Page 101 of A Dead End Christmas
"Neither did I," Jack admitted. "Seemed both too far-fetched—a huge corporation stealing two thousand dollars' worth of tools? Putting graffiti on the vet clinic? And, at the same time, too ridiculously obvious. UltraShopMart comes to town and a crime wave starts? Nobody would be simple enough to link the timing of their new site and the crimes like that."
"And they killed the wrong Santa," Andy said grimly.
"I doubt they were even supposed to kill him," Jack said, filling Andy in on the conversation we'd overheard between Craven and Merks. "Just get him out of the way, probably, until it was a done deal."
"It's a classic reverse-red-herring double-fake-out," I put in, my years of mystery reading coming in handy. "Nobody suspects the obvious."
"And they almost got away with it," Andy said grimly.
"Not in our town," Jack said.
"So, let's go arrest their butts!"
They both looked at me, and I got the sinking feeling that I would not be involved in the actual arrest.
"Fine." I threw my hands in the air. "I'm not a cop, anyway. I'll just hang out here and worry about you while you go fight for truth, justice, and the Dead End way of life."
Andy opened his mouth to say something, but just then the door slammed open, and Otis ran in, flustered and wild-eyed.
"Deputy Andy, I need your help to rescue some dogs."
After he inhaled half a bottle of water and sucked in a lot of oxygen, Otis could finally tell us his story.
"You know those gold coins, Tess?"
I nodded. "Yes, I haven't had a chance to get that one appraised yet, but—"
He drank the rest of his water and waved a hand. "Nah, that's not what's important now. I guess I should have said, but I just happened to be wandering around by the new UltraShopMart place one evening, and I just happened to look down in that giant hole they dug, and I saw something sparkling."
"Just happened," Andy said dryly, handing Otis another bottle of water.
Otis's face was the picture of innocence. "Yep. Didn't even realize it was their site."
"You thought a giant hole opened up in the ground for no reason?"
Otis shrugged. "It's Dead End."
Andy sighed. "Go on."
"Anyway, that's when I found those coins."
"Spanish gold, I'm pretty sure," I told Jack and Andy.
"I, ah, just wandered by there again today, thinking everybody would be down here at the festival, and maybe I'd have another look-see." Otis hunched his shoulders, looking miserable. "Should have known better. This time, they had guards there who ran me off with guns. Big guns."
"We're about to go down there and talk to them right now," Andy said grimly. "But you stay away from there, coins or no coins."
Otis shook his head impatiently. "This ain't about the coins, Andy. It's about the dogs."
"What dogs? Otis, you can tell me," I said gently. "How can we help the dogs? Is Beauty hurt? Did she fall in the hole?"
"Oh, no, Tess. I left her at home. Wouldn't take her anyplace dangerous. No, it's theotherdogs. The ones locked up in one of the trailers, crying and whimpering. Must be at least four or five in there, from the sound of it. We gotta help them!"
I put my hands on my hips. "That's it. I'm coming. I need to see about the dogs while you arrest everybody. I can call Charithra and Phin to help, too."
Andy frowned. "We are not bringing you or any other civilians into this until the danger is past, Tess. Promise to stay here, or I'll lock you in a cell until we get back."
Jack just shrugged when I turned my outraged stare on him.
