Bone Is Where the Heart Is

by Maddie Sutton

  That was totally not my business and it was a good thing that Winston couldn’t answer. Not only would that be weird, it was really none of my business. He wasn’t being starved and he didn’t appear to be abused. He was just a perpetual runaway.

  I didn’t need to fall in love with every stray in the building.

  He shook hard, and then licked at my fingers in appreciation. Such a wiggle wart made it difficult to keep him still to dry him. We managed, though.

  “There you go, little buddy. All clean and dry. Now let’s get those nails filed down a bit.”

  Sarah appeared with a carrier just as I put the finishing touches on his feet. “Better get a move on it, then. Mrs. Pickering is on her way.”

  Winston gave me a sad dog look when I handed him off to Sarah. “Sorry, Winston. In you go.”

  As Winston valiantly fought against going in the carrier, I tried to salvage his collar. After washing it vigorously, it needed to air dry before being put back around Winston’s neck. Once the muck was off, the beauty of the collar was outstanding. The diamonds sparkled beneath the light. Heart-shaped gems spaced closely, but evenly apart around the entire collar.

  Obliviously, it was an expensive accessory.

  Apparently, Mrs. Pickering had more money than sense. People could be so fussy about their pets.

  “I bet if we got that thing appraised, we could pay off Mom and Dad’s house.” Sarah eyed it, her fingers touching it gingerly before she snatched her hand away like it was on fire.

  “No doubt. I suppose if you don’t have children to spend your money on, you spend it on your dog.” I had certainly seen my share of the lengths dog owners would go for their animals. I peeked in the carrier one more time to wiggle a finger goodbye at the sweet little dog.

  I was rewarded with a tiny lick and a yip.

  “Well, if I’m going to get out of here before the harpy sweeps in, I better deliver Winston up front.” Sarah held up the dog to eye level. “It’s no wonder he keeps running away.”

  “I can’t believe she’s as bad as all that.”

  Sarah glanced over her shoulder as we both walked to the front and gave me a knowing smile. “Just wait.”

  Joy.

  Chapter Two

  It was a light day at the shelter. Sarah had done most of the upkeep for the animals before I had gotten there. During a pause in the activity, Inge took me on a tour to show me where the supplies were kept for the operation of the shelter. Since I was good with animals, and I knew I’d fall in love with all of them before the first day was done, I resigned myself to have my heart broken in the best possible way. It was comforting to know that Inge worked like a champion to get all the animals adopted. She personally ensured all the animals went to loving homes. She even offered a guarantee that if the pets weren’t a good fit with the family, she would take the animal back, no questions asked.

  Putting away the last of my supplies in the small cupboard Inge assigned me, I was startled by the most horrific screeching coming from the shelter reception area. It sounded like someone was coming emotionally unhinged. The raised voices were alarming and I headed to the front to see if I could help.

  On the other side of the counter stood an extremely well-turned-out woman in an alarmingly blue colored dress. She clutched Winston protectively against her chest.

  “It was on him this morning! I had it custom made for him so it wouldn’t just fall off,” she said with a violent shake of her head that almost dislodged her ridiculous hat.

  So this was Mrs. Pickering. I expected someone...taller.

  Inge held her hands out. “Violet, when he came in this morning he had it on. I’m sure it’s here somewhere. It may be in the new grooming area we set up.”

  Violet sniffed. “You can afford a groomer? I thought you were operating on a thin margin, Inge.”

  Inge’s shoulders tightened and it looked like she was about to launch across the counter at the woman. Pieter, Inge’s husband, stepped up. “Give us a moment to look around, Violet. It’s here.”

  “For all I know, Pieter, you’re holding on to it to sell it. Your shelter has been in trouble for months. Everyone knows.”

  “Now, Violet.” Pieter was doing a fabulous job of staying calm. Poor Inge looked like she was ready to go Mount Vesuvius. He moved to the customer side of the counter, putting himself between her and the rest of us. “You know we wouldn’t do that. How long have you and Inge known each other? Has she ever done anything like that to you?”

