Paws For Death

by Susan Union

  “Good morning, sunshine.” Luke’s voice was as tasty and welcome as chocolate caramel.

  Her head lolled to the side. Her brain took a moment to catch up. She reached for Pegasus and something tugged at her skin. A taped needle extended into a vein on top of her forearm. The sight of it sharpened her focus. “I hate IVs.”

  It smelled like a hospital room, but Shane was here, panting, his breath warm on her arm. Why is he wearing a vest? “I’m thirsty.”

  Luke picked up a plastic cup and rattled it. “Only ice chips for now, I’m afraid.”

  She chewed on a few, found minor satisfaction then lay her head back down on the pillow. She wanted to thank Luke for being here with her but couldn’t string that many words together until she got more liquid in her mouth. She took a deep breath. Her limbs felt as if they were glowing, a feeling she recognized as the effect of opiate painkillers. She was in love with the world and it with her. She closed her eyes, content to bask in the drug-induced haze until an unpleasant jolt shattered her dreamy bubble. Heart thumping, she pushed herself to her elbows, eyes seeking Luke. “Where’s Lee Ann?”

  “Dusty’s bringing her over soon, about eight thirty.”

  She lowered her head back onto the pillow. “Jojo?”

  “A little traumatized, and she’ll need a trip to the groomer, but she’ll be okay too.” Luke hooked his fingers around his knee. “What do you remember about last night?”

  “Andrew tried to kill me.” Tears spilled from her eyes, trickling into her ears. “And Shane too.” At the sound of his name, he rested his muzzle on the edge of the bed, brown eyes tinged with worry. She rubbed his head. “How is he?”

  “He’s got some tender spots and a strained tendon in his left foreleg, but you’ve got yourself one helluva tough dog here. Not too bad yourself, either, though you weren’t in the best shape when I pulled you out of the water.” Luke shifted in his chair, looking uncomfortable.

  “What’s wrong? You’re blushing.”

  “No, I’m not.”

  “Come on, Luke.” She sucked on some more ice. “I know you better than that.”

  “You were freezing. The paramedics took off your clothes and wrapped you in one of those silver thermal blankets.”

  She lowered the cup to the tray. Oh, God, he’d seen her naked. Being a woman was a hell of a burden at times.

  Luke took her hand in his and squeezed. Her heart pumped like a steam engine. When he took it away, it felt like he’d ripped a Band-Aid off a freshly formed scab, and she had to restrain herself from whining like a puppy.

  She reached for Shane again. “Hospitals don’t allow dogs.” She raised her eyebrows in a question mark.

  Luke smiled. “The guy who runs the pet therapy department is a friend of mine.”

  “Explains the vest he’s wearing. Thanks for bringing him.”

  “My pleasure.”

  “How long have I been here?”

  “Not long. Overnight.”

  “Damage?”

  “You have a concussion, four stitches in your thigh and a dislocated patella—well, it’s not dislocated any more. Little Propofol and they slid your kneecap right back into place.”

  She winced. “Four stitches?”

  “Knife wound. Bastard got you good.”

  She remembered. “Actually, I stabbed myself.”

  Luke looked confused.

  “It was dark. That thing is damn sharp.” Her fingers found the bandage on her thigh. “Sorry. I lost it on the beach.”

  “Don’t worry about it. We’ll go down to Mexico and get another one. Grab a couple lobster burritos and some Coronas while we’re at it.”

  “Okay.” That was the best she had? Okay? “Is that a bruise on your face?”

  Luke raised his hand and touched his cheek, like the mark was a bad memory. “Yeah. Andrew and I had a little disagreement. Turns out he didn’t want to wait for the cops, so I had to convince him otherwise. Got my keys back though. He must have been there on the beach the whole time, hiding out and watching us. Waiting for the right time to strike.”

  “Then that was Gina’s truck I saw. I should’ve known he hadn’t sold it. It’s old, but it would’ve paid for more than bologna at Gina’s memorial.” She shook her head. “Then he hears Copeland spill his guts to me, and he knew Steve was too injured to move.”

  “Yep. So he went after you instead. He knew could come back and deal with Copeland later.”

  “Speaking of the devil, where is Copeland?”

  “Two floors down having his ankle put back together.”

  “Zoom?”

