Death of a Bacon Heiress by Lee Hollis Page B

pet was thinking.
    And she made enough money to pay all her bills.
    Hayley shook her hand. “Yes. Hello, Flossie. I mean Madame Flossie.”
    â€œI would never disturb you at such a late hour, but I’ve been listening to all the reports on my police scanner at home about the awful events that happened at the Redmond Estate.”
    â€œYes. It’s very tragic,” Hayley said, still clueless why this woman was standing on her doorstep at one in the morning.
    â€œIs he here?”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œThe potbellied pig.”
    â€œYou mean Pork Chop?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œNo. I’m afraid the police took him over to Dr. Palmer’s vet clinic for an examination earlier this evening and he’s being kept there until they can figure out what to do with him.”
    â€œI see. It’s vitally important I speak with him.”
    â€œDoctor Palmer?”
    â€œNo. The pig.”
    â€œYou want to . . . talk to Pork Chop?”
    â€œYes. He may have witnessed Olivia Redmond’s murder. He may be able to give me a description of her killer.”
    Hayley just stood there, dumbfounded.
    She was skeptical to be sure. But she was also intrigued.
    â€œSo can you help me get access to the pig so I can question him?” Madame Flossie asked, wringing her hands, her eyes as big as saucers.
    It was the silliest idea Hayley had ever heard.
    And yet she found herself saying yes.
    She was going to help Madame Flossie have a psychic sit down with a murder witness who just happened to be a potbellied pig.

Chapter 12
    Aaron couldn’t stop laughing on the other end of the phone.
    Hayley sighed. “Fine. Get it out. I’ll wait.”
    She had called him the moment she got to the office the following morning, and after explaining how Madame Flossie wanted to come by his clinic to have a psychic chat with Pork Chop, the potbellied pig, the giggles erupted and had yet to subside.
    â€œLook, I know it sounds ridiculous, but the woman was pretty adamant, and who knows, she may find out something valuable.”
    â€œFrom the pig?” Aaron asked, his voice cracking as he let loose with another machine gun spurt of laughter.
    â€œLook, she may very well be a kook, but what do we have to lose?”
    â€œOh, I don’t know, my reputation, perhaps? Especially if word gets out I’m having séances at my practice and talking to the animals like Dr. Dolittle!”
    â€œNobody has to know.”
    She could see Aaron shaking his head in disbelief on the other end of the phone, probably raking a hand through his wavy brown hair as he considered the risk he was taking if someone were to be tipped off about Pork Chop’s psychic interrogation at his vet clinic.
    She had been waiting for the right moment to call him, perhaps reconnect again after he brushed her off when she showed up at his office earlier in the week. So why on earth had she chosen this harebrained scheme to get him on the phone so she could hear his voice?
    â€œIf it’s too much, maybe I can just check him out of the clinic and take him over to my house after work and do it there?” Hayley said, now embarrassed she had even called him.
    â€œNo, he’s been very stressed and skittish since the cops brought him in here, and his blood pressure is off the charts. I want to keep him here so I can monitor his vitals. He’s clearly traumatized by what happened to Ms. Redmond.”
    â€œSo your answer is no?”
    There was a long pause as he considered.
    Aaron chuckled. “I guess there’s no harm in letting this Madame Flora . . .”
    â€œFlossie. Madame Flossie.”
    â€œWhatever. Tell her she can come by around lunchtime. I’ll let her use my spare exam room, and she has no more than twenty minutes with him.”
    â€œThank you, Aaron.”
    â€œAnd I want you here to make sure she doesn’t do anything too nutty. Up until today, this has been a respectable