by Donna Doyle
Thinking of her ex-fiancé Sam, Courtney nodded. “Not exactly an amicable split, huh?”
“Not even an official one!” Carolyn sat down and crossed her legs, looking dramatic. “We went back and forth about a million times. Don’t get me wrong. I knew we could never really be the same, but he tempted me sometimes. Now that he’s gone, I don’t know if I should be happy or sad that we were still married as far as the courthouse is concerned.”
“Why do you say that?” Mrs. Cheatham certainly wasn’t the picture definition of the grieving widow.
She sipped from a cup of coffee that was on the end table. “If we’d gotten everything finalized and had been officially divorced, then I wouldn’t have to deal with his estate. I also wouldn’t be getting his pension, although that’s a mere drop in the bucket for me. At any rate, nobody else would’ve taken care of his house and belongings, so I suppose it’s just as well that I do it.”
“Had anyone offered Gunnar to you?”
Carolyn shook her head emphatically. “No, but probably because they knew better. I’m not really a dog person.”
There went her tiny little hope that Carolyn might be interested in giving Gunnar a new home. “Do you know anyone who might be interested in taking him? Normally, my work at the shelter doesn’t involve going out into public and searching for new owners like this. People come to the shelter and pick out the dog they want. But a former police dog is a different matter, and Gunnar here is suffering from separation anxiety.”
“Ah, yes. You mentioned that. We can certainly go to Walter’s house and see if there’s anything that sparks his interest. You can follow me.”
Courtney backed her car out and waited in the road while Carolyn pulled her Mercedes out of the garage. “She’s an interesting woman, but I have to wonder about her a little,” Courtney admitted to Gunnar. “Officer Holland seemed to think there might be something suspicious about Cheatham’s death. I’m reluctant to think it was you, but an estranged wife certainly sounds like a suspect to me. She did say she was getting his pension, but it looks to me like she’s got more money than most here in Curly Bay. I’ll have to do some more research later.” Courtney kind of liked Carolyn, and she hoped she wouldn’t find a reason not to.
“Well, here we are,” Carolyn said as she got out of her car and strode up the walkway to the tiny bungalow, flipping through the keys on her ring. “If the neighbors remember that I’m in real estate, then they’re probably all kinds of excited.”
“Why is that?” Courtney and Gunnar stood behind her as she fiddled with the lock, looking around at the overgrown yard.
“They never really liked Walter much. When the two of us both still lived here, they complained endlessly that he was too noisy when he was home. He worked a lot of odd hours, so sometimes he’d be working on something in the garage or have the radio blasting when most people were in bed.” She opened the door and walked in, holding the door wide.
“I can understand that. I’ve got some noisy neighbors, too.” The house smelled as though it’d been locked up for a while. A pillow and blanket sat askew on the couch, as if someone had been sleeping there. Several newspapers and magazines were stacked haphazardly on the coffee table.
A plate and a glass sat on the dining table. “Walter’s dead, and yet I’m still cleaning up after him. Nothing has changed.”
Courtney unclipped Gunnar from his leash. The dog shot off through the house, looking through all the rooms. He came running back into the living room, whined at Courtney, and then left again.
“It’s sad, but in a way it’s nice to know that someone is grieving for Walter,” Mrs. Cheatham said gently.
She had a feeling there were some old emotions still happening for Carolyn, but Courtney wasn’t going to call her out on it. “I hope this might help him with some closure. Maybe just seeing that Officer Cheatham isn’t here anymore will do him some good.” Courtney secretly hoped this wouldn’t create a setback for the dog. She’d feel awful if it did.
“He was always a very good dog. Like I said, I’m not really into dogs, but Walter made sure Gunnar had every bit of training he could possibly get. He loved his job just like a human would, or maybe more so. Even when Walter and I fought, Gunnar never took sides. He’d just go in the other room and go to bed until we were done.” Carolyn moved wistfully around the house as she spoke, tidying up a little as she went.
