Page 17 of The Body in the Backyard

“Ithought you said we were going shopping for masquerade outfits?” Riley was feeling skeptical as Nick led her and Burt up the steps of the town house with a rainbow welcome mat.

The dog stuck his face in the planter of flowers, his long whiplike tail joyfully whapping Riley across the backs of her thighs.

“Trust me. I’ve got a guy,” Nick said as he rang the doorbell.

“Also, you didn’t tell me this was a dress-nice outing,” she complained. Her jeans and thermal shirt seemed too casual next to Nick’s fitted polo and butt-hugging trousers. A woman on the sidewalk had walked into a trash can when Nick got out of the car.

“Anyone asks—especially the guy who answers this door—I dress like this all the time,” he warned.

The slap of flip-flops approached the other side of the door before it opened to reveal a trim white guy with a tidy mustache, short graying hair, and a pair of expensive-looking headphones around his neck.

“Nick Santiago,” the man said, putting a hand on one hip. “You’re looking delicious.”

Nick tugged on the collar of his shirt. “Thanks. I dress like this all the time now.” He gave Riley a nudge.

“Uh, yes. I can confirm. He even sleeps in his Dockers.”

“Too far. Too far,” he muttered from the side of his mouth. “Okay, let’s get this over with. Alistair, this is my girlfriend, Riley. Riley, Alistair. We need you to play fairy godfather.”

“A fairy godfather requestandI finally get to meet the infamous girlfriend?” Alistair said with an approving nod at Nick.

“Oh my God! You’retheAlistair! I’m a huge fan of your makeover work. I used to work with Downer Daryl after his divorce. The whole office was so happy once you got him showering again.”

She shook his hand enthusiastically while Nick looked at her as if she’d lost her damn mind.

“My reputation precedes me. Come in, come in. Tell me more about this fairy godfather favor.”

Burt let out a lowwoofat a passing bumblebee.

“Is that a medium-size pony?” Alistair asked.

“Oh yeah. This is Burt. He’s a dog,” Nick said.

“But we also think he’s part human. He kind of goes where we go. I can wait outside with him if your house—which I’m assuming is really awesome—is not large-dog friendly,” Riley offered.

“Bring him along. Just don’t let my husband see him. Danny is Team Pets That Fit in Aquariums.”

“Behave yourself, Burt,” Nick warned. The dog gave him a baleful look and trotted inside.

“This is so exciting,” Riley whispered to Nick as they followed him inside. Alistair’s town house was actually two units opening into each other, providing a large living and dining space with a massive kitchen at the back. Everything was designer-magazine perfection.

“You have good timing. I just finished up my last chapter for the day,” Alistair said, pulling a pretty glass pitcher of cucumber lemon water from a huge stainless steel refrigerator.

Burt poked his nose into a brass umbrella stand holding a plume of peacock feathers, then sneezed.

“Alistair narrates audiobooks when he’s not improving the men of Harrisburg,” Nick explained.

“It’s not quite as exciting as being a private investigator, but it’s an entertaining way to pay the bills.” Alistair poured water into three tall, skinny glasses. He topped each one with precise slivers of lemon before distributing them.

Nick sniffed his glass with suspicion while Alistair filled a crystal bowl with tap water and put it on a silk place mat on the floor for Burt.

“Drink it,” Riley hissed at Nick.

“I like my water unfancy and unfruited,” he complained under his breath.

“We’re about to asktheAlistair to Cinderella us. Drink the damn water.”

Nick took a sip, and his face contorted. Riley stepped on his foot.