Chapter 27

Melissa carried the yellow roses into her office.

“Hey Sam” she greeted the secretary cheerily.

“What are you looking for?” Sam asked when she bent down to look in the cupboard.

“A vase. For these flowers.” Melissa said. “Aha!” Grabbing a glass vase with cracked glass effect, Melissa disappeared into the bathroom to put water and flowers in.

When she returned to the office Elaine had joined Sam, sidelong glances were exchanged between the two.

“Everything okay?” Melissa asked. Placing the flowers on her desk, Elaine spoke to her “Can I speak to you in private please?”

“Of course. Sam we can have our meeting in a few minutes. Go take a break or something.” Melissa said well aware that conversations could be heard through the door of someone listened hard enough.

“Sit down Elaine, is everything okay? You can speak openly here.” Melissa asked clearly worried.

“Listen I know I made it this big secret, but I wanted to ask you this privately. I know you normally shut the office down for two weeks over Christmas and New Year, and you spend it with your parents.” Elaine took a deep breath, she was quite nervous.

She’d grown fond of Melissa, she was a great Boss, and her father before her, firm but fair. If you were fired then you must have done something really bad.

“I know your parents are in the U.K. and you’ll be alone this year. So I’m asking, would you please come spend Christmas at my house?”

Melissa sat there stunned and open mouthed.

“Elaine?” She started

“Well what would you be doing if I hadn’t offered?” Elaine asked

“I’d probably be working.” Melissa let this slip by accident. She liked Elaine and for some reason couldn’t say no to her, she was an excellent person and obviously a force to be reckoned with, Melissa looked at Elaine, the older woman raised her eyebrows.

“Oh no no. That won’t do at all. I will not have you spend Christmas alone. You will come to ours Christmas Eve, stay the night and leave the day after Boxing Day. Don’t worry there’ll be enough food, and my sons and my daughter will be there. This will be great.” Elaine spoke with determination “So come to mine at 10:00 on Christmas Eve. Bring your gorgeous self.” Elaine left the room grabbing her phone out of her pocket.

She nearly bumped into Sam on her way out, because she wasn’t paying attention.

“What was that about?” Sam asked

“I. I think I’m not going to be alone at Christmas.” Melissa blurted out. Then started to laugh.

Sam looked puzzled, but left an envelope in Melissa’s inbox, then left.

Melissa brought up the internal communications system and messaged Elaine. Clearly she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

From Melissa to Elaine - So there might be a problem for Christmas. I have three dogs, a St Bernard, A German and Belgian Shepherd, I can’t leave them because it’s them I’m supposed to be looking after. Can I bring them with me?

From Elaine to Melissa - Oh yes. Of course. That would be wonderful.

Melissa then worried how she would get three big dogs like Storm, Sully and Ebony into her Porsche.

“I’ll just have to borrow Dad’s SUV.” She murmured.

Melissa took the the envelope out of the inbox and looked at it.

There inside was Ebony’s collar and a note and a photograph

“This is what happens to bitches” Melissa read it out loud.

Looking at the photograph Melissa was shocked. There lay Ebony with what looked like a gunshot wound, and blood on the floor around her body.

“Oh my god.” Melissa said and ran to the bathroom to throw up.

Tears running down her face, she picked up her mobile and pulled up Brock’s number.

After three rings Brock answered “Hello Melissa.”

Hiccuping sobs came down the other end of the line.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

Melissa finally managed to get the words out “Can you come to my office please. I need you to look at something.”

“Sure. Be there in ten.” And he hung up. Pressing the intercom button for Sam she said “You can leave early today, Mr Milligan is coming to talk about Featherlite. Once you’ve shown him in you can go.”

Releasing the intercom button, Melissa sat there staring into space, Brock arrived after 15 minutes, it had felt close to an hour. While she waited for him she thought to herself ‘I did the right thing ringing Brock, he could tell me straight away of the picture is real or not. With the police it would take forever. And that’s if it’s real. If it is isn’t I don’t want to bother them.’ How about this.

With her back to the office door Melissa sat in her chair when Sam opened the door.

“Melissa, Mr Milligan is here.” He coughed before he spoke.

“Thanks Sam. See you tomorrow.” Melissa said. Once the door had snapped shut, she turned around.

“You got the flowers then? Are you okay?” Brock asked grabbing a chair and pulling it up next to her.

“Can you check if a photograph is real or fake?” Melissa asked

“Yeah. I have a machine for it, but generally I can tell by looking at it.” Brock said almost proudly.

Handing him the photo she said “If this is real beware.”

Taking a look at the photo, Brock could see this wasn’t a fake. He knew this was Melissa’s dog.

“Well?” Melissa asked

“I’m afraid it’s real.” Brock said sadly.

“I thought so.” Melissa replied in a quiet voice.

“What’s going on?” Brock asked

She showed him the collar and the note, “I need to get home.” She said picking up her things in a daze. Brock hugged her, “Oh I’m sorry.” Holding her tightly as she sobbed. “This seems to be becoming a habit. Me crying on your chest.”

“I wanted to know the photo was real. And I didn’t know who else to call, if it wasn’t the police can’t do anything, it’s just a photo.”

He said simply “You can cry on my chest anytime. That’s what friends do. We support each other.”

Brock put his hand on her arm, she looked at him, “Come on I’ll drive you home.”

Grabbing her things she stood and headed out of the office, with Brock leading the way.

The office was empty, which Melissa was grateful for.

Getting into his Prius, he opened the door for Melissa, she climbed in.

“Right, let’s go.” Brock pulled out of the car park.

Pulling up on the drive, Melissa got out of the car before Brock as properly stopped.

Grabbing the keys she opened the door and ran through the house.

Opening the back door she went into the back garden, there on the path was Ebony’s body, she had not only been shot, but had her paws and long tail cut off, Melissa hoped they were after she had died. Sully and Storm were nowhere to be seen.

Falling to her knees she cried, hard. Then threw up in a plant pot that Ryan secretly used for smoking cigarettes.

Brock came running through as she let out a guttural scream.

“Melissa what’s” he never finished his sentence as he turned round and threw up in the same place as she did.

“Oh my god.” Brock quickly came to his senses.

“Melissa.” Putting a hand on her shoulder. “Did she have a favourite blanket? Or do you have an old sheet?”

Melissa nodded, getting up she walked into the house and came back with a tartan blanket, “This was her favourite blanket.” While Melissa was still crying Brock gently placed the blanket over Ebony’s body.

“Ok. I have a friend who works for an animal cemetery, they also do cremations, I can take her there if you like.” Brock said gently.

Melissa still crying “Yeah could he cremate her please?”

Brock hugged her again. “Are you okay? What o mean is do you want to come or....?”

“No.” Melissa said “Who would do this to a dog? She wasn’t aggressive. She was lovely and sweet, she would take food right out of your hand. Why would someone kill my dog?”

“I don’t know sweetheart. Go inside. Let me take Ebony. I will be back afterwards.” Brock gently lifted the blanket covered Ebony. Melissa walked with him to the car,

“Can you get my keys out of my pants pocket and open the car please?” Brock asked

Doing as he asked she opened the boot, Brock lay her gently on the floor of the boot. Melissa said “I hope she was happy here.”

Brock laughed and said “Yes. I didn’t know her but I can only imagine how much you spoilt her. Treated her like a Princess.”

This earned a sad smile from Melissa.

“I promise I will be careful with her.” Brock said putting a hand on her shoulder.

Getting in he quickly drove off to the pet cemetery and crematorium.