by Abby Deuel
"Perfect. I am on board with your philosophies. Tell me, why do you get a vet to do your vaccines? You seem like a well-educated person who could handle the task," said Mandy.
"We have always done it this way. We believe that a veterinarian has the highest level of expertise to give vaccines. It is also a chance to have you check our sick pigs and troubleshoot any issues we might be having. There are no pig specific vets in this area so you are the best option. Anna always did a thorough job, noticing little things to help us continue to improve. I expect that you will fill her shoes," said Trent.
"I can but try," said Mandy. "Let's get started."
Mandy followed as Trent led the way down a long hall passed numerous doors with different codes and maps on them. Trent carried a clipboard but did not have to check it once. Not only was the piggery labeled clearly throughout, but Trent seemed to have everything memorized. They started in one room at the end of the haul and worked their way forward. Mandy was awestruck at how clean the sow stalls were. She could tell that someone had not just cleaned each room for her benefit; it appeared that the stalls were kept clean all the time based on the lack of dried fecal material collecting on surfaces.
Mandy also noticed that the sows themselves were extremely healthy-looking. She didn't see one pig that looked malnourished or had any blemishes on her. This was impressive considering the total number of pigs housed under this roof. With Gillian helping Mandy keep her vaccine guns loaded, they moved through the stalls rather quickly. Trent was making notes on his clipboard as they went. The noise of the pigs squealing after being injected made conversation difficult so everyone worked in silence. Hand gestures were necessary occasionally to communicate which way to go as they finished a row.
They finished the vaccines within a few hours. Trent made no attempt to take a break. Back at the clinic, this would be when the girls would take a tea break. Mandy came prepared for this possibility, having consumed two cups of coffee at breakfast to keep her caffeine coffers full through the whole morning. They made their way to what must be the isolation wing for sick pigs. There were even more precautions in this section of the building. Everyone changed their gloves and entered a room smaller than those they had been working in before. As a result, it was also quieter, containing fewer pigs.
Trent pulled up his clipboard to communicate accurately which pigs had been treated with what and why. Mandy checked each pig as Trent explained their tentative diagnosis and plan of treatment. Mandy concurred with every single thing that Trent said. She had nothing more to offer than what they were already doing. She was speechless; she had never come across an operation of this magnitude that she could not offer any area of improvement. She felt the need to find something in order to prove to Trent that she was just as competent as Anna.
"I think you have done a remarkable job here. I think the only advice I can offer is that it would behoove you to do a trial of playing low decibel music. There have been studies to show that music, particularly classical music, increases productivity and decreases disease, not that you have that problem. It seems to have a calming effect. Your facility would be perfect to try it in because your areas are segmented. You could play it in one half of the piggery and compare the numbers to determine if it makes a difference. Then, you can decide with statistics to back you up whether music helps your pigs," said Mandy, surprised that she had come up with what could be a hit of an idea with Trent. Even Gillian gave Mandy an impressed wink.
"Well, Dr. Bell. I like the sounds of that. Can you get me copies of those studies. I would like to see what parameters I can expect a change in so I can monitor the effect accordingly," said Trent.
"Sure. I will fax them over to you when we get back to the clinic. Other than that, I think you are doing an impressive job. I feel obsolete," said Mandy.
"As I said, we value having a veterinarian come to our facility regularly. It is like being audited and forces us to make sure we are following protocols correctly," said Trent.
"I like it. I would be honored to continue to offer my services to your facility," said Mandy.
Trent approved with a nod. He led them back to the front where they had to shower again before changing into their own clothes. Mandy had never felt so clean with three showers in one day. Gillian had their gear packed and ready when Mandy appeared from her changing stall. They had successfully completed the piggery mission and could go home to eat some lunch. Mandy's stomach was chiming in that it was indeed time to do just that.
