Barking with the Stars Read online

  The dressing room was packed with KK and her posse. She came forward when I asked if they needed anything and air-kissed my cheek. “I was sorry to hear about your ex.”

  What can I say? She made an effort.

  I moved down the hall looking for any issues. Finding none, I checked the entrance where they’d be bringing in the veterans and therapy dogs.

  Jonathan Trimble stood just outside with Whiskey by his side. Like Rufus, he had a sense of calm about him. No fancy notebook computer for him, but I was sure, nonetheless, that the details he’d been charged with had all been covered.

  He offered me his arm as I stepped through the doorway, and I appreciated it. I would have probably been better served with more practical shoes for the night, but with the reception right after, I’d opted for not having to change. It was a short program and would move quickly. The idea was to raise awareness, and the number of big stars participating would certainly accomplish that.

  All donations were welcome, but it was the reception where Warriors for the Paws hoped to connect with the big donors. Those big donations would make a marked difference.

  I walked through the lineup of veterans with their dogs. They were the real stars tonight. Bringing them on stage in person was a fantastic way of making it real and bringing everything together.

  I chatted with a few of the veterans, met their dogs, thanked them for coming.

  I glanced at the time. Better head back inside.

  “Well, I think we’re ready,” I said to Jonathan who still stood near the exit.

  He offered me his arm, and again I was glad for the assist. But he held me back for a second. “We veterans so often feel alone or like no one remembers.” He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “I hope you and the others know how much this means.”

  I had no words. This time I couldn’t resist giving the big guy a hug.

  I looked at Whiskey for permission. The Lab not only allowed the hug, the look in his brown eyes said he approved.

  When we got back to the staging area, the show had started. Sunny was onstage talking about Warriors for the Paws, explaining the program and why it was so essential. Pictures of success stories played on the screen behind her, and then the sobering numbers. The suicides. The numbers that had shocked me to the core when I’d learned about them.

  That’s what had tugged at Purple’s heart as well. In spite of the ego, in spite of the problems she might have had, she’d wanted to make a difference. How great that Mandy and Drake, the people closest to her, pitched in to see it through. I felt my throat tighten and turned away to regain my composure.

  In doing so I ran smack dab into Trevor Lang. His spiky hair reminded me of Shar’s Babycakes when she used gel on the little pup’s top knot. I didn’t think Trevor would appreciate the comparison to the funny little pup. He appeared to be going for the tough, rock-and-roll-guy look with his ripped jeans and worn leather jacket. A guitar was slung over his back.

  “Oh, sorry.” He steadied me. “I didn’t see you.”

  “You’re Trevor.” Up close, I could see he wasn’t very tall. Was he tall enough to have struck Purple if she were standing? “I tried to talk to you a couple of days ago.”

  He looked confused.

  “On the street,” I reminded him. “I yelled your name. You took off.”

  “Yeah, sorry.” He looked sheepish. “I guess I was a little spooked by everything going on. Pan and everything.”

  “There was history between you, right? I guess you were angry with her? That’s so hard now.” I wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity to ask. Malone wouldn’t be happy, but we were surrounded by people. How much risk could there be?

  “Nah. That’s ancient history.” He moved to leave, but I stepped in front of him. “Once upon a time Mandy and I were an item. And I had a fling with . . . uh . . . Pan. And I . . . let’s just say I was young and stupid.”

  Young and stupid? I could sure relate to that.

  “So, you and Mandy. You and Purple?” I tried to put it together in my head. Had Mandy known that?

  How awful.

  “Yeah, like I said, it was stupid and a long time ago. It only came up again because I found out Purple had been passing off one of my early songs as her own.”

  “That must have made you angry.”

  “I guess.” He shifted nervously and ran a hand through his spiky blond hair. “At first, but she agreed to make it right. Unfortunately, she didn’t get all the papers signed before she died. But Drake’s the executor and will be able to move forward with what we’d agreed on.”

