Overdosed in Cherry Hills Read online

  Overdosed in Cherry Hills

  A Cozy Cat Caper Mystery

  Book 20

  Paige Sleuth

  Copyright © 2018 Marla Bradeen (writing as Paige Sleuth)

  All rights reserved.

  Published by Marla Bradeen.

  This book or portions of it (excluding brief quotations) may not be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher/author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), actual businesses, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. If this ebook copy was not purchased by or for you, please purchase your own copy before reading. Thank you for respecting this author’s work.

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  TRAPPED IN CHERRY HILLS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  CHAPTER ONE

  Maura O’Malley’s fingernails danced a staccato beat on the conference room tabletop. Her gaze swung from the clock hanging on the wall to the window overlooking the parking lot one story below DataRightly headquarters and back again. The only place her eyes failed to land was her laptop monitor.

  Katherine Harper watched all this from her seat across the table. “You seem distracted,” Kat said. “Big plans this weekend?”

  Maura’s head jerked in Kat’s direction. “What?”

  “Just wondering if you were looking forward to having the next two days off.” Kat glanced out the window. “It’s supposed to be gorgeous the next two days. Sunny, upper sixties. The perfect May weekend here in Central Washington.”

  “Huh.” Maura looked at the clock again, showing no interest in the weather.

  Kat wondered if her boss had a date tonight. Maura had never mentioned a boyfriend before, but with her bright green eyes, lovely olive complexion, and thick, dark hair, Maura was pretty enough that she wouldn’t have any trouble attracting the attention of a man. And a date would help to explain why she was so fidgety this afternoon.

  But no matter what was going on in Maura’s personal life, right now they had a Monday close-of-business deadline looming.

  Kat nodded toward Maura’s laptop. “Have you looked at the code I sent you yet?”

  “Code?” Maura echoed.

  “The programming code I’m modifying for Billy Bob’s Sporting Goods. I made some adjustments to accommodate those new accounting checks they’re putting into place.”

  “Oh, right.”

  Kat waited for her boss to pull up the program in question, but Maura didn’t even glance at her laptop, let alone reach for the mouse.

  “All right, Maura.” Kat closed her own laptop and pushed it aside. “Something is obviously on your mind. Spill it.”

  Maura sagged in her seat. “It’s Stumpy.”

  “Your cat?” Maura had adopted the gray Manx six months ago, after another DataRightly employee and Stumpy’s previous owner had been murdered.

  “Stumpy is at the vet’s.” Maura snapped her chair forward and started drumming her fingers against the table again. “The vet said he had to be put down.”

  Kat’s heart lodged in her throat. “Put down?”

  “I mean put under. Under anesthesia. He’s having his teeth cleaned.”

  “Oh.” Kat breathed out a sigh of relief. “Well, that’s standard procedure. Unfortunately, the vet can’t explain to Stumpy what’s going on, so the only way to do a proper dental cleaning is to sedate him during the procedure.”

  “I know, but I’m worried about him.”

  “I understand.” Kat would be worried too, if it were one of her cats. Matty and Tom were like her children. No wonder Maura couldn’t concentrate.

  “The vet’s office was supposed to call when Stumpy was ready to be picked up.” Maura’s eyes flicked toward the clock. “Except they should have been done by now.”

  “They’re probably just running late. Sometimes they have emergency procedures they have to fit in between all the scheduled surgeries and whatnot.”

  “I don’t know. Wouldn’t they have called if that were the case? They have to know I’m flipping out here.”

  “On the contrary. I’m sure they would have called if something had gone wrong with Stumpy’s procedure, but if they haven’t gotten to him yet they’ll likely hold off on phoning you until he’s ready to go home, just as they told you they would.”

  “I guess.” But Maura didn’t sound convinced.

  “Which vet did you take him to?” Kat asked.

  “Ritter Veterinary.” A flicker of concern crossed over Maura’s face. “They’re reputable, aren’t they?”