  Luke smiled. “Get this. Mel broke into Copeland’s motorhome last night and stole him back while Steve was at the beach.”

  The room was too bright. She closed her eyes. “Good ol’ Robin Hood Mel. Eight dogs now?”

  “Eight is enough, she said.”

  “When can I leave?”

  “When the doctor says so.”

  “I hate hospitals. Have I mentioned that?”

  “It’s not your first serious smack on the head. That worries me.”

  “I’m not worried.” She wasn’t. Not one bit. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so positive about her future. Perhaps they needed to dial down the Oxycontin.

  A knock on the door brought Luke to his feet.

  Her mother hurried into the room, wearing an oversized coat. The side bulged, deflating as Jojo dropped to the floor and let out a yip. Her hair hung in long mats, not unlike Steve Copeland’s dreadlocks. Jojo made a beeline for Shane and slathered his muzzle with kisses. He let her.

  “How are you, Mom?”

  She collapsed into one of the chairs by the bed, concern plastered over her face. “Never mind me, honey. Are you okay? Does it hurt?”

  “I’ll live.”

  Her mother scooted her chair closer, took something from her purse and put it on Randi’s lap.

  “New socks? Thanks.” They did look kinda cozy.

  “You’re welcome.” She extracted a compact mirror and applied a fresh coat of lipstick, something she hadn’t bothered with in a long time. She looked pale and frail. Last night’s almost drowning had to have taken a lot out of her. “Dusty dropped me off. He apologized, by the way. He’s embarrassed over what happened. He feels terrible about his father and said he’ll come by after he hits In-N-Out.”

  Randi cleared her throat. “Did he tell you why his father killed Gina?”

  “Not so much. Mainly he spilled his guts about the puppy mill business. I think it was cathartic for him.” Her mother sat back with a sigh.

  Shane and Jojo curled up next to each other on the floor. Buddies at last.

  “I guess I have to come to terms with Jojo being the product of a puppy mill. Nothing I can do about it now. It’s not like I’m going to give her up.”

  “Good. I worked too hard to save her from the Kraken.”

  “Thank you for that, hon. I’m eternally indebted to you.

  Randi smiled. Eternally indebted? This might be fun.

  “It’s not going to change the way I feel about Gina, either. Though I might never understand. I guess she had her reasons.”

  “What about Andrew’s reason for killing his sister? Besides being pissed at her for making Steve Copeland the beneficiary of her estate.”

  “I spoke to Valerie briefly this morning. She told me Andrew had always been jealous of Gina. I knew it ran deep, but not how deep.”

  “Valerie said Gina came over every morning for coffee. Is that when Andrew poisoned her?”

  “I’m afraid so.” Her mother put a hand to her mouth. “Bailey’s Irish Cream. Lots because Gina was nervous. Valerie saw him do that much, but she didn’t see him put in what must’ve been a deadly dose of GHB.”

  Luke leaned forward, hands on his knees. “What else did Valerie say?”

  “The senior Thortons had two children—” Her mother stopped. “Is there coffee? I’m going to need it.”
r />   Luke stood up. “I’ll get you some.”

  “Thank you.” Her mother winked. “As Randi already knows, they had one blood child, one adopted. Many people are able to love both equally in that situation, and maybe the Thortons tried, who knows, but Andrew wasn’t feeling it. The way their family structure was set up, he had to ask Gina for everything. Money for the nightclub, for the mortgage—and all of it came from their puppy mill operations. When Gina told Andrew she’d changed her will in Copeland’s favor, and to his detriment, well of course Andrew was furious. Not only that, but Steve found out about the puppy mills. Threatened to expose Andrew and his low-cost, high-suffering operation to 60 Minutes.”

  Randi dug her fingers into Shane’s fur. “What’s going to happen to the puppy mill and all those poor caged dogs?”

  “Dusty said he and Valerie will shut it down. Find good homes. Valerie never liked the business, anyway. It’s the real reason she didn’t want a dog in the house—or the camper, that is. I think that if she fell in love with her own pooch, it would have made it harder to stick her head in the sand while she let the checks roll in.”

  Her mother continued, “The dirty family secret was also the reason Gina broke it off with Mel. She knew it was only a matter of time before Mel found out, and when she did, it’d break her heart. Thus the letter. Truth upon death. It bothers me though.”

