Chained

by Eileen Brady

  “A majestic sight, isn’t it?”

  Luke had come up behind me while I was feeding part of my bouquet to one of the four-footed guests wandering the fenced-in grounds.

  “Absolutely.” Another potbellied pig tore the last of the carrots out of my grasp. “Okay, guys. There’s no more food.” When I waved my empty hands they got the picture. “So, Luke, did you enjoy the ceremony?”

  “I was moved.”

  “Really?” My eyebrows raised in disbelief.

  “Literally.” Luke pointed to a pig rooting around further down the hill. “That big brown one over there, the one with the polka-dot bow tie, shoved me with his head until I moved over.” He proceeded to give me a reenactment, complete with snorting and grunting that made me crack up.

  “Well, I worked this morning, so it’s time for me to kick back.” Music drifted in the air from the party below. I tilted my face up to the sun. “We should enjoy this weather while we can.”

  “How about getting some lunch and having our own picnic up here?” Luke held out his hand to me.

  “That sounds wonderful.” When our fingers touched, our eyes locked for a moment. Although our official status was “friends only” there had always been something….

  Carefully, I slid my shoes back on, his arm steadying me. Unfortunately my right heel immediately sank into the soft earth.

  “Those things aren’t meant for this kind of walking,” Luke commented as we picked our way down the grassy slope.

  “I’ve got sneakers with me if I need them, along with my emergency bag, in the back of the truck.” We reached the bluestone pathway that led back to the main building but I didn’t let go of his arm.

  “Always prepared.” He smiled at me, eyes crinkling in the corner, making him even more attractive than usual. Our off-and-on flirtation flamed into the on position.

  “Where are you parked?” We strolled along arm in arm as if we had all the time in the world.

  “Almost at the end of the driveway. You?”

  “Right near the house. One of the perks of being in the wedding party.”

  Luke waited while I scraped the caked dirt off my high heels. A wall of climbing roses, their petals fading, lined the pathway to the catering tent.

  It felt nice walking alongside him, our arms linked together. Feelings that I didn’t like to admit were still hanging around, took me by surprise. Luke and I hadn’t seen each other for over a month and those circumstances had been less than pleasant. Today it almost felt as though our platonic friendship might morph into something more. Maybe I finally was ready to trust someone again. Six months had passed since my last romance had crashed and burned and I’d sworn off dating for a while. But a picnic near the river sounded like the perfect way to catch up on things—all kinds of things—and maybe start something new.

  Two lookalike young women approached us carrying plates piled with food.

  “Hey, Luke,” the taller one said, “Want to join us at that table?” She indicated with her chin a picnic table underneath a nearby tree.

  “Thanks, Paula, but Dr. Kate has dibs on me.” He introduced me to both of them, first Paula, then her sister, Patty.

  “Suit yourself,” Paula said in a snotty voice. “Why didn’t Dina come with you today?” She stared directly at me when she said it.

  What? To hide my confusion I gave her a stiff but polite smile.

  “She had to work. I texted a picture,” he answered.

  He was back with his old girlfriend? It took all my willpower not to glare at him. When did he send her this text—while I was walking down the aisle holding my carrot bouquet?

  Whatever warm and fuzzy emotions I’d been feeling about Luke disappeared. As soon as the sisters were out of sight I let go of his arm.

  “Back with Dina?” I kept my voice deceptively casual.

  “Yeah, about a week ago. We decided to give it another try.” Luke looked everywhere except at me. “You still seeing that anthropologist guy?”

  I’d been Skyping with a former boyfriend now working at a dig in Africa. Our relationship was purely platonic, but I wasn’t going to admit that to Luke. “You mean Jeremy?” Not to be outdone, I pulled my phone out and made a big deal out of checking my messages before I replied. “Yes.”

  “Hey, you told me this wasn’t a date. In fact, you were pretty darn clear about it.” Luke sounded annoyed.

  “That is correct,” I replied, my words very precise if a little too loud. “So no damage done.”

  “Right. No damage done.” By this time we were facing each other, the tension between us practically shooting off sparks.

  Before the situation escalated I heard Nancy, the owner of the cloven-footed bride and groom call out to me. “Kate, we need you for some pictures.”

  Without a good-bye I turned away from him and started down the pathway, annoyed at myself for feeling so steamed up. Reluctantly I let Nancy guide me toward the wedding arch where the rest of the bridal party and several photographers waited.

  “But my hair,” I started to protest. “Can’t I take a minute to—?”

  “Don’t worry, it looks great.” She rearranged one of the pieces of baby’s breath still stuck in my hair. “Besides, everyone will be looking at the bride.”

  I thought she was being sarcastic but then I realized she was absolutely serious.

  Today was all about the “oink.”

  ***

  Fifteen minutes later we were finished and Luke was nowhere in sight. I headed to the table set aside for the veterinary staff from Oak Falls Animal Hospital and found most of them getting ready to leave.

  “This was a lot of fun. You look lovely, Kate.” Cindy, my receptionist, busied herself putting leftovers into the ziplock bags she’d brought. My jacket and purse lay on the bench next to her.

