Meanwhile, Detective Kelly systematically pieced together his case against Thomas’ alleged killers. It’s a clever scheme even if I say so myself. All I need are the answers to a few crucial questions from my star witness.
Kelly leaped from the launch to the gangway. He sprinted up the stairs leading to the Victory’s carefully waxed deck. Rocky gave his old friend a good-natured slap on the back.
“Good to see you Kel. Victoria is expecting you, the “Doggonedest Dog Detective,” as she fondly refers to you.” The two exchanged hearty laughs on the way to the lounge.
“My goodness!” Kelly exclaimed taking in the whimsical scene before him. Herman reclined on a great stack of pillows amid the quiet richness of the wood-paneled room. Victoria and Scarlet hovered nearby like maternal aunts fussing over a newborn infant. Bijou adjusted Herman’s new plaid blanket, taking care to tuck it gently around Herman’s still scrawny body.
Kelly, quick to notice Herman’s improved physical appearance, shook his head in mock seriousness. “If I knew it was going to be this tough for you, Herman, I would have found you another place.”
“Yeah, but somebody has to do it,” Herman responded with a devilish grin.
“I see you’re pretty busy, Herman, so if you can answer a couple of questions, I’ll be on my way.”
“Ladies.” Kelly smiled broadly at the three females and nodded his head. Absentmindedly, he removed the well-worn toothpick from his breast pocket and held it poised in one hand.
Victoria noticed Detective Kelly’s drawn appearance. “You look like you could use a cup of hot coffee, Detective Kelly. Has it been a long day?”
“A cup of coffee sure sounds good, Victoria. This case is taking a lot out of 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?