Karma's A Bitch (A Pet Psychic Mystery) by Shannon Esposito

you don’t believe Mr. Fowler actually wrote that suicide note?”
    “No, I’m sorry, I don’t.” I bit into my taco. Wow. Mmm. This was amazing!
    “Why?”
    Does there have to be a reason for everything with this man? Maddening. I finished chewing as I stared at the band and tried to put together a reason. They were actually pretty impressive.
    “Detective Blake…”
    “Will.”
    “Will I what?”
    “No, call me Will. It’s my first name.”
    “Ohhh.” I grinned. “Wait…William? As in William Blake, after the poet?”
    “What can I say, my mother was a romantic. Just Will, though.”
    “Okay. Will…” I adjusted my sundress under my legs so they wouldn’t stick to the plastic chairs. “I can’t tell you.” No, really , I can’t tell you. “I just knew him well enough to know that he would not commit suicide.”
    His eyes fell to his plate and a faint wave of regret washed over me. “People can surprise you, Darwin.”
    I’d give him that. “True.” I waited until the wave subsided before I took another bite.
    “They can surprise you in good ways too, though.”
    He let his eyes meet mine over our tacos and smiled. “True.”
    We finished our meal and sat for a little while listening to the band and watching a few brave souls sway around the deck to the music. I had a sudden urge to ask Will if he wanted to join them, so that’s when I knew it was time to go.
    “This was a really lovely day, Will, thank you. I better get back to Karma, though. He’s probably hungry by now.”
    “All right.”
    Was that disappointment? I had long since figured out by the way he looked at me that he probably did consider this a date. Was this the point where I was supposed to play hard to get? Oh heavens, I should have asked Sylvia what to do when it was time to go. Shake his hand? Hug? Leave without looking back?
    Turns out, by the time we rode the looper back to Beach Drive—between the tidbits he told me about the city and the kind of afternoon heat that makes for drowsy, lazy energy—I was so relaxed, I forgot all about my concerns.
    When I stood up to get off the bus, he pecked me on the cheek and slipped a business card in my hand.
    “That has my cell phone number on it in case you need me.”
    His kiss left a warm spot on my cheek and the smell of fresh rain in the air. “Thanks. I had a great time.”
    He smiled above me. “See you soon.”

 
     
    CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
     
     
    Sunday afternoon, Karma and I were crossing North Straub Park with a backpack full of goodies when I spotted Frankie Maslow pushing a leopard skin pet stroller down the sidewalk. I rushed to catch up.
    “Hey, Frankie!” We came up beside her.
    “Oh, Hey, Darwin.” She glanced down at Karma, who was sniffing at the two pups through the netting. “He won’t think Itty and Bitty are snacks now, will he?” She eyed him warily. The two pups started yapping and Karma tilted his head and backed up.
    “No, he’s just curious and looks like a bit intimidated.” I laughed. “Itty and Bitty, huh? Cute.” I noticed a Kleenex in her hand and red blotches on her skin under oversized sun glasses. Had she been crying? “So, what are you three up to this gorgeous morning?”
    “Just taking a walk, trying to clear my head.”
    “Everything all right?”
    “Yeah.” She swiped at her nose with the Kleenex. “No. Well, it’ll be fine. It’s just my assistant, Maddy, she just up and quit on me yesterday. And you know, I don’t understand it, she was like a daughter to me. Her family is seriously screwed up. They steal cars, run a chop shop. Just trash. I got her away from them. Gave her a chance to go to school, to have a better life.” She stopped under the shade of a tree and pulled a dish and water bottle from beneath the stroller. “I tried to offer her more money but she wouldn’t take it. She seemed as upset as I was. I just don’t understand it.”
    I watched her unzip the netting, pour some water into the dish and