Boomer's Bucket List

by Sue Pethick

  “Would you excuse me a second?” she said. “I have to make a phone call.”

  Derek Compton sounded wary—not surprising considering how contentious their last conversation had been.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure,” Jennifer said.

  She was sitting in her truck, looking out at the rain-scoured landscape. The storm that had passed through might have flooded a few streets, but it had also washed away the accumulated dirt and dust of a long, hot summer. The sun’s reflection on the wet pavement was dazzling.

  “Tell Stacy that all is forgiven, too, will you? The Web site was a good idea. I’m sorry I didn’t realize it before.”

  She hung up and took a deep breath, preparing herself for the next call. She owed Nathan an apology. Even if he had implied that Boomer’s Bucket List was an advertising ploy, it was no worse than she’d suspected herself once she heard about the Web site. After all he’d done for the two of them, she felt bad for throwing him out like she had. She’d enjoyed his company on the road, and it had been good for Boomer to have him along. Whatever happened now, at least her dog had had some fun days on their trip, not just boring ones. She dialed Nathan’s number and held her breath, hoping he’d pick up.

  There was a tap on her window. The receptionist was standing outside. Jennifer hung up; she’d call again later. As she opened her door, the woman gave her a tentative smile.

  “You can come back now. Boomer would like to see you.”

  Dr. Padilla was a petite woman with chin-length salt-and-pepper hair and piercing brown eyes that looked out from a softly rounded face. When Jennifer walked into the examination room, she set Boomer’s chart aside and the two women shook hands.

  “Where is he?” Jennifer said.

  “Still receiving treatment,” the woman said. “My assistant will take you back to see him in a moment, but I wanted a chance to talk to you first.”

  Jennifer’s heart was pounding. “Is he going to live?”

  “For a while yet, yes,” she said. “But I’m afraid he’s not out of the woods. Acute Mountain Sickness can strike very quickly and an animal with HCM is at much higher risk for complications.”

  “Acute Mountain Sickness?” Jennifer frowned. “You mean it’s not his heart?”

  “Not primarily,” Dr. Padilla said. “Not in this instance, at least.”

  She glanced at the chart.

  “I see you’re from Chicago. When did you and Boomer arrive here, in Holbrook?”

  “Yesterday. We’ve been taking a road trip.”

  “Yes, I know,” the vet said, glancing toward the door. “You have many fans in this area.”

  “So, you’re saying that there’s something about being in Arizona that caused Boomer’s symptoms?”

  “Not just Arizona. I should think he’s been showing signs—lethargy, nausea, irritability—since shortly after you left Oklahoma. The difference in elevation between Chicago and where we are here is over five thousand feet. Boomer’s heart has had to work much harder to supply his body with oxygen now than it did when you began your trip.”

  Jennifer started to shake. “Oh, my God. I’ve killed him.”

  “Oh, no,” Dr. Padilla said. “Boomer still has some time left. I’ve administered dexamethasone and acetazolamide, which are the standard of care for both mild and moderate altitude sickness, and he’s receiving oxygen now. Once he’s released, though, you’ll need to get him back down to sea level as quickly as possible.”

  Jennifer nodded. “I will,” she said, wiping away a tear.

  “It’s a bit costly, but I could also send a pressure bag and supplemental oxygen with you, if you’d like.”

  “That would be great. Whatever it costs, it’s fine.”

  “Very good. I’d advise you, though, to have someone with you to monitor Boomer’s condition while you’re on the road. Trying to drive and keep an eye on him at the same time could be disastrous for you both.”

  Jennifer nodded. Nathan would do it, she thought. He might be angry with her, but he loved Boomer. There was no way he’d turn down a chance to help him.

  “All right,” she said. “How soon can we leave?”

  “Let’s give him another hour, at least,” the vet said. “Boomer had a small amount of fluid in his lungs when you arrived; I’d like to make sure that that’s been cleared up before we let him go.”

