Daisy McDare and the Deadly Legal Affair (11 page)

Chapter Nineteen

Daisy knew she had to rush over to the law firm.  The killer would just be arriving to work.  On the drive over to the office, she got a phone call. 

“Daisy,” she said, putting her phone on speaker. 

“Hi, this is Gavin from the dog park,” he replied, on the phone. 

“Oh—Gavin.”

“You weren’t at the dog park this morning.  Is everything alright?” 

“I’m sorry about that.  I’ll be at the park tomorrow though.  Anyway, I’m in the middle of something.  Can I call you back?” Daisy asked. 

“Actually, I’m pretty sure you’re going to want to hear this,” Gavin said. 

“What is it?” Daisy wondered. 

“I started doing some digging on those names you gave me.”

“Did you find something?”

“I sure did.  It turns out one of the employees of the law office comes from a family of pest exterminators,” Gavin revealed. 

Daisy smiled to herself.  “If my hunch is right, I think I know exactly who you’re talking about.”

***

When Daisy arrived at the office, she made her way to Jackson Madsen’s desk.  He had his nose in his work as he tried to balance the books.

“Hard at work again, huh?” Daisy asked. 

Jackson gave her a quick glance, then looked back down at his work.  “As a matter of fact, yes.  And I’d better get back to it.  I have a lot on my plate.”

“Isn’t that the truth?” Daisy replied. 

Jackson was short with her.  “Can I help you with something?”

“How about some coffee?  I hear it helps get you through those long work days.”

“No thanks.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not poisoned,” Daisy said. 

Jackson’s head shot up with that statement.  She had his attention now. 

“That’s not funny,” Jackson snapped. 

“It’s not supposed to be.  You know, at first I really felt bad for you.  Here you are, doing the jobs of two people, working yourself to the bone—and for what?  It’s not like you have a pay raise coming anytime soon,” Daisy started explaining. 

“What’s your point?” Jackson interrupted. 

“On top of that, your relationship with Chloe completely fell apart.  At first, everything seemed great between you.  What could be better than sitting one desk away from the love of your life?  Then it all turned sour.  Not only did she break your heart, but she left you for a man you absolutely despised, and who never gave you any appreciation—your boss.  Suddenly you had to come into work every day and watch the love of your life swooning over Max.  It must have eaten you up inside.  Then everything came to a head when Max’s wife found out about his affair with Chloe and demanded a divorce.  You thought you actually had a shot at winning Chloe back then.  But it all blew up in your face, didn’t it?” Daisy asked. 

Jackson got up from his desk in a huff.  “I don’t have to answer your question.  Mind your own business.”

Jackson then made a move towards the break room.  

That’s when Detective Crumple and two of his deputies walked in. 

“You can run away from Ms. McDare, but you can’t run away from me,” Detective Crumple insisted. 

Jackson’s face went as white as a sheet.  “What are you doing here?”

“I suggest you sit back down Mr. Madsen,” Crumple continued. 

Jackson was defiant.  “You have nothing on me.”

“Why don’t we hear Ms. McDare out?” Crumple suggested. 

“That day at the office you snapped.  You thought Brooke Cash finding out about Max’s affair would send Chloe back into your arms.  But you underestimated how much Chloe loved Max.  That’s when you realized your only chance at getting Chloe back was for your boss to be out of the picture entirely.  You knew Max was always the last to leave the office and that Chloe made him a fresh pot of coffee before she headed home each night.  It gave you a perfect opportunity.  You slipped rat poison in his coffee while everyone was on their way out the door, then planted the bottle of poison on Angela Franklin’s maid cart while she was cleaning the restrooms.  Unfortunately for you, your plan only worked out half as well as you expected.  You managed to kill Max and frame Angela for the crime, but it was too late to win Chloe back.  Even in death she loved Max more than you,” Daisy explained.

Jackson was seething with anger as he heard the accusation leveled against him.  “It’s an interesting theory, but you have no evidence.”

“Oh really?  Isn’t it true that you come from a family of exterminators Jackson?” Daisy asked.

Jackson tensed up. 

Daisy powered on.  “And even though you wanted to do more with your life than work in pest control, you had a long enough stint at the family business to learn a little about rat poisons—mostly which ones were odorless and tasteless.”

