Almost Dead (Lizzy Gardner #5)(39)

She stepped out onto the dirt road. Her legs trembled, but other than that she appeared to be in one piece. She moved her arms and legs. No broken bones.

That was close.

“You worry too much,” she said. “Jennings is dead, and I feel great.”

She cut off the road to the left, took off her heels to make it easier to walk on the uneven ground as she moved past trees and prickly bushes. When she got to the area where the trees ended and a field of grass began, she took off her wig and the long skirt, rolled them up tightly, and put them in her bag. She pulled out her compact mirror, made sure her hair and makeup looked all right, and then she hurried across the field, unseen. With her heels back on her feet, she knew she only had to walk two more blocks. Then she would call a taxi and go home and enjoy a long hot soak in her bathtub.





CHAPTER 26

Kitally sat in the car outside Chalkor’s house for more than two hours, waiting for him to make an appearance, but he was a no-show. Kitally turned the key and decided to go check out the neighborhood where the woman’s pug had gone missing.

It was a nice neighborhood in Midtown. Trees lined both sides of the street. After sitting in the car for forty-five minutes, she decided to stretch her legs and take a walk around the area. Two blocks away, she spotted a sign stapled to a telephone pole. The sign offered a reward for a missing dog. She pulled out her cell and called the number.

“Hello,” a male voice said.

“Hi, I’m looking at a sign offering a reward for a dog and I was wondering—”

“Don’t tell me you found my dog, too,” he said, none too happily.

“No. I happen to be missing a dog myself and I thought I’d call and see if you found your dog.”

“Oh . . . sorry. Where are you right now?” he asked.

“Why?”

“I thought I took all the signs down already.”

Kitally looked at the nearest street sign and said, “I’m on the corner of Sky View and Granite.”

“No shit?”

Kitally rolled her eyes.

“Stay right there,” he said before he hung up the phone.

Kitally had no intention of doing any such thing, but as she started to walk away someone called out, “Hey, you!”

She turned around and saw a ripped-looking guy in his early thirties jogging her way. When he caught up to her, he wiped his hand on his pants and then held it out to her.

They shook hands.

“So,” Kitally said, “did you find your dog?”

“Yep, that’s what I wanted to tell you.” He took the sign down and waved it in the air. “I also wanted to get this so I don’t get any more annoying phone calls.” He smiled sheepishly. “Not that you were annoying me or anything.”

“Right.”

“I got a call within twenty-four hours of putting up just a couple of signs offering a reward.” He gave his head an angry shake. “The bastard wanted five hundred dollars instead of a hundred, though. Said he had to miss work taking care of the dog. Then there was the expense of feeding him and putting an ad in the paper.”

“That sounds like a rip-off.”

“Tell me about it. I would have let the guy keep the dog if my girlfriend hadn’t gotten all weepy about it.”

“I’m looking for a missing dog, too. Do you think offering a reward helped?”

“Definitely. My dog was missing for two weeks. I put signs everywhere, and I didn’t hear one peep. Not until I offered the reward.”

“Well, I’m glad you have your dog back.” Kitally started to walk away, then turned back. “How do you think the dog got lost to begin with?”

“Faulty lock on our gate is all we could figure. I just replaced it.”

“Do you think the dog could have been taken from your yard?”

He took a moment to think that over, then flushed and slapped the sign against his thigh. “Motherf*cker. Why didn’t I see it before now? I gave that * five hundred bucks! Jesus Christ.”

Kitally lifted a brow. “I wonder how many dogs in the neighborhood are missing?”

“I have no idea. But I knew there was something off about that guy. I should have known he’d scammed me.” The guy was almost panting, he was so angry. “If I ever see him around here, I’m going to kick his ass.”

“I guess that means he didn’t give you his name?”

“Are you kidding me? That guy didn’t even have a receipt for the items he said he paid for. I don’t even think he fed the damn dog.”

“Did you see the car he was driving?”

“No car. The smug * just walked right up to the door with my dog on a leash. He kept the leash and handed over the dog, but not until I paid him.”

“Did you pay with a check?”

“He called the number he got from my sign. Said he would only take cash.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “God, what an idiot I was. If my girlfriend hadn’t been freaking out over the stupid dog, I might have been thinking straight.”

Kitally handed him her card and a pen. “Chill a little and just give me your name and number, and then if I find the guy, I’ll give you a call.”

“Sure. Man, I just can’t believe I was taken like that.”