  “That sounds good,” Jennifer said. “It’ll give me a chance to check out of our motel room and find my copilot.”

  There was a knock on the door, and the vet’s assistant came in.

  “You can come see Boomer now.”

  He was strapped down on a padded table, an oxygen mask over his muzzle and an IV line in his right foreleg. For a large dog, he looked terribly small and frail lying there. Jennifer was fighting back tears.

  “Hey, Boomie. How ya doing?”

  His tail thumped once and stopped as his gaze slid away.

  She glanced up at the assistant. “I didn’t think he’d been sedated.”

  “He wasn’t. He’s just tired.”

  “But is this normal? He almost seems depressed.”

  “Could be. Animals have feelings, too. Once the meds finish working and his oxygen level is back up, we think he’ll be fine.”

  Jennifer bent down and kissed the top of his head.

  “You stay here and be good,” she whispered. “I’ll be back soon. I’m going to go get Nathan.”

  CHAPTER 30

  George, the assistant manager, looked worried as Jennifer came charging through the motel’s front door.

  “What happened? How’s Boomer?”

  “He’s okay,” she said. “They’ve given him some medication and he’s getting oxygen now. I just need to pack up and get out of here so I can get him down to sea level.”

  “He’s got altitude sickness?”

  She started. “Yeah. How did you know?”

  “Not a week goes by that we don’t get somebody in here with it. Too bad you can’t just tell him to breathe faster. That clears it right up for a lot of folks.”

  “Thanks,” she said. “I’ll remember that.”

  Jennifer started down the hallway, thinking about all the things she’d need to do before they hit the road: pack, fill the truck with gas, get some sandwiches and maybe some water for them to drink on the way. Not too much, though. She wanted to keep the pit stops to a minimum. First, however, she’d have to convince Nathan to come, too.

  “Do you know if Mr. Koslow is in his room?” she said.

  “Oh, no, he’s already checked out.”

  She jerked to a halt, her heart racing.

  “What? When was that?”

  George’s eyes darted around the room. He looked like a cornered rat.

  “I don’t know. Not long after I got back from taking you, I guess. One of the other guests gave him a ride to the bus station.”

  The bus station! He’d told her last night that he might catch a bus, but she didn’t think he’d leave so soon.

  “Did he tell you where he was going?”

  “No, ma’am. Just that you’d decided to drive the rest of the way alone and that he had some things of his own to take care of.”

  She looked back down the hallway. The door to Nathan’s room was open, a maid’s cart sitting outside. If he’d left for the bus station that long ago, he might be on his way out of town by now. There wasn’t time to pack her things and check out. She had to get down there and see if she could stop him.

  “Could you write down the bus station’s address for me?”

  “Sure. No problem.”

  He took out a piece of paper and a pen.

  “I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to get out of here before checkout time,” she said. “Would it be possible for you to hold my room and just charge me for a second night?”

  George handed her the address and smiled.

  “Don’t worry, Miss Westbrook, I’ll hold it for you,” he said. “No c
harge.”

  Jennifer grabbed the piece of paper and ran back out to her truck. As she started the engine, she dialed Nathan’s number again. This time, it kicked her straight into his voice mail.

  “Nate, it’s Jen,” she said, when she heard the beep. “Listen, Boomer’s had an emergency and I need your help. I’m heading to the bus station right now. If you haven’t left yet, please don’t go before I get there.”

  As she hung up, she saw the light in the upcoming intersection turn yellow. Jennifer stepped on the accelerator and nipped through just as it turned red. A quick glance in the mirror said she was in the clear. She smiled and kept going. The bus station was only a block away.

  Nathan wasn’t there.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am. I’m not allowed to give out the names of our passengers to the public.”