  “Desperate people do desperate things,” Violet hissed. “You of all people should know that.”

  Something needed to be done to defuse the situation. Fortunately, I had some experience in dealing with fractious dog owners. I stepped forward.

  Beneath Violet’s arm, Winston wagged his tail. He was a remarkably patient dog with all his owner’s carrying on. “We have the collar, Mrs. Pickering. I had to remove it to wash it off. Winston enjoyed a roll in the cow past—”

  “Who are you?” she demanded.

  “I’m Naomi Cooper—”

  “You’re Louisa Manfred’s granddaughter.”

  That wasn’t a question. It sounded like an accusation.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I thought you were in New Jersey.”

  “South Carolina, ma’am.”

  Violet drew herself up to her five foot height and lifted her chin. “Same thing.”

  There was no time to correct her, as she continued, shaking her finger in my face. “Winston has a collar I gave him for his birthday. It’s a pink leather one with diamond hearts embedded.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll just—”

  “And someone here has stolen it.”

  “No, ma’am. That’s not true.”

  “Of course it is, you silly twit.” Mrs. Pickering held Winston out. His feet rotated like he was on a bicycle as he dangled in midair. His tongue flicked out to kiss me. “It’s not on him is it?” She thrust Winston close into my face, forcing me to step back. “IS IT?”

  She stepped back. By now, Winston was affected by the tension in the air, reacting to his owner as she grew more agitated. “He had it this morning. It’s not on him now. One of you thieves has stolen it and I’m calling the police.”

  Violet shuffled Winston around in an effort to dig in her purse. With a thrust, she shoved Winston at me and I had to struggle to catch him before she let go. He shivered in my arms, his little tongue licking out at my chin. I ran a steady hand down his head.

  While Violet figured out how to use her cell phone, I stepped into the grooming-slash-vet room to retrieve his collar. Winston’s soulful eyes watched me.

  If there was ever a heart breaking, it was mine, right now. I’m sure that Violet didn’t abuse or neglect him but her high emotional state, which was probably her default setting, wasn’t good for him. Or any animal, really, since they picked up those states so easily. “It’ll be okay, Winston,” I cooed at him as we walked to the front again.

  “Yes, Chief. I’m there right now,” Violet was saying into her phone. “I want you to come down here and arrest someone.”

  During the pause while the chief said something to Violet, I held the collar up. She was on a self-righteous roll and obviously didn’t notice.

  “Yes, right now. When did you think? After lunch?”

  “Mrs. Pickering—”

  “Hush,” she hissed at me. “Not you,” she directed at the phone. “It’s a very expensive collar. Worth thousands of doll—”

  It was hard to keep a straight face when she did finally notice the collar dangling from my fingers.

  “I’ve found it. No thanks to you and your inept department. I am bringing this up at the next town meeting.” She shoved her phone in her purse and snatched the collar out of my hand. With impatient ‘grabby hands’ she gestured to Winston, and I reluctantly gave him up.

  “So you had it, Jersey Girl? What were you doing with it? Hmmm? I bet your lazy grandmother put you up to this.
This is something she’d do.”

  Okay. Now, treat me like trash all you like and I’m cool with it. I understand people can get keyed up when it comes to their beloved pets. But to attack my gramma who wasn’t even there? I mean, how did that even work?

  “No, ma’am. I had to remove it when I gave Winston his bath.”

  “Well...I’m glad you found it. At least Inge had the presence of mind to hire a lackey with common sense and honesty, instead of some reprobate teenager.” Violet turned her stern stare to my sister in accusation.

  “Hey!” Sarah said.

  That was the last straw. Those insinuations were out of line. The woman was making a spectacle of herself. “That’s enough abuse, Mrs. Pickering. I’ll have no more of it,” I said.

  That got her attention. “Who are you to talk to me that way?”

