think they’re going to be the first couple to flunk out of If the Dog Fits. And apparently this pretty girl is also in the If the Dog Fits program. They executed a midnight raid on the dog-food pantry.”

Dave scrambled to his feet. Speaking sternly and shaking his forefinger at them, he said, “I’m letting you off with a warning this time, but such behavior will not be tolerated in the future.”

Huey sat very properly, didn’t take his eyes off Dave, and offered his right paw.

“Okay, all is forgiven, pal.” Dave shook his paw, dug treats for everyone out of his pocket, and rubbed Huey’s head. “But I’m not forgiving that woman who called nine-one-one and woke me for this!”

Sky flushed red. “I’m so sorry. That was my roommate. It won’t happen again.”

When Dave left, I locked the door behind him.

Sky escorted Duchess upstairs, with Huey trailing along behind them.

I swept the floor of the pantry and put away the remaining kibble.

When I closed the door, I made very sure the latch caught properly. Gingersnap and Trixie lay just outside the door as though they were waiting for me. Huey had returned and waited by the stairs. “Everybody up to bed.”

They raced up the stairs ahead of me. I picked up Twinkletoes and Marmalade and carried them, huffing and puffing. On the second floor, I made a brief detour to Oma’s quarters to be sure her door was closed. Just as I expected, it stood ajar.

I set the cats down and tiptoed inside to check that she was all right. Even though the room was dark, I could make out the sound of soft snoring. I left Gingersnap inside and locked the door behind me.

I picked up the cats again and carried them. Halfway to the third floor, I wished I had taken the elevator. It felt like each of the cats gained a pound with every step I took. When everyone was safely in my quarters, I locked the door and double-checked the hidden dog door in my dining room. It was still closed.

Now I was seriously miffed with Ben. I could only imagine that he hadn’t shut the door properly when he’d returned. But that didn’t explain how Lulu, Duchess, or Gingersnap had managed to join in the fun.

Glad that everyone was safe, I went back to bed but slept lightly, jerking awake at every tiny sound.

I gave up on sleeping when the sun rose, and I opened the French doors to my balcony. The chill in the early morning air didn’t stop me from taking in the view.

Below me, early risers jogged with their dogs. A few walked cats, or sat on benches enjoying coffee.

Only the bakeries, coffee shops, and a couple of cafés were open at this hour. In the distance, the sun caught the mountains, bringing the lush greens of the trees to life.

Trixie turned her head, and with the tiniest, joyous yap, she ran through the apartment. I knew what that was about. Mr. Huckle delivered tea or coffee and prebreakfast treats five mornings a week.

The tiny old man stooped slightly but always looked impeccable in his formal butler’s attire. After decades of service, through no fault of his own, he had lost his position as the butler of the wealthiest man in Wagtail. Oma had offered the wizened fellow a job. I couldn’t imagine what might have happened to him otherwise. He was a wonderful addition to the staff. He walked dogs, brushed cats, delivered room service, filled in at the front desk, and even waited on tables when needed. Not to mention the personal favors he gladly undertook for our guests. Small wonder that they raved about him.

He set the tray down on the kitchen counter and slipped Trixie and Huey treats. “Miss Holly! You’re up early. Is Mr. Ben awake as well?” He poured a cup of tea for me and added sugar and a splash of milk.

“I don’t think so.” I sipped the tea. “This is perfect. Thank you, Mr. Huckle.”

“My pleasure, Miss Holly. I hear there was something of a raid on the pantry last night.”

I shot Trixie and Huey a dirty look. “I can’t imagine how they got in there. Probably a combination of lucky breaks. Doors that weren’t properly closed or something.”

“Is it true that there was a murder in the Shire?” He asked it with dignified casualness, as though he were inquiring about the weather.

“I’m afraid so. Are people gossiping about it already?”

“As you know, I don’t gossip.”

I almost spewed my tea. He was as guilty of gossip as everyone else.

“Then how do you know about it?” I asked.

“Officer Dave arrived first thing this morning to speak with your grandmother. Do we need to provide an alibi for her?”