  “Did Mandy know?” I couldn’t get over how she could have continued to work for Purple all this time, but she had.

  “I’m sorry, why are you so interested in my business?” Trevor glanced around.

  “Did Mandy know?” I repeated.

  “Not until Pan told her.” He stared at me. “Why?”

  “That’s what you and Mandy were arguing about? When you were at the house?” Wow, I had interrupted that exchange all wrong.

  “Yeah, it turns out fifteen years isn’t long enough. Hell hath no fury and all that.” He shrugged. “She went a little crazy on me.”

  I stood still, trying to digest what I’d just learned, adjusting the lens on my thinking. The backstage din eddied around us. I glanced up to see Rufus frowning in our direction.

  “Lady, I’ve got to go.” Trevor righted his guitar. “Drake is about to go on and I’m his new backup guitar player.”

  So much to sort out in what Trevor had just said.

  Details that explained the conversation I’d overheard between him and Drake. And the reaction from both Mandy and Sheron when I’d mentioned his name.

  But if Drake was about to go on, that meant they were also going to be bringing the veterans on, and then Lavender needed to be ready. I raced back to the dressing rooms.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  I KNOCKED ON the door marked “Lavender” and entered. Mandy had the dog on the dressing table in front of the mirror putting on the finishing touches.

  “Can I help with anything?” I asked.

  Mandy jumped at the sound of my voice.

  “You both look great.” I was careful to keep my voice clam. It calms anxious dogs and humans in stressful situations.

  Mandy looked festive in a soft-lavender chiffon skirt. Lavender looked a little confused by everything but she wasn’t barking so that was good. Mandy had her back to me, but I could see she was digging in the big duffle bag that had all of Lavender’s accessories.

  She pulled a bow out of the duffle bag, settled it on Lavender’s head, and clipped it in place.

  “That’s not the right bow.” I reached for the bag to help, but she pulled it back.

  This bow was purple and a very nice bow, but it was definitely not the bow Betty Foxx had delivered.

  “Yes, it is,” Mandy insisted.

  “No, the bow Lavender is supposed to be wearing for the finale is the one from the Bow Wow Boutique. Remember? It has Purple’s grandfather’s military bar worked into it.” I hated to be a pain, and I knew it was just a bow, but it was the wrong bow. Purple had gone to a lot of trouble and it seemed wrong to disregard her wishes.

  “It doesn’t matter.” She zipped the bag closed.

  “Here.” I held out my hand. “Give me the bag and I’ll look for it.”

  “Never mind,” she snapped. “This is fine.”

  “But—”

  Mandy slung the bag over her shoulder and opened the door. “I’ll bring the dog back here, and since Sheron is here at your invitation, after I bring her back she can take her.”

  “Wait.” Drake hadn’t started yet. We still had time to get the right bow on the dog.

  Mandy didn’t stop. I followed
her out. Sheron was in the wings and I wondered why Mandy hadn’t simply let Sheron handle getting the bow on Lavender. She was so good with the dog, and clearly Mandy was stressed out.

  Then I heard Drake on stage.

  “And this song is for our star in the heavens, Purple, or Pandora as I called her. She believed so much in this cause. She was raised by her granddaddy, a World War II Purple Heart recipient.”

  Yes, she was and she’d had that bow made so a piece of her grandfather’s history was part of this event.

  I couldn’t fathom why Mandy didn’t see the importance.

  The veterans and their dogs began to fill the scene behind Drake. I could see Jonathan and Whiskey across the stage on the other side making sure everyone got on.

  Mandy stood stage left, just a few feet from me, holding Lavender. The dog’s bag was slung over her shoulder. I crept closer and got another frown from Rufus. When Mandy walked forward onto the stage to hand the dog to Drake, Rufus snagged the duffle. He was not about to let her ruin the look of the production with a clunky bag.

  She gave him a glare but kept going.

