Free Dog Days Murderous Nights: Winnona Peaks Mysteries Book 1 by Emily Page Page B

to push a little harder so she could get to the porch and sit down.  Snowy thought she was more important than the tray of muffins Christy was holding and whimpered.  Setting the muffins down on the check-out desk, Christy smiled and reached down so the grey and white Pomeranian could jump into her arms.
    Hailey’s bags were all packed and she tucked the muffin gently into her lunch sack Christy had packed for the trip home. She watched the road, waiting for her taxi to come and pick her up for the airport.
    “I can’t believe they found his epi pens in her room.  What kind of horrible person does that?” Hailey said.
    “How terrible,” Christy said.
    “Sorry about your screen door.”
    “Oh, don’t worry. Mr. Binks is just happy I hired him to fix it,” she said with a giggle.
    “What’s so funny?”
    “Oh, just a little inside joke. I told him it was only temporary and that I wasn’t interested in any more repair work.”
    “Are we still talking about the door?” Hailey asked.  Hailey surprised Christy by standing up, reaching over and patting Snowy on the head like maybe Snowy was a tiger that was going to bite her hand off.  Christy knew it was progress for Hailey and tried not to act shocked.
    “He really loved dogs.  I know you thought it was me,” Hailey said. 
    Christy offered her a sad smile.  “Yes he did.  You’re doing a good job, right here.  Snowy trusts you.  Don’t worry about how you acted.  You were angry.  I have to admit that the murder did look like it pointed to you.  Lucky for you J.W. found that spare camera in the closet while he was choking and set video recorder on to record.”
    “It’s just like Dad to do something like that.”
    “Dad?” Christy asked with her eyes widening.
    “Well, yes.”  Hailey blushed.  “He didn’t want me to tell anyone because he knew soon enough somebody would try to marry me for the money, or worse yet do what Diana did to him with a ransom note.” Hailey laughed a little.  “Him and Mom were only married a couple of years before she died, but he was always the best father to me.”
    “Oh, so that must have really hurt when he fired you that day. I can’t imagine what I would do if my Grandmother fired me from working here at Alfie’s. I’d probably do more than tear the hinges off of a screen door.  I’m so sorry.”
    Hailey laughed a little, starting to tear up again.  “Oh, don’t be sorry.  I never got the chance to tell you that after my screaming match he came up later while you were cooking dinner and made things right.  He told me that he just wanted me to do something I loved and that I shouldn’t have to feel like I owed him anything.  I told him I loved working for him and that I was just frustrated because all my business school things felt like they were getting wasted when he didn’t want to turn a profit.”
    “What a kind man,” Christy said.
    “You should have seen the sweet look in his eyes when I said turn a profit. You know what he said?”
    “No, Dear, what?”
    “I said the word profit like true Augustine.”
    “Well what did he say when you talked about only wanting to work for him?”
    “He shook his head and said, that I really didn’t.  He wasn’t all that good at business which is why they put him on as a figurehead at so many charities.  He told me that the right job was out there and that he would support whatever I chose.” Hailey laughed again.
    “But what about the new job you have?”
    “He must have made those arrangements with his business manager after he left my room.  Maybe it was his way of compromising.”  She gently pet Snowy on the head who thought she had a new best friend. “Christy, I’m really sorry for all of this.”
    “Oh, don’t be sorry, Dear.  You lost your Father.  That’s to be expected.  J.W. was right though.  You can do whatever you want.”  Right then the taxi pulled up. 
    “Well that’s my ride.  Tell Alfie good-bye for