Chapter 33
Back at the clinic, Mandy relieved Rhonda of her puppy patrol duties. Rhonda was delighted to have been able to help with such a noble task of feeding an orphaned Pyrenees. Even when a Pyrenees is newborn, they have an air of zen as if they hold the key to true relaxation. Mandy could tell that this puppy would be a grounding wire for her new life with Lyle on Derek's farm, even though she hadn't even opened her eyes yet.
"I'll come back after lunch with those pups," said Rhonda.
"Sounds good. I'm going to grab something to eat and catch up on a few things. I can't wait to see those pups of yours," said Mandy.
Mandy didn't want to make a huge ordeal over lunch. She settled on a toasted bagel with cream cheese and a cup of coffee. Gillian had already left to head home to check on her horses. They hadn't checked the messages yet so Mandy sat at the front desk to see what they had missed while they were out. There were a few from clients wanting to schedule appointments. Mandy wrote down their names and numbers for Gillian to follow up on. Luckily, there were no emergencies.
The last message was from Gerry. He had a man with the last name of Cruadhlaoich who fit the career path of Mandy's suspect. Unfortunately, he died in an explosion over thirty years ago. No body was discovered at the scene but it was such a terrible explosion that there would have been nothing left. The authorities ruled it an accident and closed the case. He was trying to find any other names associated with Brucetus. However, there had been a block in the pertinent information in his search engine. He would have to call in a favor from a friend to get past the block. He would keep working on that and get back to her. Gerry also reported that he asked Crowley to stay in Crestview until the case was closed. Gerry thanked Mandy again for giving him the head's up that Crowley was planning to leave town. Even though they had almost no evidence that Derek's death had been a murder, Gerry was obliged to follow Larry's orders.
Mandy sat back in her chair to contemplate what she had just learned. Maybe she was going crazy, trying to solve cases that weren't even cases. The morning break from her investigation did not, in fact, shed any light on it for her. At least she had an appetite again. Lyle sat by her feet, waiting patiently for some cream cheese while her owner had an existential crisis.
Chocolate sounded good at a time like this. Mandy went searching through the cupboards in the break room, finding nothing to satiate her cocoa cravings. Lyle followed her, curious as to what was happening. Finally, Mandy gave up the search, deciding to walk to town to get some fresh chocolate. Lyle accompanied her on the journey. They were walking side by side when someone swerved and almost hit them. It all happened so fast that Mandy didn't see who it was or what kind of car they drove. She looked around to see if anyone else saw it. Atypical of Crestview, there was absolutely no one on the streets.
"You OK, Lyle?" asked Mandy. Lyle didn't look worse for wear. Mandy checked herself and she was fine, too. It could have been an accident but Mandy wondered if someone was telling her to steer clear of her investigation. Once she got her chocolate, she headed back to the clinic to call Gerry. She thought he might want to know that she had just nearly been run over in broad daylight.
He was indeed interested and concerned. He said he would do a patrol of town to look for anyone unfit to drive. It was a shame that Mandy couldn't give him any information about the make, model, or color of the vehicle. She tried to explain that her mind was in chocolate land but, as a man, he didn't seem to understand the power of choco
late during a stressful time. He said he would try to keep an eye out for her but that she should take precautions of her own.
Mandy didn't have time to think about her own possible danger because Rhonda arrived in the parking lot as she was finishing her chocolate fix. She had been in the mood for a chocolate bar but a brownie caught her eye as well. She got both and had nothing but crumbs left when Rhonda came through the front door with her newest batch of puppies in tow. They were old enough for their first shots which amazed Mandy because that meant she had been there for longer than six weeks. Mandy had delivered the puppies via C-section when she first arrived in Crestview.
