All she knew was she wasn’t giving up just now. Maybe she would have to on Tuesday, but that was Tuesday’s problem. Today she needed to find the right treat that Killer might like for longer than a week or two. He was very picky.
* * *
Rarity’s phone rang when she was coming into Sedona. She used the Bluetooth to answer. “Hello?”
“You said you would call when you were back in town.” Jonathon said.
“Hi, Dad. Anyway, I just got back in town. Killer and I decided to have a late lunch at the Wildflower. They have a doggy menu too.” Rarity had never been to the quaint restaurant near a stream, but she’d enjoyed her time there and her lunch. She always had a book in her tote, just in case.
Silence filled the car. Finally, Jonathon responded, “I guess I should take Romeo there before I head back to Tucson.”
“Are you leaving soon?” Rarity tried to read between the lines. Darby was safe since her stalker had been Bret Black and he’d been looking for Talia. If Jonathon was planning on leaving, did that mean Drew had solved the case? She always knew it was a race between Drew and the sleuthers. He was the professional; she assumed he’d figure it out before they did at times. All questions she couldn’t ask. But there was one she could. “Has there been a break in the case?”
“Drew’s out confirming some interviews now. He thinks he’s got a case, at least to force them to do fingerprints and a DNA sample.” Jonathon paused. “Before you ask, he didn’t tell me who. But he said he wants it done before they leave for California tomorrow.”
“They?”
“Yep, not him or her so that doesn’t narrow it a lot.” He sighed loud enough that she could hear him. “I really thought we’d get there first. Maybe having Darby’s mystery at the same time dulled us to the Pike case?”
“I was wondering the same thing,” Rarity said, smiling as she turned on her street. “My trip turned into a dead end. Pike visited the snake shop but Todd said he was alone.”
“Todd? The guy we talked to?”
“Yeah. He’s the boyfriend of Katie’s ex-roommate Charity. And he thinks we got Jax fired.” She used the remote to open her garage. Then she stopped the car, not pulling into the driveway. “Hey Jonathon? Can you call and ask Drew to head my way? I’ve got a problem.”
A line of tarantulas stood guard in front of Rarity’s garage door. She didn’t realize they were fake until Drew and Archer pulled up at the house and Drew carefully walked to the garage and then picked up one and held it out.
“Plastic,” Drew called out, but then he stopped. He walked backward to the truck, keeping an eye on the garage. “Rarity, close the garage door. We need animal control out here.”
Archer had walked over to her car and stood by the door on the driver’s side. “Just do it,” he said. “I’ll go over and see what we’re dealing with.”
He waited for her to close the door, then joined Drew in his truck. Rarity saw him listening in on Drew’s call to the animal control department; then the men talked. Rarity’s phone rang. It was Archer.
“What is it?”
“The spiders are plastic, but there’s a live snake in your garage. Two, Drew thinks.”
Archer paused and she watched as Drew leaned closer to the phone, which must have been on speaker. “Sorry, I wasn’t going to take the time to be certain. And you have a window open in the garage. I don’t think the glass is broken but the screen is off. Whose feathers did you rustle today?”
Rarity went through her day, from seeing Jane and Talia fight that morning, to finding the card at the theater, to her conversation with Todd. As she talked, Killer kept looking at her, then at the house he could see from where they were parked on the street.
“Well, that gives me some places to start. How would you and Killer like to stay with Sam for a few days?” Now Drew had Archer’s phone. “Or Archer?”
“You’re worried.” It wasn’t a question. Rarity could hear the fearin his voice.
He nodded. They were still in the truck and watching the garage, no doubt, for escaping snakes. “I am worried. Here’s animal control and a cop. It’s going to be a while. Go to Sam’s. Please.”
Archer took the phone from Drew. “What’s your pleasure? My tiny apartment above the shop or Sam’s guest room with a fenced-in backyard for our boy? I’m fine either way.”
“I’ll go to Sam’s.” Rarity started her engine. “She has clothes that will fit me. Call me when you catch them.”
“The spiders or the snakes?” Archer teased.
“Shut up. I love you.” Rarity smiled and put her fingers to the glass window as she drove past Drew’s truck.
“I love you too.”
Sam had already been alerted to Rarity’s arrival. When Rarity pulled in the driveway and got out with a confused Killer, Sam came out of her house and greeted Rarity with open arms. “I can’t believe someone did that to you. Did you scream when you saw the spiders? I would have. I hate the things.”
