Dog Days

by Carol Cox

  Daniel looked at Paul with a look of defiance in his eyes. “How’s that gonna help me feed my wife and kids? Are you tellin’ me that if I turn my life over to God, it’s gonna make all my problems go away?”

  Paul chuckled. “It would be nice if it worked out that way, but I can’t promise you it will.

  “There are always going to be difficulties of one sort or another. Some big, some small. God doesn’t promise to make them disappear, but he does promise to walk through the hard times with you.”

  He could see Daniel’s interest quicken.

  “You mean like a friend?”

  “That’s right. He can be your best Friend.”

  Daniel kept silent for several moments, then set the glass back on Paul’s blotter. He planted his hands on his knees and pushed himself to his feet.

  “I don’t know, Pastor. I’d like to believe that, but my daddy always told me that if somethin’ sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I’m gonna have to give that one some thought.”

  WHEN KATE WALKED INTO the outer office, she could hear Paul’s voice on the other side of his door. Knowing that he kept the door shut during the summer months to save on the air-conditioning bills, she assumed he was on the phone. Then she heard a different voice respond.

  Kate stopped just outside the door and listened a moment. It wasn’t a voice she recognized.

  She hesitated. Should she stay or leave? She didn’t want anyone to think she was eavesdropping, but she really did need the Newcombs’ address.

  Paul spoke again. “Let me urge you to give faith a great deal of thought, Daniel. It’s the most important decision you’ll ever make.”

  Kate nearly laughed out loud. So it was Daniel in there with Paul!

  She didn’t believe in coincidences, calling them God encounters instead. How like God to bring her there at that exact moment. If she waited a few minutes, she could get directions from Daniel himself.

  And it looked like she wouldn’t have to wait long. Kate heard footsteps on the other side of the door, and the knob rattled.

  She stepped back and waited for the knob to turn.

  Instead, she heard Daniel’s voice much clearer this time.

  “You said something about guilt a minute ago.”

  She heard Paul respond, but she couldn’t make out the words.

  “There’s somethin’ more I need to talk to you about,” Daniel said. “It’s been eatin’ away at me for weeks.”

  After a long pause, he continued. “Isn’t there some kind of legal thing where if I tell you something, you have to keep it in confidence?”

  “That depends.” Paul’s voice sounded closer.

  Kate thought he must have walked across the room to join Daniel.

  “There are some things of a criminal nature that I’m bound by law to report. You need to be aware of that before you say anything.”

  It was time to leave. Kate knew that whatever Daniel said next wasn’t intended for her ears. She still needed that address, but whom could she ask?

  Kate tiptoed over to Millie’s desk, hoping to find a neighborhood directory. She flipped through as quickly as she could without making noise and tried to tune out the conversation taking place in Paul’s office.

  A moment later, she had the information she needed and was headed to her Accord. Even though she’d tried not to listen to what Daniel was saying, the words she did overhear set her sleuthing instincts on high alert.

  Kate started the car and pulled out of the church parking lot. Now she had a dual purpose for her visit. If her suspicions were correct, Crystal Newcomb would need friends now more than ever.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The houses grew sparse as Kate drove west on Barnhill Street, then they petered out altogether. Two miles farther, she came across a row of rundown homes.

  The fourth one—the Newcombs’—was the only house that bore any signs of life. The yard boasted a modest garden filled with bright summer flowers, and a tire swing hung from a tall oak tree. But the house itself looked as if it was sinking into the ground on which it stood. The paint was severely chipped, the concrete drive was splitting, and the shutterless windows were cracked in several places.

  Kate’s heart went out to Crystal. The distance to town wasn’t too far for a healthy young woman to travel on foot from time to time, but not with two little ones in tow. And in a house like that, cabin fever was probably a daily reality for Crystal.

  Kate slowed to make the turn into the driveway. If the houses nearby had been occupied, Crystal would at least have been able to visit with her neighbors. As it was, with Daniel using their only vehicle, she spent her days in virtual isolation.

