M FOR MURDER

Part 1

In the darkness, a phone rings & someone picks up the phone. "Murders R Us. You nab 'em, we slab 'em! Number 2 speaking." "My code name is Bow Wow. Let me speak to Number 1." "Not here, Bow Wow." "When will he be back?" "Ten to twenty." "Minutes?" "Years." "But he said you were professionals!" "We are. But he got careless. Number 2 tries harder. Number 2 won't get careless." "Then you understand what I want....right?" "Of course Bow Wow." "Clam Cove Inn. The 13th. And don't mess up. I'll be watching." "Don't sweat it. Just make sure you have the cash." "I already paid you 10,000. "That was the down payment. This isn't an easy job! Once the job is done you pay!" The phone is slammed down.

"Hello! Anyone here?" A red Shiba Inu trotted into the Clam Cove Inn. She tapped the front desk bell then climbed up to the French window. A Chesapeake Bay Retriever pup ran up behind her and yapped "Boo!" & the Shiba Inu jumped and almost fell out of the window. The pup grabbed her. "I got ya lady!" "Thank you young man. She glared at him. "You can let go now." "Are you sure? It's a long ways down." They both look down. "And you'll find out in a minute how long down it is if you don't let go." She said smartly. The pup let go of her instant and said, "Just trying to help, lady." "You could have killed me!" "Well there ain't nothin' else to do in this crummy joint. Once they get you over here on that stupid boat, you're stuck until the next day! The dingy babes that run this joint don't even own a dinghy!" "Why don't you try and find Miss Beaupree for me?" "Are you a guest?" "Yes. My name's Lila Dean." "Pretty stupid name, I'm Rodney Wilton." Lila growled at him then his sister came. "Come on Rodney! You have to help come clamming!" Rodney said. "I hate clamming! That is my sister Rhonda. " Lila goes to tap the bell again then Rodney took a trumpet and blew it hard. "Here they come. You're welcome Lila." "That's enough to wake the dead!" Lila snapped. Lila rubbed her ears then nodded bye then looked at a black/white Papillon walk out to meet her. "Miss Beaupree?" "Which one?" "How many are there of you?" Lila asked. "Come on out girls!" 2 more Papillons appear. "I'm Faith." Said the black/white one. "I'm Hope." Said a brown/white one. "And I'm Charity." said the tan/white one. "I'm Lila Dean." She answered. Hope replied, "What a pretty name. Would you like to check in?" "Yes please." "Do you know Colonel Horace Clamskey? He is coming here tonight." Charity asked. "I work as a waitress for him!" Lila answered. "I wanted to let him try one of my new recipes. So can I use your kitchen?" "Yes you may. But first get settled in then we will give you everything you need!" Hope said happily. "Oh thank you! You don't know how much this means to me!" Lila said before she rushed up to her room. The sisters smile and hear a scream from the porch.

Rodney rushed in with a small crab on his nose. Hope shrieks and Rodney yelps. Mrs. Wilton hugged her pup and said, "Quick get it off!" Faith runs and comes back with a big knife. "Now just hold still." Faith said. "Don't you dare, you...you....maniac! This is my little Rodney here!" "Sit on the couch right now!" Mr. Wilton said then he grabbed the crab. He struggled trying to pull it off but only made Rodney whimper more. "He should have never stuck his nose in the sand. What does he think he is? A ostrich!?" Rhonda said smartly. Charity quickly said, "Crabs like the soothing sound of a lullaby." Rhonda rolled her eyes. The Papillons sang a lullaby and Mr. Wilton grabbed the crab and lifts it off his nose. "You saved little Rodney's life!" Mrs. Wilton said cheerfully. The family walked up the stairs to their room. A Giant Schauzner walked in the room yelling, "The answer is no, Cousin Calvin! No, no, no, NO!" A Rhodesian Ridgeback wearing a fedora with an Ace card in it followed after Colonel Horace Clamskey. "But Horace!" "That is Colonel Horace to you!" "My backers want their money!" "Backers my foot! You played too many lousy hands of poker!" the Giant Schauzner yelled. Caroline a Smooth Collie quickly said, "Really, Uncle Horace! This is a family business." Faith said, "If you need anything Colonel..." "Find me some rat poison because I found a rat in my room!" The Papillon sisters quickly head up to the room. "Now you 2! All you want is my money." Colonel yapped. Calvin growled, "But it isn't YOUR money!" "It isn't my fault you keep gambling your heavy allowance!" Calvin replied, "I'm entitled to my share of Crazy For Clams!" " Take a hike before I get a SHARPER lawyer who will cut your allowance to 0!" Colonel shouted. Calvin growled and walked off to his room. "Fool can't tell an ace from a deuce!" Colonel said.