  The middle-aged woman in the blue shirt looked genuinely sorry, but that didn’t make the bad news any easier to take. Jennifer had checked the schedule for buses going east and buses going west, hoping to at least narrow down which direction Nathan had taken, but one of each had left in the last hour and a half. Her only chance was to persuade someone in authority to tell her which bus he was on. She took a deep breath and felt her lips tremble as she explained her situation again. Couldn’t the woman at the counter bend the rules, just this once?

  “I wish I could help you,” the woman said. “Honestly. But the only person I could release that information to would be a member of the family. And even then, I’d still need a picture ID.”

  Jennifer’s eyes widened. A member of the family! Why hadn’t she thought of that before? Nathan’s brother Rudy might know which way he’d gone. She felt like kissing the woman.

  “Thank you,” she said. “You’ve been a big help.”

  Rudy Koslow sounded pretty much like one would expect the director of Hollywood Zombie Hookers to sound. As Jennifer explained the situation to him, she could almost hear him panting on the other end of the line. She told herself not to let him get to her. The fact was, she’d dealt with much scummier guys than him in the past.

  “I don’t know where the little twerp’s going,” he told her. “I just know he’s not coming here.”

  And if he wasn’t going to LA to see his brother, she thought, the chances were that Nathan was heading back home. Which meant she was after the eastbound bus.

  “He was pretty broken up when he called,” Rudy said. “Even worse than when Sophie left him. You must be some kinda looker.”

  Jennifer’s lip curled. How could it be possible that Nathan was related to this moron?

  “He’s probably going to Chicago, then,” she said. “So I’ll need to get back on the road. Thanks. I appreciate the help.”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa. You’re going after him?”

  She took a deep breath and tried to stay calm in spite of the time pressure. This was Nathan’s brother, after all.

  “I plan to, yes.”

  He laughed. “Okay, but when you get tired of my nerdy little brother, give me a call. I can show you what real excitement is all about.”

  There were times, Jennifer thought—not many—when having a checkered past paid off in spades. This was one of them.

  “Rudy, dear,” she drawled. “Keith Richards once drank champagne out of my bedroom slipper. Believe me, I’ve had more excitement than you could handle.”

  There was a different clerk at the counter when Jennifer walked back into the terminal, a younger woman with a stud in her nose and tattoos laddered up her left arm. When Jennifer told her that she was hoping to intercept the last bus that had left for Chicago, and why, the girl was eager to help. Perhaps she was less of a stickler about the rules, Jennifer thought, or maybe she was just hoping to add her own sighting to the Where’s Boomer? page, but whatever the reason, Jennifer was grateful for the assistance.

  “He must have taken the thirteen sixty bus,” the girl said. “It left here about seventy minutes ago.”

  “Where’s the first stop?”

  “Gallup, New Mexico.”

  Jennifer groaned. Gallup was almost a hundred miles away. With the rains they’d had, parts of the freeway might still be flooded. She’d never be able to get there in time.

  “Oh,” she said. “So he’s long gone.”

  “Not necessarily.” The clerk pointed to a laminated map on the counter. “The thirteen sixty isn’t due to arrive in Gallup for another hour and a half and it’s scheduled for a half hour layover at the station. If you hurry, you can probably catch him before the bus leaves for Albuquerque.”

  Jennifer’s heart leaped. “That’s great! Thank you.”

  As she ran for the truck, she called Dr. Padilla’s office and told them she’d be picking Boomer up a little later than she’d planned. Then she dialed Nathan’s number. Once again, the call went immediately to his voice mail. Who the hell was he gabbing with for so long? she wondered. Jennifer left another message, telling him she was on her way, and took off.

  *

  “It sounds like you’ve got another call coming in,” Sophie said. “You going to get it?”

  Nathan shook his head. “No. The first time she called, she hung up as soon as I answered. I’m not in the mood to play games.”

  “Mmm,” she purred. “Good old Nate. Why fix a problem when you can ignore it?”

