SUICIDAL SUSPICIONS: A Kate Huntington Mystery (The Kate Huntington Mystery Series Book 8) (13 page)

Kate’s heart raced.
What things?

She made herself pause to think through her words. “It’s quite possible, Mrs. Hartin, that something in the journal will click with something Josie said in therapy. I may be able to interpret it differently than you have.”

The woman stiffened. “Are you implying that you knew my daughter better than I did?”

In some ways, yes.

Kate managed to keep her face neutral. “No. But the things she journaled about were most likely related to the things she talked about in therapy. Something that seems insignificant to you, well, I might recognize it as a clue.”

For a moment, she thought the woman would burst into tears. With an effort, Mrs. Hartin gathered herself, both figuratively and literally. She rose from her chair.

“Sorry to have troubled you, Mrs. Huntington. I can find my way out.” At the door, she turned. “I will get those records, one way or another.”

I’ll burn them first.

Out loud, Kate said, “I’m only fulfilling my responsibility to a client. Confidentiality…” She caught herself before saying
does not die with the client
. “It’s imperative that clients know what they say in therapy is completely confidential. I have to honor that for Josie’s sake.”

Mrs. Hartin’s head tilted back, her chin in the air. “Josephine would not want me to suffer needlessly.”

“No, she would not,” Kate said in a gentle tone.
Which is the other reason why I cannot show you her file.

