her. She can be a bit stricter than I’d prefer at times, but I know she has a kind heart and she’s definitely responsible. I’m sure our mama would be happy living with Willa after being out on the street.”
“Poor thing. When I hear about things like that it just breaks my heart.” Ellie wiped a tear from her cheek. “When I think what could have happened…”
“Is anything else wrong?” I asked. Not that finding puppies in a Dumpster wasn’t something to cry over, but it looked like the pups were going to be fine, so tears at this point weren’t really called for.
“Not really. I’ve just been feeling emotional lately. I called the doctor today and I have an appointment to see him tomorrow.”
“That’s good. Maybe your hormones are off or something. I was thinking of calling in an order for a pizza. Extra sausage?”
Ellie made a face that indicated that pizza didn’t sound all that appetizing.
“I suppose if your stomach is all funky I can make you something. Scrambled eggs? Pancakes?”
“Why don’t you go ahead and pick up whatever you want for dinner and I’ll figure something out for myself?” Ellie suggested.
“Are you sure? I can get you anything you want.”
“I’m sure.”
“I’m not all that hungry. Why don’t we relax out on the deck for a bit and figure out the whole dinner thing later?”
Ellie didn’t say anything, but she accepted the glass of water I offered her and then followed me out onto the deck.
“How did your sleuthing go this morning?” Ellie asked.
“It looks like Fritz Moon might be the killer I’ve been looking for.”
Ellie frowned. “Fritz? Really?”
“Do you know him?” I asked. Until Chris from the feed store had mentioned his name I’d never heard of him.
“I don’t know him well, but he used to come into the Beach Hut for lunch sometimes. He knew Tucker somehow, and the two of them would eat burgers and talk about television shows they’d both seen or the newest action flick out in the theater.”
“Didn’t you find it odd that a grown man would be friends with an eleven-year-old boy?”
“Not really. Tucker might be eleven, but he’s a very street-smart eleven. As you know, he doesn’t have a lot of parental supervision, so he’s in town on his own fairly often. I think Fritz is just a nice man who somehow met Tucker and decided to take him under his wing. If it turns out he’s your killer, I’m going to be very surprised.”
I remembered that Tucker sometimes came to see the cats with Shawna, the girl I had met at Edna’s that first morning after the murder. I guess it made sense that if Fritz once worked for Edna, Tucker would have met him during one of his visits. So far I hadn’t had any luck tracking down Fritz, but maybe Tucker knew where I could find him. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to call him to ask. Normally, Tucker spent a lot of time at our house, but I hadn’t seen him once since Scooter had left to visit his grandparents. I knew his mother worked two jobs, so chances were I’d find Scooter’s best friend at the video arcade. Maybe after I got some food down my best friend I’d stop by to see if he was there.
“Do you know how long Fritz worked for Edna?”
Ellie squinted as she thought about it. “I’m not really sure, but it seems he started coming around the Beach Hut with Tucker about a year ago. Other than to take his order, I really never spoke to him. The only reason I know what they talked about is because Tucker tends to be loud, so I could overhear parts of their conversation.”
“It might be worth my time to track Tucker down to see what he knows. I haven’t seen him since Scooter left town, but he usually hangs out at the arcade.”
“When is Scooter coming back from his trip?” Ellie asked.
“I’m not sure. He’ll be home in time to start school, but I’m not sure how long before that he’ll be home. Alex is coming home tomorrow with Zak, though.” I smiled.
A wistful
“Poor thing. When I hear about things like that it just breaks my heart.” Ellie wiped a tear from her cheek. “When I think what could have happened…”
“Is anything else wrong?” I asked. Not that finding puppies in a Dumpster wasn’t something to cry over, but it looked like the pups were going to be fine, so tears at this point weren’t really called for.
“Not really. I’ve just been feeling emotional lately. I called the doctor today and I have an appointment to see him tomorrow.”
“That’s good. Maybe your hormones are off or something. I was thinking of calling in an order for a pizza. Extra sausage?”
Ellie made a face that indicated that pizza didn’t sound all that appetizing.
“I suppose if your stomach is all funky I can make you something. Scrambled eggs? Pancakes?”
“Why don’t you go ahead and pick up whatever you want for dinner and I’ll figure something out for myself?” Ellie suggested.
“Are you sure? I can get you anything you want.”
“I’m sure.”
“I’m not all that hungry. Why don’t we relax out on the deck for a bit and figure out the whole dinner thing later?”
Ellie didn’t say anything, but she accepted the glass of water I offered her and then followed me out onto the deck.
“How did your sleuthing go this morning?” Ellie asked.
“It looks like Fritz Moon might be the killer I’ve been looking for.”
Ellie frowned. “Fritz? Really?”
“Do you know him?” I asked. Until Chris from the feed store had mentioned his name I’d never heard of him.
“I don’t know him well, but he used to come into the Beach Hut for lunch sometimes. He knew Tucker somehow, and the two of them would eat burgers and talk about television shows they’d both seen or the newest action flick out in the theater.”
“Didn’t you find it odd that a grown man would be friends with an eleven-year-old boy?”
“Not really. Tucker might be eleven, but he’s a very street-smart eleven. As you know, he doesn’t have a lot of parental supervision, so he’s in town on his own fairly often. I think Fritz is just a nice man who somehow met Tucker and decided to take him under his wing. If it turns out he’s your killer, I’m going to be very surprised.”
I remembered that Tucker sometimes came to see the cats with Shawna, the girl I had met at Edna’s that first morning after the murder. I guess it made sense that if Fritz once worked for Edna, Tucker would have met him during one of his visits. So far I hadn’t had any luck tracking down Fritz, but maybe Tucker knew where I could find him. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to call him to ask. Normally, Tucker spent a lot of time at our house, but I hadn’t seen him once since Scooter had left to visit his grandparents. I knew his mother worked two jobs, so chances were I’d find Scooter’s best friend at the video arcade. Maybe after I got some food down my best friend I’d stop by to see if he was there.
“Do you know how long Fritz worked for Edna?”
Ellie squinted as she thought about it. “I’m not really sure, but it seems he started coming around the Beach Hut with Tucker about a year ago. Other than to take his order, I really never spoke to him. The only reason I know what they talked about is because Tucker tends to be loud, so I could overhear parts of their conversation.”
“It might be worth my time to track Tucker down to see what he knows. I haven’t seen him since Scooter left town, but he usually hangs out at the arcade.”
“When is Scooter coming back from his trip?” Ellie asked.
“I’m not sure. He’ll be home in time to start school, but I’m not sure how long before that he’ll be home. Alex is coming home tomorrow with Zak, though.” I smiled.
A wistful
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