  “Yes. Dr. Mark takes great care of several of the animals we have in 4F’s care.” Furry Friends Foster Families, or 4F for short, was a local nonprofit organization that placed homeless animals with foster families until they found permanent homes. Kat served as their treasurer, which was more a label of convenience than indicative of her responsibilities on the board.

  “Maybe I should try calling them,” Maura said.

  “You might as well.” It was obvious they wouldn’t make any progress on their client’s program until Maura set her mind at ease.

  Maura snatched her cell phone off the table and punched a few buttons before pressing it to her ear. Kat couldn’t help but notice the way she kept rubbing the fingertips of her free hand together, and she wondered if her boss were wishing she had a cigarette right now. Maura had resolved to quit for the umpteenth time back in February, and she had yet to slip up. Kat was pretty sure she’d know otherwise. Given a nonsmoking Maura’s propensity for mood swings, the past few months had been an excruciatingly painful time for everyone working at DataRightly.

  Right now though, Maura looked more troubled than crabby.

  “There’s no answer,” Maura said, pulling the phone away from her ear.

  “Then they’re probably busy with emergencies,” Kat surmised. “Just as I suspected.”

  Maura tossed her cell phone between her hands before jumping out of her chair and heading for the door. “I should go down there and make sure Stumpy’s okay.”

  “You’re leaving now?” Kat frowned at the clock. “It’s only three.” They typically didn’t get off work until five.

  Maura paused by the door. “Come with me. If something’s happened to Stumpy . . .” She swallowed. “I might need the comfort.”

  Kat figured there was no point in arguing. They obviously weren’t going to get any more work done this afternoon, Monday deadline notwithstanding.

  “I’ll come,” Kat said, “but I’m sure everything is fine. You’ll see.”

  She said it with confidence, but it would turn out to be an empty assurance.

  CHAPTER TWO

  “Stumpy!” Maura yelled.

  Kat’s heart lurched as Maura swerved into the Ritter Veterinary parking lot. A black-and-white police cruiser was angled sideways across three spots, its lights flashing blue and red. Two uniformed officers and Andrew Milhone, Kat’s boyfriend and a detective with the Cherry Hills Police Department, stood chatting beside it.

  Maura slammed on the brakes. Her car screeched to a stop, and Kat’s head swung perilously close to the windshield. Maura was out of the car before Kat even managed
to get her seat belt off.

  “What’s happened?” Maura cried, running up to the police officers.

  Andrew turned around, blinking when he saw Kat emerging from the car’s passenger seat. She offered him a sheepish smile and a small wave. No doubt he was mulling over her uncanny ability to pop up whenever tragedy struck in Cherry Hills.

  Maura grabbed Andrew’s arm. “Is Stumpy okay?”

  His brow furrowed. “Stumpy?”

  “My cat. He’s here having his teeth cleaned.”

  One of the officers cleared his throat. “The staff are working on capturing the escaped animals now,” he said.

  “Escaped animals?” Maura’s voice had risen to a high-pitched squeak.

  “We secured the building as soon as we arrived,” the other uniformed officer said. “However, some of the animals that were released have yet to be returned inside.”

  “Released?” Kat echoed, joining them. “The animals in Dr. Mark’s care were released?”

  Andrew nodded, the gesture sending his sandy blond hair flopping into his eyes. “We believe they were let loose to deflect attention away from the murder.”

  Maura’s face went white. “Murder?”

  Andrew looked first at Maura, then at Kat. “You didn’t know?”

  Kat shook her head, a sick feeling developing in the pit of her stomach. “We came here to check on Stumpy.” She paused. “Who was murdered?”

  “Xander Holliwell, one of the vet techs.”

  Kat knew Xander. Her volunteer work for Furry Friends Foster Families often required her to deal with the local veterinarians and their staff. Xander had been employed by Dr. Mark Ritter for as long as his practice had been in business. Quiet and unassuming, it was difficult to imagine why anyone would want to bring him harm.

