opening my eyes. It was possible I was dreaming , and if I was, I didn’t want to wake up.
“I leave for a couple of days and the next thing I know , you’re knee deep in dead bodies,” Zak teased.
The delicious feel of Zak’s lips working their way from my neck to my mouth caused a tingling sensation up my spine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and melted into his body as he carried me up the stairs to my bedroom.
Chapter 4
Wednesday, February 5
Much to my disappointment, Zak was gone when I woke up the next morning. He’d left a note, telling me that he was going to be tied up all day but that he planned to have a discussion with both the sheriff and the county about opening the Zoo the following day, as planned. He asked me to let him handle things and not to make matters worse by digging around in the case. Although it goes against my nature to do so, I decided to honor Zak’s request, at least for the time being, and go about my day as if I hadn’t just found a body in my bear cage and everything I’d worked so hard for over the past few months wasn’t once again going to be delayed indefinitely.
I was proud of my decision to leave the investigation in the hands of the professionals . . . for about two minutes. And then I remembered everything I’d learned about Trent the previous day. While he’d always been friendly and cordial while working on the remodel at the Zoo, I’d never really stopped to talk to him, and he’d never really opened the door for me to do so. Suddenly, I felt bad for treating the guy, who obviously had a warm and giving heart, like a distant acquaintance. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Jeremy must have chatted with Trent on more than a casual basis; he was the type to start a conversation with everyone with whom he came into contact. The Zoo was still off-limits, so I called Jeremy and offered to take him to lunch.
After taking Charlie for a run and topping off the cats’ food and water, I got dressed in warm winter clothes and set off for town. I’d called ahead and informed Ellie that I hoped to have a private conversation with Jeremy, so she’d saved us the table in the back of Rosie’s.
“So what’s up?” Jeremy asked as Ellie headed back to the kitchen with our order.
“I was interested in finding out what you knew about Trent,” I began. “I know the two of you spent a lot of time together over the past couple of months.”
“I’m not sure what I can tell you.” Jeremy stirred at least ten packets of sugar into his iced tea , which I am fairly certain he drinks every one of the 365 days of the year. “He was a nice guy. Quiet. Lived in town but kept to himself. Seemed to work a lot. He frequently mentioned side jobs he did in the evening, after finishing with Kevin for the day.”
“Can you think of any side jobs in particular?” I asked as Jeremy tasted his drink and then added two more packets of sugar.
“I know he was helping Tawny with the preschool , and I remember him mentioning something about helping Old Man Johnson with some insulation.”
Old Man Johnson live s in a small cabin just outside of town. It had to be at least fifty years old, and the draft through the cracks on the log siding created temperatures resembling an icebox in the middle of winter. Old Man Johnson had lived in Ashton Falls as long as anyone could remember. He was a crusty sort who didn’t have a lot of use for people but loved animals. He’d adopted several dogs from the shelter over the years, and I felt that he and I were on good-enough terms that he’d talk to me. Maybe.
“Anything else? Did he ever mention a girlfriend or a group he socialized with?”
“Not that I can remember. It seemed to me like he worked most of the time , although he did say something about needing to leave early one of the times he was at the Zoo because he was going to dinner at someone’s house. I don’t remember him mentioning whose house it was, but
“I leave for a couple of days and the next thing I know , you’re knee deep in dead bodies,” Zak teased.
The delicious feel of Zak’s lips working their way from my neck to my mouth caused a tingling sensation up my spine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and melted into his body as he carried me up the stairs to my bedroom.
Chapter 4
Wednesday, February 5
Much to my disappointment, Zak was gone when I woke up the next morning. He’d left a note, telling me that he was going to be tied up all day but that he planned to have a discussion with both the sheriff and the county about opening the Zoo the following day, as planned. He asked me to let him handle things and not to make matters worse by digging around in the case. Although it goes against my nature to do so, I decided to honor Zak’s request, at least for the time being, and go about my day as if I hadn’t just found a body in my bear cage and everything I’d worked so hard for over the past few months wasn’t once again going to be delayed indefinitely.
I was proud of my decision to leave the investigation in the hands of the professionals . . . for about two minutes. And then I remembered everything I’d learned about Trent the previous day. While he’d always been friendly and cordial while working on the remodel at the Zoo, I’d never really stopped to talk to him, and he’d never really opened the door for me to do so. Suddenly, I felt bad for treating the guy, who obviously had a warm and giving heart, like a distant acquaintance. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Jeremy must have chatted with Trent on more than a casual basis; he was the type to start a conversation with everyone with whom he came into contact. The Zoo was still off-limits, so I called Jeremy and offered to take him to lunch.
After taking Charlie for a run and topping off the cats’ food and water, I got dressed in warm winter clothes and set off for town. I’d called ahead and informed Ellie that I hoped to have a private conversation with Jeremy, so she’d saved us the table in the back of Rosie’s.
“So what’s up?” Jeremy asked as Ellie headed back to the kitchen with our order.
“I was interested in finding out what you knew about Trent,” I began. “I know the two of you spent a lot of time together over the past couple of months.”
“I’m not sure what I can tell you.” Jeremy stirred at least ten packets of sugar into his iced tea , which I am fairly certain he drinks every one of the 365 days of the year. “He was a nice guy. Quiet. Lived in town but kept to himself. Seemed to work a lot. He frequently mentioned side jobs he did in the evening, after finishing with Kevin for the day.”
“Can you think of any side jobs in particular?” I asked as Jeremy tasted his drink and then added two more packets of sugar.
“I know he was helping Tawny with the preschool , and I remember him mentioning something about helping Old Man Johnson with some insulation.”
Old Man Johnson live s in a small cabin just outside of town. It had to be at least fifty years old, and the draft through the cracks on the log siding created temperatures resembling an icebox in the middle of winter. Old Man Johnson had lived in Ashton Falls as long as anyone could remember. He was a crusty sort who didn’t have a lot of use for people but loved animals. He’d adopted several dogs from the shelter over the years, and I felt that he and I were on good-enough terms that he’d talk to me. Maybe.
“Anything else? Did he ever mention a girlfriend or a group he socialized with?”
“Not that I can remember. It seemed to me like he worked most of the time , although he did say something about needing to leave early one of the times he was at the Zoo because he was going to dinner at someone’s house. I don’t remember him mentioning whose house it was, but
Similar Books
