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“Let’s say you’re right about what happened between Phoebe and Abby. Then how did Derrick’s fingerprints get on the doorknob? Unless he was telling the truth about being at the celebration?”
“Oh no. That was a big lie. I’m not sure how Derrick ties into all this, but he does. That’s why it’s so important that we do this séance. It’s the only way we can get Phoebe to tell us what really went down between her and Abby.”
“I feel like my brain is going to explode.”
“Mac and cheese to the rescue?”
He’s already out the car door. “You got it.”
We go in through the back way that leads into The Bistro kitchen, only I don’t have to use my key to get inside.
“You left the door unlocked?” Will snaps on the kitchen light. Everything looks in order.
“I was in such a hurry to go see Sebastian I must have forgotten to lock the door. No worries. I’ve never had a problem before. Besides, I have a watch dog now.” Speaking of which, it’s strange that Paco hasn’t run to greet me. “Paco!” I yell.
I open the stainless steel industrial refrigerator door and pull out a tub of macaroni and cheese. “We can eat it down here or take it up to my apartment. And if you’re a good boy, I might even let you see Ghost again.”
Will moans, but he’s also grinning, so I know he really doesn’t mind. As we climb the stairs, I turn on the lights to my apartment. “Paco, we have mac and cheese,” I say, trying to bribe him out from wherever he’s hiding.
I place the container on my kitchen counter and glance around my apartment. “That’s weird. Where do you think he is?”
“I’ll find him.” Will goes into my bedroom. “Paco,” he calls.
I pull two plates down from my cupboard.
“Lucy! Come here quick. In the bathroom.”
The tone in Will’s voice makes me drop the ceramic plates. They shatter into a thousand pieces as they hit the floor, but I don’t care. I run to the bathroom.
Paco is lying on the floor, just as still as Abby was only a few days ago.
Chapter Nineteen
“He’s still breathing.” Will rubs Paco’s back firmly. “C’mon, boy, that’s it.” He looks up at me. “We need to take him to the vet. Now.”
I’m so shocked I can’t move. But hearing Will’s commanding voice propels me into action. I grab a towel off the rack and toss it to him. “Here, wrap him up in this.”
Will drapes the towel around Paco and gently lifts him up into his arms. That’s when we both see the open bottle of Benadryl on the floor.
“Oh my God. He must have gotten into my medication.” I think I’m going to throw up.
Will looks me steadily in the eye. “Get the bottle, Lucy. We’ll need to show it to the vet.”
>
We’re dashing to the car when I realize that I have no idea where to take Paco. “He doesn’t have a vet…that is…”
“Call Lanie. She’ll know where to take him.”
Lanie directs me to an emergency vet’s office. “I’ll call ahead and explain what’s happened. I’ll meet you there, Lucy.”
An hour later, Will, Lanie and I are huddled in a small waiting room at the Gulfside Veterinary Clinic. The door opens. A woman in her forties with kind brown eyes greets us. Dr. Julia Brooks is monogrammed in teal over the right breast pocket of her lab coat. She searches our gazes. “Which of you is the dog’s owner?”
I stand up to face the music. “That would be me.”
She smiles tightly. “He’s going to be all right.”
A wave of relief washes over me like a tsunami. If anything had happened to Paco, I’d never forgive myself. “Thank you,” I croak. “Thank you so much.”