  There was applause as the fans recognized Lavender, and I’m sure many of the Purple fans also recognized Mandy. Drake linked her arm with his as he took the dog.

  I snatched the purple duffle bag from Rufus and opened it.

  Well, for cryin’ in a bucket. The bow was right there. The gold ribbon, however, was splattered with dark stains. Why hadn’t Mandy just said so? When Betty Foxx had spilled the pomegranate juice it must have stained the bow.

  I felt my face get hot as I remembered. Betty and her lunge forward, the juice flying all over, Purple’s shock.

  Oh, man, if we’d known, the bow could have been replaced. I’m sure whoever Mel had used could have made another bow.

  Wait a minute.

  I pictured the scene in my head again. Purple, Betty, the bright-red pomegranate juice. The juice on Purple’s wig, Betty’s head, and the poor dog. But the bow hadn’t been on Lavender when the juice spilled, it had been over on the desk. If this wasn’t juice then it had to be something else. I rubbed my finger across the dark stain.

  Blood?

  I stuffed the bow back in the bag and zipped it shut.

  With a click, all the final pieces of the puzzle suddenly fell into place. I knew who had killed Purple and thanks to my earlier chat with Trevor I knew why.

  It had been a crime of passion and the killer had been right under our noses the whole time. Taking care of details.

  I stepped away from the stage area, and pulled my cell phone out to call Detective Malone. Just as I did, my phone vibrated with an incoming call.

  “Caro, you were right,” he said. “I just had a call, we did a rush tox screen and there was a drug in Geoffrey Carlisle’s bloodstream. One that wouldn’t mix well with alcohol. It appears to be methylphenidate hydrochloride or Ritalin. We didn’t find any at his apartment. Do you know if he was on that?”

  Oh, wow.

  I really wanted to focus on the “Caro, you were right” statement but the drug was truly the other missing piece of the puzzle.

  “Geoffrey was not on methylphenidate. However, Purple was and ordered large amounts at a time because she was on the road.” The bag Betty had accidently taken from Purple’s room had been Ritalin.

  “So, that means—”

  “I don’t know all of the whys, but I know for sure who killed both Purple and Geoffrey.” I looked back at the stage. Drake was holding Lavender and singing the closing number, but where was Mandy?

  “Caro?”

  “Just a minute, I’ve lost sight of her.”

  I spotted Mandy as she exited stage right instead of coming off stage left as we’d rehearsed.

  “Mandy!” I shouted.

  She glanced back at me and then slipped through the crew toward the back exit.

  “Stop her,” I yelled as I tried to push through the crowd lining up to go on for the final thank-yous. The chatter was so loud no one even reacted.

  I circumvented the crowd taking a path behind the backdrop, but I wasn’t going to make it in time; she was almost to the door.

  “Stop her,” I yelled again.

  Suddenly Mandy was head over heels in a flurry of lavender skirts, and then like a rag doll she was sprawled on the floor.

  As I got closer I saw the reason, Sheron held the end of a cord she’d yanked just as Mandy was getting away. Mandy scrambled to her feet and dashed for the back exit, but it was blocked by Whiskey’s growl and Jonathan Trimble’s bulk.

  “I think you need to stay put, miss.” He pulled out a folding chair and sat her on it. Trimble and Whiskey stood guard, their eyes on Mandy.

  I didn’t think she would be going anywhere.

  With a nod to Jonathan, I hurried back to stand in the wings where I’d been before. As Drake Owen came off the stage, he handed me Lavender and then headed back to be there for the final acknowledgements with the larger group. I gave the dog a cuddle and handed her off to Sheron. She cradled the dog and whispered something to her.

  Malone must have already been onsite when he’d called as he was there within minutes, followed by two uniformed officers. Neither of which was Officer Hostas, I’m happy to say. Malone had the uniforms take Mandy out the back. I’m sure Sunny and the others appreciated the effort to minimize the media furor.

