Honestly, Tassie was wondering where Sara was too. According to Lucy, Sara had made bail a little before noon. That was almost an hour ago. Maybe there was a lot of paperwork to fill out. Or she could be strategizing with her lawyer. Tassie had never been arrested, so she wasn’t sure.

  Telling herself that had to be it, Tassie finished rolling out the dough she’d just made, the aroma of peanut butter and cinnamon wafting up to her nose. Picking up the squirrel-shaped biscuit cutter, she pressed it carefully into the dough, then transferred the doggy treats to the metal tray. The repetitive motion helped keep her mind off Sara and her predicament.

  As Tassie had expected, the whole town was talking about the murder. Not surprisingly, everyone seemed genuinely stunned that the police thought Sara killed Conrad. On the flip side, they also said they could understand if she had. It was the main topic of conversation among Pupcakes’ customers today, that was for sure.

  And maybe their dogs, too, if the looks poor Roxie was sending their way was any indication. More likely though, she was simply anxious about Sara.

  As if on cue, the door to the shop opened and Sara walked in. Her eyes were red, like she’d been crying and her face was pale. All in all, she looked exhausted and completely wrung out. And who could blame her? She’d been arrested for murder and spent the night in a jail cell.

  Tassie put the tray of doggy biscuits she’d just made into the oven and turned on the timer, then quickly stripped off the disposable vinyl gloves she wore when she baked, tossing them in the trash can as she moved out from behind the counter to greet Sara. Roxie beat her to it, tail wagging happily at the sight of her mommy. Sara immediately picked her up, hugging her close and burying her face against Roxie’s fur.

  The sight made Tassie’s heart squeeze. Sara couldn’t go to prison. Poor Roxie would be devastated.

  Sara gave Tassie a small smile as she walked over. “Thank you for babysitting Roxie.”

  “Of course.” Tassie returned her smile, leaning in to give her a hug. “Are you okay?”

  Dumb question. Sara was being accused of murder. Who’d be okay with that?

  “I’m better now,” Sara said softly, caressing Roxie’s fur even as she nervously took in all of the people in the store.

  People who were eyeing Sara with a mix of compassion and pity. While Tassie was sure Sara would appreciate their kind words and offers of support, she wasn’t sure her friend could handle it right now.

  “Let’s go in the back,” Tassie said, putting her hand on Sara’s arm and urging her in that direction.

  Catching Abby’s eye, Tassie motioned toward the break room as they went, Baxter falling into step beside her, butt wiggling and tail high in the air.

  The break room at Pupcakes was part kitchenette and part doggy playroom. The big plush chairs, comfy dog donut beds, and colorful decor were eclectic to say the least, but somehow, they worked.

  Tassie slalomed her way through the stuffed doggy toys on the floor, glancing over her shoulder. “Want some tea?”

  Sara sank down onto one of the lavender colored stuffed chairs with a grateful sigh. “I’d love some. Thanks.”

  Tassie opened the fancy bamboo tea box Lucy had gotten her and Abby when they’d opened the store and took out two bags of green tea, then filled the electric kettle and turned it on. Her grandmother used to say that tea always tasted better when you heated the water in a kettle instead of the microwave. Tassie wasn’t quite sure about that, but the tea kettle reminded her of her nana whenever she used it—even if it wasn’t the old-fashioned kind that went on top of the stove—so she opted for it over the microwave all the time. Even now, despite everything going on with Sara, Tassie couldn’t help smiling a little.

  When the water was hot, she poured it into the mugs with the tea bags, then carried them over to the low table along with some sweetener packets. Sitting down in the other chair, Tassie opened two of the packs and sprinkled it in her tea.

  Sara sweetened her own tea before picking up the mug and taking a slow sip. Cup in hand, she sat back in the chair. “This is just what I needed. Thank you.”

  “I still can’t believe the police arrested you,” Tassie said, getting comfortable in her own chair.

  On his round, fluffy bed on the floor, Baxter seemed to be listening with half an ear while he chewed on a stuffed squirrel. As for Roxie, she’d taken up residence beside Sara’s chair, head resting on her paws as she relaxed.