A Dalmatian named Holly, who was the secretary of the diner said, "He is right though." "Miss. Holgrave! I pay you very well to type in silence!" he snapped. The timid dog tucked her tail and ran off crying in the direction of the porch. Carolina snapped, "They are right. You can't deny it. Besides I have a third of it to. Because my allowance isn't enough for 2." Colonel stood stiff then growled, "You're not still thinking of marring that cowboy!" The Smooth Collie stood tall and replied, "I love Tex. He is my little hound. Besides you are so heartless! He's the best wrangler on the ranch." Colonel said deeply, "He is the dumbest thing on that ranch. I won't let you marry that two-bit cowboy!" Caroline cried and said before racing off, "I won't be surprised if you get killed!" Colonel growled and went to go sit by the window. A Silky Terrier walked up to Horace. "My dear brother. How are you?" Colonel wheeled around and answered, "Why you here you stern mutt? Aren't you suppose to be teaching, Verna?" "Summer vacation started last Monday. Besides I love this little village." The pudgy Silky Terrier yapped. "You hate it here!" Colonel said sternly. Verna taps the bell and Charity helps her up to her room. Horace growled before he heard someone come through the French window.

A Bluetick Hound stood next to the window. "And who are you?" Horace asked. "Tex Dayton sir!" the hound replied. "Oh you're the cowboy! Don't you dare put your paws on her!" Horace snapped. "I love Caroline! Despite what you might think, I care for her. Take away all your money and my heart's still crazy every time that Collie walks in. Why she's cuter than a calf with white stockings!" Tex said. Horace said, "Listen buckaroo you will not talk or touch her! She is off-limits to you!" "Them fightin' words!" Tex growled. "Smile when you say it!" Horace grinned. Tex growled then right before he leaped at the Schauzner, a ball of puff came in the middle. "No fighting in the hotel. Read the rules please!" Hope growled. Tex sat down and Horace sneered before he trotted off to his room. "Oh you must love Caroline! How romantic!" Hope said brightly. "Too bad he don't see it that way." Tex said before lying down.

"Ms. Beaupree, there's a horse on the back lawn!" a Keeshond screams. An Airedale follows behind the Keeshond and replies, "It looks just like this!" He opens a picture of the horse open. "Shucks that's a nice picture of Mirabelle!" Tex said. "That horse is yours?" the Airedale asked. "I would never leave Texas without Mirabelle. I'm Tex Dayton sir." He shook paws with the Airedale & Keeshond. "I'm Mortimer McGrath and this is Adelaide Twitterman. She is a birdwatcher." The Airedale said. The 2 dogs walked off then Tex raced off to find his Collie girl. Hope smiled then Charity & Faith raced into the lobby. "There is a hurricane coming and it sounds like a lulu! We mustn't tell the guests!" Faith yelped. They raced off right before a handsome German Shepherd walked into the lobby. His fedora shade his eyes & a badge shines on his black leather collar. He looks to the right as Calvin came in & walked right up to Calvin. "Who are you?" Calvin asked. "I'm Sam Slade. I used to be with the LAPD. But not enough action for a guy like me. I'm taking cases on my own now. I always get the bad guy but I don't always get my girl." "I'm Calvin Cobb and I know how you feel about the girl thing." They shook paws then Sam said, "See I like this little waitress who happens to be here. Her name is Lila Dean and whoa is she something! But the night I planned to pop the question she wasn't there at work. But I know Lila is here. I can smell her!" Sam sniffed the air and walked toward the kitchen. "Nice meeting you Mr. Slade." Calvin watched him then walked off to ask if Holly would like to walk down to the beach.

In the kitchen as she mixed the batter she smiled as Sam walked into the kitchen. "Sam what are you doing here?" "I'm here for you baby! What gives Lila?" "You mean a whole lot to me Sam. You will always be my guy. But I can't stand the dates!" "You pick the places baby! You say where you want to go