by Carol Cox
Kate looked at Skip. “Aren’t you going to call Renee?”
He shook his head. “I’m going to take him over to her place myself. Knowing how excited she’ll be, I didn’t think she needed to be out driving.”
“Good point,” Paul agreed.
“Do you mind if we come along?” Kate asked.
“Sure. You folks should come too,” he said to the Murphys. “I know Miz Lambert’s going to want to thank you herself.”
“I CAN’T BELIEVE it’s over,” Kate told Paul as they followed Skip’s SUV down Main Street, with Kisses perched on the front passenger seat of the deputy’s vehicle. The Murphys brought up the rear of the procession in their rusty Toyota.
“I wonder if Skip should have called Renee and broken the news to her first,” Paul said. “I hope it isn’t too much of a shock for her to have Kisses appear at her door like that.”
“No, I think Skip was right. She would have jumped in her car and driven straight to his office. Given the state she’s been in lately, I don’t think she would have been safe out on the roads, even if she does live only a couple of blocks away.”
They turned left on Smith Street, then right on Ashland, coming to a stop in front of Renee’s house on the corner. Kate tried to picture the happy reunion in her mind. Renee was going to be shocked, no doubt about it. But she would be thrilled, oh so thrilled, to have her little Kisses home again after all this time.
A dash of disappointment mingled with Kate’s excitement. While she was overjoyed at the thought of Kisses and Renee being reunited, there was still the knowledge that she hadn’t played an active part in bringing that about.
But she had prayed, and that thought warmed her. She was wrong to think she had no part in bringing about Kisses’ return. Prayer was the very best thing anyone could have done.
After the little caravan had stopped in front of Renee’s house, Skip gathered Kisses in his arms, looking as excited as Kate felt.
“Why don’t you and Paul go on up and ring the doorbell?” he said. “I’ll wait off to one side, and you can prepare her for the big surprise.”
And catch her if she faints, Kate thought as Paul rang the doorbell.
Renee greeted them wearing a pink cotton duster. From her rumpled appearance, Kate wondered if she had even bothered to get dressed that day.
“Hi, Renee. We brought someone to see you.”
“This isn’t a good time. Mother’s already in bed.” Renee’s gaze shifted to the couple standing directly behind the Hanlons. She pulled the housedress tighter around her neck and leveled an admonishing look at Kate. “I’m really not prepared for company, Kate.”
“Oh, I think you’ll welcome this.” Kate smiled and beckoned to Skip, who stepped into Renee’s view.
Renee stared wordlessly at the dog in Skip’s arms. Then her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh my. Can it be?”
She stepped out onto the porch and held out her arms. “My baby is home again. Come to Mommy, my Little Umpkins!”
Renee held the tiny dog against her chest and rocked back and forth. “You’re home. You’re home,” she crooned. “Oh, Mommy missed you so!”
Tears streamed down her cheeks, but Renee didn’t seem to care. Her voice wobbled when she turned to Skip. “Thank you so much.”
“It wasn’t me, Miz Lambert.” Skip grinned from ear to ear. “It was these folks, the Murphys.”
Kisses wriggled in Renee’s arms, and she rubbed the spot between his ears with her forefinger. “Let’s get you inside, Umpkins. Come on in, all of you. I can’t thank you properly out here.”
They trooped into the house. Paul put his arm around Kate’s shoulder, and she leaned against him, blinking back tears. It looked like Renee was going to get her happy ending after all.
“However did you find him?” Holding Kisses in one arm, Renee pulled a tissue from the box on the little table with her free hand and blotted her damp cheeks.
The Murphys recounted their story of spotting Kisses in the SuperMart parking lot and Clifford remembering the flyers.
“There, you see?” Renee gave Kate a watery smile. “I knew it was worth our time putting up those flyers. They helped bring my baby home.”
Kisses squirmed again, and she set him down near his bed. He walked over and sniffed at the cushion, then backed away and shivered nervously on the carpet.