  With a deep breath, I plastered on my best winning smile and dripping southern drawl. I plucked the collar from her hand and buckled it around Winston’s neck. “Now that you have Winston and the collar, I’m sure you have other places you need to be so as soon as his sweater is dried, we can perhaps drop it in the mail to you?”

  A clear indication she should leave. She got the hint.

  Violet dug in her purse again, pulling a business card. “Deliver it here when it’s done.” She thrust the card at me, which I took politely.

  “I’m telling the Women’s League about this rudeness. Maybe we’ll find a better use of our funds in the coming year.” Before anyone could respond, Violet whirled on her heel and stormed out the door, plowing through a family of four coming in.

  Inge smiled tightly and inclined her head towards the new customers. “Sarah, if you could help them, I’ll be right back.” She stormed around the counter and followed Violet to her very expensive Cadillac.

  Pieter looked anxiously out at the two women as the argument grew heated.

  I stepped up beside him. “Good heavens. I think I owe my sister an apology.”

  “If she follows through with that threat, it’s a problem.” Pieter looked at me with a resigned expression. “The Harmony Grove Women’s League is a huge contributor to the shelter’s operational budget. We depend on them to help keep our doors open. Donations just don’t cover it, even with the annual craft fair fund drive. We depend on the kindness of business people donating their time. Your gracious offer to help keep the animals groomed. The vet coming in to check on the health of the animals and offering spaying and neutering services, the printer for fund-raising flyers...” He sighed. “Inge so loves this shelter. She believes in it. It’ll destroy her if it gets shut down. But we have to pay the lease or we will be thrown out.”

  I watched as the two women almost came to blows outside before Violet abruptly turned her back on Inge to climb in her car. With a rudely dismissive wave of her hand, she peeled out of the parking lot, almost hitting a couple of young people walking towards the shelter.

  Inge watched her drive away before storming back into the reception area. “That...that...woman. One day she’ll regret being such a b—”

  “Inge!” Pieter said, catching her before she launched into a tirade. He tilted his head in a subtle gesture at the two people standing at the counter.

  “She said she’s pulling the funding, Pieter.”

  “She can’t!”

  Inge wrung at her hands. Her brows furrowed in distress. “She can recommend it and that spineless board will let her rather than stand up to her.”

  “Maybe,” I said, stepping beside her to put a comforting hand on her arm. “But it’s not today and you have animals that depend on you.” I gave a meaningful glance at the two people standing there. With a deep sniff, she wiped at her face, put on a bright smile, ready to adopt another animal out to a loving family.

  I went into the back to make a call.

  “Gramma? We need to talk. I’m on my way home.”

  Mom and Gramma listened patiently as I explained about Mrs. Pickering’s tantrum at the shelter.

  “That Violet,” Gramma said with a derisive sniff. “She was always so self-important. Her aspiration while we were in high school? To be the Best Dressed. Which was a bit of a stretch considering her family had no money.”

  “Well, she’s got money now. I’m sure the hat she wore set her back a couple of bills.” I poured some coffee and joined them at the table. “And she drove a Cadillac. I’m sure it was right off the production line.”

  “She landed herself a rich man,” Gramma said. “We all know how.”

  “Mother!” Mom flapped her kitchen towel at Gramma.

  “It’s true. I don’t think Horace would have given her a second look if she hadn’t—”

  Mom frowned. “Stop it. That’s idle gossip and it was a long time ago. The point is, Horace Pickering’s family owned half the town right after the civil war. She married into money and into legacy.”

  “And she’s used it ever since to throw her weight around, making everyone’s life miserable. Even her own flesh and blood. It only got worse after Horace passed away.” Gramma got up and huffed off into the living room, her cane tapping angrily on the floor. Yes, it was possible for a cane to tap angrily and Gramma did it with style. She always could. The cane was an extension of her personality.

  She reappeared moments later with the yellow pad and pen.

  “What’s that for, Mother?”

  Gramma ignored Mom. “You’re going to save the animal shelter.”

  I’m sorry...what? Did I hear Gramma right? “Me?” I squeaked in response.

  “You ain’t deaf.”