  When Kate pulled into the driveway and stopped, a towheaded little boy appeared from around the far corner of the house. He stared at Kate, then dashed back to where he’d come from. A moment later he reappeared, leading a young woman carrying a little girl on her right hip.

  Kate studied the trio as she got out of the car. The woman had curly black hair, pulled back from her face with a band of fabric that matched her bright print blouse. The little girl’s hair was dark like her mother’s, and they both had the same startling blue eyes. All three smiled as they approached Kate’s Honda.

  “Hi,” the woman called. “Can I help you?”

  “I’m looking for Crystal Newcomb,” Kate began, trying to reconcile this cheery young mother with the careworn figure of her imagination.

  “That’s me.” Crystal shifted the little girl to her left arm so she could shake Kate’s hand. “This is my son, Grady.” She indicated the grinning boy with a nod of her head.

  “And this”—she ticked the little girl under the chin, bringing forth a giggle—“is Hannah.”

  “I’m Kate Hanlon. My husband is the pastor of Faith Briar Church over on Mountain Laurel Road.”

  Crystal nodded. “I don’t get into town much, but I think I know where that is.”

  “How long have you lived here?” Kate asked.

  “It’s been about a year now. We moved here just before Grady turned three.”

  “I’m almost four now,” Grady said proudly.

  “Oh my!” Kate said with a laugh.

  To Crystal, she said, “Well, please consider this a belated welcome to Copper Mill. Here, I brought something for you.” She opened the passenger door of her Honda.

  Grady’s eyes lit up when he saw the plate of cookies. “Are those for us?”

  “They are.” Kate laughed again. “But you’ll have to ask your mom how many you can have.”

  “That’s so nice of you!” Crystal said. “Let’s take them inside, and we’ll have a tea party. What do you think, kids?”

  “Just a minute.” Kate set the cookies on the hood, then reached back inside the car, this time bringing out the crayons, coloring books, and stuffed animals.

  “Puppy!” Hannah squealed, stretching out her arms.

  “Actually, they’re bears,” Kate chuckled. She handed one to the little girl. “But I suppose it can be a puppy if you want it to be.”

  Crystal looked at her daughter fondly. “That’s probably what she’ll call it. She loves dogs.”

  Kate’s pulse quickened, but she passed the other bear and the coloring materials to Grady without comment.

  “Do you have time to come inside?” Crystal asked. “I was serious about that tea party. We don’t get much company way out here.”

  Kate picked up the plate of cookies. “I’d love to.”

  Crystal’s smile lit up her whole face. “Great. Come on in.”

  Kate studied the living room when they entered, amazed to find it a sunny, inviting space. Though the outside of the house showed the ravages of time and neglect, the inside was bright and appealing.

  “You can put the cookies on that coffee table if you like.” Crystal nodded toward the table, then set Hannah on the floor and gave her a loving pat.

  The little girl toddled off to one corner of the room, babbling to he
r new “puppy.”

  “You have two beautiful children,” Kate said.

  “They’re the joy of my life.” Crystal’s pride was evident as she stared after Hannah. “Go ahead and have a seat. I’ve got sun tea in the fridge. I’ll pour some for us.”

  While she was gone, Kate surveyed the room. The furniture looked like it had come from discount houses and yard sales, but the room itself was clean and tidy, with everything in its place.

  A half-finished cross-stitch project lay across the arm of an easy chair. Kate rose and went to look at it more closely.

  “I’m making that for the kids’ room.” Crystal returned carrying a tray with four plates, two tall glasses of iced tea, a smaller glass filled with lemonade, and a sippy cup that Kate assumed was filled with lemonade as well.

  She set the tray beside the cookies and held the needlework up so Kate could see it better. “It’s a Precious Moments design. I just love those, don’t you?”

  In the stitched scene, two children sat playing in the grass, while a third figure with a halo and wings hovered above them.

  “A guardian angel for my two little angels,” she said with a soft smile.