  “Thanks for keeping my things.” During the photo session my mind had gone over and over this situation with Luke. Watching Cindy I decided the perfect place for him and our non-relationship was in a virtual ziplock bag.

  “Did you like the dress?”

  “Yes, thanks for letting me borrow it.” I twirled in front of her, letting the flowered chiffon float around me. I’ll take it to the dry cleaner’s tomorrow.” Although I’d been especially careful, I was worried about a few areas touched by various wet pig noses.

  “How did the pictures come out?” I’d asked the staff to take photos, figuring no one would believe this wedding unless it was documented.

  “Great. I’ve already posted some to my Facebook page. Check your phone. I sent a bunch to you.”

  “Thanks. I’m sure my Gramps will get a kick out of them.” Sure enough, when I scrolled through my messages there I was—walking down the aisle, one carrot sort of flopping out of the bouquet and right behind me the pig bride on a leash in all her pregnant splendor. We both were smiling.

  Waving good-bye to everyone I surreptitiously glanced around again for Luke. Not seeing him, I took the coward’s way out and texted him thanks for joining me today.

  I’d already sent it and climbed into my truck when my phone rang.

  “Dr. Kate? This is Samantha Miller. You saw my dog, Jack, this morning.”

  “Of course, Samantha. Is everything okay?”

  “Yes.” She sounded a bit embarrassed. “The police came out to my place and I showed them the bone…and I wanted you to know they found…they found the rest of a body in the hills behind the house.”

  Her voice choked when she told me.

  “Are you alright?” That peaceful setting around her house probably didn’t feel peaceful anymore.

  “I guess so. My husband is on his way home. But I wanted to tell you…”

  Her voice broke off.

  “Samantha? Are you there?” I could hear Jack barking in the background. “Hello?”

&nb
sp; After a moment she got back on the phone. “Sorry. There are a bunch of officers milling around outside. Anyway, they don’t think these are very old.”

  “Oh.” That was what I thought when I saw it but I hadn’t wanted to needlessly worry her.

  “We have a portable electric heater so I plugged it in on the deck for them to use, and that’s when I overheard them say it.”

  A chill ran down my back. “What did they say?”

  “They said they think whoever it is was murdered.”

  Chapter Three

  On the drive back home I pushed Luke once again out of my mind and instead thought about my client, Samantha. Here she was living in this beautiful cabin in the woods, far away from the chaos of New York City, and what happens? The police uncover a murder scene practically in her backyard. From personal experience I knew the stress and anxiety a brush with violence could spawn. Hopefully, together, the young couple could put this terrible news behind them.

  When I got back to my place around four-thirty, Buddy, my ecstatic dog, demanded attention. I took off the borrowed dress, hung it up, made a mental note to take it to the dry cleaner’s, then took him for a walk behind the hospital. Every squirrel required a bark. Being a King Charles spaniel, nothing escaped his doggy attention. With darkness coming on fast we didn’t linger. Buddy got a treat and I grabbed a handful of corn chips. Between the close contact with the pigs and Samantha’s news, I desperately needed a shower, so that became a priority.

  Wrapped in my terrycloth robe I stepped out of the bathroom and towel-dried my hair. The sun had set, the apartment windows no longer reflecting its rosy glow—which reminded me to check the time. I had only five minutes before my Skype “date” with Jeremy Engles, a former college boyfriend I’d reconnected up with through Facebook. I pulled on my favorite soft sweats and fuzzy purple slippers. A quick brush through my hair and a dash of lipstick and I was camera-ready. Given my current track record with men I thanked my lucky stars that Jeremy was zillions of miles away in Africa. A strictly electronic relationship suited me fine for now. While waiting for the Skype connection, nervous energy prodded me to straighten up the bookshelf and clear the top of the desk before I sat down in front of the computer monitor.

  Mr. Katt, our hospital kitty, lingered in the office doorway, his tail straight up and twitching, watching me. A feline decision definitely was in the works.

  “Come on. Come here, Mr. Katt.” I patted the corner of the desk.

  He looked away in distain, but it was all an act. The next moment a plump load of furry feline landed full-force on my lap. As soon as I stroked him, his purr motor began to rumble. Mr. Katt was a “hit and run” artist, famous for his sneak attacks on the staff. Periodically he also demands attention, then, after a few moments, scoots off. Those were his terms and I had long ago surrendered to them.

  Petting the cat relaxed me a little. I still wasn’t sure how I felt about these so-called Skype dates. Jeremy and I had met while undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania, and had gone out for three months before calling it quits and going back to “friend only” status. After graduation I headed to Cornell University for veterinary school while he went to New Mexico to work on his master’s degree. Now a full professor of anthropology with a doctorate, he currently was on sabbatical working a dig in North Africa through his university.

  He’d disappeared from my life for five years and now had roared back in.

  The glare from the harsh overhead florescent light bounced off the screen so I turned it off and lit a nearby corner lamp. Its flattering glow softened up the room.

  Right on time, Jeremy’s face appeared on the screen, a little out of focus. In fact, between his shaggy long hair and giant beard, all I could really see were his eyes.