Kate frowned. What was wrong? She’d expected Kisses to go wild with delight the moment he returned home. Instead, he sat trembling on the floor, staring up at the group as if wondering what was going to happen next.
Something didn’t seem right. Thinking back to the scene in Skip’s office, Kate remembered that Kisses had seemed only mildly pleased when she and Paul arrived. She hadn’t thought it terribly odd at the time, considering all the upheaval he’d been through. But surely seeing Renee again should have sent him into a frenzy of excitement.
Renee noticed it too. She squatted down in front of Kisses and gave him an appraising look. “Are you not feeling well?” she cooed. “Was it horrible for momma’s precious baby to live outdoors like a wild animal?”
Tears spilled from her eyes again, and she looked up at Kate. “I think he’s angry with me for leaving him alone that day.”
She turned back to Kisses, and her voice cracked. “Oh, my sweet Umpkins, can you ever forgive me?”
Kate laid her hand on Renee’s shoulder. “He’s been through a lot. I’m sure it will take some time for him to readjust.”
Renee sniffed, and Kate helped her get to her feet.
“You’re probably right. What I want to do is just scoop him up and hold him tight, but I guess I’ll have to let him get reacclimated at his own pace.”
She swiped at her cheeks with her fingers, then walked over to where the Murphys stood and took each one by the hand.
“I’ve been trying to keep up my courage, but I’ll admit I was very near to losing hope of ever seeing my precious baby again. I cannot thank you enough for bringing him home to me. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”
The Murphys exchanged glances, then Clifford lowered his head and cleared his throat. “Well, ma’am...”
Cissy Murphy looked at Renee and smiled expectantly.
“Oh!” Renee seemed taken aback. “Oh, of course, the reward!”
Clifford shuffled his feet. “Well, I hated to bring it up, but—”
“Whatever you think is fair.” Cissy put in.
“Just a moment.” Renee touched her finger to her lips and blew a kiss at the little dog. “Don’t worry, Umpkins. Mommy’s going to be right back.”
She left the room and returned with her checkbook and a pen. “What were your names again?”
“Clifford and Cissy Murphy.” Clifford spelled it for her.
Renee filled out the check and signed it with a flourish, then tore it from the checkbook and handed it to the waiting couple.
When Clifford looked at the check, his eyes flared wide. Cissy peered over his shoulder, and Kate heard her gasp.
“Why, ma’am,” Clifford began, not bothering to hide his wide grin. “We never expected—”
Cissy grabbed his arm. “He means to say you’re a very kind woman, and we thank you for your generosity.”
“That’s right.” Clifford’s head bobbed up and down. “Well, we’ll leave you two to your happy reunion.”
“Thank you again,” Renee said, “from the bottom of my heart.”
“Glad to have been of service.” Clifford nodded again, and the two scuttled out the front door.
Kate looked back at Renee, unable to shake a sense of foreboding. “You must have been pretty generous, Renee. May I ask how much you gave them?”
“One thousand dollars.” Renee capped her pen and set it on the table beside the checkbook.
“A thousand!” Skip jerked to attention. “If you’ll pardon me for saying so, Miz Lambert, that’s an awful lot of money.”
“And I would have gladly given more. I can’t place a mo
netary value on having my family whole again. Getting my Little Umpkins back is simply priceless.”
She looked down at Kisses, who had curled up on the floor next to his cushion. Her forehead puckered. “Whatever can be wrong with him? Normally, he loves his little bed. He isn’t acting like himself at all.”
Renee bent to lift the little Chihuahua and carried him to the couch, where she set him on her lap and began running her fingers along his thin little body.
“I should call the vet to come over and give him a thorough examination. He may have an injury I haven’t noticed. Or even worms, after eating heaven knows what out in the wild.” She shuddered. “Here, Umpkins, turn over on your back and let Mommy...Ahhh!” A horrified gasp burst from her lips.
Kate’s heart stopped. “Renee, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“Look!” Renee pointed to the inner part of the dog’s right hind leg. “Do you see that patch of white hair? Kisses doesn’t have anything like that.”