Jackson stared at Daisy, then the Detective.  He knew the jig was up.  There was nowhere to run or hide.  He averted his eyes and spilled his guts out. 

“Max deserved to die even before he stole Chloe from me.  The man was a scumbag.  He treated everyone in here like dirt.  But when he started putting the moves on my girlfriend, it was the last straw.  He didn’t deserve a woman like that, yet he got her anyway.  It wasn’t fair.  Life isn’t fair.  I love Chloe.  Always have, always will.  We should be together.  Instead Max ruined any chance I had to get her back.  The way I see it, Max got what was coming to him,” Jackson seethed. 

“Oh Jackson, murder wasn’t the answer” Daisy sighed. 

Detective Crumple signaled to his deputies. 

“Take him away,” Crumple said. 

The deputies grabbed Jackson, handcuffed him, and dragged him away. 

Crumple then turned to Daisy. 

“That’s some pretty decent detective work Ms. McDare,” Detective Crumple said. 

“I’ll bet you’re glad I didn’t give up on the case now,” Daisy replied.  

“I’m pretty sure it is Angela Franklin who is happiest you didn’t give up on the case,” Crumple insisted. 

“How is she doing?”

“I have a feeling you have a very big thank you coming your way.”

“From her, or you?” Daisy asked. 

Daisy could tell Crumple’s pride was keeping him from giving her the appreciation she was looking for. 

“I already told you it was some fine detective work.  What more do you want, a donut?” Crumple joked.

“That’s a start,” Daisy laughed. 

Detective Crumple opened his eyes wide.  “Never come between a detective and his donut.”

Daisy laughed again.  “My fault.”

Crumple cracked a smile.  “I’m just kidding.  I’ll even give you a glazed bear claw.”

“Wow, how generous of you.”

“Well, you are the best interior decorator detective I’ve ever seen,” Crumple said. 

Daisy and Crumple laughed. 

It was a great feeling to crack the case.  It was even better knowing her sleuthing freed an innocent woman from jail and put the real killer behind bars.  Even though Daisy had been a reluctant detective, she seemed to have a knack for it.  Maybe this wouldn’t be the last case she’d solve.  In the meantime, she was looking forward to getting back to decorating.   

Chapter Twenty

With Jackson behind bars, Daisy was free to finish up her job at the law office.  She put the finishing touches on her decorating, then gave Brooke Cash a tour of the newly redone office.

As proud as Daisy was of her sleuthing skills, she delighted in décor.  Daisy managed to take the office from a drab and lifeless corporate environment to something sophisticated. 

Brooke agreed.  “You really are multi-talented, aren’t you?”

“I wish you’d say that to any single men in the area,” Daisy joked. 

Brooke laughed.  “I only have one complaint.”

Daisy tensed up.  “What is it?”

“Would it have killed you to include some pink in your design?” Brooke joked. 

Daisy looked at the head to toe pink outfit Brooke was wearing. 

“I’ll tell you what, if you ever need your home redecorated, I’ll use nothing but pink.”

“That’s a deal.”

Daisy smiled. 

“Anyway, I just want to say thank you,” Brooke continued. 

“No problem.  I love redecorating.  I’ve probably redone my apartment five times since I’ve moved in,” Daisy said. 

“I meant, thank you for finding my husband’s real killer.”

“Of course.  As a matter of fact, I owe you a thanks for that.”

Brooke was surprised.  “Really?”

Daisy nodded.  “Everything clicked when you said one line.”

“What line was that?”

“There are two types of people in the world--those who can rebound from heartbreak, and those who are crippled by it.”

“I was just telling the truth,” Brooke admitted. 

“A bigger truth than you even realize.  It led me to the killer.  And personally, I should take that advice in my own life,” Daisy said. 

“The good news is, if I can rebound successfully from heartbreak, it means anyone can,” Brooke insisted. 

“I’m going to hold you to that,” Daisy replied.

“Just keep this in mind.  When all else fails, there’s always a good shoe sale going on somewhere,” Brooke smiled. 

Daisy laughed.  “Words to live by.”

***

Daisy had some thanking of her own to do.  Even though her gut instinct led her to Jackson, it was Gavin’s private investigating that uncovered the clue about Jackson’s pest exterminator family. 