“Mr. Huckle! It’s nothing like that.” At least I hoped it wasn’t. “The victim was supposed to be a guest at the inn and had a letter from Oma in his pocket. That’s all. He never checked into the inn.”

“That’s a relief. Though I don’t like having another murderous scoundrel on the loose in Wagtail. They say his wallet was stolen. I fear it could be one of the thieves from Snowball moving in on unsuspecting Wagtail tourists. We must put a stop to that immediately.” He took his leave.

Feeling guilty for having it so good, I savored the creamy chocolate in the fresh-from-the-oven croissant he had brought.

I poured a second cup of tea, then showered and dressed in a navy-and-white-striped summer dress that I particularly liked because the broad stripes were on an angle that was slenderizing and becoming. The full skirt came to the top of my knees, which I liked because I often had to bend to pick up animals and things people had dropped or left behind in the inn. Short skirts were not practical in my job.

The green T-shirt lay on my bed. I picked it up to examine it more closely. One of the dogs must have dragged it out of Ben’s room and played tug with it. I looked at Trixie. “Is this your way of telling Ben you don’t like him? Huey, did you have anything to do with this?”

Huey cocked his head and wagged his tail. Too bad he’d been assigned to Ben. After the big middle-of-the-night feast, Huey had slept with us instead of with Ben. I sighed about it, but it didn’t come as a surprise. Huey must have picked up on Ben’s lack of interest in him immediately. Dogs are very perceptive about people. Fortunately, WAG didn’t kill animals. He would be safe there when he went back. I made up my mind to keep an eye out for a potential new person for him.

I tossed the shirt on a chair. I would have to pick up a replacement in town.

I applied a little eye makeup, tied my medium brown hair back in a sleek ponytail, added dangling earrings, and slid my feet into white sandals. “Everyone ready to go?” I asked.

I carried the leash in my hand, wondering if I dared let Huey run loose with Trixie. Would he come if I called?

I opened the pet door and told the cats, “I think you had better eat downstairs this morning. Marmalade’s mom will be looking for him.”

They didn’t seem upset by that and left with the rest of us, gladly springing down the stairs with the dogs.

The dining area was already packed. Hard as it was to walk by the smell of coffee and sizzling bacon, I accompanied the dogs outside.

Gingersnap already lay on the front porch, her favorite location. I suspected Gingersnap thought she would receive the most attention from guests there. But with no one around at the moment, she gladly accompanied us to the doggy toilet area around the side of the inn.

Two men in Indiana Jones–style fedoras waited for their dogs to do their business. As we neared, I recognized the dogs as Lulu and Duchess.

One of the men stood with his back to me but waved his hand around as he talked. Large diamond rings caught the sun’s rays.

I cracked up laughing. It was Sky and Nessie, wearing jeans, men’s shirts, and fedoras.

“Oh, look, Lulu,” cried Nessie. “Here come the friends who got you into so much trouble last night.”

Lulu and Duchess greeted the other dogs with great excitement.

“Think they’re planning another escapade?” Sky watched them with suspicion.

“Don’t even suggest it!” Nessie held up her palm in protest. “No more sleepless nights. I have enough worries about my daughter.”

“Not that it’s any of my business but why are you dressed this way?” I hoped I didn’t sound rude.

Nessie mimicked a melody that sounded very familiar. “Dun dun, dun dun dun dun . . . ‘Your mission, should you choose to accept it . . .’” Nessie and Sky laughed.

“You’re too young to remember Mission Impossible, the TV show,” said Sky. “Isn’t this a stitch? We had the same idea and packed men’s attire. Can you imagine, we even bought exactly the same hat online for this trip, thinking we could sneak around and spy on our daughters better.”

Nessie pulled her hat down over her forehead a little more. “I think we make pretty good men. We’re two moms engaged in Mission Impawsible!”

I wondered if I should mention that the dazzling rings Nessie wore might give her true identity away. Maybe not. She was having fun. It wasn’t as though she was a real spy going into enemy territory.

An unfamiliar dog barreled toward us. The shaggy little dog had clearly gotten away from someone.

“Oh no!” Sky handed me Duchess’s leash and ran like crazy.