The pups were rotund waddle-butts, characteristic of well-bred dachshunds. Rhonda's body language wreaked of pride for her newest brood; she was the quintessential breeder of dogs in terms of her maternal love for the four-legged children. Gillian had already started health record booklets for each puppy. The process would include weighing each one, recording it in the book, examining them, and then giving the first round of puppy shots. Everyone had been through this assembly line numerous times so they all settled into their particular roles. It didn't take long to complete the task, leaving plenty of time to snuggle and ooh and ah over the puppies. Mandy was pleased with how their weights were all within a few ounces of each other. There was no runt in sight; in fact, Mandy didn't find any health concerns with any of them. Rhonda had to get the puppies home for their afternoon feedings. She had them on a tight schedule to keep their health in tip-top shape. It showed since they were all shiny with clear eyes. They would come back in a few weeks for another round of shots before they went to their new homes.
Gillian and Mandy helped Rhonda get all of the puppies safely out to the car. They decided they would meet for a girl's night at the Inn the following week since this week was basically over.
The afternoon appointments were sparse; Gillian continued her cleaning spree. Mandy, on the other hand, decided to have a look at her map of camping areas within driving distance to Crestview. It was time to take a break from the investigation and cleanse her thoughts. She would soon be moving into a house of her own and it was important to have a distinct period of 'me' time to prepare herself for the journey ahead. She was lost in her maps when she realized that she had to feed the puppy who was whimpering for attention.
Mandy mixed up some fresh milk for the pup which she accepted with vigorous suckling on the bottle. The puppy had grown so accustomed to the bottle feeding regime that she was now able to almost hold the bottle up by herself with her front feet. She could drain the bottle without hardly taking a break for air. It was a reassuring sight for Mandy who had seen so many orphaned pups die before they even opened their eyes. The puppy was not out of the woods yet, but she was on a fairly steady course to growing into a healthy dog. Mandy settled her into the basket and went back to her desk.
She realized that it was the end of the week and she had not caught up on medical notes. She pulled the stack of files over to her desk and began the process of recalling each and every case. Her impeccable memory enabled her to recreate with remarkable detail all of the patients she had seen for the week. It was a procedure that required intense concentration, however, so she buried herself in the task. Time flew by quickly and suddenly it was time to close the clinic. Gillian had to pop her head into Mandy's office to check on whether Mandy was planning to stay all night or if she was ready to go home.
Chapter 34
"You know, I think Lyle and I might head out camping for the weekend as one last hoorah in the RV before winter. We will take the puppy and there are no patients in the clinic. I have hit a dead end with the investigation. I think a change in scenery and some quiet time is in order. Besides, it's Lyle's birthday this weekend. Her day of playing with sheep was cut short so I want to show her a good time. You and Hamish deserve a quiet weekend, too. What do you say?" asked Mandy.
"I think that makes more sense than anything I have heard in a while. Lyle does deserve some spoiling. How did it slip past me that it was her birthday? asked Gillian.
"I supposed that we have been too busy for me to mention it," said Mandy.
"We can never be too busy to celebrate our favorite collie's birthday. We will plan something special for her. For now, let's recharge batteries and be ready to tackle the world on Monday. Where do you think you might go camping? Do you have a spot picked out?" asked Gillian.
"When I first got here, I looked at the map of this area. There was a spot that had good bird watching. It was part of the Mississippi Flyway. Even if I don't get to see many birds, it looked like a tranquil environment for a laying low kind of weekend," said Mandy.
"I think I know where you are talking about. It will be perfect for you. Do take your cell phone with you since there is a murderer on the loose," said Gillian.
"Will do," said Mandy.
Mandy and Lyle already had a stockpile of supplies in the RV for camping. The cupboards had enough canned food to last more than a weekend. Mandy had just picked up ingredients for S'mores, one of her favorite Fall foods. Since Mandy had lived on the road for so long, she had prepping for a short trip down to an art. The only new addition was the puppy. She would be fine in her little basket with lots of blankets. The air was too chilly to leave her without a heating pad yet so Mandy would run the generator to provide electricity. Mandy had already packed the formula and bottles for the puppy. The only thing left to do was grab some extra blankets to switch out for the puppy's bedding.