Courtney suspected this visit was just as therapeutic for Carolyn as it was for Gunnar. “You know, I spoke with Officer Holland when I was down at the precinct yesterday. It sounded like he was close with your husband, and he even suspected Gunnar might have something to do with his death.”
“Oh, please.” Carolyn snorted and rolled her eyes as she adjusted a lamp shade. “Holland and Walter worked together quite a bit, but I’d take anything he has to say with a whole shaker full of salt. As for them being close, I don’t think Walter was particularly friendly with anyone at the precinct.”
“What about Detective Fletcher?”
Carolyn was looking at the clock on the wall. “Is that right?” she asked aloud as she checked her watch. “I’m sorry. I’ve got a showing I’ve got to get to.”
“I understand.” Courtney went off to find Gunnar. The dog was still wandering through the house, but he hadn’t picked up any toys or done anything to suggest there was something special he wanted. She grabbed a tennis ball and a rubber bone, just in case. She knew Carolyn was in a hurry to leave, so she also snagged a folded handkerchief off the counter. “Do you mind if I take this for Gunnar? Just in case it still smells like Officer Cheatham?”
“That’s fine, dear.” Carolyn ushered her out the door and locked it behind them. “I do wish you all the best of luck with the dog.”
“Thank you. And thank you for your time.” Courtney loaded the dog back in her car and headed for work, her mind racing with ideas.
Chapter Five
It was well past the time that Courtney should’ve gone home. There was always work to be done at the rescue, though, and she often found that she never truly felt done. Having Gunnar there had only increased that feeling.
“Are you going to stay here all night?” Jessi asked as she came into the office. Several strands of white cat hair clung to her clothes, which was simply a part of the workday.
“Sure, why not?” Courtney said with a grin, looking up from the list she was making. “I’ll be leaving soon. I’ve just got a few ideas I need to get down on paper before I forget them. It might also stop them from swirling around in my head so much.”
Jessi raised an inquisitive brow. “Does any of that have to do with the new foster program Ms. O’Donnell said you’re starting? She said you brought it up.”
“I did, but I haven’t yet done all the legwork to see what the process entails. I do have some of that on here. I’ve also thought about suggesting we install security cameras.” Courtney continued to write as they spoke. She’d gone to school for marketing, and she’d learned to do some very effective brainstorming as part of that process. She didn’t want to lose her momentum.
“We already have security cameras at all the doors,” Jessi pointed out, brushing back a wisp of hair that’d escaped from her dark ponytail. “We even got that one fixed out back.”
“Yes, but I mean cameras inside. I’m worried about leaving Gunnar here, given how he did on his first night. He’s got a few new toys, as well as the ones I retrieved from his old home. I think he’s made some progress, but if we had some sort of interior camera system, we could check on the animals at any time of day.”
“That’s a good point, but just think about how much that would cost.” Jessi made a face as she took her purse from her desk and dug out her keys. “We’re already up to our elbows in vet bills, and the hotel and spa only does so much to balance that out. Animals aren’t a cheap industry, not by any stretch.”
“You’re not wrong. Still, I’m going to talk to Mrs. O’Donnell about it tomorrow. Have a
good night!” Courtney left a few minutes after Jessi did, saying one last goodbye to Gunnar and making sure the doors were all locked before she headed home.
To her great relief, there was no sign of the garage band that had been so obnoxious the previous night. She headed inside, noting how quiet and empty the place felt without Gunnar. Courtney turned on the radio for a little bit of background noise and began cooking her favorite chicken and pesto pasta, savoring the smell of the fresh garlic and basil. She was halfway through cooking when she heard a knock on the door. Courtney automatically reached to her hip for a towel, but found instead the handkerchief of Officer Cheatham’s she’d stuffed in her pocket.
“Oh, no,” she moaned as she headed for the door. “I completely forgot about this! Poor Gunnar! Now I won’t sleep at all tonight, wondering how he’s doing.” She was deeply regretting not just bringing the German Shepherd home with her for another night until she discovered her landlady was standing on the front porch.
