Trouble at the Kennel (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery #9)(23)

Wow! That must have cost a fortune. No wonder she charged so much to board the dogs.

She noticed a young man sitting next to the lake with his back to her, smoking a cigarette and coughing. She’d never met Ricky Anderson, but the young man seemed to be about the right age. She walked over to him.

“Hi, I’m Kelly Reynolds. I assume you work here,” she said. He turned to face her and she took in his puffy eyes and the dark circles under them. Even though it was a warm day, he was wearing a heavy long-sleeved red flannel shirt buttoned up to his neck.

Odd he’d be wearing a long-sleeved shirt on a beautiful day like today. Wonder if the rumors Madison heard are true. Maybe he’s trying to hide track marks on his arms from using heroin.

He slowly shuffled to his feet and threw his cigarette on the ground, grinding it out with the heel of his shoe. “I’m Ricky Anderson. What are you doing out here? Clients ain’t supposed to come out here. Jes’ the employees and the dogs.”

“My dogs were recently boarded here. One of them lost her ID tag and I’m trying to find it, but this is a big place, and so far I haven’t had any luck. I assume you work here.”

“Yeah, might call me the do-what-no-one-else-wants-to-do man,” he said in a voice tinged with bitterness.

“That’s kind of an intriguing job description.”

“Might be intriguing, but that’s all it is. I’ve only got a couple more months to go, and then I’m outta here.”

“I take it this is not going to be a career for you.”

“Ya’ got that right. This ain’t a career for nobody. I’m just serving time here. Kinda like a jail only I get paid. Two more months, and I hit the big payday.”

“I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Nah, ya’ probably wouldn’t. Promised my dad I’d work here for a year. Time’s almost up. Can’t happen too fast for me ‘cause once it does my old man promised to pay me five grand.”

“That’s a lot of money. I understand the owner recently died. Is that going to affect your time here?”

“Dunno. If they close it down, yeah, probably will. Old bat had it coming, though. Don’t know of anyone here that’s real sorry she’s gone. Didn’t treat none of us too good.”

“My dogs always seemed to like it here, and I never had any problems, but I guess a couple of people did.”

“Yeah, kinda funny. One of them pit bulls got out and got in some fancy little Yorkie’s kennel. Had himself a good time,” he said laughing. “Course he had to leave a few weeks later when one of ‘em bit Sandy’s dog real bad. Mary wasn’t too happy ‘bout all that kinda bad stuff goin’ down at her kennel, I can tell you that.”

“I imagine she wouldn’t have been. How did the pit bull get out and get in the Yorkie’s kennel?”

“Dunno. Guess someone didn’t make sure the gates and doors were closed,” he said, looking off into the distance. “Can’t be too careful ‘bout stuff like that. Matter of fact the old biddy kinda insinuated I mighta done it.” He laughed. “Didn’t do it, but it sure musta been somethin’ to see.”

“Where are you going when you’re finished working here? Do you have another job lined up?”

“Naw. Headin’ south. Looking to have me a little fun in the sun. Mexico’s been callin’ to me. I’m tired of it always bein’ foggy and cold here. May be sunny today, but I’m still cold. Need to go somewhere warm.”

Hmmmm. I’ve always heard that someone who’s using heroin can’t get warm. Hate to think it, but something is definitely not right with this boy. Knowing Mary, I find it hard to believe she hired him.

“Gotta get back to the kennels. Was jes’ takin’ a little break from sloppin’ ‘em out. Gets real old real quick and even worse when someone’s always tellin’ ya’ it ain’t bein’ done the right way. Don’t miss the old broad, that’s fer sure.”

“Nice talking to you, Ricky. I was hoping to find Lady’s dog tag somewhere around here. Being a Lab, she loved the water, so I thought maybe she’d lost it out here, but it doesn’t look like it. If you find it, would you give it to Sandy? She said she’d call me if someone found it.”

“Sure, but don’t trust everything she says.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothin’, nothin’ at all. Jes’ things aren’t always what they seem to be.” With that he turned and walked through the door into the main building, mop in hand.

I wonder if he knows something about Mary’s death. What is going on here? This is all very strange.





CHAPTER 18


Kelly walked into the house, greeted the two big dogs, and unlatched Skyy’s kennel. She didn’t trust the puppy to be running loose in the house when she was gone, so Skyy had to be confined in her kennel while Kelly was away from the house. “Time to commune with nature. The three of you can spend a little time outside while I figure out what to fix for dinner. It’s a beautiful afternoon, and you might as well enjoy it. We don’t get too many of them living this close to the Oregon coast.”

She walked into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and decided that Saturday night was a perfect night for serving Rock Cornish game hens with an apricot stuffing.