Paw and Order. V.M. Burns

Dr. Morgan didn’t know was that Dixie also hoped to hook him up with her socially awkward spinster cousin, whom she thought would be perfect for him. Needless to say, two socially awkward people in a crowded room was a pretty pitiful sight and Dr. Morgan looked as though he’d just as soon have a root canal as spend another second here.

      We made two trips around the room and even ventured out to a few other areas of the museum, but I never saw the stranger again. We were just about to go back into the main reception area when I heard a yap and a dark gray fluff ball ran to me and took a flying leap of faith into my arms.

      “My goodness, Indulf. What are you doing running around alone?” I whispered in the voice people only used with babies and pets. “If you went potty in the museum, Linda Kay will be furious.”

      Red reached over and scratched the poodle behind the ears. “Where did you meet this little guy and what did you call him?”

      “Don’t ask me to repeat it. I think it’s Scottish.” I petted the puppy. “He belongs to this eccentric old man named Archibald Lowry—”

      Red stopped and stared at me. “Archibald Lowry? The Archibald Lowry?”

      I stared at him. “You know him?”

      He smiled. “Not personally, but I’ve certainly heard of him.” He stopped and stared at me. “You don’t?”

      I shook my head. “Never heard of him until recently.” I explained about the trip Dixie and I had made to his house. “Dixie drove the RV. I opted to stay in the luxury with the poodles.” I shrugged. “Besides, I wasn’t the one invited to meet with him.”

      “He’s supposed to be one of the richest men in the South. I’ve never met him, but he’s reported to be a recluse who rarely leaves his mansion unless it’s to go to one of his other mansions.”

      I snuggled the poodle. “Well, this is his puppy.” I looked around. “I don’t see any messes anywhere. Do you?”

      Red gave the area a quick glance and then shook his head. “Where is the mighty titan?”

      I shrugged. “No idea.” I looked down at the puppy and noticed he was licking one of his paws. A closer glance indicated a sticky red substance. “I think he’s injured.”

      He examined the dog’s paw and then his radar went up. “Take the dog and go back in the main room.” The tone in his voice was complete law enforcement and left no room for argument.

      I turned to obey and glanced back in time to see him reach for the gun he wore strapped to his side as he navigated around a corner.

      A woman shrieked and Red raced in the direction of the scream.

      I hesitated a half second and then turned back and followed him with the puppy clutched to my chest.

      Around an alcove near a display of ancient swords, I saw a pair of white stubby legs, black socks which had fallen down around a pair of skinny ankles and a kilt which had hiked up during the fall to reveal that like a traditional Scot, Archibald Lowry wasn’t wearing anything under his tartan.

      Chapter 2

      “My God, what happened?” Jacob whispered in my ear.

      I hadn’t even realized he was there until he spoke. I shook my head. “No idea.”

      Red squatted near the body and felt for a pulse. He stood up and pulled out his shield. “I’m going to need everyone to please go back into the main area and wait until the police arrive.” He beckoned to Jacob. “I need you to get to Security and make sure every door is locked. No one leaves.”

      Jacob nodded, turned and hurried as quickly as a man in a heavy compression boot could, to take care of Red’s request.

      The crowd which had come in response to the scream, slowly returned to the main room.

      A woman dressed in a short black dress was leaning against a pillar. From the way her hand was shaking, I knew she was the screamer.

      I wanted to ask a million questions but Red held up his hand to forestall the barrage while he pulled out his cell phone. He called the police and reported the murder, indicating there was a TBI officer on the scene. When he was done, he turned to Dixie who had come to stand beside me. “Can you find Dr. Morgan?”

      Like Jacob, Dixie looked dazed. After a few seconds, she nodded and stumbled away muttering under her breath. “Death is my son-in-law, death is my heir.”

      Red frowned and glanced at me.

      I smiled at the look of utter confusion on his face. “It’s a quote from Romeo and Juliet.” I inclined my head in Dixie’s direction. “She quotes literature when she’s nervous.”

      He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

      As much as I tried, I couldn’t drag my eyes away from Archibald’s rear. “It seems so undignified. Can you at least pull down his kilt, so he isn’t so…exposed?” I whispered.

      Red shook his head. “Sorry, but we can’t touch anything. This is a crime scene, and everything must be left exactly as it’s found.”

      In my head, I knew the red pool of blood I saw seeping under the body meant Archibald Lowry’s death couldn’t have been due to natural causes. However, my mind refused to grasp the fact that someone I was acquainted with, no matter how slightly, had just been violently murdered. “Are you sure it was murder?”

      He nodded and walked over to the screamer.

      I followed in time to hear him ask, “Can you tell me what happened?”

      She looked up at Red and shook her head. “I came from the bathroom.” She pointed a shaking finger in the direction of the ladies’ room. “I saw him lying on the ground with all that blood.” She turned even paler than she was before, a feat I wouldn’t have thought physically possible. She clutched her hand to her mouth and ran to the ladies’ room. She was thin and fit and made the sprint in four-inch heels, which elevated her athletic status considerably in my opinion.

      Red looked like he was going to follow her, but that’s when Dr. Morgan arrived. Red gave me a pleading look and inclined his head toward the ladies’ room.

      I nodded. Still clutching the poodle to my chest, I hurried to the restroom to check on the high heeled sprinter.

      I halted inside the door. I could tell by the retching sound coming from one of the stalls that she’d made it in time. Motherhood had numbed me to practically every type of sickness involving bodily fluids. However, there was something about the sound of someone puking which caused me to shudder and want to plug my ears. I was ashamed to admit I stood as far away from that stall as the cramped confines of the restroom allowed. I turned on the water in the sink and pushed the button for the hand dryer, all in an attempt to blot out the noise. It didn’t work.

      She flushed the toilet and I pretended I was washing my hands. I stood at the sink with a toy poodle cupped between my chin and my neck. His claws gripped the top of my dress and he clung to my shoulder like a parrot. He was frightened and I could feel his little body shivering. I felt sorry for the poor little guy, but this dress had been a splurge. Dixie had driven me to Atlanta to a designer shop where there were belts that cost more than my monthly rent payment. However, when the clerk held up this dress, the heavens parted, angels sang, and I wept. When I saw the tag I wept more, but I still handed over my credit card. It had cost a small fortune, but it fit like a glove. The fabric felt like butter and floated on my hips like some type of fairy fabric. It was perfect and I knew if I hadn’t gotten it, I’d regret it. I fully intended I’d someday be buried in this dress, so, while I was sad this cute little guy had lost his owner, he was going to need to come off. I didn’t want to ruin a dress I paid a king’s ransom for the very first time I’d worn it. I reached up and extracted him, taking care to avoid snags.

      The sprinting screamer stumbled to the sink, turned on the tap and put her head down as close to the bowl as possible.