Courtney plastered a smile on her face. “Mrs. Peabody! I’m so glad you came by. I really appreciate how patient you’ve been with me. I have plans to go to the bank on my lunch hour tomorrow to get you a money order. The bank issues should be fixed by now, but I don’t want you to have any doubts.”
The old woman scowled at her. “That’s all fine and dandy. Now can you tell me why there was a dog here last night?”
“What?” Courtney’s throat grew dry. She had never been the kind of person to flout the rules, not even when she was a child. Right now, she felt like she was getting a lecture from a teacher, and she didn’t like it.
Mrs. Peabody’s wrinkled chin pushed up into the air. “I heard there was a dog here, and a rather large one. Don’t bother trying to deny it, because I take it as a matter of pride to know exactly what happens on my property. I thought I made it quite clear that you weren’t to have any pets.”
“I don’t,” Courtney said, setting the handkerchief aside and hoping she hadn’t completely obliterated Cheatham’s scent. “I mean, he’s not mine. He was just here for one night, because he couldn’t handle being in the shelter. You see—”
“Oh, no.” Mrs. Peabody held up a hand to stop her from explaining Gunnar’s situation. “I don’t want to hear your sob story, nor the dog’s. You know what the rules are.”
“Yes, I do. You’re very right about that. The dog simply needed some help, and it was only for one night. It’ll never happen again.”
“You’re darn right it won’t! Now, I suggest you get the rent taken care of, or else I’ll have to start taking steps to have you evicted.” Mrs. Peabody shook her finger at Courtney like an old schoolmarm before turning and marching back down the street.
Courtney sagged against the doorway as she watched her go, wondering if she was ever going to get her life straight.
The next day, Courtney arrived at the shelter to find that Gunnar had only done a little bit better. He seemed to have kept himself relatively occupied with the toys Courtney had given him, one of which had a special treat hidden inside if he worked at it long enough. But he had also pulled down more of the wall covering and was pacing restlessly by the time Courtney got there.
“Aw, come here sweet boy,” she said, kneeling down just inside the kennel and pulling Officer Cheatham’s handkerchief from her pocket. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I meant to leave this here with you last night. Maybe it’ll make a difference for you today.” Courtney held the handkerchief out for the dog to sniff.
Gunnar was slowly building up his trust of her, and so he had no qualms about walking up to her. But he took one sniff of the hanky and retreated to the other corner of the cage. His haunches shook as he watched Courtney.
“Wow, okay. That’s not what I expected at all. I’ll get rid of it.” Courtney set the cloth aside for the moment and got Gunnar’s leash. “Why don’t you come into the office with me for a bit this morning? I’ve got a lot of paperwork to do, so you can come lie on my feet and make sure I keep working.”
At the sight of the leash, the dog immediately came forward and patiently waited for her to clip it on him. He did just as she asked, walking right alongside her to the office. When she gave him a reassuring pat, he settled down easily under her desk.
Courtney worked the morning away, sending out various emails and checking up on the massive amount of paperwork the Curly Bay Pet Hotel and Rescue seemed to require. Gunnar was a warm and comforting presence at her side, and she could understand why some people brought their dogs with them everywhere they went. Once Gunnar got a new home, she was definitely going to miss him.
“Hello, Courtney!” Ms. O’Donnell called as she came into the office. “I’ve just ordered pizza and garlic breadsticks from Russo’s. I thought we’d have a nice little office lunch together.”
“Any certain reason?” Courtney asked warily, knowing that Ms. O’Donnell always had some plan churning.
“Okay, you got me. I thought we should have a staff meeting. I know it’s not really the kind of thing we do around here. I’ve always tried to keep it very casual, but it’s been quite some time since we were all in the same room together.” She took a seat at her desk and smiled.
“That’s actually a really good idea, and it’s something I’ve been thinking about myself,” Courtney admitted. “I’ve got a whole list of ideas I’ve been working on that could improve things around here, particularly on the rescue side. I wouldn’t mind running them past all of you so we can hash them out.”