With everything loaded up, Mandy started the engine to the RV, a sound that Lyle hadn't heard in several months. Lyle was beyond excited about whatever adventure was in store for them. She perched herself on the wide dashboard of the passenger side. It wasn't going to be a long ride so Mandy allowed Lyle free run of the RV without assigning her to sit in the seat and stay. Lyle barked and ran to the other windows, watching as they pulled away from the clinic.
"It's okay, Lyle. We are not leaving forever. This is just a vacation for the weekend. We will be back. The next time we move the RV, it will be to relocate to our new house. Yep, you heard right. We will be moving into our own house. Remember those sheep you like so much? You get to live on that farm and see them everyday," said Mandy, making eye contact with Lyle in the rear view window. Lyle actually sat still and listened carefully to Mandy, making eye contact right back. Whether Lyle understood every word was unclear. The one indisputable fact was that whatever Mandy said would happen, Lyle would willingly accompany her.
Mandy didn't play any music on the trip to the campground. She needed some silence to help clear her mind. She promised herself that she would not think about the murder investigation the whole weekend. She was allowed to resume thought on the mystery murder when she pulled her RV behind the clinic on Sunday night. Until then, she would commune with nature, bonding with her two dogs.
They found the campground with ease. Mandy selected a fairly open area with a level surface for the RV. She deployed the hydraulic stabilizing feet and opened the slides to expand the interior of the RV. She went outside to make sure that there was no one anywhere nearby. As much as people were part of her daily life, a few days with only dogs to talk to was her desire. Seeing that the coast was clear, Mandy let Lyle out of the RV to explore their immediate surroundings. Mandy started gathering wood as she strolled her new spot. Her plan was to light a fire that evening to roast marshmallows for the full effect of camping. The area must not have received much rain in recent weeks as there was plenty of kindling and branches with which to start a fire and keep it going.
Her next mission was to find an appropriate vantage point from which she could watch for birds. She had checked out a special book from the library at Sonya's recommendation. It featured the birds of this particular area of the Midwest. It had incredibly detailed images of the birds throughout the four seasons of the year, both from underneath if they were flying and in perch posture. For a novice bird watcher, the book would make identification mu
ch easier. Lyle did not receive the memo that bird watching was a peaceful and quiet activity. She was stalking butterflies instead, scaring away any feathered wildlife within a few hundred feet. Mandy anticipated this and did not want to prevent Lyle's form of relaxing. She came prepared with a set of high powered binoculars for distant viewing.
Off in the brush, Mandy could see movement. There was a tiny yellow-tinged bird making a gorgeous trill of a sound. Mandy had not graduated to sound identification. She used her taxonomic key to narrow down what the little insect-eating bird could be. She decided that it was an Eastern Meadowlark, a rare treat for Mandy, having not seen one before. She watched the bird bouncing through the brush, feasting on whatever insect it could find.
"This is what I'm talking about," Mandy quietly said to Lyle. "We are living the life now." Lyle cocked her head to the side and wagged her tail.
They sat silently, watching the birds, butterflies, and leaves blow in the breeze. It was just what they needed to erase the dramas that had transpired in the last few weeks. Mandy leaned back in her portable chair and thought about the future. With a house and land secured, it seemed like her life was on a path now. For so long, she had just wandered from job to job. She had a career but not a grounding wire. She felt positive about her decision. She had a newborn puppy to set the stage for her new beginning. She decided to check on the little fluff-ball. It was time for her next meal, anyway.
Mandy and Lyle went into the RV and found the puppy on the edge of the basket whining. Instead of feeding her in the confines of the RV, Mandy and Lyle returned to their tranquil spot at the edge of the brush. They fed the puppy and cuddled up together, nodding off. Lyle was at Mandy's feet and the puppy was curled up in Mandy's warm lap. A siesta was perfectly acceptable in the schedule set by a vacation.