Trouble at the Kennel (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery #9)(35)

“Back later. Had something come up. If I have any appointments in the next couple of hours, cancel them. I’ll call you when I know more,” he said to his secretary as he ran out the door. “Take care of Lady for me.” When he got in the car, he called the coffee shop. “Roxie, it’s Mike. Where’s Kelly?”

“I have no idea. She left about twenty minutes ago and said she’d be back later. Why?”

“I’m concerned about her. She called me and didn’t leave a message. We have an agreement that if the other one couldn’t answer the phone for some reason, we’d leave a message. Was Rebel with her when she left?”

“Yes, she asked if I would walk Skyy if she was gone over an hour, but she said she was taking Rebel with her.”

“Good. Do you have any idea why she would be south of town? That’s what the Message location on her phone is showing.”

“I have no idea. The only thing that even rings a bell with me is that a day or so ago we were talking about a guy who had come into the coffee shop asking about Kelly, and I didn’t recognize him, nor did anyone else at the coffee shop. We thought that was kind of strange. I remember making a comment that there were several new developments south of town and maybe he lived there.”

“Yes, and that’s also where the manager of the Doggie Love Kennel and her husband live. I’m pretty sure that’s who the man was. I’m heading down there now. If she calls or shows up, let me know immediately.”

“Will do, and I’d appreciate if you would call me as soon as you know anything. I don’t need to remind you about the kind of trouble Kelly can get into.”

“No, you don’t. Talk to you later,” he said, aware of the pounding in his chest and his increased pulse rate. I know it has something to do with the manager’s husband. I don’t know how or why, but in my gut I know. I just hope I get there in time.

He sped up and switched on his siren and red lights. Mike radioed two of his deputies and told them to start heading south, and he’d let them know where to go specifically when he knew. He wasn’t a particularly religious man, but he began to fervently pray. He remembered the saying from World War II about there being no atheists in foxholes and thought that probably applied to him when it came to Kelly’s welfare.

Mike jammed his foot on the brakes when he saw Kelly’s car parked in front of the Reston’s two-story home. He threw his car door open, raced up the steps, and banged on the door. “It’s Sheriff Reynolds, Mrs. Reston, open up.” A moment later Sandy opened the door, crying. “Where’s Kelly? I know she’s not here. Did your husband take her somewhere?”

“Yes, I have no idea where. He said he was going to kill her. It’s all my fault…”

Mike dashed back to his car before she could finish her sentence. He saw Rebel in Kelly’s minivan, opened the door, and yelled for Rebel to follow him. He looked down at the tiny blue dot on his phone which represented Kelly and again prayed he would get to her in time. With his siren screaming and his red lights flashing he raced to close the distance between his location and the flashing blue dot on his phone.

Mike looked at the cell phone on the seat next to him and several times hit the refresh button while he was driving. Each time he saw that he was getting closer to Kelly’s location. The last time he refreshed it the dot didn’t move, and he realized he was very close to where Kelly must be. He’d been so intent on following the blue dot that he hadn’t paid much attention to the fact he’d turned onto a dirt road that led into a thickly forested area.

He turned off the siren and the red lights as he continued driving deeper into the heavily wooded area. He stopped his car when he saw a silver car about twenty yards ahead of him. To the left of it, almost hidden from view, was a dilapidated old shack surrounded by trees. He radioed his deputies and gave them his coordinates and told them to hurry, and that they should turn off their red lights and siren when they turned onto the dirt road.

He quietly opened the car door, indicating for Rebel to follow him. The two of them silently made their way from tree to tree. He heard a voice coming from the shack. “If you were younger, I’d have you undress and have a little fun with you, but you’re too old for my tastes. I want you to lie on the floor face down. I really don’t want to see your face contort when I shoot you.”





CHAPTER 28


From his vantage point behind a tree Mike saw that the door of the shack was open. He quietly took his gun out of his holster. He could vaguely make out a man’s form standing with his back to the open door, and what looked like a gun in the man’s hand. Later, when Mike looked back on what happened in the next few moments, he realized there was no thought process involved in what he did. He’d acted purely from instinct.

“Drop the gun,” Mike yelled, while at the same time shooting at the gun in the man’s hand. Mike hadn’t even needed to yell the words. His gunshot hit the man’s hand, knocking the gun out of his hand and onto the floor. Rebel charged at Hank and attacked him, knocking him to the ground. He stood over him, snarling and snapping. “Rebel, stand guard.” Mike picked up Hank’s gun and hurried over to where Kelly was lying prone on the floor.

“Kelly, are you all right?” Mike asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re going to be fine. Turn over. I want to make sure you’re okay.” She rolled over and looked up at him.