MSwift P.I. and the Case of the Missing Dog (Ch. 5)

Chapter Five



My night at the animal shelter taught me two very important things: 1. NEVER walk around an animal shelter in the dark, with nice shoes...12:03 PM Jul 27th from web

2. Next time, bring an oxygen tank and re-breather. They have all new smells inside that place.12:04 PM Jul 27th from web

I learned Carl Mavens was on duty when i was looking for a poodle. A nice woman was at the counter- he was in back and he signed out the K-912:05 PM Jul 27th from web

Mavens, as it happens, is 67, a neighbor of Donovan and a reserve officer at MPD. Time to pay him a visit...12:06 PM Jul 27th from web

I went down to the county courthouse today and dug around their files;divorce decrees, marriage licenses, property taxes,bankruptcies, etc4:29 PM Jul 29th from web

when I got back to the "no-tell" the desk clerk had a message for me from Mrs. V. She invited me over for lunch. just who i wanted to see4:30 PM Jul 29th from web

Being a freelance private investigator is a tough job. It's dirty work with few rewards so I wasn't about to turn down a free lunch. Too bad4:33 PM Jul 29th from web

Mrs. V met me at the front door wearing a colorful hat decorated with the plumage of some rare South American bird, a bib and little else...4:34 PM Jul 29th from web

"I do hope you like crabs, Mr. Swift." she drawled, like a real classy southern lady; A really drunk and nasty one.4:35 PM Jul 29th from web

"I had crabs once, but fortunately the doctor gave me some salve and the little buggers went away," I said. I stepped inside;kept my coat on4:36 PM Jul 29th from web

She sat me down at a long table covered with a cheap plastic table cloth and a pile of stone crabs. "Fresh from Maryland," she said4:54 PM Jul 29th from web

"I know all about you and Donovan" I said. she paused only a moment then grabbed her little hammer and started cracking crabs.4:55 PM Jul 29th from web

Crab meat and icky gray goo squirted everywhere. I pulled my hat down a bit and wrapped my coat a little tighter around me...4:55 PM Jul 29th from web

"And what do you know, Mr. Swift?" she said. She tried to seem confident, but there was fear in her eyes. And bits of crab meat.4:56 PM Jul 29th from web

She wiped her face with a linen napkin as I explained.4:57 PM Jul 29th from web

"I know you and he have been banging boots like teenagers every time Mr. V is out town." This time I was the one sounding confident.4:57 PM Jul 29th from web

She paused her smashing for a moment. She leaned her heaving busom across the table and batted her eye lashes. "Surely you understand..5:01 PM Jul 29th from web

" a woman such as myself has a rather large appetite." How could i argue with that?5:02 PM Jul 29th from web

"Mark, fills a need, if you will. A rather large hole...in my heart."5:03 PM Jul 29th from web

Not sure if it was the crab goo covering her face or the comment, but I did puke a little in my mouth; just forced it back down to my gut.5:03 PM Jul 29th from web

I explained that I knew all about his divorce and his lousy credit and wondered if he hadn't been using her for her money. My mistake.5:05 PM Jul 29th from web

"How dare you insinuate anything of the sort. Mark is a loving, caring, dear friend and he would never do such a thing!" she spat, w/ crab.5:05 PM Jul 29th from web

I wasn't convinced. I explained that I knew he was the one who trapped me in the restroom after setting me up with his K-9...5:06 PM Jul 29th from web

all she said was, "that poor, poor dog. The whole town loved that dog, you know. He saved a school bus full of children last spring..."5:07 PM Jul 29th from web

I quickly changed the subject.5:07 PM Jul 29th from web

"Well, if not Donovan then who? Who would want to hurt you? Or Mitzy?" I was grasping at straws here, but didn't want her to know it.5:10 PM Jul 29th from web

Realizing I had lost the trail she went back to smashing crabs, confidently. "That, Mr. Swift, is what I am paying to find out."5:11 PM Jul 29th from web

She offered me some crabs again, which I declined. Then she pushed another wad of bills across the table. "Surely, you can keep a secret."5:12 PM Jul 29th from web

I took the money, but felt a little dirty for it. Of course, maybe it was the crab goo that covered the front of my coat. Then I left.5:12 PM Jul 29th from web

As I walked away she called from the table-"My husband returns in a week, Mr. Swift. You'll have this solved by then, yes?" I just nodded.5:13 PM Jul 29th from web

Back at the motel I am left to wonder: If not Donovan, then who? And why? I smell like dead crabs and need a shower.5:14 PM Jul 29th from web

Oh yeah, I have a profile pic I can post; it's not me but if you look in the background you can see my old ice cream truck, before the fire.5:15 PM Jul 29th from web

@mswiftsmom yes i got the underwear. I really appreciate all the hearts on the box and the big black lettering: UNDERWEAR12:49 PM Jul 31st from web in reply to mswiftsmom

@mswiftsmom my socks are fine, ty12:49 PM Jul 31st from web in reply to mswiftsmom

@mswiftsmom please no more packages! If you really want to help, send me a hair analysis kit....just kidding...12:50 PM Jul 31st from web in reply to mswiftsmom

about those hairs...I conducted a litany of tests in my mobile lab and determined...I have no idea how to use this equipment...12:51 PM Jul 31st from web