  Sara gazed down at her mug thoughtfully. “When they came to my apartment, I thought Detective Sterling wanted to ask me some more questions. I never thought he was there to arrest me for murder.” She looked at Tassie. “I didn’t kill Conrad.”

  Tassie glanced at Baxter to see if her friend was lying, then immediately felt badly about it. She was relieved when her pup continued to chew on his toy instead of giving her his patented side-eye look. Of course, Sara didn’t kill anyone!

  She reached over to give Sara’s hand a comforting squeeze. “I already knew that. And so does everyone who knows you.”

  Sara nodded and gave her a small smile. “That didn’t stop my lawyer from trying to talk me into taking a plea deal for a reduced sentence. He wants me to admit to something I didn’t do so we can avoid a trial.”

  Drats. If he was suggesting that, then he must feel like the police had an open-and-shut case against Sara. This was looking worse by the minute.

  “You aren’t thinking of doing that, right?” Tassie asked.

  “No. My boyfriend said his buddy, Warren, is a very good lawyer, and I’m sure he is, but I won’t confess to something I didn’t do.”

  While Tassie was relieved to hear that, all she could focus on was a certain tidbit of other information that Sara had let slip. “Wait a minute. You have a boyfriend? When did you start seeing someone? And why didn’t I know about this?”

  Sara blushed a little and reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “Tristan and I just started dating a little while ago.”

  That wasn’t a very common name and there was only one Tristan that Tassie knew about in Bluewater Bay. He was a guitar player and lead singer of the band, The Grunge Collective, that played at a club called Breakers in town.

  He was also…

  “Conrad Meyer’s son?” she practically squeaked.

  Sara’s face colored even more as she held up a hand. “I know what you’re thinking. But Tristan isn’t like his father. He’s sweet and kind and he loves animals.”

  “I wasn’t thinking that at all. I know you wouldn’t date him if he was anything like Conrad. I was thinking that it must be awkward dating the son of the man whom people think you murdered.”

  “Tristan knows I didn’t kill him,” Sara said.

  Considering his friend was Sara’s lawyer, Tassie figured as much. But still, the whole coincidence was kind of crazy.

  “Detective Sterling said that Conrad’s neighbor saw you follow him into his house yesterday,” Tassie said quietly. “Is that true?”

  Sara hesitated for a moment, but then nodded.

  Drats. Tassie had been hoping the neighbor got that wrong.

  “Why did you do that?” she asked.

  Sara reached down to pet Roxie, her expression distant. “He said all these hateful things about Roxie then just turned and walked away like it was nothing. I don’t know what I was trying to accomplish by continuing to fight with him. It was dumb.”

  “Okay. You were defending Roxie. I get that,” Tassie said. “But what about the other time you followed him into his house?”

  Her friend looked at her sharply. “You know about that?”

  Tassie nodded. “Detective Sterling told me. That same neighbor saw you.”

  Sara let out a groan, sinking deeper into her chair, shoulders slumping. “A few weeks ago, Tristan and I stopped by Conrad’s house on the way to the dog park. Knowing how much Conrad hated dogs anywhere near his lawn, I told Tristan that maybe I should wait out on the sidewalk while he went to see what his father wanted to talk to him about, but he said it’d be fine. That his father wouldn’t say anything if Roxie and I were with him.”

  “But Conrad did?”

  “Yeah,” Sara said. “Conrad flew off the handle the minute Tristan and I walked around to the backyard even though I was holding Roxie. When he said he didn’t want Roxie and me there, Tristan got into this big fight with him. Conrad said some pretty ugly things to Tristan before we left.”

  Since most everyone got on the receiving end of Conrad’s bad temper, why not his son? Still, that was still harsh.

  “Anyway,” Sara continued. “After we went to the dog park, Tristan had to get to rehearsal with the guys in the band, so I dropped Roxie off at my place, then went back to talk to Conrad. I wanted to make him see how much he’d hurt Tristan, but he didn’t want to hear it. That’s when I picked up that stupid model ship and left my fingerprints all over it. I was emphasizing my point to Conrad that he put more importance on stuff like that than he did his own son. I finally realized I was wasting my breath, so I left.”