Nancy Hartin stared at her for a moment, her face pale. Then she pivoted on her heel and left.

~~~~~~~~

I’m a miserable excuse for a mother.

Kate’s guilt had taken the bit in its mouth and was running full tilt as she drove to the veterinarian’s office.

Once again, she had been preoccupied at dinner, and had said the wrong thing in response to Billy’s tale of his day at school. And he had exploded.

Skip had scolded the boy for his temper tantrum, but his eyes kept flicking toward her the whole time he was chastising their son. They said loud and clear,
What’s gotten into you?

Edie had that solemn look on her face that Kate hated. Too many things had already happened in the child’s life that had rattled her sense of security.

When Kate had told Skip after dinner that she was taking Toby to her client’s vet, as an excuse to get in to talk to her, he had just nodded. Then he’d gone off to check the kids’ homework.

Kate’s mind turned to Billy. He’d been so volatile lately. She remembered him mentioning being picked on by some older kids. Was that a random event, or was her son being bullied? She added ‘call Billy’s teacher’ to her mental to-do list for the next day.

Her GPS informed her that her destination was coming up on the left. She swung into the parking lot of a small strip shopping center. The vet’s office was on the far end.

Toby let out an excited woof from the backseat when she opened her door.

“You may not be so thrilled about this outing when you find out what’s coming,” Kate told the pup as she reached in to release his harness from the safety tether. She had barely grabbed his leash when he bounded out of the car. He dragged her across the lot to the building.

.

“Has Toby had his puppy shots?” The dark-haired vet looked to be in her early forties. She was a bit taller than Kate, with broad shoulders for a woman, and an equally broad smile. Her tone was disgustingly cheerful for this late in the day.

“Yes, last year,” Kate said. “I meant to grab the records before I left the house but I forgot. I think he’s due for some boosters.”

Dr. Blake nodded and stroked the dog’s ears. He calmed down some and licked her hand.

The poor pup had been shaking ever since the vet’s assistant had hefted him onto the examining table. He had apparently made the connection between the cold metal under his rump and the pain of injections.

Dr. Blake examined Toby. He licked her face when she leaned down to listen to his heart with her stethoscope.

“Sorry,” Kate said.

“Don’t be. I never mind doggie kisses.” The vet straightened and put the stethoscope in the pocket of her white jacket. She rubbed the pup’s ears again. Toby looked like he might swoon.

“He seems quite healthy. I can’t give him any booster shots, however, without knowing what he’s already had. Can you fax us the record? And then you can bring him in next week for the shots he needs.”

“Sure. I’m still debating though if I want to change vets. The one we have been going to is nice enough…” She trailed off, letting the woman fill in the blanks with whatever her mind conjured up as a reason to be discontent with one’s vet. “You were recommended by Josie Hartin.”

Dr. Blake’s smile faded.

“Such a tragedy,” Kate continued. “I understand you have her dog. Someone said the poor thing almost died.”

The vet’s cheerful demeanor returned. “Oh no, he wasn’t that bad off. Just dehydrated some. But he did look a mess when he came in. You want to see him?”

“Could I? I mean, I don’t want to keep you from other patients.”

“No problem. You’re my last appointment of the day.” She wrapped her arms around Toby and lifted him off the table and onto the floor. “Not sure I’ll still be able to do that, big boy, once you finish filling out.”

“You mean he’s going to get bigger?”

“Probably not too much taller, but he’ll get heavier over the next year, as his muscles and organs finish maturing.”

“Ugh. He already eats more than my daughter’s pony does.”

Dr. Blake laughed. “Come on. You can bring Toby along. Sphinx likes company.”

She led the way out of the examining room and through another room lined with shelves of medications and supplies. “Sphinx is our only overnight guest right now,” she said over her shoulder as she pushed open a door.

As soon as Kate spotted the dog in his crate, she understood his name better. He lay on his stomach, his back legs along his sides, front legs partway out in front–exactly like the Sphinx in Egypt.

Toby rushed past her, almost yanking the leash out of her hand. He yipped and dropped playfully down in front of the crate.

Sphinx had risen to his feet. He made a sound halfway between a woof and a sharper bark. It sounded almost like he was talking to Toby, inviting him to play.

“Is it okay if we let them out back for a few minutes?” the vet asked. “Sphinx has been kind of depressed. Maybe a playmate will cheer him up.”

“Sure,” Kate said, thinking she couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity.

Dr. Blake opened another door and flipped a light switch next to it. A floodlight illuminated a fenced-in area in back of the building. “Come on, Toby.”

Kate unhooked the leash from her dog’s harness. Toby took off for the steps down to the yard.

Dr. Blake crossed to Sphinx’s crate and opened its door. The dog stepped out. He tilted his head to look up at the vet, and then turned and bounded for the still open door. A moment later they heard happy yips and barks coming from the yard. The vet closed the door but stayed next to it, nudging aside the flimsy curtains across its window to keep an eye on the dogs.

“This isn’t the best set-up for boarding. The fenced area isn’t really adequate. I’m hoping to move soon to a better location. Part of what Josie did for us was take the boarded dogs for longer walks.”

It was news to Kate that Josie had done anything for the vet. “Had you seen Josie recently?”

“Yes, a few days before…” Dr. Blake stopped and cleared her throat. “She’d recently started volunteering here, mainly on the weekends, coming in to care for the boarded animals.”

“Did she seem depressed to you lately?”