  “Who killed him?” she asked.

  “That remains an unknown at this time,” Andrew replied. “Dr. Ritter is being taken down to the station for questioning.”

  Maura’s jaw dropped. “You think Dr. Mark murdered somebody?”

  “Dr. Mark didn’t do it!” a blond woman in blue scrubs yelled across the parking lot. She shook her fist at the cops.

  “Is that Ivy?” Maura asked.

  “Yep,” Kat said, recognizing the forty-something veterinary technician. “She looks upset.”

  “She is,” Andrew said.

  Ivy must have had supersonic hearing. She strode across the parking lot and jabbed one index finger into the center of Andrew’s chest. “Of course I’m upset. You’d be upset too if your boss were arrested for something he didn’t do.”

  Andrew took a step back. “Your boss isn’t under arrest. We’re merely taking him down to the station for questioning and fingerprinting.”

  Ivy’s eyes narrowed. “What on earth do you need his fingerprints for?”

  “He was found holding the syringe believed to have contained the substance that killed your coworker. Assuming he’s as innocent as you claim, having his prints on file will enable us to eliminate them from any we pull off the syringe.”

  Kat thought that sounded reasonable—and diplomatic—but Ivy snorted.

  “That’s a load of hogwash,” Ivy spat. “You’re trying to pin this on him. Don’t deny it. I know how you cops operate. Why, I bet you’re doing this out of spite. You’re retaliating because Dr. Mark wouldn’t drop everything and talk to you when you stormed into his practice, aren’t you? What did you call it? Refusal to cooperate with the authorities?”

  Kat arched an eyebrow. Dr. Mark had always struck her as mild-mannered and soft-spoken. It was difficult for her to imagine him butting heads with the police.

  Ivy stamped her foot. “This is a prime example of police brutality. Why, I ought to file a complaint with the chief. Let him hear about this gross abuse of power.”

  “I’m happy to fetch you the proper form from my car,” Andrew replied.

  Ivy glared at him before turning to look at something. “I have half a mind to go over there and let him out right now.”

  Kat followed the direction of her gaze. She hadn’t noticed before but a second police car was parked farther away, the silhouette of a man noticeable in the back seat. She couldn’t make out the man’s features from this distance, but she figured it had to be Dr. Mark.

  “You realize Dr. Ritter is cooperating with us willingly,” Andrew said.

  Ivy whipped toward him. “Only because you strong-armed him.”

  Andrew shrugged, and Kat had to admire his remarkable ability to maintain his cool in the face of such hostility. She didn’t think she could be as calm.

  Ivy poked him again. “Look, mister, I don’t know what you’re trying to pull here, but I’m going to tell you again. Dr. Mark didn’t kill Xander.”

  “Any idea who did?” Andrew asked.

  “It could have been anybody.” Ivy aimed her finger at a woman peering underneath the body of an orange sedan across the parking lot. “It could have been Winona.” She swung her finger sideways. “Or Maura.” She jerked the finger at Kat. “Or Kat.”

  Kat flinched at the accusation. Andrew caught her gaze, his lips twitching. At least he thought it was amusing for her to be accused of murder.

  “Look,” Ivy continued, “Dr. Mark might have been the one slated to euthanize the Navarros’ ailing horse, but Xander was preparing the injection. Anyone could have grabbed that syringe from his hand and stuck him with it.”

  Kat pressed her palms against her middle. The picture Ivy had painted wasn’t a pleasant one. And, judging from the way her boss stumbled backward a few steps, Maura was equally horrified.

  Kat didn’t know a great deal about veterinary medicine, but she knew euthanasia was basically administering a fatal overdose. If Xander was preparing enough drugs to put down a horse, the same dosage would almost definitely kill a human.

  Something zipped past them. The woman who had been looking under the orange car scrambled to her feet and took off after it.