  Tassie knew there was a good explanation for Sara’s prints being on the murder weapon. “Did you tell Detective Sterling any of this?”

  Sara nodded. “And my lawyer, too. Warren said that it only makes me look like more of a suspect because I had a problem with Conrad.”

  From their point of view, Tassie supposed she could understand that. But just because Sara had an issue with Conrad doesn’t automatically make her a murderer.

  “The police will find the real murderer, Sara,” Tassie said. “You’ll see.”

  Her friend nodded, but she didn’t look convinced.

  Sighing, Tassie offered her a small smile she hoped was reassuring. “Tell me about Tristan. How did the two of you meet?”

  Sara’s lips curved, her face immediately brightening. “At Hug in a Mug. We bumped into each other—literally. We both go there to get coffee practically every day but that was the first time we ever saw each other. We got to talking, then met up later for dinner before going to Breakers so I could listen to his band.”

  “Sounds like all the makings of a great first date to me,” Tassie said with a grin.

  Sara laughed. “It was.” Then she sighed, her face clouding with worry. “I really like him, Tassie—a lot. And now I might go to jail for the rest of my life for murdering his father.” She looked down at her dog, eyes filling with tears. “What about poor Roxie? I’m the only mommy she’s ever known. If I go to prison…” She shook her head. “I know you said the police will find the real murderer, but what if they don’t?”

  “They will,” Tassie said firmly. “And if they don’t, then I’ll do it.”

  Her friend stared at her in obvious confusion. “You?”

  “Yes, me. I’m going to find out who the real killer is. Because I’m not letting my friend go to prison.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Abby asked.

  Tassie was taking advantage of the afternoon lull in customers to fill in her sister—as well as Lucy, who’d stopped by on her break—on her plan to uncover the real murderer.

  “Am I sure? No,” Tassie said. “Am I doing it anyway? Yes.”

  Lucy frowned at her over the rim of the cup of ginger tea she’d gotten from Hug in a Mug, which was directly across the street from Pupcakes. “This isn’t an episode of Murder She Wrote. Going after a killer is dangerous. You know that, right?”

  Murder She Wrote was one of Tassie’s comfort shows. The mysteries were fun, and Jessica Fletcher always figured out who the killer was. She made it all look very easy, too. Tassie wasn’t dumb. She knew it wouldn’t be that simple in real life, but she had to try anyway.

  Over by where he was sniffing around the display case that showcased the various doggy birthday-slash-gotcha-day cakes and biscuits Pupcakes sold, Baxter perked up his ears in their direction with an expression that suggested he was siding with Abby and Lucy on this. That was probably because he’d seen every episode of Murder She Wrote right along with Tassie.

  “I know, but I have to do this. I have to,” Tassie said, as much to make Baxter understand as Abby and Lucy. She sighed. “Sara got arrested because of me.”

  They both frowned this time, clearly confused.

  “What are you talking about?” Abby asked.

  Tassie hesitated, ashamed to admit how stupid she’d been. “I told Detective Sterling that Sara spoke to Conrad right before he was murdered because I thought she might have seen something to help him with his investigation. I never dreamed Conrad’s neighbor heard Sara fighting with him and then running out of his house around the time he was murdered.”

  There. She’d said it. The whole ugly truth.

  “You didn’t get Sara arrested. You simply told Jack what Sara told you,” Lucy said. “He arrested Sara because a witness heard her fighting with Conrad, then running out of his house.”

  Baxter pranced over to jump into Tassie’s lap where she sat on the highboy chair behind the counter where the cash register was. The unconditional love in his beautiful brown eyes made her heart squeeze in her chest. She booped his nose with hers, then pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

  “While you could be right—and I’m not saying you are—I still have to help Sara any way I can. She didn’t kill Conrad,” Tassie finally said. “But I promise I’ll be careful. All I’m going to do is ask around town and see if anyone knows anything.”

