Free Till Death Do Us Bark by Judi McCoy

walkway’s brick border. Murder came into the equation because the ME had discovered a bruise on his chest that had come from a blow so powerful it had probably pushed the victim backward for the fall.
    When Arlene heard the news she broke down and stumbled to her feet. Vanessa and Adrianne gathered her in their arms and rushed her to her suite, where the three women had remained. During that time, Viv had given Ellie her promised grand tour, taking her to every room in the huge house except the Suarezes’ private quarters.
    Rosa served lunch a few hours later, and Vanessa came downstairs, assembled a tray, and brought it up to Arlene. Viv and Ellie reclaimed Mr. T and Rudy and ate on the terrace, where they read the local rag, Dan’s Papers, and discussed places they could visit that were nearby, so they could still be involved in helping Arlene.
    Right now Viv lay with her eyes closed while Ellie thought about Detective Wheeling’s news. Martin Kent was a sizable man, so she imagined that whoever had done the deed was strong, which meant the killer was most likely a man. Other than that, she had not a clue to the murderer’s identity.
    “What are you thinking about?” asked Viv a moment later.
    Ellie raised an eyebrow. There was no point in trying to fool her best friend. “Dr. Kent.”
    Eyes still closed, Viv grinned. “I knew it. So you are working on the crime.”
    “I’m not ‘working’ on anything. I’m just thinking.”
    “Keep it up. You’ll get to the bottom of the thing, like most good detectives do.”
    “I thought you said we were on vacation,” Rudy muttered from below.
    “Thinking doesn’t mean I’m going to do anything about it,” Ellie said to both conversations. “And I’m not detecting.”
    “But you are,” Viv continued. “I just hope you figure it out fast. We were supposed to have some fun this week.”
    “What I’d like is a trip through Dr. Kent’s office,” Ellie admitted. “Just to see what he did in there, not to investigate. No one seems willing to tell me what type of medicine he practiced. We could probably figure it out by the type of magazines sitting on the waiting area tables.”
    “So, go inside. The only thing in your way is that yellow crime scene tape. Surely you know how to get through it without ringing any warning bells.”
    “The tape’s no big deal, but Wheeling looked right at me when he said they’d arrest anyone who crossed the line for any reason. And your mom said he told her the cottage had to remain locked until the investigation was over. The last thing I want is to spend my first vacation in years in a prison cell.”
    “Did they set up a police guard?”
    “Nope. We’re on our honor. Your parents promised to keep it locked, and I believe them. No one is allowed in until the coast is clear.”
    “Like that’s stopped you before.”
    “And that would stop you?” said Viv at the same time Rudy spoke. “I don’t think so.”
    “Me, neither.”
    Ellie chewed her lower lip. There was no use arguing, especially when she was doing so with two unconnected minds. “There is one more thing bothering me.”
    “Oh?”
    “Hunky Guy, our faux Agent Double O Seven.”
    “You know, I wanted to ask Arlene about him, but with all the activity I never got the chance. He told you he met Arlene shopping around town, and she invited him out of the blue. My guess is he finagled an invite on his own, and she was too flustered to do anything about it.”
    “My question is, why Wheeling didn’t call him on it, and talk with Mr. Bond the same way he did the rest of us?”
    “Maybe he did, but it was done at the police station.”
    “That’s a possibility,” Ellie said. “But why? If I could find a way to meet him again, I’d come right out and ask him, but it’s not like I could walk next door and borrow a cup of sugar.” Another guest came to mind, and she said, “And who, pray tell, is Uncle Mickey?”
    “I have no idea, but Martin knew