  “Ivy!” she shouted, her arms pumping and her shoulder-length, toffee-colored hair whipping around her face. “I could really use some help here!”

  Ivy huffed. She looked as though she wanted to protest, but the brunette had already ducked around the side of the building.

  “Perhaps you should help her round up the animals,” Andrew said.

  Ivy squinted at him. “I know what you’re up to. You’re trying to get rid of me.”

  “I’ll help too,” Kat volunteered.

  Andrew flashed her a grateful smile. The sight of his adorable twin dimples brought out an identical grin on Kat’s face.

  Ivy, on the other hand, wasn’t amused. Her lips puckered. “Fine. I’ll go.” She wagged that accusing finger in Andrew’s face once more. “But don’t you think for a second this means I plan to let you get away with what you’re doing to Dr. Mark.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” Andrew said.

  Ivy spun on her heel and stomped off. Kat followed, as did Maura, who must have decided she didn’t want to hang around a bunch of cops.

  “If you’re worried about Stumpy he’s not out here,” Ivy said to Maura. “He stayed in his cage.”

  Maura lifted a hand to her chest. “I’m so relieved he’s safe.”

  Ivy stopped walking. “Let the cops know if you want to take him home. They’re not letting anyone inside until they’re done with whatever it is they’re doing, but maybe if you insist they’ll bring him out to you.”

  “What about my bill?” Maura asked. “I stopped by the bank over lunch if you need me to settle up before you release him.”

  Ivy flicked her wrist. “We’ll email you what you owe. Mail us a check.”

  “I can have Andrew give me a ride back to the office if you want to take off,” Kat told Maura.

  Maura lifted her eyebrows. “You’re staying?”

  “I don’t want to leave until I know all the animals are safe.” Kat also wanted to use this opportunity to learn what she could about Xander Holliwell’s m
urder. Seeing as how Ivy viewed the police as the enemy, perhaps she would be eager to share what she knew simply because she didn’t trust Andrew and his cronies to get to the truth.

  Maura nodded. “I’ll talk to you later, Kat. Thanks, Ivy.”

  Maura headed back toward the parking lot, and Ivy and Kat continued in the opposite direction. Kat was relieved to note that Ivy’s steps were much less hurried now that the police were out of sight. That should make it easier to engage her in a conversation.

  “So, Ivy,” Kat said once they reached the alley behind the building, “what exactly happened here this afternoon?”

  “Xander was murdered, that’s what.” Ivy halted, her gaze narrowing. “But not by Dr. Mark.”

  “For what it’s worth, I don’t think he did it either. He’s too gentle and compassionate. I don’t see how a person who values life as much as Dr. Mark does could kill another human being.”

  Ivy beamed, clearly thrilled to have someone else side with her. “Exactly.”

  “But why wasn’t he cooperating with the police?”

  “Oh, he was cooperating. He just had more urgent priorities to attend to first. See, the Navarros’ horse has been sick for a while, and now he’s in too much pain to go on. So Dr. Mark was getting ready to put him down. He had an appointment. The Navarros were waiting for him. And euthanasia is always a taxing experience, emotionally. Calling to reschedule would have only created unnecessary stress for everyone involved.” Ivy’s face darkened. “But we had to reschedule anyway. The police insisted. They are totally unreasonable.”

  Out of loyalty to Andrew, Kat opted not to comment on that. “Where were you when Xander was killed?”

  “Out front. Mr. Pedapudi, one of our clients, was there about an outstanding invoice he’d gotten in the mail this morning. Except he had already paid it a week ago. He was pretty upset about the whole thing.”

  Upset enough to kill? Kat wondered.

  “Mr. Pedapudi wanted to lodge a complaint directly with Dr. Mark. He insisted he speak with him right away, so Winona, our receptionist, went to go get him.” Ivy exhaled. “That was when she found him standing next to Xander. Xander was already dead.”