She stood up and held the Chihuahua at arm’s length. “I’ve been duped. This is an impostor!”
Skip was out the front door in a flash. Kate followed on his heels.
Clifford Murphy had started the Toyota and was about to pull away from the curb when Skip sprinted into the street and held up his hand in a commanding gesture.
Clifford braked and rolled down his window. “What’s the trouble, Deputy?”
“Please turn the car off and step outside, Mr. Murphy. I need to talk to you for a minute.”
Clifford hesitated, then switched off the key and climbed out. Cissy stepped out the passenger side. “Is there some kind of problem?”
“The problem is, the dog you brought back is not Miz Lambert’s Chihuahua.”
“What are you talking about?” Cissy bustled around the rear of the car and stood beside her husband. “How could she possibly say that? That dog is a dead ringer for the one on the flyer.”
Skip gave her a long measuring look and planted his hands on his hips. “I’ve known Miz Lambert since I was knee high. You can take it from me, she knows every inch of that dog, and this one isn’t hers.” He held out his hand, palm up.
Clifford stared at Skip’s hand for a moment, then he reached inside his shirt pocket, drew out the check, and laid it in Skip’s hand.
“Come on, Cissy. We might as well go home.”
His wife sniffed. “This is what you get for trying to do a good deed.” With a last longing glance at the check, she flounced around the Toyota and got back inside.
“At least Miz Lambert didn’t wind up paying a thousand dollars for a dog that doesn’t belong to her,” Skip said to Kate as they walked back to the house. “That was a close call.”
“Yes, but we still aren’t any closer to bringing the real Kisses home, and now Renee’s emotions are even more fragile. I wish I would have noticed...” She let her words trail off.
Back inside the house, they found Renee huddled on the sofa, just as Kate had seen her the day Kisses disappeared. Paul stood beside her holding the box of tissues. He looked at Kate with a helpless expression.
Kate slid onto the couch and cradled Renee in her arms as she would a brokenhearted child. Kate was shocked when she felt Renee’s shoulder blades standing out sharply through the thin cotton fabric of her duster. “I’m so sorry, Renee.”
“I can’t believe I was taken in by that pretender.” Renee looked at the false Kisses in disgust. “How could I ever have mistaken him for my precious Umpkins?”
Renee gasped and clapped her hands to her mouth. “Oh, I hope Kisses never finds out about this.”
Kate noticed that the older woman’s hands were trembling. “Renee, have you had anything to eat today?”
“Oh, I’m fine. I had some crackers and milk earlier.”
“That isn’t very substantial. Why don’t I fix you a nice cup of Earl Grey tea just the way you like it, and maybe a little soup or a sandwich?”
When she got up and started for the kitchen, Skip stepped forward. “I’m real sorry, Miz Lambert. I sure didn’t think it would turn out like this.”
He looked down at the small dog on the floor and scratched his head. “What do you want me to do with this little guy? I could turn him in to the Humane Society. Or do you want to keep him, just in case...”
Renee’s eyes flashed. “Absolutely not! I would never betray Kisses like that. I have to believe that somehow he’ll find his way home again.”
Her face crumpled, and she wailed aloud. “Oh, my Little Umpkins. Where are you?”
Kate looked at Paul from the kitchen doorway and knew the same thought was running through both their minds: it was going to be a long night.
Chapter Twenty
I thought Renee was going to blow a gasket when Skip suggested that she might want to keep the other dog,” Kate said to Livvy and LuAnne the following afternoon at the Country Diner. “The look she gave him should have turned him to stone on the spot.”
LuAnne shook her head. “I’ve seen that look before. Poor Skip. I’ll bet he skedaddled right after that.”
“He didn’t stay long.” Kate admitted with a chuckle.
“That other Chihuahua must have looked a lot like Kisses to fool Renee for even a moment,” Livvy said.
“It was amazing,” Kate said. “He really was a dead ringer for Kisses, except for that patch of white hair.”