  Applause sounded from the auditorium and Drake and the others surged off the stage, oblivious to all the excitement that had just happened backstage.

  The stars and their pets all deserved a pat on the head. I checked in with each and congratulated them on a job well done. I picked up a few lost dog toys to return later, including a fluffy pink pig that I was sure belonged to Babycakes.

  I popped my head into Lavender’s dressing room. I’d given Malone the bag containing the bloody bow, but wasn’t sure what else Mandy might have brought along. Sheron stood by the mirror lost in thought, Lavender still in her arms. She turned as I came in.

  “Are you okay?” I couldn’t believe how quickly she’d acted.

  Sheron nodded. “I can’t believe it was Mandy all along.”

  “Hard to believe,” I agreed. The clues had been there, but none of us had seen them. “You’re welcome to come to the reception.”

  She shook her head. “Thanks, but I’m just going to take her home.”

  “Do you want one of the officers to go with you?” She was clearly shaken by learning Mandy was the one who had taken Purple’s life.

  “I’m okay.” She hugged Lavender to her.

  I gave the pup a scratch behind the ears. “I’ll look in on you two tomorrow.”

  IN THE END, BARKING with the Stars had come off successfully. But that myth about there being no such thing as bad publicity? I think we’d all agree—not true.

  Tomorrow there would be plenty of time for announcements about caught killers. Tonight, we’d celebrate the silent heroes and try to do some good to help them.

  Diana had joined Sunny on stage for the final remarks. Nora Worthington had joined them for the closing. She had arrived in LA and been driven straight to the venue so that she could add her support.

  Rufus, Diana, and Sunny knew something had gone on backstage during the finale. I waited until the majority had left for the reception before I filled them in.

  Then I went down front to explain things to Sam and Dino.

  The after-party was in full swing as we made our way to the ballroom. There was still work to be done, and Sunny and Diana were in their element, schmoozing the rich and famous, explaining the work, asking for support.

  Some of the veterans had stayed. I was sure Jonathan had not, but I looked around for him. Rufus still worked at making sure everyone was taken care of. I hoped he had a major rest planned
for tomorrow. All of next week for that matter.

  Sam and I talked with a few people. I introduced him to Tania whom I’d grown attached to. Several of the Purple Posers stopped by to speak to me, mostly to drool over Sam.

  I thought I recognized Marsha in the group based on how she handled her dog. I took a chance. “Is this Periwinkle?” I reached in and petted the pooch’s head.

  She nodded and gave a big grin holding the dog close.

  Of course, with the wig, her grin was the only part of her face I could see.

  “She seems to be doing great.”

  “Yes,” she said, her voice clear. “Much better. Do you have a moment?” The self-assurance was evident; she wore it like she wore the garb.

  “Certainly.” I stepped off to the side. “More issues with Peri?”

  “No,” she whispered. “I should have told you before. The note was from me.”

  “The one asking me to call?”

  “Yes.” She bit her lip. “And then when you called there were people close by who might be involved. I panicked. I’m sorry about that. I hope they catch whoever took those things from Purple’s suite. I’ve been seeing them online so someone is selling them and that’s not right. She gave them for this. For them.” She waved a hand at the room. “Here’s a list of the places I’ve seen them.” She handed me a note written on the same type of paper.

  “I’ll see the detective gets this,” I said. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” For the first time it was Marsha’s normal voice and not the strong Purple role.

  I tucked the note in my bag and Marsha rejoined the other Posers.

  I looked around for Sam.

  Reality had caught up with me. I was more than ready to call it a night.

  ONCE BACK AT MY place, I slipped off my shoes and accepted the glass of wine Sam had poured for me. He settled beside me on the couch.

  “Caro,” he began.

  “I can’t—”

  Boy, I hoped he realized I wasn’t up to the Big Discussion right now.

  “Don’t put me off.” He shifted to face me. “You don’t need to say anything. No pressure. You don’t need to respond. Just listen. Okay?”