“Sure, we can do that,” the owner agreed. “I’d also like to go over our little marketing plan there under your desk and see if he’s ready for his closeup yet.”
Courtney looked down at Gunnar, who was snoring away with his chin on the floor. “It’s kind of like a roller coaster with him, but—”
“Oh! There’s the pizza! Can you go up front to get it? I’ll round up Jessi and Dora.” Ms. O’Donnell disappeared in a flash toward the spa.
“Sure,” Courtney replied to the empty air. Gunnar woke up at the sound of her chair moving and followed her. She didn’t bother picking up his leash, since the counter blocked off the front foyer and kept all the animals on the sides they were supposed to be on.
The driver, in a red polo splattered with grease stains, was standing just inside the doorway. He was looking at the ticket attached to the pizza box and checking the information against his phone. “I’m not sure if this is the right place,” he said uncertainly. “It’s my first day, and—Whoa!” He quickly backed up until he slammed himself into the wall as a large brown blur leapt over the counter.
Courtney hardly had time to understand what was happening, much less grab Gunnar’s leash in time to keep him from leaping straight over the gate and into the foyer. In one quick bounce that showed just what good shape he was in, the dog hit the floor and was in the air again, leaping right at the delivery driver.
Someone screamed. Courtney could hear it over the thunderous sound of her heart beating in her chest as she watched the scene unfold. It might even have been her, or the driver, or both. She reached out helplessly over the counter, but it was impossible to reach Gunnar as he sailed through the air. His massive mouth opened to reveal his shining white teeth.
They clamped down hard, ripping and tearing. But Gunnar hadn’t gone for the driver himself. It was the box of garlic breadsticks. He compressed it in his teeth and shook his head violently, mimicking the way wild dogs would kill their prey. Breadsticks flew everywhere.
Flying through the gate built into the counter, Courtney helped the terrified pizza man to his feet. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”
The poor kid shook his head and dusted himself off, keeping his eyes firmly on the dog. “Why did he do that? Did I do something wrong?”
Knowing that he was on his feet and stable, Courtney went for Gunnar. She easily took the dog’s leash in hand and removed the cardboard box from his mouth. Instead of giving her a guilty look for spreading breadsticks and bits
of cardboard all over the foyer floor, Gunnar looked like he expected a treat. “No, you didn’t do anything wrong. Gunnar just has issues that he’s trying to work through. I’m really sorry about all this. I can promise you it won’t happen again.”
The driver picked up the pizza box, which had fallen to the floor as Gunnar had grabbed the other container. “I think it’s still edible,” he said, looking inside. “I mean, I would eat it.”
“I’m sure it’s fine. You can just set it on the counter. Was the order already paid for?”
He checked the ticket, which was still in his hand. “Yeah. It was all done online.”
“Then I’ll make sure you get a sizeable tip. I really am sorry.” Courtney looked quizzically at Gunnar, who didn’t look like he had any idea that things had gone wrong. She kept him as far away as possible while the pizza man headed out the door.
“What on Earth was that all about?”
Courtney looked up to see that Ms. O’Donnell, Dora, and Jessi had all heard the commotion and come running in. “I don’t know. Gunnar just jumped right over the counter and attacked the breadsticks. I really thought he was doing better, but then this happened.” She sat down in one of the chairs, feeling defeated.
“Were you able to get in touch with that trainer yet?” Jessi asked.
“Nope. I’ve left message after message. I’ve even looked for another trainer, but there aren’t any others that specialize in police dogs or even service dogs anywhere near here.” She petted Gunnar’s head and looked into his eyes, wondering what was going on in there.
“You’re going to have to make sure he stays in his kennel during the day,” Dora said sharply. She spent all her time with the pampered pooches in the spa, and even though she loved all dogs, she clearly preferred those with privileged backgrounds. “You can’t keep bringing him out if he’s going to act like that, because he could be dangerous for our clients and their pets.”