  Kate resumed her seat on the couch. “When do you get the time to work on something like that with two little ones around?”

  Crystal chuckled. “I try to clean the house and do the yard work while they’re awake. They help me a lot. Don’t you?” she asked Grady, who was reaching for a chocolate-fudge-oatmeal cookie.

  Grady stuffed a bite of the cookie in his mouth and grinned.

  “When they go down for their naps, that’s when I have time for myself. I work on my cross-stitch or read a book, things like that.” She spoke without the least trace of resentment.

  Kate set a chocolate-dipped peanut-butter ball on her plate and marveled. She had been prepared to offer friendship to a lonely woman beaten down by circumstances and on the verge of leaving her husband. Instead, she’d found a vibrant, charming person who seemed perfectly satisfied with her life.

  While Crystal obviously enjoyed having a visitor, she also seemed like one of those rare beings who was content with her own company. Doubt flickered in Kate’s mind. Had her other assumption been equally off the mark?

  She sipped her tea. “Delicious!”

  “It’s the mint,” Crystal told her. “I’ve got a patch growing on the shady side of the house. I put a sprig of it in the jar while the sun tea’s brewing. Really peps it up, doesn’t it?”

  “Definitely.” Kate took another sip and set down her glass. “Well, Crystal, part of the reason I came today was to invite you to a Friendship Club some ladies in our church have started. The idea is simply for women in the community to get together each week and enjoy each other’s company.”

  Hannah tugged on her mother’s shorts, and Crystal pulled the little girl into her lap and handed her the sippy cup. “That’s a great idea.”

  “I think so too,” Kate agreed. “It seems like everyone gets so busy these days, we all wind up going our separate ways. It’s easy to get disconnected.”

  “I think I’d enjoy something like that,” Crystal said. “Not that I don’t have enough company with these two.” She nuzzled her nose against Hannah’s neck. “But it would be nice to have some women friends to talk to once in a while. I’d be glad to come if I had a car.”

  Kate smiled. “They’re having a meeting today at three. If you’d like to go, I’d be more than happy to take you. There’s someone to watch the children, so they’re welcome to come along.”

  Crystal’s eyes sparkled. “Really? That might work. If I put the kids down for a nap right now, they should be rested enough by then.”

  “That’s wonderful!” Kate beamed, relieved to know that at least one part of her mission had come together.

  “Would you like me to stay and visit, or would you rather I leave now and come back to pick you up? We can do whatever works best for—”

  Loud scratching raked against a door at the far end of the room, followed by a faint whimper. Kate’s heart skipped a beat.

  “That’s my new puppy,” Crystal said with an apologetic smile.

  “Be quiet, Rambo,” Grady called in a stern tone.

  The whimpering began again. This time Hannah mimicked her brother. “Kite, ’Bo.”

  Crystal giggled. “I’m sorry he’s so noisy. He just isn’t used to being locked up.”

  Kate seized the opening. “Well, if you’ve locked him in there for me, don’t worry about it. I’d love to meet him!”

  “I don’t know.” Crystal wrinkled her nose. “He’s a sweetheart, but he gets a little excited sometimes. I don’t want him to jump up on you and ruin those nice slacks.” She looked toward the door. “Rambo, hush. We have company.”

  Instead of subsiding, the scratching grew more frantic. This time it was accompanied by a series of high-pitched barks.

  Kate drew a sharp breath and pressed her hand against her chest.

  Misunderstanding the gesture, Crystal set Hannah on the floor and stood. “I’m so sorry. I’ll go shush him.”

  “No, wait. Please let him out.”

  Crystal stared at Kate as if trying to see whether she was serious.

  “Well, if you say so.” She crossed the room and pushed the door open.

  Immediately, a tan, pint-sized blur burst out of the bedroom. Kate’s heart stopped, then raced as a tiny, bug-eyed dog with oversized, floppy ears and a sparkly collar shot across the room straight toward her.

  He skidded to a stop at Kate’s feet, then danced in circles, barking wildly.

