saying is that I don’t deal with silly things like dog shows. I don’t know where you got your information that I did, but it was wrong.”
Could it possibly be that Shelby was finally wrong about something? I looked up to the sky, waiting for the heavens to open up and flood the city.
“Am I really?” Shelby asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Fellas!” Dante motioned to the group. “Give me a second with Shelby and John Watson so I can educate them on what we do here.”
The group began to disperse across the street. Dante waited until they were out of earshot before he leaned in and spoke softly. “You got some information that may affect my line?”
“What?” I blurted out. “You really do take bets on dog shows?”
“Shh, man!” Danted hissed. “I’ve got a reputation to uphold! Of course I take bets. Those rich folks love throwingmoney on their prized pooches. Last year I earned more green than I did during the NBA Finals!”
Unreal.
“I’ve got a missing dog.” Shelby got back to business. “What do you think the chances are that a trainer would sabotage his front-runner to earn more money?”
“Which dog?”
“Daisy, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel that the Lacys own.”
“Why would the trainer do that?” Dante scratched his head. “Unless the dog with the biggest odds won and he placed a ton of money, he’d be better off sticking with his own dog.”
Shelby looked thoughtful for a moment. “Who do you have as the underdog?”
Both Dante and I chuckled at her unintentional pun.
“Let me see.” Dante took out a small notebook from his back pocket and started flipping through pages. “I have Daisy as the favorite, but Mr. Wiggles is a close second. The dog that I have with the biggest odds is a Yorkshire terrier named Princess. First year showing. Also has a new trainer.”
“Hmmm,” Shelby considered his information. “It doesn’t fit that Emerson would risk it.”
Dante scribbled in his notebook. “So let me get this straight: Daisy will be a no-show tomorrow?”
“No.” Shelby stood up straighter, looking defiant. “Daisy will be there.”
I wanted to ask her how she knew that when there were so many open-ended questions and suspects. But I stopped myself, because I knew that if Shelby was certain of something, it wasn’t without reason.
Shelby nodded at Dante. “Thank you for your help.”
“Anytime, Shelby. You be careful—that’s some shady business you’re dealing in.”
“And you’re certainly an expert on that.”
Dante began shaking his head as we walked away. “You’re too much, Shelby.”
“So I’ve been informed.”
CHAPTER
17
S helby was quiet during the subway ride to the L acys ’. S he wasn ’ t one for small talk , so I studied all the people who got on and off the subway.
“You know, Watson, I have to admit that it’s been quite helpful having you around,” she finally said. “Sometimes nothing clears up a case more than stating the facts to another person. Perhaps I should reconsider my position on having an assistant.”
Whoa. Whoa. Whoa . I didn’t want to be anybody’s assistant . Yeah, I could learn a lot from Shelby, but as an apprentice or something. NOT her assistant.
Was that why she wanted me here today? Not because she thought I could genuinely help her, but because she wanted me to be her assistant? Was I supposed to fetch her coffee or something? (More like keep her properly sugared.)
Before I could ask her to clarify my position, she launched into a recap of the investigation. “So let’s look at the facts:Daisy went missing sometime between midnight, when Mr. Lacy spotted Daisy in bed with Tamra as he checked in on all three kids before he went to sleep, and nine, when Tamra went downstairs and couldn’t find her. Mr. Lacy was already at work, Mrs. Lacy was at an exercise class, Zareen was home, and Zane was in the park. While it is possible any one of them could’ve taken her, the security footage
Could it possibly be that Shelby was finally wrong about something? I looked up to the sky, waiting for the heavens to open up and flood the city.
“Am I really?” Shelby asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Fellas!” Dante motioned to the group. “Give me a second with Shelby and John Watson so I can educate them on what we do here.”
The group began to disperse across the street. Dante waited until they were out of earshot before he leaned in and spoke softly. “You got some information that may affect my line?”
“What?” I blurted out. “You really do take bets on dog shows?”
“Shh, man!” Danted hissed. “I’ve got a reputation to uphold! Of course I take bets. Those rich folks love throwingmoney on their prized pooches. Last year I earned more green than I did during the NBA Finals!”
Unreal.
“I’ve got a missing dog.” Shelby got back to business. “What do you think the chances are that a trainer would sabotage his front-runner to earn more money?”
“Which dog?”
“Daisy, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel that the Lacys own.”
“Why would the trainer do that?” Dante scratched his head. “Unless the dog with the biggest odds won and he placed a ton of money, he’d be better off sticking with his own dog.”
Shelby looked thoughtful for a moment. “Who do you have as the underdog?”
Both Dante and I chuckled at her unintentional pun.
“Let me see.” Dante took out a small notebook from his back pocket and started flipping through pages. “I have Daisy as the favorite, but Mr. Wiggles is a close second. The dog that I have with the biggest odds is a Yorkshire terrier named Princess. First year showing. Also has a new trainer.”
“Hmmm,” Shelby considered his information. “It doesn’t fit that Emerson would risk it.”
Dante scribbled in his notebook. “So let me get this straight: Daisy will be a no-show tomorrow?”
“No.” Shelby stood up straighter, looking defiant. “Daisy will be there.”
I wanted to ask her how she knew that when there were so many open-ended questions and suspects. But I stopped myself, because I knew that if Shelby was certain of something, it wasn’t without reason.
Shelby nodded at Dante. “Thank you for your help.”
“Anytime, Shelby. You be careful—that’s some shady business you’re dealing in.”
“And you’re certainly an expert on that.”
Dante began shaking his head as we walked away. “You’re too much, Shelby.”
“So I’ve been informed.”
CHAPTER
17
S helby was quiet during the subway ride to the L acys ’. S he wasn ’ t one for small talk , so I studied all the people who got on and off the subway.
“You know, Watson, I have to admit that it’s been quite helpful having you around,” she finally said. “Sometimes nothing clears up a case more than stating the facts to another person. Perhaps I should reconsider my position on having an assistant.”
Whoa. Whoa. Whoa . I didn’t want to be anybody’s assistant . Yeah, I could learn a lot from Shelby, but as an apprentice or something. NOT her assistant.
Was that why she wanted me here today? Not because she thought I could genuinely help her, but because she wanted me to be her assistant? Was I supposed to fetch her coffee or something? (More like keep her properly sugared.)
Before I could ask her to clarify my position, she launched into a recap of the investigation. “So let’s look at the facts:Daisy went missing sometime between midnight, when Mr. Lacy spotted Daisy in bed with Tamra as he checked in on all three kids before he went to sleep, and nine, when Tamra went downstairs and couldn’t find her. Mr. Lacy was already at work, Mrs. Lacy was at an exercise class, Zareen was home, and Zane was in the park. While it is possible any one of them could’ve taken her, the security footage
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