“No, just the opposite. She seemed really happy to be around the dogs and cats. She’d bring Sphinx and he’d play with the dogs outside. The ones that were boarded that is. The ones who were recuperating from illness or an operation, she would walk them more sedately by themselves.”

“She definitely loved animals.” Kate was letting the vet assume she and Josie had been friends. She hoped she wouldn’t ask for any details of their relationship. “Do you think she was okay otherwise? I was kinda surprised when I heard she’d killed herself.”

“Me too. I was downright shocked.” Dr. Blake didn’t elaborate. She watched the dogs cavorting in the yard from the window in the door.

“What’s going to happen to Sphinx?” Kate asked, mostly to get the conversation started again.

“I’ve got the word out. Someone will adopt him eventually. I’ll keep him here until they do.”

“Isn’t there a shelter around here?” Kate knew there was. It was where they had gotten Toby.

“Yeah.” The vet seemed to hesitate. “But I feel like I owe Josie this. I want to make sure the person adopting Sphinx will love him like she did.”

Kate’s throat tightened. “You’d grown fond of her.”

Dr. Blake turned from the door. Her eyes were shiny. “Yes, even though she’d only been volunteering for a few weeks. She was a special young woman.”

Kate nodded. “I thought so too,” she said in a low voice.

After she’d said goodbye to the vet and pried Toby away from his new friend, she headed across the parking lot toward her car. The dog had not yet learned how to act on a leash. He darted off in whatever direction struck his fancy, sniffing and exploring.

She was about to yank him away from yet another patch of tall grass when he lifted his leg. “Okay, boy, that’s a legitimate excuse to dawdle.”

As she patiently waited for the pup to empty his bladder, she once again felt that creepy feeling on her neck. She glanced nervously around the parking lot. It was starting to mist. The lights around the lot created circles of white edged with haloes of rainbow colors. The pavement glistened. There were few other cars on this end of the lot, although there was still activity at the other end near the grocery store.

She tugged on the leash. “Come on, Toby. We’ve gotta go.” She hustled him to the car and opened the back door. Normally she would have used the rag she kept on the floor to dry his paws, before letting him jump up on the upholstery. But not tonight. She gestured for him to climb in, then slammed the back door and hurried around to the driver’s side. When she was inside with her own door closed and locked, she let out her breath.

She shook her head. Tiny droplets fell from her hair onto the shoulders of her raincoat. “Get a grip, Kate,” she said out loud.

The dog whined in the backseat.

He’s picking up on my nerves.

“It’s okay, boy.” She leaned over between the front seats and struggled to get his safety tether hooked to his harness.

Starting the car, she mentally shrugged off the fear. She’d been imagining things.

Driving home, she wasn’t sure if she was more relieved or disappointed by her chat with the veterinarian–relieved that her own assessment of Josie’s mood just before she died was accurate, but disappointed that she hadn’t learned anything more that was helpful to solve the case.

It occurred to her that she should talk to Josie’s boss at the art gallery. And maybe some of her artist friends.

And how the hell am I going to fit that in between seeing clients and taking care of my kids and paying some attention to my husband!

Suddenly she felt overwhelmed. Her life was too busy. Maybe it would be a good idea to cut back on her office hours.

She gave herself a mental kick in the head.
You wouldn’t be so stressed out if you weren’t trying to play detective.

She arrived at home just in time to give out goodnight kisses and tuck the children into bed.

Billy seemed to be already asleep but she suspected he was faking. She sat down on the side of his bed and waited. After a minute or two, he opened one eye, then clamped it shut again.

“I’m sorry I’ve been preoccupied lately, kiddo.”

He half opened his eye again, watching her. She leaned down and kissed his cheek. “Love you.”

When he didn’t move or say anything, she started to push off the bed.

He lurched forward and hugged her around the waist. “Love you too, Mommy.” His voice was slightly muffled since his face was half buried against her stomach.

This was a bit out of character, but she opted not to say anything. Best not to ask questions and get the child stirred up at bedtime. She gave him a tight squeeze. “Go to sleep, little boy.”

He settled back down on his pillow. She pulled the covers up to his chin.

“’Night, Mommy,” he mumbled, now legitimately sleepy.

Her shoulders sagged as she closed the door to his room. She had to get a grip and start acting like a mother again.

She sighed and headed for her daughter’s door.

~~~~

Skip was in their favorite spot on the sofa. Legs stretched out in front of him, head back, eyes closed, he was half asleep by the time he felt Kate’s weight settle beside him.

He slitted one eye open and looked over at her. She had a leg curled under her and a strange expression on her face.

“Tired?” she asked.

He opened his eyes all the way. “Some. I’ve been chasin’ new clients all week. The guy I took out to lunch today insisted I have a couple beers with him. I’ve been groggy ever since.” Except for an occasional beer or glass of wine in the evening, he wasn’t much of a drinker.

He maneuvered his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. “How are you doing?”

She sighed. “I wish I knew. I felt kinda relieved driving home. The interview with the vet didn’t give me anything new, but Dr. Blake agreed that Josie didn’t seem depressed recently.”

“So what’s next?”

“I’m not sure. I’m running out of leads. It occurred to me that I should talk to the woman who runs the art gallery where she worked, and maybe her friends.”

Skip stifled a groan. Supposed friends could all too easily be secret enemies. “Why don’t you let my crew check out her friends?” He tried to keep his tone light, but wasn’t sure he’d succeeded.

“How will you know who they are?”

He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “We have our ways.”