Daisy was eager to commiserate with Gavin at the dog park the following morning, not just about the case, but also their new friendship.  But first she was distracted by Gavin’s adorable Corgi pup Rosie and it’s folded down ear. 

“I have to say, that puppy is just Corgi-licious,” Daisy commented.  

“I couldn’t say it better myself.  I’m just happy little Rosie has a new friend,” Gavin replied. 

Daisy knew full well that Gavin was messed up over his break up.  She could intellectualize it all day.  The minute she saw his handsome face and hunky body again though, her hormones took over.  She couldn’t help but flirt with him. 

“I think they may be more than that.  I feel something blossoming.”

“I guess that means you and me will be seeing a lot more of each other.”  He gave her a big, smile and winked at her.

Was he flirting back?  It sure seemed like it.  Maybe he didn’t even realize the way his words were coming across.  Or perhaps it was all in her mind.  She decided to ramp up her flirtation.   

“Is that a promise?” Daisy asked. 

“As long as I don’t start sleeping in and missing these runs to the dog park,” Gavin replied. 

Maybe Daisy had gotten ahead of herself.  Was his attraction all just in her head?  Perhaps there was no secret subtext on his end of the conversation.  What if he was just talking about their pooches all along?

“Oh come on, you know dog owners don’t have the luxury of sleeping in,” Daisy joked. 

“I don’t know, dogs can be taught a lot of things.”

Daisy asked him a pointed question.  “Are you saying old dogs can be taught new tricks?”

Gavin wasn’t quite getting the message.  “What are you talking about?  Rosie is just a puppy.”

“Right.  Of course.  Anyway, I want to thank you again for that investigative work you did.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

“Are you sure I can’t pay you a little something for your time?” Daisy asked. 

“Really, it’s on me,” Gavin replied. 

Daisy then came up with an idea.  “How about this?  Why don’t I take you out for coffee some time as a thank you?”

“You really don’t have to.”

Daisy smiled.  “I want to.”

“In that case, I’d love too.”

“Alright, it’s a coffee date then,” Daisy said. 

Gavin smiled back.  “I’m looking forward to it.”

***

If ever there was time to celebrate, it was now.  That meant a run to Sweet Tooth was in order.  Both Samantha and Granny Annie were delighted to hear the news, although for different reasons.  Samantha was more interested in hearing about the coffee date with Gavin.  Granny Annie’s focus meanwhile was on the solving of the case—or more importantly, her role in it. 

“This calls for cheesecake,” Samantha said.

Daisy’s eyes lit up.  “I was just thinking that.”

“You know what they say, great minds think alike.”

“Or maybe it’s just hungry minds that are alike.”

“I’d like to believe my mind can both be hungry and great at the same time,” Samantha joked. 

Granny Annie then cut in.  “Speaking of great minds, it turns out they don’t call me Granny Gumshoe for nothing.”

Samantha looked confused.  “Who calls you Granny Gumshoe?”

“I figured if I said it about myself enough, maybe it would catch on.  It has a nice ring to it after all,” Granny Annie replied. 

“You definitely deserve the kudos.  I couldn’t have solved this case without you Granny Gumshoe,” Daisy insisted. 

“Maybe I should start my own crime solving crew,” Granny Annie ruminated. 

“I’m pretty sure you have enough going on in your life Annie,” Daisy said. 

“You’re right.  Speaking of, Saul Silverman is taking me swing dancing tonight.  He’s turned into a real party animal since he got that new hip.”

Samantha and Daisy laughed. 

“To be fair, he kind of needs to.  It takes a lot of energy keeping up with you Annie.  I think you’ve been drinking from the fountain of youth,” Daisy said. 

“Youth is wasted on the young.  It’s better to be old and bold,” Granny Annie declared. 

“You’re a riot,” Daisy replied. 

“It turns out you can be young and bold too.  Take Daisy here asking out Gavin on a coffee date,” Samantha said.

Daisy tried to temper her enthusiasm.  “It’s just a little thank you latte.”

“For now.  Who knows what might come of it?” Samantha suggested. 

Daisy smiled.  “That I can’t say, but I’m sure interested to find out.” 

The End.

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