  “Hey, Miss Phoebe! Miss LaLa!” The back door screen squeaked open. Jolene Dyson paused at the door and was hit when the screen door slammed shut on her butt. The high-pitched squeal that followed was sharp enough to pierce eardrums.

  To be honest, I got caught in the excitement of seeing my best friend since grade school and answered with the same sound.

  We met halfway across the kitchen and hugged each other tightly. “Oh my fluff!” she said loudly in my ear. I didn’t mind. If there was anyone I missed from this forsaken town, other than family, it was Jolene.

  If she ever resented my leaving, she never showed it during our constant texts or our weekly phone chats. “I knew you were coming but I wasn’t expecting you so soon!”

  “I’m sorry, I should have called—”

  “Stop that.” Jolene bapped my shoulder. “Just stop it. I’m so glad to see you. When did you get in?”

  “About a week ago.”

  Jolene cupped my face and peered deeply into my eyes. “You look exhausted. You’re forgiven.”

  She hugged me again before dragging me to the table. “So you have to tell me everything that happened to bring you back. I want to hear every detail so I know just who to hate.”

  And that’s why she’s my best friend.

  I guess I was ready to spill all the details of why I left Charleston. Mom and Gramma listened quietly. The frown on Mom’s face grew deeper when I filled in the details about how I had been thoroughly trashed by the rumor mill. Even in a city the size of Charleston, within the dog show circuit, rumor was still king.

  “But you got a good price on selling your business, right?” Jolene accepted the mug of tea Mom set in front of her.

  “I got a decent price for it, but not what it was worth. Luckily, the condo got a better price from some snowbirds. I would have given them away just to get out of there.” I sipped from the mug that had been refilled as if by magic. I shouldn’t have looked away. Mom was tricky like that. Stealth coffee service. That was her super power.

  “So, what are you going to do now?”

  “Depends. Everyone thinks I should open a grooming service here in town. I don’t know if there’s even a client base for it.”

  “You’d be surprised,” Jolene said. “The nearest one is in Yazoo City. Harmony Grove is a big enough town to support you. You know how Harmony Grove’s elite hate to send business out of the city. The
matrons will gobble you up.”

  I sighed. “I doubt it. Violet Pickering may see to that.”

  “Oh, the set-to at the shelter. I heard about that.”

  “Rumor travels fast here,” I mused into my mug.

  “Small town. What else is there to talk about? But don’t worry. Violet Pickering is more bark than bite.” Jolene gave a very firm nod.

  Gramma sat back to give Jolene an appraising look. “And just how do you know that?”

  “I can just feel it. She’s not well liked, even among the Women’s League. I heard Belinda talking with some ladies about it this morning in the donut shop.”

  “Who was it that said that?”

  “I’m not really sure; I didn’t want to look like I was eavesdropping.”

  Gramma snorted. “I thought I taught you better.”

  “I’m still learning, Miss LaLa.” Jolene noticed the pad on the table and pulled it over. “So what’s going on?”

  “Naomi is going to save Inge’s shelter.”

  The coffee almost came out of my nose. “Now hold on. I haven’t agreed—”

  Jolene sat up in her chair. “Oh! How are we going to do that?”

  “Well, we hadn’t gotten that far before you came in,” Mom said.

  “Are you going to tie it into starting your new business?”

  “I don’t...I haven’t...wait a minu—”

  “Does she even have a name for her shop?”

  Gramma flipped the paper back to her Honey-Do page. “It’s on her list.”

  “I have an idea,” Mom said. “And it’s perfect.”

  Not you too, Mom. The odds weren’t in my favor.

  Thankfully, my sister came to my rescue. While Mom, Gramma, and Jolene hashed out their plans to save the shelter, Sarah texted me with the reminder that I had volunteered to take Winston’s sweater back to Violet Pickering.

  I hadn’t exactly volunteered. Pressed into service was more like it. I grabbed Mom’s car keys, kissed her cheek as she nodded absently when I mumbled an excuse. I made my escape before anyone noticed.