  Abby and Lucy exchanged looks.

  “What can we do to help?” Abby asked after a moment.

  Tassie thought a moment. Investigating Conrad’s murder was going to take up a huge chunk of time, there was no doubt about it. She hated the idea of abandoning her sister and the store though.

  “What about your session with Isaac?” Tassie asked.

  Her sister waved a hand. “Finn and I are seeing him tomorrow, so I’m free.”

  “Okay,” Tassie said. “We’ve got orders for a few doggy birthday parties I was going to work on, so could you take care of those?”

  Abby nodded. “I can do that. What about the baby shower?”

  Tassie stifled a groan. Planning Lucy’s upcoming baby shower, on the other hand, was going to be a lot trickier. She couldn’t put that on Abby’s plate too. “I was supposed to check out some restaurants about catering, so I guess I’ll do that in between investigating.”

  Maybe she could invite everyone on her suspect list out to lunch at the various restaurants she was thinking about having cater the party. Who in this town didn’t love a good lobster roll? Well, except her, of course.

  “Or I could do it for you,” Lucy offered excitedly.

  “You’re determined to plan your own baby shower, aren’t you?” Tassie asked.

  Her eyes twinkled. “I’m determined to help you plan it.”

  Tassie shook her head, half-exasperated, half-amused. “Okay. I’ll text you the names of the restaurants.”

  “Excellent!” Lucy grinned, clearly reveling in her win. “So, where are you going to start? Investigating, I mean.”

  That was a good question. And the answer to it was simple so she didn’t have to think about it for long.

  “I’m going to talk to the neighbor who told the police she saw Sara fighting with Conrad,” Tassie told them. “She said she didn’t see anyone else going into or leaving the house, but maybe she did and it slipped her mind or something.”

  Considering the woman was talking to Detective Handsome at the time, Tassie supposed that was understandable. The man had the ability to be very distracting.

  “It’s worth a try,” Lucy said. “Keep us in the loop.”

  “I will.” She kissed Baxter on top of his nose. “Come on, baby. Let’s go for a walk.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Margot Henderson’s home was as warm and inviting on the outside as Conrad’s was cold and unfriendly. In addition to the colorful bird feeders in front of the big picture window, several garden statues were nestled in the sweeping flowerbeds among the golden yellow witch hazel shrubs. Tassie spotted a bunny, a cat, and a few gnomes among the collection. The fact that the houses were right beside each other made the contrast even more jarring.

  “Okay, Baxter,” she said, heading up the walkway toward the house. “Time to do our best Jessica Fletcher impersonation.”

  Taking a deep breath, she pressed the bell and waited.

  The door opened a few moments later to reveal a slim woman of about seventy with glasses. She wore her silver hair in a braid over one shoulder and held a plump tabby cat in her arms that regarded them with a lazy curiosity that only a feline could manage. The woman gave Tassie a smile, and an even bigger one to Baxter.

  “Ms. Henderson?” Tassie asked.

  “Yes,” she said, the friendly smile never leaving her face.

  “I’m Tassie Drake. I’m a friend of Sara Larson.”

  Arms still around her cat, she shook her head with a sigh. “That poor girl. Such dreadful business. I can’t believe the police think she murdered Conrad.”

  Tassie grimaced a little. “You and me both. I was wondering if I could talk to you about Conrad if you have a minute.”

  “Of course.” She gave Tassie an apologetic look. “Conrad and I weren’t exactly friendly, but I’ll tell you anything I can. Come in.”

  Smiling in thanks, Tassie led Baxter inside.

  Margot Henderson’s home was—in a word—charming. Two rose-colored couches with embroidered pillows sat perpendicular to the fireplace and the TV above it, an antique white coffee table in between them. A big knitting basket was beside the arm of the couch opposite the picture window, which meant that was probably where the older woman mostly sat, while a tall cat tree occupied the space behind the other couch so her tabby could gaze out at the birds on the feeders as well as the sidewalk and whoever walked past. Framed photos of what were most certainly family and friends lined the mantel as well as filled the walls to either side.