probably missed Oma. I relented and shared a bit of my breakfast with her and Trixie.
“So, Val,” said Dave. “Did Norm come by your pub a lot?”
I held my breath. Even though Dave was trying to make it sound like casual conversation, I suspected he was interrogating her.
Val didn’t blink. She didn’t even look up from her French toast. “Nope.”
I tried to hide my smile. Val was no dummy. She moved to Wagtail just before I did but she had probably met a lot more people at her pub.
“Never?” asked Dave.
Val shrugged. “Everyone comes in now and then.”
I could see Dave’s jaw tensing. She was being a little bit too cavalier.
Holmes’s eyes met mine. “I hang out there,” he said. “And she hasn’t knocked me off yet.”
Val shot him a grateful smile but the look on Dave’s face told me he wasn’t finished with her.
“Thanks for breakfast, Holly.” Dave rose. “I’m off to the pharmacy.”
I couldn’t help noticing that he took one last long glance at Val before he left.
She must have noticed it, too. She closed her eyes for just a couple of seconds, and her body relaxed. “Did either of you see who took the original faux poison bottle last night? It was on the table beside you, Holmes. Did you see who took it?”
Holmes set his mug on the table. “Not me. Are you kidding? People crowded around me like dogs after a piece of bacon. I had to play dead, remember?”
Val shifted her gaze to me.
“The Tredwells asked me to show them out the side door in the dark. I wasn’t even in the room part of the time.”
Holmes sat back in his chair. “It could have been anyone. In the dark, it would have been easy to pick it up. Besides, it was small and easy to hide in a pocket or a purse.”
* * *
After breakfast, I stopped by my apartment to change into something a little more coordinated than the clothes I’d thrown on that morning. Twinkletoes followed me, rubbing my legs and meowing.
With a gasp, I realized she hadn’t been fed! I swung her up into my arms. “I’m so sorry, sweetie pie. What would you prefer? Liver? Beef? Salmon?”
She purred nonstop. I eyed the bowls of dry food. They weren’t empty. It made me feel a little bit better about not feeding her. “I’m so sorry, schnookums. Our routine was interrupted.” That wasn’t a good excuse, but it was all I had. I spooned beef au jus into her bowl and set her down. She curled her black tail around her body and ate daintily.
I retreated to my bedroom, where I changed into a navy and white striped sweater, jeans, and short boots. Pulling my hair back, I pinned it up in a practical makeshift twist, added dangling red earrings, a red scarf, and a white vest. That ought to keep me warm for a bit if I had to go outside again.
I trotted back downstairs and found that Gingersnap had ventured out to her favorite spot on the porch. She didn’t seem to mind the chilly weather. In fact, she appeared to like it.
Twinkletoes already lounged in her favorite sunbeam in the Dogwood Room. Through the windows, I could see Shadow carrying wood from the covered pile.
I walked to the reception area and discovered a stash of wood just inside the door.
The doors slid open and Shadow deposited more firewood. “Hope this is okay,” he said. “I didn’t want to tracksnow through the inn. When I’ve got enough, I’ll change into indoor shoes and take wood wherever it’s needed.”
I was so surprised by his thoughtfulness that I hardly knew what to say. “That would be great! Thank you for being so considerate.” I was going to hire him full time if he would have us.
Before returning to the office, I found Marisol, the housekeeper, and told her Shadow would be bringing firewood up to the rooms.
When I settled in the office, Twinkletoes snoozed on one end of the sofa and Trixie slept on the other end with all four paws in the air. I took care of some paperwork and made phone calls. After the busy morning, I ate a turkey
“So, Val,” said Dave. “Did Norm come by your pub a lot?”
I held my breath. Even though Dave was trying to make it sound like casual conversation, I suspected he was interrogating her.
Val didn’t blink. She didn’t even look up from her French toast. “Nope.”
I tried to hide my smile. Val was no dummy. She moved to Wagtail just before I did but she had probably met a lot more people at her pub.
“Never?” asked Dave.
Val shrugged. “Everyone comes in now and then.”
I could see Dave’s jaw tensing. She was being a little bit too cavalier.
Holmes’s eyes met mine. “I hang out there,” he said. “And she hasn’t knocked me off yet.”
Val shot him a grateful smile but the look on Dave’s face told me he wasn’t finished with her.
“Thanks for breakfast, Holly.” Dave rose. “I’m off to the pharmacy.”
I couldn’t help noticing that he took one last long glance at Val before he left.
She must have noticed it, too. She closed her eyes for just a couple of seconds, and her body relaxed. “Did either of you see who took the original faux poison bottle last night? It was on the table beside you, Holmes. Did you see who took it?”
Holmes set his mug on the table. “Not me. Are you kidding? People crowded around me like dogs after a piece of bacon. I had to play dead, remember?”
Val shifted her gaze to me.
“The Tredwells asked me to show them out the side door in the dark. I wasn’t even in the room part of the time.”
Holmes sat back in his chair. “It could have been anyone. In the dark, it would have been easy to pick it up. Besides, it was small and easy to hide in a pocket or a purse.”
* * *
After breakfast, I stopped by my apartment to change into something a little more coordinated than the clothes I’d thrown on that morning. Twinkletoes followed me, rubbing my legs and meowing.
With a gasp, I realized she hadn’t been fed! I swung her up into my arms. “I’m so sorry, sweetie pie. What would you prefer? Liver? Beef? Salmon?”
She purred nonstop. I eyed the bowls of dry food. They weren’t empty. It made me feel a little bit better about not feeding her. “I’m so sorry, schnookums. Our routine was interrupted.” That wasn’t a good excuse, but it was all I had. I spooned beef au jus into her bowl and set her down. She curled her black tail around her body and ate daintily.
I retreated to my bedroom, where I changed into a navy and white striped sweater, jeans, and short boots. Pulling my hair back, I pinned it up in a practical makeshift twist, added dangling red earrings, a red scarf, and a white vest. That ought to keep me warm for a bit if I had to go outside again.
I trotted back downstairs and found that Gingersnap had ventured out to her favorite spot on the porch. She didn’t seem to mind the chilly weather. In fact, she appeared to like it.
Twinkletoes already lounged in her favorite sunbeam in the Dogwood Room. Through the windows, I could see Shadow carrying wood from the covered pile.
I walked to the reception area and discovered a stash of wood just inside the door.
The doors slid open and Shadow deposited more firewood. “Hope this is okay,” he said. “I didn’t want to tracksnow through the inn. When I’ve got enough, I’ll change into indoor shoes and take wood wherever it’s needed.”
I was so surprised by his thoughtfulness that I hardly knew what to say. “That would be great! Thank you for being so considerate.” I was going to hire him full time if he would have us.
Before returning to the office, I found Marisol, the housekeeper, and told her Shadow would be bringing firewood up to the rooms.
When I settled in the office, Twinkletoes snoozed on one end of the sofa and Trixie slept on the other end with all four paws in the air. I took care of some paperwork and made phone calls. After the busy morning, I ate a turkey
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