  “What does?”

  “I’ll never really know who Gina’s last love was. Mel or Steve?”

  “Mom, wait. That day, in Copeland’s bathroom, did you see Gina’s letter to her attorney or not?”

  “Hell, no. What letter? I was fixing my face, not reading the man’s personal correspondence.”

  A nursed knocked quickly before he came in. He shot a glance at Jojo, sleeping peacefully next to her new pal and waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal. “Don’t worry about it. Your secret’s safe with me. My wife and I have a little cockapoo at home we’re crazy about.”

  Luke scooted his chair in to make room for the nurse to get by. “What about you, Lee Ann? What’re your plans?”

  Randi was glad he’d asked, saving her the agony.

  “Jojo likes it here. I think we’ll stay. That is, if my daughter doesn’t mind.”

  “Of course I don’t.” Could have been the drugs talking, or the blood pressure cuff squeezing the crap out of her arm, but the thought of it truly didn’t bother her. Amazing.

  “Then again I did have a nice conversation with your father this morning. I told him I was sorry for running out on him—both times.”

  “Mom—”

  Her mother’s phone rang. Saved by the bell. She spoke briefly then hung up. “Dusty’s downstairs. I’m going to go get him.”

  Luke made a move. “I can go.”

  “No, you stay here.” Her mother eased herself from the chair. She gave Luke a pat on the knee and handed him Jojo’s leash. “Be a lamb and keep your eyes on both my girls.” At Randi’s bedside, she bent over and planted a kiss on Randi’s forehead. “Love you, hon.”

  “Love you too, Mom.”

  When her mother and the nurse were gone, Luke said, “Things are coming together for you, Ms. Sterling.”

  She thought of Dylan Dainsworth. “Is that a nice way of saying, ‘About time you got your act together?’”

  “Not at all.” Luke shot a basket with a balled-up paper towel.

  “Luke, there’s something I need to tell you. The night my mother and I came to dinner, and you guys left to get her agility equipment…” She stalled out.

  “Yes?”

  “I feel really bad, but I went in your bedroom.”

  “I know.”

  “You do? How?”

  “You left a drawer open. I always close my drawers. Not only that, when your mother and I came back inside the house and caught you all flustered, you said you’d found the powder room.”

  “So?”

  “The powder room is downstairs.”

  “Are you mad?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “I figure you owe me one.”

  “And then some. Don’t you want to know why I did it?”

  “Not necessary.”

  “We still don’t know who used the burr to get me bucked off.”

  “We might not ever find out.”

  The clock above the wall-mounted box of disposable gloves ticked, smacking the silence.

  “Luke, you don’t have to stay here with me. I’m sure you’ve got lots of work to make up for your laid-up tech.”

  “Actually, things are slow. I don’t feel like doing much.” He looked out the window at the thick bank of continuous clouds. No blue sky. “I have to say, this June gloom you complain about is getting to me, too. Makes me lazy.”

  “Might as well learn to live it. Nothing we can do about the weather. That’s what my boss says, and he’s in tune with his natural world.” She smiled. “Half of him is, at least.”

  “Yeah, well, he’s not always right.” Luke twisted the silver cuff around his wrist. “Remember the goat last month? The one that ate a loaf of bread rising on the windowsill and whose stomach almost exploded?”

  “How could I forget?”

  “The owner gave me a weekend at his timeshare condo in Palm Springs in return for saving the goat. The guy’s crazy over the beast, despite the fact it eats everything in sight.”

  She closed her eyes. “Palm Springs?” Sunshine, warm desert breezes, roadrunners and cactus, swimming pools and a cooler full of ice cold Negra Modelos—sounded like heaven. “Lucky you.” Randi imagined Barbra prancing around the pool in a skimpy bikini and high heels, holding one of those fancy drinks with a little umbrella in it.

  “You interested?”

  Her eyes flew open. “Me?”

  “Yes,” he laughed. “Of course you. Who else?”

  “How many bedrooms does it have?” She’d slap herself on the forehead for asking such a silly question if it didn’t already hurt so badly.

  Luke leaned back, looking amused. “Why do you ask? You want to bring your mother along?”

  She smiled. “Not this time. All I want is you and my dog.”