When Darwin brought us dinner, I noticed that he and Pru were easier together. I was relieved, but then I remembered Pru’s face when we talked of Brooke and Brooke’s child. If only I could discover who was driving the car the night Martha Woodley was killed, it would ease Pru’s mind, just as bringing Mike’s killer to justice would ease Caroline’s.
Who had answers? I was pretty sure the answer to Mike’s murder was on Aaron’s security tapes, which were probably destroyed in the fire. But Gerri said that Aaron worked in computers. Maybe the video was stored on some distant server. Or …
My mind flashed back to the moment Aaron dropped McGillicuddy, his most precious possession, into my arms. You save your most precious possessions in a fire. Isn’t that what people say?
Aaron had been fussing with McGillicuddy’s collar before he handed him out the window. I was sure there were charms or dog tags on McGillicuddy’s collar, but could it have been something even more essential? Something like a flash drive?
I had to check. “I’m going to walk up to Dandy’s and see how McGillicuddy’s doing.”
“I’ll hold down the fort,” Pru said. “But don’t take long. We have to get the peach ice cream going.”
“I’ll be quick.” I jogged up the lane. Dandy stood at the side of the Fire Chief’s SUV, McGillicuddy straining on his leash. As I approached, the Chief gave her a wave and the SUV moved down the lane.
“Riley, how are you?” Dandy smiled but McGillicuddy growled low in his throat. Dandy picked him up and gave him a tight squeeze. “McGillicuddy, this lady saved your life. Behave!”
“I came to see how McGillicuddy’s doing.”
“Right as rain, not a hair was harmed. That nice veterinarian Dr. Pryce came over to see him, can you believe it?” Dandy said. “A house call. Aaron must be one of his best customers.”
“When I was holding McGillicuddy last night, I thought there was something attached to his collar. Something like—” Suddenly I felt foolish, like I was confessing to a nutty conspiracy theory. “Something like a charm, or tag. Is it there?” I tilted my head to look.
She turned McGillicuddy so I could see a single bone-shaped charm with Dr. Pryce’s name and phone number. “No other jewelry for McGillicuddy. Must’ve been your imagination.”
My heart fell. I was sure there’d been more than one tag on the collar. “Maybe it dropped off.”
“I’ll keep my eyes open for it,” she said. “Did you get my note and call Dr. Pryce?”
“I did, yes, thank you. Everything’s okay.”
“Good.” She gave McGillicuddy a cuddle. “I’ll check for another charm when I go back to the house.”
“Thanks. Well, I have to go back and make ice cream.”
“We’ll have to stop by for ice cream, won’t we, McGillicuddy?” She set him down again.
“Yes, please do. Good night.” McGillicuddy and Dandy slowly crossed the street.
I turned to the smoldering hulk of Aaron’s house. One of the fire department vans was still parked in the driveway and investigators were moving around the yard. I vowed to go back and search when they left.
As I headed back to Udderly, I was surprised to see Rocky by the side of Dandy’s garage. He slipped around the corner like a shadow.