  Crystal clapped her hands to her cheeks. “What on earth has gotten into him? I’ve never seen him act like that before.”

  Kate reached down and scooped the little dog into her arms. His tiny tail beat in frantic rhythm against her elbow.

  “Oh my” was all Kate could say.

  She held the diminutive dog out in front of her. “Kisses?”

  Crystal tilted her head to one side and crinkled her forehead. “Kiss him? Well, I guess if you want to...”

  Kate could find no more words to say. She simply reveled in the joy of the moment as Kisses wriggled in her arms, his little pink tongue planting doggy smooches on her cheek.

  The lost had at last been found.

  “This is Rambo?” Kate asked.

  “Uh-huh. It’s kind of a silly name for a dog that size, I guess. But Grady picked it out, so we decided to go along with it.”

  “I see.” Kate studied Crystal, who still stood at the open door, looking utterly astonished by her “puppy’s” behavior.

  Astonished, but not on edge. Kate saw no guarded air, no telltale sign of guilt on the other woman’s face. It was all too obvious that Crystal had no idea her new dog had been stolen from someone else.

  Sadness washed over Kate, tempering her elation at finding Kisses. She had come out to catch a perpetrator, and instead she had found another victim.

  How was she going to break the news to Crystal?

  Kate stroked the top of Kisses’ head as she had seen Renee do countless times. “I’m not sure how to tell you this,” she began.

  The front door swung open, and Kate heard a voice call out, “Hon, I’ve gotta talk to you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Kate turned to see a slender, sandy-haired man framed in the doorway. He stared back, taking in the sight of her holding Kisses with something like horror in his eyes.

  Over his shoulder, she could see Paul. When his eyes met Kate’s, she knew he shared the mingled sense of joy and sadness she was feeling.

  “Daniel,” Paul said, “this is my wife, Kate.”

  Without taking his eyes off her and the little dog, Daniel moved across the room to stand beside his wife.

  Crystal slipped her arm around his waist and looked up at him. “Would you please tell me what’s going on?”

  Daniel raked his fingers through his hair. “We’d better sit down. This is going to take a whi
le.”

  Crystal took a long look at him. “Give me a minute to put the kids down first.” She picked up Hannah, then took Grady by the hand and led him toward a bedroom at the back of the house.

  She returned a few moments later and joined Daniel on the couch. She reached over and took both of his hands in hers. “Okay, tell me what this is all about.”

  Daniel drew in a deep breath and turned to face her. “I need to tell you I’ve been talkin’ to the preacher quite a bit lately. The good news is that I decided today that it’s time to get right with God.”

  Kate shot a startled glance at Paul. He smiled and nodded but didn’t say anything.

  “I need to start doin’ things different,” Daniel said. “First of all, I’ve gotta be honest with you.”

  Some of the color left Crystal’s face. “What do you mean?”

  Daniel took in another breath and let out a shuddering sigh. “I lost my job.”

  “Again?” Crystal regarded him thoughtfully, then lifted one hand to smooth the hair back from his forehead. “Well, we’ve made it through tight times before, so I guess we can do it again.”

  Daniel wrapped his arms around his wife and buried his face in her neck. “I love you, Crystal. You’re the best.”

  “That’s what I keep telling you,” she said in a teasing tone. “So, that’s your bad news?”

  Daniel’s face fell. “Not all of it. The other part’s about Rambo.”

  Kate looked at Paul, and he mouthed, “Rambo?”

  Crystal’s face crinkled in confusion. “My puppy? What about him?”

  Daniel clenched his fists on his knees and squeezed his eyes shut. “He isn’t yours, hon. Not really.”

  “I don’t get it. What do you mean he’s not mine?”

  Daniel sagged against the back of the threadbare couch and stared at the opposite wall. “Do you remember just before your birthday how I promised we’d have a big celebration, and I’d do somethin’ to make it real special for you?”

  “And you did,” Crystal said with a dreamy smile. “It was my best birthday ever.”