31. Bailey

Icalled Vera, who'd come over earlier to let Mozzie out into the backyard, but she didn't pick up. Braving the storm, Katar and I raced to Carole's house and knocked on her door.

She opened it, yawning while peering at both of us. "Bailey?" Her gaze took in Katar. "What's up?"

"Have you seen Mozzie?" Sometimes, he'd wander into her backyard, and she'd let him in. She kept chopped liver in her fridge to give him as a treat.

She stilled, and her frantic gaze shot to my house. "No, no, he isn't here."

I shook my head. "He's not at home, and I don't know how long he's been gone. The detective came, and I was distracted and didn't notice he wasn't there earlier."

"Detective?"

"He was waving handcuffs around and insisting he was going to arrest me and—"

"Arrest you for what?" She grabbed my hand and tugged me inside her gorgeous kitchen.

Katar followed us inside, shutting the door. He remained on the mat, looking around.

"Sit." Carole urged me into one of her mahogany bar stools. She poured me a glass of wine and nudged it toward me. "Drink. Breathe." Holding up the bottle, she tilted her head toward Katar.

"No thank you," he said, remaining where he was.

I sipped and placed the glass on the gleaming countertop.

Carole leaned her forearms on it and stared at me intently. "Tell me what's going on." I explained and her face filled with concern. "This makes no sense. Of course you didn't steal the book. Someone did, and I bet it's in a private collection by now."

"That's what I assume," I said with a sigh. "I don't know what to do."

"You're innocent. I'll call the detective and chew him out, tell him to leave you alone."

I appreciated that she'd speak up for me.

"As for Mozzie, you need to call the detective and tell him to investigate that instead." Her face crumpled. "I bet whoever left that fake book in your house took him or he got out somehow. Poor old guy." She rushed to her back window and peered out. "It's still raining. Cold. You've got to find him."

After taking another sip of wine, I rose and walked to the back door. "You're right. I need to call the detective."

"Keep me updated." Carole walked over and gave me a big hug. I was so grateful to have her as a friend. "Let me know if you find him. Please?"

I nodded and we left, returning home.

Collapsing on the sofa, I started to sob. "Mozzie. Mozzie."

"Let me go look around the neighborhood," Katar said. "Maybe he's hiding nearby, underneath a bush. He knows me. He'll come to my call."

"And if you don't find him?" My poor little pup. He was old. He needed me as much as I did him.

"We're going to find him. I promise."