  CHAPTER 31

  Now that she didn’t have to stick to Route 66, Jennifer found that the miles were going by much more quickly than before. As enjoyable as the trip had been, the constraints imposed by having to follow the Mother Road had been a hindrance to forward progress. After a quick stop for gas, she was on the freeway and making good time. The rain was gone and the traffic was light. For the first time that morning, it felt as if things were going her way.

  She wished that Nathan would hurry and call her back. Jennifer knew he must still be angry about their fight the night before, but she hoped he’d put it aside for Boomer’s sake. No matter how he felt about her, she didn’t think he’d turn his back on her dog. If he would just listen to his messages—or better yet, if he’d get off the phone—she was sure they could find a way to call a truce long enough to get Boomer down to a safer altitude. She dialed his number again, heard his voice mail message, and screamed.

  “Nathan Koslow, get off the damned phone!”

  There were flares up ahead in the distance and cones narrowing the freeway down to a single lane. She eased up on the gas. A lighted sign on the right warned about mud and water on the freeway for the next ten miles, reducing the speed limit to forty-five. Jennifer bit her lip and did a quick calculation. She could still make it to Gallup in time, but it was going to be close. She’d just have to make it up once the roadway was clear.

  The next ten miles were excruciating as Jennifer found herself behind a line of cars that was moving at much less than the recommended speed. More than once, she considered pulling off the roadway and blowing past the slowpokes ahead of her, but she couldn’t afford to get a ticket and they didn’t have much farther to go. Finally, just as the freeway opened up again, her phone rang. Jennifer snatched it up.

  “Hello?”

  “Jen, it’s Derek. Are you all right?”

  She stared at the phone.

  “Of course I’m all right. Why are you calling me?”

  “Someone just posted a picture of Boomer at an emergency animal hospital. Did something happen to him?”

  Jennifer howled with ironic laughter. Boomer’s Bucket List had struck again! It was like having a thousand stalkers on her tail.

  “I’m fine, Derek. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you when I called before. Boomer got altitude sickness and he needed to be treated at the vet’s. He’s still there and I’m on the road trying to find someone who can help me get him back down to sea level.”

  “Is there anything we can do from here?”

  “No,” she said. “But thanks. I’ll let you know once we’re out of the woods.”

  Jennifer hung up and glanced
down at her speedometer. Without realizing it, she’d sped up and was doing almost ninety-five. She took her foot off the gas, hoping there were no highway patrolmen around.

  No such luck.

  The man in the Smokey the Bear hat stayed in his patrol car for what seemed like hours. Running her plates, Jennifer thought. Making sure she wasn’t listed somewhere as armed and dangerous. As the minutes ticked by, she could feel her chance to catch Nathan slowly fade. The stopover in Gallup was too short, and leaving Boomer overnight at Dr. Padilla’s wasn’t an option. As soon as this guy finished writing her a ticket, she’d have to turn around and go back. In spite of her determination not to, she began to cry.

  The patrolman got out of his car and walked slowly toward the truck, watching her through the back window, then in her side mirror, before coming to a stop outside her door. Jennifer rolled down the window, still sobbing her heart out. She knew how foolish she must look, knew he must think she was just another weepy female angling to get out of a ticket, but she couldn’t help herself. It had all been too much. She was tired of trying to put up a brave front.

  “License and registration, please.” His voice was cool, emotionless.

  Jennifer took them out, handed them over. He glanced at the picture on the license, looked back up at her, and the corner of his mouth turned up. What did he want? she wondered. For her to bat her eyelashes at him? Try to flirt her way out of a citation?

  “I know you,” he said. “You’re Boomer’s owner.”

  Jennifer’s mouth fell open. She couldn’t have been more shocked if he’d punched her in the face.

  “That’s right,” she said. “How did you—?”

  “My wife and I are big fans. We lost our Bubba to cancer last month and it’s been a huge help to be able to share his story with your followers.”

  “I’m glad,” she said, trying to wipe the tears from her face. “That’s really nice.”