  “Hi Kate. You look especially nice tonight.”

  “You look pretty good yourself. What I can see, that is.” He appeared to be sitting in a tent. His bushy beard was a running joke. Most of the men on his dig had simply stopped shaving because of the lack of available hot water.

  “Are your clients still saying you resemble…you know, Meryl Streep? Because in this light, I agree with them.” His face moved closer to the camera distorting his features.

  Surprised he remembered, I absentmindedly pushed a stubborn strand of damp hair behind my ear. “Yes, I get that periodically, although I don’t see it.”

  “Take it as a compliment. The only famous person I resemble at the moment is Bigfoot.”

  We shared a laugh before I asked, “How is work going? No more duststorms I hope.”

  “Not since I last spoke to you. But I’ve got some great news. Our dig is going on a government-ordered shutdown in two weeks, so I’m coming back to the States.”

  My face froze for a moment. “How wonderful. Your parents will be happy to see you.”

  “Well, it’s poor timing for them since they leave on a month-long tour of China two days after I return.”

  “That’s too bad.”

  “Every dust cloud has a silver lining,” Jeremy said excitedly. “Now you’ll have me all to yourself.” His sly grin flashed under all the beard hair, but I noticed the corners of his eyes didn’t crinkle up.

  “My flight gets into JFK late Friday night,” he continued. “I’m going to spend that Saturday and Sunday with my folks and then drive up to see you on Monday morning. I’ll e-mail you all the details.”

  Jeremy was coming to Oak Falls?

  “Did you hear me, Kate?”

  “You mean two weeks from this Monday?” I hoped he hadn’t heard the panic in my voice.

  “That’s right. I can hardly believe it.”

  “Neither can I.” My mind scrambled around for something else to say. I’d kicked around visiting him on his dig sometime, but suddenly “sometime” was only two weeks away. “Uh, when’s the last time I saw you in person?”

  “At least four or five years ago. Can you believe it?” He put his hand on the screen, inviting me to place my fingers on his.

  “That’s a definite no.” Excited and anxious I blurted out a random thought. “I can’t take much time off work, though. I’m the only doctor on staff.”

  The picture started jumping in and out, probably from a storm thousands of miles away.

  “Sorry, you’re fading. See you soon.” Jeremy waved and blew me a kiss as the connection continued to fail. Outside, the windows were icy black.

  “See you soon,” I repeated to the empty screen. Our Skype session was over.

  Annoyed at not being the center of attention, Mr. Katt hurtled off my lap, navigating several obstacles to arrive at the top of a bank of cages before staring down at me like the Sphinx.

  My perfect long-distance flirtation was about to unravel like a cheap sweater in a hot dryer. It was easy to have a relationship with an image on a screen. Real guys and real life promised to be way more messy.

  Chapter Four

  Monday morning rolled in with threatening black clouds and multiple brief thunderstorms. I didn’t mind. After a crazy weekend of pigs with bow ties, human remains, and obsessing about Jeremy’s visit, it felt good to get back to work. Mari and I had a full schedule of house calls, so I stocked my doctor’s bag and checked our supplies while she updated the computer and went over the appointments with Cindy, our receptionist.

  It wasn’t until we were in the truck and on our way that I remembered to ask my veterinary assistant if she’d heard anything about the mysterious remains found in the woods. I figured she had a direct information link through Cindy, whose sister was married to Oak Falls Chief of Police Bobby Garcia.

  “Any news on the victim?” I stared at the road ahead, my windshield wipers squeaking with each swipe as the rain stopped and started.

  “Not yet. Cindy said it looks like animals disturbed the grave and scattered some of the bones. But someone else
told a friend of mine the State Troopers think they’ve recovered almost the entire skeleton.” She steadied our laptop as we bounced along the back road.

  A strong gust of wind shook the truck and whipped a broken branch across the blacktop. Now rain pelted down full-force on the windshield, the drops landing sideways.

  “Well, I hope they can find out who it is soon, for their families’ sake.”

  “So do I.” Mari glanced out the truck window as the trees waved back and forth along the road.

  For a while we listened to the downshifting of the truck and the howl of the storm.

  “Did you hear about the guy and the bear?”

  “No.” A changing traffic light had me slowly come to a stop.

  “I guess Fish and Wildlife got some anonymous complaint about someone keeping a bear on his property.”

  A double spray of water shot out from the tires as we went through a deep puddle. Concentrating on the road I didn’t keep up my end of the conversation, but Mari kept on without me.

  “I’m not surprised at anything people do anymore,” she commented.

  “Is it a cub?”

  “Don’t know, but I’ll keep you posted.”

  The GPS politely reminded me to make the next right-hand turn. “By the way, what’s our first call about?” With the weather so bad I wanted to make sure we brought everything we might need inside with us. That would avoid getting soaked running back and forth to the truck.

  Mari refreshed her computer screen before clicking to a different page. “This note from Cindy says a pocket pet got into some tar. You’ve seen them before. Client’s name is Mary Ellis.”