“Poor little thing.” Livvy pursed her lips. “What’s going to happen to him?”
“He already has a new home.” Kate smiled at the surprised look on her friends’ faces. “I just happened to know that Brenna Phillips has been wanting a small dog. Now she has one.”
“Isn’t that perfect?” LuAnne beamed. “What about Renee’s mama? How did she take all the goin’s-on?”
Kate laughed. “Would you believe she slept through the whole thing? And it’s probably just as well.”
“I’m sure you had your hands full enough just dealing with Renee,” Livvy said.
Kate nodded. “We didn’t leave until nearly midnight. I fixed Renee some chicken noodle soup. She said she didn’t have any appetite, so I sat with her until she finished most of it.”
She drummed her fingers on the table. “When I hugged her, I could tell she’s lost weight. I don’t think she’s been eating right since all this began.”
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” Livvy said. “She’s been going through a grieving process right now, just as if she’d lost a person she loves.”
“That’s exactly what’s happened.” Kate looked at her two friends. “I’m really worried about her. When she found out that little dog wasn’t Kisses, she was so distraught, I thought she’d disintegrate right there before our eyes. We just have to find Kisses. Why don’t we do a little brainstorming?”
“Sounds good to me.” Livvy pulled a notebook and pen from her handbag. “I can take notes while you go back over everything point by point.”
“That’s a good idea.” LuAnne nodded her approval. “When a bloodhound loses a trail, he has to go back to the last place he had a scent and try to pick it up again. So where’s our last scent?” She and Livvy eyed Kate expectantly.
“That’s the problem. There really isn’t any.” Kate ticked off the points as Livvy jotted them down in her notebook. “After seeing Renee in action at the dog-club meeting, I thought at first that one of the members might be involved.
“I also considered the possibility of a dognapping ring, but I can’t find any evidence to substantiate it. I can’t disprove it either, so we probably shouldn’t cross it off the list just yet, even though there haven’t been any other dognappings in the area.”
“What about whoever’s behind all the vandalism that’s been goin’ on around town?” LuAnne asked, a grim expression on her face. “Every one of those victims owns a dog.”
“That’s right,” Livvy exclaimed, her eyes wide. “Maybe that’s the missing connection!”
Kate hated to burst her friend’s bubble. She shook h
er head. “You two are thinking exactly like I did until, well, let’s just say I have it on good authority that the vandalism has been nipped in the bud. So that isn’t a factor anymore.”
“Do you know who was involved?” Livvy asked.
Kate chose her words carefully. “I think it’s best if I just say that the mayor has the situation under control.”
LuAnne quirked an eyebrow. “Well, that’s good to know. About it being over, I mean. Lawton Briddle has been tellin’ everybody he was goin’ to put a stop to it, and I guess he did.”
Livvy poised her pen over her notebook. “Okay, what else do we have?”
Kate shrugged. “Renee thought at first she’d receive a ransom demand, but nobody has called asking for money.”
Except for the Murphys, she thought. The couple had seemed awfully eager to leave as soon as Renee’s unexpectedly large check was in their hands.
“Earth to Kate.” Livvy snapped her fingers.
Kate blinked. “Sorry. I was just woolgathering.”
“Must have been an awfully interesting sheep,” LuAnne teased.
Livvy leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. “I know that look. What’s up, Sherlock?”
“Do either of you know a couple named Clifford and Cissy—”
“Murphy,” LuAnne cut in. “The ones from Pine Ridge? Yeah, they come in here every so often when Loretta’s meat loaf is on special. Why? What have they done now?”
Something in LuAnne’s tone made Kate feel like she might finally be on the right track.
“They’re the ones who turned in the phony Kisses last night,” Kate continued.
“Oh, brother.” LuAnne leaned back in the booth and rolled her eyes. “They’re a pair, those two. Always tryin’ some get-rich-quick scheme.
“First, it was worm farming, then they were gonna make big money raisin’ garlic. Last I heard, they had some notion they could make a fortune gettin’ other people to sign up for some kind of pyramid sales thing.”